"Sister, I don't want to die."

"If I can't get a matching heart this time, I will die soon." 30-year-old Mu Qiu, even after giving birth to a child, was as beautiful as young girl.

Mu-Qiu forcing those words out made her looked weak and fragile.

Standing next to Mu Qiu's hospital bed was a tall and enchanting woman. If Mu Qiu was an elegant and calm little lily, then this woman was a human desert rose1, with star-like eyebrows and charming eyes2. She gave off the feeling of grace and wealth just by standing there quietly.

T/N: 1 This is a play on word as desert rose is 富贵花 in mandarin, which literally means wealthy flower.

T/N: 2 This is referring to how her facial features have certain meaning. Physiognomy (or face reading) is common in East Asian cultures, where facial features is supposedly able to tell a person’s fortune or personality. This is a similar concept to tarot card reading. One most known reading is that a mole just under the eye is a lucky mole.

Song Ci looked at Mu Qiu, who was two years younger than her, and thought about how her innocent and lovely younger sister was about to die. She felt a sense of empathy.

"Qiu’er3, don't be discouraged. We will definitely find a suitable heart," Song Ci's words showed her helplessness. Mu Qiu has the rare Rh blood type. Finding a suitable heart in a short period of time was close to impossible.

T/N: 3 Qiu’er is a nickname for Mu Qiu. Er is often added to the last syllable of a name, for the name to become a nickname. Similar to adding -y in English to names to become a nickname, like Jacqueline and Jacky, or Tom and Tommy.

Mu Qiu did not respond, staring at Song Ci's beautiful cheeks that had kept her jealous for many years.

Song Ci was the adopted daughter of the Mu family. She was two years older than Mu Qiu.

When she was fourteen years old, an earthquake took away the lives of Song Ci's parents. Her sister Song Fei fell into a coma due to serious injuries.

Fortunately, Mu Qiu's father, Mu Mian, was a volunteer at the earthquake site. He was a soft-hearted man who adopted Song Ci as his daughter and paid for Song Fei's medical fees. Over the years, the Mu family protected Song Ci from hardships and carefully raised her up. The graceful girl finally grew up to be a desert rose1.Unfortunately, 10 years ago, there was a fire in the rehabilitation centre, and Song Ci's sister Song Fei died in the sea of fire.

Having lived in the Mu house for so many years, Mu Mian and his wife regarded Song Ci as their own. Whatever Mu Qiu had, Song Ci would also have. The debt of raising her up was something Song Ci would not be able to repay for the rest of her life.

Thinking about her gratitude to the Mu family, Song Ci thought about how to comfort Mu Qiu. Suddenly, there was an inexplicable laughter in the ward. Hearing the sound, Song Ci looked in surprise at Mu Qiu who was laughing.

What was she laughing at?

Mu Qiu's laughter was short. She suppressed her smile, looked down and said, "A suitable heart? There is indeed one."

Song Ci was pleasantly surprised, and her voice became excited, "You really found it?" She grasped Mu Qiu's hand and asked her, "Where did you find it? When can you have the surgery?"

Mu Qiu pulled her right hand out of Song Ci's palm, and gently pressed her fingertips against Song Ci's chest.

Song Ci looked down at Mu Qiu's beautiful hand, like a jade, thin and long. It looked like a hand that had not been through hardships. "What's wrong?" she asked Mu Qiu.

Mu Qiu raised her head and stared at Song Ci with a strange smile on the corner of his mouth.

Looking at the eerie smile on Mu Qiu's face, Song Ci's heart suddenly burst. Her opened lips slowly closed and tightened, looking serious. "Qiu-er..." Song Ci's throat tightened and her voice became dry. "What do you want to say?"

The strange smile on Mu Qiu's mouth grew bigger and bigger, "Sister, where do you think that heart is?" During the questioning, Mu Qiu's gaze floated to Song Ci's chest.

Under that proud chest, a fresh and vital heart beats with a surging rhythm.

Noting Mu Qiu's sly eyes, Song Ci suddenly understood what Mu Qiu meant. She and Song Fei both have Rh blood type! Does Mu Qiu want her heart?

The guess made Song Ci's face pale in an instant.

