She herself bore no real resentment toward Liu Mingyue, but the original Liu did, and even though she had transmigrated as a fetus, here she was the Liu family’s daughter.
However, in the original book, Liu did not possess her cross-era scientific expertise, nor could she predict the trajectory of the times. For the first sixteen years, Liu had truly lived a life in the countryside, hungry and poorly clothed. Even though her adoptive parents were kind, their means were limited, and resources were always scarce—not to mention that Liu had two older adoptive brothers to share with. When limited resources are divided among too many mouths, no amount of “fair” distribution could allow Liu to live a good life.
So, when she learned she should have been a wealthy young lady in the city, and that the blessings intended for her had been enjoyed by someone else, how could Liu not feel resentment? Look, Liu didn’t even have a name of her own. The switching of true and false daughters was a tragedy, for everyone involved. Even for Liu Xiyin, her name was brought over from her past life; her adoptive parents had originally named her “Cuihua.” It wasn’t until Liu Xiyin started studying with her older brother and learned to read that she made a scene to change it back. Presumably, the Liu in the original book had to be called Cuihua. After being brought back to the Liu house, she had demanded to reclaim her own name, but the Liu family refused, and she never really had a proper one.
Being switched during wartime was not Liu Mingyue’s fault. Yet, Liu Mingyue, while enjoying the Liu family’s top-tier resources and possessing considerable talent, had, upon meeting setbacks, turned to one-night stands. This was the Republican era, after all! If a one-night stand wasn’t enough, she had remained obsessed with her ex-fiancé, spiraling into a daze, only to get entangled with some old, restorationist antique, ruining herself completely and rendering her education useless.
Damn it, I hate “love-brained” people the most!
Liu Xiyin walked out of the Biyu Pavilion and saw that it had started snowing again. “Hiss…” The biting wind made her realize that the strike she received from Bai Manman really hurt. This biological mother of hers was truly ruthless. Although she didn’t know why Marshal Yan was so insistent on having “Liu Cuihua” marry Yan Changye, it was a done deal, and from now on, Liu Xiyin would have to follow her own storyline.
Liu Xiyin braved the snow toward the courtyard where she had briefly lived for the past month. She had no dowry maids. Bai Manman had originally offered to provide them, but Liu Xiyin had refused. Since Bai Manman didn’t take her seriously, how could the servants from top to bottom in the Liu household truly be loyal to her? Besides, Liu Xiyin intended to divorce and run away in the future; she didn’t want to be tied down by the Liu family, and certainly didn’t want eyes watching her every move. She had her own things to do and couldn’t let the Liu family discover them.
Biyu Pavilion and the Cai-lü Courtyard were on the far east and far west ends of the Liu estate; Bai Manman was terrified that if they were too close, Liu Xiyin would make Liu Mingyue suffer. Liu Xiyin hadn’t walked many steps when she encountered someone head-on.
“Third Sister, why are you here all by yourself?”
Liu Xiyin looked up, meeting a pretty face. She remembered this was the daughter of the Liu family’s second uncle, named Liu Mingyu. Because Bai Manman had given birth to three sons before Liu Xiyin, but the second aunt had birthed a daughter first, Liu Mingyu was four years older than Liu Xiyin. After returning to the Liu household, since Liu Mingyue was the eldest sister, it was Liu Xiyin’s turn to be the “Third Sister.”
Liu Xiyin stopped and offered a polite smile. “Cousin Mingyu.”
Liu Mingyu took an oil-paper umbrella from a maid, hurried over, and held it over Liu Xiyin, saying with concern, “It was clear just a moment ago, but the snow has grown heavy already. Did Third Sister just come from Biyu Pavilion? Second Sister is really… why didn’t she have someone escort you? Or at least give you an umbrella. Is your clothing wet?”
Liu Xiyin shook her head. “No, thank you, Cousin. I was just in a hurry, it has nothing to do with Sister.”
