All her hatred… was it all just for a nightmare or was it really the future to be?
Tao Hua watched as Xiao Wan repeatedly touched her face. Tao Hua was getting impatient from kneeling there next to her for so long. "Young Miss I know today you'll be getting married. I also know that today is July 6th of the 26th year of xxxx but really you must stop crying! Otherwise you'll be late!"
Xiao Wan immediately stiffened. She had heard those exact same words from Tao Hua before. She remembered that the night before the wedding she couldn't sleep because she was so excited. Her mood had been unusually good, so good that even though she hated the two girls she had made them stay up with her to chat. Tao Hua was so annoyed she disobeyed Xiao Wan's orders and left after saying two sentences.
The first sentence had been to tell her to stop admiring herself in the mirror. The second sentence had been to remind her to hurry or she would miss this once in a lifetime opportunity to marry Ji Shumo.
Xiao Wan had been so excited that day she had binged on pastries and sweets and nearly choked to death from stuffing them in her mouth too fast. A faraway look come into her eyes as she remembered the half eaten cake in her hand. This scene and many others flashed rapidly by in her mind.
Liu Shui watched as Tao Hua's face became unhappier by the second. It was clear she was about to get up so Liu Shui had sought to beg Xiao Wan's forgiveness for the other's impudence. She had mentioned Ji Shumo earlier in hopes of distracting Xiao Wan.
Meanwhile the doubts in Xiao Wan's mind disappeared. She remembered everything, all the things that were said, all the things she did, everything came back to her. Everything that would happen in the future, it was all because she married Ji Shumo.
Am I reborn? Did I go back in time – return to the day of the big wedding with Ji Shumo? Fine! I have to grab this second chance from the Heavens and make sure the Xiao House doesn't get exterminated. With a bang she stood up.
Tao Hua watched as Xiao Wan paced restlessly back and forth with a sorrowful determined expression on her face, her gaze somewhere off in the distance looking as though she was lost in herself. Love Affair's heart felt uneasy and she mentally retreated. What is wrong with this Young Miss today! Why isn't she getting angry and yelling at me like usual? Why the sad face? Did something shameful happen?
In her previous life Xiao Wan especially hated Tao Hua because of her poisonously sharp tongue. Because Tao Hua nitpicked at everything Xiao Wan did the two quarrelled almost everyday. Xiao Wan rarely held her anger in check and would easily explode. Their relationship was never good, so when Tao Hua criticized Ji Shumo for being a sham and a hypocrite Xiao Wan was extremely skeptical. Warning Xiao Wan to be weary of him also failed and only succeeding in earning her severe tongue lashings. Ultimately Love Affair's efforts achieved the opposite effect serving to make Xiao Wan suspicious of Tao Hua and pushing Xiao Wan closer to Ji Shumo.
Some time afterwards Tao Hua was caught secretly transferring the family funds and moving it to her own name and account. She was punished according to house rules and was caned fifty times before being kicked out.
Tao Hua had a poisonous mouth but she was always there at the critical moments observing and sharing her thoughts. Only by eliminating her could Ji Shumo blind Xiao Wan and deceive her, resulting in the extermination of the Xiao House and all its one hundred twenty members.
Xiao Wan remembered Tao Hua kept insisting she was innocent, that there was a villain in the House intent on causing them harm. After being reborn, Xiao Wan now knew that Ji Shumo had set a trap to strip away her protection by getting rid of Tao Hua.
Xiao Wan was feeling guilty, so when she saw Tao Hua about to get up she bent down and extended her hand to help the other girl stand. This made Tao Hua blush because although she greatly disliked the Young Miss, the Young Miss looked more charming than usual today, plus she never had this kind of a temperament in the past. It was then that Tao Hua got a full frontal view of Xiao Wan.
Pfft! It was really hard to not laugh! That tear streaked kitty like face was just so out of place when compared to her current refined temperament.
Once Tao Hua stood up Xiao Wan looked over at Liu Shui. She had been silent for some time and with her head bowed she gave off the impression of someone in deep thought. Although Liu Shui was only a year older, she appeared to be very thoughtful and meticulous, especially when compared to Tao Hua who just blurted out what was on her mind without a single filter over her mouth.
Xiao Wan's relationship with Liu Shui turned for the worse after Tao Hua was driven out of the Xiao House. It was more than a month ago in this timeline when Xiao Wan caught sight of Liu Shui visiting Xie Chuchen's courtyard with various fruits and tonics. One time she even caught Liu Shui sneaking out to buy prenatal medicine.
It was at that moment that she realized Xie Chuchen had been pregnant for over a month. A husband she loathed and had never touched was pregnant and secretly trying to give birth to a bastard child. Xiao Wan remembered feeling like the blood had completely drained out of her face – she was so shocked. She had originally intended to kill her unloyal young husband but ultimately decided to give him a bowl of safflower soup instead. She completely disregarded his weak physical condition and forced him to abort the baby. Afterwards she had planned to make him fend for himself by sending him to one of the far away abandoned Xiao properties.
She remembered Liu Shui had walked in right when Xie Chuchen was on the ground clutching his stomach. He looked broken and torn with blood seeping out all around him. Liu Shui had turned to look at her with an odd mix of sorrow and despair on her face, as though Xiao Wan had committed the biggest mistake of her life.
