Lin Xi did not immediately click "yes" as she usually would. Seeing the phrase "reborn transmigrator woman" immediately alerted her that something was amiss.
A reborn transmigrator woman, whose first thought upon rebirth is to shake the very foundation of the entire minor world, must have suffered immense grievances in her previous life to become so extreme after transmigrating.
Without knowing the full story, Lin Xi had no desire to intervene. An eye for an eye, settling scores and grudges, that's the natural course of events.
Considering Ye Bingbing's experiences in the domineering CEO world, Lin Xi roughly understood that the foundation of a minor world was likely either the male lead or the female lead. This led to another question: think of how much effort Ye Bingbing expended to escape the domineering CEO world, and how much pain she endured breaking through its barrier.
Despite all that suffering, she only managed to poke a hole in the world's barrier. And the reason that world's barrier shattered was because the female lead, Su Rou, committed suicide.
So, what was the situation in this world? For Gu Nuanyang to be defined by the system as currently shaking the minor world's foundation, and for it to be so easily shaken, there was only one possibility: Gu Nuanyang was the minor world's female lead! And now she was taking action against the male lead! That made Lin Xi even less inclined to stop her.
If a female lead's first act upon rebirth is to kill the male lead, just how many grievances had she suffered in her past life?
Seeing Lin Xi's prolonged inaction, the chat group soon shifted its screen, presenting a dialog box. Inside, the most concise and clear language briefly outlined the life Gu Nuanyang lived before her rebirth.
After reading it, Lin Xi simply gave up any thought of intervention. Gu Nuanyang had endured such immense suffering in her previous life—who was she to stop her from seeking revenge?
Throughout Gu Nuanyang's life after transmigration, even if she had been too flamboyant, she had never once done anything to harm others. Her entire life had been lived inside a lie. Lin Xi understood her resentment. Putting herself in Gu Nuanyang's shoes, if she had been deceived her whole life and could return to the past, she would also want to destroy those people.
Moreover, the timing of her rebirth was off. It was already the third year after her transmigration. Over the past two years, she had done everything she was supposed to do, and exposed everything she was supposed to expose.
Those who deceived Gu Nuanyang deserved to die. They never treated her as human, so why should Gu Nuanyang grant them the chance to act like one?
Lin Xi asked, "How am I supposed to talk her out of it?"
It was just an offhand question, but she didn't expect the chat group to reply: [System Message: Group member @Earth Girl Lin Xi can contact group member Reborn Transmigrator Woman Gu Nuanyang via video call or voice call.]
Seeing the chat group's reply, Lin Xi's heart stirred, though her expression remained unchanged as she continued questioning, "And what if I can't talk her out of it? What happens if that world's foundation is shaken?"
[If a minor world's foundation is shaken, but the entity comprising the larger share of that foundation does not die, the minor world will recuperate, and after several decades, will give birth to a new child of fortune.]
Reading this reply, Lin Xi realized she had misunderstood the chat group earlier. So, the task the chat group issued—to persuade Gu Nuanyang—wasn't about convincing her to spare those scum, but to persuade her not to throw her own life away in the process?
Lin Xi now understood the implication. It was just like the domineering CEO world. The former female lead, Lin Airong, died, but her several men survived. Combined, their share exceeded Lin Airong's, so the world remained stable. Decades later, the world gave birth to a new female lead, Su Rou.
If that was the case, then she would accept this task. Lin Xi's tightly furrowed brows relaxed.
"Alright then, I request a video call with Gu Nuanyang." As she spoke, Lin Xi headed towards the storage room. She remembered her family had a can of gasoline. It had been sitting for a year or two, bought last year when her grandmother asked her uncle to help plow the fields with the farm tractor.
Her uncle's family didn't want it, and her own family rarely had use for it, so it was stored in the shed. From the brief introduction provided by the chat group system, Lin Xi already knew Gu Nuanyang planned to use a machete to deal with those people.
What use was a machete? Gu Nuanyang was alone, while the Gu family had four people at home. Besides that family, there was also that man, Zhao Juanqing. And as a prince, who knew if Zhao Juanqing had hidden guards protecting him?
If she went for revenge now, she'd likely get herself killed before succeeding.
For a pack of ungrateful wolves like the Gu family, Lin Xi thought setting a fire was best. Simple and thorough. She searched for a while, found the gasoline can, and directly stored it in her space. After a moment's thought, worried the family might not die thoroughly enough or that some might escape, she also pulled out two grenades.
These grenades were obtained from a trade with Lin Duxi's world. She had kept them in her space, never having encountered a situation where they might be useful.
