“Perhaps she once lost her memories and was afraid it would happen again. So she kept reminding herself that no matter what, she must always control her own destiny.”
Yinglong voiced its speculation, its eyes fixed solemnly on Feng Qingran in the mirror.
Inside the illusion.
Feng Qingran was just a tiny figure, her face streaked with tears, her eyes red and swollen.
At that moment, a woman in her thirties or forties came up the hill. She grabbed little Feng Qingran by the collar, scolding and cursing, “You wretched girl! Come back with me right now! I’ve been looking for you for so long, and you were hiding here!”
Little Feng Qingran struggled, unwilling to go with the woman, but her strength was no match for an adult’s.
The woman dragged little Feng Qingran down the hill.
After just a few steps, the woman suddenly turned back and spat on the small dirt mound. “Pah! Such bad luck! If it weren’t for this wretched girl being worth a bit of money, I wouldn’t bother raising her.”
“I want my mother, I want my mother…” Little Feng Qingran pleaded with heavy sobs, trying to break free from the woman’s grip.
Slap!—
The woman struck little Feng Qingran on the head. “Cry, cry, cry… all you do is cry. Cry again and I’ll beat you to death!”
Little Feng Qingran stopped crying. She remembered her mother’s words before she died: “Ranran, live well. You must live well. Mother will always love you!”
“Ranran, remember not to listen to anyone. You only need to endure for six years. On your eleventh birthday, remember to go back to the old house and take a look.”
“Mother hid something there for you. You’ll definitely find it. Once you find that thing, take it and leave the village immediately. But remember, don’t go looking for it early.”
“You must wait until your birthday to go find it. After you find it, go to Qingyunzhou to participate in the Sect Selection. Remember, you must enter the Tianjian Sect. You must befriend someone named Su Yanran…”
Recalling her mother’s last words, little Feng Qingran wiped her tears and changed her attitude.
“Aunt, I can walk by myself. I’m sorry, Aunt.” Little Feng Qingran’s voice was hoarse.
“Hmph!” The woman let go of Feng Qingran’s collar, her face full of disgust. “Don’t call me ‘Aunt.’ I’m not your aunt. From now on, your surname is Li, understand?”
“Understood, Aunt.” Little Feng Qingran agreed cautiously.
She clenched her small hands into fists, silently objecting. Her mother said her name was Feng Qingran.
The woman was quite satisfied with Feng Qingran’s attitude. “You little hussy, at least you know your place. When you get to the Li family, behave yourself, understand?”
Little Feng Qingran obediently agreed.
Following the woman back to the Li household, she faced ridicule and abuse from the entire Li family.
Little Feng Qingran didn’t argue back at all. She stood quietly, listening to everyone’s accusations.
When the scolding finally died down, the woman stepped forward. “Mother, she’s still young. If we discipline her properly, she can still be salvaged. And from now on, she’ll take the Li surname…”
The woman leaned closer to Old Mrs. Li’s ear and whispered a few words.
Old Mrs. Li’s gaze turned strange. She gave little Feng Qingran a few sharp, scrutinizing looks but said nothing more.
The woman turned and barked at Feng Qingran, “You wretched girl, go down and cook! From now on, all the laundry and cooking in this house is your job, got it?”
“Yes, Aunt.” Little Feng Qingran nodded obediently.
In the days that followed,
little Feng Qingran got up before dawn every day, prepared the family’s meals, then fed the pigs, herded the cows…
By the time she could eat, there were usually only a few leftovers.
Little Feng Qingran harbored no resentment about this. She always remembered her mother’s words: live well!
The Li family didn’t treat her as a person. They used her like livestock.
Little Feng Qingran didn’t care at all. After all, she could leave when she turned eleven.
Soon, she grew to be ten years old, but she was malnourished and sallow, looking only seven or eight. Her only warmth came from a boy at the village entrance, Little Niu.
Every few days, he would secretly slip her a white steamed bun.
Little Feng Qingran would also step forward when villagers bullied Little Niu.
Finally, there was only one month left until her eleventh birthday.
She went to the village entrance to find Little Niu and say goodbye.
“Don’t go! Don’t go! It’s dangerous!” Little Niu grabbed her sleeve, looking anxious.
If Feng Qingran had her memories,
she would have recognized him as the young man she once asked Li Niang to kill.
…
“Little Niu, I won’t be in danger,” little Feng Qingran said softly to reassure him.
Suddenly—
A woman’s roar came from the distance. “Li Qingzhan! What are you doing? You little hussy! You’re only eleven and you’re already seducing even a fool?”
Little Feng Qingran shuddered. “Aunt, I didn’t, I was just passing by…”
The woman had already reached them. Her gaze was sharp as she stared at their linked sleeves. She swung at little Feng Qingran.
Little Niu rushed forward, shielding little Feng Qingran.
Slap!—
The woman’s palm struck Little Niu on the temple.
Thud!—
Little Niu fell to the ground, hitting his head on a stone. A trickle of blood seeped out.
