Chapter 003: A Life

A sharp pain suddenly penetrated from below to her entire body, and she opened her eyes wide, in so much pain that she almost thought her life was coming to an end

He stopped in his tracks, yet did not turn back.

Upon arriving in the kitchen, it was the time for the maid and the houseboys to have breakfast. When they saw Mu Wanqing slowly walking over, there was a moment of silence before they began chattering away. The breakfast consisted of some thin porridge, but since she arrived late, the porridge had already been snatched up. She had no choice but to say to the kitchen worker, "Young man, I would like some white rice."

The intense desire reflected in Huo Chen's eyes filled Mu Wanqing with despair

Mu Wanqing looked out at the peach tree; the green pond courtyard had been abandoned for a long time, overgrown with weeds, yet this peach tree still bloomed brilliantly

She struggled to crawl forward on the smooth white jade floor, as if behind her lay an abyss from which there was no return. However, Huo Chen grabbed one of her legs and forcefully pulled her back. His face was filled with anger: "I have already told you not to escape! Why can Huo Huan possess you, but I cannot!"

Zhi Ning kept her eyes tightly closed, yet she was murmuring softly, "Water ... ... Water ... ... "

After a long silence, just when she thought he would not respond, Huo Chen quietly said: "A life."

The chef and the librarian glanced at her, waved their hands impatiently, and said: "You think you can just take what you want? You can't even get the food yourself, and yet you have the audacity to ask for it?"

Mu Wanqing was taken aback, and before she could react, he had already leaned down. She screamed in terror, desperately pushing against the approaching body of Huo Chen: "Don't come any closer!"

What nonsense are you talking about? Mu Wanqing struggled desperately

He was radiating scorching heat all over his body, and he leaned down to press her beneath him

After a night of heavy rain, the sky remains overcast. The peach blossoms in the courtyard, resembling clouds at dusk, bloom in clusters, all white against the darkened sky. Their wilting goes unnoticed, as countless pink petals fall to the ground.

a human life

Huo Chen quickly finished dressing, glanced at her, and indeed found her in a state of utter disarray, then turned and left

She held a damp towel and dabbed it on Zhi Ning's cracked lips. Zhi Ning had been dehydrated for so long that if she suddenly drank a large amount of water, her heart would not be able to bear it

Hearing this voice, Mu Wanqing did not turn around, but Mu Yirou had already walked up to her, smiling, and said: "Sister, you have such a bad temper; you didn't even greet your younger sister when she arrived."

She knew that Mu Yirou came to the kitchen every morning to personally prepare breakfast for Huo Chen, and encountering her could be considered a case of fate bringing enemies together

Mu Wanqing knew that Mu Yirou was precisely this kind of person who was inconsistent in her words and actions. She directly ignored her statement, took the prepared white rice from the kitchen staff, and turned to leave. After walking a few steps, she suddenly stopped, turned her head, and said: "But this idle person can unexpectedly be close to the prince; I am indeed too idle."

The world gradually faded away its vibrant colors before her eyes, ultimately transforming into black and white.

If she were given a small knife at this moment, she would undoubtedly accept it without hesitation

Mu Wanqing bit her lip tightly, not uttering a single sound. Her eyes, devoid of tears, stared blankly at Huo Chen above her, while her heart felt as if it were pierced by a thousand arrows. From his low, muffled groans and his eyes, which were tightly shut as if in enjoyment, she felt an overwhelming sense of humiliation. She finally understood why the real Mu Wanqing would choose to end her life; the feeling of being humiliated by others was indeed this unbearable.

Having said that, Mu Wanqing was too lazy to look at Mu Yirou's ashen face any longer. She casually tossed the white rice in her hand and left. Her expression was indifferent; if it weren't for Mu Yirou inciting Zhi Ning to steal Ying Ji's medicine, Zhi Ning would not have been punished. "If others do not offend me, I will not offend them"—this was the principle Mu Yirou had always adhered to. However, Mu Yirou had already crossed her bottom line, and there was no need for her to be polite.

Her gaze was piercing, causing the kitchen worker to lose his composure, and he found himself inexplicably afraid of her anger. While he was still in a daze, a voice came through: "Just give it to her, it's only a bit of white rice after all. The Wang family can afford to support such idle people."

"You are my woman," Huo Chen repeated once more, skillfully parting her legs, and with a single thrust, he plunged her into true hell

"You will find out sooner or later." Huo Chen turned her body, staring at her, "Mu Wanqing, tell me, is that masked person Huo Huan? Is it?"

Prince ... ...

Mu Wanqing had kept watch over Zhi Ning for an entire night. Coupled with the humiliation she suffered at the hands of Huo Chen last night, she was already utterly exhausted. Her eyelids were so heavy that they almost wanted to close. Gritting her teeth, she glanced at Zhi Ning and then got up to leave.

Last night, I did not see Mu Yirou's figure in the bathhouse. It is understandable, as Mu Yirou, being a consort, would not bathe with a group of concubines. Mu Wanqing smiled and said, "Not seeing my sister last night was truly missing out on a good show."

Mu Wanqing stared blankly at his departure for a long time. After the pain in her body subsided a little, she finally got out of the pool to retrieve the key.

Indeed, Mu Yirou's smile froze on her face. She had heard Ying Ji mention last night's events; the prince had summoned all the concubines, leaving only Mu Wanqing in the bath. She could tolerate other women approaching Huo Chen, but this woman was absolutely unacceptable! Mu Yirou sneered, "Then we shall see how long my sister can remain proud."

Mu Wanqing cast a glance at Mu Yirou, her half-sister from the same father but different mother. Mu Yirou was dressed in a pale pink luxurious garment, draped with a white gauze robe, her skirt's folds resembling snow, and her gaze flowed gracefully to the ground. With bright eyes and pearly teeth, complemented by dimples, she was undoubtedly a beauty.

You are the woman of this king!" After saying this, he domineeringly kissed her, his tongue skillfully sliding into her mouth, wantonly savoring the fragrance and sweetness within her lips

That sentence seemed like a declaration, as he pinned Mu Wanqing firmly to the floor, his hands sliding down from her neck, brushing over her collarbone, lingering on her chest, unwilling to depart

What do I owe you

Watching Huo Chen leave her side, she nonchalantly put on her clothes. It seemed as if a heavy breath was stuck in her chest; she opened her mouth but could not draw in a single breath. She wanted to cry, yet found herself completely unable to do so. She remained hunched on the ground for a long time without changing her position, gradually becoming numb all over, almost unable to move.

Since she began living as Mu Wanqing, she had no choice but to quickly adapt to life here, refusing to live like an ant

Her lips were ultimately bitten through by herself, and the metallic-sweet blood spread across her mouth.

In a state of panic, she kicked him in the stomach, and upon seeing him wince in pain, she quickly turned and crawled forward, her mind consumed by a single conviction: to distance herself from this demon

If it weren't for Zhi Ning only being able to eat some rice porridge, she wouldn't have come to the kitchen. Everyone in the Wangfu looked down on her, and this had been the case for more than a day or two. She originally didn't mind, but today she absolutely needed a bit of white rice. Mu Wanqing's gaze was piercing as she fixed her eyes on the kitchen worker and said, "I only want a little, will you give it or not?"

At this moment, Mu Wanqing was already in tears, and what dignity could there be at this time? She trembled all over, her skin tightening as if trying to escape.