Shu Jianyue was slapped awake, a burning pain searing across her face.
Opening her eyes, she saw an exquisitely made-up woman standing with her hands on her hips, spitting madly as she cursed at her: “Shameless slut! Cohabiting without a matchmaker and getting knocked up with a bastard, and now you have the nerve to hang yourself! You didn’t die early, nor did you die late, but now that you’ve thoroughly humiliated us, you think you can just die? No way!”
“Hmph! Why do you think your life was spared? If Lord Cao hadn’t taken a fancy to you, I would have drowned you in a pond long ago.”
“What kind of person is Lord Cao? For him to fancy you is your blessing! You’re going whether you like it or not.”
“Birth this bastard and get your ass over to the Cao Residence immediately! Otherwise, I’ll sell you to a brothel to entertain guests!”
Shu Jianyue was dazed for a moment. What was going on?
The next instant, a heavy, dragging pain struck her abdomen. Looking down at her high, swollen belly, her face turned pale.
She hadn’t even had a boyfriend, so how was she about to give birth?!
Seeing that her water had broken, Second Aunt Shu immediately said, “Sister-in-law, it looks like Xiaoyue is about to give birth. We need to call a midwife.”
“What midwife?! The two of you deliver it. Save the mother; it doesn’t matter if the child lives or dies.” Having said her piece, Mrs. He walked out, muttering about bad luck under her breath.
Second Aunt Shu and Third Aunt Shu exchanged a glance. If not for Mrs. He’s decent maternal family background and the benefits they could glean from her, they wouldn’t dance to her tune like this.
Second Aunt Shu looked at Shu Jianyue. After all, the girl was going to be sent to the Cao Residence, and who knew when they might need a favor from her? Thus, she said, “Xiaoyue, giving birth is a matter of life and death left to fate. If any accident happens, you can’t blame us.”
Shu Jianyue wanted to speak, but opening her mouth, she couldn’t make a sound. Her jaw and throat throbbed with raw pain.
Third Aunt Shu helped her onto the bed. As soon as she lay down, labor started in earnest. It felt as though a child was throwing punches inside her stomach, pulling and straining so hard against her belly that it bulged upward, nearly making Shu Jianyue faint from the pain.
Shu Jianyue could only grit her teeth and bear it. Right now, even if she wanted to scream, she couldn’t. Cold sweat poured out incessantly, drenching her clothes in no time.
Pushed to the limit of agony, her face turned deathly pale, yet the child showed no sign of crowning.
It felt as though there were two children inside her belly, scrambling over each other to be the first one out.
She didn’t know how long had passed. Just as her consciousness was about to be swallowed by the torment, she heard someone shout for her to push. Mustering her last ounce of strength, she pushed with everything she had, feeling something slip out. Just as she breathed a sigh of relief, the agonizing pain flared up again.
Damn it!
Twins!
By the time the second one was born, she felt as if she could go see the King of Hell. She didn’t even have the strength left to lift a finger.
“Xiaoyue, a boy and a girl. The boy is the elder brother.” Third Aunt Shu held the children before her eyes so she could take a look.
Pigeon pair twins!
Shu Jianyue took one look at the two infants and fainted, unable to hold on any longer.
Her last thought before blacking out: Why aren’t the babies crying?
Deep within a mist-shrouded island cave, a man was bound against the pitch-black walls by an intricate crisscross of chains. The originally tranquil air grew restless the moment he stirred.
“My bloodline?” His voice was low, hoarse, and deep, but in the next breath, everything returned to silence.
Shu Jianyue was awakened by the sounds of crowing roosters and barking dogs. Taking in the rush of memories flooding her mind, she had to restrain herself with all her might to keep from shouting expletives.
An awful father who married an awful stepmother, accompanied by an awful grandmother and a green-tea-bitch half-sister—a whole house of awful people!
And what was even more absurd was that not even the original host knew who had gotten her pregnant. There wasn’t a single memory of being with a man.
Her younger sister, Shu Jixiang, was a Qi Condensation Seventh Layer cultivator with a Wood-attribute Seventh-grade Spirit Vein, whereas the original host was a useless waste with an Empty Spirit Vein, which was why she had always been despised.
A former Level 7 Mental Ability powerhouse from her previous life had reincarnated into a piece of trash!
Ever since the apocalypse began, she had fought tooth and nail to survive. After enduring so much to become a Level 7 powerhouse and obtaining a Planting Space, she was betrayed and killed by a trusted friend she had thought was a brother-in-arms. It was hard to say whether transmigrating here was a blessing or a curse.
Hearing the door push open, Shu Jianyue quickly closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep.
