With a sharp “rip,” Su Ying’s clothes were torn open, revealing the washed-out, patched undergarments beneath.
“What an ugly woman! If it weren’t for securing a better future, I, He Changchun, would never have drugged myself to endure such a disgusting creature!”
The man’s drunken stench and vicious words made Su Ying frown involuntarily.
Ignoring the throbbing pain in her buzzing head, she snapped her eyes open to see a pair of invasive groping hands right before her. Panic surged through her, followed by an instinctive scramble to feel around her surroundings. Fortunately, her fingers closed around a stool.
Without another thought, she swung it with all her might, striking the man squarely on the head.
The man staggered, collapsing to the ground before he could comprehend what had happened.
Su Ying’s face turned deathly pale as she hastily drew her feet back, her mind completely blank, unsure of what to do next.
She distinctly remembered being frail and bedridden, waiting for death in a hospital bed—so how had she suddenly found herself assaulted by a villain?
Slowly lifting her head, she surveyed the room and the man’s fine robe, then gradually turned toward a bronze mirror nearby. It clearly reflected half of her face, marred by an ugly scar.
Shocked, she stumbled toward the mirror for a closer look. As she moved, the reflection moved with her.
How could this be? Why had she suddenly transformed into this appearance?
At the same time, a sharp pain shot through her temples, forcing her to absorb memories that weren’t her own.
The original owner of this body was also named Su Ying, the second daughter of Su Jing, the eldest son of the Su family in Kaoshan Village.
Originally, Su Jing had been the wealthiest household in the surrounding villages. But three years ago, he and his wife met with a tragic accident while traveling on business, both perishing far from home.
The large house, family assets, and shops that had belonged to the original owner’s family were completely seized by the elderly Su couple, the second and third branches of the family, and other relatives. Through deceit and coercion, they drove the three siblings out to live in a dilapidated old house.
The original Su Ying had been exceptionally beautiful since childhood, and as she grew older, her striking looks aroused envy among many women in the area. The reason her face had ended up like this was entirely due to her cousin Su Miao from the second branch of the Su family. A month ago, out of sheer jealousy, Su Miao had “accidentally” thrown a piece of red-hot charcoal onto her face, leaving her scarred and without any effective treatment.
Her once celestial beauty had attracted numerous suitors from nearby villages, but after the incident, every one of them lost interest. Some even whispered behind their backs that the eldest branch of the Su family was cursed—either meeting tragic ends abroad or suffering disfigurement and violation. Their misfortune seemed utterly hopeless.
The man who had assaulted her was He Changchun, a figure in Xiaohe Village with even more influence than the Village Head.
He was the first scholar in the surrounding villages to pass the provincial-level imperial exam and become a Successful candidate.
It’s worth noting that He Changchun’s family background was rather poor. Advancing from a Successful candidate at the county level to the provincial level was far beyond what an ordinary family could afford. Back then, Su Ying’s father, Su Jing, recognizing his potential, had covered his Tuition fee, Writing brush, ink, paper and inkstone, and even his travel expenses for the examinations in the city.
His sole condition for such wholehearted support was that He Changchun marry his then-unmarried second daughter.
At that time, He Changchun, seeing that Su Ying was quite beautiful and her family was wealthy from business, had readily agreed.
Over the years, under the guise of immersing himself in scholarly pursuits away from home, he had been borrowing money from the Su family while indulging in romantic affairs, revelry, and extravagant pleasures, experiencing the utmost joys of life.
Of course, after Su Jing and his wife met their tragic fate, the family assets were seized by the second and third branches, cutting off He Changchun’s financial support.
But this did not deter He Changchun. Relying on his own talents, he crafted a persona of a devoted lover, flirting with wealthy young ladies outside, delusionally hoping to use these naive stepping stones to vault himself into high society in the capital, be noticed by the daughter of a high-ranking official, and from then on, enjoy wealth and power by his side.
Half a month ago, for some unknown reason, he abruptly returned from out of town with his widowed mother and since then had been secretly inviting her to his home from time to time.
The original host had an introverted and withdrawn personality, fearful of meeting people—in modern terms, a classic case of social anxiety.
Yet, she couldn’t resist He Changchun’s invitations. With her face already disfigured, she had no hope of marrying into another family. The fact that He Changchun was willing to take her instantly gave her a glimmer of hope.
Moreover, she had a secret she wanted to tell him. She was certain that once He Changchun knew this secret, he would treat her well for the rest of her life.
However, the moment she stepped into the He household, she was knocked unconscious with a single blow and never woke up, unable to utter a single word of the secret in her heart.
After spending a long time digesting this, Su Ying rubbed the lump on the back of her head from the blow and couldn’t help but sigh inwardly: the original host was truly a foolish girl.
The secret in her heart was nothing more than having lived a second life and knowing the general life trajectories of a few people around her. Did she really think that with this unique advantage, she could make this ingrate value her more and treat her well for a lifetime?
Besides, she clearly knew what ulterior motives this man had toward her!
During the three years he was “immersed in scholarly pursuits” away from home, his excessive philandering and extravagance made him a thorn in many people’s sides, and he accumulated a mountain of debt. Coincidentally, he had taken a liking to a very naive daughter of an official, whose father’s influence in the court could greatly aid his career.
So, he urgently needed a sum of money to spruce himself up—partly to fill the financial holes, partly to rebuild his image and cleanse his previous reputation, and finally to make the official’s daughter fall deeply into the trap of affection he had meticulously woven, unable to extricate herself.
And she was merely another pawn in his game. Even if her family assets had been seized and her face disfigured, what did it matter? All he wanted was to ruin her reputation and make her his concubine, so he could rightfully seize all her family’s property under the pretext of supporting her.
Once they left this place, whether she lived or died would depend entirely on the whims of this mother and son.
She remembered in her previous life, the original host had become He Changchun’s concubine due to an unwed pregnancy, gathered the family assets, left Xiaohe Village, and moved elsewhere, only to be assigned all kinds of dirty and exhausting work every day, subjected to constant beatings and scoldings, living in perpetual turmoil. Later, when He Changchun took a wife, that wife treated her even worse.
How could she ever think that such scum like He Changchun would be a good match, worthy of entrusting her second half of life to?
Too exhausted to complain, Su Ying decided it was best to leave first.
According to the original host’s memories, He Changchun’s widowed mother would soon arrive with others to catch them in the act, and that would be the moment her reputation would be utterly destroyed.
She got up to leave but suddenly paused.
After a moment’s thought, she resolutely turned around, laboriously dragged the man on the ground back to the bed, then pulled his trousers halfway down. Finally, she bit her finger and smeared a few drops of blood on the bedsheet.
If they couldn’t have her, this mother and son would never let the matter rest. She had to strike first, making this pair reap what they sowed and become notorious.
Having done all this, she prepared to leave without hesitation.
“Come, come, everyone come in! Over the years, my son has traveled to many places, and I’ve collected quite a few beautiful embroidery patterns. Feel free to take any you like!”
Damn! It was Mrs. Ge’s voice. If she walked out now, she would be seen by those people, and then she wouldn’t be able to explain herself even with a hundred mouths.
She looked at the high wall nearby, laboriously climbed up with the help of a straw pile, and just as Mrs. Ge opened the door with the others, she closed her eyes and jumped onto the straw pile at the base of the outer wall.
“Heavens! There’s been a thief in the house! Neighbors, help catch this thief!”
Just as she had gotten not far away, Mrs. Ge’s sudden scream set off a chorus of frantic barking from the village dogs.