Inside Luo Hai City’s Female Detention Center was a dark and cramped prison cell!

The damp and cold autumn breeze seeped into the prison cell through the cracks of the window. A gust of cold air blew against the face of a woman sitting in the cell. She shivered, and lifted her head up from her knees.

Today was a special day…

“Number 238, you can leave today! Bring your number plate to the ticket counter to collect your documents and belongings!”

The prison guard’s cold voice sounded, echoing terrifyingly inside the void prison cell!

“Hurry up!”

As the prison guard urged her to hurry up, a hint of energy flashed through Mu Chenyan’s cold eyes.

Hearing news of her freedom, the woman who had supposedly “died” for 723 days seemed to be gradually regaining consciousness!

She got up grudgingly and tidied the crumpled clothes on her. Her fine black hair hindered her vision, and she tucked it behind her ears.

Her ever-pallor complexion got paler.

The morsel of nutrition provided in prison meals was far from enough to keep up with the surging waves in her heart at this moment.

She felt a little dizzy. She murmured in acknowledgment to the guard’s words and did not react further.

The female prison guard frowned and could not help but to size up the ghastly pale-looking Mu Chenyan who was in front of her.

Even before she started working in this prison, she had heard rumors that a legendary figure was being kept inside here. Could that person be the one in front of her now?

Although the woman was just wearing a common prisoner attire, it could not hide the strong presence and aura that was radiating from within.

Her big eyes were ethereal like dark-jade as if they were embedded onto her small face, giving her features an indescribably beautiful yet sorrowful look.

The common and “fashionable” hairstyle in prison — a short bobbed hairstyle seemed messy but extraordinarily beautiful on her!

Noticing the prison guard sizing her up, Mu Chenyan lips curled up slightly.

She may be a natural beauty, but her smile was heart-wrenchingly dark and cold, making one’s heart ached for her.

This newly employed prison guard would not have known that two years ago, this woman used to have a cheery and gentle disposition. She had a cinnabar mole at the corner of her eye, and when she smiled she looked like an angel who had accidentally fell from the sky!

…

Two years ago, news of Mister Yuan Xuan of Luo Hai City’s renowned family marrying Miss Mu Chenyan from the Mu Family were headlines for an entire week!

However, a scandal occurred on the day of the wedding when a mysterious package was sent over by somebody anonymous. To everyone’s surprise, a baby’s corpse treated with liquid nitrogen was found in the package…

A biopsy was conducted and results showed that the corpse was a six-month-old baby boy!

Shu Qinger, the mother of the baby corpse, was found dead inside a luxury condominium nearby a hotel managed under the Mu Family’s business…

Everyone in Luo Hai City knew that Shu Qinger was the childhood friend of Yuan Xuan, the groom!

…

Therefore, a woman’s irrational jealousy drove her to cruelly murder her fiancé’s mistress and his illegitimate child. This version of a rumor started spreading like wildfire on the streets!

At that time, those in the upper society were also greatly shocked!

Yuan Family, the top noble family in Luo Hai City with hundreds of years of foundation. Along with their ancestor’s previous deeds and this generation’s established business empire, Yuan Family’s every single move would directly affect the economy of the entire Southeast Region!

Who would have thought that the First Lady of the Yuan Family would do something so cruel on her wedding eve?

Moreover, the news that spread fast across the city did not stop at that. The week-long headline changed to the First Lady being a psychopathic murderer…

Mu Chenyan was 22 years old at that time and in just an hour, she turned from being the First Lady to a prisoner!

Furthermore, it was the day of her long-awaited wedding!

Brother Xuan, the man that she was willing to tail around ever since she was a little girl watched quietly as she was taken away by the police for an investigation.

The odd look on his face was hard to figure out!

As his so-called “childhood friend” suffered a tragic death, his newlywed wife was being arrested!

All that this arrogant and cold man left for Mu Chenyan was the figure of his back without any affection!

…

It was only after a week later at the detention center that Mu Chenyan finally saw Yuan Xuan for the first time!

“Brother Xuan, I didn’t kill anyone…”

Mu Chenyan started sobbing uncontrollably when she saw Yuan Xuan’s handsome face on the other side of the detention center’s window!

Yuan Xuan’s cold gaze got slightly darker as he stared at Mu Chenyan. He remained silent seeing how dreadful she had become in just one week!

His usual cold and arrogant demeanor were not affected at all, not even when his newlywed wife was being wrongly accused.

In the following 700 days, Mu Chenyan constantly recalled the single sentence that he said that day.

“Chenyan, you should have accompanied Qinger into hell!”

An investigation was carried out, evidence was collected, and she was put on trial…

Given the lack of substantial evidence, the case was re-examined to look for more evidence, and the court hearing would continue…

To her dismay, after that one meeting with Yuan Xuan, he never appeared again!

What more, Yuan Xuan even cut off all means for her to be bailed out — those who bailed her out would be killed mercilessly!

The Mu Family certainly did not dare to offend Yuan Xuan.

Mu Chenyan thought that the case would soon be concluded and what awaited her would be nothing more but death!

Hence, she gave up appealing her case and chose to fight in silence.

But she was too optimistic!

