A Pawn in a Game (1)

Agony. Unbearable agony.

Feng Suyin's consciousness slowly returned to her as searing pain washed over her entire body. Every inch of her being felt like it was engulfed in flames, and she could barely muster a whisper, let alone a scream. The scent of charred flesh and chemicals still lingered in the air, a reminder of the explosion that had left her disfigured and broken on what was supposed to be the happiest day of her life - her wedding.

As tears blurred her vision, Feng Suyin struggled to come to terms with the reality of her injuries. Just hours ago, she had been overflowing with excitement and hope for the future, now she found herself trapped in a nightmare.

Lying in the hospital bed, Feng Suyin's mind raced as she tried to piece together the events leading up to this horrific accident. She remembered the warmth of the morning sun filtering through the trees, offering a gentle glow on her face, but now it offered no solace from the turmoil within her.

A single tear escaped her eye as she thought about how different her life would be if things had turned out differently. She was merely seven years old when she was adopted into the Feng family. With no memories of her time at the orphanage, she had thought finding a home and family was the best thing that could ever happen to her.

But as she grew older, Feng Suyin realized that the Feng family, who had taken her in out of compassion, were not as kind as they seemed. Despite their initial affection for her, they were more concerned with their reputation and social standing than showing any genuine love or care towards their "adopted daughter."

Her adoptive mother used to shower Feng Suyin with love and treat her like her own child when she first arrived, but everything changed when she gave birth to Feng Yilan - Feng Suyin's younger sister. From then on, Feng Suyin became invisible in their eyes while Feng Yilan was born into a life of luxury and privilege.

Her adoptive father was a distant and cold man, only concerned with appearances. He rarely spoke to Feng Suyin, let alone showed any affection towards her. Her mother, although warm and loving towards Feng Yilan, seemed to forget about Feng Suyin's existence as soon as her own daughter was born.

Feng Suyin couldn't help but feel anger and resentment towards her adoptive parents for treating her like an afterthought, an inconvenience in their perfect family dynamic. Their shallow love and attention only served as a constant reminder of her status as the "unwanted one" in the Feng family.

The resentment grew inside her, a slow burn that devoured her insides until it threatened to consume her entirely. She used to look at Feng Yilan with seething hostility when they were younger, convinced that her younger sister had stolen everything from her. Feng Suyin felt abandoned for the second time in her life, and the pain was becoming unbearable. She tried to suppress it, to remain silent and obedient, but it was a constant battle.

There was a part of her that longed for her biological parents—to know who they were and what had happened to them. It was a persistent ache in her heart, a void that could never be filled. And as much as she hated her life at the Feng family estate, she also couldn't bear the thought of leaving and losing any connection to her past.

Despite all of this, Feng Suyin had always been determined to carve out her own path in life. She excelled in school and was accepted into a prestigious university to study medicine. It was there that she discovered her true passion and purpose: saving lives. For years, she dedicated herself tirelessly to this cause, never once considering the possibility that one day she would be the one needing saving.

As she lay on the hospital bed with bandages covering her disfigured face and broken limbs, Feng Suyin closed her eyes and tried to block out the pain and darkness that threatened to consume her. She briefly wondered if it would have been better if she had died in the explosion. Perhaps then she wouldn't have to endure this physical agony and emotional turmoil. But even in her darkest moments, she couldn't bring herself to wish for death.

She had no idea how to move forward from here. The life she had so carefully planned out had been shattered, along with her dreams of a happy future with Ji Hanjun. But despite the overwhelming despair that consumed her, she knew she couldn't give up just yet. She owed it to herself to keep fighting.

Her eyes scanned the hospital room, searching for Ji Hanjun. Would he still want to be with her after seeing her disfigured and broken? She couldn't bear the thought of losing him too.

But just as she started to spiral into a dark pit of self-doubt, Feng Suyin heard the familiar click of high heels in the hallway. She had heard the same sound many times before. Relief flooded through her when she saw Feng Yilan's face appear in the doorway.

Unlike herself, Feng Yilan was a vision of beauty that no one could ignore. And despite their complicated relationship, Feng Suyin couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy as she compared herself to her sister.

Feng Yilan's face was like a work of art, every feature perfectly crafted to perfection. Her emerald green eyes sparkled with mischief, and her smooth skin glowed like porcelain. Her long hair cascaded down her back in shiny waves.

Feng Suyin's stomach twisted with resentment as she saw Feng Yilan looking at her with a mocking glint in her eye. She and Feng Yilan were always at odds since they were younger. Feng Yilan would passively aggressively make comments about Feng Suyin's appearance and weight, but her younger sister's attitude slowly mellowed down after they graduated from college and started pursuing their respective careers.

To think that Feng Yilan still harbors such hostility towards her surprised Feng Suyin. It seemed to her that Feng Yilan had been waiting for this day to come.

"I see you made it out alive after all. Pity," Feng Yilan said, with a hint of superiority in her voice.

Feng Suyin's envy turned into a burning anger, as she realized that despite everything, Feng Yilan would always see herself as superior to her.