Qiao Xi, dressed in a washed-out floral dress, sat in an utterly luxurious villa.
Across from her, her mother, whom she had not seen in twenty years, adorned in opulence, grasped her hand and whined, "Xi Xi, you've been living a tough life in the countryside. You can enjoy wealth and prosperity when you marry into the Huo family."
A stab of pain hit Qiao Xi's heart, her hope for motherly love evaporating.
With an expressionless face, she stared at Zhao Yuzhen and said, "I'm your biological daughter, yet you want me to act as a stand-in for Su Weiyi's fiance to bring you luck? This man, who is in a coma after a car accident and living like a vegetable?"
The Su family aims to enjoy the Huo's fortune by accepting their offer. Yet, they didn't want Su Weiyi to suffer after marrying.
She was the sacrificial lamb. Zhao Yuzhen brought her back from the countryside just to use her for her gain.
Zhao Yuzhen, crying pitifully fell onto her knees in front of her and said, "I have no choice. I'm a remarried woman, a stepmother. Although I appear to live a wealthy life, I also face many difficulties. I gave birth to you, please help me, and marry him in place of your stepsister!"
Qiao Xi took a deep breath, her eyes slightly reddened.
Zhao Yuzhen abandoned her, an infant at that time, and remarried into the Su family. She loved her stepdaughter Su Weiyi as if she were her most precious, and for twenty years, she had neglected her own daughter in the countryside.
Qiao Xi thought Zhao Yuzhen brought her back because she remembered her and felt guilty for abandoning her. Unexpectedly, it was just to exploit her last worth.
"Alright, I will marry."
Consider this payback for bringing me to life.
Zhao Yuzhen stopped crying immediately. She quickly wiped her tears and pulled Qiao Xi up saying, "The Huo family has prepared the Phoenix crown, and is ready in festive red. Hurry and put it on."
She was consumed with meeting her objective, bustling around with joyous energy.
Qiao Xi pulled her hand away, her beautiful face blanketed with cold, "This is the last time, after this, we're through."
Zhao Yuzhen was momentarily taken aback, but quickly composed herself and motioned for her maidservants to assist Qiao Xixi in changing into her bridal attire.
Stationed in place like a puppet, Qiao Xixi was swathed in the dress, her naturally attractive features were embellished and stood out more as a result.
The corner of her eye caught a graceful figure at the top of the stairs. Her step-sister, Su Weiwei, was standing there, a satisfied smirk on her lips as she silently mouthed the words: "Pitiful motherless creature."
Qiao Xixi's hands hung limply at her side, tightly grasping the medicine chest she brought back from the countryside.
A maidservant reminded, "Madam, the Huo family's car is already at the door."
Zhao Yuzhen quickly urged, "Xixi, do not keep the Huo family waiting. Leave this junk of yours here as to not make a fool of yourself at the Huo residence," she then attempted to take the medicine chest from Qiao Xixi, giving her a forceful shove out the door.
Evading her, Zhao Yuzhen lost her balance and nearly toppled over.
"This is my personal belonging, you have no right to dispose it," Qiao Xixi coldly retorted, her eyes filled with alienation.
That medicine chest was her life, it was what allowed her to provide medical aid to the sick and injured.
Behind her, Su Weiwei helped Zhao Yuzhen up, sneering, "Little mother, it seems that Qiao Xixi is reluctant. Would it be unfair to have your own daughter go in her stead for the marriage?"
To this, Zhao Yuzhen flatteringly replied, "It is her fortune. Even though the Huo family's second young master is now a vegetable, he is still someone she can't strive to match up to. Where could she experience such good fortune being in the countryside?"
Qiao Xixi had completely given up hope.
Bang!
She closed the car door at once, cutting off outside distasteful noises.
The car drove all the way to the Huo's residence, enshrouded in the dimming twilight.
The Huo family being among the cream of the crop in Sea City, the Su family had been fortunate enough to secure a matrimonial alliance with them. The main branch of the Huo family was divided into the first and second households.
Huo Xing, the younger son of the second Huo household, was exceptionally capable and a strong contender for the headship of the family. However, he had met with a car accident a month ago and had been comatose since, reducing him to the state of a vegetable. He was virtually condemned to death by the hospital.
The most-sought-after young talent in Sea City turned into an entity that the socialites would strive to steer clear of.
It was said that he had also lost his capacity to father a child.
How pitiful absolutely!
In their desperate situation, the second household of Huo family chose to believe in the rumor about a 'blessed consummation.'
Qiao Xi couldn’t look around as her vision was obstructed by a red bridal veil. With Nanny Qian, a servant of the Huo household supporting her, she walked into the villa. Her head was heavy due to the application of the Phoenix crown.
She was escorted into a large bedroom and made to sit at the edge of a bed.
Nanny Qian tethered her right hand with a half-meter-long red cord, the other end of which was tied to the left hand of the man lying on the bed.
"You must not untie it. It's a rule," Nanny Qian admonished. "If you mess this up, it's not something you can bear."
Qiao Xi merely nodded in acknowledgment, her neck was so heavy that she couldn't straighten up.
Seeing her compliance, Nanny Qian advised, "Forgive the inconvenience, do stay with the young master tonight. Call me if any need arises."
Completing her words, she then shut the bedroom door and walked away.
The room was terrifyingly quiet, the only sounds were the steady beep of the machinery and the faint breathing of an unfamiliar man.
Qiao Xi gently placed the medicine box near her feet, the faint aroma of the medicine bringing her a sense of comfort. As long as the medicine box was there, she could rely on her acupuncture skills to bolster her confidence.
Her whole body was stiff and aching. She unconsciously squeezed her neck with her lotus-like fingers, but she forgot about the red string in her hand.
She was roughly pulled.
The string of beads on her phoenix crown clinked clearly as she fell onto the bed, the red wedding veil flying off her head.
She fell onto a warm body, her red lips lightly graze the man's cheek. His face was cold and pale, eyes tightly shut. His eyelashes were so long they cast a small shadow on his face. The dazzling appeal of his handsome features quickly turned their attention away from her. Only, the lip mark she accidentally left on his cheek disrupted the man's indifferent demeanor.
Her cheeks blushed, she hastily tried to erase the lip mark from his handsome face, but her hair was entwined with the buttons on the man's pyjamas and couldn't be untangled!
"Ah!"
Qiao Xi let out a cry of pain, her scalp felt like it was on fire, the corners of her eyes blurred with tears.
The more she struggled, the tighter the entanglement became.
Her lips kept pressing against the man's thin lips, kissing him repeatedly.
If the Huo family saw this scene, they would definitely think she was audacious, not even willing to leave a vegetative person be!
"I'm sorry, I have no other choice," Qiao Xi stared at the man with his eyes tightly shut and said softly.
She spread her legs, bravely bearing the pain as she straddled the man, her hands pulling at the collar of his nightgown.
With a tearing sound.
The cotton nightgown was ripped open, leaving a large hole through which buttons tumbled down.
Finally, she thought, I've managed to unbutton it.
Qiao Xi lowered her gaze.
The man laying on the hospital bed slowly opened his eyes.
His gaze was deep and full of boundless coldness as he observed her.
Through the hole in his nightgown, his sensual Adam's apple and broad chest was exposed.
His appearance was that of a man who had been toyed with.
Stunned by what she saw, Qiao Xi hugged her legs together, still straddling him.
"Mmm…"
The man let out a muffled groan.
