The chill seeped into her bones, freezing her marrow.
Di Shengyue shivered, slowly opening her eyes.
The sky was dark, and it was evening. She was inside a pavilion, surrounded by the clamorous sounds mingling with the noise of water.
Di Shengyue followed the sounds and saw about ten figures moving in a somewhat familiar pond nearby, seemingly searching for something.
Why was this scene so familiar?
Her memory was still lodged in that final moment in the imperial dungeon. Seeing the current scene, she felt momentarily lost.
She distinctly remembered dying in the dungeon. Why, then, was she facing this scene upon waking?
“General, I implore you.” An anxious voice pulled Di Shengyue’s thoughts back.
She looked at the person kneeling before her—a woman in a pink dress with a delicate face. It was Youtao, one of Xiao Yinxue’s personal maids.
Di Shengyue’s pupils abruptly contracted. She clearly recalled that Youtao had died several years ago.
Seeing Di Shengyue’s indifference, Youtao frantically kowtowed: “The Princess is frail; she will lose her life if this goes on! General, I beg you! The Princess is headstrong; she absolutely won’t stop until the jade pendant is found. General, the Princess only listens to you—please persuade her to stop searching!”
The jade pendant?!
The scene before her suddenly overlapped with the memory deep within her.
The late Empress had left the Princess only one jade pendant as a keepsake. The Princess had always cherished this pendant and never let it leave her side.
One evening, just days after their marriage, the Princess had summoned her to the pond, her cheeks flushed, intending to give the pendant to her.
However, Di Shengyue felt only hatred for the Princess and had thrown the jade pendant into the water right in front of her.
“Could it be!” At this thought, Di Shengyue shuddered; an unbelievable notion suddenly surged into her mind.
Di Shengyue quickly searched the pond for the familiar figure.
When her gaze landed on the frail silhouette in the center of the pond, she froze, unable to look away.
The person’s clothes were already soaked through, clinging tightly to her body, leaving her looking utterly wretched.
Her hair was undone, black strands scattered down both sides, falling onto her cheeks with her movements.
She used her hands, which were red from the cold, to sweep the hair from her face.
By the faint moonlight, Di Shengyue clearly saw that delicate, beautiful face: Xiao Yinxue.
Di Shengyue stared blankly at Xiao Yinxue in the distance.
She had actually returned to the time right after they were married!
Looking at that fragile figure, and before Youtao could plead further, Di Shengyue abruptly stood up and jumped straight into the pond.
The icy water reached her waist. Thinking that Xiao Yinxue had searched in this bone-chilling water for half the night, eventually collapsing from severe illness, Di Shengyue desperately wanted to slap herself.
Fortunately, this current version of her would never treat her this way again!
She waded through the water, went to Xiao Yinxue’s side, grabbed her arm, and began to pull her toward the bank.
“The water is too cold. You are too frail; you must get out quickly.”
Xiao Yinxue seemed surprised that Di Shengyue had come down as well. She paused, then a stubborn look appeared on her pale face. “I don’t need you to worry about me.” With that, she yanked her arm away, not raising her head, and continued to bend down and search.
Knowing how crucial the jade pendant was to her, Di Shengyue focused her gaze, ignored Xiao Yinxue’s protests, and lifted her into a horizontal carry.
Xiao Yinxue’s body was exceptionally frail; her slender waist was soft as if boneless, barely fitting within one embrace.
Xiao Yinxue struggled, wanting to get back into the water, but found Di Shengyue’s arms to be extraordinarily strong, making escape impossible.
“Di Shengyue, what exactly are you doing!” She angrily slapped Di Shengyue’s shoulders, her cheeks slightly flushed with anger.
The mud in the pond was deep and mucky, and Di Shengyue walked with unsteady steps.
Disturbed by Xiao Yinxue’s thrashing, her footing slipped, and she nearly dropped the Princess back into the water, inevitably tightening her grip.
“Don’t move!” Di Shengyue frowned slightly, giving a low warning.
Scolded in this way, Xiao Yinxue’s fiercely suppressed grievances mixed with tears and fell: “What right do you have to stop me!”
Just moments ago, she was so cold and cruel, tossing the jade pendant she offered into the water like trash, and now she was stopping her from searching.
How could there be such a detestable person in the world?
She loved her, but that didn’t mean Di Shengyue could casually trample on her sincere heart.
Di Shengyue looked at those beautiful eyes, filled with both stubbornness and hurt, and her heart softened.
She gently explained, “I was wrong just now. Your body cannot withstand soaking in this cold water. Please go ashore quickly and change into dry clothes. Don’t worry, I promise I will find the jade pendant for you.”
Hearing Di Shengyue’s apology for the first time, Xiao Yinxue was momentarily stunned.
She looked at Di Shengyue, her tear-filled eyes blinking, and whispered, “You’re squeezing me too hard…”
At this, Di Shengyue realized her mistake. Fearing that Xiao Yinxue would fall, her grip had indeed been too forceful. She immediately relaxed her hold.
Di Shengyue carried Xiao Yinxue onto the bank and instructed Youtao, “Take your Princess to change her clothes.”
