Chapter 1 Rebirth

The warm sun of late spring shone into the room, and the sleeping girl on the bed stirred her eyelids.

She looked no more than thirteen or fourteen years old. Although her skin was rough and sallow, her features were still quite pretty, and she was sure to grow into a beauty in time.

However, the girl did not sleep soundly. Fine beads of sweat kept appearing on her forehead, her brows were deeply furrowed, and her teeth were biting her lower lip so hard that it almost bled. She occasionally let out painful whimpers.

The lake water was icy cold in the dead of winter. She struggled painfully in the pig cage, while her parents and three older brothers on the shore remained indifferent and disgusted.

Lake water rushed into my nasal cavity and lungs, and waves of suffocating pain came over me.

"The girl's fever has finally subsided, but why is she sweating so much?"

A hand gently stroked her face, and Xiao Yuxuan suddenly opened her eyes wide, took a deep breath, and felt her heart pounding so loudly it was almost jumping out of her chest.

Her face was filled with deep fear, her eyelashes were wet with tears, and she hadn't yet come to her senses.

"Miss, you're awake. You had a nightmare. Take your medicine quickly, and let me wipe your sweat."

Bi Sui lifted Xiao Yuxuan up, brought the warm medicine bowl to her lips, and then took the hot towel to gently wipe away the sweat and tears on her face.

Xiao Yuxuan's gaze fell on the person in front of her, her personal maid Bi Sui.

Looking around, Xiao Yuxuan realized this was her boudoir in the Xiao family mansion. She looked at the spring dress she was wearing but couldn't remember the year.

Suddenly, footsteps approached from outside, and a tall, slender young man walked in, looking down at her.

"Fifth sister, do you know you were wrong?"

The man wore a moon-white brocade robe, his eyebrows and eyes were like a bright moon and a gentle breeze, his voice was gentle but carried a hint of aloofness, and he had the demeanor of a dignified gentleman.

It was her older brother, Xiao Jue.

Xiao Yuxuan's gaze lingered on his face, but a tidal wave of emotions surged within her.

This outfit, this conversation... she has been reborn back to the age of fourteen.

Seeing that the other person was just staring at him without saying a word for a long time, Xiao Jue frowned, and his already somewhat distant tone became even more displeased:

"Fifth sister, you are too willful. Yuyao was just joking with you, and you pushed her into the lake. Now that she has just woken up, Mother has been taking care of Yuyao day and night, and she has become much more haggard. Fortunately, Yuyao is kind-hearted and does not hold it against you. She even pleaded for you."

Xiao Yuxuan snapped out of her daze, heard Xiao Jue's words clearly, and felt a chill in her heart.

A month ago, her adoptive parents both died. She worked at an embroidery shop in the capital with her embroidery skills. Her appearance was seen by Li Mama, who was by Madam Xiao's side. This led to the revelation of a marriage exchange scandal from years ago. She was taken back to the Xiao family, but instead of being placed in the proper order of fourth daughter, she was placed after the fake heiress Xiao Yuyao and became the fifth daughter.

Xiao Yuyao, having been pampered and cherished in the Xiao family for fourteen years, knelt before her on her first day in the household, her eyes brimming with tears, saying that she would be happy even if she were sent to be a lowly maid, as she wanted to serve Master Xiao and Madam Xiao to repay the kindness of their fourteen years of upbringing.

Madam Xiao held Xiao Yuyao in her arms like a precious jewel, telling everyone that the Xiao family was large and wealthy, and that it was like raising another daughter.

Xiao Yuxuan had no right to say no, and her three older brothers were happy to see it happen.

During this month, she did many foolish things in order to get the attention of her parents and brothers.

But she can swear to God that Xiao Yuyao's fall into the water three days ago had nothing to do with her.

However, it was this self-directed and self-acted drowning scam by Xiao Yuyao that deceived her parents and brothers, causing her to drift further and further away from them and creating a rift between them.

No, it's because they've always favored their adopted daughter, Xiao Yuyao, who is well-educated, reasonable, and poised.

Her biological daughter and younger sister, who returned home halfway through the year, were nothing but a fifth daughter who was not worthy of being presented to the public and would only bring shame to the family.

"I know I was wrong."

Her voice had the crispness unique to a young girl, with a slight hoarseness due to illness.

Xiao Yuxuan looked at her elder brother's face, which was so close to hers.

His eyes didn't yet hold the deep disgust and contempt that would follow more than a decade later; all he felt now was dissatisfaction and impatience with his immature younger sister.

Xiao Jue should have felt relieved that his younger sister had admitted her mistake, but for some reason, Xiao Yuxuan's face was still the same face inherited from the Xiao family, and her voice had not changed, but she seemed like a completely different person.

When I saw her yesterday, she was still stubbornly insisting that she had done nothing wrong. How come she became so obedient in just one day?

Xiao Jue had already come of age, and apart from his time with Xiao Yuyao, he was not familiar with the personalities of other young girls. Although he was puzzled, his expression softened slightly.

"Since that's the case, if you sincerely want to change your ways, we won't be so relentless. After all, you are a daughter of the Xiao family. If this reputation for being domineering and tyrannical gets out, it won't be good for the Xiao family or for you."

"Get yourself ready, and don't be lazy and fall asleep. Go with your elder brother to apologize to Yuyao. I think Mother won't blame you anymore."

Xiao Yuxuan listened quietly to the first few sentences, but when she heard that he was getting lazy and falling asleep, she looked up and glanced at Xiao Jue without making a sound.

Bi Sui, who was standing to the side, couldn't help but kneel down. "Young Master, the young lady's fever has just subsided, and she really shouldn't be exposed to the wind. Please take care of her and let her rest for a couple more days."

A flicker of surprise crossed Xiao Jue's eyes, which quickly turned into anger:

"Nonsense! If you were sick, why didn't you tell us? Why didn't you call the royal physician!"

"Do you think that if you get sick too, we won't hold you accountable? You really don't take your health seriously!"

Bi Sui was anxious. Seeing that Xiao Yuxuan had only closed her eyes wearily and wasn't preventing her from explaining as before, she said:

"Young Master, the young lady swallowed a lot of water while saving Miss Yuyao that day, and she developed a fever afterward."

However, the master, mistress, and several young masters were all preoccupied with Baozhen Courtyard, leaving only the maid and Chunwen to take care of the young lady at Lanting Pavilion.

They sent someone to inquire, only to be told that the masters and the household physician were too busy to attend to anything else and had no time to visit the young lady…

Young master, please find the family physician to examine the young lady.

"The young lady fell into the water and only drank a few doses of the cold medicine the servants gave her. What if she develops a chronic illness in the future?"

Bi Sui's words were truly sharp and piercing, like a knife to the heart. Xiao Jue gritted his teeth and looked at the pale-faced but calm girl on the bed, feeling inexplicably depressed.

This younger sister is using the maid's words to complain that they only care about Yuyao and not her.

But she didn't realize that it was because she was too unruly and ignorant that they had to take care of the sensitive and delicate Yuyao more.

She was already incredibly fortunate to be able to return to the Xiao family mansion; what more could she ask for? In contrast, Xiao Yuyao had grown up in luxury and had a deep bond with them. Now, having fallen from being their biological daughter to an adopted daughter, she had truly hit rock bottom.

"Very well, since you say you're sick too, I'll call a doctor right now. If it turns out you're faking it, then I'll bypass Father and Mother and make you go to the ancestral temple to reflect on your actions!"