Kill That Transmigrator Woman - Chapter 13

Chapter 12: Return to the Cui Mansion

Three years later.

Cui Wanwan sat in the carriage. Outside, the rain was pouring harder and harder. Though it had been a clear and sunny day, the sky suddenly darkened without warning.

As soon as a thunderclap sounded, a torrential downpour followed.

Ling Xun was driving the carriage, the horse galloping faster and faster. He called out, “Wanwan, don’t be afraid! I’m here. If the lightning strikes, I’ll block it for you!”

Cui Wanwan let out a laugh. “Just focus on driving. Don’t get us lost again. The Cui Mansion knows I’m arriving in the capital today—they even prepared a special meal just for me.”

“Don’t worry, Wanwan. I’m no longer a directionless idiot.” Ling Xun laughed, full of youthful spirit. Even though he’d grown from a young boy into a handsome young man, his appearance and personality hadn’t changed much.

The land of Jiuzhou was vast. In three years, they had only managed to skim across it like a dragonfly touching water. From the spring breeze to winter snow, from blooming flowers to falling autumn leaves, they had now reached the time of returning home.

Cui Wanwan lifted a corner of the curtain with her hand. At fifteen, her facial features had fully matured. Compared to three years ago, the childishness was gone, replaced by vivid, dazzling beauty.

Unlike Wei Qingyu’s deliberately crafted image of cold, ethereal elegance, Cui Wanwan had bright red lips, pearly white teeth, large, expressive eyes, a petite high nose, and skin like congealed cream. Her beauty was radiant and striking—completely unrelated to the word “delicate”—yet still retained a sense of lively charm.

She was a girl born to shine. Even the slightest smile from her sparkled like a sky full of stars.

A red beauty mark at the corner of her eye added a touch of alluring brilliance—captivating without being vulgar, unforgettable at a glance.

Finally, after hurrying along the road, they arrived in the capital before the evening meal.

“Wanwan!”

Coming to greet her was her elder brother, Cui Heng. The young man held an umbrella in one hand and extended the other toward her.

Cui Wanwan was just about to place her hand in his when, from the corner of her eye, she caught sight of a figure standing beside Madam Cui.

Her hand paused slightly. Instead of placing it in her brother’s palm, she withdrew and lightly jumped down from the carriage on her own.

She knew martial arts. During her travels across Jiuzhou, she had learned a few skills from some wandering masters and folk experts.

Cui Wanwan had never been a pretentious girl. In her past life, it was her fierce independence that had made her easier to break.

Cui Heng’s hand missed, and he instinctively raised his brows, surprise flashing in his eyes.

“Brother, it’s been a long time.” Cui Wanwan nodded and gave him a bright smile.

Only then did Cui Heng breathe a sigh of relief. Indeed, this was still the little sister he cherished most.

“Greetings to the Heir.”

A group of people bowed neatly to Ling Xun.

“No need for formalities,” Ling Xun waved his hand cheerfully, then turned to Cui Wanwan. “Then I’ll be heading off?”

“Alright,” Cui Wanwan nodded with a gentle smile.

After Ling Xun left.

“Father, Mother, I hope you’ve been well.” Cui Wanwan stepped forward, placed both hands neatly in front of her chest, gave a proper curtsey, and performed the standard etiquette of a noble young lady.

“You’re back, that’s good, that’s very good.” Father Cui laughed heartily and raised his hand to pat Cui Wanwan on the head.

Mother Cui was equally overjoyed. Holding her hand, she smiled and said, “That’s right, Wanwan, you’ve just returned and don’t know yet.”

“Come, let your mother introduce you. This is someone your father and I adopted. From now on, she’s your elder sister. Her name is…”

“Little sister Wanwan, it’s been so long.” Wei Qingyu, who had been standing to the side, suddenly spoke.

Cui Wanwan looked at her with a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “Mother hadn’t finished speaking. For Miss Wei to interrupt an elder like this—since you’ve entered the Cui mansion, you’re now part of the Cui family. Did the etiquette teacher not teach you proper manners?”

“I…” Wei Qingyu looked like a wronged rabbit, her brows lowered as she took a step back, and her eyes turned red in an instant.

“It’s nothing, nothing.” Mother Cui wasn’t angry at all. On the contrary, she was extremely tolerant of Wei Qingyu’s behavior. She pulled both their hands together and clasped them.
“From now on, you’ll be sisters. Wanwan, your elder sister has suffered in the past—she’s endured all kinds of hardships. Though you’re the younger one, for the sake of Yu’er’s pitiful past, you must take good care of her. Yu’er hasn’t been in our home for even a year and still isn’t used to many things. Now that you’re back and close in age, with you here, your sister can better fit in and adapt…”

Madam Cui went on and on. Toward the end, she seemed to recall all of Wei Qingyu’s past suffering, and her eyes even reddened. In her emotion, she pulled Wei Qingyu into her arms—it was nearly to the point of the two of them sobbing together.

