A Dream Within a Dream (Part 1)
First life:
In the Dreamland Small World, Qiupu Town, Tan Family Village, in Xu Yuxian's dowry estate, Lin Shi sat on a newly decorated bed, her hands respectfully placed on her folded legs. With the help of the matchmaker, she had already donned a grand and festive red dress, a matching red lotus crown atop her head, and a sheer red veil covering her brow. Even through the veil, her face was undeniably beautiful, like a beauty that could rival the most beautiful women in the world. The matchmaker and others stood beside the bride.
A large crowd had gathered on both sides of the main gate of the manor. Sunlight shone on the bluestone-paved road, making it gleam. The crowd's attention was quickly drawn to the groom's figure in the distance. Xu Xinghao, riding a tall horse, slowly approached the manor gate. He had just turned twenty and recently undergone his coming-of-age ceremony. Compared to his fourteen-year-old self, the twenty-year-old Xu Xinghao had shed his boyish immaturity and transformed into a tall and handsome young man. His posture was as upright as a pine tree, his features sharply defined, with striking eyebrows and bright eyes. He wore a well-tailored red wedding robe, the hem of which fluttered gently in the wind, making him appear dashing and spirited.
The young man, dressed in fine clothes and riding a spirited horse, beamed with undisguised joy. His eyes and brows were full of smiles, and the corners of his mouth were almost constantly turned up. Upon reaching the gate of the manor, Xu Xinghao gracefully and calmly dismounted.
As soon as Xu Xinghao entered the manor, he was immediately led into the bride's room. When his gaze fell upon the beautiful nineteen-year-old bride and they met eyes, the light in his eyes was an undisguised adoration. That gaze was like the warm sun in spring, warm and ardent, causing ripples to spread across Lin Shi's heart, and she smiled.
Xu Xinghao gently carried Lin Shi into the festively decorated red bridal sedan chair. The onlookers cast envious or curious glances. The sedan chair was embroidered with exquisite mandarin duck patterns, symbolizing marital bliss and a long and happy life together. Outside the sedan chair, the sounds of gongs and drums and the clamor of the crowd filled the air.
After Xu Xinghao settled the bride into the bridal sedan chair, the bearers lifted it steadily. Xu Xinghao then mounted his horse again and headed towards the Xu residence. Every now and then, he would look back at the sedan chair. His actions drew cheers and jeers from the crowd.
Xu Xinghao's horse was also dressed up exceptionally well. The brown horse had a glossy, smooth coat, draped in bright red silk that swayed gently in the breeze. Along the way, melodious and cheerful music filled the air. First came the soaring and stirring "Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix," then the gentle and melodious "Flowers Bloom and the Moon is Full," one tune ending only to be replaced by another, playing in a continuous loop. The wedding procession proceeded grandly along the widest avenue, creating a scene of lively and festive celebration wherever it went.
At the rear of the wedding procession came a vibrant drum and gong troupe. They played various instruments with a brisk and powerful rhythm, the drumbeats deafening, as if spreading joy to every corner. The dragon and lion dance troupes were even more spectacular; the dragons soared and leaped, the lions were majestic, drawing cheers from the crowd. People also carried baskets filled with wedding candies and other gifts, enthusiastically distributing blessings to passersby. Children chased and laughed behind the wedding procession, while adults watched with smiles, occasionally murmuring their admiration.
For Lin Shi, who came from a humble background and was born into a family of servants, being able to marry into the wealthy Xu family as their principal wife and become the wife of the rich young master Xu Xinghao was undoubtedly an immense stroke of luck. Having come from a lowly background, she had never dared to dream of such a wonderful life.
However, Lin Shi, in her joy, was unaware that the gears of fate can change unexpectedly from time to time. It doesn't always favor one person and grant them eternal good fortune.
After their marriage, Lin Shi and Xu Xinghao enjoyed several years of blissful happiness. Unfortunately, their good fortune didn't last long.
Time flies, and six years have passed in the blink of an eye. In these six years of marriage, Lin Shi's belly remained stubbornly empty. In this world where traditional values are deeply ingrained, bearing children is considered a crucial mission for the continuation of the family line. Therefore, Lin Shi endured countless harsh taunts, such as being called a "barren hen," words that pierced her heart like sharp thorns, leaving it riddled with wounds, bleeding profusely, and refusing to heal. The Xu family also began to exert immense pressure on her: the elders' brows furrowed, their words always revealing dissatisfaction and anxiety; the gazes of her peers gradually became strange. All of this made her feel incredibly oppressed and pained.
Xu Xinghao, who still has a good relationship with Lin Shi after many years of marriage, saw this and felt heartbroken. He knew the enormous pressure and grievances his wife was enduring, and could only try his best to comfort both sides, comforting the elders and family on one hand, and comforting his wife on the other.
On this day, a fierce family quarrel broke out in the Xu family. Three generations of the family gathered in the main room, drinking tea and chatting, when the elders of the Xu family once again brought up the matter of having offspring.
The head of the Xu family and his wife sat in the main seats in the middle, while Old Madam Xu and Xu Yuxian, who had returned home to visit relatives, sat on the left, and Xu Xinghao and Lin Shi sat on the right. After Madam Xu brought up the matter of having offspring, the Xu family members began to argue again.
