Volume One, Chapter One: Who Could Be So Heartless?

“Young master, we raised you from childhood; even if we have no merits, we have borne hardships. We beg you to spare us, we know our mistake!”

Yin Tiantian returned from cutting pigweed to find Shen’s father and mother crying out in agony, being beaten with a board. Their backs and buttocks were covered in blood, and they were barely clinging to life!

“Shen Fuzhu, what are you doing?”

Outside the dilapidated Shen family courtyard, two luxurious carriages stood incongruously amidst the surroundings. Well-dressed maids and elderly servants formed two rows, escorting Shen Fuzhu, newly clad in splendid brocade, into the carriage.

His anxious expression was tinged with arrogance.

“Tiantian, those two secretly swapped me with the marquis’s son at the time. Because of them, I have suffered in this remote village for so many years. Now, I’m finally returning to the marquis’s mansion in the capital to enjoy a life of comfort! I’m quite reluctant to leave you behind—come with me to the mansion and live well!”

Watching his triumphant demeanor, Yin Tiantian felt a surge of scorn. How could she not have seen through Shen Fuzhu’s wicked nature last life, revealing itself the moment he gained power!

Shen’s parents feared he wouldn’t adapt well at the capital and wanted her to accompany him to care for him. But soon, he was dazzled by the capital’s indulgences and abandoned her, associating with noble ladies, while she was tormented and humiliated in the marquis’s rear quarters, eventually falling ill and dying neglected.

Hatred welled up in her heart.

Yet even with a second chance at life, she remained a child bride, powerless against the marquis’s mansion and unable to defy him.

“I was bought by Father and Mother; I cannot follow the young master to the capital. You just go and enjoy yourself; don’t trouble yourself about me.”

“That’s a shame... Tiantian, wait for me. I’ll first return to the capital to see my parents and plead with them. Once I have permission, I will definitely come back and take you with me!”

Shen Fuzhu glanced at the motionless Shen father and mother, then waved his hand.

“Forget it. Let’s leave them some breath; after all, they still have to raise their own son and arrange a marriage and children for him! Let’s go!”

The carriages departed grandly. Yin Tiantian hurriedly put down her basket and approached Shen’s father and mother to check on them.

They had been honest farmers all their lives, never daring to confront anyone—there must be some misunderstanding for them to commit such a brazen act as secretly swapping children!

“Father, Mother, are you alright?”

The elderly couple still lay face down on the bench, struggling to breathe, which terrified Yin Tiantian.

“Someone, quickly come help!”

Her eyes reddened with panic. As a child, she had been sold and passed around by cruel hands; if not for these two elderly people buying her back, she would have long since been sold into a brothel.

In her previous life, after being tormented to death in the marquis’s rear quarters, it was these two who, along with their biological son, came to collect her body...

The neighbors were too afraid to offend the marquis’s mansion and dared not come. Yin Tiantian recalled someone and hurried inside, where a lame boy was leaning against the doorframe, struggling to walk outside.

Their eyes met. The boy looked somewhat dispirited but mustered strength to comfort her.

“Don’t worry, Father and Mother will be fine.”

She stared fixedly at the boy. He was truly handsome, refined and scholarly, carrying an air of sudden misfortune mingled with a resolute sense of responsibility, evoking sympathy.

“Forget it, you take care of yourself. I’ll handle this!”

The whole family was battered and broken. Yin Tiantian’s gaze fell on his leg. Last life, she followed Shen Fuzhu to the capital and never had the chance to interact with him, but after her death, her soul hovered above and saw him limping to collect her body.

That day, he stood in the courtyard for a long time, his shadow stretched by the sunset, full of loneliness. The marquis’s mansion disdained him and her, only impatiently urging him on.

He painfully carried her out of the mansion and brought her home to bury.

This kindness, she vowed to repay this lifetime.

Yin Tiantian struggled to carry the elderly couple back inside, fetched clean water to tend to Shen’s mother’s wounds. Suddenly, the boy reached out.

“I’ll do it.”

He cleaned their wounds, took a bottle of golden wound medicine from his bosom, and applied it carefully. The guards who had beaten them had shown some mercy; the injuries looked frightening but did not break bones.

After all, he had been the heir apparent for many years.

He laughed bitterly. From now on, he would no longer be the heir.

There was no clean cotton cloth at home to dress wounds, not even a scrap to be found.

“I’ll go make a fire basin and bring it over!”

It was late autumn, and the air was cold. Yin Tiantian feared the elderly would catch cold if left with their wounds exposed.

She still had to feed the pigs, cook, and find ways to make a living—there was much to do.

The mountain grass was all withered and yellow. The fresh pigweed she had painstakingly found in the valley was nearly gone; soon, Stinky Treasure would barely have chaff or weeds to eat...

Seeing her flustered and busy, the boy said,

“Rest a while.”

His back was straight, yet inexplicably he exuded the melancholy of autumn’s solitude. Yin Tiantian suddenly felt like laughing—after a trip to the capital, she had even learned to recite poetry!

She could still smile. The boy glanced at her oddly.

“Young master, our home is not like the marquis’s mansion. We have only plain food and simple drink. Please don’t despise it!”

His gaze drifted out the window.

“What am I but a ‘young master’... Plain food is already a blessing. If my parents lost their lives because of me, only death could atone and make me worthy of them.”

He had been raised with aristocratic teachings, instilled with clan loyalty: no matter how capable one was, filial piety and advancing the family’s interests were paramount.

Yin Tiantian had heard many stories at the marquis’s mansion—such as wearing colorful clothes to please parents or donning straw garments to obey mothers. To her, these were just ways to keep children obedient!

“That’s not true. Truly loving parents would never bear to let their children die. Even if your parents can’t survive it, they wouldn’t blame you.”

She was but a humble child bride with little insight. Were it not for the boon of living a second life, she wouldn’t dare speak.

“Young master, better a bad life than a good death. But rest assured, I will work hard to earn and support the family, so you and your parents can live well!”

The boy’s lips twitched. This Cui Heng’s life seemed to be turning backward.

A little girl shamelessly claiming she would support him?

“Young master, you smiled! You’re not sad anymore?”

When she smiled, two dimples appeared on her cheeks, and her eyes were dark and bright. Though malnourished and gaunt from years of hunger, she had good bones and would surely become a beauty with care.

“Young master, if you’re not sad, let’s eat. Only by strengthening your body can you turn your fortunes around!”

Yin Tiantian brought a bowl of golden millet porridge to him. Her smile was magical, and Cui Heng suddenly found his appetite returning.

Just as he was drinking, the patched window paper was suddenly smashed from outside with a bang, and a stone nearly hit him.

“I just fixed this window... Who’s so wicked!”

Yin Tiantian stormed outside, only to see a naked, ragged boy jumping off the wall and running away without showing his face.

“Ergouzi, itching for trouble, huh? Just from your bare backside, I know it’s you. Watch out, I’ll skin you alive!”