Normally, upon meeting each transmigrator, Lin Xi would give a drop of genetic repair fluid. But for Gu Nuanyang, with the existence of the Finger Spring, Lin Xi felt it wasn't necessary.
She walked back to her room and opened the call interface with Gu Nuanyang. Clicking the six dots next to the dialog box, sure enough, besides the item delivery option, there was now a call program.
Clicking on the call brought up a selection box. Lin Xi chose video call.
A string of familiar yet unfamiliar ringing sounded in Gu Nuanyang's ears. Her mind, filled with resentment and fury, faltered for a moment. She looked down towards the source of the sound. It was a very cheap-looking wooden pendant.
In her modern life, Gu Nuanyang had once bought a similarly shaped wooden pendant for two yuan at a night market. Because she liked wooden products, she had worn it constantly.
After transmigrating to this world, while doing business in the prefectural city, she happened to see an old man selling his carvings. This pendant, bearing such a striking resemblance to the one from her previous life, was bought by her as a memento of her modern life. She had worn it around her neck ever since.
In her previous life, in order to extract the secret of the Finger Spring, Zhao Juanqing had taken everything from her. This pendant, being too inconspicuous, was tossed to the ground.
It was laughable, really. That pendant landed not far from her. Enduring torment day and night, every time she lifted her eyes, she could see it. Zhao Juanqing and the others walked back and forth over that spot. The pendant was stepped on, kicked around, yet it never left her line of sight.
The moment she was reborn, this pendant of hers emitted a glow. Immediately after, she was invited into a chat group. In her previous life, Gu Nuanyang would have eagerly researched what this chat group was all about. But the current Gu Nuanyang had not the slightest desire to investigate this chat group.
After being reborn, she could think of nothing else. She had only one thought: she wanted to kill that entire family and that heartless man.
Gu Nuanyang knew that after going to kill the Gu family, she certainly wouldn't survive either. Zhao Juanqing was the beloved son of the current emperor and his favored consort. Even while living in seclusion here, there would be no shortage of people secretly protecting him nearby. If she killed Zhao Juanqing, those people would not let her go.
Gu Nuanyang didn't care about dying; she didn't intend to kill Zhao Juanqing anyway. It would be enough if she could just leave him with a permanent physical disability. She refused to believe that in this feudal dynasty, a man with a physical flaw could still inherit the throne. So what if he was the son of the emperor and his consort? Could they make all the scholars in the world shut their mouths?
But now, the ringtone of a WeChat call made her stop in her tracks. For the world before her transmigration, Gu Nuanyang still felt a trace of nostalgia.
She pulled off the wooden plaque and tapped the floating answer button. Soon, a pretty girl with long, loose hair appeared before her. However, Gu Nuanyang's gaze fell behind her. It was a very modern room, with an air conditioner hanging on the wall.
Her eyes fixed on that air conditioner, unable to look away for a long time. Modern society, the age of technology, was so far, far away from her current life.
Lin Xi also saw the girl opposite her. She was now fifteen, with an oval face, exquisite features, eyebrows dark without needing pencil, lips red without needing rouge. Dressed in green clothes, there was a murderous aura between her brows.
Her appearance was exactly like the image of the female protagonist on the covers of those paperbacks Lin Xi read as a child.
"Hello Gu Nuanyang, I'm Lin Xi." Lin Xi spoke to her. Gu Nuanyang felt a moment of dizziness; it had been so long since she had heard such a way of greeting.
She didn't speak, nor did she want to. Lin Xi understood exactly how she felt right now.
She continued, "I am the intermediary in the chat group, and also the only one in the group who stayed on Earth. Just now, the chat group system sent me a message, asking me to persuade you not to shake the foundation of your world."
Gu Nuanyang's gaze shot towards Lin Xi like a sharp sword. She spoke: "And will you try to persuade me?"
That gaze was filled with fierce hostility. Having been tormented for so long in her past life, Gu Nuanyang had already gone mad.
Lin Xi looked at her for two seconds, then shook her head: "I won't persuade you. The chat group showed me your life summary. I think... they all deserved it."
Gu Nuanyang stared fixedly at Lin Xi, as if trying to see through the screen before her, through time and space, to see into her heart.
"But I think, Nuanyang, with just a firewood chopper and alone against so many of them, your chances of success are ultimately not high. So I've prepared gasoline and grenades for you. Find a way to gather them together, you can use the grenades to send them to the west." Lin Xi paused, then added, "I also have some knockout drugs given to me by Xu Huanhuan from the ancient world. Just a tiny bit can knock out an elephant. I'll give you that too when the time comes."