Yuan Xuan did not leave her to her own destruction though…

…

“Miss Mu, I’m your lawyer. Mr Yuan appointed me to take full responsibility for your case!”

Since then, the lawyer named Wu Ze was the person whom Mu Chenyan came in contact with the most over the seven hundred plus days.

This renowned lawyer eventually became the person who cared the most about her life and death.

From the first trial to the second trial, and from the second trial to the appeal, all these took half a year!

Mu Chenyan noted Wu Ze dutifully performing his duties!

Hence, from the ruling of the death penalty to life imprisonment and later to being acquitted, Mu Chenyan stayed aloof from the case, as if she was just watching someone else’s story unfolding.

…

Every night amidst the dead silence, Mu Chenyan would stare at the ceiling in a daze, recalling Yuan Xuan’s words!

Does he hate me?

I am sure he does!

He thinks that I killed Shu Qinger!

Her once naive belief of one could achieve anything with sincerity (TN: the Chinese idiom literally translates as sincerity splits open metal and rocks) went up in smoke on the day Shu Qinger died!

‘Who was the father of that fetus, was it really Yuan Xuan?’

Mu Chenyan never even dared to ponder the answer to that question!

However, she knew that in the end, Shu Qinger’s body was buried in the Yuan Family’s private cemetery, along with the unborn fetus.

…

Exiting the black iron gate, the free, cool air filled Chen Muyan’s lungs…

Looking up at the gloomy sky, the corners of her mouth curved slightly upwards. Mu Chenyan gently wiped the tears away from the corner of her eyes!

The autumn rain is always lingering and moving.

Luo Hai City had been plagued with a haze for a week, and it was rare for the sky to clear up a little today!

The roads were washed by the rain again and again. On the wet paths, the potholes had been filled with water.

The cold wind blew, making the puddles of water rippled and shimmered.

Mu Chenyan tightened the thin, old coat around her body. The pair of canvas shoes on her feet was still the same pair sent by her older brother when she was first imprisoned!

Mud and rainwater splattered onto the shoes, which had been washed until its color had faded. A cold chill that could pierce the heart spread up from the soles of the feet.

Stepping forward, Mu Chenyan was oblivious as her shoes continuously got battered by the rainwater on the ground…

A black Jaguar braked suddenly and stopped right next to Mu Chenyan!

The shrill braking sound caused Mu Chenyan to lift her head up. Her expression was cold and indifferent as her clear eyes sized up the pair of old and young coming out of the car!

The old man had white hair with a face that must have been as distinctive as it had been in the past ten years, the veins on his dry red skin bulging. He met Mu Chenyan’s gaze and spoke, “Young Mistress, Young Master had asked Ah Fu and me to bring you to the Yuan Family Mansion!”

The young girl standing beside him must be Ah Fu. She had a thin figure but was respectfully supporting Butler Fu.

Mu Chenyan smiled faintly. Yuan Xuan himself did not come, but he sent Butler Fu over. Could this be considered as giving her face?

After all, Butler Fu was someone who had gone through fire and water with Old Master Yuan. His current position in the Yuan Family was not lower than that of Young Master!

Ah Fu’s eyes, which was clear as water, was curiously observing Mu Chenyan!

When she first arrived at Yuan Family Mansion, Mu Chenyan was already imprisoned!

Everyone in the Yuan Family Mansion was aware of the current situation of their Mistress, but being wise and discreet, they chose not to mention anything!

Ah Fu was only brought into the Yuan Family by her grandfather, Butler Fu, because the Old Mistress wanted to find a suitable maidservant to serve Yuan Xuan, the Young Master.

She had stayed by the Young Master’s side for two years, but the Young Mistress whom she had never met before was in front now. Ah Fu could not resist her snooping heart, so when her grandfather was sent to bring the Young Mistress home, she volunteered to follow.

Mu Chenyan shivered in the cold, and her body contracted in the cotton coat. An undetectable scoff emerged on her pale little face.

“Butler Fu, you’ve got the wrong person! There’s only Mu Chenyan here, no Young Mistress!”

Butler Fu was neither haughty nor humble when he placed a hand on his granddaughter’s wrist, lowered his elderly face and quietly said, “Young Mistress, you should still remember that you signed a marriage certificate with Young Master Yuan!

“One of the Yuan Family’s achievements throughout the generations was that there were only reasons why certain daughters-in-law who married into the family were unwanted, but there have never been previous instances of wives divorcing the husbands!

“Even in death, you’d still be a ghost of the Yuan Family!”

His final sentence seemed like he was downplaying it but it was actually a blatant threat!

Each of her grandfather’s words was devastating critiques and this was a situation that a young person like Ah Fu had never witnessed.

She slanted her body sideways towards her grandfather, shrinking herself while casting a suspicious gaze towards Mu Chenyan!

Not long ago, Ah Fu had assumed that the Young Mistress who she had not yet been acquainted with was the Young Master’s pampered beloved one. He longed for her while she was deeply in love with him. Therefore, he never left her during such a perilous time and bitterly waited two years for her!

Nonetheless, it was expected that her grandfather would spew such a threat when the Young Mistress seemed fickle and insipid and did not have any intention of wanting to return to the Yuan Family!

