*Birds chirping* "My lady, my lady..." Su Li Qin shudders Xu Yan's shoulder gently.

"Huh?..." Xu Yan scratches her head. She looks around the room as she yawns. *XY rubs her eye to see clearer* "Li Qin?! You're also here! In the afterlife! [exciting]" She gasp, hugging her maid; who is like a sister to her. Su Li Qin is a young girl who always ties her hair in two buns. She is nice, cheerful and loyal to the Xu Family.

"Xiao Jie... I've always been here, what are you saying? Afterlife?" Li Qin pulls her away gently. "See! You're not dreaming." She smiles.

(xiaojie = miss)

XY in her mind: What is happening?... Am I dreaming?" *Pinches herself* Ouch!

"I'm glad! Really." Xu Yan smiles back at her. "Where is mother?" Xu Yan asks.

"Madam is outside, what do you need?" Li Qin replies.

"Nothing! I'm just hungry...haha.." Xu Yan laughs awkwardly, touching her growling stomach.

"Just in time! I'll go get the steamed bun for you." Li Qin wipes her hands on her own clothes and walks to the kitchen. Xu Yan nodded.

"I... I'm back to the past?" Xu Yan thought to herself and looked around her bedroom. But when she thought about the misery, she began to cry.

*Footsteps approaching XY*

"What's the matter?" The mother walked towards her. Her mother was wearing a wealthy clothing covered with jewelry on her neck, hair and on her hands."

"Mother!" Xu Yan cries hugging her tightly. "I'm so sorry." The mother tried to comfort her, but Xu Yan cried even harder.

"Woah, woah! Xu Yan, you are suffocating me! Planning on killing me today?" The mother joked.

"[XY smiling] Sorry! I just feel happy today...overwhelming." Xu Yan wipes her tears away.

"What happened this time? What trouble have you made?" Her mother asked. "Why are you sorry? What have you done this time." She repeated.

"Mother, nothing! Really! Just seeing all of you guys makes me tear up from joy." Xu Yan said sitting down on the bed.

"Nightmare?" The mother followed her and sat beside her.

"Yeah, after all the nightmares..." She wipes her painful tears and sighs, "I regret putting my faith into the wrong man. No one will use me to get what they want in this lifetime. No one will be allowed to hurt those I love." Xu Yan says to herself.

"Wrong man? What man, Xu Yan." The mother asked after hearing her.

"I-..." Xu Yan looked at her.

"Steamed bun is hereeeeeeee!" Li Qin yelled excitedly and interrupted the conversation. Xu Yan stood up and walked towards the maid,

"Yay! My favorite! You know be so well, Qin Qin!" Xu Yan smiles brightly as she takes the bun out from the steaming basket.

Li Qin pushes her hand away gently, "It's hot, my lady!"

"Ah! You're right." Xu Yan giggles. "Where is father?"

"He is speaking with Zi Du." Xu Yan's mother stood up and walked towards the two.

"Zi...Du?" Xu Yan shows a confused expression on her face.

"My lady! Did you forget who Zi Du is? He's one of General Xu warrior!" Li Qin says as she eats the bun.

"Right! My father's soldier. Silly me." Xu Yan shrugged and took a bun.

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

"Xu Yan..."

"Yes mother?" Xu Yan took one bite from the bun.

"Is something wrong?" She asks.

"What makes you think something is wrong? I'm being the usual me!" Xu Yan forces a smile.

"But-"

"Mi Yue!!!" Someone shouted from the hallway.

"Father is calling you." Xu Yan became excited as she heard her father's voice again, after so long.

"Mi Yue!" The father ran to Xu Yan's bedroom.

"What's with the panic?" The mother asked.

"My dear Mi Yue, and sweet daughter. I will have to leave home for a few days." The father said looking at his wife and daughter.

"Why?" Xu Yan asked. "Can't you just stay? [piteously]"

"I wish I could...But I have to leave for training at the camp." The father sighs as he scratches the back of his head. "It's my duty, after all."

"Your Lordship is very loyal to our country!" Li Qin smiles.

Xu Yan thought to herself, "Training...at the camp. That means that me and Yun haven't encountered yet... I stayed with him for 2 years during our marriage and my family was massacred the third year of our marriage, after he ascended the throne."

Li Qin notices Xu Yan spacing out and moves her hands in front of Xu Yan's eye. A blurry voice echoed in Xu Yan's ear, "Xiao Jie?" then it became clear. "Xiao Jie!" "...Oh. Yes?!" Xu Yan responds.