"Have you not looked at the chat group yet? Including you, there are 13 members in the group. One of them has already passed away; she is permanently offline. Except for me, the friends in this group are all scattered across different dimensions. Some are in the interstellar era, some in the post-apocalyptic world, some in the 1960s-70s. Each has their own unique story. Would you like to hear about them?"
"Nuanyang, I'm not trying to persuade you to spare them. But I think, you don't need to throw your own life away on them as well. You transmigrated to that place and have been fighting and living for others all along. Isn't that exhausting? Don't you want to see what this world, which ruined your entire life, is really like?"
Lin Xi wasn't trying to persuade Gu Nuanyang not to kill those people; she was trying to persuade her not to be so foolish as to charge straight in. Having been reborn for a new life, Lin Xi hoped Gu Nuanyang could live well.
Her actions in her previous life might seem stupid, but her personality and the situation she was in at the time meant she couldn't keep a low profile in that era.
In that era, everything she did was considered outrageous. When she couldn't even make a living, was she supposed to guard a treasure trove and starve to death?
Moreover, for an orphanage child lacking love, to transmigrate over and immediately hear her mother begging her grandmother for money to treat her...
And later, because of the benefits she brought, they overlooked the strangeness about her, and the whole family together wove a big net of familial affection to ensnare her.
Before transmigrating, Gu Nuanyang was just a seventeen-year-old high school student. Even though she was born in a complex place like an orphanage, without experiencing society, how much wariness could she possibly have towards others, no matter how guarded she was?
The sugar coating on that sugar-coated bullet was so thick, how could she possibly resist it?
Lin Xi's gentle words made Gu Nuanyang's frown ease slightly. She looked at her finely sharpened firewood chopper and didn't immediately believe Lin Xi: "Why are you being so good to me? What do you want to get from me?"
The reborn Gu Nuanyang no longer trusted anyone.
"I've accepted a task from the group system. I just hope that after helping you, you can give me a good review. This is very important to me, although I don't even know exactly how important it is." It was a kind of vague, intuitive feeling.
Lin Xi felt that as long as this group kept leveling up, the things puzzling her now would definitely be explained. Why this chat group chose to bind with her among China's 1.6 billion people was something Lin Xi couldn't figure out.
Before binding with the Transmigrators' Chat Group, she was just a very, very ordinary person. There were plenty of people more outstanding than her. Plenty who had suffered more than her too.
Just grab anyone off the street randomly, and their situation probably wouldn't be much better than Lin Xi's.
Lin Xi didn't believe the God of Luck would descend upon her. After all, since childhood, she had never been lucky.
Having something to ask for, Gu Nuanyang nodded: "Alright, then I'll tentatively believe you. Besides the Finger Spring Spirit Water, I don't seem to have anything you could swindle me out of anyway. But if you want this thing, come and take it."
After her past life, Gu Nuanyang had realized a truth. A golden finger is certainly good, but when you can't protect it, this golden finger becomes a blade hanging over your head, ready to fall at any moment.
In her previous life, Zhao Juanqing discovered her secret. Then wouldn't the Gu family, who lived with her day and night, have discovered it too? Were they pretending to be good parents, good siblings, coaxing her on the surface, while being terrified to death inside? Were they constantly thinking about how to squeeze her dry of value and then kick her aside?
The reason they let Gu Rou'er follow Zhao Juanqing without any status when she was only sixteen—what kind of agreement did they reach between them?
The more she thought, the more Gu Nuanyang's expression, which had softened due to Lin Xi's words, began to ripple with a thick, murderous intent once again.
Lin Xi said, "Don't be afraid. We all stand behind you. The brothers and sisters in the group will be your staunch backup. Go ahead and do what you need to do with confidence."
She looked at the notification that popped up before her: [Group member 'Earth Girl Lin Xi' has initiated a cross-space delivery to you. Will you accept? PS: Detecting special circumstances in your current dimension, the group chat system can temporarily store this delivery for 12 hours.]
Although Gu Nuanyang still couldn't fully trust Lin Xi, her brows nevertheless smoothed out.
After Lin Xi ended the video call, Gu Nuanyang stood still for a moment. Instead of returning to the Gu house, she walked past it and headed towards the mountain behind.
As the female lead of a farming novel, how could Gu Nuanyang not possess some hunting skills? However, unlike other farming novel heroines, her hunting ability was gained through a cheat. All she needed to do was dilute a drop of her fingertip spring water, soak some bait in it, and place it in a pre-dug pit.
No small creature in the mountain could resist the allure of the fingertip spring water. As Gu Nuanyang walked up the mountain, she felt her past self had been truly foolish.
She possessed such a powerful weapon as the fingertip spring, yet she had used it all in service of the Gu family and Zhao Juanqing.
