"I know you're not mute, but if you insist on being mute, I can make you a true mute for the rest of your life," his fingertip finally stopped at the center of her throat.
"I don't remember," the little girl finally spoke, her voice barely audible.
When she spoke, the fear in her voice became apparent.
He Yuanfang, who stood behind Wei Ziqi, realized that she was just an eight-year-old girl, waking up suddenly in a completely unfamiliar environment, facing a group of strangers. Of course, she would forget everything about herself.
She didn't know who she was, where she lived, or where her parents were.
She didn't know where to go or where she could go, feeling completely lost, with a terror in her heart so overwhelming that it could swallow her whole.
The fact that she could remain so calm without collapsing was already remarkable.
However, Wei Ziqi showed no signs of sympathy. Instead, he seemed to be satisfied with how the little girl understood the situation.
He nodded, then grabbed her chin, forcing her to look up. "Good. From now on, your name is Wei Ran. Your life was saved by me, and your surname was given by me, so from now on, everything about you, including your life, belongs to me."
"Whether you remember or not, your past life no longer matters. Your life starts from this moment on, and the life you'll lead from now on is not yours; it belongs to me."
"That means, if I want your life, you'll have to give it to me obediently. Do you understand?" Wei Ziqi spoke cruelly.
The little girl didn't fully understand, but she grasped the main idea.
In the future, she no longer belonged to herself, but to him.
She didn't understand how she could belong to him, her mind was still her own, and he couldn't control that.
But she still nodded. "I understand."
With that nod, her fate was sealed.
It also decided her name: Wei Ran.
Wei Ziqi nodded again, satisfied, and told the doctor, "Give her a thorough check-up to make sure there's nothing else wrong with her."
After speaking, he walked out with He Yuanfang.
Wei Ran's voice, low and timid, called out to him, "Um... Will I live here from now on?"
Wei Ziqi paused and turned around. "This will be your room from now on."
...
...
Eight years later.
Wei Ran walked barefoot down the corridor, her feet brushing against the solid wood floor, making no sound at all.
She liked the feeling of walking barefoot on the ground. The floor was cool, and the chill that seeped through her soles made her feel refreshed, comfortable all over.
The deep red floorboards reflected her feet, making them appear exceptionally white. Her round toes looked soft and plump, with no calluses, making them look so soft that one would almost want to touch them.
Her white toes had a faint pink tint, and her nails were trimmed short, with no dirt at all in the nail beds.
Her slightly smaller hands touched the wall as she walked forward, a lively smile playing at the corners of her mouth.
Unknowingly, she had been living in the Wei family for eight years.
At first, Wei Ziqi's parents were quite critical of him suddenly bringing a girl back to raise, but it wasn't aimed at Wei Ran.
However, when Wei Ziqi was determined to do something, no one could stop him, not even his parents.
Over time, Wei Minghao and his wife eventually accepted that there was now another new member in their family.
Wei Ran's position in the Wei family was somewhat special, or rather, awkward.
She wasn't a servant and never had to work around the house. On the contrary, she was served by others.
The Wei family provided her with a life of abundance and education, allowing her to grow up without any worries.
But she couldn't exactly be considered a child of the Wei family. At best, she could barely be considered a member of the family.
However, she didn't think her identity was that special. He Yuanfang was also a member of the Wei family.
He Yuanfang was three years older than Wei Ziqi. She didn't know when He Yuanfang had come to the Wei family or how long he had been by Wei Ziqi's side.
But she knew that no one could be as in sync with Wei Ziqi as He Yuanfang was.
Wei Minghao and his wife were quite fond of her, especially since Wei Ziqi was their only son, and his unpredictable personality made it difficult for even his biological parents to figure him out.
With only this one son who was so moody, Wei Minghao and his wife were quite happy to have a pretty little girl in the house.
Especially since Wei Ran had no memory of her life before the age of eight, her life became more cautious. She made sure to be obedient and well-behaved, not wanting to be kicked out of the only place she could call home. Her every word and action made her more endearing to them.
Although she didn't dare admit it, deep down, she knew that Wei Minghao and his wife had come to see her as half a daughter.
Wei Ran's hand, which had been resting on the wall, suddenly paused. The family all liked her, except for Wei Ziqi.
As for Wei Ziqi, she could never quite be sure.
Sometimes, Wei Ziqi was fond of her and very tolerant of her, but other times, his mood would suddenly darken, and it scared her.
She still remembered slowly recovering from the panic of amnesia, starting to regain the liveliness of a child.
Once, she tried sitting on the banister of the stairs and sliding down from the second floor.
She didn't know why, but there was a feeling inside her that she had often done this before her memory loss.
The sensation of sitting on the stairs felt incredibly familiar. She knew she could control her balance well. She slid down to the end of the banister, making a smooth curve through the air, not too high, before landing steadily.