It had been a long time since her face bore such wounds.
She didn't notice that the blood had dripped onto the stone necklace hanging around her neck.
The stone absorbed the blood, and its dull grey surface shimmered, revealing a brilliant green glow hidden beneath.
Any jade enthusiast would have recognized it instantly: a priceless jade, concealed until awakened by blood.
And, any member of the Four Great Families would have known it as the lost heirloom of the Great Su family.
As she struggled to her feet, preparing to hurry to the field, a strange force pulled her in.
In the blink of an eye, Su Miao Miao found herself elsewhere.
It was the first time she had ever seen this place. Neither the city of her childhood nor the village of her suffering—this was somewhere entirely new.
And, it looked ethereal.
Her eyes darted around, trying to absorb the sight.
She stood on a stretch of fertile black soil, vast and rich. Beyond it lay endless grasslands, green and fresh as far as the eye could see.
Turning back, she saw a large bamboo house, framed by rolling hills and distant mountains cloaked in green. Behind it, a forest of bamboo swayed gently.
Thinking of exploring further, she suddenly found herself behind the house—she had teleported.
For a moment, she was stunned. Then curiosity overcame shock.
The pain in her nose was forgotten.
Between the house and the bamboo grove lay a spring, its waters so clear they sparkled like glass.
She bent down subconsciously, cupped her hands, and scooped the water.
It was of normal temperature, without taste, yet it felt different the moment it touched her tongue.
As it slid down her throat, warmth spread through her chest and into her limbs, chasing away the cold that had gripped her for so long.
Her body tingled as though awakened. Even her wounds, so raw and deep, began to ache less, the pain softening into something almost bearable.
For the first time in years, Su Miao Miao felt something unfamiliar—comfort.
She wasn't sure if she was overthinking it, but the water felt good for her body and she wanted to drink more.
If the ancestor of the Great Su Family had been there, he would have stopped her from drinking more than a mouthful at a time.
But clearly, he wasn't there, and no one stood to stop her.
So, Su Miao Miao drank until her stomach felt full.
But nothing had prepared her for the aftermath.
The pain that followed was nothing like the warmness she had felt earlier; it was as if countless ants bit into every inch of her body.
Even years of beatings paled beside this agony. Her body convulsed with extreme change, and an earth-shattering scream tore from her throat.
Unable to bear it, she collapsed.
As life seemed to slip away, the necklace around her neck tightened, cutting off her breath.
She tried to tear it free, but before she could, light burst from the pendant and her soul slipped out of her body.
Suddenly, the pain vanished.
Confused, she opened her eyes and found herself floating.
Below her lay her collapsed body, still on the ground.
That was her?
She looked dead.
She reached out to touch herself, but her hand passed through her body.
She looked at her hand. Her fingers were translucent.
Panic rose—was she dead?
Then a strange relief came over her.
Now she would not have to endure the pain anymore.
She had escaped.
Finally.
"Ha—ha—ha—ha," she laughed hysterically, then cried, "hu—hu—hu." Her laughter sounded wild and relieved; her crying was pitiful.
The scene shifted.
Then she fell silent.
She was no longer in that strange place. She was back above the Jiang family's field, still floating while her body lay in a pool of blood exactly where she had fallen.
The sky was bright; the sun was high. It was noon—time to make lunch.
And she was dead. No need to cook.
She drifted toward the Jiang house as the villagers returned from the fields.
The children—nephews home from school, nieces back from cutting pigweed—moved about.
Smoke climbed from every nearby chimney, but not a wisp rose from the Jiang household today.
It felt strange.
People usually hurried to cook and rest for the afternoon work after the morning's toil.
Normally, Su Miao Miao would have rushed back to prepare lunch and wash the morning dishes.
Today, she hadn't arrived home yet.
Jiang Mother's face contorted with anger as she barked her usual scoldings.
She ordered her two daughters-in-law to cook and wash the morning dishes.
The yard lay unbroomed. This was usually done by Su Miao Miao. And it wasn't sweeped today.
Jiang Father, who cared about reputation, had displeasure written over his face, but, without uttering the word he went inside the room.
Jiang Mother assumed Su Miao Miao was late from the field and sat waiting, ready to scold that good-for-nothing woman.
But even after the meal was prepared and Su Miao Miao still had not returned, Jiang Mother panicked—not from worry for the girl, but from fear of losing her.
The Jiang family had taken a large sum from the Su family to keep that wench trapped in the village.
If the girl escaped, that steady flow of money would stop.
The money could not be spent now—the source was dubious—but they expected a time to come when it would be useful.
If she ran, the payments would end.
"That wench hasn't returned yet. Do you think she escaped? We can't let her escape," Jiang Mother cried, running to Jiang Father.
Jiang Father understood the panic but tried to soothe her. "No—she can't have escaped. After all these years—no chance. Let's split and search. Even if she tried, she couldn't have gone far."
Despite the cooked lunch, Jiang Mother ordered everyone to search for Su Miao Miao, which puzzled the others.
Food had always been the priority in these hard times, and the family was puzzled to be mobilized for the most hated daughter-in-law.