She had used the spring water to regulate the health of the Gu family, giving them rosy complexions and robust bodies.
Later, when they moved to the capital, everyone remarked that her family didn't look like they came from the wild mountains. Some matriarchs, upon seeing Lady Guli's sturdy physique and her giving birth to a healthy son at what was considered an advanced age for that era, couldn't sit still. They flocked to their door seeking health and wellness secrets.
Lady Guli leveraged this to smoothly enter the capital's high society.
Even the businesses she ran—how much could she possibly use alone? And how could she possibly fancy the goods of this era? Wasn't all that silver ultimately spent by the Gu family?
Building houses, food, clothing, daily necessities—everything cost money. Without her, could those people from the Gu family have lived such a life? They probably wouldn't even dare dream of it.
As for Zhao Juanqing, if it weren't for her, he would have been done for long ago. Could he have become emperor? Don't make him laugh with such daydreams.
Her original plan was to perish together with the entire Gu family and Zhao Juanqing. But after Lin Xi's persuasion, she realized she didn't need to sacrifice her own life for a bunch of scum.
Their lives were cheap. Her own life, having died twice and still being reborn, was far more precious than theirs.
She went up the mountain, found one of her old traps, and pulled out a pheasant from it, releasing all the other captured prey. She thought that the miserable end she met in her past life, aside from her own stupidity, was probably largely due to the excessive killing she had done since crossing over, for which she was being punished by heaven.
But it didn't matter. Most of the game she hunted had ended up in the stomachs of the Gu family and Zhao Juanqing. However, it was fine; tonight she would take care of all the Gu family members as an apology to those poor, slaughtered little creatures.
Carrying the small animal, Gu Nuanyang walked down the mountain. She pushed open the exceptionally grand gate of the Gu house. Lady Guli emerged from a side room—the one where Gu Rou'er lived.
"Nuanyang is back?" Lady Guli greeted her with a beaming smile, stepping forward to take the pheasant from Gu Nuanyang's hands.
"You've been out all day, you must be tired. I left some steamed buns for you in the pot, made with your favorite sugar. Go have some." Lady Guli's gaze towards her was filled with utmost affection.
At this hour, only Lady Guli and her two daughters were home. Gu Nuanyang's original plan was to deal with Gu Rou'er and Lady Guli first, then go to the other room to take care of Gu Ling'er. Just as she had never been on guard against the Gu family, Lady Guli and the others also looked down on her. Later, when Gu Erniu and Zhao Juanqing returned, she would find a way to deal with Gu Erniu and cripple Zhao Juanqing. Then her plan would be complete.
Gu Nuanyang blinked and walked towards Lady Guli, reaching out to link arms with her. "Mother loves me the most."
Gu Nuanyang said this phrase with practiced ease. But her eyes were fixed intently on Lady Guli. She saw clearly that the moment she approached, Lady Guli's body tensed up.
Gu Nuanyang began to laugh. How had she never noticed this fact before? How could she have ever believed Lady Guli loved her? Lady Guli was clearly afraid of her!
Yet, for the tangible benefits within reach, she didn't dare show it at all and had to display affection towards her. Amusing, truly too amusing.
"Silly child, who else would I love if not you? Go and eat, will you? Your cooking is so good. Could you stew the chicken later? You know my skills; anything good is wasted in my hands." Lady Guli's tone was exceptionally gentle.
Gu Nuanyang nodded. "Alright, I'll make sure to cook it well. Has eldest sister's health improved?"
Even without Lady Guli saying so, Gu Nuanyang intended to make this meal exceptionally well. After all, it was the Gu family's last supper; not making it good would be inhumane.
"Not yet. The doctor said she still needs to rest for a while."
Gu Nuanyang nodded and headed to the kitchen. Everything in sight had been procured by her. It was laughable, really. In her past life, shackled by so-called familial love, she lost herself in Lady Guli's words—"Nuanyang, your cooking is delicious; mine is terrible, it ruins good ingredients"—in Gu Rou'er's praise of "Second sister is amazing," and in Gu Ling'er's admiration of "Second sister, you're incredible!"
Consequently, she took on all the cooking duties. Lady Guli and her daughters took on the lighter tasks, nurturing smooth, fair skin. Meanwhile, her own hands became calloused.
Tsk, the more she thought about her past self, the more foolish she seemed.
She picked up a steamed bun from the pot and took a bite, chewing slowly. Then, she boiled water and began preparing the chicken. While adding water to stew the chicken soup, she discreetly poured the sedative Lin Xi had given her into the pot.
Afraid it might not be strong enough, she used the entire packet.
The sedative was colorless and odorless. Once the chicken soup was stewed, she followed the Gu family's usual habits and prepared several more dishes.
