CHAPTER 2

A young maiden, aged between eight to nine, was elegantly sitting at her bed, wearing a flowing robe in a gorgeous shade of ivory. It was adorned with exquisite flowers. She resembled a flower covered in dew In the hazy light of dawn.

One of my maids, Lou Ling, said warmly, "First young miss is truly a sight to behold." My lips instantly curled into a faint smile.

I joke, "What a sweet tongue you've got. You dare to joke around this miss." Then Lou Ling playfully knelt and murmured, "This lowly one dares not and is only speaking of the truth," while grinning heartily.

Lou Ling was the daughter of my momo. She was given to me by my grandmother to be my maidservant when I turned six.

"En. You better arrange my hair well, or this miss will reprimand you. I still have to pay respect to grandmother and mother." I quipped. I did not concern myself with make-up as I am still at the tender age of nine and upon living in the modern world and seeing all the better things an innovation could evolve into, how can I use a rouge?

My face is the only thing that is innocent and pure in me. My soul was already embraced securely by darkness. Why not preserve that?

When everything was ready, my two servant maids and I went to the main hall, where mother was undoubtedly there. I'll be seeing my family today for the first time since being reborn. I did an excellent job of concealing my enthusiasm and anxiety while being overly both. I couldn't possibly rip down my façade.

I walked gently, savoring the kindness and grace Guanyin had bestowed upon me. The lavishly decorated manor was precisely like the one I remembered from my previous life, down to the placement of the brocades and the servants who were beheaded alongside my family for no other reason than that they were employed by us.

Once more, a rush of rage erupted, blocking out all the music and chatter like a stream in a lake. My heartbeat was rippling in the currents, rising like seaweed.

I was awakened by Lou Ling's question, "Eldest Miss, Are you faring well?" as I glimpsed a few seconds of a nightmare peeping through.

"I am. Why did you ask?" The waning calmness and composure returned. "Your face was red, Eldest miss. This servant thought for a second that you were angry."

If there is something from my previous life that I could not entirely forget, it is why I am here. The anger, the hatred, the yearning for revenge.

I heard a flurry of giggles when I entered the hall. My family is here, except perhaps for my father and uncles, soaking in the warmth of spring.

His sincere laughter erased my last memory of my brother wailing and pleading for mercy. Their merriment today was so uninhibited and heartfelt that it tickled my ear and ripped a veil from my eyes, allowing me to view reality more clearly. Now that I'm here, I have the chance to avert that catastrophe, much like a tiger with wings that have grown.

Grandmother was the first to see me, after which everyone else also gazes at my location.

"Greetings, Grandmother, grandfather, mother, and Aunt. May your day be filled with all kinds of bright sunny things."

Grandmother worriedly queried as she got up from her chair to help me, "Eldest Miss is here? I told you, you are excused from paying respect. It is necessary to recuperate well and nurture your health."

I replied humorously, "This granddaughter is sorry for worrying grandmother, but this granddaughter is already fine and can now walk well. But my grandmother should not have spent her time worrying about me as it could also affect your well-being."

"It is good that you are healthy; come here and sit. How can I not worry when you are ill?"

"Many thanks to Grandmother's concern." I, then, bowed as a sign of Respect.

"Old Madame's love for the eldest young miss is so real that it inspires envy among everyone present." First aunt from the second branch of the family said.

"First aunt is joking. Grandmother's concern for all her grandchildren is equal and should not be the target of resentment or envy. " I answered.

This is the exact first aunt who closed her door when the manor faced a catastrophe, the same family who pushed the family to its demise. My hatred for them? It's boundless. I blinked innocently and added.

"I, of course, held a tender spot in grandmother's heart. That is why I recuperate well in my courtyard to not make grandmother worry. "

"Quit talking. Come here and fill your stomach. You are making your grandmother's heart fat." Mother jokingly remarked. Once more, the atmosphere was lively.