My Journey to Me

Chapter I: The Legacy's Weight

The morning sun poured through the grand windows of Gong Zishang's bedroom, casting long shadows on the polished floor. The gilded furniture and intricate decor reflected the wealth and power of the Gong family, yet the vast room felt empty. Despite the beauty around her, Zishang felt a constant ache in her chest, a longing for something she couldn't quite grasp.

She stood in front of the full-length mirror, studying her reflection. The face that stared back at her was one of calm authority—a woman who had been taught to master every emotion, every expression, every movement. She had spent years perfecting this image, this persona. But today, as she looked deeper into her own eyes, she saw only uncertainty.

"Who am I?" The thought echoed in her mind again, louder now than ever before.

Her family had always placed high expectations on her. As the eldest daughter, it was her responsibility to inherit the family's vast fortune, to carry the name and the legacy forward. She had learned early on that her actions were never her own. Every decision she made was scrutinized, every word she spoke measured. But Zishang had always been prepared for that. She had been groomed for greatness, taught that the needs of the family came before everything else, even herself.

Yet, as she gazed at her reflection, she realized that the image before her was no longer one she recognized as her own. It was the mask of a woman she had become—the heiress, the strategist, the perfect daughter. But it wasn't who she truly was.

With a soft sigh, Zishang turned away from the mirror. Today was a critical day in the family's business dealings, and her presence was required. There was no time for introspection, no room for self-doubt. The family's affairs came first, as always.

As she descended the grand staircase, her steps were measured and deliberate, the sound of her heels clicking against the marble echoing through the empty halls. Every part of her being was trained to be composed, to project an aura of confidence and authority. It was a performance, and she had perfected it over the years.

At the base of the stairs, her father, Gong Zhen, stood waiting. He was a tall man, his posture straight as a rod, his features sharp and calculating. His eyes, though, betrayed nothing. To him, Zishang was his heir—the one who would carry his legacy when he was gone. But there was little warmth in his gaze. His love, if it could be called that, was always tied to her ability to perform.

"Zishang," he greeted her curtly, his voice low and firm. "The board meeting begins in an hour. Are you prepared?"

"I've reviewed the materials, Father," she replied, her voice steady, betraying no hint of the turmoil within. "Everything is in order."

Her father nodded, though his expression remained unchanged. "Good. Your mother and I expect nothing less."

Zishang could feel the weight of his words, the unspoken pressure that came with them. She was never allowed to fail. She was never allowed to be anything less than perfect.

As they made their way to the family's private conference room, Zishang's mind wandered again. Her father's expectations had been ingrained in her for as long as she could remember. Every conversation, every interaction, was a reminder of what she was supposed to be. But was it enough? Was being the perfect heir, the perfect daughter, truly all she was meant to be?

The door to the conference room swung open, and the familiar faces of the Gong family's top executives greeted her. They, too, had come to expect her sharp mind and unwavering composure. Zishang took her seat at the head of the table, her presence immediately commanding attention. Her mind shifted into business mode as she reviewed the figures before her.

But as the meeting progressed, her thoughts remained elsewhere. She was no longer focused solely on the numbers. Her mind drifted back to the reflection in the mirror—an image of a woman who had it all together but was slowly crumbling inside.

In the middle of a conversation about expanding the family's holdings, Zishang's attention snapped back to the present as her younger brother, Gong Ziyu, spoke up. He was the second child, a charming and carefree soul who rarely took things seriously.

"Zishang, you look a bit distracted today," he said with a teasing smile. "Are you okay?"

Zishang's heart skipped a beat. It was a rare moment when someone acknowledged her, when someone dared to see past the facade. Her brother's playful tone cut through the tension in the room, but his words also reminded her of how little anyone truly understood her.

"I'm fine," she replied quickly, offering him a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Just... thinking about the future."

Ziyu chuckled, clearly not sensing the depth of her inner conflict. "You're always thinking about the future. Maybe you should take a break, Zishang. You're allowed to have a little fun, you know?"

Zishang's lips curved into a faint smile at his words. Fun. It felt so distant, so foreign. Fun was something for people who didn't have a family legacy to uphold, for people who weren't constantly under the scrutiny of the world. But as her brother's words lingered in her mind, she couldn't help but wonder if there was some truth to them. Maybe it was time for her to find something outside of the world of duty and obligation.

The meeting continued, but Zishang felt a shift within her. A seed of doubt had been planted, one that would grow over time. It wasn't enough to merely be the perfect heir, the perfect daughter. She was starting to realize that the true journey ahead wasn't about fulfilling the role that others had carved out for her—it was about discovering who she was, outside of the family's expectations, outside of the legacy that had always defined her.

And so, as the meeting came to a close and the room began to empty, Zishang remained seated, her thoughts swirling. She wasn't ready to reveal this journey to anyone, but she knew that it had already begun.

The journey to herself—her true self—had begun, and she couldn't turn back now.