By evening, Gu Erniu and Zhao Juanqing returned. Gu Erniu carried a load on his shoulder pole containing all the proceeds from today's delivery to the city. Zhao Juanqing followed leisurely behind him.
The first thing Zhao Juanqing did upon entering the house was not to look at Gu Nuanyang, who emerged from the kitchen covered in dust and grime, but at Gu Rou'er, who had dragged her sickly body out of her room.
Seventeen-year-old Gu Rou'er was like a ripe peach. Dressed in pink, her body, having just undergone an abortion, exuded an aura of fragile delicacy.
Gu Nuanyang looked up just in time to see Gu Rou'er cast a shy, timid glance at Zhao Juanqing. Gu Nuanyang wondered how she could have been so blind in her past life.
How could she have missed such an obvious affair? What kind of eyes did she have?
"Father, Brother Juanqing, you're back? You must be exhausted." Gu Ling'er, who had been as quiet as a mouse while Gu Nuanyang was cooking, also emerged from her room.
Her question was directed at Gu Erniu, but her gaze lingered on Zhao Juanqing.
A fourteen-year-old girl, not yet of age, she wore a goose-yellow dress with her hair in twin buns, adorned with a small bell ornament that tinkled with every move. She tilted her head to look at Zhao Juanqing now, her large eyes blinking. She looked utterly adorable.
Gu Nuanyang felt laughter bubbling up, tears almost springing to her eyes. How had she never noticed it before? Gu Rou'er and Gu Ling'er seemed like the young ladies of the Gu family, while she was like a servant girl! Even their names followed the same pattern.
Gu Rou'er, Gu Ling'er. Those two names clearly sounded like sisters. And her? Gu Nuanyang, an obvious outsider. Gu Nuanyang suddenly remembered that in her previous life, when she had given them names, she had chosen Gu Nuanrou and Gu Nuanling.
What had Lady Guli said back then? That the character 'Nuan' was hers alone, and if Gu Rou'er and Gu Ling'er used it, it wouldn't be unique anymore.
At the time, she only felt how much Lady Guli loved her. Now, looking back, it was probably because Lady Guli didn't want her own daughters tainted by the bad luck of this wandering ghost, right?
Zhao Juanqing, while exchanging meaningful glances with Gu Rou'er, also joked and laughed with Gu Ling'er. Only after that did he seem to finally notice Gu Nuanyang, striding towards her with an exquisitely crafted wooden bird in his hand.
"Nuannuan, I bought this wood carving at the market. See if you like it."
Gu Nuanyang's gaze fell on the wooden carving in Zhao Juanqing's hand. It was very delicate, every feather on the bird's back carved vividly.
If it were her from her past life, seeing this carving, she probably would have been thrilled and overjoyed, her heart completely captivated by Zhao Juanqing, wouldn't she?
Gu Nuanyang suddenly recalled things from her past life. Her room had been filled with many, many such small wood carvings, most of them gifts from Zhao Juanqing.
Every birthday, every festival, what he gave her were these kinds of things. In contrast, what he gave to Gu Rou'er and Gu Ling'er were gold, silver, jewels, antiques, and paintings.
Gu Nuanyang laughed, so hard that tears nearly fell. If not for being reborn this once, she would never have known how little she was worth back then.
It's true what they say, sometimes you can't see the forest for the trees.
"Nuannuan?" Zhao Juanqing called her name softly.
Gu Nuanyang looked up at him, smiled, and took the carving in her hand, gripping it tightly. "I like it very much. All of you, go get cleaned up and get ready for dinner."
Gu Nuanyang glanced at Gu Rou'er and Gu Ling'er. Their identical looks of jealousy hadn't even had time to fade.
"Second Sister, let me help you." Gu Rou'er spoke up. When Gu Nuanyang had given her a name, she had chosen the character 'Rou' (soft/gentle). Her nature was truly gentle.
Her speech was soft, her actions were soft. Now she glided gracefully towards Gu Nuanyang. In the dimming light of dusk, it was as if a soft-focus filter had been applied to her entire person.
She always seemed to know exactly how to appear most beautiful. As she walked over, she tilted her head slightly, revealing her fair, slender neck.
Her neck was very beautiful. Gu Nuanyang had once praised it, saying it was as lovely as a swan's. As Gu Rou'er passed by Zhao Juanqing, she turned her body slightly, making the line of her neck appear even more graceful.
A faint smile touched her lips. Ever since she began serving Zhao Juanqing, he had always been very fond of her neck. During their intimate moments, he would kiss her neck for a long time.
