Before getting married, the original owner knew very well that this marriage was a transaction that was not out in the open. Wang Haiqing ruined her eyes, and the Wang family gave her a husband in exchange. On the night of the wedding, the original owner waited for half the night but did not see Wang Haiqing. Thinking that he probably wouldn't come, she washed up and went to sleep.
Unexpectedly, in the middle of the night, a drunken Wang Haiqing suddenly barged in, vented his anger like a beast without saying a word, and then stormed off. He was nowhere to be seen until the next day when tea was served. Wang Haiqing's disrespect made the original owner feel extremely embarrassed. Wang Haiqing's mother, Huang, was even more outrageous. After drinking her daughter-in-law's tea, the gift she gave her was a hollow silver hairpin. She really didn't even bother with the formalities.
The original owner tolerated all of this. Three days after returning to her parents' home, she was informed that Wan Haiqing wanted to take a concubine. Everything was ready, and they were just waiting for his return. The original owner accepted it expressionlessly, as this was all within her expectations. However, when she heard that the person she was taking was actually her childhood friend and sister, her maid Cuixi, she couldn't help but change her expression.
Before her marriage, she had wanted to leave her in the Shi family so that her family could arrange a proper marriage for her and make her a legitimate wife. It was Cuixi who knelt on the ground and begged her. She had only brought her along because she was reluctant to part with her. She thought she was loyal, but she never expected that she was only after Wang Haiqing's position as a concubine.
The original owner was very disheartened, feeling that she was not only blind in her eyes but also in her heart. She hid in the courtyard and did not go out. For a long time afterward, the original owner did not see Wang Haiqing and Cuixi again. Until two months later, the original owner felt unwell and asked a doctor to diagnose her pregnancy. The original owner was very happy. She thought she would live a lonely life, but she did not expect that God would send her a companion.
The Wang family was in an uproar. Madam Huang specially ordered someone to send over tonics and sent people over to take care of her. The original owner's mother also came to visit her, carefully giving her instructions for a long time before reluctantly leaving.
The original owner had been following instructions to take care of her pregnancy, but not long after, the child mysteriously disappeared. Madam Huang was very dissatisfied, feeling that the original owner was useless and couldn't even protect a child. The maids in the courtyard took the opportunity to slack off. The original owner had just miscarried and was in a weak state, but could only drink cold water and eat cold food. Finally, she fell seriously ill. Just when she thought she was about to give up, Cui Xi arrived with her maids, looking arrogant. When she saw that the original owner was sick with a sallow complexion and barely breathing, she told her triumphantly that she had been having an affair with Wang Haiqing two years ago. The reason the original owner was pregnant was because she had been throwing a tantrum with Wang Haiqing that day, and Wang Haiqing came over in a fit of anger. Unexpectedly, she got pregnant after just one time.
The original owner was so angry that her face turned blue and her breathing became rapid. She was about to die, but Cui Xi felt that it was not enough. She felt that she had worked hard to serve the original owner all these years and had suffered a lot of grievances from the original owner. She was not willing to let the original owner die like this without getting her revenge. So she said that she was the one who caused the original owner's child to be miscarried. She did this so that her child would be the first eldest son of the Wang family. Although the child was born out of wedlock, as long as no one else had a child, the distinction between legitimate and illegitimate children would not matter since the Wang family was a merchant family.
The original owner's eyes were bloodshot as she listened, wishing she could bite her to death. Unfortunately, she was powerless to do so. Before Cui Xi could say that Wang Haiqing had promised her he would never take anyone else as a concubine, she breathed her last and died.
After receiving the memories, Shi Lan grinned. Cui Xi must be the maid who fanned her earlier. The original owner treated Cui Xi like a sister because Cui Xi was lively and often told her about things outside. She was also good at telling stories and jokes. The original owner's world was dark, and Cui Xi gave her a little bit of laughter and color.
But in Shi Lan’s eyes, these things were really too strange. How could a maid who had never read or left the Shi family tell the story of a snake demon repaying a debt of gratitude, meeting a scholar by chance, and a fox spirit admiring her talent, and adding incense at midnight? How could she do cat’s cradle without anyone else knowing how to do it? Not to mention those strange double-skin milk and milk tea. Didn’t anyone in the Shi family suspect that Cui Xi was not right?
Furthermore, the maids who accompanied the original owner to the Wang family should have been carefully selected by Madam Shi as loyal and reliable. However, in her memory, she never had a good life after marrying into the Wang family. The Wang family was responsible for the original owner's death, but Cui Xi also did a lot. How is it possible that these maids who accompanied the owner remained silent and even became accomplices, keeping the secret from the Shi family?
So many illogical things happened, yet they still happened. After much thought, Shi Lan could only conclude that the aura brought by the transmigrator was too powerful.
That's right, Cui Xi was the transmigrator who had a halo and became a winner in life. The original owner was just a stepping stone for her to rise to power. But even stepping stones have feelings. Cui Xi shouldn't have gone out of her way to make her presence known before the original owner died, forcing the original owner to harbor resentment. And then...
Shi Lan's lips curled slightly, and then the person inside changed to her; she was no longer that simple, kind, silly girl who was so fond of Cui.
Shi Lan racked her brains trying to figure out what to do when a slightly distorted, rough male voice came from afar through the closed wooden door, "Sister, sister."
Shi Lan's brow twitched, realizing who it was. She quickly groped her way up and tentatively reached for the embroidered shoes on the ground with her foot.
A few moments later, the back door was roughly pushed open, and someone rushed in. Shi Lan felt the chaise lounge beneath her tremble, and the male voice from before was already close to her ear, "Sister, I heard from Cui Xi that your head hurts again today?"
Shi Lan touched her forehead, where her smooth hair hung down, and turned to look at the direction from which the voice came out with a smile. "It's nothing, it's just an old ailment. It'll be fine after a rest."
Shi Lei tenderly tucked her hair behind her ear, touched his forehead, and gritted his teeth, saying hatefully, "It's all because of that wicked Wang Haiqing. If it weren't for him, how could my sister have ended up like this?"
Shi Lan's smile remained unchanged as she said gently, "What's done is done, there's no use complaining now. By the way, did you rush over here for something?"
Shi Lei said "Oh," then, remembering the purpose of his visit, shifted his feet uncomfortably, causing the chaise lounge to tremble. "The Wang family has sent medicinal herbs again. This time, Wang Haiqing came in person. My mother asked me to come and ask if you want to go and see them."
Shi Lan sighed, her voice filled with self-pity, "The Wang family has put in a lot of effort. The amount of medicinal herbs they've spent on me over the years is probably more than what you've spent on me. But what's the result? I'm still completely blind."
Shi Lan's words made Shi Lei feel a pang of sadness, and his voice choked as he spoke, "It's all my fault. I shouldn't have argued with Wang Haiqing over a broken lamp. If I had given it to him, none of this would have happened."
Shi Lan gently stroked his still somewhat thin arm along his sleeve, "Don't talk nonsense. This is not your fault. If anyone is to blame, it should be that ill-mannered Wang Haiqing. Since ancient times, it has always been the case that people give gifts, but I have never heard of people taking things they like when they visit someone else's house."
Shi Lei's emotions calmed down a bit after hearing what she said, and the tears that were about to burst out slowly receded.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
