Chapter 4 This Bai Yu loves Ouyang Mingxian with all her heart

    It had been two days since she transmigrated into this body.

    During the first night that she cried herself to sleep, she dreamed that she was walking in circles somewhere. No matter how hard she tried to think, she could not recall where she was. So the next morning, she woke up with swollen eyes and dark circles. Xiao Xi had to run around finding herbal compress to make the swelling go down and restore her young miss’s beauty.

    Bai Yu’s daily routine was repeated that same way for two days. Yoknapha died just after being heartbroken, then she woke up again in the body of the villainess she once played as in a series, and after that, she also had to go through all the ordeal at the banquet. Even worse, she was overwhelmed by the original body’s memories and emotions all that while as well. Who would be able to sleep soundly?

    She had been calm at first, but that was due to her experience of adapting and acting from her former life. Now that she had the time to let everything sink in, her reaction would naturally be crying out of fear just like any normal person.

    She was afraid of this unfamiliar world. She was afraid that this life would meet the same end as in the series, that she would die by the hands of her own lover. If she changed something, she still would not know what else to do to escape that ending.

    Above all else…she was afraid that she herself would fall in love with the man who had caused her death in that last life.

    Bai Yu kept mulling over the paths that she could take in this new life, not even leaving her bedroom. Her dark eyes gazed at the red plum blossoms fluttering down again and again.

    “Miss, these past two days you have barely touched your food.”

    The maid looked at her mistress who had significantly changed. She became more thoughtful. Her usual interest in clothes, cosmetics, and dressing up was gone. Now she just kept to herself and stayed in her room. What made the maid most worried was how she barely ate.

    “Do you want anything in particular for breakfast, miss? I will order the chef to immediately prepare it for you.”

    “I want KFC.”

    “…Yes?”

    She was tired of the food here. It’s not that it wasn’t delicious, but she missed junk food she was familiar with­--things like fried chicken or nuggets. My body needs french-fries!

    “Ka…Kay-Eb-Xia? What kind of food is it?”

    Bai Yu sighed. “Forget it.”

    “Yes, miss.” Xiao Xi answered dejectedly then retreated to stand with her head lowered and not saying anything else, thinking that she made her young miss angry. If Miss sighed like this, the next thing she would do was to pinch her or maybe throw something at her, as usual.

    “How is mother’s health?”

    “This…this morning first Furen had a bit of a headache,” Xiao Xi lifted her head to answer. She was surprised that this time, in a rare occurrence, Bai Yu did not take her anger out on her.

    “Inform the main house that I’ll take my breakfast there.”

    “Yes, miss.” Xiao Xi beamed before turning to order the maids waiting in front of the room.

    In the series, today Yue Mei would fall ill due to her worry for Bai Yu who was grounded as a punishment for disgracing the Bai family, after being exposed by Bai Hua at the banquet. But according to what Xiao Xi said, it seemed that her mother was in better health than expected.

    To confirm, Bai Yu would go to see it with her own eyes, and also use this opportunity to meet other people within the mansion. Normally if there was no other urgent business, the masters in Bai mansion would have breakfast together. Bai Yu always ate every meal with her mother at the main house, but these past two days had been rough for her, and she didn’t feel like doing anything, so she made up an excuse that she wanted to rest. Now, she had to go back to join the battle.

    For those in the Bai mansion, the breakfast table was a battlefield for the women. The heroine was lucky that she and her mother’s status were too low, but for Bai Yu who was the daughter of the first wife, she had been in this battle for over ten years.

    Apart from Bai Yu’s and Bai Hua’s mothers, her father had two other Furens. Those Furens also had their own children as well. However, concubines and ‘favored’ maids did not have any rights to join the table at the main house.

    No matter how much Bai Han loved Yue Mei, both tradition and politics forced him to marry other women. The longer time passed, the more people’s hearts became unpredictable. There was no way to know whether he still had the old love left in him.

    “Whose meal is that?” Bai Yu asked Xiao Xi, looking at an unfamiliar maid who bowed to her. In the maid’s hands was a tray carrying one bowl of rice and one dish of food that had turned cold.

    “It’s the third miss’s meal, miss.”

    “She always eats things like this?”

    “Yes. Isn’t that Miss’s order?” Xiao Xi tilted her head, confused by the question from her mistress.

    “Right,” Bai Yu smoothly replied. She walked away without sparing a second glance at the heroine’s pitiful meal. At least she was not starving to death.

    “Respects from Yu-er to father, mother, second Furen, and third Furen.”

    After arriving at the main house, Bai Yu curtsied to her parents, greeting them sweetly before flatly calling the title of the second wife and nodding to her fifth sister’s greeting.