The once polite and friendly Liu Shui became so angry that she went against Xiao Yurong's instructions to always protect Xiao Wan. She had become so emotional that she physically beat Xiao Wan for what she had done to Xie Chuchen. She left the Xiao House that very night in order to protect Xie Chuchen.
Xiao Wan recalled Xie Chuchen's disposition had been extremely dejected and his eyes were cold and empty. It was quite a contrast to the indignation and anger Liu Shui had when she abruptly appeared. Thinking about it now upset Xiao Wan greatly. The baby's mother… was it Liu Shui? Could it be that Liu Shui has liked Xie Chuchen this whole time.?
The loud pitapitas of the firecrackers caused Xiao Wan to lose her train of thought making her a bit irritable. It was clear from the sounds that those outside were becoming anxious after waiting for so long. A yell of, "Miss Xiao the sedan is here. Please come out as soon as you're dressed. Don't make people wait any longer!" came from the crowd outside.
At that Xiao Wan's heart skipped a beat. I can't make the same mistakes as before. I have to destroy all possibilities that lead to the Xiao House tragedy! I absolutely can not, positively CAN NOT, take that viper snake as a husband!
A sharp glint showed in Xiao Wan's eyes. Ha! Let him return to the chair humiliated under the eyes of thousands! "Yun Yan, Hua Xia, get ready!"[
The two named girls stared blankly at the back of the Eldest Young Miss. Huh?! Wait. What? Why is the Young Miss using our actual names? Is this a trick? Both thought.
Xiao Wan turned to look at the two girls and her eyes glittered with a joyful expression. It was obvious their guards were up. They had such comical looks of disbelief she couldn't help but tease them.
"Could it be that you actually like this young lady here to holler Tao Hua and Liu Shui every time I need you for something? I no longer need luck in the romance department so naturally I'm returning your original names to you.[Although if you like the names I gave you and you want to keep using them…"
Hua Xia (Tao Hua) grabbed her head in her hands and turned to Yun Yan (Liu Shui), "The Young Miss becoming so happy because she's taking a husband, so happy that her personality changed… is this good or bad?"
Yun Yan wondered if Xiao Wan was happy.
Although Xiao Wan's lips were curved up in a smile there was a gloomy aura all around her body that didn't escape Yun Yan's eyes. Yun Yan was really sensitive to the smell of blood and she could tell Xiao Wan's smile held a hint of it. Earlier she watched as Xiao Wan struggled internally over something. The Young Miss had continuously and ruthlessly bitten her lip in order to remain calm.
Yun Yan knew Xiao Wan was looking forward to Ji Shumo's arrival so she had mentioned it on purpose earlier. When she said, "Today is the day you'll wed Young Master Ji and take him as your main husband," she had seen an odd expression of repressed pain and hatred in Xiao Wan's eyes.
Yun Yan still noticed despite Xiao Wan's attempt to hide it. She also noticed that the look she gave Hua Xia didn't hold any anger but instead was filled with an awkward regret. When Xiao Wan looked at Yun Yan her eyes were also odd, filled with a strange combination of suspicion, grief and sorrow. Yun Yan was at a loss as to how to handle this kind of Xiao Wan. Although she could reach out to touch Xiao Wan, it didn't really feel like she was there. It was like her heart was a million miles away.
While Yun Yan was thinking all this, Xiao Wan had finished touching up her make-up and was turning to leave. The lights from the firecrackers reflected splendidly into the room creating the illusion of a cheerful atmosphere all around. Xiao Wan felt that her entire body was suffused with courage.
She stepped outside delighting many people with her appearance. She was very beautiful and graceful; her clothes very befitting of the occasion. Many moved forward to give compliments and congratulations hoping to win her favor.
"Congratulations Miss Xiao! May you enjoy a blessed marriage!"
"Hope Miss Xiao and Young Master Ji have a daughter soon!"
Previously Xiao Wan had been overjoyed when faced with all these well wishers. She really believed she and Ji Shumo's marriage was fated and that they would live blissfully with each other until they turned old and grey. The reality was just the opposite.
When trouble came to the Xiao House's doorstep this group of well wishers and so-called friends were in fact the first ones to run. The husband who held her heart in the palm of his had hands had conspired with her friend to drive her to the abyss of despair, turning her into a sinner and a traitor in the eyes of everyone.
Although the present her was much wiser and saw through the charade, she still enjoyed the celebratory atmosphere. Her eyes scanned the crowd searching for her mother.
"Greetings and congratulations cousin."
This familiar voice threw Xiao Wan's heart into chaos causing her eyes to dart around. She sucked in a deep breath and calmed her heart before slowly turning to address the speaker. Her lips quivered uncontrollably for a moment as she looked at the person dressed in bright brocade and the two others with her; standing there before Xiao Wan were the Three Imperial Princesses.
Xiao Wan's mother, Xiao Yurong, was a trusted person the Empress held in close confidence. Xiao Wan was also her mother's treasured darling so it was a given her wedding would be an especially grand affair involving the Imperial House and high officials, so much so that it even alarmed the three Imperial Princesses.