Chapter 1: Prologue

“Yuyue, have you avenged your great grudge?” Chen Ziwu asked, one hand gently stroking her slightly protruding belly while the other picked up a lychee.

Seven years. Finally, seven years had passed. Being pregnant once again to make up for the deficiencies of many years, she felt a sense of gratitude.

“To answer you, Madam, they have all been killed.” In Chen Yuyue’s cold eyes, there was still no sorrow, no joy, no desire, and no longing. Seven years had been enough for her to grow, enough for her to learn a lifetime of skills, and more than enough for her to kill all her enemies. But she knew that all of this was thanks to the woman before her.

If it weren't for her, perhaps even staying alive would have been difficult?!

She had originally thought that once her vengeance was complete, she would find a way to leave; after all, she was not born to be a servant. However, looking at the woman before her—delicate yet incredibly resilient, strict yet not lacking in innocence, treating everyone around her with such sincerity and favoritism that even the gatekeepers in the manor were under her protection—could she still leave such a woman? Could she even leave?

“Then, do you wish to regain your freedom? Hmm, the lychees are so sweet this year.” Chen Ziwu spat out the pit of the lychee and asked casually, as if engaging in ordinary daily small talk.

“What?” Chen Yuyue thought she had misheard. Her delicate brows furrowed, and her turning face showed a hint of emotion.

Chen Ziwu did not rush to answer. She leaned on the couch to stand up and walked to the window, leaving her with a slender and soft silhouette. The sun was setting, and the fading light from outside the window shone in, scattering gold across the floor. The sky in Dali was as pure as ever, and the scenery remained beautiful.

“Do one thing for me, and in six months, you will be free,” came the faint voice, sounding as if she had made this momentous decision only out of necessity.

“I will do whatever you ask, but I will not leave. My freedom lies with you.” After the initial shock came a wave of steadfastness.

Chen Ziwu slowly turned around and looked at her tenderly, a trace of a smile playing on her lips. “Be mentally prepared; it might not be that simple.”