CHAPTER 170: IF YOU NEED SOMEONE TO HATE...JUST HATE ME.

"Hi?" Qi Jianyi flashed an awkward smile. She had no idea how to interact while everyone stared at her with curious, probing eyes.

On the other side of the table, the moment Mrs. Qi heard her awkward greeting, her eyes reddened instantly. Beside her, Mr. Qi lowered his gaze, quietly hiding the sorrow in his heart.

All morning, the couple had been in denial, trying to convince themselves that everything was fine. Even though they could’ve walked straight to Qi Jianyi’s room to confirm the truth, they didn’t.

They clung to a fragile hope that maybe their daughter hadn’t left—that perhaps she was still here, and nothing had changed.

But now, seeing Qi Jianyi standing at the dining room entrance with that nervous, polite expression, they knew. This wasn’t their daughter. The difference was unmistakable.

Their daughter, Miss Qi, had never once greeted them—not even once. In fact, she avoided breakfast altogether whenever she had the chance. But the girl before them... she greeted them.

They might have looked the same, but the sense of presence was worlds apart. And along with the devastation creeping into their hearts came an overwhelming wave of guilt.

Because based on what Miss Qi had told them. Seven years ago, she and Qi Jianyi had once swapped lives. And yet, they—the very parents who had raised her—failed to notice the change.

That guilt only deepened when they recalled what Miss Qi had said. That Qi Jianyi’s parents had sensed something was wrong with their daughter. And Qi Jianyi herself had admitted that, had the swap gone on a little longer, Mother Qi might have discovered the truth.

Thankfully, they had returned to their rightful bodies before any lasting suspicion took root.

Still, the fact remained—Qi Jianyi’s mother, even in a different world, had nearly figured out the difference. Unlike them, who never once questioned their daughter’s sudden change.

They simply believed what they wanted to believe.

If Qi Jianyi could hear the guilt and remorse in their hearts, she would’ve been at a loss for words. Because she wouldn’t be able to tell them it wasn’t their fault.

The truth was—if they had been closer with their daughter, they would’ve noticed.

But they hadn’t. And Qi Jianyi had no excuse that could absolve them of that.

To make things worse, she also knew that Miss Qi’s parents had noticed their daughter’s attitude shifting, even if only a little. Perhaps, they were so caught up in the hope of finally mending their broken bond that they ignored the signs.

In the end, they didn’t realise anything was wrong.

"Are you Qi Jianyi?" Seeing the devastated look on his aunt and uncle’s faces, He Zeqing finally stepped forward and responded to Qi Jianyi’s awkward greeting.

Qi Jianyi turned to look at He Zeqing, who stood at the far end of the dining table. Her gaze calmly examined him, just as He Zeqing studied her in return.

She noticed that He Zeqing had grown more mature over the years. Though he had always appeared refined and aloof, time had further sharpened his features and deepened the gravity in his expression.

Maybe it was his age, or maybe it was the accumulation of responsibilities—but there was no doubt that He Zeqing’s demeanor had become more solemn and composed.

His intense gaze and commanding presence were enough to make most people shrink away in discomfort. But to Qi Jianyi, only one thought lingered in her mind.

He Zeqing’s aura had changed. It was very different from the man she remembered seven years ago. If even he had changed this much... then just how different would Song Chengfeng be now?

"You’ve changed a lot, He Zeqing." Qi Jianyi raised the corner of her lips, smiling with a trace of nostalgia.

She still remembered the warmth and care He Zeqing once gave her, like an older brother. It was a kind of affection she, as the eldest daughter in her own world, had never experienced.

Her words and smile caused He Zeqing to freeze. For a brief moment, he could feel the presence of the playful ’little sister’ he once cherished. Quickly, he averted his eyes, refusing to let her see the emotions swirling in them.

"Well," He Zeqing cleared his throat and responded softly, "It’s been seven years."

The entire He family had been present when Miss Qi revealed the truth about Qi Jianyi. At first, He Zeqing was skeptical—how could such a fantastical story be real?

But when he recalled Song Chengfeng’s sudden changes and abrupt disappearance after Miss Qi awoke, he began to think that maybe her words weren’t so far-fetched after all.

Now, seeing was believing. As soon as he saw Qi Jianyi today, he was convinced: Miss Qi had told the truth.

And suddenly, Song Chengfeng’s choice to cut ties with the Qi family didn’t seem irrational anymore. He had his own reasons, and they were justified.

Qi Jianyi nodded and stepped forward, walking toward the dining table. She pulled out the chair across from Qi Jinlu and took a seat. Seeing that the whole family had yet to snap out of their daze, she decided to quietly eat before dealing with the flood of questions that would inevitably come.

It turned out to be the right call. Even as she finished her breakfast, no one said a word. Everyone simply ate in silence, eyes occasionally glancing at her in disbelief.

"I’m sorry..." she said, wiping her mouth with a napkin before placing it down. Her eyes looked directly at the twins across from her as she broke the silence.

The twins raised their heads, visibly confused. They didn’t speak, but their puzzled expressions begged for an explanation.

Suppressing a grin, Qi Jianyi kept her promise.

"I’m sorry—and I love you guys too," she murmured.

Their confusion only deepened. This time, not just the twins—everyone at the table looked completely baffled by her sudden confession.

Qi Jianyi smiled again, gently, like she always did with her younger sister.

"Qi Jianyi asked me to tell you that," she added quietly.

If her previous sentence had merely stirred confusion, the one that followed struck like thunder—leaving everyone stunned.

