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Xiao Que suppressed her doubts and helped her outside. Just now, she had heard the other maids in the courtyard whispering together, saying that the madam had been kicked on the head by a horse, and now she seemed to have changed completely, and the place had become much quieter.

She felt the same way, but of course she dared not reveal it at all, for fear of angering him and being sold off haphazardly.

"Madam, would you like to sit on this stone bench? I'll lay out a handkerchief for you." Xu Shirong felt as she walked along a path paved with blue bricks or pebbles when she heard Xiao Que ask her cautiously.

She nodded, and was quickly helped to sit on it by Xiao Que.

Since losing her sight, her hearing and sense of smell have become more acute than before. The afternoon sun of spring shines upon her, and warmth fills the clear sky. She smells the fragrance of flowers carried on the breeze, and seems to hear even the fluttering of butterflies.

How long has it been since she felt this way? After her nose had become accustomed to the smell of formaldehyde mixed with rotting flesh?

Seeing that she seemed a little dazed but fortunately not displeased, Xiao Que carefully said, "Madam, shall I get you a veil? You might get sunburned."

Xu Shirong chuckled and shook her head, saying, "The warm sun is just right for basking in the sun. Why bring a curtain? Go ahead and do it yourself. I want to sit here alone for a while."

Little Sparrow gave a soft "oh," then slowly walked away, glancing back all the way. It didn't dare leave completely, but waited at a distance, ready to come immediately if it heard her call.

Xu Shirong heard the little sparrow's footsteps fading away, took a long breath of the warm, fragrant air, as if to expel all the stale air from her lungs. Then she tilted her head back, closed her eyes, and stood motionless, basking in the sunlight.

Suddenly, she heard a childish giggle. Listening closely, she could faintly hear what sounded like whispers carried on the wind.

"Sister, what is sister-in-law doing over there?" It was a childish boy's voice, sounding no more than four or five years old. The voice was very low, as if he was a little scared.

“Little Ruanbao…she was obviously looking at the sky, didn’t she see the kite flying up there?” another clearer voice rang out.

The boy seemed somewhat unconvinced and argued in a low voice, "Sister-in-law can't see, so how can she see the kite in the sky?"

The older sister seemed taken aback for a moment, then raised her voice and said decisively, "I said she was looking at kites, so she was looking at kites. I'm the older sister, you have to listen to me!"

The boy's aggrieved voice rang out again, "But I heard from the aunt in the yard that she clearly can't see anymore. Sister, you're being unreasonable again... When Mother comes back in a few days, I'll tell her that you sneaked out to play while she wasn't there, without taking me with you; and also, you broke that jade inkstone that Father searched for for half a day last time. Afraid of being scolded by Mother, you secretly threw it into the pond, and you wouldn't let me tell anyone..."

"Qing-ge, you little rascal, all you do is pester Mom to tell on me. I'm not afraid at all! Dad will lift me up high so Mom can't hit me! Even if Mom punishes me, Dad will immediately sneak me out to play!"

Xu Shirong heard the girl giggle, a hint of smugness in her voice. Imagining the scene she described, he couldn't help but smile slightly himself.

"Sister, she's laughing..." The boy seemed somewhat frightened.

"Don't be afraid, don't be afraid, she can't see us. You wait here and don't move. I'll pick the biggest flower and then run..."

Xu Shirong heard the sound of tiptoeing footsteps, which must be the girl coming to pick flowers, so he remained seated without moving. After a while, he heard a "plop" sound, which must have been the sound of a flower being plucked from the branch. A gentle breeze swept past him, followed by the sound of running footsteps and a silvery laugh that gradually faded into the distance.

Everything finally fell silent again, and all she could hear was the rustling sound of flowers falling as the wind swept through the branches.

"Madam...did Sister happy and Brother Qing disturb you just now?"

Hearing the commotion, Little Sparrow rushed over and saw Sister Xi holding a flower in her hand, running away quickly with her younger brother.

"Hmm. It's nothing."

Xu Shirong responded with a faint smile on her lips.

