Qiao Wanyan picked up a candied fruit, its sugary sweetness a momentary distraction as she placed it in her mouth. Even if her parents were unable to make the journey back this year, she was determined to visit her maternal grandfather's house for the New Year celebrations.
In the original narrative, Qiao Yi Huan's return to Yongzhou this year would lead to an unexpected encounter: she would rescue a young boy from the depths of an underground market in Yongzhou.
The boy, a veritable 'wolf cub,' was wary, untrusting, and possessed an extraordinary aptitude for martial arts. He would gradually be influenced by Qiao Yi Huan's kindness and compassion, eventually becoming her most trusted bodyguard, fiercely protective of her safety. He might even harbor secret, unspoken feelings of love for her, dedicating his life to protecting her without seeking any formal recognition or status.
And this very same boy, she knew with chilling certainty, would be the one to ultimately kill her for Qiao Yi Huan in the future.He would end her life in an act of extreme cruelty, that sent shivers down her spine, leaving her with a haunting sense of dread and foreboding about the events to come.
This time, she was determined to find and buy that "wolf cub" before Qiao Yihuan even had the chance. She would attempt to win him over with the same love and kindness that Qiao Yi Huan would have offered.
It wasn't that she craved to possess him or steal him away from her sister; her motivation stemmed from a deep-seated fear that he would remain a hidden, unpredictable variable in her life. Even if she and Yi Huan managed to forge a strong, amicable bond, she couldn't shake the unsettling premonition that he might still be the instrument of her demise. The thought of dying at his hands in the future, and in such a horrifyingly cruel manner, was her greatest fear. Death itself was not what terrified her, but the prospect of enduring a painful and agonizing end was a burden she couldn't bear.
This year, the entire family had initially planned to return to Yongzhou for the New Year celebrations. However, fate intervened when Madam Jin suffered a sprained ankle, rendering travel difficult. Naturally, Minister Qiao would not allow her to travel to her father-in-law's house alone with the children in her condition.
After much deliberation, he made the decision to send his two daughters back to Yongzhou, while he and his wife would remain in the capital, taking advantage of the opportunity to enjoy some quality time together.
In the second timeline, Qiao Wanyan had attempted to persuade Qiao Yi Huan to stay at home, but Madam Jin had firmly refused. Wanyan understood that as the mistress of the house, she could wield considerable authority within the household, but in the outside world, she had to ensure that others perceived her as a dignified and fair mistress.
Because of her merchant family background, she was already considered inferior to the wives of officials in the capital. If rumors were to spread that she mistreated a concubine's daughter, it would bring great shame upon the Jin family.
Qiao Wanyan gazed up at the sky, a slight frown creasing her brow. This time, she had not obstructed Yi Huan from making the journey, but she couldn't shake the nervous feeling that she might not be able to prevent the two from meeting. Would that mysterious force allow her to snatch someone away from the heroine? Even though she harbored no ill intentions in doing so, would heaven obstruct her plan and retaliate? She didn't care about any of the other characters, her only concern was for that one man.
At the entrance of the Qiao family residence, Minister Qiao and Madam Jin showered them with a flurry of instructions. "Yan Yan, please be extra cautious on this journey. Do not engage in conversation with strangers, and do not venture out without proper accompaniment."
Qiao Wanyan found the overprotectiveness somewhat amusing. "Father and Mother, I'm not a child anymore," she said with a gentle smile. "Don't worry, I will definitely take good care of myself and my sister."
Minister Qiao felt a pang of sadness, realizing that his daughter had truly blossomed into a young woman.
"Yan Yan, why do you need to take care of your sister?" Minister Qiao turned his gaze towards Qiao Yihuan, who stood beside her, his tone and demeanor noticeably less gentle than before. "You are the older sister, and it is your responsibility to take good care of your younger sister. If Yan Yan loses even a single hair on her head, I will not let you off easily when you return."
Qiao Yihuan appeared accustomed to such treatment and simply nodded slightly, "Father, don't worry," she replied softly.
Qiao Wanyan felt a surge of empathy and wanted to intervene, but she knew that doing so would be out of character for her, so she remained silent. Although she found the heroine's situation truly pitiful, she restrained herself from interfering.
Minister Qiao harbored a deep-seated dislike for this daughter. If her mother hadn't become pregnant by chance while serving as a maid, he would never have kept such a mistress in his household.
It was because of this mistress that his father-in-law had almost prevented him from marrying Yan Yan's mother, a union that had been carefully arranged to elevate his social standing.
And over the years, Qiao Yihuan had never uttered a single coquettish word or made any demands. He treated her the same as Yan Yan in terms of clothing, food, housing, and transportation; he had never intentionally mistreated her.
Yan Yan, on the other hand, spent a considerable amount of money, all of which came from her mother's generous allowance. He made sure to give his two daughters the exact same allowance each month, striving to treat them equally in material terms. But unlike Yan Yan, who affectionately called him "Daddy," Qiao Yi Huan treated him with a cold detachment, further fueling his resentment towards her.