Qi Jinlu parted his lips to speak, yet no words came out. His throat tightened, his thoughts scattered, and all he managed was a barely audible mumble. Meanwhile, Qi Jinli sat frozen in his seat, wide-eyed, unable to process what he’d just heard.

Qi Jianyi, however, didn’t give them a chance to ask further. She continued, her voice gentle yet clear enough to carry through the heavy silence.

"She had realised long ago that whatever happened between her and your parents had nothing to do with both of you. Call it ego or whatever you want, but she just feels ashamed to apologise. Before she left, she asked me to tell you that she is sorry that she couldn’t be the big sister you always want her to be. But she still loves you as much as you loved her." Her words lingered in the air, like mist refusing to fade.

But before anyone could respond, Qi Jinlu’s voice cut in—sudden and sharp, loaded with emotion that had nowhere to go.

"Then, if she loved us, why did she still choose to leave?"

His question pierced through the moment like a blade, shifting the weight onto Qi Jianyi. It was a question laced not just with confusion, but also with hurt, disbelief, and a desperate need for understanding.

And the most painful truth was—this time, it was not Miss Qi who initiated the swap. It was her.

Qi Jianyi’s smile slowly faded. Her expression hardened, and a heavy silence settled over her before she gave her answer.

"I want to be here." She said it without hesitation, each word like a stone dropped into still water, sending waves rippling outward.

"What...?" Qi Jinlu gasped. His brows furrowed, his mind scrambling to catch up. He had assumed—like most of them—that his sister had asked to leave again, and Qi Jianyi had simply complied.

But Qi Jianyi knew she could have lied. Miss Qi had given her an excuse—an easy out that would have shielded her from judgment.

She could have said it was Miss Qi’s choice, just like seven years ago. And yet... she didn’t.

She wasn’t going to lie anymore. Not to this family. Not about something so important. If they were going to accept her, they needed to accept all of her. And if they couldn’t—then so be it. She would endure it.

Mrs. Qi finally broke the silence, her voice low but firm, trying to maintain her composure.

"What do you mean by that?"

Qi Jianyi met her eyes. She drew in a deep breath, steadying herself, and when she spoke again, her voice was calm but sharp.

"Seven years ago, my life was stolen." Her words rang out clearly, and her gaze locked onto Mrs. Qi’s with a piercing intensity that made the older woman flinch slightly.

"And I hated Qi Jianyi for that."

The color drained from Mrs. Qi’s face. Her breath hitched as her guilt surged up, cold and suffocating.

"I believe Qi Jianyi had told you about what happened during that time. But, I think I need to tell you the story on my side." Her voice softened as she dropped her gaze, no longer accusatory, but heavy with truth long unspoken.

"For some reason, Qi Jianyi had the ability to see my life through her dreams. Thus, as a result, her jealousy grew and wished to live my life. We both shared the same face and name. Yet, our lives were very much different." A bitter smile ghosted across her lips, revealing the edge of irony in her words.

"Qi Jianyi wants family affection and I want wealth." She paused, letting the simple contrast between their desires hang in the air like an unspoken deal sealed by fate.

"And I have the family affection she wants, and she has the wealth I need." She exhaled heavily, the admission etched with sorrow.

"She grew up watching me receive love and attention from my parents and her wish was always to be me. To live in my world and live as me. But that wish was never realised until seven years ago."

A brief silence followed, but it was broken by He Zeqing’s low, curious voice. "How? How did she go to your world?"

Qi Jianyi slowly lifted her head, her expression unreadable. She answered plainly, yet the weight of her words was anything but simple.

"Because one night, when I was at my lowest, I made a wish."

He Zeqing inhaled sharply, his mind beginning to piece things together.

"I wish that I was born in a wealthy family where I don’t have to work as hard as I had." Qi Jianyi said in a tone that was meant to sound casual, but the regret embedded within it betrayed her feelings.

"That harmless wish of mine. The wish that I spelt out of anger and forgotten the next morning, unintentionally fulfilled Qi Jianyi’s wish."

And with that, the room fell silent once again, only this time with the crushing weight of understanding finally beginning to settle.

"For the time I spent in this world, I truly believed she stole my life. At least, that’s how she made it seem to me," Qi Jianyi said softly, her eyes distant with memory.

"But after that car accident, and just before I returned to my own world, I came to understand something. My sudden appearance in this world... it wasn’t her doing. It required both of our wills—both of our desires—for the exchange to happen."

"She had always longed to live in my world. But because I had no idea she even existed, her wish remained unfulfilled. And then, that one unintentional wish I made... It created a link between us. It pulled us across dimensions, and one morning, we woke up in each other’s lives." A faint, bittersweet smile tugged at her lips as she paused.

"Before I went back to my world seven years ago, Qi Jianyi told me something. She said that if I ever changed my mind—if I ever wanted to come back and live in this world—she would welcome me with open arms. I laughed at her then. Told her it was impossible." Her eyes lowered slightly, reflecting a quiet acceptance.

"Maybe... fate really does have its own strange way of doing things. Because this time, it wasn’t her—it was me. I’m the one who wanted to switch. So please... don’t blame her," she said, her gaze gently settling on Qi Jinlu.

"She might have always dreamed of living my life, but without my consent, that wish could never have come true. I made the choice. I’m the greedy one. The person I want to be with... is here. In this world. That’s why I took the initiative and asked for the exchange. She simply agreed."

She paused for a moment, then added, voice low and firm.

"Don’t hate her. If you need someone to hate...just hate me."