Chapter 2: Expelled from the Main Courtyard

Not only was her abdomen in pain, but Lin Zhiyi also felt nauseous, as if she were about to vomit. According to the original character’s memories, it had been two months since her last period.

In the book, it was briefly mentioned that when the original character was confined to the back courtyard, she had given birth to a son, who was immediately taken away by Qin Lang’s mother, her mother-in-law, right after birth.

Lin Zhiyi immediately understood—she was pregnant.

What kind of sin had she committed? Not only had she transmigrated into the life of a despicable cannon fodder character, but she was also now carrying the child of that despicable character.

Holding back the churning in her stomach, Lin Zhiyi spoke, “So they want me to move out of the main courtyard? Fine, I’ll move. What’s the big deal?”

It was not the time to get into a fight with the maids, and besides, she couldn’t be bothered.

She had her space, so what was there to fear?

In the coming days, she would take everything that belonged to the original character with her.

Let the Qin family try and gain something from this—they’d be left with nothing.

And as for these lackeys, every single one of them, she’d sell them all off to work in the mines as laborers!

The maids exchanged uncertain glances upon hearing her words.

Granny Zhang, the leader, said, “Madam is sensible, that’s good!”

Chai Ya, unwilling, hesitated. “Miss…”

Lin Zhiyi patted her hand, “Chai Ya, go pack things up.”

Chai Ya was always obedient to Lin Zhiyi’s words. She shot a fierce glare at the maids before beginning to gather the things.

Moving out of the main courtyard was one thing, but the fine jewelry, beautiful clothes, and precious possessions of the madam must be taken as well.

Chai Ya only had two hands and couldn’t possibly carry everything. She wrapped up the gold hairpins and decorative packages, clutching them tightly.

She thought to herself that these ornaments were the most valuable, and once the miss was settled in the new courtyard, she could make a few more trips to move everything out.

But before they could leave the main courtyard, Wang Mama, the old madam’s confidante, hurried over. She whispered something to the maids, who nodded in understanding.

“The old madam says, since you’re the daughter of a traitor, you’re not worthy of any of these belongings. This dress is for you to change into. Hurry up and leave the main courtyard.”

Wang Mama said this as she disdainfully threw a coarse cloth dress at Lin Zhiyi.

The dress landed heavily on Lin Zhiyi’s body, but she didn’t catch it, and it immediately fell to the ground.

Chai Ya was furious, “You ungrateful wretches! The miss really wasted her efforts raising you all…”

Before she could finish, Lin Zhiyi interrupted her, “Chai Ya, let’s go.”

There were too many of them, and Chai Ya couldn’t fight back. It wasn’t the right time to take action!

If they did, it would only be them who suffered in the end.

“Where should the madam go now? Please lead the way, Wang Mama.”

Wang Mama expected Lin Zhiyi to cry or make a scene, but to her surprise, Lin Zhiyi was calm and cooperative, so Wang Mama didn’t feel the need to make things difficult for her.

However…

“The hairpin and the circlet your ladyship wears, I’m afraid they won’t fit anymore. How about…”

Lin Zhiyi smiled and removed all the jewelry she was wearing, placing it on the table.

“Is this enough?”

“And the keys to the madam’s private treasury.”

On the day the madam married, the entire capital was shocked.

It was said that not only had the Lin family given an extravagant dowry, but Lin Mu had also added to her daughter’s dowry, so that Lin Zhiyi wouldn’t suffer any hardship after marriage. The ten-mile bridal procession was no exaggeration.

Lin Zhiyi took off the keys and handed them to Wang Mama. “Can I leave now?”

She coldly snorted in her heart. She would let them hold onto these things for now. When the time came, she would get everything back, with interest.

If the Qin family thought those items belonged to them, and then she took them back, the expression on their faces would be so satisfying.

It was easy to accept something that wasn’t yours at first, but losing what you already had—it might just take half your life.