"Sister, give me your heart, okay?" Mu Qiu's voice was still pleasant-sounding, but to Song Ci's ears, it felt creepy.

Mu Qiu's slender jade hand placed on Song Ci's chest looked like five cold and slippery poisonous snakes at that moment. Song Ci's limbs were icy cold.

Song Ci abruptly knocked off the hand on her chest and took two steps back in a panic. Standing at the end of the bed, Song Ci stared at Mu Qiu in disbelief, as if looking at a stranger.

Time was kind to Mu Qiu. She was still beautiful and elegant, like a lily. Even after asking for a healthy heart from a living and breathing person, she still looked like an angel, clean and innocent.

She was a devil!

Song Ci was shocked by this look of Mu Qiu.

"You want my heart?" Song Ci asked Mu Qiu with a trembling voice, "After I give you my heart, I will die, don't you know! Mu Qiu, how can you be so selfish?"

Hearing Song Ci's condemnation, Mu Qiu's eyes were surprised. She watched Song Ci for several seconds and said naturally, "You were raised by my Mu family. Shouldn't you give me your heart?"

Song Ci was dumbfounded.

She was about to refute, but heard Mu Qiu say, "Why do you think my dad adopted you? Did you really think my dad is a philanthropist and wanted to do a good deed?" Mu Qiu's smile was still bright and innocent, and she said, "You sisters are just heart donors my father raised for me!"

Song Ci's ears kept humming.

She did not believe this is true!

"It's impossible!" Song Ci thought that Mu Qiu was lying to her. She wanted to deny it, but there was a voice in her heart telling her,

This is real!

This is all true!

Seeing that Song Ci was about to die but still could not see the facts laid out before her, Mu Qiu finally showed a different emotion on her face, compassion.

"You never knew, did you?" Mu Qiu looked at Song Ci as if looking at a poor little bug. "Sister, the heart beating in my body now..." appreciating Song Ci's increasingly shocked expression, Mu Qiu whispered the last half sentence, "Its Song Fei's."

Song Ci's eyes suddenly widened!

“What did you say!"

Song Ci's voice grew sharper, "Mu Qiu, this joke is not funny."

Mu Qiu sympathized with Song Ci, "Sister, you are so stupid."

Mu Qiu said, "In fact, the fire was not an accident. Back then, my illness worsened, and I couldn't find a matching heart. Dad had no choice but to give Song Fei's heart to me. She was a vegetable anyway. She won't wake up. In order not to leave any evidence, Dad set off a fire in the middle of the night to destroy Song Fei's body..."

Hearing Mu Qiu's words, Song Ci's head throbbed. Her strength was zapped in an instant. Even just standing felt unsteady.

Her sister was killed by them?

Remembering Mu Qiu's pristine appearance that day and thinking of her sister's innocent and tragic death, Song Ci felt a sense of rage bubbling within her.

"Die!"

Song Ci picked up the vase on the table behind her, wanting to slam it on Mu Qiu's head. Just as she lifted the vase, before she could throw it, a strong hand grabbed her wrist.

She could feel a bruise starting to form on her wrist.

Song Ci turned her head angrily, a shadow seared into her scarlet eyes.

Mu Mian stood behind Song Ci. The handsome and gentle face no longer had the amiableness of the past in Song Ci’s eye. Instead, it looked abominable.

"Song Ci, give me the vase." Mu Mian said with a dark tone, a strong warning behind it.

Seeing Mu Mian and thinking of Mu Mian's care and dedication to her over the past ten years, Song Ci felt aggrieved and also pained. Tears burst from her eyes. Clenching her fists, Song Ci questioned Mu Mian, "Is what Mu Qiu said all true?"

Mu Mian glanced at Mu Qiu on the bed.

Mu Qiu calmly told Mu Mian, "Dad, I’ve already told her everything."

Mu Mian frowned, as if blaming Mu Qiu for rashly taking matters into her own hands. Feeling the wrist in his hand struggling, Mu Mian's gaze fell on Song Ci's face again.

Staring at Song Ci's teary face, Mu Mian's lips trembled.

Afterall, she was a child he had raised for nearly 20 years. Mu Mian also had some affection for her. But once he thought about how his own daughter would die if her heart was not switched, Mu Mian's heart hardened again.

