Chapter 3: Farewell, Yun Mo Yi

Bai Jinxi’s heart was a complex mix of emotions, but sadness wasn’t the dominant one.

For her, her parents’ passing was a five-year-old memory, and many emotions had already faded with time.

What she felt now was mostly resentment and excitement.

The burning, the loneliness, the death – it all felt like it happened just a moment ago. How could she not hate?

And now, she was about to face the mastermind behind it all, before everything happened. She had a chance to change it all. How could she not be excited?

“Madam, be careful of the steps. The Miss’s room is right ahead.”

Footsteps and Tiandong’s voice, laced with a sycophantic smile, pulled Bai Jinxi back from her thoughts.

Bai Jinxi’s body involuntarily trembled. It wasn’t fear of Yun Mo Yi, but rather an overwhelming anticipation of seeing her.

Yun Moyi, you made me suffer so much. This time, I won’t wait for you to scheme against me. I’ll come to you myself!

She forced herself to calm down. If she showed any weakness, it would alert Yun Moyi, and that would be bad.

Bai Jinxi clenched the corner of her blanket, then looked towards the door…

“Sister Xi, your uncle is here to see you!”

As the door opened, a steady, deep voice of a middle-aged man echoed through the room.

Uncle Bai Chongwu was the head instructor of a martial arts school. In the previous life, he and his only son died before Bai Jinxi’s coming-of-age ceremony. When they were found, Bai Chongwu had been stabbed over ten times, his blood staining the ground.

His eyes were wide open, his arms tightly holding his son. On the ground beside them lay a golden phoenix hairpin, the coming-of-age gift he had prepared for Bai Jinxi…

The officials hastily concluded the case, saying it was a thief who broke in and was discovered by Bai Chong Wu, leading to the murder.

But Bai Jinxi didn’t believe it. If it was really a thief, why wouldn’t they take the hairpin?

After her uncle’s family died, Bai Jinxi had no blood relatives left in this world. She became a completely helpless orphan, with no one to stand up for her…

“Uncle…”

Seeing a relative again, Bai Jinxi’s eyes instantly turned red. She couldn’t hold back her longing any longer and threw her arms around her uncle, crying out. The mental wall she had built around herself suddenly crumbled.

“Waa… Uncle, I have no home…” Bai Jinxi seemed to be venting all the grievances and pain from the previous life. Large tears quickly soaked Bai Chongwu’s chest.

Bai Chongwu looked at the ten-year-old girl in front of him, his eyes also turning red. His trembling hand gently stroked her hair.

“Sigh, poor child… Sister Xi, don’t cry, don’t be afraid. Aunt Yun will take care of you like her own daughter.”

A voice, tinged with sobs, suddenly rang out. Bai Jinxi suddenly remembered Yun Moyi and stopped crying. She slowly turned her head to the side.

A woman who looked to be about 30, well-preserved, was wearing a gray squirrel fur cloak over a dark blue tunic. Her hair was styled in a casual bun, adorned with a simple silver hairpin. She wore a pair of silver earrings with a few small pearls embedded in them. Her elegant attire was meticulously crafted, every detail carefully chosen.

Tears welled up in the woman’s eyes. She quickly moved a couple of steps forward, sat down on the low stool by the bed, and gently patted Bai Jinxi’s hand.

“Sigh… my sister Rong, how could you bear to leave such a young child behind…”

In the previous life, Bai Jinxi had been deceived by Yun Moyi’s kind and compassionate appearance and sorrowful cries. She had immediately hugged her and cried.

But now, Bai Jinxi just stared at her, as if startled by the sudden outburst of tears.

She truly didn’t know how to react. Bai Jinxi had planned to play the role of her ten-year-old self, not to arouse Yun Moyi’s suspicion. But she couldn’t bring herself to hug Yun Moyi and cry like she did in the previous life.

Fortunately, Uncle Bai Chongwu quickly stepped in to smooth things over. “sister Xi, this is Mrs. Yun. She is…”

“Oh dear, I’m so caught up in my grief, I forgot to introduce myself. Sister Xi, I’m Yun Moyi. Just call me Aunt Yun. I was your mother’s close friend.” Yun Moyi gave a gentle smile, her eyes filled with warmth as she looked at Bai Jinxi.

“We used to promise each other that we would become in-laws in the future. Who would have thought… Sigh, before coming here, I already sent the betrothal documents to the officials for registration? Don’t worry, Sister Xi. Aunt Yun is your family now.” Yun Moyi finally released her stiff hand and reached out to touch her head.

Bai Jinxi shrank back into the blanket, feigning shyness. No matter how much mental preparation she had done, she didn’t want to have too much contact with her.

“Aunt Yun, did you come to our house to be a servant? How much monthly salary should I give you?” Bai Jinxi put on a naive and innocent expression, as if she really thought Yun Moyi was a servant.

Yun Moyi was taken aback by her words and was speechless for a moment, not knowing how to explain it to a ten-year-old child.

Seeing that his niece didn’t seem to dislike Yun Moyi taking care of her, Bai Chongwu quickly intervened. “Sister Xi, Aunt Yun is here to help out of kindness. You should treat her as an elder, understand?”

“Oh, so she’s still a servant…” Bai Jinxi pouted and mumbled.

That’s right, she was being deliberate. She wouldn’t refuse Yun Moyi’s entry into the mansion, but she wouldn’t let Yun Moyi’s schemes succeed so easily. She would make her suffer enough. Yun Moyi couldn’t possibly argue with a ten-year-old girl!

Seeing Yun Moyi’s stiff expression, Bai Chongwu hurriedly changed the subject.

He took a step back, bowed slightly, and solemnly bowed to Yun Mo Yi.

“If that’s the case, then I’ll leave Sister Xi in your care. Please treat her well. I thank you on behalf of her parents…”

“Uncle, Xijie wants to go pay respects to father and mother…”

Don’t bow to the murderer! She doesn’t deserve it! Bai Jinxi pulled on Bai Chongwu’s sleeve, interrupting him.

Not missing Yun Moyi’s momentary impatience, Bai Jinxi continued with a hopeful expression, “Aunt Yun, you’re my mother’s good friend. If mother knew you came to see her, she would be very happy. Aunt Yun, would you accompany me to pay respects to father and mother?”

Hearing this, the smile on Yun Moyi’s face almost disappeared. She paused for a moment, as if thinking of something, and nodded slightly. “Okay, Aunt Yun will accompany you.”

As she spoke, she turned and took a gift box from Tiandong’s hand. She opened it, revealing a dark blue cloak with an embroidered pattern that was barely visible.

“It’s our first meeting. This is a rabbit fur and silk cloak I specially prepared for you. Sister Xi, why don’t you wear it when you go? It will keep you warm.”

Bai Jinxi frowned at the white rabbit fur trim around the cloak, then thought for a moment and said, “This one isn’t suitable. Banxia, bring that white silk cotton jacket.”

In the previous life, she had worn this cloak to the ancestral hall to pay respects to her parents. As a result, it was seen by the guests who came to offer condolences, and the news of her wearing fur and silk during her parents’ mourning period spread.

Although she was young at the time and didn’t receive much criticism, the reputation of being spoiled and disrespectful followed her.

Later, whenever she went out to attend gatherings, she was treated coldly…

During those years, she had no friends to talk to. She clung to Yun Moyi’s occasional “warmth” like a lifeline.