Chapter 1: Reborn to the Past Life

Ning Bu Wan died.

She had just formed her Nascent Soul and, together with her senior brothers, ventured into a secret realm, only to die in the mouth of a demonic beast.

When she opened her eyes again, before she could understand what was happening, a slap came at her face.

“You little brat, how dare you bite me? I’ll beat you to death!”

Instinctively, Ning Bu Wan raised her hand to block it, only to realize that she had become smaller and lost her cultivation.

However, the slap did not land on her but on a young woman next to her.

“No, mother, please don’t hit Wan Wan. She is your own granddaughter!” The young woman rushed forward, shielding Ning Bu Wan from the old woman’s slap.

Seeing the young woman’s face, Ning Bu Wan’s pupils contracted sharply, “…Mother?”

She had actually been reborn into her past life.

Su Shi, eyes filled with tears and a look of grief, held Ning Bu Wan tightly and choked out, “Mother, as long as you don’t hit Wan Wan, I’ll do whatever you say.”

Upon hearing this, the old woman’s face lit up with joy. “So, you agree to stay in the Ning family as the cousin from the Ning branch family?”

“…Yes.”

The old woman beamed and helped Su Shi up from the ground.

“Don’t worry, I won’t mistreat Wan Wan from now on. With Ning Yu Mo’s promotion, your status will naturally rise. You won’t need to worry about Wan Wan’s future marriage either.”

“The best option is for you to stay in the Ning family as the cousin from the branch family. That way, I can also take care of Wan Wan.”

Through their conversation, Ning Bu Wan learned that she had returned to the period half a month after her family first arrived in the capital in her past life.

She was just five years old at that time. Her scumbag father, Ning Yu Mo, had passed the imperial examination as the top scholar. While parading on horseback, he was noticed by the daughter of the Eldest Princess, the legitimate young lady of the Rong Guogong Mansion, Princess Ping Le.

To take advantage of this opportunity to rise through the ranks, the Ning family decided to have Su Shi conceal her identity and stay in the Ning family as a supposedly abandoned cousin from the branch family.

When Su Shi brought her child into the Ning Mansion, many powerful families in the capital witnessed it. Without a reasonable explanation, the situation would arouse criticism.

This act also showcased the Ning family’s kindness and magnanimity.

Originally, Su Shi intended to request a divorce and leave the Ning family, taking her child back to her hometown in Qinghe Village. However, the Ning family refused. First, they did not want the reputation of abandoning their wife and child. Second, they did not want Princess Ping Le to know that Ning Yu Mo was already married.

When Su Shi disagreed, the Ning family threatened her life and that of her maternal family, forcing her to acknowledge herself as a distant relative of the Ning family, abandoned by her husband, and seeking refuge.

The Ning family also promised…

He promised to treat her and her mother well.

However, less than half a year later, Su Shi learned that her maternal family and the entire village had been slaughtered by bandits.

Unable to withstand the blow, Su Shi fell ill and soon passed away. The day after Su Shi’s death, she drowned in the icy lake.

Just because she accidentally called Ning Yumo “father,” she was pushed into the lake and drowned on the orders of the Ping Le County Lord.

That one word, “father,” made the Ping Le County Lord realize that she was not just a cousin but Ning Yumo’s biological daughter, which naturally could not be tolerated. As for how the Ping Le County Lord dealt with the Ning family afterward, she did not know—by that time, she had already traveled to the cultivation world.

Thinking carefully, there were many suspicious points regarding the massacre of the villagers in Qinghe Village and her mother’s death.

First, it was impossible for the dignified Ping Le County Lord not to doubt the Ning family’s motives for adopting a cousin. Even if there was no suspicion initially, how could the Ping Le County Lord tolerate a cousin with a child living in the mansion for long?

Clearly, it was impossible.

Secondly, the Ning family would have feared that Ning Buwan might accidentally reveal the truth, letting the Ping Le County Lord discover the reality.

Lastly, to cover up everything, they might as well kill everyone involved—only with all the insiders dead could the secret be kept. The Ning family could then continue to rise steadily with the support of the Duke’s household.

Therefore, forcing Su Shi to acknowledge the identity of the cousin and keeping the mother and daughter in the mansion was merely a pretense—the real goal was to find an opportunity to eliminate them.

These were all Ning Buwan’s speculations, with no direct evidence.