Xu Xinghao spoke earnestly to his family, saying, "Father, Mother, Grandmother, Lin Shi and I are still young, and there is no rush for us to have children. If Lin Shi and I really cannot have biological children, we can adopt one from the clan to continue our bloodline. In the end, it will still be our own bloodline."
The head of the Xu family immediately flew into a rage, slamming his fist on the table and shouting, "Foolish! How can that be the same? This is tantamount to handing over the ancestral property accumulated by three generations of our family. When have our relatives ever been united against outsiders? When have they ever gotten along harmoniously with each other at home?"
While comforting the head of the Xu family, Madam Xu advised Xu Xinghao, "Xinghao, listen to your father and don't disobey him. Offspring are a major family matter and should not be decided lightly." After speaking to Xu Xinghao, she looked at the silent Lin Shi with disappointment in her eyes.
Seeing this, the matriarch of the Xu family spoke to Lin Shi in a deep tone: "Lin Shi, since your family members passed away, our Xu family has practically raised you like an adopted daughter. You have almost everything that your three siblings, Xingran, Yuxian, and Xinghao, have. Xingran is away traveling and has become a disciple, so he can no longer shoulder the responsibility of continuing the family line. Yuxian is married off, and our family only has Xinghao left. Can you bear to let our Xu family line die out?"
Lin Shi couldn't bring herself to suggest that Xu Xinghao take a concubine. She could only say "I'm sorry!" with tears in her eyes. Xu Xinghao held her hand tenderly, his own eyes reddening. Xu Yuxian watched, feeling a pang of pity, but dared not voice her opinion. She could only sit silently, or try to appease her furious family.
Similar family arguments occurred many times. Although Xu Xinghao suggested to his family that they adopt a child from the clan to ease the tense atmosphere, the Xu family matriarch, patriarch, and matriarch remained adamant. They insisted on having a biological child, believing that only a true bloodline could truly carry on the family line. Faced with his family's stubbornness, Xu Xinghao was unwilling but helpless.
Ultimately, under continued pressure from his family, Xu Xinghao took two concubines. The two concubines were young and beautiful, and quickly bore him several children. For a time, the Xu family was filled with joy and new additions. As the legal wife, Lin Shi could only swallow her anger and outwardly appear magnanimous and tolerant. Unlike other jealous mistresses, she did not mistreat Xu Xinghao's two concubines. She did not burden them with heavy housework, nor did she make them stand and serve others until they finished eating before they could eat themselves. Instead, she provided them with a relatively spacious living environment and a good standard of living, allowing them to raise their children in peace.
However, whenever night falls and all is quiet, Lin Shi often sits alone by the window, looking through the thin paper window at the scenes of Xu Xinghao playing and interacting with the children in the courtyard, and tears involuntarily stream down her face. When Xu Xinghao enters her room, she quickly wipes away her tears and pretends that nothing has happened.
Although Xu Xinghao still loved and respected his wife, as time went by, he would occasionally stay overnight in the rooms of his two concubines, and his interactions with them became more frequent. Sometimes, Xu Xinghao would stay overnight with the concubines, playing with the children and making them laugh incessantly, their clear laughter echoing for a long time in the dark courtyard.
Every time Lin Shi saw Xu Xinghao interacting with his child and the happy smile on his face, she felt as if countless sharp blades were stabbing into her heart, bringing a dense and deep pain.
After Xu Xinghao's concubine gave birth, rumors about Lin Shi's infertility flooded her like a tidal wave. Lin Shi often heard these gossips, and some even mocked her to her face as a "hen that can't lay eggs." Every time she heard these words, her heart felt as if it had been struck heavily.
Although Xu Xinghao would sternly reprimand the servants or villagers who spoke out of turn, attempting to uphold her dignity, the hurt was deeply etched into her heart. Gradually, the light in Lin Shi's eyes began to dim, replaced by endless loneliness and sorrow. She became like a puppet, devoid of spirit. Although she was not old, her appearance was still beautiful, and her figure still graceful, the bright light in her eyes had vanished.
Time flies, and in the blink of an eye, Xu Xinghao's two concubines' children are both over ten years old. Watching those young boys and girls playing and frolicking in the mansion, Lin Shi feels increasingly like an unwanted outsider. In this home that once briefly belonged to her, she seems to have lost all sense of existence.
On a dark and windy night, the cold wind howled through the woods, making a mournful sound. Lin Shi quietly opened the door and walked out of the Xu family's house through the side door with a heavy heart. Her figure appeared so small and lonely in the darkness. Her steps were light as she followed the familiar path, walking and walking until, as dawn approached, she finally arrived at the Qiupu River.
As dawn broke, the sounds of birds, insects, and frogs filled the air. Dewdrops clung to her hair and clothes, leaving a damp, tingling sensation, much like the chill in Lin Shi's heart, making her shiver involuntarily. The river flowed swiftly, as if telling of her endless sorrow and despair. Gazing at the deep waters, Lin Shi felt a surge of resolute courage. Finally, she leaped into the icy river…
After the death of the mortal Lin Shi, the cultivator Lin Shi was briefly freed from her predicament. However, before she could rejoice in her escape, lament the tragic fate of mortal women, or sigh that the hypocrisy of love between men and women could not overcome the desire for offspring and the continuation of bloodlines, she was pulled into a new darkness and lost consciousness.
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