    According to the tradition, she should have called the two Furens ‘second mother’ and ‘third mother’, but this Bai Yu was too prideful. The only woman she would call mother was Yue Mei. Moreover, she also did not show much respect to other Furens, while, on the contrary, those wives and concubines had to be careful of their manners toward her.

    “Are you feeling well now, child?”

    “Yes, father. I am feeling much better.” Bai Yu gently answered her father. The original body largely felt affection for her father. Even though he had many wives, he still specially pampered her and her eldest brother who were both born from Yue Mei. Bai Yu’s older brother was the firstborn son of the family, while Bai Yu, though a second-born child, was called the first daughter.

    “How strange. Big sister has such strong magic. Why would she be so careless and let the Qin strings cut her?” A small, high-pitched voice sounded to interrupt her conversation with her father, calling the attention of everyone at the table.

    “Yue-er, why are you saying that,” the second Furen half-heartedly reprimanded her daughter, ‘Bai Yue’. She even challenged Bai Yu by directly meeting her eyes.

    “But, mother, Yue-er is stupid, so no matter how hard I think I still couldn’t understand…” Her fourth sister kept up the ‘innocent’ act while continuing in a mocking tone. “…Sister has high-level red magic. How could she be so foolish, even to the point of being poisoned and hurt?”

    “Maybe the one who poisoned her has stronger magic than her?” Back and forth, these mother and daughter pair’s cooperation skill was impressive.

    “But the culprit was third sister, and she has no magic at all. She can’t possibly be stronger than big sister…” Her doe-like eyes stared straight at Bai Yu as she spoke, “…That useless woman must’ve used some kind of secret trick against first sister”

    Bai Yu was being ridiculed that she was so stupid that even a person with no magic could harm her. But couldn’t they just say it straight? Why waste your energy on yapping away like this?

    “Fourth sister…” She straightened her back and slowly smiled, slightly showing her dimples. “…It is natural that you wouldn’t know about manners regarding the use of magic within the imperial palace. Later when you have the opportunity to enter the palace, jiejie will teach you about it.”

    Actually, this new Bai Yu also did not know the rules about using magic in the palace, but she was sure that Bai Yue was as clueless as she did. It should be fine to lie just a bit to teach this girl a lesson.

    Come mock me again when you can get invited to the palace!

    “Yue-er is still so young. You should learn a lot about palace manners, so when you grow up you can go visit your second sister at the palace,” third Furen interjected to subtly brag about her daughter, the second miss of Bai family, ‘Bai Xua’, who was the Emperor’s consort.

    “It is rare for those in the same status as second sister to receive the honor to become a royal consort. But for little fourth sister to visit her who is only a low-rank consort…” Bai Yu glanced at the two Furens and her sister. “…Considering your position, that would be an even rarer opportunity.”

    “You’re too harsh, Yu-er. I have already supported your second sister so she could be a consort. It won’t be any harder to let fourth sister visit her.”

    “You’re right, mother.” Bai Yu smiled as she replied to Yue Mei before turning to ask her father, borrowing his hand to show those Furens and their children their standing. “…What does father think?”

    “About that…” Bai Han touched his beard as he thought. “…Considering Yue-er’s status, it would be hard for her to enter the palace. Xue-er also doesn’t hold a significant position. But if you’re the one to take her with you then that’d be a simple matter.”

    With those words, he had officially confirmed the significance of each of the women in the Bai mansion.

    “Then Yu-er, you should bring your fourth sister with you to visit second sister after you’ve recovered,” her mother said with a smile.

    “Yes, mother,” She answered as she sent a sweetly poisoned smile to others at the breakfast table. Bai Yu felt thankful for the hierarchy system because it could very effectively shut people up.

    Great for appetite.

    “Miss, Qin Wang came. He’d like to see you.”

    “Right. Let’s go.” Bai Yu stood up.

    “Why don’t you dress up a little bit more, miss?” Xiao Xi looked at the figure that only wore a light blue dress that had few embroideries. Her long black hair was tied half up and decorated with a couple of hairpins. Normally, her young miss would try to look the most ravishing when meeting Qin Wang.

    “I’ll leave that to you, then.” Bai Yu sat down in front of the mirror, letting her maid fixed her face and hair.

    According to the story, Ouyang Mingxian would come with the royal doctor that Empress Dowager Wei ordered to treat Yue Mei’s illness. But her mother was fine right now, so why would he still come here?

    “Blessings to Wangye.” The slender, elegantly dressed figure gave a curtsy to Ouyang Mingxian.

    Today he wore the same black satin attire as the last time. As the one with the highest rank, he sat at the honored seat normally reserved for the head of the family. Next to him were her father and mother. Other Furens were also gathered here, except her half-sister who probably was forbidden from coming to receive the prince by Yue Mei, like always.