But no matter what, she could no longer stay in the Ning family.

After being reborn, she could not allow the villagers and her maternal family to die tragically, nor could she let her mother pass away from illness. Only by staying alive could she uncover the Ning family’s true intentions.

“Mother, Wanwan wants to go back to Grandma’s house.” Ning Buwan sniffled, speaking pitifully to Su Shi.

She was Ning Yumo’s wife and had done a lot over the years to support his studies.

She served her in-laws, took care of two younger brothers-in-law, and managed the Ning family’s farmland outside.

After years of hard work, she gained nothing in return.

Su Shi stood up, holding Ning Buwan in her arms, and choked up, “Wanwan, after some time, I will take you back to visit your grandma, okay?”

She had agreed to stay in the Ning family as a cousin, and there was no turning back. If she had known, she would not have followed them to the capital.

“Mother, let’s cut ties,” Ning Buwan whispered into Su Shi’s ear.

Hearing this, Su Shi’s expression froze.

Then she heard Ning Buwan choke back tears, “Mother, Wanwan doesn’t like Grandma and Father. When you’re not around, they hit Wanwan, yell at me fiercely, and call me a worthless burden. Wanwan is scared. Wanwan doesn’t want to stay in the Ning family anymore.”

“Mother…”

“Let’s go.” Ning Bu Wan, determined to completely sever ties between Su Shi and the Ning family, shed tears continuously.

While crying, she spoke in a muffled, trembling voice, “Mother, if we stay here, they will keep hitting and scolding me. The servants see how I’m not favored and secretly curse me too. I’m so scared—scared they’ll hit and scold you too. They can hit and scold me, but they can’t hurt you.”

“Mother, let’s sever our ties. Grandma and Father don’t like me, and I don’t like them either. I like Grandpa and Uncle. I miss Brother Shan Yu and Sister Xin Yao.”

Hearing Ning Bu Wan’s words, Su Shi broke down in tears. The child was only five years old—too young to lie. This meant that while she wasn’t around, her daughter must have suffered greatly.

Su Shi sniffled and thought deeply for a long time before finally making up her mind.

“Alright, I’ll sever ties. We’ll go home—back to Grandpa’s house.” Even if they were to die, they would die together.

Suddenly, Su Shi called out to Zhou Shi, who had just entered the main hall. “Mother, since you’re worried that my daughter’s and my presence will affect Yu Mo’s official career, let’s sever ties. From now on, we’ll be strangers.”

Zhou Shi was shocked by Su Shi’s words and then sneered. “Oh, how bold. You think you can just cut ties with the Ning family? Are you sure you can make it back to Qinghe Village safely?”

Zhou Shi’s tone carried a veiled threat. Su Shi’s heart trembled, but she took a deep breath and replied calmly:

“If Mother agrees to sever ties, we can part on good terms. I promise that from now on, I will have nothing to do with the Ning family. Even if the princess asks, I will still claim to be just a cousin of the Ning family and not reveal a single word.”

“I believe Mother wouldn’t want the news of the princess forcing Ning Yu Mo’s wife to death to spread at this crucial time.”

For her daughter’s sake, she was willing to take the risk.

Hearing this, Ning Bu Wan couldn’t help but think her mother was clever. The Ning family currently valued their connection with Princess Ping Le the most, and they wouldn’t dare risk offending her or letting bad rumors spread.

“You’re threatening me?” Zhou Shi glared at Su Shi, her face twisted with rage.

Su Shi gathered her courage and met Zhou Shi’s gaze, responding calmly, “It was Mother who threatened me first.”

Her daughter was her bottom line, and they all knew it. That was why they used her daughter to coerce her today. She couldn’t let her daughter suffer anymore. They might not love her, but they couldn’t harm her.

Just then, Ning Yu Mo returned from his official duties. Hearing the conversation, his anger flared up.

“Agreed. I, as the head of the household, agree to sever ties with your Su family. From now on, we will have nothing to do with each other. As for Ning Bu Wan, change her surname as well. If we cut ties, we cut them completely.”

Ning Bu Wan was naturally pleased to hear this. However, she didn’t miss the fleeting murderous intent in Ning Yu Mo’s eyes.

Silently, she glanced at Zhou Shi, and the two of them—mother and son—exchanged a tacit understanding.