Category: My Girlfriend is a Cold and Aloof Sickly Beauty

Chapter 38: Petting the Cat

The winter days in Daying grew colder and colder, and the nights were even more frigid.

Tonight, Shizhu brought a small hot pot to the table, along with thin slices of beef and mutton, and several plates of fresh vegetables, filling the table.

Xiao Luohan had only seen such a spread around the winter solstice and asked in surprise, “Is there a special occasion today?”

“No, it’s just that it’s particularly cold tonight. Hot pot is warmer than regular dishes, and it’s good for Your Highness during your period.” Shizhu skillfully started swishing the meat slices in the boiling broth. “Don’t worry, Your Highness, I prepared all the ingredients myself. No one could have poisoned them!”

Xiao Luohan naturally trusted Shizhu, but looking at Shizhu’s smile through the rising steam, she regretted not asking that older sister earlier.

Before she left, she had to arrange a way out for Shizhu. But she was too inexperienced, and now in a foreign land, without power or influence, in Jiang Xue’s world’s terms, her “social experience” was far less than Shizhu’s. How could she possibly plan a future for her?

Moreover, Shizhu didn’t want to leave the palace. She was grateful and close to her precisely because her arrival had allowed her, someone about to be dismissed, to stay.

But if she disappeared, Shizhu would definitely be held accountable. She had heard about the royal family’s interrogation methods from her elder sister. If that happened, Shizhu would surely die.

“By the way, I also prepared a chili dipping sauce.” Seeing her worried expression, Shizhu produced a small dish filled with bright red chili oil, trying to change the subject. “Would Your Highness like to try it? But it’s extremely spicy. Your body is weak, and too much might upset your stomach. Shall I try it on a piece of meat for you first?”

Xiao Luohan came back to her senses. The chili oil looked fresh, and just the smell alone was appetizing. She couldn’t help but nod.

Soon, a slice of beef with a touch of chili oil was placed in her bowl.

At first, Xiao Luohan was a little apprehensive. Shizhu wouldn’t lie; if she said it was spicy, it must be extremely spicy.

But looking at the beef, she felt that it was just a little bit of oil and probably wouldn’t be too spicy, so she took a bite.

…It was so spicy it hurt!!

She felt a burning sensation explode in her mouth, but the following sense of exhilaration was something no other seasoning could match. She quickly took a few bites of rice, chewed it together with the meat, her cheeks puffed out, and finally swallowed!

Having tried it once, she wanted to try again, but Shizhu, who had been watching her closely, stopped her, even hiding the dipping sauce behind her on the counter.

“If Your Highness likes my chili sauce, start by trying a little bit like this with each meal, and gradually let your stomach get used to it before eating more,” she explained seriously. “Otherwise, your stomach and intestines will feel like they’re being churned!”

Knowing that she was being considerate, Xiao Luohan smiled and nodded, taking a piece of mutton without chili that Shizhu offered.

Even without the chili sauce, Shizhu had thoughtfully prepared other dipping sauces. Both the meat and vegetables were delicious when dipped in them.

Halfway through the hot pot, Xiao Luohan noticed movement from the open booklet beside her.

A porcelain bowl, the size of her palm, appeared, steaming.

Shizhu quickly went over and picked it up. Looking inside, she smiled. “It’s shepherd’s purse and tofu soup! Although shepherd’s purse isn’t a delicacy, it’s always fresh and tender no matter how it’s prepared.”

Xiao Luohan took the bowl, blew on the soup, and took a sip. It was indeed delicious.

“Does the ghost or spirit eat spicy food?” Shizhu suddenly had an idea. “My chili sauce is best eaten fresh…”

“Yes,” Xiao Luohan said without looking up. “She tries anything spicy. You can send it over without worry.”

Shizhu happily carried her homemade chili sauce over, carefully wiping the bottom of the dish before placing it on the booklet.

She couldn’t see the booklet, but having seen things appear out of thin air many times, she knew where to place things to send them over. That’s how she had sent the message written in blood last time.

After finishing the hot pot, Shizhu washed and returned the bowl of shepherd’s purse and tofu soup and started cleaning up the table.

Xiao Luohan had been thinking throughout dinner, planning to first understand Shizhu’s wishes before discussing the future with her.

She had to at least let Shizhu know what was going on… she didn’t want Shizhu, like herself, to be informed of a decision after it had already been made.

After the kneeling in the snow incident, the two had a life-or-death bond, and they could speak frankly about personal matters.

“Shizhu, if I have the opportunity to go to the ghost or spirit’s world, what will you do?”

When Shizhu returned after finishing her chores, Xiao Luohan sat up straight and asked directly.

She didn’t say “Do you want to come with me?” For so long, only she and Jiang Xue had been able to communicate and enter each other’s dreams. She probably couldn’t bring anyone else to that world. Since that was the case, she should tell Shizhu from the beginning.

Shizhu was stunned. After a long while, she finally spoke, but it was a question: “How will Your Highness go?”

“I’m not sure,” Xiao Luohan shook her head. “Perhaps only my soul will go, or perhaps my soul and body will disappear together.”

“Then I will go with Your Highness!” Shizhu’s answer surprised her. “Since your soul has to go, I can protect you along the way!”

“If any stray ghosts or evil spirits block our path, let them come at me!”

