Returning to the Estate
Yu Fangyi’s expression was also extremely unpleasant. “Xiaowan is just a frail woman, and her own leg injury is still so severe. How could she possibly hit you?”
Doctor Fang was so anxious he was on the verge of tears. Yu Shuwan wiped her tears and said, “It’s fine, just treat it as if I hit you.”
“But it was you who hit me!”
Doctor Fang wanted to scream in frustration. Yu Fangyi’s face was ashen, and Doctor Fang didn’t dare utter another word.
Yu Shuwan sat back down on the stool, sniffling. “It doesn’t matter. I can endure the pain from my injuries a little longer.”
To be honest, these tactics were learned from Yu Guiwan, and they were truly exceptionally effective.
Yu Fangyi refused to leave. Doctor Fang, steeling himself, took Yu Shuwan’s pulse and prescribed medicine. They didn’t finish until the sky began to lighten at dawn.
Yu Shuwan called for water to take a thorough bath, then carefully applied medicine to herself.
Having lived a second life, she had come to understand clearly: kindness only invites bullying.
When dealing with those who are inherently wicked, she need not show any mercy.
For the remainder of the journey, whenever Yu Fangyi was not around, Yu Shuwan deliberately targeted the most painful spots on Doctor Fang.
After a few such incidents, Doctor Fang’s eyes held deep fear whenever he faced her.
Speaking of which, her skill in hitting people without leaving marks was taught by He Huaixin.
Thinking of He Huaixin, a shadow of darkness flickered in Yu Shuwan’s eyes.
In this life, she was determined to sever all roots of trouble!
Time flew by, and half a month passed. As they drew closer to Jingcheng (Capital City), every part of Yu Shuwan’s being screamed with intensity.
In her previous life, she had desperately tried to escape this place. In this life, she willingly entered the game!
But who would be the butcher and who the fish—only she would decide!
News had long since reached the Houfu (Marquis Estate). Su Jintang was restless, pacing back and forth nervously.
Mama Chen, standing nearby, tried to comfort her. “Don’t worry, Madam. It won’t be much longer now. You’ll see her soon.”
“But I’m so anxious. Tell me, how should I treat that girl? I… I still have Guiwan.”
Su Jintang bit her lip. Mama Chen didn’t know what else to say.
How could she interfere in her employer’s family matters?
A radiant young woman, dressed in luxurious attire with bright eyes and gleaming teeth, walked briskly up to Su Jintang and twirled around. “Mother, what do you think of this gold-threaded brocade dress? Isn’t it beautiful?”
Seeing her, the worry on Su Jintang’s brow instantly melted away.
She affectionately took Yu Guiwan’s hand and said softly, “My Guiwan looks beautiful in anything.”
Yu Guiwan smiled even more brightly. “Then Father will surely be happy to see me when he returns.
I thought this dress was so lovely that I specially had one made for that younger sister as well. She’s sure to like it.”
Seeing Yu Guiwan’s generous demeanor, Su Jintang’s smile deepened.
She was about to speak when commotion arose from the front courtyard. A maidservant hurried in to report, “Madam, Young Miss, the Marquis’s carriage is almost at the gate!”
Yu Guiwan’s eyes lit up. Eagerly, she pulled Su Jintang toward the outside.
Just as they reached the entrance, Yu Guiwan saw the Marquis Estate’s carriage slowly coming to a stop before them.
Yu Guiwan’s heart raced wildly.
After waiting so long, was she finally about to meet the Qi Yun Female Lead?
Recalling the rules she had seen before transmigrating—that by suppressing the female lead, she could replace her and become the most esteemed woman in this realm—she wondered:
What would a Qi Yun Female Lead who had become a cripple look like?
Yu Guiwan couldn’t help but tremble with excitement at the thought of these things, her body even trembling slightly.
Su Jintang, however, mistook her trembling for unease, which only deepened her pity.
Compared to a biological daughter she had never met, this daughter raised by her side since childhood was far more likely to tug at her heartstrings.
If not for her husband’s insistence, she would not have wanted to bring this daughter back.
