Chapter 1 - Reborn

Every April, around Tomb-sweeping Day, it would always rain on Shanghai Beach. The sound of the dripping rain blended with the smell of flowers in the courtyard, creating an unique flowery and grassy scent.

Many years later, when she was living in the cold Harbin, she still couldn’t forget such a fresh fragrance.

At this moment, Tang Jiao was sitting blankly in front of the dressing table in her room, sniffing a familiar smell.

The mirror reflected a beautiful girl with pretty eyes, peachy cheeks, long and fan-like eyelashes, and slightly pouting and natural red lips, with dimples at the corners. Her expression seemed to carry a little smile, like a really sweet sister.

Tang Jiao softly raised her little hands. They were fair and tender, while her fingers were all clean. In fact, there were no traces of the nailpolish she used to apply.

She lightly touched her face before pinching it heavily.

It hurt!

And then, she turned her head around, sweeping the gaze in the room.

Opposite the dressing table was a large Suzhou embroidery screen, with brocades of flowers and lingering butterflies. This was the first embroidery Madam An, the best in Suzhou, stitched. Her mother and she were close friends of the boudoir in the former days. When she was born, Madame Ann gifted her many beautiful, luxurious and exquisite screens, that one couldn’t take them all.

This needlework has been in her room since childhood until the Tang family’s fall.

Near the embroidery stood a mahogany table, and a few lilies were inside the blue and white porcelain vase.

Tang Jiao liked lilies the most as they displayed nobleness and pureness, just like the orchid in the Kong Valley.

On the side again, a Gold Threat cushion was placed on the rosewood arhat bed.

Because her mother had only one daughter, since childhood she has always given her all the best things. They were the most valuable objects in the entire house.

And these were all hers.

Her eyes swept around the room once more. She didn’t feel strange, but shocked.

“Miss, you’re awake.” A smiling servant pushed aside the curtains and entered the room.

Hearing this sound, Tang Jiao glanced back at her. This girl, called Si Ye, worked for her family and has always been responsible for serving her.

Seeing her smile at first sight, Tang Jiao was in a trance for a moment.

Si Ye… who died 20 years ago.

“I…” Tang Jiao found that her voice was lovely and glutinous. She wasn’t used to it, but continued, “Where’s Madame?”

Si Ye smiled, “Madame is praying for you in the Buddha Hall…” Before she finished, the young lady ran out barefoot.

Tang Jiao has not seen her mother for 20 years. According to her memory, she rushed towards the side door of the Buddha Hall on the first floor.

Sure enough, Madam Tang knelt on a praying mat and worshipped the Bodhisattva before her devoutly. Smoke from incense was spiraling upwards.

While supporting herself on the door, Tang Jiao was panting and looked at the much younger mother in front of her.

She was excited.

Although she didn’t know why she had returned to her girlhood, seeing her mother who was well alive, all the sadness she endured so far was poured out as she jumped into her mother’s arms and cried happily.

How did Madame Tang know that Tang Jiao was born again? She just thought that her family’s little and delicate daughter was being offended, so she patted her back gently while holding her in her arms. And then, she kindly coaxed her, “Who wronged my Youyou? Don’t cry, you are so big already… why are you being so childlike?”

Youyou was Tang Jiao’s nickname. No one has called her in this way for twenty years. Today, when she heard ‘You You’, she just felt as if she had grasped the last straw of life.

Tang Jiao raised her hand and bit it. It still hurt!

It wasn’t a dream!

Since it wasn’t, then she had to cry more. Because she has come back… she actually came back!

Madam Tang knew her daughter. She softly asked, “Why are you acting like this?… Don’t tell me…” She paused before continuing cautiously, “Are you at odds with Ah Heng?”

Hearing that name, Tang Jiao stiffened immediately. Madame Tang thought she was right. She was a little annoyed, but still advised her daughter, “Don’t pay attention to that deadly girl. You are an honorable lady. She is just the daughter of a mistress. Can she be regarded as a decent person? In the early years, this girl was just a servant. Only you listen to your father and regard her as your little sister. I don’t think she has any good intentions…”

Tang Jiao buried her face in Madam Tang’s bosom, letting her tears flow.

Madam Tang looked at her daughter who was in this state, and became more and more distressed. She gently wiped her tears as she said seriously, “Our Youyou is thousands better than her. Pay attention to not catching a cold… and stop crying so much. You make me worry to death.”

Tang Jiao quietly put her arms around her waist and didn’t move.

Her parent’s marriage was an arranged contract. If they had met earlier, then maybe they could have been a good couple. However, there were no ‘if’ in life.

There were new waves everywhere now. Everyone wanted some novelty, and her father was no exception. Just like most of the males in this era, after reading more, he learned more and saw more. And so, he began to shun his wife. And falling in love with a like-minded female classmate was a big trend.

Her father happened to be affected like this, but Madam Tang didn’t come from a poor household without a name and a status, so he was forced to cut off the relationship.

