Chapter 2: Heart Ablaze, Veil in Place
1213 Words
This marked the first formal clash between the two sisters.
The origin of it all was a marriage decree that had fallen from the heavens. The Leng and Luo families shared a bond forged by the older generation. When the Leng family's eldest young master, Leng Minxing, met with a grave accident and was said to be on death's door, the Leng matriarch heard from somewhere that his ailment stemmed from an overabundance of Yang energy. The only remedy was a union with a young woman **born under the triple Yin sign** to counteract his baleful aura.
Coincidentally, both sisters fit this exact description.
They were both so young, in the blossom of their youth. How could either be willing to marry a dying man? Both were resistant. The younger sister, however, took her plea to their parents, weeping, "I suffered so terribly during those years in the countryside. I thought coming home meant finally living happily with my family. Yet, after barely a few good days, you would send me to marry a corpse-to-be! I know Jiejie grew up bathed in your love; your bond with her is deep. Even though I've returned, I am still an outsider. Fine, if I must go, then I'll go!" That very night, she attempted suicide with sleeping pills, terrifying their parents into instantly deciding: Luo Xi would be the one to go.
Though her heart ached for her sister, the news struck Luo Xi like a thunderbolt. She and Luo Yuyi were in the same class. Ironically, she overheard Yuyi telling classmates that *her* sister was to be married off to a dying man to become a widow. Furious, Luo Xi confronted her. Their argument escalated into a physical struggle—both were young, hot-blooded, and foolishly channeled their rage through violence. Then, Luo Yuyi pushed her into the river. Luo Xi, who couldn't swim, awoke later in the hospital.
She had initially hated Yuyi for such ruthlessness. But later, her mother explained that Yuyi, consumed by guilt, had locked herself away, refusing food or drink for days, vowing not to emerge unless forgiven. Fearing the worst, Luo Xi relented.
Regarding the marriage, however, Luo Xi remained vehemently opposed. Yet, how could their modest Luo family defy a demand from the powerful Lengs? Though pained for their daughter, her parents were not without their own selfish calculations—the benefits offered by the Leng family were substantial and tempting.
At that time, Luo Xi secretly admired her senior, Leng Yuan—the renowned "Ice Prince" of the campus. She was unaware then that Leng Yuan was the Leng family's illegitimate son, the only one who could contest Leng Minxing for the inheritance. Her affection was simply that of any starry-eyed girl, drawn to his excellence and looks.
It was only after being practically bound and delivered to the Leng family that she learned Leng Yuan's true identity. She was deeply unsettled; the man she had admired was now her brother-in-law. The very thought was distasteful.
As for Leng Minxing, he had indeed been gravely ill. Yet, after her arrival, he genuinely recovered.
They met once on their wedding night. He was perhaps the most chillingly handsome, yet intimidating, man she had ever seen. At merely eighteen, an inexperienced girl untouched by the world's cruelty, she couldn't help but fear this man who was already a ruthless magnate commanding the business world with ease.
Unexpectedly, this seemingly unapproachable man, despite her initial foolish resistance and defiance, treated her with astonishing tenderness and devotion. He granted her every wish, transforming this young wife into the envy of every woman in high society almost overnight.
Luo Xi was not fickle. Once she accepted the situation was irreversible, she resolved to let go of the past and build a new life. To her surprise, she gradually fell in love with this man of reserved demeanor but gentle heart.
In the third year of their marriage, she became pregnant. That same year also ushered in the darkest hours of her life.
Her trust in her sister was absolute. She shared almost everything she knew about Leng Minxing with Yuyi, never suspecting that the seemingly admiring younger sister was already in a secret alliance with Leng Yuan. Yuyi had approached her, flattered her, solely to extract information. Tragically, Leng Minxing kept nothing from his wife. Thus, during a critical project, he was abruptly accused of acquiring massive funds through illegal means and arrested.
Still blind to the truth, Luo Xi was "comforted" by Yuyi, who claimed it must be a frame-up by Leng Minxing's enemies. Under the pretext of protecting her, Yuyi took her back to the Luo home. Trusting completely, Luo Xi was led instead to that icy warehouse. There, she watched her three-month-old child dissolve into a pool of blood. Her desperate pleas to her sister were met with cruel refusal. To prevent her escape, they shattered her legs. Finally, Yuyi triumphantly revealed it was all her doing.
The memory of those torturous days and nights sent a wave of dizziness crashing over Luo Xi.
"Xiao Xi, what are you spacing out for? I'm telling you, you were truly in the wrong this time. How could you bully Yiyi at school like that? She only pushed you into the water by accident! Now, because of this, she's locked herself in her room, refusing to eat or drink for days! Honestly, as the elder sister, why can't you be more understanding?" Seeing her eldest daughter's dazed silence, Mu Qing couldn't help but lay blame.
After all, the younger daughter had suffered so much in her childhood, while Luo Xi had enjoyed a privileged upbringing. Naturally, her sympathy leaned towards Yiyi.
So, everything was identical to her past life.
Once a beloved little princess herself, in her previous life, Luo Xi's first instinct upon waking had been to tell her side of the story. But before she could speak, her mother's accusations began. Her initial resentment, upon hearing that Yuyi was starving herself out of "remorse," twisted into guilt. Convinced of her own impulsive fault at school and eager to soothe her sister, she rushed home while still unwell, pleading with Yuyi until she finally emerged. Thereafter, the family's indulgence towards their long-lost daughter knew no bounds.
But now, merely hearing the name "Luo Yuyi" filled her with a visceral urge to seize a blade, plunge it deep, tear open that chest, and behold the rot within that heart.
A darkness, thick as spilled ink, swirled and churned in her pupils. *In this life, Luo Yuyi, I will show no mercy for the sake of shared blood. What is mine, I will reclaim, piece by piece. And you... you can go to hell.*
A flash of madness crossed her eyes. Then, without a word, her eyes reddened, and she began to shed tears of carefully performed grievance.
Mu Qing, seeing her daughter's sudden, heartbroken weeping, was momentarily flustered. Her eldest had always been obedient and rarely cried. This outburst left her at a loss.
"Look what you've done! Xiao Xi just woke up, and you talk to her like this. You've scared her to tears!" Father Luo, who dearly loved his firstborn, immediately chastised his wife upon seeing Luo Xi's tears.
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