Chapter 178: The Future Might Change
Xie An’an’s smile became even more crooked as she continued.
"I have already reached this point..." Her eyes glimmered strangely. "Then I should go all out, shouldn’t I?"
Before anyone could understand what she meant, Xie An’an suddenly lunged toward Wang Gege.
"Young Madam!"
But Mo Yan moved faster. He immediately caught Xie An’an by the arm and pulled her back before she could take more than two steps forward.
"Let me go!" Xie An’an struggled fiercely. "Let go of me!"
Mo Yan’s expression remained cold as he tightened his grip. "Young Miss, please do not make this guard use force."
Xie An’an laughed. Even while being restrained, she suddenly laughed.
"Fine..." Her struggle gradually stopped. Her gaze slowly moved toward Xie Rong. "If I cannot get Brother this time either..."
Wang Gege frowned and Xie Rong’s expression also changed slightly.
Xie An’an’s lips slowly curved. "Should I rewind again?"
Silence.
Wang Gege’s eyebrows immediately knitted together. "What did you say?"
Xie An’an tilted her head.
"Hm?" Xie Rong’s gaze turned cold. "What did you mean by ’again’?"
For the first time since she had begun exposing her twisted thoughts, something strange flickered across Xie An’an’s face.
Then she smiled, a knowing one.
"Did Brother hear it clearly?" Her eyes remained fixed on him. "This sister said..." She slowly repeated, "Again."
Before anyone could react, Xie An’an suddenly swung the hand that Mo Yan had not restrained.
The sharp hairpin was still clutched tightly between her fingers.
"An’an!"
Her arm moved. The pointed end of the hairpin flashed beneath the light.
Then... She stabbed it into her own neck.
"Young Miss!"
Blood instantly flowed down the side of her neck.
Wang Gege’s eyes widened.
"She—"
Even Mo Yan’s expression changed as he immediately reached for her free arm.
But Xie An’an merely smiled.
Her eyes remained fixed on Xie Rong, strangely calm, as though she was completely confident in what she had just done.
As though she believed death was not the end.
’If this life failed... Then there would simply be another.’
Unfortunately for her, as blood continued to pour from her neck, hurried footsteps suddenly rushed into the chamber.
"The physician has arrived!"
Xie An’an’s smile froze.
A physician carrying his medicine case hurried inside, only to stop abruptly at the sight before him.
"Quick!" Old Madam Xie shouted. "Save her!"
The physician immediately rushed toward Xie An’an. And for the first time, the confidence in her eyes began to waver.
"Don’t touch me..." Xie An’an’s voice started to weaken as more blood flowed down her neck.
The physician frowned.
"Young Miss, you must allow this old man to stop the bleeding."
"No..." Her hand trembled as she tried to pull away. "Do not... touch me..."
Her breathing gradually became uneven.
Xie An’an’s gaze remained fixed on Xie Rong, as though she were waiting for something.
Waiting for darkness to come. Waiting for the moment she believed everything would begin again.
But as the blood continued flowing, fear slowly began to appear beneath the strange confidence in her eyes.
’Why... Why had nothing happened yet?’
Wang Gege’s gaze shifted toward Xie Rong. Her fingers quietly caught the edge of his robe before she gently tugged at it.
Xie Rong lowered his head.
Wang Gege leaned closer and whispered into his ear. "Was she reborn?"
Xie Rong’s brows slowly furrowed. For a moment, he said nothing.
Then he gave a slight shake of his head.
"This husband does not know." His gaze shifted toward Xie An’an. "But from what she said..." His expression darkened. "She has certainly experienced something before."
Wang Gege’s eyes narrowed. "But if she was reborn..." Her voice became even softer. "Wouldn’t that mean she remembered something before this life?"
Xie Rong’s gaze remained fixed on Xie An’an.
Before he could answer, Xie An’an suddenly swayed. The colour drained from her face.
"Young Miss!"
Her knees gave way.
Mo Yan immediately caught her before her body could collapse onto the floor.
"Physician!"
The physician rushed forward.
Xie An’an’s eyes fluttered weakly as she continued staring ahead, her breathing becoming increasingly faint.
"No..." The word barely left her lips. "I... have to..." Her eyelids slowly began to fall. "Again..."
Then her body suddenly went limp.
"An’an!" Old Madam Xie’s cry echoed through the bedchamber. "Quickly! Save her!"
The physician immediately knelt beside her and pressed his fingers against her pulse.
Xie Rong’s gaze darkened.
Wang Gege remained completely silent, her fingers still gripping the edge of Xie Rong’s robe.
Both of them understood one thing.
If what Xie An’an meant by again was truly being reborn, then they had to be prepared for the possibility that the moment of her death might not simply end her life...
It might turn everything back once more and if that happened, they had no idea how far back they would be sent.
Silence surrounded the entire courtyard.
No one spoke.
The servants stood quietly outside, barely daring to breathe, while those inside the chamber remained where they were.
Almost an hour passed in that suffocating silence when the physician finally stepped away from Xie An’an’s side.
Everyone immediately turned toward him.
"Physician?" Old Madam Xie’s voice was hoarse.
The physician slowly exhaled before bowing. "Old Madam, Master... Young Miss is finally out of danger."
Old Madam Xie’s body visibly weakened.
"Her bleeding has stopped, and the wound, fortunately, did not reach too deeply." The physician continued, his expression serious. "However, she lost a considerable amount of blood. She will remain unconscious for some time."
Master Xie frowned. "And her life?"
The physician shook his head, "For now, Young Miss’s life is no longer in danger."
Only then did several people in the courtyard finally release the breaths they had been holding.
Wang Gege remained silent. Her gaze slowly fell onto Xie An’an’s unconscious figure.
Xie Rong glanced at her before quietly reaching for her hand. He clasped it gently within his.
"Everything will be fine..." he whispered close to her ear.
Wang Gege slowly turned to look at him.
Xie Rong’s injured hand was already bandaged, yet his other hand remained firmly around hers.
Her fingers slowly tightened around him. "I hope so..."
Her gaze returned to Xie An’an.
For the first time, Wang Gege truly understood that there might be another person beside Shen Yurou who had somehow escaped the boundaries of this life.
And if Xie An’an truly possessed the ability to return after death, then the future they had fought so hard to change might not be as secure as they had believed.