Liu Yiran's cold laugh filled the cell..
Sharp and merciless, reverberating off the walls like ice cracking.
Li Xinyi froze, a shiver running down her spine as the sound pierced her chest.
Rage flared in her eyes, hot and consuming, but no words could escape her lips.
Liu Yiran's laughter was more than mockery— it was a declaration, a silent weapon that cut deeper than any insult.
Every note of it reminded Li Xinyi of her helplessness, of the power Liu Yiran now held over her.
And with each passing second,Li Xinyi's hatred only burned hotter, desperate to find a way to strike back...
Yet utterly powerless before the woman who nothing but a crawling pest.
Li Xinyi's clenched her fist, her voice broke like glass.
"Die!..." she spat,
and something inside her snapped.
A knife appeared as if conjured by rage; she didn't remember grabbing it.
Without thought, she thrust her arm through the narrow gap in the bars and slashed at
Liu Yiran's throat.
Pain flared across Liu Yiran's neck — sharp, hot, terrifying — and she reeled, fingers flying to the place that bled.
The cell erupted: a metallic clang, a cry, the sudden, terrible rush of someone trying to help.
Li Xinyi stood shaking, wild-eyed, the triumph that had driven her curdled into something far darker.
'Even in her final moments,Liu Yiran felt no unwilling, no resistance...
She has now nothing to loss...
The pain, the loss, the endless betrayal—she had carried them for too long.
Now, as the warmth drained from her body, she felt only peace. Death was not her punishment, but her redemption.
It was a quiet release… a gentle hand guiding her away from the cruelty of the world that had already taken everything she loved.
For the first time in years,Liu Yiran could finally rest...
Darkness embraced her like a long-forgotten lullaby —
Deep, silent, endless. For a moment,
Liu Yiran thought she had finally reached the peace she longed for.
But then… warmth. The faint scent of sandalwood and silk brushed against her skin, followed by the distant chime of a courtyard bell.
Is she still alive... ?
She tried to move her body, bracing herself,
but found no pain anywhere.
Seems like she saved...Hesitatingly, she reached a hand up to her neck —
And froze. The skin was soft and unmarked, smooth without a single bandage or scar to remind her of the injuries she had carried before.
She snapped her eyes open. This was not a hospital, nor the cold, damp cell where she had breathed her last. Instead,
she found herself in a familiar room that radiated elegance and history.
Crimson silk curtains hung from carved wooden rods, their edges embroidered with golden phoenixes that seemed to shimmer in the morning light.
The polished rosewood furniture gleamed.
Every surface inlaid with delicate mother-of-pearl patterns depicting peonies and cranes.
A low, lacquered table held jade ornaments and porcelain vases, their intricate designs speaking of wealth and refined taste.
The floor was covered with a thick, handwoven carpet, its red and gold patterns echoing the previous festive warmth of a wedding chamber.
Every detail — the embroidered bedding, the hanging lanterns, the subtle fragrance of sandalwood lingering in the air —
Her mind raced as she took in the room. "Why am I here!?.. "
This.... this was the Chen family's ancestral mansion — the house where she had been married.
The very place where she had once been welcomed with celebration… and then cast out in disgrace.
"why am I here now?"..
The question burned in her chest, mixing disbelief with a growing sense of unease.
She was lost in thought when a gentle knock sounded at the door.Her eye shifted to the door. A young maid stepped inside and said respectfully,
"Young Madam , the tea ceremony is about to begin. The estimate elders will be showing up soon. The Eldest Madam requests your presence downstairs".
Liu Yiran's eyes narrowed as she looked at the girl in servant uniform. 'Wait… isn't she! …?'
The realization hit her like a jolt..
Xu Meilin....This was the same young woman who had been crippled and had resigned even long before her divorce,
Yet here she was, standing perfectly upright, moving with ease, her posture flawless and her face calm just like she remembered.
'How… is this possible!? Why is she here? Why does she look young… completely fine? Is she dreaming?Maybe it was what they call memories flashing before death?'.
No something not right....
"Why are you…?Liu yiran's voice cracked as the words left her lips, she froze mid-sentence.
She could speak — yet the disbelief made her falter, her throat tightened.
Heart racing, she spun on her heel and dashed toward the bathroom.
Liu Yiran stared at the mirror for what felt like hours, her breath caught in disbelief.It didn't seems like dream.
The reflection staring back at her was youthful — smooth, flawless skin that glowed like porcelain, eyes shimmering with the same fire and innocence she'd had at eighteen.
Not a trace of time or struggle lingered on her face. It was as if the past five years had melted away, leaving her untouched.
She lifted a trembling hand to her face, half afraid the reflection might shatter if she touched it.
Her skin was still smooth — impossibly smooth — like fine porcelain, cool and flawless beneath her fingertips.
A chill ran through her as she turned her hand over in disbelief; even her palms were soft and unmarked, untouched by the years of Hardship she clearly remembered living.
It was as if time itself had chosen to forget her…
What's happening to me? Liu Yiran wondered, her thoughts spinning in confusion.
Then a sudden knock echoed against the bathroom door, pulling her back to reality. A soft voice followed — laced with a hint of worry.
"Madam.… are you alright...?
That's right, she'd been in the bathroom for hours. It's enough to frighten little girl outside.
"I'm fine," she said softly.
"Go downstairs, I'll get ready and come soon."
Xu Meilin hesitated for a moment, still confused, but she didn't ask anything more. She just nodded and walked downstairs.
Liu Yiran let out a shaky sigh of relief. She was still confused, but slowly she realized something had changed—she had gone back in time.
she seems to had been reborn...
Judging by the room's decorations and the wedding dress she was still wearing, Liu Yiran realized—it was the morning after her wedding. Her heart tightened.
This was the beginning of all her suffering.
Why was she reborn? Did she really have to live through it all again—to face the same nightmare once more?
Why… just why?...
Wait… if this was the morning after her wedding, that meant she was back in her eighteen-year-old self.
Her family—her mother, father, and little sister—they were all still alive.
The thought made her heart tremble with joy and disbelief.
They were still there—her family, alive and breathing.
Her eyes burned as tears welled up, her chest tightening with emotions she couldn't name. After all the pain and loss… she had them back.
God wasn't heartless after all—she could no longer say that.
He had given her another chance, and this time, she would cherish it with all her heart.
Her parents,she wouldn't let anything happen to them again.
This time, she would protect them—no matter what it cost her.
Her heart hardened with resolve, as if she had forged her own soul into a blade.
She gazed at her reflection, tears still glimmering in her eyes as she gently wiped them away. A faint, beautiful smile bloomed on her lips—a smile of hope, of rebirth.
In that fragile moment, she welcomed herself into a new life, one she vowed to live differently.