A rustle of leaves whispered from the distance, their gentle melody accompanied by the melancholic tune of birds flapping their wings in the air. In the near vicinity, a stream flowed freely, its gushing waters adding to the symphony of nature. Qiang Xin Yi, with closed eyes, relied on her other senses to comprehend her surroundings.
She felt the hard and flat surface beneath her, not quite comfortable enough to be called a bed. Suddenly, a warm light caressed her face, beckoning her to open her eyes.
As her eyelids parted, a young maiden stood before her, adorned in traditional ancient Chinese attire. The sight of the girl stirred a deep sense of familiarity within Qiang Xin Yi, as if they shared an unspoken connection.
Her mind raced with questions, and summoning her strength, she inquired, her voice filled with genuine curiosity, "Who are you?"
The young maiden's expression shifted from surprise to sorrow, tears welling up in her eyes. Her voice trembled with emotion as she replied, "Mistress, it is I, Dong'er. How could you forget? We have been inseparable since our childhood."
As tears streamed down Dong'er's face, she sobbed, "Since you hit your head, you've been saying strange things, Mistress, huhuhu..."
Qiang Xinyi was overwhelmed by a flood of emotions as the name Dong'er echoed in her mind, triggering something deep within her. She strained to recollect her memories, but they remained elusive, slipping through her fingers like water.
Desperate for answers, Qiang Xinyi called out to Lao'an in her mind, seeking guidance. "Lao'an, who is this girl?" But her plea was met with silence. "Lao'an! Answer me. Where am I?" Once again, silence filled the air, leaving her frustrated and on the verge of madness.
In a fit of anger, she exclaimed, "You little brat, if you ignore me for the third time, I swear I'll really kill you!"
To her surprise, a voice responded from behind her. "The system will gradually transfer the memories to you...just a bit at a time." Qiang Xinyi turned to confront the voice, her frustration boiling over.
"You, you little system thing! Is that all you're going to say? What kind of assistant are you? I'm going to leave a scathing review because of you!"
Ignoring her outburst, the voice continued, "Miss Qiang Xinyi, the system will now begin transferring the character's memories to you." As those words hung in the air, Qiang Xinyi felt an indescribable pain throbbing in her head.
"Mistress!" Dong'er's voice sliced through the distance, laced with genuine concern. The headache clawed at Qiang Xinyi relentlessly, rendering her vision a watery blur, and her ears throbbed with an eerie silence, like a vacuum in her surroundings.
And then, as if a phantom puppeteer took control, she felt her body levitate, defying the laws of gravity, granting her a disorienting bird's-eye view of the unfolding spectacle below like she's watching a movie through a big screen.
The bewildering scene materialized amidst nature's grandeur—a rugged mountain road, ensnared by a dense canopy of towering trees that stood sentinel-like, guarding the secrets within.
The path beneath was an obstacle course of treacherous rocks, their jagged edges a menacing reminder of the challenges that lay ahead. It was as if the very earth had conspired to test her resilience.
Lost and disoriented, she mustered the strength to summon her so-called assistant. "Lao'an!" Her voice pierced through the air, laden with a desperate plea for guidance.
To her astonishment, the void was shattered, replaced by a voice that cut through the silence like a beacon in the night. "Here! "
"Oh? So you finally found your voice, huh?" she retorted sarcastically, her eyes rolling with exaggerated disdain. "Consider yourself lucky that I can't lay my eyes on you. Otherwise, I might be tempted to commit a few illegal acts."
Lao'an responded with a contrasting demeanor, radiating warmth and calm. "Miss Xin Yi, please don't speak that way. We're meant to be companions through this journey. As your assistant, my role is to support you and ensure the successful completion of your mission."
"Assistant? You useless little twerp! You whisked me away without even giving me a proper orientation of what to expect," she snapped, her frustration palpable.
Lao'an attempted to reason with her. "Miss Xinyi, all the information you needed was clearly laid out in the agreement I presented to you earlier. If you had taken the time to read it, you wouldn't be facing this predicament now."
The girl rolled her eyes defiantly, refusing to acknowledge her own mistake. "Fine... fine, since this has already happened, and you claim to be my oh-so-benevolent assistant, go ahead and explain everything to me again, just for the sake of achieving our mission."
Lao'an nodded understandingly. "Very well. Take a close look at the unfolding scene," he gestured, directing her attention to the spectacle before them.
In the scene previously described, two women adorned in ancient Chinese attire raced through the terrain, their garments telling stories of their divergent social statuses. One was draped in the regal attire of a lady hailing from a prominent family, while the other donned the modest garb of a servant girl from the lower echelons of society.
They sprinted desperately, their hearts pounding as if pursued by a pack of relentless wolves. As Qiang Xin Yi observed, a pang of recognition tugged at her core. Whispers escaped her lips, barely audible. "Lao'an, is that... Dong'er?"
Just as she voiced her query, Dong'er turned to address her companion, seeking a momentary respite to catch their breath. "Mistress, what should we do? The bandits are closing in, and we are defenseless against them. It was unwise to venture into this perilous territory. If anything were to happen to you, Mistress, how could I possibly explain it to Madam and Master?" Dong'er's voice trembled with worry, tears welling in her eyes.
Her companion, the familiar woman who resonated with Qiang Xin Yi, took a calming breath. "Don't fret, Dong'er. The camp of the Sixth Prince is nearby. We can seek refuge and assistance there."
"But, Mistress, how did you know that His Highness would be stopping here? If we ask for help, he may suspect ulterior motives," Dong'er interjected, her voice filled with concern.
"Dong'er, we don't have time for such discussions. Just keep running, or those bandits will catch up to us!" The woman's voice rang out with an undercurrent of anger, silencing Dong'er's protests.
The distant sound of commotion reached their ears, amplifying their fear. A group of burly men, unmistakably bandits, surged forward with deadly weapons in hand, ready to exact their merciless toll.
It was evident that these women had fallen prey to the marauders that haunted this treacherous region, plundering valuables and showing no mercy to their victims. Helpless and vulnerable, the girls found themselves pursued by these intimidating and ruthless adversaries.
YOU ARE READING
Destined Hearts
Historical Fiction"In a scripted world, she must pick: safety in lines or a heart's composed destiny." Qiang Xin Yi was just a regular woman living in the modern world. However, when she hit her head and somehow transferred her soul into a novel she had been reading...
