It's ruined!!
Her thoughts were tangled and knotted, and Zhan Xinjia paced anxiously back and forth at the door.
What do we do now? What do we do now? What do we do now...?
She couldn't think of anything she, an observer who couldn't interfere with the plot, could do for the time being. She could only follow her seven-year-old self into the mansion to see what was going on and then decide what to do next.
The familiar courtyard, the familiar pear tree.
The sunlight was dazzling and bright. Seven-year-old Xiaozhi was humming a tuneless song, lying on the grass covered with pear blossoms, scribbling and drawing while hugging her brother's books. She crossed her legs, tilted her head from time to time, and let out a few clear, bell-like laughs. She was carefree and in a good mood.
But not everyone is in such a good mood as her—
"Brother, what's wrong with you today?"
Before anyone knew it, Xiaozhi had already thrown down his books and paintbrushes.
She blinked, her eyebrows drooping, and softly snuggled up to the boy, taking his trembling, cold hand in her small one, trying to warm him with her own body heat.
"elder brother?"
She had felt that her brother was acting strangely since the beginning.
At this time of year, her brother would practice his sword under the tree for a while, and then go with her to the kitchen to watch Sister Cui'er make pastries.
But today, her brother's eyes were red as if he had been crying, and he sat silently to the side, which was unusual. Whenever she looked up unintentionally, she found that he was looking at her with a gaze that was hard for her age to understand.
It's heavy, it's terrifying...
Startled by the question, the boy suddenly snapped out of his daze. He quickly reached out and grabbed Xiaozhi's shoulder, his knuckles tightening.
The boy's touch was so strong that Xiao Zhi felt a sharp pain in his shoulder, but his brother's pale face held a forced smile that was hardly a smile at all. His eyes trembled violently, and his gloomy eyes were filled with a complex mix of pain.
This expression made her afraid to struggle or cry out in pain, and she could vaguely sense that something bad had happened to her brother.
A moment later, the boy's hand, which was on her shoulder, slid down her arm until it held her hand tightly.
He tried to make himself look more relaxed and natural.
"Does my little sister want to play hide-and-seek?"
"hide and seek?"
"Yes, but this time it's not your brother who's coming to find you. Your brother will take you to a place where you'll never be found and hide you. During this process, you can't reveal your location to anyone."
If my little sister isn't found by the bad guys by the end of the game, I'll secretly buy you candy, okay?
"That sounds a bit boring... but I want to play with my brother!!"
Little Zhi didn't quite understand why her brother looked so sad today, and she was already tired of playing hide-and-seek, a childish game that only little kids liked.
But as long as it makes my brother happy, I'll play hide-and-seek!
Seeing the two children hiding from the maids and servants and starting to look for a suitable place to hide, Zhan Xinjia's expression gradually turned grim, because she knew very well what would happen in less than half an hour.
The good deeds I had been cultivating in my mind came to life.
"...I still have some savings for my funeral. If you want to interfere, it's not impossible, meow. You can't just... "
We can't just stand by and watch the tragedy repeat itself.
Zhan Xinjia's fingertips under her sleeves almost drew blood from her palms. Her brows were furrowed and her face was contorted with struggle. For a moment, even Jide didn't know what she was struggling with. Shouldn't she be happy to have the opportunity to interfere with the plot and save her past brother and herself?
After standing there for a moment, Zhan Xinjia's gaze gradually hardened, and she spoke in a deep voice.
How many chances are there in total?
Three times.
This is the limit of accumulating good deeds.
Upon hearing this relatively optimistic answer, Zhan Xinjia took a deep breath and tried to calm herself down.
【good. 】
However, Ji De never dreamed that she would use one of her opportunities in such a way—
While the brother and sister were searching for a hiding place in the back room and no one knew where they were, Zhan Xinjia rushed in through the front door, grabbed the hand of a sweeping maid, and looked anxious.
"I just saw your children sneak out and go into the river. The younger one looks like he's drowning. Hurry and save him!"
Upon hearing this, the maids looked around and realized that the young master and young lady were indeed not in the courtyard. Unable to find their young master, they panicked and rushed out without a second thought.
Next, Zhan Xinjia used other excuses to trick most of the remaining servants and maids in the mansion out. Some of them were not easy to fool, so she simply knocked them unconscious, carried them out one by one, and threw them next door.
Ji De was dumbfounded.
No, you...you did this just for this?!
