Chapter One

  Jin Fenghua found the little thing called Xianxian to be quite interesting. Originally, he was afraid of himself being too scary, but after gaining her trust, she quickly calmed down and even carefully helped him pack his bags, as if she had found her path in life overnight. She had put herself in the right position. Jin Fenghua thought that this was what they meant by "knowing the times and adapting to circumstances". He was surprised and admired her, but also felt a little regretful, thinking that he wouldn't be able to see this little girl being restless like a small mouse again.

  Originally, he had brought this little girl here out of curiosity. After all, he had been reborn for some time now, and even if he intervened, the events of his past life would still have occurred, such as his mother's death, or how he had killed Chancellor Cui, and the steps that led to the current state of the Jin Manor were all unchanged.

  However, Xianxian was an unexpected surprise, a big one. According to his memories from his past life, Xianxian also appeared on the night when Chancellor Cui came to capture him. Chancellor Cui had used drugs on him at that time, and he could only watch as he killed the little girl with his own hands. In his past life, he didn't know her name, but in this life, they became acquainted earlier.

  (Note: I've kept the translation as close to the original text as possible, without any additional explanations or descriptions.)

  It turns out that he wants to keep Xianxian not just because he promised his mother, but in Jin Fenghua's view, as long as Xianxian stays by his side, his fate can slowly break away from his past life. Just like how he wasn't taken away by Cui Gonggong, and just like how he can now leave the Jin Manor with a clear conscience, unlike his past life when he was like a helpless animal.

  Xian Xian is an unknown fate for Jin Fenghua.

  Lying slowly on the rooftop, he could hear Xianxian sitting in the house calculating abacus with his eyes closed. He had forgotten how many nights he had been sneaking to see Xianxian. He never thought deeply about why he had such a strange behavior. All he knew was that as long as he held something in his hand, it wouldn't fly away.

  "The weather is about to get hot, we still need to make a few sets of thin shirts for Linqing." Xianyi didn't know whether she had figured out her own identity or was just busy, but as soon as she started working on the clothes, she began to chat with Jinfenghua again. She packed everything onto the cart, and also took the time to say a few more words to Jinfenghua.

  Jin Fenghua smiled warmly all the time, without revealing a hint of impatience, let alone the icy coldness of that night, which seemed like a dream in a fairy's clothes.

  Xian Yi couldn't help but sigh as she glanced at the man beside her, it seemed he was really playing up this "ordinary couple" act, if anyone could act, no one could outdo him.

  "Aren't you going to the main hall to pay your respects? When it's time to leave, I'll go with you to kowtow together." Jin Fenghua subconsciously smoothed out her hair, then paused for a moment before blushing and becoming flustered.

  You're pretending again! Xianyi is so angry she's about to gnash her teeth. Who was it that made a move on her in the middle of the night? Now you're acting all innocent? Don't try to deceive me!

  "That servant girl left first. It's windy here, Third Young Master should head back first." She turned her face away, her celestial clothes slightly lowered, and also seemed to say with a hint of embarrassment.

  Two people stood facing each other, with deep affection, under the green trees. A spring breeze blew by, as if it were the most beautiful picture in that young boy's heart during his innocent youth.

  Damn it! Xian Yi looked at Jin Feng Hua's back and her teeth ached. Has this demon recently fallen for the little innocent?

  She came to the main house, and Xian Yi found that the layout had changed a lot. Many things she remembered were gone. She secretly ridiculed it, but there was nothing she could do about it. In just a few months, this place had already become deserted, with very little sign of Chen's life left. Xian Yi tidied up her clothes and walked in respectfully, not even lifting her head as she passed by Chen.

  "Slave Xianxian greets the madam." Without any of her usual playful teasing or past carefree ease, Xianxian knelt on the ground and kowtowed to the madam, the halo of being a second-generation rich kid having thoroughly disappeared from her body.

  "Ah, it's been a long time since I've seen you, and you've lost weight. But aren't you leaving tomorrow?" The madam put down the dried fruit and wiped her hands, looking at Xian Yi and suddenly remembering Chen Nian'er, who had accompanied her on the journey. She couldn't say whether she felt guilty or regretful, but in any case, she didn't want to indulge this thing anymore.

  "Madam, tomorrow morning we will set off. The third young master instructed me before I came that he would come over early tomorrow to pay his respects to you." Xian Yi detected the unnatural tone in Madam's voice and felt a bitter taste in her mouth. Her mother had served the Chen family for a lifetime, yet ended up with such a result.

  "If it's too early tomorrow, just kowtow outside, no need to come in." The madam didn't care about showing her disdain for the illegitimate child in front of others. In the past, there was Chen Ayi to cover up for her, but now the madam had become even more arrogant.

  Xian Yi didn't dare say more and could only kneel down in response. Today, entering the main courtyard again felt like being in a different world; it was also time to leave this place.

  The lady saw Xianyi being obedient, but less intimate than before, and she always felt a sense of discomfort. Whenever she saw Xianyi, she wanted to retreat and said with a knock: "Marrying the third young master is your good fortune, and I have also fulfilled your mother's entrustment. Wait for you to return from Linqing, and live a good life in the mansion. As for the third young master, you should also advise him more."

  What great kindness, what heavy blessings! Xian Yi hated not being able to tear open the heart of the madam and see what it was made of. Her whole family had devoted themselves to the Chen and Jin households, risking their lives for their masters, but in the end? Not to mention how they were calculated against, if Gold Wind wasn't involved inside, what would have happened to the entrusted matters? She would have long been destroyed by herself in some fiery pit, yet in the end, the madam still had the face to speak with such grandeur. She also had the face!