Xiao Luohan was stunned. Coming back to her senses, she grabbed Shizhu’s arm and shook her head vigorously. “You have to live, Shizhu!”

How could she let a living person die for her?!

“But I have nothing to live for anymore!” Shizhu said with a smile. “I used to work tirelessly, never complaining, because of my daughter. I worked hard so that she could have a better life, marry a good family, and if not enjoy a life of luxury, at least not suffer like me.”

“But after my daughter passed away, I lost half my soul, living in a daze, until I met Your Highness…” She sighed softly. “It seems people need something to hold onto to live. Otherwise, it’s better to die!”

“Besides, Your Highness going to that world is a great blessing, but I’ve often heard that the journey is fraught with troublesome spirits. If you go alone, you might be entangled and lose your way!”

In Jiang Xue’s world’s terms, Shizhu, who believed in ghosts and spirits, had her own “worldview.” Hearing this, Xiao Luohan wanted to correct her, to tell her that she had a “divine messenger” to guide her and that no little ghosts would dare interfere.

But she only opened her mouth before her vision blurred.

Seeing her tears, Shizhu panicked and hurriedly wiped them with a handkerchief. “Look at what I’ve said, Your Highness, I’ve frightened you! Just ignore my words, don’t be afraid!”

“You really scared me, I might fall ill from fright!” This was a good opportunity. Xiao Luohan’s heart pounded. She immediately softened her voice and acted pitiful, “If I can take you, I’ll take you with me. If I can’t, you must remember—live well, for my sake too! Otherwise, I won’t be at peace there either! Do you understand?!”

Shizhu readily agreed.

She had managed to persuade Shizhu for now, but she still had no idea what to do about Shizhu’s future.

Xiao Luohan had no other choice but to consult the Jiang sisters.

Jiang Xue was also stunned. Although she knew that ancient people could be incredibly loyal, this was the first time she had heard such a story firsthand, and she immediately felt that this was a tricky situation.

“Sis! What should we do?” She could only look at Jiang Mei. “If the Third Princess really leaves, Shizhu might follow…”

“It’s not that difficult,” Jiang Mei said. “Those were her heartfelt words, but if the Third Princess wants her to live and find a way out, she’ll listen.”

“Since Shizhu sees the Third Princess as her new emotional anchor, it proves the Third Princess’s importance in her heart. She’s a loving mother and will definitely prioritize her ‘daughter’s’ wishes.”

“Like this time, when she said she wanted to protect the Third Princess, it’s because she cares about her so much, afraid that something might go wrong during the crossing, and her letting go would lead to the Third Princess’s death.”

Jiang Xue suddenly understood. After some thought, she shared her idea: “Then let the Third Princess frequently hint at it to her. When I go over there through dreams, I’ll also try to make some noise in Wangmei Pavilion to let Shizhu know that I’m always there, just invisible to her. Would that work?”

“It’s feasible, let’s try it,” Jiang Mei nodded.

Jiang Xue went to tell Xiao Luohan.

She had already planned to investigate in the dream, so this was just something she could do on the side, to make her presence felt by Shizhu.

But for some reason, she didn’t dream for two consecutive nights at home, and didn’t go to Wangmei Pavilion in her dreams.

Instead, Xiao Luohan could still come over normally, sometimes in human form, sometimes deliberately transforming into a cat.

On Sunday afternoon, while Jiang Xue was taking a break after studying, she heard a cat hissing. Going over, she saw the Ragdoll cat squatting in front of the large white cat, its back arched, but curiosity in its eyes.

Since there was no one around, and Xie Xitong could also see Xiao Luohan, she picked up Xiao Luohan and asked, “Do you want to pet Xixi?”

“Yes.”

Jiang Xue held her above the large white cat and tried to place her paw on it.

But before the Ragdoll cat’s paw could touch the white cat, the white cat turned and ran.

Jiang Xue, holding the Ragdoll cat, chased it from the study to the living room, then to the courtyard.

“Oh dear, why are you running so frantically?”

She heard Ms. Wei’s voice and looked over. The unapproachable white cat was rubbing against Ms. Wei’s leg, meowing pitifully.

“It’s okay, it’s okay.” Ms. Wei bent down, picked up the white cat, and spun around like she was comforting a child. “There are no bad guys chasing you. Auntie will protect you.”

Feeling the Ragdoll cat tense up in her arms, Jiang Xue hesitated to approach.

That was, after all, the mother of Xiao Luohan’s “counterpart”…

“Let’s go back inside, Jiang Xue,” she heard Xiao Luohan say.

Jiang Xue didn’t ask why and turned to leave.

But Ms. Wei, holding the white cat, quickly caught up, saying with a smile, “A-Xue, Mommy caught Xixi! Xixi never scratches or bites Mommy. Quickly, pet it.”

“Pet it?” Jiang Xue whispered into the Ragdoll cat’s ear.

“…Okay.”

Having received confirmation, Jiang Xue turned back.

Perhaps because it had found a safe “haven,” this time, the white cat didn’t hiss at Xiao Luohan in her Ragdoll cat form, only lying lazily in Ms. Wei’s arms.

Jiang Xue symbolically stroked the cat’s fur, her gaze on Xiao Luohan’s paw.

The very human-like paw gently patted the white cat, stroking its fur.

