Above the bathtub sat all kinds of bath bombs and scented oils.
They were even her favorite brands.
Wasn’t this like a mouse falling into a granary?
She lit an aromatherapy candle, filled the tub halfway with spiritual spring water, mixed it with hot water, and dropped in her favorite bath bomb.
Then she slipped out of her clothes and climbed into the tub.
She had to admit that a bathtub that looked this expensive really did feel different.
It was as if an invisible pair of hands was gently massaging her entire body.
Just as she was about to drift off to sleep, a thought suddenly occurred to her.
This bathtub hadn’t existed before.
So where had it come from?
Could it be that her wish had actually worked?
She immediately tried wishing for a fully automatic washing machine.
Nothing happened.
Pouting, she began pondering the mystery.
After thinking for a long time, she finally came to a conclusion.
Could it be because she’d come into contact with Lu Shijia today?
Whether she was right or not, she would know after testing it tomorrow.
If simply coming into contact with Lu Shijia could make her space grow stronger…
Then…
She decided to go with the flow.
Surely this was fate guiding her.
Xu Nianchu yawned.
The longer she soaked, the sleepier she became.
She hurriedly finished her bath, staggered out half-asleep, and dried herself.
Then she looked down—
And nearly screamed.
When had her skin become so fair?
Not merely fair, but unbelievably soft and delicate.
Touching it felt like caressing the smooth surface of a peeled boiled egg.
“…”
She hurriedly threw the bath towel aside.
Looking directly at her body, she realized that even her joints had become smooth and fair.
Only two places remained soft, rosy pink.
Even she couldn’t help staring.
I wonder who my future husband will be.
He’s really getting the bargain of a lifetime.
Her gaze instinctively shifted toward the bathtub.
The water inside had turned pitch black, as though someone hadn’t bathed in years.
After she stepped out, the bathtub had already begun cleaning itself automatically.
Once it finished, she climbed back in for another soak before finally feeling completely refreshed.
In the end, she was so exhausted that she couldn’t even be bothered to eat.
She simply fell asleep.
In her dream, she became a formless observer.
She watched the original Xu Nianchu’s mother, Ye Huixin, staring in fury as Tang Jinhua secretly sprinkled some kind of powder into her medicinal soup.
No wonder…
No wonder her body had grown weaker the longer she stayed in postpartum confinement.
No wonder the postpartum bleeding never improved.
So someone had been poisoning her all along.
Weak as she was, Ye Huixin still rushed forward and slapped Tang Jinhua.
Instead, Tang Jinhua shoved her to the floor.
Grinding her teeth, Ye Huixin demanded,
“I don’t understand.”
“I’ve treated you so well.”
“Why are you doing this to me?”
Tang Jinhua sneered.
“Since you’ve seen it, I won’t hide it anymore.”
“I want you dead.”
“Why?”
“I was worried you’d miss your children, so I brought them here.”
“And this is how you repay me?”
Tang Jinhua snorted.
“I brought them here?”
“They’ve known since they were little that they’re beneath you.”
“You’ve always carried yourself as though you were naturally superior.”
Ye Huixin laughed in disbelief.
“What nonsense are you talking about?”
“I’m the one paying your salary!”
Tang Jinhua smoothed her hair.
“That doesn’t matter.”
“It’ll all be mine soon.”
“You probably don’t know this…”
“Whenever you weren’t available…”
“I was the bride warming your husband’s bed every single night.”
“Oh, right.”
“You really think those two children you look down on…”
“Are Xu Shanchuan’s biological children?”
“You don’t understand, do you?”
“Why someone prettier than me still got betrayed?”
“That’s because a person shouldn’t be too arrogant.”
“Being like you isn’t a good thing.”
The poison had already drained Ye Huixin’s body during the past month.
Overcome by rage, she coughed up a mouthful of blood.
At that moment, Xu Shanchuan returned home.
Lying on the floor, she cried out,
“Shanchuan!”
