Chapter 1

After my sister married, she and her husband fought drunkenly every day.

Afterward, she would race off in her car to vent. Whenever the traffic police stopped her, she gave them my identity and left me to take the blame.

We looked exactly alike. I was wrongfully detained three times, lost my license, and was even fired from my permanent government job.

Whenever I tried to speak up, the whole family pressured me.

“It’s just a lousy job. If your sister gets a criminal record, it will ruin those two children’s futures. Can you take responsibility for that?”

“You’re sisters. What’s wrong with taking a little blame for her?”

I was forced to bear it.

Until the day she fought with her husband again, drove drunk, and killed a family of three. Once more, she gave my name and abandoned the car.

Grief-stricken and furious, the victims’ relatives cornered me at the entrance to the alley and stabbed me twenty-eight times.

When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day of one of their fights.

This time, I didn’t intervene.

I simply went downstairs and walked into the city’s best cosmetic surgery hospital.

“Doctor, I want double-eyelid surgery.”

1

Crashing came from the living room. My sister and her husband had begun another round.

A vase shattered.

“You crazy bitch!” he shouted. “I work my ass off, and all you do is spend!”

Her voice was even shriller.

“What money do you earn? Three attempts at the civil service exam and you still failed, you useless man!”

A sharp slap.

I leaned against the doorframe and listened.

In my last life, I had rushed out to separate them. My sister slapped me across the face and told me to mind my own business.

Then she slammed out, sped off to vent, and handed the traffic police my license when they stopped her for drunk driving.

The next day, my employer called me in. I had been arrested for drunk driving, they said. My secure government career was over.

I wept and explained that it wasn’t me. My family surrounded me, calling me selfish for not thinking of the children’s future.

I wouldn’t be that stupid again.

My brother-in-law smashed another cup. My sister hurled the ashtray from the coffee table, and they grappled.

Our parents rushed to intervene. Mom was caught by one of my sister’s blows and cried out, clutching her arm.

“Xiaoxue, are you mad?” Dad shouted. “That’s your mother!”

Flushed and reeking of alcohol, my sister shoved him aside.

“I don’t care! I’ve had enough of this useless bastard!”

She charged toward the door.

“You’ve been drinking, Xiaoxue!” Mom cried. “Don’t drive!”

Ignoring her, my sister snatched up the car keys and a stack of documents from the entryway cabinet.

Only then did I stroll out of my room.

“Xiaoxue.”

She turned a murderous glare on me.

I pointed at her hand.

“You’ve taken my license by mistake.”

She paused and looked down.

They were indeed my papers.

With an awkward smile, she put the license back, then slammed the door behind her.

Our parents sighed and cleared the living room. My brother-in-law sat panting on the sofa, scratches across his face.

I returned to my room, closed the door, and checked every document I had.

ID card, driver’s license, health insurance card, bank cards. All there.

I called the police.

“Hello, 110? I’d like to report a drunk driver. The registration number is…”

I gave them the plate and her usual route, then hung up.

Only when it was done did I breathe properly.

Without my papers, she couldn’t impersonate me this time.

I lay on the bed and waited.

About an hour and a half later, the security door opened.

I heard her laugh—relieved and triumphant.

“Mom, guess what? The traffic police stopped me again! Ha!”

My heart sank.

I opened my door and went out.

She sat on the sofa, still smelling of drink but in excellent spirits.

Mom handed her water.

“They caught you drunk driving, and you’re laughing?”

My sister waved a hand and opened a photograph on her phone.

“Lucky I’m clever. There was still another one in the car.”

I stepped closer.

The license photograph was mine.

So was the name.

It was the old license I had reported lost two years ago.

“The police thought I was being cooperative. They even brought me home.” She looked pleased with herself. “They only confiscated the license. Nothing serious.”

Mom exhaled.

“Thank goodness. You frightened me.”

I stood there, my hands and feet icy.

My sister saw me and smiled even more broadly.

“Oh, Xiaoyue. I’ve had to trouble you again.”

“They still put your name down. Don’t worry. I’ll buy you dinner sometime.”

Dad emerged from his study.

“Xiaoyue, this time… you’ll have to take the blame again.”

I drew a deep breath.

“I’m going to bed.”

As I turned, Dad stopped me.

“Wait, Xiaoyue.”

He and Mom exchanged a look.

Mom spoke.

“Nothing terrible happened to your sister this time. But if something happens later… Since the license is already confiscated, why not let her keep your ID in the car?”

I said nothing.

“If she gets into trouble again and ends up with a criminal record, what will happen to those two children? You’re on your own. It won’t matter. But we can’t ruin their futures.”

Dad joined in.

“Yes, help your sister. Give her your ID. It’s for the family.”

I looked at them and suddenly smiled.

