The morning light was just dawning. A veiled young girl was sitting on the windowsill, staring blankly at the falling leaves. Just as she was in a daze, the maid opened the girl's door and exclaimed in surprise, "Miss, why did you get up so early today?"
Xiao Bao'er turned around slowly, trying to hold back the excitement in her heart and asked, "Lingzhi, can you see me?"
Lingzhi was startled by Xiao Bao'er's words. She quickly put down the water basin in her hand and walked quickly to her side, observing her carefully.
"Miss, are you feeling unwell again? Of course this maid can see you. You're not a ghost or a spirit."
Xiao Bao'er raised her hand to touch her own face, with a strange light flashing in her eyes.
She had really been reborn!
In her previous life, as the legitimate daughter of the Xiao Mansion, who had been raised in great luxury, Xiao Bao'er had been in poor health since childhood. She died of illness not long after she came of age.
However, when she was on her way to the Underworld to be reincarnated, the judge flipped through the register for a long time. Finally, he scolded her in disappointment and kicked her back to the human world.
When Xiao Bao'er woke up, the judge's angry words were still ringing in her ears.
"You were born with the fortune of a golden carp. You were favored by the Heavenly Dao. But you failed to recognize people clearly in your previous life. You were killed at a young age by the wolves and leopards around you. Your death indirectly affected the fates of many others and made them die innocent and miserably. This time, I'll give you another chance. Go back to the human world and atone for your sins. Come back to the Underworld for reincarnation after you've atoned for them..."
Xiao Bao'er didn't catch what the judge said next.
But the judge said that there were wolves and leopards around her, which made Xiao Bao'er quite confused. She was the only girl in the eldest branch of the Xiao Mansion. She had five elder brothers. Her father was the prime minister of the current dynasty, and her mother was a first - rank imperial - conferred noble lady.
Not to mention anything else, she had been deeply loved by her family since childhood. If she said she wanted the bright moon in the sky, the people of the Xiao Mansion would find a way to get it for her. Could such a family be the wolves and leopards in the judge's words?
The only thing that made Xiao Bao'er feel regretful was that she didn't inherit the good looks of her parents like her elder brothers. There were large, uneven black bumps on her face and body. Although the people in the Xiao Mansion didn't look down on her because of this, which woman didn't love beauty?
Seeing that Xiao Bao'er was still in a daze, Lingzhi impatiently waved her hand in front of Xiao Bao'er.
Xiao Bao'er was startled by Lingzhi's sudden movement, but she stared directly into Lingzhi's eyes and saw the disgust and impatience that hadn't been covered up in time.
The next second, Lingzhi quickly averted her eyes, as if Xiao Bao'er had misseen just now.
"Miss, the warm water is ready. Please wash up quickly so as not to miss the time to pay respects to the old madam."
Xiao Bao'er had doubts in her heart but didn't say a word. She let the maids dress her and arrange her clothes.
She carefully observed the maids around her from the corner of her eye and found that besides respect, there was also a trace of fear and disgust hidden in the maids' eyes. Why hadn't she noticed this before?
On the way to the Ning'an Courtyard of the old madam, she met the third miss Xiao Jinghui and the fourth miss Xiao Jingwan from the second branch, and the fifth miss Xiao Jinglan from the third branch.
Seeing Xiao Bao'er appear, the young ladies politely greeted her, "Good morning, eldest sister."
In the past, Xiao Bao'er had liked to be close to these sisters in the family the most. Originally, Xiao Bao'er had felt inferior because of her appearance, but the younger sisters in the family had never disliked her. Knowing that she couldn't leave the mansion, they often came to accompany her when they were free and told her some interesting things outside the Xiao Mansion.
But the judge's words had stayed in Xiao Bao'er's mind. She calmly sized up the younger sisters and found that when the third miss Xiao Jinghui greeted her, her expression was a bit perfunctory, but she had to squeeze out a smile, which made her expression look a bit funny. The other two younger sisters didn't show any difference.
Xiao Bao'er didn't chat with them enthusiastically as usual. Instead, she just replied indifferently and then turned around and left.
The remaining three young ladies looked at each other, seemingly not knowing where they had offended this eldest sister.
Xiao Jinghui was more impatient. Before anyone had gone far, she murmured her dissatisfaction in a low voice, "What's wrong with this ugly freak today? If it weren't for her still being a bit useful..."
"Shut up!"
Xiao Jingwan, the fourth miss, looked at Xiao Bao'er's figure not far away and quickly stopped her elder sister from speaking carelessly.
"Third sister, if you still want to take advantage of the eldest sister, just be a silent beauty. Don't let our sisters offend the eldest sister because of your mouth!"
After saying that, Xiao Jingwan stepped forward and followed Xiao Bao'er. Xiao Jinglan, the fifth miss, smiled faintly and also walked away slowly, leaving only Xiao Jinghui angrily stomping her feet on the spot.
When she arrived at the Ning'an Courtyard, Xiao Bao'er was told by Nanny Qin, the old madam's maid, that the old madam was still washing up and asked her to wait in the corridor. Her arrogant expression was as if she were the mistress of the Xiao Mansion.
But when she saw Xiao Jingwan following behind, Nanny Qin immediately changed her expression. She flatteringly saluted Xiao Jingwan and said, "Oh, fourth miss, why are you walking so fast? Be careful not to fall and make the old madam worried."
Seeing this, Xiao Bao'er turned around and walked to a small pavilion not far away and sat down. Nanny Qin was only focused on talking to Xiao Jingwan and didn't notice Xiao Bao'er's movement.
It was Xiao Jingwan whose eyes had been following Xiao Bao'er. She was worried that Xiao Bao'er would distance herself from her because of what Xiao Jinghui had said just now. If that happened, she wouldn't be able to continue to gain benefits from Xiao Bao'er.
Before her rebirth, Xiao Bao'er had been extremely afraid on the days when she had to pay respects to the old madam. Everyone in the Xiao Mansion doted on Xiao Bao'er, except the old madam. Since Xiao Bao'er had memories, the old madam had never had a good look when facing her. Every time she opened her mouth, she either scolded Xiao Bao'er or sneered at her.
At first, Xiao Bao'er thought it was her appearance that made the old madam dissatisfied. Because the old madam attached great importance to rules and the distinction between legitimate and illegitimate children. As the legitimate eldest daughter of the Xiao Mansion, she shouldn't have been treated so coldly by the old madam. The only reason was her appearance.
Xiao Bao'er had also tried to move her with her filial piety. When the old madam was seriously ill, she kowtowed all the way to the Ling Shan Temple in the cold winter just to get a safety talisman for the old madam. On the old madam's birthday, she stayed up for several nights to embroider a longevity picture for the old madam and flattered this respected grandmother attentively.
But the safety talisman she got was disgustedly thrown out by the old madam. The old madam just glanced at the longevity picture indifferently and then asked someone to put it in a corner of the storeroom.
Now Xiao Bao'er had come to her senses. Her appearance was innate, and the strange disease on her body was not her own will. Since she could have a new life, Xiao Bao'er didn't want to flatter this person who couldn't be flattered at all.
Nanny Qin followed Xiao Jingwan's gaze and then found that Xiao Bao'er was sitting in the pavilion. Immediately, she complained dissatisfiedly, "Eldest miss, why did you sit down? Didn't this maid ask you to wait in the corridor?!"
Xiao Bao'er glanced at her sideways and ordered Lingzhi beside her, "Slap her in the face."