Chapter 74: Chapter 74 Bracelet
After she had filled all the water jars at home, Xuexue had rushed to Xiao Xi to collect river snails, only returning home with a full bucket of river snails and clams when sunset was near.
That night, after dinner and washing up, Xuexue took off her outer garment, preparing to go to bed.
Suddenly, the sound of knocking came from outside the room.
Soon after, Madam Xie’s voice followed, “Xuexue, are you asleep yet?”
Her mother came over in the dark, worried she might need something, so Xuexue quickly draped her recently removed outer garment back over her shoulders and hurried to the door.
As she opened the door, Xuexue chided, “Mother, it’s pitch-dark everywhere here; don’t wander around. You could easily trip and fall.”
Indeed, they had just separated from the Mo family, and Old Lady Mo, that miser, had barely parted with anything; they were tragically lacking everything, not even owning a single oil lamp.
Chuner was seriously ill, and Madam Xie needed to look after her at night. Necessarily, she had to light a pile of firewood in the room to facilitate caring for Chuner.
“It’s okay, Mother came over with a torch,” Madam Xie reassured.
Xuexue looked closely and indeed saw that Madam Xie was holding a torch made from a few pieces of firewood.
“Mother, coming over so late, is it that something happened to Chuner?” Xuexue was somewhat panic-stricken and was about to rush out.
“No, Mother needs to talk to you about something else.”
With those words, Madam Xie successfully made Xuexue halt in her tracks, “Not Chuner?”
“No, come inside, Mother really has something important to tell you.” Madam Xie’s expression was grave.
Turning around, Xuexue and Madam Xie walked into the room together and sat on the bed.
“Xuexue, this is for you.” Madam Xie took out an object wrapped in red cloth from her bosom and handed it to Xuexue.
Looking at the object in front of her, Xuexue’s heart raced unusually fast. In a past life, the only memory that remained was when Madam Xie handed over her biological mother’s bracelet to them on her deathbed. Could it really be her mother’s relic?
With trembling hands, she took the red-wrapped package and gently opened it. Indeed, it was her biological mother’s bracelet.
Resting within the red cloth, the bracelet was gold with jade inlays and was exquisitely made. Anyone knowledgeable could tell at a glance that it was worth a fortune.
In a past life, soon after she returned to the General’s Mansion, Situtu Qinger often played the role of a loving sister in her presence, pestering her because she really liked her bracelet. At that time, Xuexue genuinely treated her like a real sister and without a second thought, gave the bracelet to her. Little did she expect to be treated with such genuine sincerity only to die such a tragic death, especially her young daughter, who was literally burned to charcoal.
Every time she woke from a nightmare at midnight, Xuexue’s heart ached unbearably, and hatred seemed to sweep over her like a storm, making it hard for her to breathe.
Now, having gone through life and death, past and present, this old object had come back into her hands again. Xuexue’s eyes couldn’t help but moisten. The bracelet was still the same bracelet, but at this moment, her heart was filled with hatred and had long lost its original innocence.
“Xuexue, this bracelet is very important to you. Promise Mother that you will take good care of it,” Madam Xie said gravely.
“I understand, Mother. How about I wear it?” Struggling to suppress the hatred in her heart, Xuexue picked up the bracelet and immediately put it on her wrist.
“Oh! don’t wear it …”
Madam Xie hadn’t finished speaking when Xuexue had already put the bracelet on, leaving her no choice but to fall silent.
“Mother, what’s the matter?”
“Ah, Xuexue, you are young and don’t understand the treachery of human hearts. Mother is afraid that wearing the bracelet out might bring you trouble.”
“Then I’ll take it off.” As she spoke, Xuexue reached to remove the bracelet, but the bracelet that seemed so easy to take off in a past life now appeared to have grown onto her wrist, no matter how much she tugged, she simply couldn’t take it off.