Chapter 6: Chapter 6 Stepmother
Situtu Xueer woke up from a heavy daze, as if she had had a very long dream. In the dream, she saw her foster mother and did things she dared not do in her previous life, such as hitting the vixen spirit who had killed her foster mother. It was she who not only stole her foster father’s heart but also cruelly took the life of the foster mother who loved her.
“Xuexue, you’re awake,” suddenly, the familiar and affectionate voice of her foster mother sounded in her ears.
Situtu Xueer couldn’t believe her ears. She turned her head and, to her surprise, saw Madam Xie standing alive at the side of her bed: “Mother, where is this?”
Xuexue’s eyes brimmed with tears. Hadn’t she already died? And wasn’t her foster mother dead too? Where on earth was this place? Could it be the underworld? A myriad of doubts swirled incessantly in her mind.
“Silly child, this is our home. You’re not delirious with fever, are you?” Madam Xie said while worryingly touching her forehead, deeply concerned.
It seemed that her husband taking a concubine had dealt a great blow to her daughter. In such cold weather, she was soaked through and through; her Xuexue was truly pitiable.
“Our home?” On hearing this, Xuexue turned her head and took a glance at the room. Yes, this room was the one she used to live in when she stayed at her foster mother’s home.
“What on earth is going on?” Situtu Xueer lay pale on the bed, murmuring to herself.
She had clearly been killed by the Crown Prince and her sister, especially her daughter. She was only a few months old, so adorable, yet she was killed by her own sister. Situtu Xueer, recalling her daughter’s piercing screams, felt a pain in her heart so intense she could not breathe. She involuntarily clutched her heart, gasping for air with a pale face.
“Xuexue, what’s the matter with you? What’s wrong? If you are feeling unwell, tell your mother quickly,” Madam Xie said, approaching her in a panic, her face etched with worry.
Situtu Xueer weakly waved her hand: “Mother, I’m fine, don’t worry. I’ll be alright after resting a bit. Please go out; I want some peace for a while.”
“Are you really okay? Xuexue, we can’t do anything about your father taking a concubine. It’s my fault for not bearing him a son,” Madam Xie said, relieved to see Xuexue’s color mildly improve.
“Mhm.” Situtu Xueer subconsciously responded, but at that moment, she couldn’t hear what Madam Xie was saying; her mind was filled with thoughts of her previous life.
Madam Xie stood up, intending to leave.
“Mother,” suddenly, Xuexue abruptly raised her head and called out to her.
“Yes?” Madam Xie stopped, turning to look at her: “What’s wrong?”
“What year is it now?”
“Silly child, are you so feverish that you’re confused? It is the 22nd year of the Qianqing era. Rest for a while; I’ll go make you a bowl of egg custard to nourish you,” Madam Xie said before she went out.
“The 22nd year?” Xuexue murmured to herself. It seemed she had indeed been reborn, back to four years ago, still in her foster mother’s home. In another year, the people from the General’s Mansion would take her back.
Heaven truly has eyes, she was reborn. Xuexue thought, feeling wildly ecstatic, then clenched her teeth and whispered vengefully, “Situ Qinger, Zhang Ruixuan, you two caused the death of my mother and daughter in the past life. This life, I absolutely won’t forgive you. I will have you repay tenfold.”
In her past life, in that damp Dungeon, she was tortured by the dwarf for three whole days and nights until, seeing her daughter, just a few months old, killed by Situ Qinger, she died of fury, coming back to four years ago, still in her foster mother’s home.
Just at that moment, the sound of footsteps approached from outside. Following them, a girl of about thirteen or fourteen years old, wearing a floral dress, walked in lightly…
“Yo, you little stinker, how come you’re still alive?” The girl looked lovely and innocent. When silent, she seemed fine, but as soon as she spoke, her sharp and sarcastic tone completely ruined her image.