Zhan Xinjia was awakened by a dampness.
She sat up for a few seconds, staring in disbelief at the dark water stain on the blanket.
Her pupils dilated in shock; she almost slapped herself twice in frustration.
Fortunately, her mind, still hazy from sleep, quickly realized that it was raining outside. The roof, which had a hole from last month, hadn't been repaired yet, and the leaking rainwater was dripping onto her bed.
No bedwetting, what a scare!
Zhan Xinjia breathed a sigh of relief, then frowned, her expression grave and cautious as she reached under the covers to feel her crotch.
Damn, I can finally breathe a sigh of relief now.
It was pitch black outside, so dark you couldn't see your hand in front of your face.
The noisy, dense rain pounded on the few fragile tiles on the thatched roof, dripping along the eaves into the broken old enamel flowerpots by the wall, the sound particularly noticeable.
The tinkling sounds disturbed my peaceful sleep.
Upon receiving the letter, I was wide awake. Yawning, I put on my coat, got up, and poured myself a glass of water in the dark.
They could only grope in the dark, as their family was too poor to afford lights.
But her father hadn't washed the cup properly, so as she swallowed the water, she skillfully used her tongue to remove all the foreign objects from the water, constantly making spitting sounds like she was spitting out sand.
After spitting until my tongue felt numb, I finally stopped thirsting.
After putting down the chipped clay teacup she had picked up, Zhan Xinjia felt that her life was probably over.
Ever since she was old enough to understand, Zhan Xinjia knew that she was an unwanted brat, a born villainous supporting character.
Thanks to her parents' extraordinary past glory, every year when her father led her into the palace for the palace banquet, she would inevitably be met with the complicated and strange scrutiny of the current emperor and empress.
Their son, the crown prince who was only two years older than her, always avoided her with shifty eyes and a flustered demeanor, as if she were some kind of man-eating monster.
But if we were to talk about the person Zhan Xinjia disliked the most in the entire palace, it would undoubtedly be Princess Caixia, Yan Xiyue, who was only half a month older than her and had never gotten along with her since childhood.
If Zhan Xinjia is the unlucky child in the saying that "he must have committed murder in his past life and was reincarnated into the Zhan family in this life," then...
As the only daughter of the emperor and empress, and with an elder brother, the crown prince, who dotes on her, Yan Xiyue is undoubtedly the legendary pampered darling.
When they were little, whenever Yan Xiyue made a sarcastic remark about her father being a lovesick, unrequited, and clingy man, Zhan Xinjia would immediately and ruthlessly strike at her sore spot!
"Caixia? You're making me laugh so hard I could die. Your title sounds like something a mongrel would say."
"Your mother is shameless; she once impersonated my mother and took credit for her achievements!"
"Oh my god, do you remember when you were six years old, you read some storybook and insisted on changing your title to Princess Big Red Butterfly Flower, Beautiful and Dewy Ice Crystal Tears, Illusionary Sorrow?"
Your brother was so angry he almost threw you into the moat, your father grabbed you and slammed you onto the dragon throne and started beating you, and your mother stood behind him with a row of feather dusters, clothespins, and rolling pins to switch weapons for your father.
"You!...Sister, you idiot! Your mother is a viper! Your father didn't like your mother at all; he only settled for her because my mother rejected him!!"
"I know you're in a hurry, but don't rush. And you said not to get so close to me, stay away from me!!! I have megalophobia, I'm afraid of big idiots~~~"
"Waaaaah, you're lying! Father and Mother said I'm the cutest and smelliest little princess in the world! Why are you rejecting me? I don't want to be away from you! I want to stick close to you!!"
Zhan Xin Jia: "..."
So this brat who broke through defenses at lightning speed was after this.
Recalling these messy things, Zhan Xinjia touched his face and felt that he should have a "bitter smile" on his face.
Zhan Xinjia was furious. Just thinking about how Yan Xiyue must be sleeping soundly on a luxurious bed big enough for twenty people to roll around on during these miserable days of misfortune, made her want to rush into the downpour and shout, "I'll fuck you!"
God, I will never call you "Grandpa" again.
You don't treat me like your granddaughter at all!
