Chapter 2: and

In the twenty-first year of the Tianshun era, the Dongling Kingdom, Luer Village, Luming County, Jia Prefecture. Early spring.

*Bang!*

A splitting headache, warm liquid trickling down her forehead.

A youth of seventeen or eighteen, clutching a blood-stained rock, threatened viciously: "You little slut, you'll be mine sooner or later. Mother said so—whether I take you as a wife or sell you for silver, it's all the same. Hmph, don't resist, or I'll sell you to a brothel right now to serve dirty, stinking old men."

Having delivered his threat, the youth tossed the rock aside and leered: "Hehe, serve me well, and I guarantee you a good life. I won't sell you, won't let Mother beat you, and I'll let you eat your fill every day."

Xie Qingli froze for a moment. This was her thirteenth year, living with the Song family in Luer Village on the southwestern border of Dongling. The youth before her was her nominal elder brother—Song Tianbao, a master of eating, drinking, whoring, and gambling.

Lust clouding his mind, Song Tianbao had tried to take liberties with her while Song Zhaoxing and Madam He were out. She had fought back with her life, enraging Song Tianbao, who had grabbed a rock and smashed her head open.

She hadn't perished; she had been reborn? The heavens had actually given her another chance??? But Xie Qingli had no time to think. Song Tianbao, calling her "good little sister" in that disgusting tone, lunged straight at her.

Hatred with no outlet surged within her. A chance for revenge bestowed by the heavens—why let it go to waste? Xie Qingli lifted her leg and kicked Song Tianbao. He stumbled, swaying a few times before barely steadying himself.

Xie Qingli sighed softly. This body of hers was so weak she couldn't even knock down a good-for-nothing like Song Tianbao. She kicked him again, hard, and Song Tianbao crashed heavily to the ground.

The wild girl who usually endured everything had actually dared to hit him. Song Tianbao exploded with rage. He cursed and swore, struggling to his feet. Today, if he didn't beat this slut to death, he wasn't a Song.

Xie Qingli rolled up her sleeves, casually wiped the blood streaming down her face, and grinned—a smile like a vengeful spirit. She stomped down hard on Song Tianbao's hands, pinning them, and began slapping him left and right, cursing as she struck

"You filthy piece of trash, wanting to take advantage of your Grandma? With a face that ugly, your dreams are pretty beautiful."

"You beast, I'm just a little girl and you want to put your hands on me? You're worse than an animal—animals look more human than you."

"You dirty thing, I'm your sister, understand? Sister! A lowlife who disregards human ethics—what sins did your parents commit to spawn you?"

Song Tianbao stammered: "Not... not a real sister."

But Xie Qingli was enjoying the beating and the cursing too much; she didn't hear a word he said.

Moments later, Song Tianbao was beaten into a pig's head—unrecognizable even to his own mother.

When she'd had her fill, the anger in her chest dissipated somewhat. Xie Qingli sat leisurely on a chair, blowing on her reddened palms, muttering to herself: "Huh, this beast's skin is too thick. My hands hurt from hitting him. Bad luck!"

Song Tianbao dared not speak, lying on the floor playing dead, terrified Xie Qingli would beat him again. But the pain was too much. Raised on his mother's doting, when had he ever suffered such grievance? He couldn't help but let out low whimpers.

Looking at Song Tianbao curled up like a wounded beast, Xie Qingli's eyes narrowed, and long-sealed memories gradually resurfaced.

In her past life, Xie Qingli's body had been weak, unable to resist Song Tianbao. Her desperate cries for help had been in vain. At her most desperate moment, she had luckily grabbed a fallen wooden hairpin. The pin was extremely sharp—she had secretly made it for self-defense. She had used all her strength to stab at Song Tianbao. He had dodged in panic, and only then did she manage to escape.

When Madam He returned, she not only failed to reprimand Song Tianbao but was instigated by him to sell Xie Qingli off. Back then, Xie Qingli's heart had been cut to ribbons. She didn't understand why her mother and brother treated her so. She didn't know she was merely a burden the Song family couldn't bring themselves to dispose of after swapping the children.

Bewildered and helpless, she had run barefoot to the quack doctor Hu Er's house, begging Hu Er's wife, Li Lianzhi, through her tears. Li Lianzhi was the only one who had ever treated her kindly. Li Lianzhi rushed off to find the village head, who gave Madam He a dressing down. Only then did Madam He reluctantly drop the idea of selling Xie Qingli.

However, Madam He still beat Xie Qingli severely and threw her half-dead body into the courtyard, leaving her to live or die in the biting spring chill. Later, although Xie Qingli survived, her body grew increasingly frail, and she became bedridden with illness.

Thinking of this, Xie Qingli sneered. She stripped Song Tianbao of his outer robe and dragged him into the courtyard like a dead pig, letting him taste the heart-piercing cold wind—wondering if he would catch some lingering illness too.

Xie Qingli strolled leisurely in the courtyard, admiring Song Tianbao's shivering figure while recalling her past life.

In about a month or two, war would break out between Dongling and Nanjing. To escape the chaos, the Song family would flee to the capital, Shengjing.

