Chapter 1: A Strange Encounter (Please Bookmark and Vote!)

No matter who first catches your eye, as long as I am the first to enter your heart, that’s all that matters…

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A melodious and enchanting ringtone softly echoed from the corner. Yet its owner lay motionless in the middle of the road. A crowd had gathered, murmuring among themselves, while the driver responsible was calling for an ambulance.

Soon, an emergency vehicle from Angel Hospital of Imperial City arrived. The well-trained paramedics swiftly got out, gave the victim a brief examination, then carefully transferred her onto the stretcher. A woman who had been riding with the driver picked up the phone, now with a cracked screen, from the corner and followed the ambulance.

Meanwhile, in a nearby ice cream shop, a girl was gripping her phone, listening to the persistent busy signal, and muttering in confusion, “Didn’t she say she’d be here soon? Why isn’t she answering?”

A boy beside her ventured, “Maybe she’s not feeling well again?”

The girl glared at him in annoyance. “Don’t jinx it!”

He put on an innocent face. “She has been having episodes more often lately. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have missed the college entrance exam…”

“Even if Xianyu misses the exam, the academies are still eager to accept her. You should worry about yourself instead!” The two continued their playful bickering, unaware that the person they were waiting for and discussing was being loaded into an ambulance just half a block away.

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That night, gentle moonlight spilled through the large glass windows, flooding the antique yet luxurious bedroom. A cool breeze stirred the white gauze curtains by the window, brushing against the light purple bed canopy.

Beneath the smooth, soft silk quilt, a face unnaturally pale held lips pursed tight and lashes—short but dense—fluttered twice before heavy eyelids slowly opened.

For a moment, Xianyu was dazed, then she recalled what had happened. Today was Dou Dou’s birthday—her closest friend, who had been wheedling in their group chat all week, insisting Xianyu spend her birthday with her.

She had always suffered from occasional health problems since childhood, making her reluctant to go out. Her condition wasn’t severe, but neither was it trivial: she’d experience auditory hallucinations and her body temperature would plummet below thirty degrees. These episodes came about every two weeks and passed in less than half an hour, always preceded by chills.

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But over the past year, the episodes had become more frequent and lasted longer, to the point that she’d had to miss school and lost the opportunity to test for higher academies. Even though she’d always been a top student and the school was willing to recommend her for admission, her current health made continuing her studies almost impossible. This left her understandably dejected, which was why her best friend was so determined to drag her out for a bit of fun.

Who would’ve expected that she’d get hit by a car while crossing the street?

She moved her limbs and neck—nothing broken. Her forehead, though, throbbed with pain and was wrapped in a bandage, likely from hitting the ground during the accident. Thankfully, it wasn’t too serious. At least she could sit up on her own.

Xianyu surveyed the elegantly antique bedroom in surprise. Where was she? Shouldn’t she be in a hospital?

At that moment, the door opened quietly, and a noblewoman in a black silk cheongsam entered with graceful steps, followed by an older lady.

The noblewoman’s long hair was coiled up, white as snow, but her face was smooth and unlined. Her deep blue eyes narrowed slightly, lips curved in a gentle smile, and her features radiated kindness and warmth. Her figure, beneath the silk dress, was well-preserved, her fair skin unblemished—her age impossible to guess.

The lady behind her stood tall in a black suit, white gloves on her hands, holding a delicate box—her bearing calm and composed.

Unsure of her circumstances, Xianyu chose to remain silent.

The noblewoman gave her an appraising look, then spoke softly, “Although the paternity test results aren’t in yet, you so closely resemble your mother that there’s little doubt.”

Xianyu was bewildered. Paternity test? Resemblance? Apart from sharing black hair, she and her mother looked nothing alike. Everyone said she took after her father—though she’d never met him.

Seeing her confusion, the noblewoman smiled. “I am your grandmother’s cousin. You should address me as Great Aunt.”

Xianyu grew more confused. Her grandmother was a country woman from Nan City—when had she acquired such a noble cousin?

“Um, are you sure you haven’t mistaken me for someone else?”

The noblewoman continued, “You carry the blood of the Nangong family, and you bear the family’s unique mark on your back. There can be no error.”

Mark?

Xianyu was startled. On her right shoulder blade was indeed a small, pale pink diamond-shaped mark. But wasn’t that just a peculiar birthmark?

“Housekeeper Xue,” the noblewoman said with a nod.

Housekeeper Xue stepped forward, opening the ornate box she carried.

Inside was a booklet embossed with a totem identical to Xianyu’s birthmark. The cover shimmered with golden letters: The Nangong Family Register.

“This mark is unique to the Nangong family. Every descendant is born with it.” As she spoke, the noblewoman slipped off her white shawl, turning slightly to reveal a similar mark high on her right arm.

“That’s impossible…” Xianyu murmured in disbelief.

She was the youngest daughter of the Xianyu family—what did she have to do with this Nangong family?

The noblewoman replaced her shawl and sighed softly. “It’s understandable that you’d find this hard to accept. You were separated from your mother as a child, so you likely don’t remember much from those early years…”

Xianyu’s heart skipped a beat. Her memories before age six, before she was lost and found on Snow Mountain, had vanished after a high fever. And it was after that fever that she began suffering hallucinations and sudden drops in temperature.

“If you still don’t believe me, just come meet your mother. All will be clear.”

The noblewoman turned and left the bedroom, Housekeeper Xue at her side.

With a thousand questions swirling within her, Xianyu had no choice but to follow them downstairs. They descended three flights to the basement, where the noblewoman paused before a dim and chilly door. Housekeeper Xue produced an old-fashioned key and turned the lock.

With a heavy creak, the door swung open and a wave of icy air washed over them. Even in the height of summer, Xianyu couldn’t help but shiver.

The noblewoman seemed unfazed and went straight in. Xianyu hesitated, then followed.

Suddenly, the dark, frigid room was bathed in light, and at its center stood a crystal coffin.