Chenyan rolled her eyes and smiled faintly. She pointed her tapered lower jaw in the direction of Butler Fu.

“Are you warning me in place of Yuan Xuan and saying that even if I die, I’ll still have to die in the Yuan Family?”

Butler Fu kept mum, his eyes twinkled, implying that she was right!

Mu Chenyan sadly looked around her surroundings. She was suddenly enveloped with a sense of dreariness that seemed as though the big world had no place for a weak girl like her!

If they were competing between who could be more ruthless, she had never been Yuan Xuan’s opponent!

It looked like Yuan Xuan was unwilling to let her go!

The important part was not whether the judge ruled that she was guilty but whether he felt that she was guilty…

Denying her death did not necessarily mean that he wanted her to live well…

…

A black Jaguar sped past and sprayed water everywhere!

The dark clouds in the sky that had recently dispersed now gathered in a pitch black shroud once again!

A storm was approaching from afar once again!

…

Mu Chenyan’s expression was indifferent and extremely cold. Not even the car’s heater could warm her!

She glanced out of the car window. She was too familiar with the road leading to the Yuan Family Mansion…

That year, she was 10 years old when she returned to Luo Hai with her father!

While she was still inexperienced and shielded from understanding the affairs of the world, she spotted Yuan Xuan for the first time among that cluster of emblemed buildings!

The fifteen-year-old youth was already dashing and spirited, his noble aura exerting from his body from head to toe instantly captured the young girl’s muddled heart!

Her father had explained to her he was the son of his comrade from Luo Hai’s most illustrious family, whom she would call Brother Xuan from then on!

Thus, this mountain road that was completely paved with confederate rose petals leading to the Yuan Family Mansion was one that she had journeyed on the most!

She did this to meet his gaze even just for a split second when his eyes swept past her!

This was not an ordinary road, it was the path of a young girl whose love had just awakened, boldly dashing forward in pursuit of true love!

…

When she was seventeen years old, she followed him and traveled across the ocean to study. When she saw him freely chatting to the golden-haired, blue-eyed beauties in the foreign land, she felt as if someone was twisting a knife in her heart!

His coldness was only directed towards her! His smiles, however, were offered to anybody…

On the day of his birthday banquet, she drank some alcohol and took the opportunity to bravely confessed to him her feelings. However, she had not expected that Yuan Xuan would answer her with just a cold gaze!

A gentle and affectionate young woman came knocking on her door the second day and uninhibitedly said, “Little sister, Brother Xuan already has his heart set on someone, so you shouldn’t be too affectionate towards him!”

That young woman was Shu Qinger!

Chenyan smiled faintly but her attitude towards Yuan Xuan remained the same as before!

“Big sister, you can like whoever you like and I’ll do the same!

“I, Mu Chenyan, have set my mind on him so I won’t give up easily!”

Hearing news of the jealous rivalry between both women, the man’s expression resembled dark clouds that were hanging overhead. He glared at her little face that stubbornly refused to repent. He was absolutely certain that this young woman would endlessly pester him from today onwards!

“Don’t waste your time on me! You should have your own path that you want to travel on!” warned Yuan Xuan.

Mu Chenyan’s big eyes suddenly twinkled and said, “I like you, but that doesn’t concern you! Brother Xuan, you don’t have to feel pressured! However, you can’t stop me from liking you!”

…

When she returned after completing her studies at the age of 21, the Young Master who had also returned from abroad was already wielding power over the Yuan Family!

This youth who was not even thirty years old had already ascended to the first and highest post in Luo Hai’s business empire!

He had monopolized the trading ports and imports that were entering Country Z and the development of their energy resources from abroad!

From then on, nobody from the various main prominent families throughout the Southeast Coast could compete with him and could merely watch him ascend from afar!

The Yuan Family Mansion had become a symbol of the pinnacle of their influence in Luo Hai!

At the age of 22, Yuan Xuan suddenly asked the Mu Family for their blessing to marry her. Her happiness had arrived so abruptly that when her father informed her of this news, she wildly ran across that little road that was lined with silk trees!

“I’m going to marry Brother Yuan Xuan!!!

“I’ve finally touched his heart…”

…

When she recalled the extremely frivolous youth, the corners of Mu Chenyan’s mouth curled upwards faintly!

She had never regretted loving him, but would not permit herself to love again!

She had never regretted pursuing him, but would not allow herself to fall into her rival’s trap again!

Mu Chenyan’s weary emotions stirred as she reached her hand out to comb her long hair!

Her hand that was waving in the air suddenly paused and she was briefly shocked when she realized that she had forgotten once again that she had cut her hair while she was in prison…

She recalled the Ten-Mile Red Dowry that she had previously read about. (TN: The Ten-Mile Red Dowry refers to a set of traditional Chinese marriage customs)

When my long hair reaches my waist, will the young master marry me?

Once your black hair has coiled up, will you be willing to line the ground with red silk for ten li 1 ?

However, I am worried that once my hair reaches my waist, the Young Master’s adoration will be in another place.

I will wait for your black hair to coil up, even if you will be smiling while holding another in your embrace.