With a sigh, Zhan Xinjia packed two changes of clothes, pushed open the door, and stared at another room, whose lights had long been turned off, for a long time before finally calmly looking away.
Dad, Mom, just consider this your daughter's belated rebellious phase.
There always has to be someone in this family who can hold up the sky and shelter you from the wind and rain.
I've endured this silently for over sixteen years since birth, only to suddenly realize, looking back, that the ones who brought me all this storm were actually the two of you!
Thank you for bringing a ray of sunshine into my gloomy life.
Shouldering the dirty, floral-patterned little bundle, Zhan Xinjia didn't even take an umbrella. With a sigh, she calmly walked into the pouring rain in the dark night, her figure gradually fading and disappearing into the rain.
Actually, she didn't know where to go either.
In any case, it's better than staying at home.
With a curfew in effect, she dared not wander the streets like a ghost with her wet hair.
After pondering for a while, Zhan Xinjia casually broke off a piece of weed by the roadside and tucked it between his teeth. He threw his bundle on the ground and simply squatted down under the eaves of a house in a small alleyway that could provide some shelter from the rain.
She squatted there, looking like a wretched homeless person.
Although she herself did not think so.
She half-closed her eyes, pretending to be a wise and experienced swordsman who had seen through the world's troubles, letting her mind wander with a distant gaze that was both detached and full of vicissitudes, feigning profundity.
Raindrops condensed into beads, splashing up tiny sparks in the puddles.
As night deepened, the dim yellow oil lamps hanging from the masts at the entrances of teahouses and taverns cast oblique rays of light. The light touched the water and splashed out, like countless small, continuous bursts of dazzling fireworks.
Zhan Xinjia was somewhat distracted while reading, and when she came back to her senses, a fleeting glimpse of azure robes flashed before her eyes.
Even on a stormy night when the road is muddy and splattered with mud and water, this piece of clothing shines like moonlight on snow—clean, tidy, and spotless.
Zhan Xinjia is naturally prone to impulsive actions; her hands always move faster than her brain.
Before she could figure out why she was doing this, her fingers had already precisely grabbed the hem of her dress.
As a result, the owner of the passing garment was forced to stop.
Zhan Xinjia's legs went numb from squatting. She struggled twice but couldn't get up. Instead, everything went black.
She could only awkwardly crane her neck and strain to see who was standing in front of her.
The first thing that catches the eye is a plain oil-paper umbrella with forty-eight ribs, the handle held in a hand with long, slender fingers.
He wore a light blue, double-breasted robe, with slender bamboo branches embroidered on the hem and collar. A faint scent of ink lingered in the sleeves, and his whole demeanor exuded the refined and scholarly air of a literati.
They complement each other perfectly and are extremely pleasing to the eye.
His face was gentle, his eyes were slightly lowered, and his features were as delicate and elegant as a fine brush painting drawn with charcoal. However, at this moment, his pale red lips were pressed down into a thin line, and he seemed somewhat displeased.
Amidst the falling raindrops, the young man nodded slightly.
A pair of eyes, as black as lacquer, looked down at her with a slightly troubled expression.
Zhan Xinjia was stunned.
Holy crap, did this young man grow up eating people? How can he be so handsome? Luckily, it was raining, so the other person couldn't see the pathetic drool that was secretly flowing out of her mouth with the rain.
After brainstorming for a while, Zhan Xinjia cleared his throat and leaned back tactically.
"I admit you're somewhat attractive, but you'd better find a way to marry me..."
The ellipsis doesn't omit her ordinary credit, but rather the fact that after being soaked in the rain for most of the night and squatting for half the night, her legs were so numb that she could be taken away and amputated on the spot.
She really fainted.
Just a second before her consciousness began to fade, Zhan Xinjia was still thinking in a daze.
God, I swear I'll never say "fuck you" again. You're my only master. Please bless me so that this handsome young man won't just stand by and watch me die and leave me stranded on the street!
In a daze, she felt her whole body lighten.
Upon receiving the letter, Jia was immediately horrified.
The main issue was that she wasn't sure if the feeling of being "lightened" meant she had been picked up or had died—her soul had ascended to heaven.
But eventually, the rain seemed to have stopped.
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