Chapter 2: You're back too?

People must experience certain things to truly grasp the meaning of life. When everything before her eyes turned a vibrant red and the sounds of wedding music filled her ears, Xin An instinctively covered her mouth, suppressing a trembling gasp in her throat.

She had clearly been angered to death by Tang Rongsheng, and before she died, she had regretted not even having the chance to drag him down to hell with her. How was she still inside a bridal sedan chair?

"The Xin family's bridal sedan has arrived."

"The Tao family's bridal sedan has also arrived."

Countless sounds of laughter and teasing pierced through the sedan walls, crashing into her mind and rendering her unable to think. Immediately after, the sedan landed, and the voice of the *ximiang* (matchmaker) rang out: "Please, Eldest Young Master, kick the sedan door."

Distant memories flooded her heart in an instant. This was the sound from the day she married into the Tang family. Back then, she had arrived full of love, only to leave with a reputation for being a shrew. The events of the past flashed through her mind like a galloping horse. She couldn't hear the teasing outside, nor could she feel the vibration of the sedan door being kicked, and thus, she did not see the hand extended to help her out.

She had actually returned. She had returned to the day she married Tang Rong.

But how could she marry Tang Rong again?

Tang Rong was the son of the Weiyuan Marquis Mansion, a young man cultivated with great care after the family abandoned the sword for the pen. The world said he was disciplined, self-restrained, noble, and elegant—a man who never fought or scrambled for anything, like the bright moon in the sky. She had fallen for him at first sight, and when the Tang family sent someone to propose, she had been overjoyed.

After marriage, she pitied him for losing his mother early and was indignant at how his stepmother bullied him. Whatever he said he wanted, she would fight to get it for him.

"Never fighting or scrambling," "the bright moon in the sky"—it was all just him standing on her shoulders to fish for fame and reputation.

It was hateful that she had spent her entire life sacrificing for Tang Rong, only to end up with a reputation for being calculating, petty, and mean-spirited.

The bride was slow to exit the sedan, and the *ximiang* smiled and offered auspicious words again. Amidst the boisterous laughter, Xin An regained her senses and slowly raised her hand, allowing Tang Rong to lead her out. The sedan had already reached the Tang family gates; she could not escape this marriage, nor could she afford to.

Opposite her sedan sat another. Tang Rong, the eldest son of the first wife, and Tang Mo, the son of the stepmother, were marrying on the same day. Neither brother looked particularly happy; they nodded politely before entering the house together.

As time overlapped with her previous life, Xin An went through the motions of the wedding ceremony, then was ushered to the backyard by the *ximiang* and a crowd of maids and matrons.

The mistress of the Weiyuan Marquis Mansion, Madam Wang, was a stepmother with deep schemes and a ruthless hand. She disliked that her own son, Tang Mo, was marrying Tao Yiran, who only knew how to recite flowery, pretentious poetry. Using the excuse that Tang Mo’s courtyard lacked sufficient sunlight, she swapped courtyards with Tang Rong, intending to switch the brides.

In her past life, she had kept a close eye on the Tang family's affairs, received the news early, and spoken up when they took the wrong turn, successfully marrying Tang Rong. Today, however, she walked in without a moment's hesitation.

In truth, Tang Mo didn't like her either. Like his mother, Tang Mo was a man who would sharpen his head to climb the social ladder. They had direct conflicts of interest and had clashed in the shadows many times. Although they couldn't stand each other, she had envied Tang Mo's wife, Tao Yiran, simply because Tang Mo would fight for what he wanted himself and never let Tao Yiran worry.

It was as if heaven were playing a joke on them. Tao Yiran was famous throughout the capital for her peerless beauty and mastery of chess, calligraphy, and painting, yet she possessed the same temperament as Tang Rong—aloof and pristine. She hated Tang Mo’s mercenary nature and would easily give away the things Tang Mo had fought to obtain.

Every time that happened, Tang Mo would be angered to the point of death.

