Chapter 10: The Realm of Bliss

Looking at Lin Jin'an, who had been shot dead before her eyes but had now transformed into a living, breathing child of eight or nine, Lin Jinyan’s shock was beyond measure.

Was she not the Empress of Tianchu, whose family had been destroyed and who had perished in a sea of flames? Why had she become a child?

She had clearly been burned to death, yet upon waking and opening her eyes, she had seen her Aunt Bai Yiran, only her appearance was much younger.

She had even seen Yu Tong, who had died for her sake, still a mere child...

Lin Jinyan did not know what had happened. Was this a dream? But how could she dream if she were already dead? She dared not move, dared not speak, and dared not even close her eyes, fearing that if she made the slightest movement, the scene before her would cease to exist.

Yet, the warmth of her aunt’s hand resting on her face was so real that she could not help but reach out to touch it. The sensation was so vivid that it sent her thoughts into a tumultuous swirl.

Just as she was wondering if her aunt had saved her, she heard the voice of Lin Siyuan. Lin Jinyan thought she was hallucinating, but her father’s voice was so real. She was utterly bewildered; her father had died right before her eyes!

Her father, her brother, and Yu Tong were all dead—how could this be? Could this be the realm of ultimate bliss, where her family had reunited?

But even if they had all ascended to bliss, how could she and her brother have turned into children?

As she was lost in thought, a child’s face suddenly loomed large before her. Lin Jinyan snapped back to reality to see Lin Jin'an leaning in close, shouting

"Yan'er! Have you really turned mute?"

The searing pain of being burned to death seemed to still linger on her body. Lin Jinyan’s throat felt parched as she opened her mouth

"Brother..."

Upon hearing this, Lin Jin'an patted his chest with his chubby little hand

"You scared me to death! I asked you things for ages and you wouldn't speak. You... hey... don't cry! Brother was just worried about you, I didn't mean you were a mute. Oh dear, Yan'er, don't cry! Are you in pain somewhere?"

Lin Jinyan had called him brother, and now her eyes were red, with large tears falling one after another.

Lin Jin'an scrambled to comfort her, but the more he tried, the harder Lin Jinyan cried. Between sobs, she said

"Brother, I'm sorry... Brother... it’s all my fault..."

"What is going on? I had only just sat down in the outer room when I heard Yan'er crying. Is she hurt somewhere?"

A youth, standing quite a bit taller than Lin Jin'an, walked in while speaking and stood beside Bai Yiran

"Mother, what is wrong with Yan'er? Is she in great pain? Why is she crying so heart-brokenly?"

Bai Yiran said with a pained heart

"Her body is fine; she will be well after a few days of rest. She was just frightened and had nightmares while running a high fever. She was not only scared but also a bit delirious, saying a lot of nonsense when she woke up."

Lin Jinyan stared blankly at the youth who had appeared, recognizing him as her second cousin, Gu Yichen, who had injured his leg for her. Lin Jinyan stopped crying and murmured

"Cousin..."

Before Gu Yichen could respond, Lin Jinyan began to weep bitterly again

"Cousin, I'm sorry. Your leg was injured because of me. I'm sorry... it was all my fault. I ruined the whole family. Brother, I'm sorry. Aunt, I'm sorry..."

No matter how the three of them tried to soothe her, Lin Jinyan just kept weeping and repenting.

She poured out all the regret, guilt, and sorrow in her heart, crying until her body convulsed and her throat went dry and hoarse.

It was not until Bai Yiran coaxed her into drinking some medicinal soup that Lin Jinyan slowly drifted off to sleep. Even in her dreams, she could not find peace; her brows were tightly furrowed, and she kept apologizing in her sleep.

After this ordeal, she developed a fever again at noon.

In a half-waking, half-dreaming state, she saw Yulan holding letters that Zhou Yuexue had forged in her handwriting, giving them to her father and brother to trick them into entering the palace.

She kept shouting: "Father, don't believe her! Father, you're in danger, run!" But no one heard her. She was so anxious she wept, until she felt a pair of warm, large hands wiping away her tears.