Thunder rumbled in the sky, followed by a fierce snowstorm. A flash of white light illuminated a section of the Prince Gong's Mansion ruins in Beijing, turning it into daylight. A moment later, the light vanished, and darkness returned.
Inside the Tianxiang Courtyard of Prince Gong's Mansion, Yan Ning appeared out of thin air with a white light and lay down at the entrance of Xijinzhai.
Braving the wind and snow, the staff of Prince Gong's Mansion followed the spot where the white light had disappeared and arrived at Tianxiang Courtyard. By the light of their lamps, the two saw a woman dressed in Qing Dynasty attire slowly rising, holding a painting. Her lips were pale, and her eyes were empty and sorrowful.
There were rumors of ghosts at Prince Gong's Mansion. On this dark and snowy night, the two of them didn't care that a film crew was shooting a Qing Dynasty drama there during the day.
"Ghosts!" The two howled like wolves and screamed like ghosts, their cries echoing loudly in the snowy night.
Yan Ning watched the two flee in a disheveled state and couldn't help but smile bitterly. She looked up at Xi Jinzhai, closed her eyes, and shed two lines of clear tears. In this cold winter, the tear tracks froze and meandered like ravines.
Fifty years have passed like a dream, but today I bid farewell to this mortal world. When the waters rise and the dragon appears, I'll recognize the incense smoke as my reincarnation. Heshen, I've prayed for your well-being and happiness in this life and the next; I only hope that if we meet again in the next life, we won't recognize each other, and perhaps your fate won't be so tragic.
Following the memories of more than twenty years ago, Yan Ning walked on the snow-covered road in her flowerpot-soled shoes, wanting to leave the Prince Gong's Mansion.
The two managers who had fled earlier quickly called the police, and Yan Ning was taken back to the police station by the police who arrived quickly.
Because a film crew shooting Qing Dynasty dramas was filming at Prince Gong's Mansion during the day, the police mistook Yan Ning for an extra trapped inside the mansion by the snowstorm and sent her back to the address she provided.
In an old residential building, everyone returning home late at night kept their distance from Yan Ning, who was dressed in Qing Dynasty attire. Following her memories from more than twenty years ago, she knocked on a door.
"Who are you?"
Lu Jia opened the door and looked at the woman in Qing Dynasty attire in surprise. Although she was about the same age as Lu Jia, she had beautiful eyebrows and white teeth and a classical charm. The only flaw was the long scar on her face.
Yan Ning looked at her best friend, who was now middle-aged, tears welling up in her eyes, and choked out, "Jiajia, it's me, Yan Ning!"
"Yan Ning?" Lu Jia, realizing what was happening, hugged Yan Ning tightly and cried, "You're alive! You're really alive! Where have you been all these years? I haven't heard a word from you!"
Lu Jia welcomed Yan Ning into the house and brought her a cup of hot tea. He couldn't help but ask again, "Yan Ning, where have you been all these years?"
Yan Ning, her eyes filled with hope and fear, pulled Lu Jia close and asked, "Don't worry about that. Are my mother and brother alright?"
“Auntie always believed you were still somewhere in Beijing. After Binli graduated, she brought Auntie to Beijing to settle down. I’ve already called them, and they should be here soon!” Jiajia said gently, holding Yan Ning’s hand.
Yan Ning breathed a sigh of relief, a smile appearing on her face. Jia Jia looked at Yan Ning, who was also middle-aged, but time had not left many marks on her face. If it weren't for the faint scar on her face, Yan Ning's appearance would be almost identical to that of more than twenty years ago. She didn't look like she had disappeared and suffered a tragedy; rather, she looked like she had lived a life of luxury for more than twenty years.
"What exactly is going on?"
Faced with Lu Jia's persistent questioning, Yan Ning closed her eyes in anguish and began to recall everything she had experienced over the past twenty years.
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