She mentally sketched the image of the little girl with a voice like silver bells and the somewhat timid boy. In the few days since she arrived, only now did she feel a sense of life returning to her. This pair of carefree siblings must be from the second room of the south courtyard, right?

Xiao Que stood there, secretly observing her mistress sitting calmly before her with a gentle expression, her heart filled with confusion once again. She still vividly remembered what had happened a few months ago.

That day, the mistress had just argued with the young master and was walking quickly with her head down when she bumped into Qing-ge, who was running alongside Xi-jie. Instead of helping him up, she cursed him as a "little devil" and walked around him. The next morning, when she got up to do her makeup, she opened her powder box and found two yellow and black caterpillars wriggling inside. She screamed in fright and threw the box far away. At midday, wanting to relax, she lifted the covers and saw about ten more caterpillars crawling on the bed. She turned pale with shock. Remembering the look Xi-jie had given Qing-ge when she bumped into him the day before—knowing Xi-jie was always a wild boy—and besides, who else would dare do such a thing? She stormed to the south courtyard and called her mother. But when the second mistress rushed over, she found the bed clean; there were no caterpillars to be seen. Her face turned green with rage. After the Second Madam left, she grabbed Xiaodie, who was still in the room, and questioned her, saying that Xijie had sneaked in while she was away and picked up all the insects before swaggering out, and Xiaodie hadn't dared to stop her. Enraged, the Second Madam punished Xiaodie by making her kneel in the courtyard all night. It was only later that the Second Madam herself came to apologize, saying that she had found out that it was indeed Xijie who had done it, and had punished her by making her kneel in the dark room, that she finally let Xiaodie off the hook.

The lady herself had never been kind to the people in the South Courtyard. Since that incident, she had secretly cursed them as "wild girls and little devils" countless times. Today, when Sister Xi and Brother Qing came to her garden to steal peonies, she was not angry at all. Instead, she had a smile on her face. How could this not be surprising?

Little Sparrow shook her head, glanced at the sun, and hurriedly said, "Madam, the medicine should be ready in the kitchen by now. Shouldn't we go back and drink it?"

Xu Shirong nodded, took Xiao Que's hand, and slowly returned to the house. After drinking the bitter medicine, she sipped a piece of sweet apricot, told Xiao Que to leave, and then leaned back in a soft chair. Her right hand unconsciously turned a jade bracelet on her left wrist, and she was slightly stunned.

Because of her profession, she never wore jewelry, especially on her hands. She never wore rings or bracelets, and her nails were always short. But now, not long after she woke up, she found that her hands were covered in rings and bracelets, and her nails were unusually long. The feel of her body was also very unfamiliar, and even her hair had grown much longer, seemingly reaching below her waist when Xiao Que did her hair in the morning.

She couldn't see her own face, but she had a vague feeling that the body she was in now was very likely not the one she used to have.

what is going on?

She suddenly remembered the woman in *Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio* whose head was swapped by Lu Pan. Could it be that she had really encountered something like that, except that her entire body had been swapped, and... her time and space?

She closed her eyes slightly.

Suddenly, she heard soft footsteps beside her, as if someone was tiptoeing in. At first, she thought it was Xiao Que or one of the other maids and didn't pay any attention. But as the person got closer, she smelled an unfamiliar scent.

The scents of peach blossoms, musk, cosmetics, a faint aroma of alcohol, and, of course, a man's body odor.

Who is it?

She suddenly turned her head and looked over.

But once she said it, she fell silent.

These past few days have been so peaceful that she's almost forgotten she should have a "husband."

Chapter Three

Yang Huan has been feeling very depressed lately.

Last year, during the triennial imperial examinations, he was forced by his father to take the autumn exam, and naturally, he failed miserably. When Grand Commandant Yang was exchanging pleasantries with his colleagues at court, he heard that the son of a lower-ranking official, the Attendant-in-Ordinary, had passed the exam and was just waiting for the metropolitan exam next spring. Feeling utterly ashamed that his son had failed, he flew into a rage and, predictably, went home and gave Yang Huan a thorough dressing-down.