Once in the bridal chamber, Xin An sat on the edge of the bed, automatically shutting out the sounds from beyond her veil. Only while waiting for Tang Mo did she have the chance to clear her thoughts. It all felt as bizarre as a dream, yet the dream was so incredibly real.

She did not regret her sacrifices for Tang Rong; after all, she had been willing at the time. It was just that Tang Rong shouldn't have been so cold-blooded in the end.

When the delicate sensation of her fingertips pressed against her skin, she looked down at her fair hands and felt a surge of wild joy. What woman who had experienced the decay of old age could refuse a return to seventeen?

She had truly returned.

She didn't know how much time had passed before black boots appeared in her limited field of vision. When the veil was lifted and he saw it was her, Tang Mo showed no surprise, though the panic she had feigned on her face seemed somewhat comical.

Tang Mo’s eyes were unkind, and he sneered inwardly. This woman had been at odds with him since the day she married into the Tang family, guarding against him like a thief. If not for her constantly working against him, he could have lived a smooth life and achieved great success!

Seeing that he didn't speak, wasn't surprised, and even looked at her as if she were an enemy, Xin An understood. She tentatively asked, "You came back too?"

"Yes."

Xin An stood up, tore off the veil, and threw it aside with a scoff. In their past lives, they had been sister-in-law and brother-in-law—the kind who had completely burned their bridges—yet in this life, they were husband and wife. Knowing each other's pasts, God had truly played a massive joke on them.

"And Tang Rong?"

"He didn't."

Tang Mo could confirm this.

"Logically, he should have realized the bride was different by now. Why hasn't he come looking?"

Tang Mo sneered again. "The old man thinks the Xin family is beneficial to the Tang family, but the other side doesn't necessarily think so. How can a salt merchant's daughter compare to a girl from a fourth-rank official's household? Now that the opportunity is right in front of them, wouldn't they rush to make it a done deal? If asked tomorrow, they'll just say they drank too much, were dizzy, and didn't see clearly."

Xin An laughed at herself. "You've even thought of the excuse for him; you're quite a decent person. By the way, if you run over now, you might still make it in time. Who knows, maybe they haven't taken that final step yet."

She turned to tidy the peanuts and red dates on the bed. Seeing her still in the mood to mock him, Tang Mo scoffed, "The husband you fought so hard to protect is currently tangled in the sheets with another woman. Aren't you upset? Aren't you going to make a scene?"

"After all, he let you be the mistress of the Weiyuan Marquis Mansion for so many years. How heartless."

Xin An stuffed a handful of red dates and peanuts into his arms and walked straight to the vanity. Seeing her young and beautiful self in the bronze mirror, devoid of the bitterness that came from years of exhaustion, she curled her lips. As she stroked the hairpin in her hair, she didn't forget to retort, "Your precious darling is currently groaning in pleasure under another man. You're no different from a cuckold; how do you have the nerve to talk about me?"

"She was always thinking of you, afraid you'd get a bad reputation, and returned so many things you had fought to snatch away. How can you be so ungrateful?"

What man could endure such words? Even if he didn't want to be involved with this woman in this life, he wouldn't allow himself to be insulted. Tang Mo’s eyes flashed with malice, the veins on his forehead bulging. He viciously stepped forward and grabbed Xin An’s wrist. "Do you believe I could kill you right now and claim you were so humiliated that you threw yourself against a pillar and died?"

"So humiliated?"

Xin An curled her lips into a smile—a smile that was far from demure. "What? Are you drunk too, dizzy and confused? So, that excuse you just used was actually meant for yourself?"

Her hair was like overlapping mountains, her temples like clouds, her cheeks like snow, her eyes flowing with emotion, her chest soft as jade, her waist slender as a willow. For a moment, Tang Mo was stunned. It was the first time he had realized this woman looked like a *femme fatale* who could topple a kingdom. Why had he only ever thought of her as a mean-spirited shrew before?

(End of chapter)