Chapter 7: Come Back Alive
A familiar voice pierced through the darkness.
"Our Second Miss is awake!"
The sudden scream nearly sent Wang Gege’s soul flying out of her body.
Her eyelashes trembled before she slowly opened her eyes.
The first thing she saw was an unfamiliar canopy hanging above her head.
The second thing she saw was two maids standing beside her bed.
The third thing she noticed was that both of them looked as though they had just witnessed another miracle.
For a long moment, Wang Gege simply stared at them.
The two maids stared back and the room fell into an awkward silence.
Feeling a bit unreal, Wang Gege slowly closed her eyes again.
One of the maids immediately panicked, "Second Miss!"
The other maid hurriedly stepped forward, "Second Miss, please do not scare us!"
Wang Gege opened her eyes once more. This time, she finally accepted reality.
She was not dead—Again.
A complicated expression immediately appeared on her face.
Somehow, surviving should have been good news.
Yet after being poisoned twice in less than a day, Wang Gege found herself feeling strangely numb.
"Am I alive?" she asked.
The two maids nodded so quickly that Wang Gege almost felt embarrassed for asking.
Only then did she begin paying attention to them.
They were familiar faces. Both had accompanied her from the Shen residence.
The maid standing closest to the bed looked as though she had not slept all night. The moment she saw Wang Gege looking at her, her eyes instantly turned red.
"Second Miss..." Her voice trembled slightly, "You finally woke up."
The relief on her face was impossible to hide.
Wang Gege blinked. For some reason, that reaction made her feel a little guilty.
After all, she was not actually Shen Taotao. Yet this girl was clearly worried about her.
Standing a short distance behind her was the second maid from the Shen residence.
Unlike the first girl, she appeared much calmer. Although she also seemed relieved, her expression remained composed as she quietly lowered her head.
For some reason, Wang Gege had the strange feeling that the second maid had been observing the room ever since she woke up.
The thought only lingered for a moment before disappearing.
After all, she currently has more important things to worry about. Such as whether she was actually alive.
After a brief silence, Wang Gege cautiously raised a hand and pinched her own cheek.
"Ouch."
The pain was immediate.
The maids stared at her in confusion.
Wang Gege stared back. Then she slowly lowered her hand, "I really am alive."
The words sounded more surprised than relieved.
The two maids exchanged glances. The one standing closest to the bed looked as though she might cry again at any moment.
Wang Gege lowered her hand and carefully examined herself.
Two arms, two legs and one head.
Everything seemed to be where it should be. Most importantly, she did not appear to be a ghost.
After confirming this important fact, she finally let out a small sigh of relief.
But another thought suddenly surfaced.
Wang Gege immediately looked toward the maid, "How long was I unconscious?"
"Since yesterday afternoon, Second Miss." One of the maids replied.
Wang Gege froze, "Yesterday?"
The maid nodded. "Second Miss remained unconscious throughout the entire night."
"Then... where is that Young Master?" Wang Gege asked, lowering her voice slightly.
The two maids exchanged a surprised glance. Neither of them had expected that question.
"Young Master Xie?" the emotional maid asked cautiously.
Wang Gege immediately nodded.
The maid looked even more puzzled.
She seemed unsure how to answer, "Young Master is not in this courtyard."
Only then did Wang Gege quietly release the breath she had been holding. The movement was small but it did not escape the maids’ notice.
The emotional maid blinked and the calmer one also raised her eyes briefly.
"But, Second Miss... are you alright?" the emotional maid asked carefully.
Wang Gege looked at her in confusion, "What do you mean?"
She even flashed a bright smile as she slowly pushed herself into a sitting position. "I came back alive, didn’t I? Of course I’m alright."
Seeing her move, the maid hurried forward to support her, "This servant does not mean that."
The girl lowered her head. After hesitating for a moment, she carefully chose her words.
"Second Miss has only just entered the Xie residence..." Her voice gradually became softer, "And yet..."
The maid bit her lip before lowering her head even further, "This servant is merely worried that the Second Miss may feel wronged."
Wang Gege blinked, "Wronged?"
The maid immediately knelt, "This servant spoke out of turn. Please forgive this servant."
The smile on Wang Gege’s face slowly disappeared.
Her eyes widened slightly, "Wronged?"
The maid immediately lowered her head. "This servant spoke carelessly."
Wang Gege, however, was no longer paying attention because a thought had suddenly surfaced in her mind.
Ever since waking up, she had been so busy confirming that she was alive that she had completely forgotten to ask one very important question.
Where exactly was she?
Wang Gege looked around the room again and then at the two maids before returning to the room.
A terrible suspicion suddenly surfaced in her mind.
"You mean..." she said slowly, "when you said Young Master is in another courtyard..."
She pointed at the floor beneath her, "I’m staying in a different courtyard from him?"
The emotional maid lowered her head sadly, "Yes, Second Miss."
For a brief moment, the room fell silent. The maid nervously waited for their Second Miss’s reaction.
After all, any newly married bride placed in a separate courtyard on the very first day would inevitably feel wronged. At least, that was what she believed.
Unfortunately for her, the person sitting on the bed was Wang Gege.
Wang Gege’s eyes gradually widened. Then they widened some more.
A moment later, she grabbed the maid’s hand.
"You mean..." Her voice trembled slightly.
The maid’s heart immediately tightened, "Second Miss—"
"I have my own courtyard?" She ended her question.
Both maids froze. Clearly, that was not the reaction they had been expecting.
After a brief pause, they exchanged glances before nodding politely.
"Yes, Second Miss."
Wang Gege simply stared at them before she slowly turned her head away and mumbled a word, "Yes."
The word escaped her lips in a near whisper. A smile gradually spread across her face.
"Yes." She couldn’t hide her happiness.
The two maids looked at each other in confusion.
Meanwhile, Wang Gege was doing her best to suppress the excitement bubbling inside her chest.
No matter how she looked at it, a separate courtyard was a wonderful arrangement.
Unfortunately, Shen Taotao probably would not think so.
Remembering that she was supposed to stay in character, Wang Gege quickly schooled her expression.
When she turned back toward the two maids, the smile had already disappeared from her face. Instead, a trace of gloominess appeared in her eyes.
"It is alright," she said softly.
The two maids immediately looked at her with concern.
"It might take some time for Young Master Xie to accept this marriage."
She lowered her gaze, "After all, the bride was changed at the last moment. If I were in his position, I would not be pleased either."
The emotional maid’s eyes immediately reddened again. "Second Miss..."
Wang Gege waved her hand as though trying to appear strong, "It is fine. As long as I have a place to stay, that is enough."
The moment those words left her mouth, she nearly applauded herself.
Excellent. Very convincing.
No one would ever suspect that she was actually delighted by the arrangement.
Meanwhile, the emotional maid looked even more heartbroken.
"Is that what you think?"
A deep voice suddenly sounded from the doorway.
The room instantly fell silent.
Wang Gege froze. Slowly, she turned her head.
Xie Rong stood at the entrance, his tall figure blocking part of the afternoon sunlight.
At that moment, nobody dared to speak.