Gu Rou'er's heart belonged to Zhao Juanqing. In front of the man she loved, she always wanted to display all her beauty.
She wasn't afraid of Gu Nuanyang noticing anything either. Who knew what this wandering ghost had been in her previous life? Already sixteen years old, spending all day with an outstanding man like Zhao Juanqing, and yet she still hadn't awakened to matters of the heart.
Sometimes, she and Zhao Juanqing were practically announcing their relationship openly, and yet Gu Nuanyang could still act as if she saw nothing.
Gu Rou'er didn't know how she felt about it. In the past, she had been very fond of this second sister of hers. Even knowing she wasn't her original second sister, she had liked her. Because her original second sister wouldn't have protected her, whereas this one would stand in front of her and shield her when she was bullied.
Gu Nuanyang had once wanted to treat her as a true younger sister. But she was too outstanding, so outstanding that everyone in the village praised her as the best girl in Wuliu Village.
Hearing that constant praise, Gu Rou'er's feelings towards her second sister grew increasingly complex. After Gu Nuanyang brought back Zhao Juanqing—a man who was clearly of extraordinary background from the outside world—and healed him, this complex feeling slowly turned into resentment. She was utterly jealous of the way Zhao Juanqing looked at her second sister—with inquiry, yet full of focus.
Towards her and Ling'er, he was always dismissive, looking right through them. Gu Rou'er's heart ached terribly. She wanted that exceptional man too. So, while Gu Nuanyang was busy making money, she made clothes and shoes for him, constantly flitting around in front of him.
He finally noticed her, pulling her aside to ask many questions about Gu Nuanyang. Facing the man she loved, Gu Rou'er held nothing back, telling him everything she knew. Their relationship gradually changed.
When her mother asked if she was willing to be with Zhao Juanqing, Gu Rou'er was so happy she could have jumped for joy.
She was willing. How could she not be willing? Even knowing she would have no official status, even if it meant being a concubine, she wanted to be with him.
She got her wish. She also became pregnant with his child. Gu Rou'er had so many hopes for that child. If it was a boy, she hoped he would look like his father, handsome and scholarly. If it was a girl, she hoped she would take after her a little.
Her own nature was gentle and obedient, and she wanted her daughter to be gentle too.
But because of Gu Nuanyang, her child could not be born. She had only just learned of its existence before losing it. Gu Rou'er hated Gu Nuanyang to the core. Since she was already a wandering ghost, why did she have to possess her sister's corpse?
She already owed their family, so why did she have to compete and snatch everything? Every time she thought of this, Gu Rou'er's heart ached unbearably, and she seethed with anger.
But it didn't matter. Gu Rou'er thought. She knew Gu Nuanyang also liked Zhao Juanqing just as she did. She also knew Zhao Juanqing had grand schemes involving Gu Nuanyang.
But so what? She was determined to flirt with him right under Gu Nuanyang's nose, in those subtle, hinted ways. Just like every time before, she would stir his desires both openly and covertly. Then, when night fell and he came to her room, he would take her with fierce passion.
That feeling was truly exquisite. Every time she recalled that soul-stirring sensation, a warmth spread through her heart, and even her steps grew a little unsteady.
She pulled Gu Nuanyang into the kitchen. While Gu Nuanyang wasn't paying attention, she glanced back and saw Zhao Juanqing staring at her. His gaze was so scorching, it felt as if it could burn her alive. Gu Rou'er gave him a faint smile and reached up to touch her own neck, indeed seeing his eyes darken with desire.
A sense of triumph rose in her heart. Look at that. So what if he openly pursues you? So what if you will be his lawful wife? Isn't he still, in moments you know nothing about, stirred by me to the point of nearly transforming into a beast?
On nights you are unaware, we are entangled in passion unto death. While you play at pure love with him, our bodies and souls are joined.
Behind Gu Nuanyang, Gu Rou'er's smug smile was impossible to hide.
Outside, Gu Ling'er watched the exchange of glances between Gu Rou'er and Zhao Juanqing, feeling very displeased. She turned towards Lady Guli's room. Lady Guli was sewing clothes for Gu Nuanyang.
"Mother, you're so unfair! I like Brother Juanqing too, why don't you arrange for me to be with him?" Girls in ancient times matured early, and Gu Ling'er had begun to have a vague understanding of matters between men and women since she was seven or eight.
Back then, their family hadn't yet separated from the Old Gu Family, and they all lived in one room. At night, she saw and heard everything her parents did and said, becoming aware and curious about it.
Because of this curiosity, her favorite pastime became observing the men and women in the village. Before Gu Nuanyang crossed over, she would often squat under the willow tree in the village; she knew exactly who was having an affair with whom.