Soon, the carriage curtain was lifted, and Yu Fangyi stepped down from the carriage. Su Jintang’s eyes lit up, “Ayi.”
Yu Fangyi’s face instantly softened with tenderness, while Yu Guiwan, standing beside him, called out softly, “Father.”
The family was filled with joy and harmony, seemingly oblivious to Yu Shuwan in the carriage behind.
Yu Shuwan heard the voices from outside and slowly clenched her hands within her wide sleeves, her fingertips digging deeply into her palms.
It was Yu Guiwan’s voice.
In her previous life, all her nightmares were caused by Yu Guiwan.
Pretending to be innocent and naive, she effortlessly drew everyone’s attention to herself.
It seemed that the more miserable Yu Shuwan was, the luckier Yu Guiwan would become.
And indeed, that was the truth. In her previous life, Yu Shuwan had once overheard Yu Guiwan muttering mysteriously to herself in her room.
She claimed to be a Soul from Another World, and as long as she could suppress Yu Shuwan, she would grow increasingly fortunate until she replaced her as the Qi Yun Female Lead.
Though she didn’t fully understand some of the implications, Yu Shuwan knew that she and Yu Guiwan were destined to be locked in an eternal, irresolvable conflict!
Suppressing the overwhelming hatred in her heart, Yu Shuwan curled her lips into a faint, almost imperceptible smile.
Yu Guiwan, in this life, let’s see who wins this battle!
“What a lively conversation.”
Yu Shuwan lifted the carriage curtain, revealing a smiling face.
Over the past half month, Doctor Fang had not dared to play any tricks, and Yu Shuwan had indulged in food and drink to her heart’s content.
Her once sallow and gaunt face had regained some of its luster, and now she bore a striking resemblance to Su Jintang—about sixty to seventy percent similar.
“This…”
Su Jintang stared blankly at Yu Shuwan. Perhaps it was the pull of blood ties that made her take an involuntary step forward.
“Mother.”
Yu Guiwan gasped softly, and Su Jintang snapped back to reality.
Yu Shuwan paid no mind to such small gestures and stepped down from the carriage, standing beside Yu Fangyi.
Yu Guiwan was inwardly horrified.
Why was Yu Shuwan’s leg completely unharmed?!
Had Liu Chunlan let her off?
Yu Shuwan naturally noticed the change in Yu Guiwan’s emotions and deliberately took two slow steps to let her see more clearly.
Tilting her head, her beautiful eyes shifted and landed on Su Jintang. “Is this my mother?”
The elegantly dressed, beautiful woman before her was the same mother who had ignored her in her previous life, remaining devoted to Yu Guiwan even when Yu Shuwan’s life had turned utterly tragic.
Su Jintang looked at the face so similar to her own but found herself unable to feel any closeness.
She smiled awkwardly, her tone noticeably cooler. “You’re back?”
“My sister must be exhausted from the long journey. Father, Mother, shall we go inside and talk?”
Yu Guiwan narrowed her eyes slightly, discreetly glancing at Doctor Fang, who stood aside like a quail.
Before Yu Fangyi’s departure, she had specifically asked him to bring Doctor Fang along. She had also hinted very clearly to Doctor Fang—could it be that this man had betrayed her?
But regardless of the truth, Yu Shuwan had already returned.
Yu Guiwan affectionately stepped forward, intending to take Yu Shuwan’s arm. “I am your sister, and I felt close to you the moment I saw you. I’ve already prepared a courtyard for you. You can rest assured and settle down at home.”
Yu Shuwan wanted to laugh.
These words sounded warm, as if every sentence was spoken with her best interests in mind. Yet, in reality, weren’t they just hinting to outsiders that she was not a legitimate master of the household, but merely a distant relative who had come to “stay for a while”?
Su Jintang felt sorry for Yu Guiwan. The truth about the switched identities had never been revealed to her, and Yu Guiwan simply pretended not to know, comfortably living as the legitimate eldest daughter of the Houfu for so many years.
Even after their identities were exposed following their marriage, it was already a done deal, and no one paid it any mind.