Chapter 2: I Won't Listen, I Won't Listen

Pei Lingxi had only left one suitcase of ordinary, inconspicuous belongings out; everything else had been stored away here.

However, within two years, because it was a blood pact, the blood had been exhausted, and the space within the bead could no longer be opened. The little girl was young and had forgotten much of her memory due to a high fever; she only felt the bead was important and hid it away, not knowing how to activate it.

Now, Lingxi had picked up the bargain.

Taking it over was just right to serve as a transition while her own natal space remained inaccessible.

She scanned the interior of the pendant with her spiritual sense.

It was a storage space of about a hundred square meters, empty save for a table placed in the center. Beside the table were two small wooden boxes, two large wooden chests, and a small leather suitcase.

That small leather suitcase was identical to the one in the cabinet of her room.

Before Lingxi could examine it carefully, a deep, wailing cry erupted from the courtyard.

"My poor Lingxi-er!

Why is your life so bitter!

Why hasn't the Heavens sent down a bolt of lightning to strike these heartless wretches dead!

Each and every one of them is black-hearted, knowing only how to bully my Lingxi-er because she has no father or mother. Heavens, why are you blind? Look clearly at those black-hearted, black-lunged, black-gutted..."

The old woman’s wailing shook the heat rising from the scorching ground, and it made Lingxi, who had never seen such a scene, tremble in her heart and soul.

In her memories, there had been many such scenes, but none were as shocking as hearing it in person.

This human old woman was her grandmother, the "golden thigh" of this body in this household.

This body was named Pei Lingxi.

She was 15 years old this year and the only remaining bloodline of the eldest son of the Pei family.

It was said that when the eldest Pei was a child, he had shielded the old woman from a bullet, nearly losing his life. From that moment on, Old Lady Pei had cherished her eldest son the most, treating him like the apple of her eye. The eldest son had also been exceptionally successful, making the old woman proud. Later, when the eldest son passed away, she transferred that love to Lingxi, loving her even more than before.

As for the uncles and aunts of the Pei family, they were all filial to the old woman and remembered the kindness of the eldest Pei.

Because of this, although Lingxi had no parents, the whole family doted on her and yielded to her, unable to bear speaking loudly to her.

Since she was small, even if Pei Fuzhu—rumored to be the reincarnation of the Heavens' own daughter—made her unhappy, the old woman would always help her settle the score.

Lingxi’s heart thumped. Just as she prepared to open her eyes and properly cling to the old woman’s "thigh," she caught a glimpse of Pei Fuzhu entering the door the moment she cracked her eyes open.

*Oh my god, that’s the Heavens' own daughter!*

An alarm bell rang in Lingxi’s mind. She immediately stamped her with a label as a potential threat to her life and shut her eyes again.

No one noticed Lingxi’s small movements. The old woman was in the middle of a heated rant, while the others kept their heads down like quails.

Pei Fuzhu entered at that moment. Hearing the old woman’s words, her face turned pale.

What did the old woman mean by that?

In this house, with the old woman protecting her, aside from her, Pei Fuzhu, who could occasionally take advantage of her status as the Heavens' favorite, who else could bully Pei Lingxi?!

But this time, she was truly wronged.

She was puzzled herself!

Although it was hot, being able to faint under a cucumber trellis in the mid-morning made one a talent; look at how delicate she was.

Pei Fuzhu caught her breath, slowed her pace, and entered the room.

Meeting the worried gaze of her mother, the third Mrs. Pei, she shook her head dismissively, a forced smile on her face.

"Grandma, the vegetable patch is in the backyard, and I didn't even go over there. Lingxi fainted in the vegetable patch from heatstroke on her own; you can't blame everything on me."

The old woman wouldn't listen; she didn't feel there was anything wrong with her scolding.

"I didn't say it was you, you admitted it yourself.

I knew it was you. Who else in this family is as capable as you?

Just because you have the Heavens backing you, you think you can bully my Lingxi-er? Why don't you just fly up to the sky then!"

Pei Fuzhu: "..."

"My poor Lingxi-er, no father or mother and being trampled on like this. Eldest son, why did you leave so early, leaving your daughter here to suffer alone..."

The old woman was set on this logic.

She was convinced that Pei Fuzhu had bullied her precious, darling Lingxi-er. In any case, besides Fuzhu relying on the Heavens, no one else in this family had the heart to bully her Lingxi-er.

No matter how Pei Fuzhu explained, the old woman wouldn't listen, wouldn't listen, and wouldn't listen.

Pei Fuzhu’s head felt like it was going to explode. Countless experiences told her that she couldn't reason with the old woman. She stomped her feet in anger and turned to run!

If she couldn't afford to offend her, she could at least hide!

It was the height of the farming season, and every household was working hard in the fields.

In the Pei family, Lingxi, the apple of everyone's eye, and Pei Fuzhu, the Heavens' own daughter, had never worked in the fields. The daughters-in-law took turns cooking, and the old woman stayed home to look after the great-grandchildren.

The Pei family was in a state of semi-separation; only during holidays or busy farming seasons did the whole family eat together.

The one left to cook today was the third daughter-in-law, Pei Fuzhu’s mother.

The old woman snorted, calculating how to deal with her, when she caught sight of the third daughter-in-law looking at her daughter’s retreating back with a worried expression.

The old woman’s face darkened.

"What, are you also bullying my Lingxi-er because her parents died early? Your daughter is the reincarnation of the Heavens' own daughter, and I, an old woman, can't do anything about her, but are you trying to rebel too?"

The third Mrs. Pei, Wang Xiulan, felt aggrieved.

As a mother, wasn't it normal for her to be concerned about her daughter!

Moreover, her daughter Fuzhu was blessed, favored by the Heavens.

Back when the Japanese invaders entered the village, everyone was terrified. Her two-year-old daughter had walked into the courtyard, knelt to the Heavens, and begged the Heavens to send a bolt of lightning to strike those devils dead.

She still remembered how they were filled with despair and panic, while her daughter spoke in a milky voice; they wanted to laugh and cry at the same time.

But she hadn't expected the Heavens to really favor her; a bolt of lightning struck from a clear sky.

A pair of invaders who entered the village were struck until there wasn't a piece of good flesh left on them, emitting a charred, meaty smell that made one nauseous.

In the years that followed, her daughter often received gold rings, silver bracelets, and wild ginseng sent by the Heavens.

And just like that...

Last night, the Heavens had even sent a dream to Fuzhu, telling her that Lingxi must be married off this year, or she would drag the whole family down.

How considerate the Heavens were of Fuzhu!

Fearing that Fuzhu would be dragged down by others, they had specifically sent her a dream.

But her Fuzhu had descended to the mortal world to undergo trials and had been born into the wrong family. Such a blessed girl—in any other family, wouldn't they have pampered her to the skies? Even she, the biological mother, would be held in high regard.

Yet in this family, why was she never favored by the old woman?

But even if she was full of grievances and opinions, she dared not speak. If it were known that she had talked back to her mother-in-law, her husband would surely turn against her. Even if he didn't beat her, he would ignore her, and that wasn't all—her son would nag her too.