Chapter 1

Xie Anlan was awakened by a ghost pressing down on her. Although she hadn't slept for two days and two nights, who could sleep with a few hundred pounds of something on them?

"Wangcai, get lost for your sister!" In her sleep, Xie Anlan was furious. Does the damn Wangcai even remember how many dozens of pounds he weighs? Being so fat, it's a disgrace to be a husky. And he even dares to rub against his great owner's delicate skin!

Wangcai continued to press on her body, even going so far as to lightly kiss her lips. Xie Anlan suddenly opened her eyes, "Damn Wangcai!" and kicked the object off her. After all, she wasn't so perverted as to develop a relationship beyond species with her pet.

"Xie, An, Lan!" A voice full of teeth-grinding anger came from under the bed.

Xie Anlan finally opened her dazed big eyes, "Huh? Where is this place?"

The room in front of her was not the mansion she had just moved into less than half a year ago, but a room less than thirty square meters, ancient and elegant but not very luxurious. Not far away, the flickering candlelight dispelled any hope of finding any modern scientific items in the room, even a wire or a hidden socket.

"Xie Anlan! What are you doing in the middle of the night?" A man got up from the ground, and even with his back to the candlelight, one could see his thin but handsome face and the raging anger on it.

Xie Anlan whistled in her heart: What a delicious young man, but he's a bit too young, doesn't look like he's even eighteen yet?

Some strange images flashed through her mind, and Xie Anlan chuckled dryly, "I overslept, what do you want to do? Take advantage of me?" Actually, Xie Anlan wanted to say, "Young man, don't move, I'll take care of it!"

The handsome young man gritted his teeth, "You crazy woman, who wants to take advantage of you?"

Xie Anlan rolled her eyes and looked down at her half-opened collar, "Then why are you on top of me? Do you want to give me a massage?"

"You!"

Xie Anlan yawned, "Be good, I'm not in the mood today, I'm going back to sleep. If you don't want to be kicked off the bed again, behave yourself." She then wrapped herself in the quilt, forming a big cocoon, and closed her eyes to fall into a deep sleep.

The handsome young man standing in front of the bed was so angry that his whole body trembled, wanting to drag the woman in front of him up and scold her severely. But the pain in his back began to intensify, so he gritted his teeth and endured it. He huffed and turned to leave, slamming the door shut.

The woman on the bed turned over with difficulty and muttered, "Young people have such bad tempers."

After a while, she opened her eyes and slowly said, "Damn!" In the morning, Xie Anlan sat up on the bed and sighed. She was still here, and it couldn't be a dream. After a night's time to adjust, it was enough for her. Looking at the room in front of her, which was simple but ancient and elegant, she wrinkled her nose in disgust.

Xie Anlan wasn't a good person.

Growing up in an orphanage without parents, she entered the national intelligence department at the age of a teenager—commonly known as a spy. Through nearly ten years of ups and downs, she had saved hostages, eliminated terrorists, and raided drug lords' dens. But at the same time, she had also done plenty of killings, robberies, and arson. After being in this line of work for so long, the line between good and evil became blurred. Although when she first woke up and found herself in a different place, she couldn't help but curse, but after calming down, it didn't matter much. She might as well treat it as... early retirement? After all, her job didn't accept resignations. At least... there wouldn't be much chance of resigning in the next two or three decades. Unless she died in the line of duty, then she wouldn't need to resign at all.

Since she was retired, she might as well live a good life. Xie Anlan thought.

What does living a good life mean? According to a colleague, it means: eating well, drinking well, playing well, sleeping well, buying what you like, going where you want, pursuing the men you like, and beating up those you don't like!

Calmly crossing out the third point, Xie Anlan decided to live a good life. She couldn't help but cross it out; waking up as a single young woman and becoming someone else's wife was already depressing enough. And it was in a strict and ancient society! The days of freely pursuing men and ogling them were long gone.

Just as she got up, a young maid came in with a basin of water. Seeing her up, she quickly put the water down and came over, "Young Lady, why are you out of bed? You're still sick."

Xie Anlan thought for a moment and dug out the maid's identity from the depths of her mind. This maid was called Xi'er, who had been with her since she married into the Lu family and could be considered loyal. She waved her hand and said, "I'm fine."

Xi'er didn't believe it, "How can you be fine? Yesterday, when you were fished out of the pond, you almost..."

At this, Xi'er's eyes reddened, "Second Miss is really too much! No matter what, you are her sister-in-law. How could she... how could she..."

Xie Anlan looked at the young maid with some sympathy: Your Young Lady was really drowned yesterday, otherwise, how would I be here?

Xie Anlan was somewhat relieved that the original still left some important things to her—memories. Otherwise, she wouldn't be sure whether to act to cover it up or to pretend she had lost her memory due to the water. But after sorting through those memories, she felt it would have been better to really lose her memory.

The girl in this body was also named Xie Anlan, and she was seventeen years old. Her mother died early, and her father was a scholar who taught in a private school. Xie's father failed the imperial exams and was always thinking of his deceased wife, so he never remarried. Xie Anlan married the fourth son of the Lu family at the age of fifteen. Although the fourth son of the Lu family was a concubine's son, he passed the child examination at the age of ten and the scholar examination at the age of thirteen, which could be considered a young talent. Xie's father thought this son-in-law was good and married his daughter to him.