Normally, being scolded wouldn't have bothered Yang Huan; he could have simply let it go in one ear and out the other. But Grand Commandant Yang was serious. He appointed two tall, burly servants to be his study companions, strictly ordering them to keep a close watch on him every day so he could study at the Imperial Academy. If they were found causing trouble or idling around again, their legs would be broken. Seeing the Grand Commandant's anger, the two servants dared not neglect their duties and kept a close watch on Yang Huan.

Yang Huan initially didn't take his father's words seriously, thinking it was just a bluff. How could someone like him possibly stay put in the Imperial Academy? After a few days of peace, he reverted to his old ways and wanted to sneak out for some fun. The two servants tried to dissuade him but to no avail, and were instead kicked in the backside by him. They dared not stop him anymore and had no choice but to follow him. When they returned, they didn't dare report it to the Grand Commandant.

At first, Yang Huan would sneak around, spending a few days at the Imperial Academy and then sneaking out for a day. Gradually, he became bolder, going from spending a few days outside to spending a day at the Imperial Academy, until eventually he stopped stepping into the academy altogether. The two servants were initially terrified, but after seeing that nothing happened each time, and with Yang Huan often giving them small favors to shut them up, they completely forgot the Grand Commandant's words and instead became loyal bodyguards.

Yang Huan was enjoying his carefree life when, unexpectedly, his father came to the Imperial Academy to inspect his studies. The outcome was predictable: if it weren't for the intervention of his mother and Madam Jiang, his leg would likely have been severely beaten. In the end, he was only given thirty strokes of the cane, and fearing the servants wouldn't use enough force, Grand Commandant Yang himself wielded the rod. He lay on his stomach in bed for over half a month before he could get up. From then on, although the sight of books still gave him a headache, he finally behaved himself for a few months.

A few days ago, he was on his way to the Imperial Academy, which was adjacent to the palace, to endure his days of hardship, as usual. Just as he arrived at the gate, he was stopped by several playboys from the capital who used to associate with him. They said that a group of courtesans had recently arrived at the Jade Fairy Pavilion in the south of the city. They were skilled in playing the flower drum and the zither, and had slender feet, graceful waists, and were all charming and handsome.

Yang Huan was already a man of this trade, and after enduring several months of hardship with no end in sight, he had long been fed up. At this moment, he was persuaded by his old friends, and he remembered that his father was away on official business in the capital for the past few days. He figured he could sneak out for a day of relaxation without any trouble. So, he made up his mind and went with those people.

It was springtime, and a group of people invited the courtesans from the Jade Fairy Pavilion to go boating on the lake. Yang Huan saw that the lakeside was filled with the warmth of the steaming boats, the graceful branches leaning against the water, the fragrant grass like a carpet, and the apricot blossoms like embroidery. On the painted boats beside him, beautiful women in red makeup were playing music and drinking with their friends, reciting sentimental poems and composing silly couplets. They were truly enjoying themselves immensely.

But this saying about joy turning to sorrow probably applies to people like him. As the sun began to set and the painted boat gradually approached the shore, he was feeding wine to the woman beside him, named Sister Qianyi, when he suddenly heard Sister Qianyi giggle, "Brother, you have such a handsome face. Even the young lady in the carriage on the shore is staring at you and won't let go."

Yang Huan was smug. After feeding her the cup of wine, he looked over and was startled. He pushed away Sister Qianyi, and the wine he had just drunk turned into sweat and gushed out.

The young woman staring at him from inside the carriage was none other than his own wife, Xu Jiaoniang. Seeing her eyebrows furrowed, Yang Huan inwardly groaned, fearing a scene and the loss of face. He hurriedly ordered the pleasure boat to dock, boarded the carriage, lowered the curtain, and begged for mercy, swearing to heaven that he had only been caught once. Jiaoniang, however, refused to believe him, persisting relentlessly. Her slender fingertips touched his face, and she sneered, "So you're studying hard at the Imperial Academy! So you're secretly enjoying yourself with your concubines every day. When you get home, I'll see if I tell him. Last time you were only bedridden for half a month; this time you'll be bedridden for half a year! Let's see if you learn your lesson!"