Having seen so much, she yearned intensely for intimate relations between men and women. She even desperately wanted to experience that feeling of being together, skin to skin.
Unfortunately, she had never found a suitable candidate.
That was, until Zhao Juanqing arrived. With a man of such good looks and high status like Zhao Juanqing living in their house, it wasn't just Gu Rou'er whose heart was stirred; she fancied him too. Sometimes when her elder sister was with Zhao Juanqing, she would lie in her own room, her heart itching as if scratched by a cat.
She had even secretly eavesdropped before. Brother Juanqing's prowess in that area was truly formidable. Just the thought of it made Gu Ling'er's cheeks flush crimson. Countless times she had wanted to pull the person from Brother Juanqing's bed and replace her with herself.
But such shameless words, she dared not speak to her parents.
Upon hearing Gu Ling'er's words, Lady Guli immediately looked outside. Seeing that Gu Nuanyang wasn't in the courtyard, she grew furious and pinched Gu Ling'er's arm. "You foolish girl, can't you keep a lid on it? What nonsense are you spouting? If she hears you, see if I don't beat you."
Lady Guli's expression was extremely stern. Gu Ling'er clutched her pinched arm, tears welling up in her eyes.
After all, it was her own flesh and blood. Lady Guli felt a pang of heartache. She tapped Gu Ling'er's forehead with her finger. "What you said shows no sense. How old were you last year? Just thirteen, your courses hadn't even started. If I gave you to him, he wouldn't take you, would he?"
"Besides, it's not like you won't grow up. What's waiting a couple of years? He's staying with us, keeping an eye on that one. He'll always need a woman for release. In a couple of years, you and your elder sister can serve him together. Then we won't have to worry about his heart not staying with our family."
People in ancient times weren't foolish. When conditions allowed, their minds worked faster than anyone's. Zhao Juanqing was the highest-status person Gu Erniu and Lady Guli could get their hands on.
What did it matter if they sent both daughters to his bed? As long as they could secure a future of wealth, luxury, and having servants at their beck and call, Lady Guli would even be willing to go to Zhao Juanqing's bed herself! Gu Erniu wouldn't have any objections either.
If she even bore a child, Gu Erniu would wait on her hand and foot.
But alas, Zhao Juanqing wouldn't look at an old woman like her. But that didn't matter. Lady Guli's gaze fell on her clever, lively youngest daughter's face.
"My third girl is pretty and has such a delightful personality. He'll like her." Lady Guli pulled Gu Ling'er into her embrace.
Gu Ling'er's tears stopped. She hugged Lady Guli back. "Mother, do you think... she's so capable, good at making money, cooking, managing the household... will Brother Juanqing like her especially?"
Gu Ling'er didn't like this sister of hers at all, neither the previous one nor the current one. Their existence made her seem like dust in comparison. Before, everyone praised her real second sister for being well-behaved and sensible, while saying she was like a naughty monkey.
Even children understand praise and criticism. From the moment she realized what was good and bad to hear, she had disliked her real second sister. And now, with this fake second sister here, the entire village praised her fake second sister to the skies. No matter how cute and clever she was, no one seemed to notice.
Gu Ling'er could accept sharing a man with her elder sister; she could even accept serving a man on the same bed together with her elder sister. But she could not bear the thought of Gu Nuanyang sharing the same husband with her!
Lady Guli had always been good to her own daughters. A shrewd light flashed in her eyes. "He won't. Your Brother Juanqing is only using her. In his eyes, she's no different from a useful tool. And besides, she's so strong-willed."
"No one likes a tool, and no man likes a strong-willed woman. Third girl, you must remember, you can play the coquette in front of your Brother Juanqing, but you mustn't be truly unreasonable."
"Acting a little spoiled in front of him now and then is part of your flirtation. But if you are truly unreasonable and ruin a man's important affairs, then you won't be far from being cast aside. Your Brother Juanqing's status is different from others. He won't spend his life only with you sisters; he'll have other women in the future. You must work with your elder sister to keep his heart here with you."
"As long as you bear him a son or daughter, you'll be the heroes of our Old Gu Family. The Gu family genealogy might even have a separate entry for you two sisters. By then, who would dare say I gave birth to two useless daughters?"
"Third girl, your mother has no sons and has always been looked down upon. Whether we can turn our fortunes around and become masters depends entirely on you and your sister. Third girl, don't worry too much about her. Once your Brother Juanqing gets what he wants, she'll be of no use anymore."
Gu Ling'er pictured Gu Nuanyang being discarded by Zhao Juanqing like a pair of worn-out shoes and nodded obediently. "I understand, Mother."
"Come, let's go eat. She stewed chicken soup. Isn't that your favorite?"