Xie's father had a kind heart. Although the son-in-law was a concubine's son, he would eventually have to split the family. Even if he got less property, as long as the son-in-law was talented and treated his daughter well, their future would be fine. Even if they didn't split the family, with the son-in-law's talent, he would surely pass the imperial exams and have a bright future, so their life wouldn't be hard.

Unfortunately, the Xie family was small, and Xie's father didn't know the secrets of the so-called scholarly families and powerful clans.

The Lu family's patriarch, Lu Wen, was once a fourth-rank official, but a few years ago, he was demoted to a commoner, and the Lu family moved to Quanzhou. Among the four daughters-in-law of the Lu family, Xie Anlan's family background was the worst, and she was naturally discriminated against in the Lu family. Her husband, Lu Li, was born to a concubine and died when Lu Li was eight years old. Lu Li was a good person, neither greedy for beauty nor indulged in drinking and gambling. Instead, he was gentle and elegant, devoted to reading. Xie Anlan was very satisfied with such a husband and even felt she didn't deserve him. She served him carefully, afraid of making him unhappy in any way.

Unfortunately, this was the former Xie Anlan's view. In the eyes of the current Xie Anlan, Lu Li was a complete waste. A grown man, doing nothing all day except reading books. Not only did he not earn a penny, but he also spent Xie Anlan's dowry. When Xie Anlan was mistreated at home, he didn't even stand up for her, let alone comfort her. Instead, he could make that silly woman feel deeply moved. Xie Anlan's dowry wasn't much; her father, who had been a scholar for most of his life, gave her all his savings, which amounted to about two hundred taels. Adding the Lu family's dowry, it was about five hundred taels in total. In just a couple of years, Xie Anlan's money was almost all spent.

The Lu family was a prominent family in Quanzhou, and everything was done according to rules. Lu Li, being a concubine's son, received only five taels a month, and Xie Anlan, as a daughter-in-law, received the same. Ten taels a month might seem like a lot to ordinary families, but in the Lu family, it was barely enough. Not to mention, if she wanted to add a dish, make a piece of clothing, or buy some jewelry and cosmetics, it was difficult. Not to mention, Lu Li's monthly expenses for ink, paper, and brushes were a significant amount. Lu Li had no income, so he spent Xie Anlan's money.

Yesterday, because of a dispute with the second miss of the mansion, she was pushed into the pond by the second miss, Lu Qiao. Although she was rescued, Xie Anlan was still gone. So, the handsome young man last night was her husband, Lu Li? How beastly must he be to be able to lay hands on a woman who just fell into the water.

"Where is Lu Li?" Sitting in front of the mirror, Xie Anlan looked at the woman in the copper mirror, who was still beautiful despite the blur, and asked while frowning. Her face looked a bit pale.

Xi'er was startled, "Young Lady, how can you call the Fourth Young Master's name!"

Xie Anlan blinked, "Ah... then where is the Fourth Young Master?"

Xi'er then said, "The Fourth Young Master went to the study in the middle of the night, I... don't know."

Xie Anlan nodded, "I see."

Xi'er took a light blue robe to help Xie Anlan dress, but Xie Anlan frowned, "Change the color." Xie Anlan's appearance was bright and beautiful but not gentle. Wearing such a light blue robe with embroidered orchids made her look out of place. But this couldn't be blamed on Xie Anlan. The Lu family was a scholarly family, and they valued women who were gentle, obedient, and virtuous. This led to a preference for women who were weak and gentle, like a willow in the wind. Xie Anlan, with her bright appearance, was considered vulgar, and the head lady of the family, Lin Shi, who had a plump appearance, was also early out of favor. Xie Anlan, wanting to please her husband, tried to dress herself as a gentle and virtuous lady, but this only made her look less beautiful and more dull.

Xi'er was puzzled, "Which one does Young Lady want?"

Xie Anlan thought for a moment and shook her head, "Forget it, just this one." The wardrobe only had a few pieces, in colors like light blue, pale green, and moon white, all embroidered with orchids, lilacs, and osmanthus. Although orchids were known for their noble fragrance, such patterns were not to her taste.

"Next time, have them make my clothes in red, purple, or blue and white. The patterns should be clean and grand," Xie Anlan said.

As they were talking, a maid outside the door reported that the lady of the house asked if the young lady was feeling better and, if so, to visit the main house.

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Dear readers~ 2016 is almost over, but... I'm starting a new story on the second-to-last day of the year! I hope you will continue to support Feng Qing (づ￣3￣)づ

The new story is a bit different from the previous ones, but I will work even harder! Love you all!

PS: The opening event is ongoing...

On the first day of the new story, there will be a reward giveaway. Before 24:00 tonight, if you collect and leave a comment, let's build a tower.

All legitimate readers can participate in the tower-building activity.

1st floor, 9th floor, 19th floor, 39th floor, 59th floor, 79th floor, 99th floor, and so on will receive 666 XiaoXiang coins.

All legitimate readers who participate in the tower-building will receive 20 XiaoXiang coins, which can be combined with the floor rewards but not repeated. Love you all, flying kisses.