Chapter 2: The Scumbag Appears
Although Xiao Yuge was the one who had fallen and been injured, Xiao Yufu cried harder than anyone else. Her tear-streaked face, as delicate as pear blossoms in the rain, tugged at everyone’s heartstrings. The elderly couple of the Xiao family immediately gathered around her, comforting her with anxious concern.
“Silly child, what are you saying?” Xiao Zhan said gently. “Both you and Ge’er are our daughters. If either of you is hurt, your mother and I would be heartbroken.”
He had always cherished his adopted daughter as though she were his own flesh and blood.
Madam Xiao even turned to scold Xiao Yuge.
“Ge’er, you’re usually so reckless, and we’ve let that slide. But you knew your elder sister has been frail since childhood. Why did you insist on taking her up such a dangerous mountain? Thank goodness it was you who fell. If your sister had been the one to fall, what would we have done?”
Xiao Yuge watched the familiar scene with icy calm.
It had happened exactly the same way in her previous life.
Xiao Yufu had cried until she fainted, and everyone—including the physician—had rushed to her side, leaving Xiao Yuge alone in her room as though she had never existed.
A sneer rose in Xiao Yuge’s heart.
Quietly, she pinched herself hard.
The sharp pain instantly brought tears to her eyes.
“Mother is right… It was all Ge’er’s fault.”
“I heard there was Lucky Grass growing on that mountain. The ancient medical texts say it can treat Mother’s illness.”
“I only wanted Mother to recover as soon as possible.”
“I shouldn’t have brought Elder Sister along and made Father and Mother worry.”
“I should have gone by myself…”
As she spoke, she took a bundle of Lucky Grass from her robe, deliberately pulling her sleeve over the abrasions on her arm as though trying to hide them.
In her previous life, after risking her life to gather the herb, she had seen Xiao Yufu cry until she fainted.
Out of pity, she had quietly allowed Xiao Yufu to take the credit.
From then on, the Xiao couple had believed it was Xiao Yufu who had obtained the precious medicine, and their affection for her had only deepened.
Just as expected, Xiao Zhan immediately noticed something amiss.
“Ge’er, how did you know Lucky Grass could cure your mother’s illness?”
Lowering her eyes, Xiao Yuge answered softly,
“Over the years… I’ve been studying medical books.”
“I learned about Lucky Grass from an ancient medical text.”
Xiao Zhan stared at her in disbelief.
“Are you saying…”
“You’ve insisted on studying medicine all these years because you wanted to cure your mother’s illness?”
He was deeply shaken.
He had always assumed his younger daughter only read medical books because she disliked embroidery and preferred doing whatever she pleased.
He had never imagined there was such a heartfelt reason behind it.
Xiao Yuge nodded gently.
In her previous life, she had been poor with words.
She had also pitied the seemingly delicate Xiao Yufu, choosing to bury everything in her heart.
But this lifetime…
She knew exactly what she should do.
As expected, Madam Xiao’s eyes immediately filled with tears.
“You silly child…”
“Why didn’t you tell us sooner?”
“My illness has lingered for years. No medicine has ever worked.”
“That mountain is so dangerous.”
“What if something terrible had happened to you?”
“Does it still hurt?”
Xiao Yuge smiled and shook her head.
“Don’t worry, Mother.”
“It doesn’t hurt.”
“As long as your illness can be cured…”
“Even if I had fallen to my death, it would have been worth it.”
“Nonsense!”
Madam Xiao hugged her tightly, her voice choking with emotion.
“I’ve already nearly lost you once.”
“How could I bear to lose you a second time?”
Standing nearby, Physician Wang carefully examined the Lucky Grass in Xiao Yuge’s hands.
His face immediately lit up with delight.
“It truly is Lucky Grass!”
“Madam’s illness can finally be cured!”
“This herb is extraordinarily rare.”
“Second Miss has gone to great lengths.”
“I’ll prepare several additional herbs to balance its medicinal properties. Once they’re decocted together, Madam’s chronic illness should finally be healed.”
“Thank you, Uncle Wang.”
Xiao Yuge respectfully handed over the remaining Lucky Grass.
Madam Xiao had suffered from coughing up blood for years.
Despite countless medicines, nothing had helped.
Now that there was hope for a complete recovery, everyone naturally rejoiced.
Only Xiao Yufu’s expression dimmed.
Seeing both of her parents surrounding Xiao Yuge instead of herself, she lowered her eyes in disappointment.
So…
She would always be an outsider after all.
Her body swayed weakly, as though she were about to faint.
Fortunately, her maid quickly supported her.
“Miss!”
As expected, Madam Xiao immediately rushed over.
“Fu’er!”
“What’s wrong?”
“Are you feeling unwell?”
Xiao Yufu forced a faint smile.
“Mother needn’t worry.”
“I’m fine.”
“My younger sister is the one who matters most.”
People naturally sympathized with the weak.
And no one portrayed fragile beauty better than Xiao Yufu.
Every movement of hers inspired pity.
“What do you mean your sister matters most?”