Song Zhaoxing and Madam He, relying on a jade pendant, would secretly contact their biological daughter—Xie Qingyao, the eldest miss of the Jing'an Marquis Manor. That jade pendant, engraved with Xie Qingli's name, was the only proof of her identity. She had to get it.

Xie Qingli scanned the small courtyard. Only Madam He's room was locked; Madam He usually kept a tight watch, forbidding Xie Qingli from entering.

She went to the kitchen, grabbed a cleaver, and with a single chop, split the lock in two. A thorough search turned no trace of the jade pendant. However, a swaddling cloth caught Xie Qingli's attention. Though old, it was made of cloud brocade—fabric the Song family could never afford.

Xie Qingli stroked the swaddling cloth, leaned back in the chair, and reminisced about the past, gradually drifting off to sleep. In her dream, Jiang Muxue stroked Xie Qingli's black hair, speaking soft, tender words of endless affection.

...

A howl shattered Xie Qingli's sweet dream.

Song Tianbao craned his neck, slurring toward the door: "Ao... Liang... Liang Qi, save me. Wuwuwu."

Madam He rushed in, staring in disbelief at the figure on the floor. She looked closely at the clothes—it was indeed her precious Baor.

"You little slut! If my Baor is beaten to death, a hundred of your worthless lives wouldn't be enough to pay!" Madam He cursed as she lunged at Xie Qingli.

Xie Qingli lifted her leg and kicked. Madam He flew backward, crashing heavily onto Song Tianbao, who howled even more miserably in pain.

Madam He scrambled up, refusing to believe it. She charged at Xie Qingli again, determined to teach this slut a lesson and reassert her authority today.

How could Xie Qingli let her succeed? She nimbly sidestepped, pressed a finger against Madam He's right upper arm, and tripped her in one smooth motion.

Madam He fell heavily on her buttocks again. The arm Xie Qingli had pressed went numb and aching, refusing to move.

Madam He's face flushed red with rage. She wailed and cursed: "You little slut, eating for free all day, lazy and slippery. Raised you this big for nothing. Today you've eaten a bear's heart and leopard's gall—you actually dare hit people! This life is unlivable!"

Xie Qingli sneered: "Why don't you ask what your precious son did first? Your shrewish act, not caring about right or wrong, is even worse than before!"

At this, the slow-witted Madam He finally realized something was off about this slut today. Usually, she had no guts at all—seeing Madam He was like a mouse seeing a cat. One scolding would make her tremble. Today, she cursed and hit people. Was she possessed?

Madam He glared at Xie Qingli. Seeing the blood all over her head, she thought: *Ah, retribution. Baor probably couldn't wait and provoked her. Even a clay figurine has three parts fire; a rabbit bites when cornered. Once she vents, she'll be fine.*

Reasonably speaking, it wasn't Baor's fault. *Pah!* An unripe little slut, looking all foxy, seducing Baor into thinking about her day and night, leading a good son astray. Baor fancying this slut was her fortune from eight lifetimes, yet she acts all high and mighty.

But this slut doesn't know her own origins. Siblings doing that... it truly violates human ethics.

Madam He eyed Xie Qingli again, her eyes rolling. Suddenly, she slapped the ground and shouted: "You little slut! I'm your mother, he's your brother. Our Dongling values filial piety above all. You hit us—believe it or not, I'll drag you to the magistrate?"

Xie Qingli's lips curled: "Mother? Whose mother are you? Your precious daughter isn't the eldest miss in the Marquis Manor?"

Clearly, her eyes were clear, her smile bright, her tone gentle, yet Madam He felt a chill run down her spine.

"You... you... what nonsense are you spouting? You are my daughter! What Marquis Manor, what eldest miss?"

"Oh? Already forgotten your good mother-in-law? Forgot how she took your daughter away and swapped her with the Marquis Manor's daughter?" Xie Qingli's tone was cold. In her past life, she had investigated for a long time but never found out who Madam He's mother-in-law was.

Madam He was thrown into chaos. How did this slut know these things? Her daughter's identity can't be hidden now. What to do, what to do? *Hmph*, only by killing her can she secure her daughter's future and the Song family's wealth and glory. Madam He's gaze turned sinister.

Xie Qingli crouched down, clamping her hand around Madam He's throat, and said coldly: "Want to kill me? Dream on."

She suddenly tightened her grip: "Killing you mother and son is but a lift of my hand." Madam He's face turned beet red, the air thinning.

Xie Qingli smiled faintly: "However, I'm soft-hearted. I'll give you a chance. Tell me where the jade pendant is, and I'll spare your life."

Madam He felt her breathing grow harder. She forced out fragmented words through gritted teeth: "What... what jade pendant? I don't know, I don't know. I... I'll tell your father. You... you know this secret. Let him kill you."

Xie Qingli smiled cunningly: "Song Zhaoxing? Relax, he can't kill me."

"But, speaking of secrets... I happen to know one of yours. About Song Wenxiu. You've kept it bottled up for so many years—it must be suffocating. Let me help you tell him. Wonder if he wants to hear it."

Xie Qingli released her hand, but Madam He felt she could breathe even less, as if an invisible hand were clutching her throat, kneading her heart.

That matter was so secret, so long ago. It was impossible for a second person to know...

(End of Chapter)