“All right.”

Mom stared, surprised I had agreed so quickly.

I fetched my ID and laid it on the coffee table.

“Take it. Use it however you like.”

My sister looked uncomfortable but remained defensive.

“It’s not as though I meant to…”

I ignored her, went back to my room, and locked the door.

Then I connected my phone to the car’s dashcam.

I had bought the car. My sister always drove it.

I fast-forwarded to that evening’s drive.

In the footage, she spotted a police checkpoint ahead.

Most drivers would slow down, give way, or take another route.

Not her.

She accelerated toward it. When an officer waved her down, she braked precisely, lowered the window of her own accord, and smiled as she offered the license.

My old identity document.

Her movements were smooth, as though rehearsed.

I switched off my phone, leaned against the headboard, and closed my eyes.

She hadn’t been stopped because of my report.

She had done it deliberately.

From beginning to end.

2

Early the next morning, I downloaded the footage and saved it in three separate places.

When I came out, everyone was having breakfast.

The children played nearby. My sister lazily ate her congee. Her husband kept his head down over his food, the scratches still visible.

I set my phone on the table.

“Watch this.”

I played the video.

Silence fell.

My sister’s face changed.

Mom stared. Dad watched to the end with a frown.

“Xiaoxue…” Mom’s voice trembled. “You did it on purpose?”

My sister looked away. Her lips moved, but she said nothing.

Her husband suddenly spoke.

“She’d been drinking, and I’d hit her. She wasn’t thinking clearly. How could she know what she was doing?”

“Not thinking clearly?” I laughed coldly. “Then how did she find the checkpoint? How did she manage to lower the window and hand over my license?”

His face darkened. He fell silent.

Dad coughed.

“Xiaoxue, how could you…”

She lowered her head.

“I didn’t mean it. I just… I lost my head for a moment.”

Mom sighed. Before she could speak, the children ran over and clung to her legs.

“Grandma, I want sweets!”

“Play with me, Grandma!”

Her expression softened. She stroked their heads, then turned to me.

“Your sister was wrong, Xiaoyue. But it was only a moment of foolishness…”

“Mom.” I interrupted. “She did it deliberately.”

Dad suddenly banged the table.

“Enough! Leave it alone, Xiaoyue. Delete the video.”

I stared at him.

“Delete it?”

“Yes. We don’t air the family’s dirty laundry. Your sister knows she was wrong. It won’t happen again.”

I didn’t move.

“Your father’s right,” Mom said. “Making a fuss won’t help anyone. Your sister has two children.”

It was almost laughable.

Before I could speak, my phone rang.

My supervisor.

The voice was stern.

“Lin Xiaoyue, you were stopped for drunk driving last night. The department has decided to dismiss you. Come in tomorrow to complete the paperwork.”

I had prepared myself.

“I understand.”

I hung up and looked at my family.

My sister hid a tiny smile.

Mom and Dad exchanged sighs.

“Losing your job is unfortunate, Xiaoyue, but there’s nothing we can do. It’s for your sister…” Dad said.

Mom took two hundred yuan from her purse and pressed it into my hand.

“Take this for now. Ask me next month if you need more.”

Two hundred yuan.

That was the price of my permanent post.

Holding the crumpled notes, I smiled.

“That’s enough, Mom. I’m not short of money.”

I laid them on the table and turned.

The doorbell rang.

My brother-in-law answered it. His parents stood outside.

His mother entered with a dark expression, scanned the room, and fixed her eyes on my sister.

“Xiaoxue, Hang tells me you were in trouble again yesterday?”

My sister forced a smile.

“Nothing serious…”

“Nothing serious?” Her voice was icy. “I hear someone wants to put you in prison.”

She turned to Mom.

“We trusted you with our grandchildren. And now someone in your family wants their mother jailed?”

Mom panicked.

“No, no. It’s a misunderstanding.”

“A misunderstanding?” his father said. “It doesn’t look like one. We’re taking the children today, before anything else happens.”

The children burst into tears.

Mom hurried to reassure them.

“No, please. We won’t let anything happen to Xiaoxue.”

“Exactly,” Dad said. “We’re family. Xiaoyue won’t do anything reckless.”

His mother snorted.

“Then explain yourselves. What guarantee can you give us?”

Our parents exchanged a look, then turned toward me.

“Come here, Xiaoyue,” Mom said.

I stayed where I was.

Dad scowled.

“Apologize to them. Promise you won’t cause any more trouble.”

I laughed.

“Apologize? What did I do wrong?”

“Don’t be stubborn,” Mom urged. “Hurry.”

Looking at them, I suddenly felt tired.

“Fine. I’ll go and deal with my resignation. We can talk when I’m back.”

I took my bag and left without looking back.

I didn’t go to work.