Madam Xiao gently held her hand.
“You are both Mother’s daughters.”
“You are equally precious.”
“Mother.”
Xiao Yuge stepped forward calmly.
“I’ve studied medicine.”
“Let me examine Elder Sister.”
She already knew this was one of Xiao Yufu’s favorite tricks.
Pretending to check her pulse, Xiao Yuge quietly felt her wrist.
The pulse was steady.
Strong.
Perfectly healthy.
Just as she expected.
It was all an act.
Turning to her parents, she smiled reassuringly.
“Father, Mother, don’t worry.”
“Elder Sister was only frightened.”
“She simply needs some rest.”
Madam Xiao finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Patting Xiao Yufu’s hand affectionately, she said,
“Fu’er, your health has always been delicate.”
“Stop overthinking.”
“You and Ge’er are both Mother’s treasures.”
“Next month is your coming-of-age ceremony.”
“You mustn’t fall ill.”
“Yes, Mother.”
Xiao Yufu bowed gracefully before withdrawing.
Just then, a servant hurried into the courtyard.
“Master!”
“His Highness the Crown Prince has arrived!”
Qian Sichen.
The moment Xiao Yuge heard that name, her fingers instinctively clenched into fists.
That despicable scumbag.
For now…
She lacked the strength to kill him.
She could only force the overwhelming hatred back into the depths of her heart.
Death alone would be far too merciful.
She wanted them…
To suffer every ounce of agony they had inflicted upon her.
“Fu’er!”
“I heard something happened while you were on the mountain.”
“Are you hurt?”
Qian Sichen hurried into the courtyard and happened to meet Xiao Yufu first.
Ignoring everyone else, he rushed straight to her side.
“Brother Sichen…”
“I’m alright.”
“It’s just that my younger sister…”
She hesitated, her soft voice trembling ever so slightly.
The unfinished sentence only made her seem more pitiful.
The instant he heard that she was unharmed, all the tension on Qian Sichen’s face disappeared.
He let out a relieved breath before she could even finish speaking.
“As long as you’re alright.”
“You frightened me to death.”
Xiao Yuge watched them coldly.
At this moment, Qian Sichen was still officially her fiancé.
Yet from the moment he entered the courtyard…
His eyes had seen only Xiao Yufu.
His concern belonged only to Xiao Yufu.
He hadn’t once asked whether Xiao Yuge had nearly died.
Thinking back on her previous life, Xiao Yuge found herself utterly ridiculous.
She had shamelessly chased after a man who had never once looked at her.
“Brother Sichen…”
“You should go see my younger sister.”
Xiao Yufu reminded him softly.
Xiao Zhan and the others quickly stepped forward.
“Greetings, Your Highness.”
“No need for formalities.”
Qian Sichen waved them off before walking directly toward Xiao Yuge.
His gaze fell upon the scrape on her hand.
His brows furrowed slightly.
“Ge’er.”
“Are you alright?”
“It’s only a minor injury.”
“It isn’t worth worrying about.”
Without leaving the slightest trace, Xiao Yuge withdrew the hand he had reached for.
She looked at the man before her with icy indifference.
Scenes from her previous life flashed before her eyes—
The humiliation.
The betrayal.
The crippling of her martial arts.
Her limbs destroyed.
Iron hooks piercing through her shoulder blades.
The blade slicing open her wrist as they drained every last drop of her blood.
Compared to all of that…
What was this tiny scrape?
Qian Sichen froze.
He stared at her in surprise.
Something isn’t right…
Ordinarily, this girl would cry loudly even if pricked by a needle.
Now that she was genuinely injured…
She should have thrown herself into his arms, sobbing and begging for comfort.
He had even prepared himself to embrace her—if only to keep up appearances.
So why…
Why wasn’t she acting the way she always had?
Glossary Updates
New Characters
- Xiao Zhan (萧战) – Head of the Xiao family; Xiao Yuge’s adoptive father.
- Madam Xiao (萧夫人) – Xiao Yuge’s adoptive mother; suffers from a chronic illness involving coughing up blood.
- Physician Wang (王大夫) – Trusted physician of the Xiao family.
New Terms
- Lucky Grass (吉祥草) – A rare medicinal herb recorded in ancient medical texts, capable of treating Madam Xiao’s chronic illness when properly prepared.
- Coming-of-Age Ceremony (及笄礼) – The traditional ceremony marking a young noblewoman’s adulthood, held when she reaches the appropriate age.
Important Plot Developments
- Xiao Yuge begins changing her fate by claiming credit for finding the Lucky Grass instead of allowing Xiao Yufu to receive the recognition.
- She reveals that she has secretly studied medicine for years to cure Madam Xiao’s illness.
- She exposes Xiao Yufu’s false illness by secretly taking her pulse, though she chooses not to reveal the deception.
- Qian Sichen’s first concern upon arriving is Xiao Yufu’s safety, foreshadowing the emotional betrayal that defined Xiao Yuge’s previous life.
- Xiao Yuge resolves not to kill her enemies quickly, but to make them suffer as she once did.