“I refuse!” Xiao Yinxue stated firmly.
“Be obedient,” Di Shengyue said, lightly surveying Xiao Yinxue’s delicate frame, then smiled faintly. “Or perhaps the Princess would prefer me to change them for you personally?”
Hearing this, a flush of shy red stained Xiao Yinxue’s cheeks. She stamped her foot and followed Youtao away, clearly unwilling.
Di Shengyue watched Xiao Yinxue’s hurried figure, unable to stop the slight curve of her lips. The soft sensation of Xiao Yinxue’s waist still lingered on her palms.
How had she never realized before that the Princess had such a charming side?
Xiao Yinxue returned quickly. Di Shengyue looked toward the bank.
Xiao Yinxue had changed into a vibrant crimson gauze dress. She was naturally stunning, and now she looked even more radiant and captivating.
Di Shengyue stared, somewhat mesmerized.
How had she never realized before that Xiao Yinxue was so incredibly beautiful?
She quickly reined in her thoughts and continued to grope in the water.
The pond was large, and faint moonlight sprinkled onto the surface, showing only slight ripples. The water was dark and deep; the jade pendant was completely invisible.
Finding the pendant in a short period was proving to be extremely difficult.
The early winter wind was bleak and bone-chilling. Di Shengyue felt herself growing colder, her hands starting to tremble slightly, as if they were freezing solid.
If even her body couldn’t endure this, how much had Xiao Yinxue suffered for this jade pendant back then?
Whenever these thoughts came, Di Shengyue felt a sharp ache in her heart.
Watching the figure trembling visibly in the pond, Xiao Yinxue’s anger slowly melted into distress. A look of unbearable pity flashed in her eyes. She pursed her lips and finally said, “Never mind. If you can’t find it… just forget about it…”
Just as Di Shengyue was about to refuse, her fingertip suddenly touched a hard object.
She picked it up and saw a round jade pendant, less than half a palm in size, carved with a dragon and phoenix. It was smooth and warm throughout—exactly the one Xiao Yinxue had offered her.
A surge of delight appeared in Di Shengyue’s eyes. It was finally found.
Di Shengyue quickly stepped ashore and held the jade pendant out to Xiao Yinxue: “The jade pendant has been found for you. Can Your Highness forgive my rashness just now?”
Seeing the pendant, a smile bloomed on Xiao Yinxue’s face, and she reached out to take it.
Just as she was about to reach for it, Di Shengyue preemptively tucked the pendant into her own bosom and curled her lips: “Princess, why should something that has been given away be taken back?”
“But didn’t you reject it just now?” Xiao Yinxue glared at her.
“I want it now,” Di Shengyue said, looking at Xiao Yinxue with a soft gaze.
Xiao Yinxue lightly scoffed, moved closer, and reached out to grab it: “You want it now, but this Princess doesn’t want to give it away anymore! Just a moment ago, who was it who tossed it into the pond without even a glance?”
Thinking of Di Shengyue’s earlier malicious actions, a wave of hurt resurfaced in Xiao Yinxue’s heart.
Due to the positioning of her attempt to snatch the pendant, her body pressed close, and the faint, delicate fragrance on her wafted into Di Shengyue’s senses.
Di Shengyue’s eyes darkened, and she simply wrapped her arms around Xiao Yinxue’s waist, pulling her into an embrace.
“Hey, what are you doing!” A faint blush appeared on Xiao Yinxue’s cheeks. She tried, both shyly and angrily, to pull away from Di Shengyue’s embrace but found her strength to be excessive.
“Let me hold you, just for a moment,” Di Shengyue’s low, husky voice whispered near Xiao Yinxue’s ear, tinged with a hint of sorrow.
Her arms suddenly tightened; Di Shengyue was clinging to the warmth in her embrace.
Sensing the melancholy in Di Shengyue’s words, Xiao Yinxue quieted down.
Perhaps from having stayed in the water for too long, Di Shengyue’s body was trembling slightly.
Hmph, the great General is only this much—getting into the water and freezing like this. I’ll just let her hold me for a while. Xiao Yinxue thought to herself.
“Yinxue, I have been wrong these past few days,” Di Shengyue’s voice softened considerably. “Since we are married, I promise I will treat you well from now on.”
“You…” Xiao Yinxue looked up at Di Shengyue and saw only absolute sincerity in her exceptionally clear eyes.
“Yinxue, do you accept?” she asked gently, her voice full of tenderness.
Xiao Yinxue didn’t know why, but she suddenly felt her cheeks burning.
“Hmph, you bullied this Princess so much before, and now you think you can treat me well. I don’t want it!” Xiao Yinxue suddenly pushed Di Shengyue away and fled like a startled rabbit.
Di Shengyue watched Xiao Yinxue’s slightly panicked retreating figure and softly laughed.
Her Princess had once been so wonderfully vibrant.
Remembering Xiao Yinxue’s utterly disheartened and lifeless look at the end of the previous life, Di Shengyue secretly resolved that in this lifetime, she would absolutely never let Xiao Yinxue become that way again.