The white cat glared at the Ragdoll cat, but still allowed Xiao Luohan to pet it for a long time.

Chapter 37: Opening Her Heart

Jiang Xue hadn’t forgotten that tomorrow was the weekend, the day Xiao Luohan had promised to tell her about her past.

Since Xiao Luohan wasn’t good at expressing herself with words, she would draw the people and events of her past for her to see.

It was still Friday evening. Receiving the drawings in advance should have made Jiang Xue happy.

But looking at the drawing in her sister’s hand, especially the woman who looked exactly like her Wei Mommy, only differing in attire, she and Jiang Mei fell silent.

“It’s not surprising,” Jiang Mei said after a while. “If the two worlds are parallel, then the people in our relationships would have similar, or even identical, counterparts in the Third Princess’s world.”

“For example, I correspond to her elder sister, Sister Cheng corresponds to Shizhu, and so on. Then Ms. Wei should correspond to her mother.”

Jiang Xue listened, a little dazed, and followed her sister’s logic. “Then, what about Jiang Mommy, who gave birth to us?”

Wei Mommy wasn’t in good health, but she and Jiang Mommy loved each other very much, so they eventually had their “love crystals” (children).

When Jiang Xue was very young, she had heard Wei Mommy say that because the burden of childbirth had fallen on Jiang Mommy, who was always in good health, both she and her sister had the surname “Jiang.”

Wei Mommy wanted them to remember that Jiang Mommy had suffered a lot during pregnancy and childbirth, and they should be cautious about their own marriages and childbearing in the future.

“If you want to confirm, the easiest way is to show her a picture of Ms. Jiang,” Jiang Mei suggested. “It just so happens that she’s currently in a period where she’s willing to open up to you, and she feels indebted to you. If you ask, she’ll answer.”

Jiang Xue originally wanted to send her phone directly—there were many family photos in the album, including pictures of her two mothers, individually and together.

But on a whim, she went to the study and found Ms. Jiang’s solo hanfu photo album.

“Do you have a guess?” Jiang Mei asked curiously, watching her place the photo album on the diary.

“Yes, but it needs to be verified.” Jiang Xue nodded, watching the photo album disappear. “Actually… while I was looking for photos, I was thinking about two questions.”

“Tell me.”

“If interpersonal relationships really have counterparts, then can bad people also find their… counterparts here?”

“Even if they do, this is a society ruled by law, and our family isn’t afraid of trouble.” Jiang Mei calmly dispelled her worries. “If you’re not at ease, you can ask for the names and appearances of the people the Third Princess considers ‘bad people,’ and I’ll make some inquiries later. What’s the second question?”

Jiang Xue pondered for a moment. “I’m thinking… if the Third Princess really can come over and see these familiar strangers, will she… feel like she doesn’t belong?”

Even though the two societies were vastly different, there were people here who resembled those in the Third Princess’s memories.

These people were all good and would treat the Third Princess well, but what would the Third Princess think?

The original bonds wouldn’t exist here. Whether it was familial affection, gratitude, or shared experiences, everything would be reset, starting from scratch.

“You know that the premise of this hypothesis is already ‘if the Third Princess can really come over,’” Jiang Mei said. “If she’s willing to come, then deciding to leave the ancient world means she’s already prepared to start from zero.”

“Besides, isn’t she also living in a new environment now? At least if she comes here, she has us to rely on and doesn’t need to worry about food and shelter.”

“…” Jiang Xue pursed her lips.

She wanted to say that this wasn’t her biggest concern, but she felt her older sister’s words made sense. In any case, the Third Princess’s situation in this world would definitely be better than being married off.

Just then, the photo album was returned.

Jiang Xue hurriedly checked the diary.

【Judging by her appearance alone, this noble lady resembles my elder sister’s mother—the late Empress of Beiliao.】

…The late Empress?

Jiang Xue was startled. Just as she was about to write, she saw Xiao Luohan’s added explanation:

【After the news of my elder sister’s death arrived, the late Empress grieved excessively and passed away a few days later.】

【But observing my mother’s reaction during those days, I suspect there was something suspicious about the late Empress’s death. Otherwise… my mother wouldn’t have agreed to send me away for marriage, and wouldn’t have said those ‘treasonous’ words.】

【”A marriage alliance at least offers a chance at a peaceful life. It’s better than being trapped in this cold palace with my mother, waiting for the kingdom to fall and be subjected to humiliation…”】

Only Xiao Luohan could see the diary on her side, so she no longer hid her words.

【Thinking about it now, my mother might have heard some secret, seen Beiliao’s impending doom, and resorted to this as a last resort.】

These passages made Jiang Xue’s heart pound with fear.

A woman who could become a general in that era usually came from a powerful military family.

A woman from a military family becoming Empress meant that part of Beiliao’s military power was in the hands of that family.

If the Emperor of Beiliao had truly dealt with the Empress as Xiao Luohan suspected, to regain military power, or for other reasons, then Beiliao was indeed rotten to the core.

And the death of Princess Zhemei, Xiao Linghan, didn’t necessarily mean that her army was no match for Daying.

Jiang Xue didn’t know how to respond.

She wanted to write “Leaving Beiliao is a good thing,” but no matter how bad Beiliao was, it was still the Third Princess’s home country. She also wanted to write “Let bygones be bygones, don’t dwell on it,” but as soon as the thought crossed her mind, she felt she was the least qualified to give such advice.