"Let's go, let's go." Gu Ling'er loved chicken soup. She took Lady Guli's hand and walked inside.
Gu Nuanyang and Gu Rou'er were carrying dishes to the dinner table in the main room.
Gu Nuanyang looked at Gu Rou'er's back. In her previous life, why had she never suspected that Gu Rou'er's illness this time was due to an abortion? First, because she had been truly foolish in her past life, and second, because her mind back then lacked a certain awareness; she saw everyone as pure and innocent, never once considering matters between men and women.
There was another thing that Lady Guli often whispered in her ear. Like how some family's daughter-in-law had a miscarriage, didn't recover properly, and it affected her fertility later, just like her—after one miscarriage, she never conceived again.
After a miscarriage, one should stay in bed for a full month to recover properly.
Her constant nagging influenced Gu Nuanyang's subconscious. She automatically believed that after an abortion, one must at least stay bedridden for a month without moving. Yet Gu Rou'er only stayed in bed for a week before getting up. Things like preparing dinner in the evening and serving it on the table were things she had been doing all along.
It was just that during the day, she lay indoors and didn't go out.
Gu Nuanyang sneered inwardly as she followed behind Gu Rou'er. Passing by Zhao Juanqing's room, her footsteps didn't even pause.
After she left, the person in Zhao Juanqing's room continued his report: "Master, she showed no unusual activity today. She just went to the water's edge to sharpen her firewood knife, then went up the mountain and came back with a pheasant."
Zhao Juanqing pinched the bridge of his nose and said, "Keep a close watch on her. We must uncover the secret she holds. Also, tell my mother that once I find her secret, I can cure her of that malignant illness."
"Yes."
"Alright, go now." As soon as Zhao Juanqing finished speaking, the person in his room instantly vanished through the window. Zhao Juanqing then straightened his clothes and pushed the door open to leave.
The secret of Gu Nuanyang was known to the entire Old Gu Family. Therefore, the Gu family could not slip from his control. Having Gu Rou'er and Gu Ling'er in his grasp was equivalent to controlling Lady Guli and Gu Erniu. They would never dare speak words he didn't want to hear outside.
As for Gu Nuanyang, she was different from Gu Rou'er and Gu Ling'er. With a woman like her, she must be given sufficient "respect" for her to give her heart to him.
Once he had her heart, her secret would inevitably become his. Zhao Juanqing was not anxious in the least.
Finally, the whole family gathered in the room. Gu Nuanyang's gaze fell upon Gu Erniu. He was taciturn, speaking very little, and listened to whatever Lady Guli said. Later, after she started her business, Gu Erniu began listening to her instead.
Whatever she said, he would do. He toiled willingly, like an old ox. Sometimes, returning from outside, he would bring some treats for the three sisters. Because she liked wood carvings, he, who knew a bit of carpentry, learned carving and made her a little cat.
He truly fit the image of the strong, silent, mountain-like father in Gu Nuanyang's mind. That's why this family had seemed so perfect in her eyes. In her past life, she had thanked heaven countless times for granting her such a family.
Now, Gu Nuanyang thought, thanks a whole damn lot. This lousy heaven—if only it would just blow up, that would be great.
Gu Nuanyang's stewed chicken soup was excellent. The broth was a milky yellow, the chicken meat somewhat pale. Under the dim oil lamp, sprinkled with scallions, its aroma wafted enticingly.
Everyone took their seats, and chopsticks eagerly reached for the chicken soup, while Gu Nuanyang picked up other dishes from the table.
After putting the food in her mouth, she silently counted to three. Those who had eaten the chicken began collapsing one after another, each in a different posture.
Gu Nuanyang paid them no mind, quietly finished her bowl of rice, then fetched the can of gasoline from the kitchen and splashed it around the room.
Afterwards, she climbed out through the living room window, blew on a firestarter until it ignited, and tossed it inside.
The open flame meeting the gasoline ignited rapidly, soon setting the wooden furniture ablaze. The wind was strong tonight, and fanned by the gusts, the fire quickly grew into a roaring inferno.
Gu Nuanyang hid behind the house, waiting. Several figures rushed into the courtyard like a gust of wind from outside. Seizing the moment, Gu Nuanyang threw two grenades inside, then sprinted towards the mountain at top speed.
At the same time, all group members, including Lin Xi, received a group video call invitation.
Lin Xi, who hadn't been able to sleep, clicked in immediately. The first thing she saw was a burning house. The fire, aided by the wind, was spreading rapidly. Before she could get a good look, two consecutive bangs echoed.
Then, a mushroom cloud rose into the sky.
"I'm treating you all to fireworks."
