Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
The last message struck An Xiaoning like a grenade that had just exploded. There were only a few people who knew about her previous lifetime. Yet, all of a sudden, someone mentioned her name in her previous lifetime. Could it be…
Her hands turned clammy and she broke out in a cold sweat.
She replied, “Who are you?”
There were no further messages from the anonymous sender.
“Sis, how did he know that you were sent by Tuoba Gucheng?”
An Xiaoning shook her head and said, “I don’t know…”
She put away her mobile phone and lay in bed while her mind was sent into a whirlwind.
There were a few takeaways she had gotten from the messages.
Firstly, apart from herself, Tuoba Gucheng, her parents, Jin Qingyan, Fan Shixin, and Xiao Bai, no one else knew that Tuoba Gucheng was the one who had sent her on the quest for the treasure map. Just how did the mastermind know?
It was unlikely that Tuoba Gucheng was the one who told him, for the mastermind had already mentioned that none of the troops that Tuoba Gucheng had sent managed to survive. That just meant that they were not on good terms.
However, it might be likely that the mastermind knew Tuoba Gucheng, but not vice versa.
Secondly, the three of them had decided to make V Nation their first stop because it was said that that was the place where the treasure map had originated. Did Tuoba Gucheng guess that I would come here?
He knows clearly that none of his elite soldiers could accomplish the task and is aware of how formidable and powerful the mastermind is. Yet, he still made me choose between finding the map or never seeing Jin Qingyan again.
Thirdly, the people who knew about her previous lifetime were few and far in between.
The mastermind said that I reincarnated as a human in both my lifetimes and yet I’m still as silly as ever. Is that because he knew that I had ended up on a similar plight in my previous lifetime?
Otherwise, how could he or she have said that?
Did we know each other in my previous lifetime?
Just who is this person?
Is he male or female?
I’m out in the open while they’re hidden somewhere.
Seems like we must leave this place as soon as possible.
——
The moment Lin Shishi heard that Shi Xiaoyu had sent her subordinates to bring her cousin and family to the Autumn Palace, she hurriedly proceeded to call her aunt.
Her aunt told her that she was already on the way to meet Shi Xiaoyu.
Realizing that there was no way to stop her, Lin Shishi hurriedly rushed over.
By the time she arrived, Shi Xiaoyu had already met up with her cousin and her cousin’s parents.
Upon her arrival, Shi Xiaoyu shot her a glance, seemingly hinting at her not to spout any nonsense.
At this point, Lin Shishi had already begun detesting her mother-in-law and pretended not to notice her glance.
She was not willing to send her cousin onto a path toward ruin.
Her cousin was the only daughter of her aunt. One can only imagine the scoldings and blame she would have to shoulder if she did not stop this marriage from happening.
Would they even be able to continue being relatives?
She was aware of how much her aunt and uncle doted on her and could not bear to see such a tragedy happen.
“I invited you guys here today because I heard about Gucheng trying to matchmake Shishi’s cousin with a prospective marriage partner previously, but it fell through. It just so happens that Gucheng’s brother isn’t married yet. What do you say we become doubly related and strengthen the ties between our families by setting them up?” Shi Xiaoyu suggested with a benevolent smile.
Lin Shishi’s aunt and uncle looked at each other in dismay while Feng Qiubai was shocked out of her senses and was at a momentary loss for words.
Lin Shishi’s aunt had no choice but to say, “It’s my honor to receive such an offer from you, Madam. Qiubai, what are your thoughts?”
Feng Qiubai answered, “Madam has such high expectations of me, I…”
Lin Shishi interjected, “Cousin, my brother-in-law is homosexual. Do you not mind that at all?”
“Shishi! Those are just rumors, are you really going to say that too about your brother-in-law? Or are you afraid that your cousin will overpower you if she marries your brother-in-law and your brother-in-law gets elected during the next presidential election?” Shi Xiaoyu snapped angrily.
Lin Shishi’s cousin and her parents were all dumbfounded.
Flabbergasted, Lin Shishi decided not to give in to her mother-in-law’s unreasonable ways and retorted, “Mother, you don’t have to try and sow discord between me and my cousin’s family. You know clearly yourself whether or not I was speaking the truth. I won’t watch my cousin jump into her grave.”
“This is a discussion between me and your cousin’s family. Stay out of this and leave. Since you’re pregnant, you ought to go out on walks more often,” Shi Xiaoyu ordered.
Lin Shishi looked at her cousin and the latter’s parents before saying solemnly, “Uncle, Auntie, Cousin, you mustn’t agree to this marriage. You don’t have to be afraid of my mother-in-law either. She doesn’t actually have any rights and she can’t compel you against your wishes. I won’t lie.”
She then turned around to walk away as soon as she finished speaking, leaving Shi Xiaoyu exasperated.
Being young and prone to acting recklessly, Lin Shishi was not at all bothered, for she felt that she had done nothing wrong.
Unable to tolerate it, she decided to call her mother to inform her of the matter.
She thought that her aunt and uncle would definitely object to the marriage since she had already stated things so clearly.
After all, who would dig their own grave?
Yet, the results had disappointed her.
Her cousin agreed to the marriage.
She actually agreed!
Lin Shishi was flabbergasted the moment she heard the outrageous news.
There was actually someone who’d still be willing to marry a homosexual.
Just what was Cousin after?
After chatting with her mother, Lin Shishi understood the reason behind her cousin’s decision.
She was indeed swayed by Shi Xiaoyu.
The presidential candidates would forever be kept within the Tuoba family, and the nation’s citizens would decide the outcome of the presidential election, which took place once every eight years.
The candidates would definitely be Tuoba Gucheng and Tuoba Hancheng.
Since Tuoba Rui had already retired, he would not be allowed to partake in the presidential election.
That meant that Tuoba Hancheng would still stand a chance to become the next elected president.
Should Tuoba Hancheng manage to become the next president, her cousin, Feng Qiubai, would then become the next First Lady.
By the time the next election comes round, Lin Shishi and Tuoba Gucheng’s son would only be a few years old, and hence, he would not be allowed to partake in the election at all.
Lin Shishi could not help but sneer, “Mother, did you see that? I was so worried about her and concerned about her future. Yet, she chose to let me down for the sake of a life of riches and luxury.”
Madam Lin was speechless. She, too, felt that her niece was being foolish and ignorant.
“Forget it, she was the one who made that decision herself. Shishi, you did the right thing. It’s up to you to tell her while it’s her choice to decide whether or not to agree.”
Lin Shishi was perplexed and frustrated after hanging up the phone.
However, what made her even more dejected was receiving news of Tuoba Hancheng agreeing to the marriage as well.
He actually agreed!
Lin Shishi felt like they were both just using each other.
The first thing she did when Tuoba Gucheng returned was to inform him of the matter.
“Don’t worry about it since they’re both willing parties,” said Tuoba Gucheng.
“I’d really like for Sis Xiaoning to read Cousin’s birth characters. I’ll call Sis Xiaoning later.”
“Save it. An Xiaoning is probably busy right now. She doesn’t have the time to read fortunes,” Tuoba Gucheng said composedly.
“She’s busy? How did you know that, Hubby?” Lin Shishi asked in puzzlement.
“I gave her a mission to accomplish, she’s currently overseas.”
Dumbfounded, Lin Shishi asked, “Hubby, since when did you get so close to Sis Xiaoning?”