Just as she was about to ask her older sister for help, new words appeared:

【I’m not afraid of you laughing at me, but whenever I think of this, I sometimes feel that leaving Beiliao is a good thing.】

【Now that the dust has settled, I will just focus on investigating the matters I care about and finding a way out for Shizhu. The past and Beiliao’s fate are not things I can interfere with.】

Jiang Xue: ?

Wait, she didn’t remember the diary having a transtemporal mind-reading function!

---

Xiao Luohan was much more at peace now.

Or rather, she had never had many attachments—with a short lifespan and a difficult life, she had only hoped to live peacefully with her mother while she was still alive.

Unexpectedly, in the “final stage of her life,” she had experienced so many changes, losing her elder sister, leaving her mother, and destined to die alone and unnoticed in a foreign land.

But now she saw a glimmer of hope ahead, her elder sister, who seemed to have become a red fox after death, was also protecting her, and she wanted to try to follow her mother’s final instructions, let go of the past, and just move forward.

So the story that was supposed to be told over the weekend was moved to tonight.

She talked about herself, about her elder sister and mother, and about the late Empress, whom she had rarely seen, but who had always shown her kindness whenever they met.

As if she wanted to pour out all the words she hadn’t been able to say last night.

【Ever since I can remember, I’ve lived with my mother in the cold palace. Although our supplies and money were often withheld, and we had no support from our maternal family, life was still manageable. During festivals, when my father held banquets, my mother and I were also included. But places like the summer resort only existed in stories told by others.】

【I met my elder sister very early on, and it was she who first recognized me.】

【My elder sister is nine years older than me. When I was still in my cradle, she would often come to see me, happily call me “little sister,” and hum songs to lull me to sleep. By the time I could remember things, she was already a young woman skilled in martial arts, joining the army and fighting enemies at a young age.】

【Because of my elder sister’s favor, my mother and I had a much easier life. Those concubines and servants who wanted to bully us had to think twice, considering my elder sister’s weapons.】

She smiled silently.

Actually, her elder sister advocated “peace is precious.” She didn’t want to resort to violence for matters that could be resolved with words and money.

—”Hurting and killing become easier with practice. Elder Sister doesn’t want to become a heartless killer!”

She still remembered her elder sister’s words, so she added them, then started a new line.

【When I was young, I sometimes thought, if only Mother was the Empress, and the Empress was my father. Although the Empress and my mother weren’t close, she always took good care of my mother, just like my elder sister treated me.】

【My mother once said that only women understand women’s suffering. The Empress was a mother to the nation, magnanimous and tolerant. Even when my second brother’s mother schemed against her for favor, she would just laugh it off and rarely punished her.】

【I felt that the Empress lived a tiring life. But in our world, being connected to the royal family meant reaching the pinnacle of power. Besides being the Empress, I didn’t know where else she could go…】

She paused, then continued, half-jokingly, half-seriously: 【If she hadn’t met with misfortune, with the support of her maternal family, becoming the Emperor herself wouldn’t have been a bad choice.】

She remembered that in Jiang Xue’s world, there had been a long period of “female emperors,” and it was because of the efforts of women in that period of history that the world of “gender equality” existed now.

Women studying, becoming officials, and engaging in business had become the norm. They were no longer rushed into marriage just because they “reached a certain age,” no longer faced life-threatening situations when going out alone, and one “deep mountain” after another had become a heavy and dark part of history.

Top female scientists had even developed technology for same-sex couples to have children, and female rulers had enacted new laws… Every “reform” and change she had read about in textbooks was unimaginable to her.

She had imagined more than once what would happen if her elder sister, mother, and the late Empress could be reborn in that world.

And after seeing the album filled with photos of the “late Empress,” she felt that her imagination had become a reality.

However, there was no need to tell Jiang Xue about these secret thoughts for now. She would ask them in person when she truly went to that world.

Even if the people in that world weren’t the reincarnations of those in this world, just their similar appearances were enough to represent a beautiful wish.

---

The heart-to-heart conversation ended when Sister Cheng called them for dinner.

Until the very end, Jiang Xue didn’t reveal her suspicion about her two mothers having counterparts in the ancient world. She and her sister quietly finished reading Xiao Luohan’s story.

But she was still unsure of Xiao Luohan’s plan, so she could only hope for her older sister’s ability to discern emotions from handwriting.

“She’s determined to come over,” Jiang Mei said, flipping through the diary. “Her handwriting was hesitant before, but now it’s completely different.”

She paused. “Did you say anything to her privately? During lunch break that day?”

“Uh… I just pointed out her fears and asked about her preferences, so I could prepare in advance, and she could use them as soon as she arrived, without having to buy them on the spot.” Jiang Xue recalled. “She probably figured it out herself. For such important matters, she can only rely on herself.”

Taking the diary, she wrote a farewell message to the Third Princess while saying, “But before that, I also have to work hard and help her realize her wish as soon as possible.”

She had to investigate quickly and try to bring the Third Princess over before the wedding date set by the two countries!

Chapter 36: Ms. Wei

The morning passed uneventfully. As lunch break approached, Jiang Xue hurried to the rehearsal room.

As expected, Jiang Mei was already waiting there, drinking a yogurt drink and holding the empty carton, clearly brought from home.