    “Rise,” Ouyang Mingxian said coolly. He waved for a man beside him to step up. “Grandmother was worried about Miss Bai’s wound on her finger, so she asked benwang to bring the royal doctor here.”

    “Empress Dowager and Wangye are most gracious.”

    Ouyang Mingxian did not say anything, only stared at her who lowered her face to escape his gaze. While the royal doctor was treating her wound, Bai Yu sat in silence. She did not know how else to handle the situation other than by staying quiet, since this scene was not in the series.

    “What an honor for Bai household to receive such care from Empress Dowager and Wangye,” her father said amidst the surrounding silence.

    His sharp eyes slightly turned away from her. “Mm.”

    Just that? You only make a sound like that then how can my father continue the conversation? Why can’t you just cooperate and make the atmosphere a little less awkward!

    “A shame that Yu-er’s fingers are hurt, otherwise I’d let her brew a tea for Wangye. Her tea brewing skill is second to none, Your Highness.”

    “Benwang has heard that the second miss of Bai family excels in every aspect, has impeccable manners…” His words made her look up. Bai Yu’s eyes directly met with Ouyang Mingxian’s. “…Truly a good-hearted woman.”

    Unconsciously, she pressed her lips together.

    “Having a perfect woman such as Miss Bai as a childhood friend, benwang is proud.” He lifted a corner of his mouth as if to sneered at her.

    “Wangye even remembered our childhood past. Yu-er is more than happy.” She faked a sweet smile even though she wanted to cry from being mocked.

    “Yu-er is diligent in studying all arts. All in order to not embarrass her name as Wangye’s childhood friend,” her mother said, full of pride. Yue Mei was ecstatic to hear Ouyang Mingxian talked about his youth which had never been mentioned before.

    “Very good,” he replied before turning to royal doctor Mu who took almost one ke to look at Bai Yu’s hands. “How’s Miss Bai’s wound?”

    “Answering Wangye, Miss Bai has a high level of magic, so the cuts are drying faster than normal. It’d take no longer than seven days to be completely healed.”

    “Very good.”

    Could she just…buy that word away from him?

    “Then benwang will leave now.”

    “Your Highness, please let Yu-er send you off.” Yue Mei cast a meaningful glance at her. The former Bai Yu would be excited to have such an opportunity…but this Bai Yu did not.

    “Farewell to Wangye.” Ouyang Mingxian nodded, before turning away and walking toward the main gate. Bai Yu rolled her eyes while still looking down, keeping her pace as she walked behind him, prim and proper.

    Walking away from the main house along a peaceful trail, the two figures walked in silence. Bai Yu tried to stay behind, leaving quite a distance between her and Ouyang Minxian. His maids and followers looked in confusion to the coldness between the two.

    Thud!

    “Ouch”

    Out of nowhere, the tall figure stopped walking and turned around to face the shorter person who was lost in thought while walking with her head down. She ran into his wide chest. The impact sent her staggering back, almost falling over before Ouyang Mingxian caught her arm.

    “Miss Bai is not willing to send me off?”

    “No, Your Highness.” Bai Yu held her nose and answered in a muffled voice. She felt so hurt that she forgot to put up an act of being reserved. Good thing this nose is natural, otherwise, the result would be more serious.

    “Then why are you keeping your head down like that?” Ouyang Mingxian was amused by the woman in front of him. Even more so when he thought back to when she was given back her handkerchief; however, he still kept his emotions behind the calm façade.

    The second miss of the Bai family normally acted noble and elegant in public, but in front of him, she would become reserved and shy. Her expression today was something he had never seen before so he felt like teasing her a bit more.

    “I am an unmarried lady. Of course, it would be bad to let men look at my face so freely.”

    “Strange…” He approached her. “…Up until now, every time Miss Bai sees benwang, she would keep staring until her face turned red.”

    “I apologize to Wangye for being rude before.” She stepped back, restoring the distance between them before giving a curtsy.

    “Hm?” Yet he closed in on her again. Bai Yu tried to retreat but was stopped by a hand that took her chin and lifted her face to meet the man’s gaze.

    When dark eyes were met with his dragon-like eyes up close, suddenly her stomach felt like there were thousands of butterflies fluttering within. Her heart was pounding so loudly that she thought it could be heard by the man in front of her as well.

    “Benwang thought Miss Bai has already stopped blushing every time we meet.”

    What a dangerous man!

    Bai Yu could only curse the male lead in her head, which remained poles apart from her wildly beating heart and hot cheeks. It’s as if even as a new and improved villainess, she still couldn’t control the deep-rooted feeling held within this body.

    This Bai Yu loves Ouyang Mingxian with all her heart.