Watching Ke Meng leave, a complex expression flashed across Mrs. Song's eyes.
It wasn't that she needed to guard against Ke Meng's aloofness, but rather that the girl was born too beautiful. Now, being homeless, who could say if she might suddenly harbor some wicked thoughts?
"Ah!" She sighed softly, turning back toward the courtyard with a hint of resignation.
Ke Meng didn't wander elsewhere but returned directly to her room in the courtyard. Sitting before the mirror, she gazed at her reflection, her eyes flickering slightly. One hand gently caressed her own face.
"I used to think that as a woman, possessing such a beautiful face was a blessing. Yet, it was precisely this face that brought ruin upon my family, leading to the annihilation of our clan. Now, having narrowly escaped death, it feels like being reborn. But looking at this exquisite face again, I see it as the very root of all misfortune."
