CH 1

15th year of Emperor Qi Jing’s reign, early winter.

The first clear snow of this winter had just fallen, and the Marquis’ residence had already been covered all over with a faint silver layer.

A mournful wail came from the pond in the backyard. In the house, a few old women and servants heard the sound and ran over. It had just snowed so the bluestone paved path was inevitably slippery. One of the women stumbled and almost fell. She cursed under her breath.

“What’s wrong?” Nanny Zhang arrived first and hurriedly cursed at the maid standing by the water, “Want to die, wench? The madam has just taken medicine and gone to sleep, so what are you screaming about? If you’ve disturbed the madam, you better watch your hide.”

The maid’s face was white with fright and she was out of her wits. Seeing Nanny Zhang, she hurriedly grabbed Nanny Zhang’s sleeve, then pointed at the water in horror, “In the water…There’s someone in the water!”

Someone in a green shirt was half-floating in the water. They were no longer moving, floating like they were dead. The person’s arms were spread out, inky hair fluttering in the water, small face coloured blue, white, and slightly purple. It was terrifying.

“What?” Nanny Zhang looked in the direction of the maid’s finger. At first glance, she thought it was unimportant, but then she panicked, “Why haven’t you called someone to help?!” Just from her shouts just now, a clever little boy who had already heard the noise jumped into the icy water and dragged the unconscious person to the shore.

“Hurry up and tell the Marquis, ask the Marquis to call the imperial doctor!” Nanny Zhang touched the wet person who was almost completely cold. Her heart was beating like a drum. If she was inexperienced, she would not have been able to withstand such a shock.

The person who seemed to be dead in her arms was the eldest young lady of the Marquis’ residence, the daughter of the first wife, Gu Yu Qi.

The Marquis’ residence suddenly burst into chaos.

Gu Yu Qi felt like she had a long dream.

The dream was not a good dream and there was still a sharp, breathless pain in her heart, pressing against her heart and lungs, making her feel a little suffocated.

“Eldest Miss is awake!” A surprised and delighted voice came from next to her ear, “I will go and report to the Marquis.”

Then, still in a muddled state, Gu Yu Qi was warmly embraced and there was a familiar voice in her ear, “Ah Nan, were you trying to scare your mother to death?”

Mother? Gu Yu Qi felt a little strange. Her mother had been dead for many years. 

However, the warmth of this embrace was really comfortable and the scent was pleasant and familiar, as if this was really the mother from her memories.

Gu Yu Qi slowly opened her eyes and she was greeted by a very ornately decorated room. It had exquisitely carved octagonal windows, embroidered solid coloured silk curtains, and a round mahogany table with an inlaid marble surface. On the table, there stood a small three-legged censer gilded with eight treasures. Incense was burning in the censer and wisps of curling green smoke slowly drifted out from the nose of the animal head on top, gradually dispersing into the air.

This…

Gu Yu Qi’s eyes widened. She was all too familiar with everything in front of her and what she was familiar with was almost unreal.

She sighed heavily, closed her eyes, and smiled bitterly in her heart, afraid that she really was dreaming. 

Sensing the person in her arms stiffening, Liang-shi thought that her daughter was not feeling well so she quickly let go in fright, “Ah Nan, where are you feeling uncomfortable? Quickly tell mother!” She held her daughter’s shoulders anxiously and looked up and down her daughter’s body, fearing that she would see something wrong.

Pushed away from the warm embrace, Gu Yu Qi opened her eyes again. The woman in front of her eyes had a rounded face and almond eyes. Dignified and beautiful with a little bit of a heroic spirit, there was now a somewhat sickly look in her face. A look of concern filled her eyes which made Gu Yu Qi’s heart sour, “Mother!” She could not help shouting. She opened her arms and hugged the woman firmly, refusing to let go. 

It was really her mother! It was not until the warm and soft body was hugged by Gu Yu Qi that she realised this fact!

Her tears flowed freely and she could not help crying!

For more than ten years, she had not shed a single tear. Yet now, she felt that all her grievances must flow out in these tears.

“Good child, don’t be afraid. Mother is here.” Liang-shi hugged her daughter and let her cry loudly. She thought that the child was frightened and could only comfort her softly. “Really child, the backyard pond is deep and it had just snowed so the sides are slippery, but you just had to go over there and play and almost die. You really scared me to death. You are not allowed to go near there in the future! You hear me?!”

While comforting her daughter, Liang-shi could not help but scold her.

Why was this happening? As she cried, Gu Yu Qi’s mind spun. She looked around and at her arms that had become short and fleshy. She was shocked.

She had clearly died and her mother had passed away a long time ago, yet everything was telling her to believe that she had returned back to when she was ten years old. That year, she just crossed over and was rescued after falling into the water. The original Gu Yu Qi died, but she lived.

And now, it seemed like she was alive again as if time had rewound!