“Yes, yes, of course,” Wang Mama responded.

Wang Mama was thrilled—everything had gone so smoothly. She was sure she’d receive a reward from the old madam once the matter was reported.

Thinking of this, Wang Mama directly led Lin Zhiyi to a run-down courtyard. “Madam, please.”

Knowing that Lin Zhiyi, as the daughter of a traitor, had no place to go, Wang Mama left her there, without locking the door, confident that Lin Zhiyi wouldn’t attempt to escape.

Lin Zhiyi surveyed the courtyard. Weeds were growing through the gaps in the flagstone, already reaching knee height.

The main building was in worse shape. The door was crooked, and the red lacquer on the door frame had long since peeled off, exposing the dark, rotting wood beneath.

A thick layer of dust had settled on the threshold, and a spider was weaving its web on the door frame. The delicate threads trembled gently in the breeze.

The copper ring on the door was rusted and unrecognizable.

It was truly dilapidated.

In the original character’s memories, this courtyard had belonged to the Lin family.

Later, when Lin Zhiyi married, and since the Qin family didn’t have a house in the capital, the Lin family had given her this house.

The courtyard had never been lived in, not even by the servants, because it hadn’t been repaired. Normally, it wasn’t too bad, but during rain or snow, the outside might have heavy rain while the inside had a light drizzle.

In the book, it was quickly brushed over—after the Lin family’s exile, the original character, without the Lin family’s backing, truly lived in misery.

Chai Ya, both angry and frustrated, said, “Miss, this place is completely uninhabitable! How can they treat us like this?”

Lin Zhiyi’s eyes narrowed slightly. “It doesn’t matter.”

It was only temporary, after all.

Besides, before she transmigrated, she had loved traveling and exploring. She had encountered all sorts of harsh environments, so this was nothing.

As soon as they entered the house, Lin Zhiyi smelled the dampness. “Ugh, ugh…” The nausea hit her, and she couldn’t help but gag.

Seeing Lin Zhiyi gagging terribly, Chai Ya quickly came over to rub her back. “Miss, what’s wrong? I’ll fetch the physician right away.”

Lin Zhiyi quickly grabbed her arm. “No need, it’s not an illness. I think I’m just pregnant.”

Chai Ya’s eyes lit up. “Miss, you’re pregnant? This is wonderful news!”

“Miss, I’ll go report to the old madam right away.”

Chai Ya believed that the old madam would no longer make things difficult for Lin Zhiyi, now that she was pregnant.

“Wait!” Lin Zhiyi stopped her.

She wasn’t planning to keep this child.

In the book, it was written that the original character had given birth to a son.

But this child was not close to the original character and even hated her deeply.

After the original character gave birth to the child, Qin Lang’s mother had taken the child into her room to raise, and the original character had trouble seeing her son.

There were some opportunities to meet him, but each time the child saw her, he not only refused to call her “mother,” but he also cursed her, calling her a guilty woman and telling her to die. His real mother was He Jiaojiao, Qin Lang’s official wife, and the legitimate daughter of He Shilang’s family.

As the child grew into his teenage years and learned proper manners, every time he saw the original character, he still used the most vicious words to attack her, despising having such a mother.

When all hope was lost, the original character finally directed all her resentment at the Lin family, planting false evidence of treason in their household, which led to the Lin family’s extermination.

It was this son who personally drove the original character out of the Qin family, and this house, which had been part of Lin Zhiyi’s dowry, was where the original character ultimately froze and starved to death on the streets.

A child with such bad genes couldn’t be allowed to be born.

Though this body technically belonged to the original character, now that Lin Zhiyi had transmigrated into it, this body was hers, and she had the right to make decisions.

Lin Zhiyi took out a stack of items from her bosom—actually, she had gotten them from her space.

She handed them to Chai Ya, whose eyes widened in shock. “This is amazing, Miss! When did you hide these on you?”