Liu Mingyu reached out to support her, accidentally touching Liu Xiyin’s injured left arm. Liu Xiyin winced and pulled it back.
Liu Mingyu paused. “What’s wrong?”
Before Liu Xiyin could speak, she noticed the loosened state of Liu Xiyin’s hair bun and widened her eyes. “Third Sister, were you bullied?”
…Liu Mingyu was followed by two maids; her exclamation was bound to attract attention.
Liu Mingyu continued, “My courtyard is right nearby. Come, let me help you back to check your injuries. Jingming, go quickly and call for a doctor!”
“…” She seemed desperate for everyone to know that Liu Xiyin had been injured at Liu Mingyue’s place.
Liu Xiyin dodged Liu Mingyu’s reaching hand, her foot slipped, and she fell hard onto her backside. She looked at Liu Mingyu in surprise. “Cousin… did you just push me?”
“….?” Liu Mingyu widened her eyes. “I, I did not!”
Liu Xiyin lowered her eyelashes, looking pitiful. “It’s all my fault for not being able to walk properly. Not only did I hurt my hand, but I also broke my hairpin. Cousin, could you please not tell anyone?”
In the original book, Liu Mingyu was not a simple character either. Many of the things the cannon-fodder Liu did were instigated by Liu Mingyu behind the scenes. This was because Liu Mingyu felt the engagement with the Yan family should have been hers—the contract was made between the Old Master Liu and Marshal Yan, promising the Old Master’s granddaughter; why did it have to be the eldest branch’s daughter? Liu Mingyu was the Liu family’s first daughter, after all.
But everyone assumed the engagement belonged to Yan Changye and Liu Mingyue. Even when Liu Mingyue was exposed as a fake, Marshal Yan preferred to have the eldest branch find their real daughter, even if she had been a village girl for sixteen years, rather than suggesting Liu Mingyu take her place. Liu Mingyu’s mentality exploded. She was determined to make the real daughter and the fake daughter turn against each other, preferably destroying both, so she could reap the benefits and marry Yan Changye in a legitimate way.
Liu Xiyin had suspected her before; after all, Liu Mingyu had been at the Huifeng Tea House that day. The fact that Liu Mingyu had implied Liu Mingyue was in the wrong the moment she approached confirmed Liu Xiyin’s suspicions. Since that was the case, Liu Xiyin had to respond in kind. Since you say I got hurt at Biyu Pavilion, then what is this about me falling when you reached out?
Liu Mingyu’s lips curled up secretly, but her hands hurried to “help” Liu Xiyin, who defensively covered her hand again. “Ah.”
It hurts. The strike from Bai Manman’s feather duster truly hurt. Liu Xiyin’s eyes reddened.
Liu Mingyu looked distressed. “Does it hurt badly? Who was so ruthless? Third Sister is the Young Marshal’s wife now. That is just too lacking in decorum.”
“What are you doing?”
Just then, a deep, cold voice drifted from the wind and snow behind them, accompanied by the sound of hurried footsteps.
Liu Xiyin turned back to see Yan Changye’s dark blue figure piercing through the snow, striding toward them. The gold tassels on his military uniform swayed with his movement, a flash of gold catching the eye.
Yan Changye helped Liu Xiyin up, and his accompanying adjutant hurried to hold the umbrella over them. Yan Changye first glanced at Liu Xiyin’s disheveled bun, his sharp brows knitting together. “What is going on here? You’re injured?”
Liu Xiyin leaned against him in grievance. “Young Marshal, it is all my own uselessness.”
As she spoke, she snuck a glance at Liu Mingyu. Since Yan Changye appeared, Liu Mingyu’s eyes seemed to be nailed to him. “Young Marshal, I am Liu Yousong’s daughter, Liu Mingyu.”
【…So brazen, but the Young Marshal belongs to the Ninth Concubine!】
She just can’t stop, can she?
Yan Changye pushed Liu Xiyin away from him, his gaze icy as he looked at Liu Mingyu. “What are you doing here?”