“A pigeon pair of twins? What kind of dumb luck did she stumble into? Too bad. What a slut gives birth to can only ever be bastards.” Mrs. He ground her teeth as she glared at the two children on the bed.
She had striven for half her life only to have Xiang’er as her sole precious daughter, yet this useless slut was blessed with such luck.
With a dark expression, Mrs. He pondered for a moment. “Hasn’t that bitch Du Xiu always been childless? Sell these two brats to her.”
“A bitch raising bastards—what a perfect match.”
Second Aunt Shu, who had entered with her, glanced at her and said, “Sister-in-law, I’m afraid Madam Qin might not buy them.”
Mrs. He glared at her. “You fool. Don’t you know how to pass them through a human trafficker first before delivering them over?”
Hearing her words, Second Aunt Shu’s expression instantly soured. Did Mrs. He really think no one knew? Mrs. He herself had wanted to marry into the Qin Residence, but failed, which led to her harboring deep resentment toward the current Madam Qin, Du Xiu.
She ought to take a look at herself first. Damaged goods dreaming of marrying into a family of the Qin family’s stature!
Seeing her sour face, Mrs. He didn’t care. She let out a cold snort and said, “Go find a human trafficker to settle this matter. Remember not to expose yourself.”
“Mrs. Li, keep a close watch on that slut. I don’t care about her inside, but not a single flaw can be visible on the outside. Otherwise, how are we supposed to send her to the Cao Residence?”
In one month, it would be time for the Xianshan to recruit disciples, and Cao Jinzhong was the imperial envoy sent to negotiate and recommend candidates to the Xianshan sects.
If this slut wasn’t sent over as soon as possible, and Cao Jinzhong refused to give Xiang’er a chance, Xiang’er wouldn’t be able to enter the Xianshan.
So if this matter fell through, she would chop this slut into pieces and feed her to the dogs.
A good-for-nothing waste should know her place, lying prostrate on the ground to pave the way for Xiang’er.
Third Aunt Shu glanced at Second Aunt Shu and immediately nodded in agreement. “Understood, Sister-in-law.”
Looking at the fair, tender faces of the two babies by the bed, Mrs. He reached out with malicious intent, intending to pinch one hard.
To her utter shock, before her hand could even touch the baby—smack!—her hand swelled up instantly.
Mrs. He froze. If she wasn’t mistaken, the one who had struck her was this newborn baby!
Moreover, it had slapped her hard enough to make her hand swell!
Before she could explode in fury, the other baby began to wail loudly.
The older brother cried his lungs out, while the younger sister, who had almost been pinched, showed no reaction whatsoever.
“What are you doing?” Shu Jianyue opened her eyes and glared at her.
She had actually seen what happened and cast a sidelong glance at the quiet younger sister.
Since she was supposed to be asleep, she naturally had to pretend she hadn’t seen anything. Besides, if Mrs. He hadn’t tried to touch the child, how could the child have hit her?
Shu Jianyue’s face darkened, and she snapped coldly at Mrs. He, “If you dare lay a finger on my children again, believe it or not, I will kill you.”
Mrs. He was furious. “Are you blind?! Which of your dog eyes saw me touching your brats? Kill me? Pinching you to death would be as easy as crushing a bedbug!”
Remembering that she still needed to send her to the Cao family, Mrs. He swallowed her rage and held back. Once Cao Jinzhong grew sick of her, that would be the day she died.
By then, she could do whatever she pleased with these two brats.
And that strike just now… she was certain this child was definitely not ordinary.
Raising it like a dog would certainly be better than selling it to that bitch Du Xiu.
Thinking that this was a good idea, Mrs. He glared at Shu Jianyue, huffed coldly, and turned to leave.
Third Aunt Shu and Second Aunt Shu exchanged a glance and followed her out.
After they left, Shu Jianyue picked up the younger sister and said, “My baby girl, are you born with divine strength or extraordinary talent?”
Usually, a newborn’s bones were soft. Never mind hitting someone, even producing a crisp slapping sound was difficult.
“Ah, ah…” The younger sister remained silent, but the older brother started babbling.
“Mm-hmm, little sister is amazing, right?” Shu Jianyue nodded, teasing him.
The moment he was teased, the brother began laughing, flailing his little hands and kicking his feet, whereas the sister refused to move no matter how she was coaxed, at most letting out a tiny whimper.
At a glance, one was lively while the other was quiet.
Looking at the two children, Shu Jianyue smiled. She had no family in her previous life, never expecting that rebirth would grant her two children bound to her by flesh and blood.
The original host’s life had been a tragedy, but she would never let the tragedy continue.