IBTSOME Chapter 99 Part 2

I BECAME THE STEPMOTHER OF MY EX-HUSBAND

 

Chapter 99 Part 2: Reborn

 

^^

 

Gao Ran sat in the Buddhist hall, staring hollowly at the wooden fish in front of her. She faintly heard some music, and after a few beats, she barely reacted as she raised her head: "What's wrong outside, why is it so lively?"

 

The maid who did not know whether she should serve or guard Gao Ran lowered her head and said briefly: "Today is the third day washing¹ banquet of the little Junzhu."

 

"Third day washing?" Gao Ran paused and asked, "She gave birth to a daughter?"

 

The maid lowered her head and said nothing, and seemed unwilling to talk too much to Gao Ran. Gao Ran also didn't insist on the answer. She returned her eyes to the wooden fish in front of her. After a while, she suddenly laughed gently and slowly. The laughter was so soft and ethereal, it made people get goose bumps all over.

 

"She actually gave birth to a daughter, she actually gave birth to a daughter." Gao Ran smiled and tears fell from her eyes. She took such a big risk and did not hesitate to calculate her family in order to keep Gu Cheng Yao's Shizi position. But in the end, Lin Wei Xi gave birth to a daughter.

 

So what was she doing all this for?

 

Gao Ran thought she was ridiculous. She made a desperate move, thinking that she was doing something brave, but the final result told her that all this was in vain. Lin Wei Xi was pregnant with a daughter, in the future apart from dowry, it would not affect Gu Cheng Yao at all. But all this was too late, Gao Ran had already implicated and imprisoned, and at the same time offended her family and husband.

 

Although this Buddhist hall was still part of Yan Wang Mansion, in Gao Ran's eyes, it was no different from a prison.

 

Gao Ran listened to the faint movement outside and said in a daze, "It seems very lively today."

 

The maid did not answer, but Gao Ran’s sentence was also not a question. The sound of the salute she heard just now was the etiquette performed to welcome the Holy One. The emperor could not leave the palace, but the close eunuch by his side represented him. The emperor in the deep palace actually sent people to attend the third day washing, the rest of nobilities and court officials no need to be said.

 

Gao Ran couldn't help muttering: "Going this far just for one lousy girl?"

 

The maid had her own orders, she didn't have to acknowledge Gao Ran. But despite that, the maid couldn't help but criticize: "Even if it's a girl, that's still our mansion’s Junzhu, the pearl in Yan Wang’s palm. In the world if there are men, there are also women. The harmony of yin and yang is the norm. Shizi Consort yourself is a woman, and your sisters, mothers, relatives and friends are also woman. Why do you look down on daughters like this?"

 

Gao Ran coldly said, "What do you know." This maid was born to serve people. How could she understand that men conquer the world, women conquer men. If women wanted to climb up, when young rely on men, later on rely on sons. What's the use of having a daughter?

 

Not only Gao Ran, but the maid also felt that this abandoned Shizi Consort was simply unreasonable. The two were tired of seeing each other, and it didn't take long before the maid go out to take care of the daily matters. Only Gao Ran was left in the empty Buddhist hall.

 

Gao Ran knelt down on the pad, tapped the wooden fish one after another. Boom, boom, boom sound echoed in the high and cold Buddhist hall, the Buddha on the altar table stood high, looking down on the seven sufferings of the world with compassion.

 

Gao Ran's thoughts seemed becoming clear with the sound of the wooden fish.

 

In the past, there were blooming flowers in front of the eyes, and the clouds of smoke came and went, and her eyes seemed to be blinded by the splendor and wealth. Until she came to the Buddhist hall, she only read scriptures and heard the sound of the wind every day. She had a lot of time and one day could only think about one thing. If still couldn’t figure out in one day, then two or three days, until she figure it out.

 

After tossing and turning over and over again, Gao Ran finally found some problems that she hadn't paid attention to before.

 

For example, Lin Wei Xi was clearly growing up in a remote country, why was she not unfamiliar with the four arts, and even the first time she played gomoku, she defeated Gao Ran, who has the advantage of time and place? For example, why was she so familiar with Yan Wang Mansion, walking in the mansion with green tiles and red walls, everywhere had an imperial atmosphere, the young ladies from third grade official would be panicked, but why for Lin Wei Xi it was as natural as breathing?

 

Another example, Lin Wei Xi's face was so pale on the day of Duke Yingguo Shizi’s death. Even when she was diagnosed with pregnancy, such a big happy event, why was she still wear plain colors. Also, why was she contemptuous and nearly hostile to Han shi, why she meddled with Duke Yingguo Shizi’s matter, why did she recommend Gao Ke. You know, this kind of other family’s affairs, no one would want to get involved, to avoid the problems that could arise in the future, and also to provoke troubles for oneself.

 

Why did Lin Wei Xi do this?

 

One point alone might be difficult to explain it, but when all the things were combined, there was only one answer.

 

Lin Wei Xi was Gao Xi. Gao Ran herself was a transmigrator, how could she forget that being reborn after death could also happened to other people.

 

Gao Ran slowly laughed, the laughter was hoarse and low, resounding in the empty and desolate Buddhist hall, it unspeakably horrifying. That's it, that's how it is, she said why she always had a sense of deja vu when facing Lin Wei Xi, she said why Gu Cheng Yao always couldn't control himself to look at Lin Wei Xi, she said why Lin Wei Xi always targeted her like that!

 

The wooden fish in Gao Ran's hand suddenly fell and hit the ground with a loud sound. The guard maid was taken aback, and ran inside in panic: "Shizi Consort, what's the matter with you?"

 

Gao Ran's eyes fixedly looked at the wooden fish mallet that was rumbling on the ground. Her eyes dark, but if looked closely it didn't seems to focus. Her voice rise and fall seemed like suppressing a huge emotion, as if there was strong black ink in it: "I want to see Lin Wei Xi."

 

The maid paused, you still want to see Wangfei? What are you dreaming about?

 

"You tell her that if she doesn't come to see me, she will regret it."

---

1 Third day washing, a very important ceremony for a baby in ancient China. On the third day after a baby is born, a bathing ceremony will be held with relatives and friends to wish the baby good luck, the bath is to wash to filth, eliminate disasters and avoid difficulties. ^↩

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