Cui Wanwan kept a faint smile on her face the entire time, her eyes cold as she watched it all.

Putting aside whether Wei Qingyu’s suffering was real or not—even if it was real, so what?

It wasn’t she who caused it.

If she wasn’t the one who sowed the cause, then why should she bear the consequences?

“Oh, that’s right—what did you say earlier? Yu’er and Wanwan had met before?” Only now did Mother Cui come to herself.

Cui Wanwan lifted her chin, curled her lips into a smile, and stared at Wei Qingyu. “Yes. Three years ago, we were lucky enough to meet once in a dungeon.”

“Dungeon?” At that moment, not only Mother Cui, but even Cui Heng—who had been standing behind Cui Wanwan the whole time—had their expressions change instantly. They all rushed over, crowding around Wei Qingyu with concern.

“My poor darling…” Mother Cui was softhearted. Who knows what she imagined, but the tears she had held back now flowed freely again.

Cui Heng’s face was full of distress as he gently stroked Wei Qingyu’s head, his voice filled with comfort.

That same helplessness from her past life surged up once again.

But this time, Cui Wanwan didn’t lose her temper. Instead, she deliberately grinned and teased, “Why is no one asking why I was in the dungeon too?”

A single stone stirred up a thousand waves—her words instantly plunged the surroundings into silence.

A hint of awkwardness appeared on the faces of everyone present.

Father Cui gave a light cough. “Wanwan, you…”

“I’m fine,” Cui Wanwan cut him off with a playful smile.
“I’m so thick-skinned and tough—do you really think I could be bullied?”

Upon hearing that, Father and Mother Cui both let out a breath of relief. Mother Cui patted her chest. “Yes, yes, that’s true. Wanwan knows martial arts. Since she was little, she liked climbing roofs and tearing tiles off with the Young Heir. She’s not a delicate girl like the others.”

“Let’s go, it’s getting late. Time for dinner.” Father Cui smiled kindly as he spoke.

A crowd of people surrounded Wei Qingyu with great fanfare as they walked into the manor. Cui Wanwan, who didn’t keep up right away, was left at the very back just because she hadn’t moved forward immediately.

If it weren’t for her elder brother behind her, she would’ve been standing alone.

Cui Wanwan felt someone silently poke her back, and then her brother’s low voice sounded by her ear.

“The elders hadn’t finished speaking—how could you just interrupt? The Cui family is a scholarly household, and we value etiquette and learning most of all. You’ve been away for three years—don’t let yourself pick up the unruly ways of the jianghu and forget the Cui family’s manners and rules.”

Cui Wanwan said nothing and continued walking forward.

Seeing her like this, Cui Heng couldn’t help but sigh. “Why have you become so stubborn? I really shouldn’t have let you leave back then. Those people of the jianghu only corrupted you.”

“Brother,” Cui Wanwan stopped in her tracks, turned around, and looked calmly at Cui Heng.

“My travels with Ling Xun across the Nine Provinces were, first, to see this vast and beautiful land, to broaden our horizons. Second, to do everything we could to right the injustices of the world. Brother, you should go out and see the world too, or you’ll end up like a frog at the bottom of a well, thinking the capital is the best in the world, and looking down on everything and everyone outside.”

“You say I’ve forgotten the Cui family’s etiquette and rules—then what about Wei Qingyu? Didn’t she just interrupt Mother too? Cui Heng, may I ask how you view Wei Qingyu’s lack of manners?”

“Yu’er is still young,” Cui Heng rushed to defend.

But Cui Wanwan didn’t give him the chance and followed up directly, “She’s a year older than me.”

“You were born as the Cui family’s precious jewel, doted on by everyone. Yu’er isn’t the same. She had a bitter life in the past.”

“You see?” Cui Wanwan smiled.
“I say one sentence, and you have a comeback ready. So tell me—who is really your blood sister? Wei Qingyu, or me? Was her suffering caused by me? Did I harm her? Did I deprive her of food and drink? Did I press her head down and force her to live in hardship? Why on earth do I owe her anything?”

Cui Heng froze, speechless.

“Since you like her as your sister so much, then from now on I’ll keep to my place. I absolutely won’t get in the way of the deep sibling affection between you two.” Cui Wanwan sneered, then strode forward, quickly catching up with the others ahead.