Hearing her say she was going to tell her father, Yang Huan felt his sore spot was hit. He recalled the charming and alluring Qian Yi Jie from earlier, then saw his own tigress's furrowed brows, and reminisced about the carefree days of having women on both sides a few years ago. Now, finally having a chance to escape, only to be caught by her, and she even brought up his father to pressure him, filled him with rage. He roared, "Go ahead and tell her! I'm really tired of this kind of life. Let's see if he really beats me to death!" With that, he lifted the carriage curtain, ignoring the moving carriage, and jumped out.

The young woman had only meant to scare her husband so she could use him against him later, but he turned and jumped off the carriage and rode away. Thinking he was going back to the pleasure boat, she naturally wouldn't let him. Seeing him jump off so easily, she thought it was easy and jumped after him to try and pull him back. But she fell to the ground. Fortunately, it was grass, so it was soft. However, it was downhill, and she couldn't stop herself and rolled several times.

The maids accompanying the young lady were horrified to see their mistress fall from the carriage and immediately cried out. The coachman hurriedly stopped the horse, but the young lady rolled to the horse's hind legs, and the horse happened to kick her hard in the head, causing her to bleed profusely.

Yang Huan had already taken a few steps back when he heard the commotion behind him. Turning around, he saw that the beautiful woman was unconscious. He hurriedly rushed over, carried her back to the carriage, and then hurriedly returned to his residence. He was scolded by his mother, Madam Jiang, who came after hearing the news. She then called a doctor to bandage her wounds. After a flurry of activity and everything was settled, seeing that she was still asleep, he instructed Xiao Que and the others to take good care of her before they all slowly dispersed.

Yang Huan, realizing he had caused trouble again, was dejected. He feared that Jiao Niang would wake up and throw a tantrum, continuing her nagging, and he also worried about being punished by Grand Commandant Yang upon his return. Frowning, he dared not return to his room to sleep, instead having someone set up a bed in the study in the courtyard for the night. The next day, upon hearing that she had woken up, but was now blind, he was stunned for a long time. Knowing he couldn't hide this from his father any longer, he decided to give up entirely. During the day, he spent his time mingling with his cronies, and if he returned at night, he would sleep in the study, waiting for Jiao Niang to come crying and begging. However, after several days, the main room remained quiet, without any veiled accusations or disturbances. Curious, he secretly pulled aside Xiao Que to inquire, only to learn that Jiao Niang had become a completely different person since waking up.

Yang Huan was shocked. He thought to himself that this beautiful woman must have not only damaged her eyes, but also her brain. After thinking for a long time, he decided to sneak over and take a look first. He returned to his room and, seeing that the door was open, tiptoed in.

When Yang Huan entered, he saw the beautiful woman sitting in a chair facing the window, slowly turning the jade bracelet on her wrist with one hand. Her eyes were slightly lowered, and her expression showed a hint of confusion, yet also a sense of tranquility.

Yang Huan had been married to her for three or four years, and this was the first time he had seen her with such an expression. For a moment, he thought he was seeing things and stood there dumbfounded. Just then, he heard her suddenly shout and look up at him. He was startled and cursed Xiao Que for talking nonsense. He hesitated for a moment, then saw that she had already shut her mouth. An idea struck him, and he quietly walked up to her, bent down slightly, and waved his hand in front of her eyes a few times.

Xu Shirong smelled the scent of this person getting closer to her, and felt a slight movement of air in front of her face. Although it was very faint, she still noticed it.

She instinctively rejected this man, her current "husband," and was even more disgusted by his smell.

Take your hand away.

She said calmly.

Yang Huan was taken aback, withdrew his hand, and stammered, "You... your eyes are better?"

Xu Shirong ignored him.

Yang Huan stared intently at her eyes for a while longer. Although they were still clearly defined, they seemed to have lost some of their brightness, so she probably still couldn't see. He figured that even if she got angry, he wouldn't be seriously injured. He then walked a few steps to the bed, plopped down, and lay flat on his back, letting out a long sigh. "Ah... this bed is so comfortable. After sleeping in the study for a few days, my back and waist are aching..."