Although the matter was over, nobody expected that when Tang Jiao was thirteen years old, her father would actually bring the woman back home. At that time, she had already had Tang Heng, who was only one year younger than Tang Jiao. It was said that she was pregnant already when they broke up, and they did not dare to disturb the harmony of the Tang family, leading a hard life with her child. If it hadn’t been for the reunion, she would never have let Tang Heng recognize her own ancestors.

What was done couldn’t be undone.

Madame Tang could only allow them entrance.

Tang Jiao originally loathed the mother and daughter pair very much, but Hu Ruyu behaved well, and Tang Heng gently curried favor with her. In the next few days, Tang Jiao gradually treated Tang Heng well, thinking that her little sister wasn’t that bad.

Sometimes, her mother would arrange their activities badly, and Tang Jiao felt that her mother was just making a fuss.

Now that she has lived the future, she could resent herself for not seeing through people’s hearts early. When she wanted to fight back, she was no longer Hu Ruyu’s opponent at all.

At that time, Hu Ruyu got closer to the Foreign Minister and became his concubine.

Tang Heng married the Second Master of the Finance Vice-director’s family, while she was forced to flee from Shanghai.

Thinking of this, she clenched her fists while her eyes appeared fierce.

She was no longer the desperate girl of the beginning. Right now, everything wasn’t yet at its worst. Moreover, she has been immersed in Harbin’s business for many years, and was no longer a weak and easy-to-deceive little girl.

“I know you don’t like to listen, but the mother and daughter pair are really not good people.” Madame Tang’s eyes were soft as she gently admonished her daughter, “The thing that mother is most afraid of is you being deceived by them.”

Tang Jiao raised her head, where translucent tears could still be seen on her face. She nodded softly and affirmed, “Mother, I know they are not good people.”

Madame Tang looked at her daughter, surprised. She thought it would be difficult to persuade her, so she didn’t expect that her daughter would figure it out.

She gazed deeply at her daughter. Feeling even more worried, she asked carefully, “Did they bother you?”

Tang Jiao lowered her head before looking up again. With a pitiful expression, she answered, “They did not, but I dreamed that they have killed mother.” She threw herself into Madame Tang’s arms again and whispered, “I don’t want to leave mother. They are bad people.” Her voice was still childish.

Madame Tang was dumbfounded but her expression softened as she whispered back, “Little fool… Dreams are all phoney.”

Tang Jiao didn’t say anything. She kept leaning against Madame Tang. And then, she looked up at the Goddess of Mercy Guanyin.

She stared at it for a while before suddenly uttering, “Mother, can you find me a Buddhist Scripture?”

Madame Tang was even more surprised. Now, everyone wanted to learn Western-related matters. Originally, Youyou couldn’t understand why she worshipped Buddha. Fearing that her classmates would get to know it, she hid this interest of hers. But things were completely different now.

She probed, “Do you want to read the sutra?”

Tang Jiao nodded seriously and looked very pious, “I want to thank Goddess Guanyin well.”

Although Madame Tang didn’t know why her daughter had changed, she has always spoiled her so she simply nodded to her.

Tang Jiao let go of Madame Tang, knelt on the hassock, and put her folded hands together as one.

There was a sound of footsteps. After that, a crisp female voice sounded, “Mother, is my big sister here?”

Truly talking about the tail and the devil would appear.

This was in fact Tang Heng’s voice.

She was standing at the door and didn’t enter, acting very polite.

It was because of her disguise that Tang Jiao believed her, but now she couldn’t anymore.

Madame Tang was about to flare up when Tang Jiao pressed her hand and smiled. She then invited her, “Come in.”

Tang Heng pushed the door open. A glint of surprise flashed in her eyes as soon as she spotted Tang Jiao kneeling on a praying mat. But she still showed a shy smile, “Sister, cousin has arrived.”

When Madame Tang couldn’t see, she winked at her secretly.

What a lively, naive and intimate “good little sister”.

Tang Jiao revealed to Madame Tang, “Mother, when I was sick at home before, I felt dejected, so I begged my cousin to take me to the cinema. And, I think he is trying to fulfill his promise by coming here today.” After a pause, she smiled and shook Madame Tang’s hand gently, as she continued, “Can you let me go?”

Because of her husband, Madame Tang had no good impressions of the new trends that the female students followed. Especially the type of trends.

Tang Jiao originally hid it from Madame Tang.

This even became a little secret between her and Tang Heng.

However, this time, Tang Jiao was being frank towards her mother. Acting like a spoiled child, she insisted “Can I go?”

Madame Tang really disliked it. But when she saw her daughter’s pathetic appearance, her heart softened, “Go ahead.”

Tang Jiao smiled brilliantly, as if it wasn’t her who whined loudly just now.

She put her arms around Madame Tang’s neck and kissed her cheek. And then, she happily thanked, “Thank you, mother!”

This move stunned the other two people…