Mu Mian and his wife Du Ting-Ting have only this one daughter. His wife passed away seven years ago, and Mu Qiu is his only progeny.

He could not lose his only relative again.

"Sorry, Song Ci, I can't watch Qiu'er die."

Once these words blurted out of Mu Mian's mouth, the vase in Song Ci's hand fell to the ground, shattering into a million pieces.

Song Ci roared, "Your daughter need to live, so my sister should die?"

Mu Mian defended in a low voice, "She is a vegetable. The doctor also judged that she won't wake up..."

"So you can dissect her living body and dig out her heart!"

Mu Mian remained silent.

He had nothing to say. It was all facts.

Song Ci looked at Mu Mian with resentment in her eyes. She grinned sarcastically, touched her chest, and asked Mu Mian with tears, "So now, you have to take my heart to save Mu Qiu, right? "

Mu Mian lowered his head, and after a while, he squeezed out, "I'm sorry..."

Mu Mian's apology made Song Ci’s heart cold.

So, what Mu Qiu said was true. Mu Mian really wanted to take her heart to save his own daughter. Her sister was also killed by Mu Mian!

Song Ci suddenly thought of something.

When she was 20 years old, Mu Mian was very interested in organ donation for some time. He even went to the Wangdong city’s Red Cross to get more information about it and came back with an application form to pledge to donate his organs after death.

Song Ci accidentally saw Mu Mian's application form on his desk.

Song Ci experienced a major earthquake and was rescued by soldiers. Later, she was fortunate enough to be adopted by the Mu family. Song Ci had always lived with a grateful heart. She had always wanted to contribute to society in some way. Thus, after seeing the organ donation application form on Mu Mian's desk, Song Ci also thought about donating her organs.

Later, she did go to get a form, requesting that all her organs be donated after death to save the lives of others.

Thinking about it now, was Mu Mian such a righteous and selfless person? That was just Mu Mian's trick to lure her into signing an organ donation form in order to successfully take her heart and perform surgery on Mu Qiu after her death!

After thinking through everything, Song Ci's felt like a knife was stabbed through her heart. A mouthful of blood spat out from her mouth on the spot.

Song Ci staggered backwards twice. Leaning her back against the wall and looking up at Mu Mian, her whole body was wrapped in a layer of hostility, "Mu Mian, Mu Qiu, you will receive retribution!"

Song Ci swore, feeling not resigned, "Even if I die, even if I turn into a ghost, I will hunt you down to pay for my life!"

Mu Mian frowned. His hands shot out swiftly and knocked Song Ci out.

---

Four days later

"Mr. Han, your eyes had just undergone cornea transplant surgery and are unable to adapt to harsh lighting. Please open your eyes slowly."

Hearing the director’s sincere warning, Han Zhan nodded slightly.

The man's curled eyelashes first trembled a few times, before his eyes slowly opened. It was a pair of grey-blue eyes. The blue centre was juxtaposed with the grey-blue radial rays of varying shades. His pupils were clear and intoxicating, like a whirlpool with no end in sight, causing people to get lost within them.

Han Zhan stared at the orange-red bush lily on the windowsill in the ward. For the past year, all he could see was darkness. After finally regaining his vision, Han Zhan felt a little lost looking at this colourful world.

Seeing Han Zhan dazing at the windowsill with an expression that was not happy, not sad, the director showed a trace of worry on his face. He held his breath and asked in a low voice, "Mr. Han, you still... can't see anything?"

Han Zhan shook his head, "No, I can see it." In fact, his vision was even better than before he was injured and became blind.

After confirming that the operation was successful, the director left with peace of mind.

Just as the director walked away, Li Li pushed the door in. "The operation was a success. Congratulations to the boss for seeing the light again."

Han Zhan asked directly, "What about the information?"

"Here." Li Li handed the information packet to Han Zhan.

Han Zhan lowered his head to open the information packet and heard Li Li say, "According to the investigation, the person who donated your cornea was a woman. Her name is Song Ci, 32 years old, from Wangdong city. She died three days ago. Cause of death, car accident. Because she had signed a body organ donation pledge when she was still alive, her cornea was able to be used by you."