Xu Shirong frowned slightly, suppressing the urge to drag him out and throw him away, and said coldly, "What are you doing here?"

Yang Huan leaned against the soft quilt, hands behind his head, staring at her intently for a while before shaking his head. Suddenly remembering that his father would be returning tomorrow, a thought struck him, and he sat up abruptly. He went to Xu Shirong, leaning close and flattering her, saying, "Jiaoniang, what happened that day was truly an injustice. I've been studying diligently at the Imperial Academy since the New Year, but that day I was dragged there by those people. I didn't do anything, just drank a few cups of wine, and then you ran into me. Why would a woman like you try to jump off a carriage like me? With your weak arms and legs, how could you possibly stand still? Look, you've gotten into trouble, haven't you? Luckily, things will get better in a few days..."

He continued talking to himself, noticing her somewhat indifferent expression, hesitated for a moment, and finally said with a grin, "Jiaoniang, my father is coming home tomorrow. If he finds out about this, he'll probably be angry again. I'm afraid his health won't be able to take it, so you see..." As he spoke, his hand had already wrapped around her waist.

Xu Shirong felt his hand on her waist, took a few steps back, and stood at a distance before saying calmly, "Don't worry, as long as you don't say anything, your father won't know you've been going out drinking and carousing."

Yang Huan was overjoyed. What he feared most was that his beloved wife would exaggerate the situation and complain to his father. Now, if she didn't speak up herself, his mother, Jiang, would naturally cover for him, and dealing with the old lady wouldn't be difficult either. However, seeing her agree so readily seemed unlike her usual self, and he was somewhat skeptical. Looking up at her, she didn't appear to be trying to deceive him. After pondering for a while, a sudden inspiration struck him. He chuckled, leaned closer, took her hand, and said with a beaming smile, "My dear wife, my dear wife, I knew you cherished your husband. Don't worry, as long as you help me cover this up, I'll listen to you from now on. In the room, whatever you want me to do, I'll do..."

Xu Shirong felt a chill run down her spine. She pulled her hand back, suppressing the surging disgust in her heart, and frowned as she said, "I'm fine this way. You don't need to do anything to me. You can do whatever you want from now on, I won't interfere."

Yang Huan was taken aback. He stood there, tilting his head and scrutinizing Xu Shirong for a long time before finally asking, "Jiaoniang, are you serious?"

Xu Shirong said sternly, "Yang Huan, I'll say it again. From now on, you can do whatever you want. I won't say another word to you. But there's one thing: don't come near me. If you like sleeping on this bed, you can have it. I'll have someone prepare another room for you."

Yang Huan was overjoyed and hurriedly waved his hand, saying, "No need, no need, this place is naturally for you to sleep, I'm fine anywhere." Then he tentatively asked, "Then... shall I go first?"

Xu Shirong gave a faint "hmm," and Yang Huan said with a smile, "Then my wife, you should rest more. I'll have Xiao Que and the others take good care of you so that your eyes can recover soon. I'll be going now..." As he spoke, he was already heading outside. When he reached the door, he had already put his feet on his shoulders and was running away.

Xu Shirong listened to his footsteps finally disappear, then groped her way back to the soft chair. She didn't know how much time had passed when she heard Xiao Que's footsteps coming in. She guessed that Xiao Que had come to deliver dinner, so she turned her head and smiled, "It's dark again, isn't it?"

These past few days, Xiao Que has become less afraid of her than at the beginning, and her voice has become much lighter. While setting out the dishes, she replied, "Madam is right. Another day has passed."

Xu Shirong sighed deeply. She had little appetite, only managing to eat a small bowl of rice and drink a few sips of soup before asking the food to be taken away. After taking her medicine and washing up, she lay back down on the bed, tossing and turning for a long time before finally drifting off to sleep. She didn't know what time it was when she suddenly heard a rustling sound beside her. She could already smell the same scent she had smelled during the day. Startled awake, she sat up and whispered, "What are you doing here again?"

