Chapter 177: Chapter 177

Once her eyes gradually adjusted to the light, she slowly opened them.

On the windowsill, a few sparrows chirped noisily, as if composing a symphony for this crisp autumn morning.

Shen You’an walked to the window and greeted them with a smile, "Hi, good morning."

The sparrows didn’t fly away. One of them, bold enough, fluttered onto Shen You’an’s shoulder and began circling her, flapping its tiny wings.

Breathing in the fresh air, basking in the bright morning rays, surrounded by majestic green mountains and gentle streams—and lively little creatures—it felt as though the gloom in Shen You’an’s chest had been completely dispelled.

Just then, a knock sounded at the door, followed by Luo Wan’s gentle voice coming from outside.

"An’an, are you awake? It’s time for breakfast."

The girl opened the door. Luo Wan, standing by, glanced up unintentionally—and upon seeing her, suddenly gasped sharply.

Shen You’an abruptly realized she wasn’t wearing her glasses. In fact, the Hallucinogenic Potion obtained from the system required a medium to enchant people’s eyes, and this medium was the glasses.

If Shen You’an didn’t wear glasses, the potion lost its effect.

Shen You’an curved her lips into a smile, "What’s wrong, Aunt?"

Luo Wan exclaimed incredulously, "An’an, you... you suddenly became beautiful. You look so much like your mother—especially your eyes..."

For a fleeting moment, Luo Wan was almost convinced her sister was standing before her.

Her sister was enchanting, like a pure and ethereal sprite—clean, pristine, transcendent—untainted by a single speck of earthly impurity, so much so that even the mere thought of defiling her felt like sacrilege.

Yet, the girl in front of her, with eyes slightly tipped at the corners, carried a trace of seductive allure. Unspoken yet bewitching, she drew souls to surrender willingly before her, offering up their hearts.

Though their eyes were strikingly similar, the beauty they held was vastly different.

In truth, An’an’s features were significantly more exquisite than her mother’s. Her nose, particularly, was breathtakingly well-shaped and three-dimensional—straight, elegant, with a delicate femininity yet without losing its sharp grace, which added unparalleled charm to her face.

Apart from the eyes, all of An’an’s facial features closely resembled her father’s.

She seemed to have inherited the best traits of both her parents and refined them, creating her unique brilliance.

Although the features themselves were immature and not yet fully developed, those captivating eyes alone made her slightly youthful face suddenly come alive.

At such a young age, she was already radiating this level of grace and allure. It was no hard guess how staggering her beauty would be once she grew up.

Luo Wan, momentarily overwhelmed, was utterly speechless. She had once lamented that it was a pity An’an hadn’t inherited her mother’s beauty, but now she felt that was an understatement. This wasn’t mere inheritance—she’d selectively grown with all the finest attributes of her parents.

Shen You’an chuckled lightly and gently hugged her, "Aunt, if you ever miss Mom, just take a look at me."

Today, when visiting her mother, she wanted to face her without any pretense.

To show her mom she was doing well, so she wouldn’t worry.

Luo Wan held her hand and led her downstairs. In the yard, Zhang Jian, who was sweeping, froze in shock upon catching sight of Shen You’an, and the broom in his hand fell to the ground.

Luo Wan stifled her laughter behind her hand, "Brother, you’re reacting just like I did earlier."

Zhang Jian hurriedly strode closer, taking a deep breath, rubbing his eyes repeatedly—then rubbing them again.

The young girl standing before him was still looking at him, smiling faintly.

"An’an, stop smiling," Zhang Jian clutched at his chest.

"Uncle can’t handle it."

This face was simply too devastating.

Though Zhang Jian had always thought An’an was pretty, he’d never been hit with such an intense impact before—it was truly a first.

Could it really be all because of those blasted glasses?

Luo Qian, just stepping out of the restroom, happened to look up—and immediately froze, dumbfounded.

At this moment, a twelve or thirteen-year-old girl bounded into the yard, exclaiming, "Brother, Sister, come eat! What’s taking you all so long?"

Once she caught sight of Shen You’an, her eyes suddenly widened, and she froze in place like she’d seen a ghost, "Oh my goodness, I just saw a fairy..."

A fairy glowing from head to toe.

The girl let out a sharp scream before rushing over to Shen You’an, circling around her and examining her from every angle, unwilling to even blink.

"Oh my heavens, you look so much better than those celebrities in the entertainment industry."

Suddenly recalling something, the girl stuttered in disbelief, "Wait... are you An’an?"

Shen You’an nodded with a smile, "Xiao Yu, long time no see."

In an instant, the girl’s expression morphed into a pout, tearful and distraught, "Why, why—how come, even though we’re both children of the Zhang family—you turned out so beautiful while I turned out so ugly? Heaven, you’re so unfair!! Ahhhhh..."

The girl grew frantic, grabbing onto Shen You’an and shaking her wildly.

Luo Wan quickly pulled her away, "Xiao Yu, let’s head to your house for breakfast. Don’t keep your mom waiting."

As the group stepped out, Xiao Yu clung to Shen You’an all the way—one moment lamenting, the next sighing, then grinding her teeth, then swooning—changing expressions faster than a Sichuan opera performer.

"Shen You’an, did you secretly get plastic surgery?" Zhang Xiaoyu suddenly leaned in close to Shen You’an, scrutinizing her face in search of any sign of artificial enhancement.

But alas, she was disappointed.

That face seemed like a masterpiece from the heavens, flawless to the point that even picking out the tiniest imperfection was impossible. In fact, it was so perfect it almost felt unreal.

Fixated on her face, Zhang Xiaoyu stared, unable to tear her gaze away, "You should join an idol talent show—you’d totally blow up. I’d rally all my classmates to vote for you. That ST girl group’s lead face wouldn’t even deserve to shine your shoes."

As a devoted fangirl, Zhang Xiaoyu practically had the male and female idol groups of the entertainment industry at her fingertips.

If Shen You’an joined a girl group competition, what would be left for everyone else? Besides, wouldn’t that bring her closer to her idols?

Getting lost in her fantasies, Zhang Xiaoyu began giggling to herself.

Shen You’an chuckled and patted her on the head, "Focus on your studies. Stop thinking about silly things."

Zhang Xiaoyu shot up like a tiger on a rampage, her hair practically standing on end, "Whose head are you patting?!"

She planted her hands on her hips and declared fiercely, "I’m warning you—don’t call me by my name directly. Based on seniority, you have to call me Aunt. Show some respect to your elders, alright?"