After speaking, Li Li realized that something was wrong with the boss’s expression.

Li Li was a little surprised. He stopped talking, looked at Han Zhan and asked in confusion, "What's the matter? Boss?"

Han Zhan finally raised his head. He stared at Li Li, and he questioned every word, "What's her name?"

Li Li replied uncertainly, "Song Ci."

Han Zhan's heart suddenly felt a dull ache.

How could it be her?

Every summer in Wangdong City was especially hot, like a big steamer making everyone in the whole city feel irritable. This year was even worse.

Layers of heat waves can be seen in the air. The leaves on the trees in the courtyard all looked sick, craving for the next downpour.

Under the white pavilion, a woman was lying on a bamboo chair taking an afternoon nap. Her jet-black curly hair was dripping with sweat. The girl whilst dreaming suddenly raised her arms and squeezed the armrest of the bamboo chair. Her head shook in horror——

"Ah..."

"Help!"

Swish--

Song Ci opened her eyes abruptly and sat up from the recliner.

Was she still alive?

Wasn't she knocked out by her adoptive father and thrown into the car, demising in Yulongyuan River with the car?

When the passing maid heard her horrified cry, she stopped, stood in the shaded corridor, and asked Song Ci, "Miss Song, what's the matter with you?"

Song Ci took a few breaths before looking at the direction of the voice. Song Ci had to think for a while looking at the maid before remembering who this person was. "Aunt Zhang, I'm fine, maybe the weather is too hot. I had a mini heat stroke."

"Then go into the house and rest. I made a smoothie for you and the young lady. It happened to be ready to eat."

"Okay."

Song Ci only stood up after watching Aunt Zhang enter the house.

She stood in the pavilion and looked around the courtyard in front of her. This was the Mu's garden. Several trees were planted here, and a spring pond was built. Song Ci walked to the side of the pond and stared at the crisp clear water in the pond. Sorrowful images of her previous life appeared in her mind.

The so-called last life, had she actually experienced it or was it just a dream?

Song Ci could not tell the difference. She did not dare to rashly make a conclusion.

There was the sound of footsteps approaching. The pace was light. When she approached, Song Ci smelled a faint scent of lily. Mu Qiu loved the light fragrance of lilies and always need to have a little lily fragrance on her body.

"Sister, Aunt Zhang said that you had a little heatstroke. How are you feeling now?" The girl's voice was pleasant, like the sound of fresh spring water dripping on a stone plate.

Song Ci turned sideways to look at the girl beside her. Mu Qiu had straight black hair that crossed the shoulders. She was born with a delicate body. Her face was only the size of a palm. These features made people want to endlessly dote on her.

At this moment, Mu Qiu was smiling. Her eyes filled with concern for her, completely different from the selfish and ruthless woman in her previous life. Will Mu Qiu… really hurt her and Song Fei in order to live?

Seeing how Song Ci did not answer, Mu Qiu was even more worried about her health. Her delicate willow eyebrows twisted into a curved line, "Sister? Why aren’t you speaking?"

"I'm still a little dizzy." Song Ci said, "I'll go back to the room and lie down for a while."

"...Then quickly go and rest, the air conditioner has been turned on."

Song Ci's room and Mu Qiu's room are next to each other, both on the second floor. After returning to the room, how could she fall asleep. Suddenly thinking of something, she started busily looking around the room. Finally, she found her phone on the desk.

Song Ci turned on the phone and scanned the calendar.

5th July 2020.

Song Ci's eyes widened slightly. 12th August 2020 was Song Fei's death day. There is still one month till Song Fei's death!

Sister is still alive!

Song Ci was so excited, she shed tears.

She quickly wiped away her tears, put down her phone, and walked to the windows. She recalled, one month before the death of her sister, Mu Qiu suddenly fainted to the ground. She was diagnosed with heart disease only after being admitted to the hospital. She urgently needed a heart transplant.

To prove that that whether the laughable life was just a dream she dreamt of, or something she really experienced, soon she would know the answer.

If everything in the dream was true, then in this life, she must turn the tide and protect her sister!

All afternoon, Song Ci shut herself in her room to sort out the scenes in her dreams.

There was a knock on the door of her room.