“You’re back!”
“Come quickly!”
“Throw her out!”
“I’m reporting this to the Public Security Bureau!”
Xu Shanchuan looked confused.
Tang Jinhua wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand.
“It’s over, Shanchuan.”
“She knows everything.”
“She knows about us.”
“And about the children.”
Xu Shanchuan’s heart skipped a beat.
He had wanted the best of both worlds.
He’d never intended for anyone to die.
But now that Ye Huixin knew…
He couldn’t leave her alive.
The silent way he stood there sent chills through the room.
Only then did Ye Huixin truly believe…
He had betrayed her.
“Why?”
“Why would you do this to me?”
Xu Shanchuan answered coldly,
“Weren’t you the one who refused to let me touch you during the first few years of our marriage?”
For money…
He had sacrificed far too much.
Ye Huixin stared at him.
“But haven’t we been living well now?”
“It’s too late.”
“It’s already too late.”
To make it appear as though she’d died from illness…
They dragged her beneath freezing water and forced her to endure it for half an hour.
By nightfall, she was burning with fever and delirious.
Yet they never took her to the hospital.
The next day…
She died.
Watching everything unfold, Xu Nianchu had the overwhelming urge to slap them.
Unfortunately…
It was only a dream.
Her hand couldn’t reach through the screen.
Furious, she jolted awake.
She quickly sorted through what she’d learned.
Xu Tianci and Xu Xunle were both her scumbag father’s biological children.
She wasn’t.
Her scumbag father and Tang Jinhua had joined forces to murder the original owner’s mother.
Which meant…
Xu Shanchuan and Tang Jinhua were her enemies.
Daylight was already streaming through the window.
Excellent.
Her hand couldn’t reach into the dream…
But now it could.
She only needed to wait a little longer.
Today she was going to perform ballet, so she needed to choose an outfit.
Ballet during this era was very different from modern ballet.
The emphasis was on revolutionary spirit and strength.
She selected an army-green short-sleeved shirt and a pair of matching shorts.
Over them, she wore a beige trench coat.
As soon as she came downstairs, she noticed Xu Xunle smiling at her with inexplicable satisfaction.
Xu Nianchu rolled her eyes in return.
How cheap.
Apparently yesterday’s two slaps hadn’t been hard enough.
When she saw Xu Xinglin, she handed him another cup of spiritual spring water she’d brought downstairs.
Xu Xinglin loved the sweet water his sister gave him every day.
It made him feel as though they shared a secret that belonged only to the two of them.
Xu Xunle finished breakfast quickly.
Afterward, she dragged Xu Shanchuan and Tang Jinhua out of the house.
Before leaving, she flashed Xu Nianchu another mysterious smile.
Xu Nianchu instantly understood.
They’re planning something.
She rolled her eyes at Xu Xunle again.
Seeing that eye roll, Xu Xunle’s mood immediately soured.
Damn Xu Nianchu.
Even rolling her eyes looks pretty.
But it didn’t matter.
Soon enough, she wouldn’t be able to roll them anymore.
Doesn’t she want to climb into the Lu family?
After today…
Let’s see if she still can.
Xu Nianchu glanced at her watch.
It was almost time for their appointment.
She packed the medicinal herbs she’d prepared for Old Master Lu before heading out.
They had agreed to meet at the entrance of the Grand Theater.
When she arrived, Yu Wei was already waiting.
The moment she saw Xu Nianchu, she said sarcastically,
“Young people these days really have no manners.”
“You actually made an elder wait for you.”
Xu Nianchu raised her wrist and showed her watch.
“Auntie…”
“Don’t you own a watch?”
“We still have ten minutes before our agreed meeting time.”
Yu Wei stomped her foot.
“What a sharp tongue.”
“We’ll see how far that gets you.”
For a brief moment, she even thought…
Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad if Xu Nianchu really married into the family.
She’d definitely teach this girl a proper lesson as her mother-in-law.