  Xian Yi's heart was burning with anxiety, but she couldn't show it. After going through the motions of greeting and courtesy in the main house, she came out to find Autumn Scene waiting for her at the door. As soon as he saw her, he grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the side room. Inside, only Xiu Zhu and Xue Shuang were sitting there, and they all gathered around her as soon as she entered. Each of them had something to say or instruct, with Xiu Zhu being the most exaggerated, as if she wanted to arrange every detail of Xian Yi's life. Only then did Xian Yi feel a warmth in her heart and reveal a hint of a smile.

  Xian Yi accepted everyone's farewell gifts, and she wasn't worried about the other two. After all, Qiu Jing was already engaged, and her appearance was ordinary. Xue Shuang was still young, and although her parents were not highly respected, they were stable. However, it was Xiuzhu that she couldn't put her mind at ease about. She had originally thought that before leaving, she would advise her a few more times, regardless of whether she listened or not, at least to fulfill the emotional debt of all these years, and who knows when they would meet again in the future.

  Unexpectedly, before she could speak, Xiuzhu pulled her aside and whispered: "You can leave in peace, I won't keep the troublemaker."

  "Xian Yi was slightly startled, Xiu Zhu's so-called 'trouble' was to go in front of the young master and show affection, she originally wanted to advise against it, but didn't expect Xiu Zhu herself had thought of it."

  "Xian Yi, I didn't listen to you before, but recently..." Xiu Zhu's eyes were misty as she grasped Xian Yi's hand and said: "Looking at Han Niang going like that, Liu Niang living in seclusion every day, Cao Niang looking so prosperous, yet also afraid of the big madam secretly doing evil. Being a concubine doesn't seem to be that comfortable either."

  Patted Xiu Zhu's hand, Xian Yi said no more. Since she could wake up for a moment from the glory and wealth, maybe she would change her mind in the future. Anyway, this was her own path to take.

  As she walked out of the Zhengyuan, Xian Yi felt as if she had shed a heavy burden, and she would no longer be held back by these constraints on her path to the future.

  She had originally thought of going back to her own room first, but after some consideration, she decided to go to Jin Fenghua's courtyard in the front yard instead. As a concubine's child, no one ever paid attention to her marriage, and as an unwed mother-to-be who was born at home, no one cared whether she got married before giving birth or not. Now, she only thought about whether there were any loose items left behind in Jin Fenghua's courtyard that she could take back. As soon as she walked out of the corner gate, she saw three maids standing at the entrance of Jin Fenghua's dilapidated courtyard, which was no surprise to her since they had already chosen their farewell objects.

  However, she just nodded and didn't even bother with the formalities, directly pushing open the door to enter the courtyard. Seeing her act so naturally, Lu Shuang was consumed by jealousy, her eyes reddening. She shook off Yu Shuang's hand and rushed over, raising her hand to slap Xian Yi in the face. Xian Yi sensed her rushing over and instinctively raised his right hand, just in time to block Lu Shuang's arm, rendering her unable to land a hit.

  "How dare you! Don't forget, no matter how incompetent I am, I'm still a second-class official, and you're just a third-class servant girl, thinking of overstepping your bounds?" Having already torn off her mask, Xian Yi didn't bother to leave any room for compromise.

  "You're a cheat! You're just a cheat!!!" Lu Shuang was pulled back by Yun Shuang and Yu Shuang, who had rushed over from behind, and tearfully accused.

  "Swindler?" Xian Yi sneered, she really found this big-brained girl very ridiculous.

  "Right! You thought of going to the eldest uncle's house as a concubine, but now it doesn't work out, so you've set your sights on Third Young Master. Saying that it's for my own good, but actually you're just afraid I'll stand in your way. You disgusting woman!" Lu Shuang almost screamed hysterically, her entire body seeming like it was about to collapse.

  Xian Yi was now somewhat relieved that Jin Fenghua's courtyard was remote, otherwise with Lu Shuang being so loud and boisterous, she would have probably attracted people over already.

  "Regarding what I advised you before, even if I was kind and treated you like a donkey's liver and lungs, how did I end up as the future Third Young Mistress? You're not clear about that? Xian Yi looked at Yun Shuang with disdain, looking at Yu Shuang, who was it that instigated the Eldest Lady to send her mother away? Who was it that wanted her to become a concubine? Who was it that ruined their own engagement? And yet, in the end, they still want to bite her back. Sorry, but she's not a fool!"

  Yu Shuang's face was burning from being stared at by her, while Yun Shuang stiffened her neck and seemed to be in pain as she said: "Xian Xian Jie, how can you speak like this? Everything is clearly caused by you, yet you're shifting the blame onto us sisters. If it wasn't for sister worrying that I was blocking your way, would I have been beaten up so badly back then? And if it wasn't for you snatching Zhao Lang away, would Yu Shuang have had such a hard time getting together with her lover? Now you've even taken San Shao Ye away from Lu Shuang, yet instead of apologizing to Lu Shuang, you're framing us...this..."

  Looking at Yun Shuang's tearful appearance, Xian Yi felt as uncomfortable as if she had swallowed a fly. Suddenly, the words of defense in her mouth became a joke. In the end, she smiled wickedly and raised her chin, looking at the three disheveled women in front of her like ants. She sneered: "Yun Shuang, White Lotus disease is an illness that needs to be treated, especially for a woman like you whose roots are rotten! And let me tell you, if you say anything bad about me again, Third Master won't care. He likes me, he can't do without me. Even if I cry and refuse to marry him, he'll still pester me shamelessly. How's that? You, Lu Shuang, sought after but couldn't get, while I got everything effortlessly!"

  The three women outside the courtyard turned pale, while the young man standing in the courtyard almost burst out laughing.

  It's really worth looking forward to leaving the house.