At that time, Zhan Xinjia was knocking out the last servant in the mansion and throwing him into a dilapidated house next to General Zhan's mansion.
He quickly dusted off his hands and turned around.
Her smile remained bright, untouched by any gloom or gloom, carrying the innocent naiveté that others perceived.
Hahaha, I thought you'd all be used to me being a saint by now...
Although my memories of these people are fading, they are all living, breathing human beings now; how could I just stand by and watch them die? If we can rescue them at this crucial moment and get them away from the assassins, they can come back to life!
Zhan Xinjia never felt that her life was any more noble than others'. She worked hard to live because she had more things to do, more responsibilities she couldn't let go of, and more people she wanted to see and be with forever.
Even if there's only a one in ten thousand chance, or just a sliver of room for maneuver, she wouldn't hesitate to reach out to others who are also trapped in similar situations.
The tragedy at the Zhan family mansion back then meant that it wasn't just the Zhan family who lost loved ones.
In the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea, she cleared out all the dozens of servants in the general's mansion, ensuring that they would not be dragged into this undeserved disaster again. Now, only the young Zhan Yinshu and the seven-year-old Xiaozhi remain in the mansion.
Her first chance has also come to an end.
In the dimly lit storage room, Xiao Zhi was curled up in a ball, trying to squeeze herself into a drawer. She hugged her knees, and in the darkness, her bright eyes stared at her brother, her voice sweet and sticky.
How long am I supposed to hide here?
"Hide until Mother comes back."
As he said this, the young man Zhan Yinshu stroked her hair, his expression as gentle as if he were saying a final goodbye.
Although Xiaozhi felt something was a little strange, she nodded in agreement in order to make her brother happy. However, not long after, she quickly perked up her ears and suddenly sat up from the drawer.
"Brother, someone is knocking on the door!"
Before the boy could respond to Zhan Yinshu, the little piece of paper crawled out of the drawer on its own and slipped away like an eel.
"Why isn't Sister Cui'er opening the door? Where is everyone?"
The young Zhan Yinshu suddenly came to his senses, his pupils constricted, his heart pounded, and he was so frightened that his blood almost froze. He chased after her in a panic, only to find that the huge Zhan mansion was now empty except for him and his sister Bao.
Everyone else has disappeared!
Could it be that those people have already arrived...?
"Little Paper, come back!!"
The young Zhan Yinshu felt a pang of anxiety and reached out to grab her, but Xiao Zhi thought her brother was just playing a joke on her. She giggled and dodged her brother's hand, skipping and hopping towards the door, turning back with a smile as she ran.
"Oh, brother, why are you so sticky today? I'll go see who came back first, and then I'll play with you later!"
The moment the side door opened, not only the young Zhan Yinshu, but even Zhan Xinjia's heart stopped in shock, and they held their breath. But it wasn't Yan Shuang who entered, but a haggard-looking Mu Yunlan.
At this point in time, Xiao Zhi didn't know Mu Yunlan yet.
"Sister, who are you looking for?"
Leaning against the door with his head tilted, Xiao Zhi had just finished speaking when he was grabbed by Zhan Yinshu, a boy who had caught up with him and was filled with lingering fear.
Holding his younger sister protectively in his arms, the young Zhan Yinshu looked warily at the frail-looking stranger in front of him. He subtly pulled his sister back to create some distance and questioned her sharply.
"Who are you!"
Mu Yunlan smiled faintly. Her gentle and serene face made her appear non-threatening and naturally approachable.
She looked like just a frail young girl.
"The sun is too strong outside, and I'm feeling a bit dizzy. May I borrow your place to escape the heat and rest for a while?"
Just as the young Zhan Yinshu was about to refuse, Xiao Zhi had already broken free from his brother's arms.
Her soft little hand took Mu Yunlan's cold hand in hers. Her two braids, tied with blue silk ribbons, swayed as she walked, like drooping rabbit ears, gleaming with a fluffy golden luster in the sunlight.
Looking back, the little girl smiled, revealing two slightly pointed canine teeth.
In the spring of March, her round eyes curved into crescent moons, and the dimples on her cheeks were so sweet that one wanted to reach out and poke them.
"It seems like everyone has disappeared. Sister, please come in and sit down. I'll go get you some tea."
Zhan Xinjia, who witnessed everything from behind the wall, silently covered her face.
Goodness, she's almost forgotten that before she was seven years old, she was a completely naive and innocent girl!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com