-JuYing Courtyard-
Smash!
The sound of vases and furniture crashing resounded loudly in the courtyard, a line of maids with various bruises kneeling outside were too scared to even try interfering.
The loud noises had drawn the attention of a tall, slender elder. Her beauty was sharp and piercing, her eyes narrowing as she approached the chaos.
"Madam!"
One of the braver maids attempted to speak, but the lady merely raised her hand, stopping them with a commanding gesture. She didn't need an explanation to understand what was going on.
With a snap, she shut her painted fan and entered the room without hesitation.
Inside, the once elegant and neat space, furnished with luxurious tables and ornate frames, now looked as though a tornado had swept through.
Priceless vases and porcelain were shattered across the ground; teacups, food, scrolls, and jewelry were flung everywhere. The sight of the mess itself gave Ruan YueRan a headache.
Amidst the wreckage, a young woman sat on the floor, her chest heaving as she glared at the intruder.
"Mothe—"
Pah!
The folded fan in Ruan YueRan's hand struck her daughter's face, leaving a red tinge on her cheek. The force of the slap sent Ruan Luoluo stumbling to her knees, shock widening her eyes.
'Mother had never hit me before! Why?!'
Her hand instinctively rose to touch the stinging spot, her gaze incredulous as she glared at her mother.
"What have I taught you? Look at yourself."
Ruan Luoluo's mouth opened, but her mother continued before she could say a word.
"Is this how you respond to adversity? By throwing tantrums and smashing everything in sight? What did these items or those maids kneeling outside do to deserve your wrath? You only have yourself to blame. I don't remember raising a fool who loses her wits and acts like a spoiled child when things don't go her way."
Ruan Luoluo's lips quivered as she listened, her heart racing.
"You lost to that country bumpkin wife of Hei Jinyu, and here you are, crying and screaming instead of thinking about how to get what you want. So what if the Emperor orders you to relearn your lessons? Is it the end? Face is not everything. Let them laugh, let them ridicule you. In the end, you must be the one who laughs last."
"But mother...he...he..."
"What? Hei Jinyu? You want him, then make him yours. Stop playing these childish games and make him yours."
Tears began to spill from Ruan Luoluo's eyes, dropping onto the wooden floor. In the end, despite her harsh words, Ruan YueRan softened at the sight of her daughter's tears. She bent down beside her, pulling her into a warm embrace.
"My daughter," she whispered, her voice a mixture of tenderness and steel. "In this world, there are many ways to get what you want."
The room fell into a tense silence after Ruan YueRan's words.
Ruan Luoluo, still cradled in her mother's arms, sniffled as she tried to calm her erratic breathing. The slap still stung on her cheek, but the sharp pain was nothing compared to the burning humiliation she felt.
Her mother was right—throwing tantrums wouldn't get her what she wanted. She needed to be smarter, more cunning.
Ruan YueRan stroked her daughter's hair, her voice softening as she continued,
YOU ARE READING
A Thousand Life Times
عاطفيةShe's lived as an Empress, Doctor, Noble lady, Assassin, Slave and even a Dancer. She had so many identities, so many faces and life times that she didn't even remember what her first life was about, nor could she remember her name. Yet now, having...