“You don’t have to be so early,” Jiang Xue said, sitting down in front of her. “Our rehearsal is going smoothly. The daily practice is mainly to help everyone get used to the pressure of performing. After all, not everyone can be calm and collected on stage.”

“I’m used to it,” Jiang Mei said. “I don’t have anything to do at home anyway.”

Jiang Xue had only mentioned it casually. Whether or not to adjust her arrival time was her older sister’s decision. She simply replied, “Oh,” and seeing that no one else had arrived yet, couldn’t help but ask, “Sis, what exactly did you tell Sister Cheng? She called the Third Princess ‘Third Miss’ this morning!”

And from Sister Cheng’s tone, it sounded like the Third Princess crossing over was a certainty, as casual as a distant relative coming to visit.

“I told her the truth. She feels sorry for that girl.” Jiang Mei paused. “Just for this matter, I even feel like… it’s a good thing Sister Cheng believes in ghosts and spirits. It saved me the time of explaining.”

“Did you mention the possibility that she might not be able to come over?” Jiang Xue asked softly.

“Sister Cheng said, ‘Heaven will surely open its eyes and look favorably upon good children,’” Jiang Mei replied.

Jiang Xue felt a warmth in her heart and sighed with emotion, “The Shizhus of both worlds are so good to the Third Princess!”

Jiang Mei nodded but didn’t reply, instead asking, “Did you get along well with the Third Princess last night?”

She had only asked casually, but Jiang Xue flinched, even looking around nervously to make sure Xiao Luohan wasn’t nearby before moving her stool closer.

“It was fine when she was a cat, nothing happened. I just treated it like I was really hugging a cat while sleeping.”

Even so, Jiang Xue lowered her voice. “But in the middle of the night, the cat turned into a human, and I… couldn’t sleep. But after she woke up and left, I fell asleep immediately and slept until morning, almost late!”

“…” Jiang Mei gave her younger sister a meaningful look, then swallowed the “That’s not what I asked” and steered the conversation. “Did she reveal anything else?”

She knew very well that, compared to written or drawn communication, her younger sister preferred face-to-face conversations to sense the other person’s emotions. She could even, during a face-to-face meeting, use her fearless courage to get the other person to willingly open up.

Even someone as reserved as the Third Princess, driven by “gratitude,” “appreciation,” and “a sense of security,” would surely open her heart to Jiang Xue.

Mentioning serious matters, Jiang Xue immediately straightened her posture.

“Yes! A lot!” she nodded vigorously, but still kept her voice down, afraid of being overheard.

She concisely recounted Xiao Luohan’s speculation about the “connection between the red fox and her elder sister,” her voice dropping at the end. “Although I promised to investigate in the dream, I actually… have similar hopes as her mother, afraid of uncovering an unpleasant truth.”

“A female general dying in battle, her body taken by the enemy—up to this point, there’s still a possibility of a future, maybe she faked her death… I know it’s disrespectful to question a renowned general’s fate, but since the Third Princess’s elder sister was such an excellent person, anyone would imagine the possibility of her surviving, right?”

“But…” her voice became even softer.

“But the red fox appeared,” Jiang Mei finished for her. “It only appears in dreams, and everything it does is for Xiao Luohan. And almost at the same time, your diary appeared beside Xiao Luohan, and you two made contact across time and space.”

At this point, both sisters fell into deep thought.

“…Sis, you’ve read so many books, have you ever encountered a similar situation?” Jiang Xue asked. “I feel like this kind of plot is common in web novels and anime, but I can’t think of any specific examples right now.”

“There are similar settings in certain genres,” Jiang Mei nodded. “Take ‘transmigration into novels’ as an example. Each book is a small world, and the Transmigration Bureau, which manages the ‘systems’ and ‘transmigrators,’ is the ‘observer’ outside these small worlds.”

“Usually, the ‘observer’ is an outsider, and the ‘transmigrator’ and ‘system’ are the participants. But some observers, because of their unconscionable actions, are eventually overthrown by the transmigrators. However, before that, the ‘participants’ need to ‘exit’ the game to reach the dimension where the ‘observers’ are.”

Jiang Xue listened attentively to her example and understood her sister’s meaning. Resting her chin on her hand, she continued using her sister’s terminology, “Usually, the easiest way to ‘exit’ the game is death, the so-called ‘breaking the game by dying,’ right?”

She paused. “However, I think the Third Princess’s elder sister was forced to exit—she died in battle. According to the Third Princess’s ‘earthbound spirit’ hypothesis, perhaps when she returned during her ‘seventh day,’ she saw the dark future her younger sister was facing, her obsession deepened, and she happened to seize some opportunity, so… that’s what led to the transtemporal communication between us.”

“You’re here early too?”

Just as Jiang Mei was about to reply, she heard Dan Yuanyuan’s voice from the doorway. Looking up, she saw the young woman struggling to drag a large, bulging bag through the door.

“The costumes are here!” Dan Yuanyuan stood at the door, hands on her hips, catching her breath.

“Why didn’t you tell A-Xi and me?” Jiang Xue immediately went over. “It looks so heavy!”