This person was none other than Yang Huan.

Hearing Xu Shirong's words during the day, he felt as if he had been granted a pardon. He excitedly ran out immediately, summoned his old playboy friends from before, and together they went to Fengle Tower. They hired singing boys and dancing girls, and for a time, the air was filled with the sounds of music and laughter, a truly joyous occasion. They partied until the second watch of the night, and he, while flirting with a woman named Qin Cao beside him, decided to visit her home in secret. Once they were in the carriage, as he touched Qin Cao's delicate hands and white breasts, he suddenly felt a shiver run down his spine.

Yang Huan knew perfectly well what kind of person Xu Jiaoniang was. After this incident, which damaged her eyes, she wouldn't let it go without making a huge scene. Yet today she let it go so easily, even pushing him out the door. What was she planning? Remembering Jiaoniang's vicious words that she'd make him bedridden for half a year, could it be that she hated him to the extreme, deliberately letting him go so she could exaggerate her grievances to his father when he returned tomorrow, catching him off guard?

Yang Huan felt increasingly uneasy. Although she was a beauty in her prime, he suddenly lost interest. He gave some money to Qin Cao, hurriedly stopped the carriage, and ignored Qin Cao's calls from behind. He rushed back to the Grand Commandant's mansion, and it was almost midnight.

Yang Huan tiptoed into the room again, intending to undress in the dark, get into bed, and then take care of Jiao Niang before slowly persuading her. However, he was startled by her low growl and hurriedly moved closer to flatter her, saying, "Jiao Niang, after hearing what you said, I feel more and more like I'm a worthless person. It's all my fault, my wife. Please be magnanimous and forgive me this time. If I do it again, I'll give you my life without complaint... I'll make you feel comfortable right now..." As he spoke, he was already reaching for the bed.

Xu Shirong was shocked and kicked him. Yang Huan took the kick to the chest, but he wasn't angry. He just smiled and said, "My wife is still as fiery as ever..."

A thousand thoughts flashed through Xu Shirong's mind in an instant. If she were to fight him with brute force, she would definitely be at a disadvantage. If she asked for help, she would probably be laughed at tomorrow. As her thoughts raced, she sat up and said with a smile, "Yang Huan, let me tell you an interesting story. You can go to sleep after you hear it."

"Do you have anything interesting to tell me?" Yang Huan's hand was already touching her body as he leaned closer and grinned, "Let me tell you about those interesting things that happen in the bedroom..."

Xu Shi suppressed the strange feeling in his heart and said, "Do you know what people look like after they die? Even though they are dead, they are still changing. It's alright if the weather is cold, but if they happen to die in the middle of summer, that would be bad."

Yang Huan's hand, which was on her waist, paused for a moment. He forced a smile and said, "Why are you talking about this? What's so interesting about it?"

Xu Shirong slowly said, "The interesting part is about to begin. If a person dies in the sweltering summer, within a few hours, their eyes, nose, mouth, and ears will be filled with yellowish-white egg clusters. These are eggs laid by greenbottle flies that have come after smelling the odor. A few hours later, thousands of maggots will emerge from those egg clusters, vying to gnaw on the flesh of the corpse's face. Slowly, the corpse's abdomen will also swell up, as if it has been inflated with air. That's the gas produced by the rotting liver and intestines inside. When it ruptures, countless maggots will crawl out... Then, the interesting thing happens: the corpse's hands and feet are still intact, but the face and abdomen are eaten away by maggots, leaving only holes..."

As Xu Shirong spoke, she raised her hand and gestured to her face.

Yang Huan stared blankly at Xu Jiaoniang on the bed. In the dim moonlight filtering through the window, he could vaguely see a smile on her face, but her face was deathly pale. He saw her finger slowly moving towards her eyes and nose, and in an instant, he was horrified. He jumped off the bed with a scream and ran out like a gust of wind without even grabbing his clothes.

The maids and servants in the east courtyard of the Grand Commandant's mansion vaguely heard a scream in the middle of the night, but when they listened carefully, there was no sound. They turned over and went back to sleep.