My Betrothed

Chapter 2: Girl in the Mirror

 

Ye Xiu gripped the steering wheel tightly, his knuckles turning white as his car hovered on the edge of the cliff. Time seemed to slow down, each passing second felt like an eternity as he stared into the abyss below, the sound of his own heartbeat drowning out the roar of the wind, leaving him with his thoughts in the face of impending doom.

In the face of death, his thoughts surprisingly turned not to fear, but to guilt that gnawed at his soul. Amidst the chaos of his thoughts, Zhou Zekai's face flashed before his mind, a reminder of the heartless rejection he had delivered to the other guy.

Ye Xiu’s mind was clouded with confusion. Why was he thinking of Zhou Zekai at a time like this? They had been rivals in Glory, competitors representing the old and new generations. Ye Xiu had never entertained the notion of anything beyond that—certainly not romantic feelings for someone younger and once deemed a rival. Yet, inexplicably, Zhou Zekai's face filled his thoughts as the ground rushed up to meet him.

He would love to ponder about this more only if he could. But time was the only thing that he was lacking right now. Closing his eyes, Ye Xiu braced himself for the impact as his mind was consumed by a single, resigned thought: This is the end.

…or so he thought.

Beep… Beep…

The rhythmic beeping of the hospital monitor pierced through the fog of unconsciousness, pulling Ye Xiu back from the abyss.

For a moment, he couldn’t tell if he was really awake or was just dreaming, uncertain of where he truly was.

Ye Xiu’s memory began to piece together fragments of what had happened. – his car falling off the cliff, the feeling of weightlessness, and the loud crash as it met the rocks below.

In that moment, he had resigned himself to his fate, convinced he wouldn't survive. But where is he now? Confusion and disbelief mingled within him. Had he somehow cheated death? Or was this all just a cruel trick of his mind?

But he could not ignore the overwhelming smell of disinfectant assaulting his nostrils or the sound of the heart monitor beeping, indicating that he was really alive. He seemed to be in a hospital, right? Then, was he truly saved?

Ye Xiu scrunched his nose as he slowly opened his eyes, squinting in attempt to sharpen the blurry images in front of him.

He found himself lying in what appeared to be a lavish hotel suite. Disoriented and confused, he blinked several times, trying to make sense of his surroundings.

The room was bathed in soft, golden light, casting a warm glow over the elegant furnishings and tasteful décor.  At first glance, there was really nothing to suggest that he was in a hospital room.

Was he mistaken? Could it be the afterlife, not a hospital?

Ye Xiu glanced around, searching for the source of the beeping sound. It was then that he noticed the subtle presence of medical equipment discreetly hidden throughout the room—a heart monitor beside the bed, an IV stand tucked away in the corner.

Realization dawned on Ye Xiu as he pieced together the puzzle of his surroundings. He was not mistaken. This was no hotel suite—it was a VIP hospital room, meticulously designed to provide comfort and privacy to its occupants.

Ye Xiu could finally let go of the breath he had been holding, a wave of relief washed over him.

After getting rid of the uneasy feeling that had gripped him since waking up in the unfamiliar surroundings, Ye Xiu finally noticed the dryness in his throat. It felt as though he hadn't had a drop of water in days, and the dryness only intensified with each passing moment.

With a groan, he attempted to sit up, his muscles protesting with the effort after hours of immobility.

As he shifted in the bed, Ye Xiu's gaze fell upon a glass and a pitcher of water placed tantalizingly on the bedside table. With a determined resolve, he swung his legs over the edge of the bed and attempted to stand, only to be met with a sudden rush of dizziness that sent the room spinning.

He staggered backward, his vision swimming with disorientation. Instinctively, Ye Xiu reached out to steady himself, grasping at the nearby edge of the bed for support.

But the dizziness intensified, a new sensation washed over him—nausea, churning in the pit of his stomach with relentless force. With each passing moment, the discomfort grew more pronounced, threatening to overwhelm him entirely.

With a desperate gasp, Ye Xiu stumbled from the bed, his movements clumsy and unsteady. He staggered across the room, his head swimming with dizziness, as he fought to reach the sanctuary of the bathroom before it was too late.

Finally, with a burst of effort, he reached the door and flung it open, stumbling into the cool, tiled space beyond. Without a moment's hesitation, he fell to his knees before the toilet, emptying the contents of his stomach with violent intensity.

At last, the ordeal passed, leaving Ye Xiu exhausted and drained, but feeling much better and awake.

As he leaned back against the cool tiles of the bathroom floor, he couldn't help but marvel at the absurdity of it all—he just wanted water!

Ye Xiu shook his head helplessly as he slowly pushed himself up from the cold tile floor, his muscles protesting with every movement.

Weak and trembling, he staggered towards the sink, the taste of bile still lingering in his mouth. He turned on the faucet, letting the cool water run over his palms as he rinsed out his mouth, washing away the acrid taste.

As he reached for the soap, a sharp pang shot through his hand, causing him to wince in pain. Startled, Ye Xiu inspected his hand, his brow furrowing in confusion. There, on the back of his hand, was a small wound, a thin red line where the needle of the IV had pierced his skin.

Realization dawned on him with sudden clarity, and he cursed himself for his carelessness. In his haste to reach the bathroom, he must have torn out the IV line.

But as he examined his hand more closely, he noticed something strange. They didn't look like his own. They were smaller, more delicate, the skin smooth and unblemished. Panic rising within him, Ye Xiu turned his gaze towards the mirror above the sink, his heart skipping a beat at the sight that greeted him.

Staring back at him was the reflection of a girl—a girl with long, dark hair cascading over her shoulders, and soft, delicate features that bore a striking resemblance to his own. His mind reeled with disbelief as he struggled to comprehend what he was seeing.

Ye Xiu frantically reached up to touch his face, tracing the contours as if to confirm what his eyes were telling him. To his astonishment, the reflection mimicked his movements, the girl in the mirror reached out to touch her own face in perfect synchrony.

A chill ran down his spine as he realized the truth. The person staring back at him from the mirror was undeniably him, yet somehow different—transformed into a girl!

How could this be possible? How could he, a man, suddenly become a woman? It defied all logic, all reason. Had he somehow crossed into an alternate reality? Was this some kind of cruel trick, a punishment for his reckless actions? Or was this some bizarre twist of fate, a consequence of cheating death?

“If either of us was born as a girl, maybe things will be different.”

Suddenly, his heartless words to Zhou Zekai resurfaced in his mind, a chilling realization took hold.

What if his dismissive response to Zhou Zekai was the one that caused this cruel twist of fate? What if his flippant remark about the possibility of them being together if one of them were a girl had been answered in the most unfathomable way possible?

It seemed absurd, impossible even, and yet, as he stared at his reflection in the mirror, the evidence was undeniable.

“Haha!” Ye Xiu laughed. It was not a laughter of mirth or joy, but rather one tinged with bitterness and acceptance, a rueful acknowledgment of the cruel twists of fate that had befallen him.

This was his reckoning, his punishment for his thoughtless words and actions.