The time she spent on the ranch as a child was her most cherished memory. Although she was lonely, she was surrounded by so many horse friends that she never felt alone.

She missed that time. Back then, she was determined to learn everything about horses and grow up to become a professional jockey, fulfilling her father’s dream. But an accident during a race left her with a leg injury… She couldn’t face her father, who was constantly drunk with disappointment, so she chose to return to Taiwan alone, where she truly understood the meaning of loneliness.

Zhu Yanyu stared blankly at the ceiling, her thoughts drifting. Suddenly, she remembered that she had traveled through time to a parallel universe not recorded in history.

She snapped out of her reverie and sat up quickly, finding herself in a completely unfamiliar room.

Hadn’t she been held on the horse by that man? How did she end up sleeping in a bed?

She looked down at herself and realized that someone had changed her clothes. Now she was wearing a simple undergarment, not luxurious but soft and comfortable.

This wasn’t her original clothing…

She felt a bit panicked and looked around. Through a small window, some daylight filtered in. The room was simply furnished with a bed, a wooden chest, a washstand with a basin, a table, two chairs, and a soft couch by the wall, on which a small figure seemed to be lying…

Xiangyu!

Zhu Yanyu was startled and hurriedly got out of bed, rushing to the couch without even putting on her shoes. Under the thick blankets, it was indeed her only remaining brother, sleeping with his eyes closed. His breathing was sometimes short and sometimes long, but his complexion was much better than before, no longer a frightening pale but a feverish red.

She touched his forehead and felt that he was sweating, probably because of the thick blankets.

She let out a sigh of relief, but suddenly heard a clear voice from the doorway.

“You’re awake!”

A girl about thirteen or fourteen years old walked in, not particularly beautiful but sweet and cute, with a touch of childishness. She carried a pot of hot water and efficiently poured most of it into the basin, then used the rest to brew some tea.

“You should wash your face first, then have a cup of hot tea. I’ll have the kitchen send some food over later.”

Zhu Yanyu did as she was told, washing her face with the water and then drying it with a towel from the stand. The girl stood by, smiling at her.

She suddenly felt a bit embarrassed. “May I ask who you are?”

“Oh, I haven’t introduced myself yet! I’m Xiao Cui, and I live in the room next to yours. The housekeeper asked me to take care of you and your brother.”

“Thank you! What about Xiangyu…”

“Your brother? The doctor has seen him and said he has caught a cold. After taking some medicine and resting for a few days, he should be fine. The doctor also said that both of you are a bit weak and need to recuperate.”

Zhu Yanyu heard this and smiled bitterly.

On the long and arduous journey, enduring sun and rain, eating poorly, and sleeping poorly, struggling for a month, it’s natural to become somewhat malnourished. But as long as Brother’s illness improves, we can find a way to recuperate later. As his older sister, she will never let him suffer again.

“Thank you, Miss Xiaocui.”

“Just call me Xiaocui!” The young girl waved her hand, showing a frank and enthusiastic personality.

She smiled slightly. “Then you can directly call me Yanyu!”

“Yanyu? Is that your name? It’s so beautiful.” Xiaocui looked envious.

“Your name is also beautiful!”

“Come on, you don’t need to comfort me.” Xiaocui made a funny face and sighed heavily. “My name was given to me casually by my mother. My sister is called Xiaohong, and I am called Xiaocui. Sigh!”

Zhu Yanyu looked at the young girl’s annoyed expression and couldn’t help but smile. “Isn’t it better than being called ‘Xiaolv’?” Xiaocui was stunned for a moment, then nodded in agreement. “You’re right. Xiaocui sounds a bit more scholarly than Xiaolv. I should be content.”

Zhu Yanyu chuckled. This girl is really interesting.

Xiaocui looked at her happily. “It’s good that you laughed. I thought you would be sad after waking up.”

Zhu Yanyu raised her eyebrows. “Why?”

Xiaocui didn’t answer immediately. She first closed the door properly, then pulled Zhu Yanyu to sit at the table and whispered mysteriously, “I heard that you were picked up by the Commander?”

Picked up? Zhu Yanyu raised her eyebrows again, thinking that the verb was quite fitting.

“You could say that.” Given the circumstances at the time, her life was indeed saved.

“I heard that the Commander wants you to be the groom for Flowstar?”

“Yes.”

Xiaocui clicked her tongue and shook her head, giving her a “you’re doomed” look.

Zhu Yanyu was both surprised and amused. “Is Flowstar that difficult?”

“Not just difficult, that horse is simply a demon!” Xiaocui muttered through gritted teeth, as if she had suffered greatly, but she still maintained the boundaries of a servant and didn’t want to say bad things about her master’s beloved horse. “Anyway, you’ll find out later.”

Zhu Yanyu smiled faintly, remembering the horse with its shiny black coat, still looking proud even in the pouring rain. She knew it was a spirited and temperamental horse.

And its master, dressed in all black, had killed her!

The cold voice seemed to still echo in her ears, and she couldn’t help but shiver.