Dan Yuanyuan chuckled. “I wanted to surprise you! It’s Friday, and I checked the weather forecast. It’s going to be sunny for the next two days! We can wash and dry the costumes, and then we can rehearse in them next week~”

Jiang Xue helped Dan Yuanyuan drag the clothes into the classroom, gesturing to Jiang Mei, “We’ll talk later.”

Jiang Mei understood.

Lunch break was about to start, and the other students would be arriving soon. The topic they were discussing required time to explain, so they would put it aside for now.

However, the rehearsal didn’t progress as quickly as she had expected.

Seeing the new costumes, everyone excitedly tried them on.

Although the group dance costumes were all the same, everyone had voted on them together, and Xie Xitong had generously paid for the set they liked the most.

When the shop owner received the order, she couldn’t believe that the costumes were only for a single performance at the New Year’s Eve gala.

“Remember to take the headbands too! Don’t forget to wash them when you get home—” Xie Xitong said, holding up the headbands.

Jiang Xue also received her costume, or rather, the one that had belonged to the girl who had been slacking off.

As she held the costume up to herself, she took the opportunity, while no one was paying attention, to quietly go to the door and peek through the peephole.

…No Third Princess.

The Third Princess was currently on her period, feeling weak and sleepy. Her schedule had probably changed temporarily, so she hadn’t come over in a dream during lunch break, right?

---

At the same time, in Wangmei Pavilion.

Xiao Luohan was drawing at her desk.

She had promised Jiang Xue that she would tell her about her past over the weekend. Having dreamed of her mother last night, she recalled a few more things from the past. After waking up and hurriedly washing up and eating, she started adding to her drawings.

While drawing, she unwrapped a milk candy and put it in her mouth, letting it slowly melt as her thoughts drifted back to the past.

Among the hardships she had endured with her mother, there were also sweet moments.

Her mother’s maiden name was Wei. When she was a little older, her mother had personally taught her the entire poem Cai Wei. Sitting on her mother’s lap, she had innocently asked, “Why is half of this poem about ‘gathering vetch’? Is vetch that delicious? So delicious that you even have it in your name.”

“It’s quite tasty, but you can’t eat it raw, it’s slightly poisonous,” her mother explained with a smile. “Xiao Luo, do you want to try it?”

She curiously nodded, and that afternoon, her mother took her hand and led her to the small garden in a corner of the courtyard to gather vetch.

It was a warm spring day. The vetch grew in clusters, its leaves covered with dew, fresh and beautiful.

“Gathering vetch, gathering vetch…” she murmured, reciting the poem as she pulled on a vetch plant with small leaves and purple flowers, pulling it out by the roots, along with the soil.

“Oh dear, so rough, we won’t be able to eat the vetch again.” Her mother took the vetch from her, expertly replanted it, and only picked a portion, placing it in the basket.

“How do we eat it?”

“Wrap it in flour and steam it, or pan-fry it,” her mother replied. “If that’s too much trouble, just stir-fry it with lard.”

Despite saying this, that day, there was a plate of stir-fried vetch with lard on the table, and another plate of golden-brown vetch pancakes.

As Xiao Luohan’s thoughts wandered, her hand moved swiftly.

Drawings of her and her mother gathering vetch, and of the dishes made with vetch, quickly appeared on the paper.

After finishing the last drawing, she put down her brush and thought for a long time, then spread out another sheet of xuan paper and drew her mother as she remembered her.

Since she was going to tell her story, she should let Jiang Xue see her mother and elder sister…

At this thought, she paused and hurriedly looked at the digital watch.

Oh no! Engrossed in drawing, she had missed rehearsal time!

Even if she lay down immediately, she might not be able to enter the dream before lunch break ended.

Realizing this, Xiao Luohan sighed softly, unwrapped a fruit candy, and started crunching on it, letting the slight noise distract her.

A rich fruity flavor filled her mouth. This time, it was blueberry. The blueberry-shaped candy, the size of her fingernail, was easy to eat, reminding her of the dark pink wild berries she had eaten as a child.

Savoring the fruit candy, she calmed down again, dipped her brush in ink, and started sketching her mother’s face.

---

Every Friday after school, Jiang Xue would return to her family’s villa in the “Fragrant Courtyard” community.

Today, as soon as she entered the gate, she saw a figure busy in the small vegetable garden in the courtyard, seemingly picking vegetables.

“Mommy!” she called out, rushing inside to put down her backpack, entrusting the diary to her older sister, who was on vacation, then rushing back out, sleeves rolled up and scissors in hand. “Are we having shepherd’s purse dumplings?!”

She remembered that the patch was full of wild vegetables. Ms. Wei and Ms. Jiang would always bring some back when they went out to “connect with nature.”

Later, they simply planted the wild vegetables in their yard, so they could pick them whenever they wanted. Even if left unattended, the wild vegetables would grow vigorously.

“I’d like to make dumplings, but your Jiang Mommy thinks there isn’t enough shepherd’s purse for a whole family’s worth of dumplings, so she’s planning to make shepherd’s purse and tofu soup.” Ms. Wei snipped a shepherd’s purse plant and placed it in the small basket beside her. “Okay, this is enough. You came back just in time. Sister Cheng is very good at picking shepherd’s purse!”

So Jiang Xue, holding the clean scissors and the full basket, returned to the house to find Sister Cheng.

After handing over the basket and going upstairs to find her older sister, she found Jiang Mei frowning at a drawing.

