Chapter 13

Seeing that I remained unmoved, Lin Pianyue let out a sigh, gracefully stood up, and dusted off her clothes.

“Lin Li, whether you like it or not, you must become Lu Zhao’s concubine.”

“You’ve had your engagement broken off, and you show your face in public all the time-who else would want you if not as someone’s concubine?”

Anger made my hands and feet go numb, and I gritted my teeth. “Lin Pianyue, you are truly shameless. Not only are you content with being a concubine yourself, but you want me to become one too.”

“Unfortunately, I have already severed ties with the Lin Family. Even if Father were here today, he couldn’t decide whom I marry.”

Lin Pianyue sat down in front of me, unhurried, her face showing a fake look of regret. “That Severance Letter is worthless. I’ve already asked Lu Zhao. We are both registered in the yamen’s household records. As long as you’re still on the Lin Family’s register, you must listen to Father and Mother.”

“So you have no choice but to be a concubine!”

“If you’re fortunate enough to bear a son or daughter, bring them to me-I promise you, as your elder sister, you and your child will not be mistreated.”

“All you need to do is take good care of the old madam in the Lu Family.”

Since she’d thrown all shame aside, I decided to do the same.

“So, we’re both on the household register, are we? I’ll go to the yamen right now.”

A strange sense of delight welled up in my heart. “I’d like to ask the magistrate whether there’s any parent in this world who would throw out their daughter and then trick her into becoming someone’s concubine!”

“And which woman would willingly debase herself and scramble to be a concubine?”

Suddenly, I pretended to remember something and feigned surprise. “Oh, except you, Lin Pianyue, who insisted on being someone’s concubine!”

“You dare go to the yamen to sever relations? That’s courting death!”

Perhaps my gaze was too resolute, for Mother actually became afraid.

“Even if I die, I will die at the yamen.”

While they were still stunned, I hurried outside, afraid they might have more tricks up their sleeves.

Liu’er stood at the shop entrance, watching anxiously, still holding the clothes I had just handed him.

“The sun is blazing out here-why didn’t you wait inside?”

I asked, breathless.

“I… I was worried about you.”

As soon as he spoke, Liu’er began to cry. “I was afraid they’d make things hard for you again, afraid you wouldn’t come back.”

“Sister Li, let’s go. Didn’t you want to find Granny Liu? Let’s go right now.”

I nodded forcefully.

“Let’s go.”

We left immediately.

We packed our belongings and took the last ox cart, bumping our way toward the county seat.

The setting sun brushed over the treetops, and birds flew together into the woods.

Today is my birthday, but no one remembers.

For nineteen whole years, this is the first time I have left Changning Town.

Perhaps I will never return.

I just want a place to call my own, where life is plain but peaceful.

In this world, only if I strive to live will there be hope-

Only then can I carve out a path of my own.