Song Ci heard a middle-aged female voice whisper outside the door, "Song Song, are you awake? I heard from Qiu'er that you almost had a heat stroke today. Aunt Zhang made mung bean soup. Would you like to get up and drink some?"

The person outside was Du Ting-Ting, Mu Qiu's mother. A woman who was doted on by Mu Mian her whole life.

Just when Du Ting-Ting thought Song Ci was still asleep and turned around to leave, Song Ci suddenly opened the door.

Du Ting-Ting turned her head in surprise. She looked at Song Ci carefully and saw her ruddy complexion. She must be feeling better. She was relieved, "You have woken up. Then go downstairs and eat."

"Okay."

Song Ci followed Du Ting-Ting downstairs.

She looked at Du Ting-Ting's back. Du Ting-Ting’s hair was held up by an expensive jade hairpin. In her last life in her dream, Du Ting-Ting died of cerebral haemorrhage three years later.

When she opened the door just now and suddenly saw Du Ting-Ting, Song Ci felt like a world away.

Song Ci did not know whether Du Ting-Ting was involved in the murder of Song Fei. At least on the surface, Du Ting-Ting really loved her as a daughter. It was only in her death in her last life did she realize that she was a blind idiot. Song Ci no longer believed in her own eyes and judgement.

Song Ci and Du Ting-Ting came to the dining room together. Mu Qiu was already there.

Seeing Song Ci come downstairs, Mu Qiu said to her, "In the afternoon, Cheng Zi-Ang called and said that he wanted to ask sister to go to the movie tonight. Sister, are you going?"

Before Song Ci could answer, she heard Du Ting-Ting say, "Why didn’t he call your sister directly?"

Mu Qiu said, "He called, but it didn't get through."

Song Ci felt muddle-headed the whole afternoon. Her phone was turned off. She explained, "My phone is turned off and I forgot to charge it."

Mu Qiu looked at Song Ci, and her gossiping heart ignited, "Then sister, are you going to go to the date?"

"Not going."

It is impossible to go. This life, it is impossible to go on a date with Cheng Zi-Ang.

Cheng Zi-Ang had a half-brother named Cheng Yan-Mo. He was smart and capable and was known to have heavenly talents. With such an outstanding elder brother supressing him, Cheng Zi-Ang felt suffocated. His personality became vile.

At that time, among the rich guys in Wangdong City, there was a saying that goes like this——

Marry a wife like Mu Qiu but get a girlfriend like Song Ci.

The beauty of Song Ci was dazzling. She was like a rare treasure. Everyone who looked at her could not take their greedy eyes away. On the other hand, Mu Qiu, was a bright pearl, gentle, quiet and virtuous.

Mu Qiu was suitable to be a gentle, well-behaved and virtuous little wife at home. As for Song Ci, her beauty predestined her to be a radiant existence. No man can conquer her. Therefore, every man wants to have some exciting history with her.

But it was such a woman who made countless men obsessed that obeyed the arrangement of her adoptive father Mu Mian and married Cheng Zi-Ang at the age of 24.

Cheng Zi-Ang had a psychological illness and could not have sex when he was nervous. Marrying a beautiful Song Ci who he can see but cannot enjoy, Cheng Zi-Ang always had his guards up against her cheating. One month after the marriage, just because Song Ci smiled at the deliveryman, Cheng Zi-Ang laid hands on her and kicked her.

With the first incident of domestic violence, there will be a second, third...

Song Ci tried to divorce Cheng Zi-Ang, but Cheng Zi-Ang used Chaoyang Company to threaten her. During that time, Chaoyang Company had chaotic management and the capital chain was broken. If it were not for the help of Chuandong Group, Mu Mian might face bankruptcy.

Song Ci was grateful for Mu Mian's care for both sisters, and could not divorce Cheng Zi-Ang. The two lived entangled lives together for six years before Song Ci finally got a divorce when she stabbed Cheng Zi-Ang's gut with a knife.

Married at the age of 24, divorced at the age of 30. Song Ci, from a desert rose coveted by all, became a small bitter chrysanthemum.

The more she thought about it, the more aggrieved Song Ci felt about her last life.

There were thousands of beautiful men in the world, Cheng Zi-Ang counts for nothing!