“Did the Third Princess send another drawing?” Jiang Xue leaned in for a closer look and froze. “I-Isn’t this Wei Mommy? But I didn’t hear her say she saw Wei Mommy in a dream!”

“…This is her mother,” Jiang Mei pointed to the words at the bottom of the drawing.

Chapter 35: Insomnia

“Ah, in fifty years~ we will meet again~”

“Sent to the crematorium~ all turned to ashes~”

The noisy “last minute before sleep” alarm rang, breaking the silence.

“Uh… that’s my alarm.” Jiang Xue awkwardly grabbed her phone and swiped the screen. “Sometimes I want to study or play on my phone when I get home. This is to prevent me from staying up too late… Staying up late after a tiring day can lead to sudden death, so I chose this song.”

She was annoyed that the alarm had ruined the atmosphere, but Xiao Luohan was actually grateful for it.

Jiang Xue was going to sleep, and the true purpose of her visit should be achieved.

Before Jiang Xue could say anything else, she turned and burrowed into the warm bed.

Looking at the Ragdoll cat for a few seconds, Jiang Xue still couldn’t help but warn, “If you ever want to repay someone’s kindness in the future, absolutely don’t do it this way!”

“Yes, I know my limits,” Xiao Luohan nodded.

Jiang Xue: …

She really wanted to remind Xiao Luohan that feelings could also develop between women, but looking at the Ragdoll cat’s pure blue eyes, she once again felt that it was her thoughts that were problematic, and very problematic at that.

From the Third Princess’s perspective, this was just one girl repaying another girl’s kindness. Moreover, she had been the one to initiate the “turning into a cat and cuddling” thing. The Third Princess was merely imitating her.

As long as she didn’t have any inappropriate thoughts or intentions towards the Third Princess, this worry was unnecessary.

She carefully put away the diary, adjusted her sleeping position, and reached out to turn off the bedside lamp.

“Goodnight, Your Highness,” she said first.

“Goodnight.”

The room fell silent.

Jiang Xue had originally planned to keep a little distance from Xiao Luohan, but as soon as she moved away, the soft kitten snuggled closer.

Compared to words, the Third Princess seemed to prefer direct action.

She didn’t dare keep her distance anymore. Although the Third Princess in this form didn’t seem to mind physical contact, they were just sleeping in the same bed. If she acted too deliberately, it would only make the sensitive Third Princess overthink and add to her worries.

“I’m hugging a kitten, I’m hugging a kitten, I’m hugging a kitten…” Jiang Xue repeated in her mind, reinforcing the suggestion.

However, this kitten had a faint plum blossom scent, noticeable with every breath.

“This is a kitten that’s been sprayed with perfume…” Jiang Xue continued to deceive herself.

The Ragdoll cat cooperated, quietly nestled beside her, barely moving.

With these suggestions and self-deception, Jiang Xue drifted off to sleep.

She had thought she wouldn’t be able to sleep after learning the Ragdoll cat’s true identity, but unexpectedly, hugging the warm cat actually made her fall asleep faster.

She didn’t know how long she slept, but she vaguely heard a soft, whimpering female voice. Thinking she had rolled over and crushed the cat, she hurriedly woke up.

Then, losing her balance, she tumbled out of bed with a thud.

Jiang Xue winced, rubbing her body as she stood up and fumbled for the bedside lamp.

She was such a restless sleeper! Not only had she rolled over onto the Third Princess, but she had also rolled off the bed!

But when the light came on, she stared at the bed, dumbfounded.

The cat was gone.

The Third Princess, dressed in a plain white undergarment, was curled up there!

Jiang Xue, still half-asleep, her mind a jumbled mess, instinctively picked up her phone and checked the time.

—3:00 AM. Still early, plenty of time to sleep.

She quickly climbed back into bed, ready to go back to sleep as if nothing had happened. But then she saw tear streaks on the Third Princess’s face, and her foot, which had just reached the bed, retreated back into her slipper.

Gently wiping away the tears with a touch that shouldn’t disturb Xiao Luohan, Jiang Xue couldn’t help but put an arm around her, gently patting her back.

When she was very young, her two mothers and older sister would always soothe her to sleep this way, and she would sleep soundly. She didn’t know if it would be effective for “another version of herself from a parallel world.”

She quickly turned off the bedside lamp again, but placed her small orange nightlight near Xiao Luohan.

This way, even if trapped in a nightmare, the Third Princess might sense the light and realize she was dreaming.

After doing all this, Jiang Xue closed her eyes, holding Xiao Luohan, hoping to give her a greater sense of security.

…But this time, it seemed like the god of sleep had shut her out. She thought she had already slept for a while, but checking her phone, only ten minutes had passed.

She endured like this until 3:45 AM, when she finally had to admit that she seemed to have insomnia.

She couldn’t explain why she couldn’t sleep. Was it because of the whimpering she had heard in her half-asleep state? Or because of the tears on the Third Princess’s face?

Or was it because she had heard those stories before going to bed and was anxious to enter a dream and find clues, to uncover the truth?

But she didn’t feel like she was resisting sleeping with the Third Princess. After much thought, it was probably because she cared too much about the Third Princess and was constantly worried about her.

It was perfectly normal to have insomnia when you were worried. Every time she had a major exam, she would toss and turn for at least half an hour the night before.