"Daydreaming?" the maid asked worriedly.

"I'm just worried about father." She answered.

"He'll be fine. Like always." The mother held the father's fist and patted it. She turns her head and looks at him, "Come back soon. Safe and sound." She smiles sweetly.

"Yeah! I'll go see you out father!" Xu Yan ran out of her room.

"Eh... your bun, miss!" Her maid runs after her.

The father and mother both looked at each other and giggled. "I wish we could see her growing up faster." She spoke.

"What do you mean?! We will see it! Our dear Xu Yan is still young after all." The father said.

"Hopefully..." She said quietly as she coughed softly.

"Mi Yue... are you worried about her?" He said as he walked out of the room with her.

"I am a mother, of course I am! I am also a wife who's worried about my husband." The mother said putting her palms on her forehead.

"You don't need to worry about me, dear. I will come back soon for my daughter and wife. Wait for me." The father said, calming her down. "Whatever the outcome is."

Mi Yue sighs and said, "Get going then. We'll be waiting." Then the father smiled at her and gave a peck on her forehead.

"[coughs] Come back soon!" She yells as he walks outside.

*OUTSIDE WITH THE CARAVAN*

"Here's your sword father!" Xu Yan held it out with both of her hands.

"Thank you, Ah Yan." He patted her shoulder and grabbed the sword. "Take care of your mother meanwhile. Don't misbehave while I'm gone." The father says.

Xu Yan nodded and waved as he went inside the carriage.

...

"Zi Du!" Xu Yan stopped him from getting inside as she spotted him next to the carriage.

"Do you need anything?" He turned to her. Zi Du is a young man in his mid-20's. He always wore his silver armor with swords next to his belt and uses his belt buckled and sachet that his fiancée made for him.

"[awkward] Oh, yeah. Look after my father please." She gave a gentle smile.

"Yeah. Will do. Xiao Jie is growing up fast. You've started to care about your father." Zi Du smiled and looked at the ground.

"[scoffs] I've always cared! I just don't show it." Xu Yan mumbles.

"I shall go now." Zi Du said walking off.

"Wait-!" Xu Yan stops him again.

"Anything else?" He turned around.

"Who's that guy...?" I've never seen him."

"Who?" Zi Du looked around.

"That tall guy who is wearing a blue clothing and is kind of... good looking?" Xu Yan smiles awkwardly as she points at the guy. "I've never seen him before."

"Oh. That's a clansman from Yin. He's not one of us though." Zi Du replies to her question.

XY in her mind: "Who is he?... I've never seen him in my last life. Was he here back then too? But I don't know as I never walked my father out back then during this time."

"What's his name?" She asked, looking serious.

"He is the-" Then his sentence was cut off when the guy turned to them and saw her pointing at him. The guy smiled and walked towards Xu Yan.

"It's rude pointing at someone like that." He says and puts her finger down.

"Someone?..." Xu Yan stutters, "I wasn't even pointing at you!" She laughed awkwardly. "Ha....ha..." Then she shifts her eyes to the floor.

"Oh really?" The guy looked behind and says, "Were you pointing at that tree then?" He smiles.

"Uh..." She stood there like a statue as the warm wind blew her hair. But Li Qin came to the rescue and said, "Mister! Can you not put our lady in an embarrassing spot. I'll apologize on her behalf." Li Qin bows her head.

"[laughs quietly] I was just teasing." The man said getting his fan out.

"Let's go!" The father yelled from inside of the carriage.

"Well...we got to leave now. Take care." Zi Du said and then gets inside the carriage.

"Safe travel." Li Qin bows respectfully. Then went inside the mansion. "Miss, let's go." Li Qin says.

"You go first, Qin Qin." Xu Yan turned to her and looked back to the man. The man was about to get inside just when Xu Yan stops guy from getting inside. "Oi!" She yelled.

"Hm?" He looked at her. She walked towards him and said, "Why are you going in? You're not even one of them."

"Why are you asking? [teasingly] Are you interested in me?" He smiled.

"In your dreams." She mumbles.

"See you again, someday." He sways his fan and goes inside the carriage along with Zi Du and General Xu.

*Horse neighing* Then they drove away.

"Me? Interested in him? What a narcissist..." Xu Yan laughs to herself.

"Xiao Jie, it's getting cold! Come inside faster!" Li Qin peeked at the mansion door.

"I will!" Xu Yan whispers loudly.