Forget it, closing her eyes and resting was also good. Stop overthinking it!

Jiang Xue sighed softly, closed her eyes, and tried to fall asleep again. But a few moments later, her arm around Xiao Luohan slipped.

Startled, she quickly opened her eyes, and the person beside her was gone!

Even though she knew that the disappearance was likely because Xiao Luohan’s dream had ended—the Third Princess had appeared when she returned from evening self-study, earlier than her bedtime, so waking up earlier was normal—she was still worried. She turned on the light and picked up the diary.

【3:53 AM, has Your Highness already returned?】

Now, the last vestiges of her sleepiness were completely gone.

---

In the dream, Xiao Luohan had a deeper dream.

She was a very young child, being held and gently patted on the back by her mother.

She remembered her mother repeatedly begging her to forget her, to forget everything, before she left for the marriage alliance. She had tearfully agreed, not wanting to disappoint her mother. But after truly being separated from her mother, her mother’s face had become even clearer in her mind.

—”It’s Mother who has dragged you down, caused you so much suffering.”

She hadn’t forgotten her mother’s words that day, but she didn’t agree with her.

Her mother had done everything for her since she was young, ensuring she still had the qualities of a princess, minimizing any flaws that society could find fault with.

She tried to reach out to her mother, her small, chubby hands stretching towards her mother’s face. But before she could touch her, her mother, so close, and the arm holding her, suddenly disappeared.

She fell, not knowing where she was falling.

But she saw a ray of light shining down from above and couldn’t help but reach out again.

Her falling body was caught, and in her vision, under the warm light, she saw a large, fluffy red tail wagging, like a guiding flag.

“…Elder Sister,” she murmured.

No one answered.

“Broken Plum Blossom Princess, Xiao Linghan!” she called out again.

The red fox beneath her suddenly swooped down, the wind whipping past her body—she saw a fluffy cat tail rise up, the Ragdoll cat she had transformed into.

The red fox carried her to a dark place where nothing could be seen except for that ray of light.

The red fox tilted its body, placed her on the ground, and then leaped into the air.

Xiao Luohan stared blankly as the red fox left. She wanted to follow, but was afraid of getting lost, or that the red fox would be worried when it returned and found her missing. After pacing back and forth in the darkness, she simply squatted down and waited.

As she expected, the red fox soon returned.

It was carrying a large white cat in its mouth.

The cat looked majestic, its fluffy white fur rippling like waves in the wind, but now it was being held by the scruff of its neck, its paws dangling helplessly.

The next second, the red fox placed the white cat in front of her.

The white cat turned its head and meowed in confusion. Finding that the red fox had disappeared, it turned back to look at her.

It circled around her a few times, then swept its large tail behind her, easily wrapping it around her small cat form, snuggling close and purring contentedly.

During this time, neither the red fox nor the white cat spoke a word, but Xiao Luohan’s eyes widened.

She suddenly woke up from the deep dream, gasping for air as she sat up, her gaze immediately falling on the booklet beside her pillow.

No matter how much time passed, she would never forget—Jiang Xue’s diary had appeared the day after she arrived in Daying and was settled in Wangmei Pavilion.

So… that’s how it was.

However, was the dream just now a manifestation of her obsession, a beautiful image woven by her subconscious under the influence of her period hormones, or was it a glimpse of the truth she had finally caught after frequently entering dreams?

Unable to confirm, Xiao Luohan decided to keep this dream to herself, not even telling Jiang Xue.

---

【Yes, I went to bed early and woke up naturally.】

After receiving Xiao Luohan’s reply, Jiang Xue breathed a long sigh of relief, tucked the candy-shaped pillow under her covers, and continued trying to fall back asleep.

She didn’t know when she fell asleep, only that she slept very soundly, so soundly that she didn’t even hear her alarm. It was Sister Cheng who woke her up.

But even at her fastest eating speed, there wasn’t enough time to have breakfast at home.

Jiang Xue regretfully accepted the blueberry lava cheese toast and freshly brewed jasmine milk tea from Sister Cheng. Just as she was about to open the door, Sister Cheng stopped her.

“Second Miss, Eldest Miss already explained the ‘cat’ situation to me last night.” Sister Cheng rarely looked so serious. “What kind of patterns and colors does Third Miss like? I’ll prepare them in advance.”

She had even started calling the Third Princess, whom she had never met, “Third Miss”! What had her older sister told her?!

Jiang Xue was stunned for a few seconds before replying, “I asked her, but she hasn’t told me yet…”

“No rush, no rush!” Sister Cheng said hurriedly. “Even if Third Miss suddenly comes over, we have plenty of supplies prepared, both here and at the villa!”

Jiang Xue, who had a rough idea of their inventory, hummed in agreement, then paused, thinking about what to say. Sister Cheng opened the door. “You have to hurry! You might be late if there’s traffic.”

She was “pulled” out by Sister Cheng, “rushed” down the stairs, and pushed into the car.

Even as she sat down in her seat just as the bell rang for morning self-study, Jiang Xue still felt it was unbelievable.

However, if Sister Cheng truly was the Shizhu of the parallel world, then Shizhu helping a stranger from a foreign country, and Sister Cheng, who already worked for their family, preparing for the arrival of “Third Miss” from another world after hearing her older sister’s description, seemed perfectly reasonable.