Blades Of Destiny

Thud.

I walked through the halls quietly, trying to process the absurdity of the last two hours. I had transmigrated into a novel. Not just any novel—a harem novel. Wonderful.

To make things worse, the so-called "system" that was supposed to guide me had up and disappeared. What kind of trash system does that? Internally, I was seething, but on the outside, I kept my expression calm and confident, like I knew what I was doing. Spoiler: I didn't.

The other maids strolled by, chatting while carrying piles of laundry. As they passed me, their voices fell silent, replaced by looks of disdain so sharp they could have cut my robes to shreds.

"Uh, hi?" I tried awkwardly, hoping to defuse the tension.

One of them immediately sneered. "Li Xue?! What in the world is wrong with your robes?" she snapped. "The second young master is a clean freak! If he sees you like that, you'll be beaten senseless!"

I scratched my head, trying to play it cool, though I was shaking tremendously "Uh, yeah… about that. I don't exactly have any spare clothes. Can I borrow one of yours?"

The maid's sneer turned into a malicious grin as she glanced back at her friends. "Should I?" she asked mockingly.

The others burst into laughter. "Oh, please," one cackled. "Let her embarrass herself more!"

With that, they turned and strutted away, leaving me standing there like an idiot. My blood was boiling. As if being dumped into this dumpster fire of a life wasn't bad enough! I couldn't even remember how I'd died, and now this?

"You piece of animal waste!" I shouted after them, my voice echoing through the hall.

They froze in place, and I almost laughed at the way their smug faces twisted into shocked expressions. Then they spun around, storming back toward me.

"What did you just say?!" the maid in the lead screeched.

"Oh, I said you're animal waste," I repeated, crossing my arms. "Need me to spell it out for you?"

"You little—!" She lunged at me, but I sidestepped at the last second, and she tripped over her own feet, crashing into the maid behind her.

The others gasped, but I didn't let up. "Wow, I didn't know your balance was as bad as your personality," I quipped, earning a few snickers from the bystanders who'd gathered to watch the commotion.

Her face turned red with rage as she scrambled to her feet. "You think you belong here?" she spat. "Pah! You're nothing but a lowborn from the brothel!"

Wait, what? I blinked, genuinely confused. "Uh, come again? Brothel?" The maid only grinned at me with an evil tint in her eyes, I looked at it, but was confused.

Before I could piece together what she was talking about, someone grabbed the back of my collar.

"Li Xue, stop making a scene!" a stern voice said from behind me.

I twisted my neck to see another maid—a tall, older then me, no-nonsense woman—dragging me away like I was a sack of potatoes.

"Wait, I was winning!" I protested, flailing my arms.

"Winning? You were about to get mauled!" she snapped, hauling me through the corridor while the maids behind us fumed and shouted insults.

As we rounded the corner, she sighed heavily. "What's wrong with you!? As if your reputation here is already perfect!." She screeched, "I can't keep helping you again and again!"

I crossed my arms, pouting. "Well, if they can't handle a little truth, that's their problem, not mine."

The maid glanced down at me, clearly unimpressed. "Keep telling yourself that."

I took a closer look at her. She seemed older than me, probably around twenty. Her skin was pale and smooth, with faint spots that reminded me of the moon. Her black hair, dark as coal, flowed down her back like a soft waterfall. She was breathtakingly beautiful!

Compared to her, I really was the animal waste...

She stepped forward and gently touched my face. "Did they beat you again?" she asked, her tone full of concern. She touched the blackish spots on my face, which made me hiss out in pain.

"Who? Those women earlier?" I asked, trying to overcome the pain.

She clicked her tongue in annoyance. "Tsk, you even forgot their names? That was Mei Lian and her minions, she is the one closest to the second young master-Chen Yi."

Li Yanyu leaned in closer, her breath brushing my ear as she whispered, "No one messes with her. You've got a lot of nerve, Li Xue."

"Haha." I let out a nervous laugh, trying to forget how I'd tripped her and called her animal waste. Me? Causing trouble? Never. Ha. Life choices were really hitting me hard right now.

"Right! What's your name?" I asked suddenly, then froze as soon as the words escaped my mouth. My stomach sank, and I shut my eyes tightly. Great. My cover was about to be blown.

To my surprise, she laughed softly.

"Oh my, it's been a month since we've known each other," she said, her voice teasing. "And you still haven't bothered to remember my name?" She continued, "I know you hate me but still."

"That's not—" I began to protest, but she cut me off.

"My name is Li Yanyu," she said with a smirk. "It means 'graceful jade.'"

"That's such a beautiful name!" I exclaimed, a little too enthusiastically. "Li Yanyu—it suits you perfectly!"

Li Yanyu smiled softly at me, her gaze lingering on my tattered clothing. "Dear me, let's get you changed into new robes." Without waiting for a response, she hurried off, her movements swift and purposeful.

I stared at her for a while, not grasping the meaning of 'Li Xue' hating Li Yanyu, an angel!

Then, I put this thought in the back of my head as I foolishly followed her, trying to keep up.

Her pace grew faster and faster, and before long, I was struggling to keep her in sight. "Wait up!" I called, my voice slightly breathless. But she didn't slow down, and soon enough, I lost her completely.

Great. Just great.

"Li Yanyu?" I called out, hoping she'd hear me. But the hallway remained empty, the only sounds coming from birds chirping outside.

With no other choice, I continued walking, doing my best to avoid running into any of the maids. The last thing I needed was another confrontation.

As I moved cautiously through the halls, my steps faltered. Something made me pause. My body instinctively pressed against a large wooden pillar, just wide enough to hide me.

From my hiding spot, I saw her—Mei Lian. She was standing with a group of servants, laughing casually. My breath quickened without me realizing it.

Unlike the venomous demeanor she'd shown me earlier, Mei Lian looked calm and kind, chatting with the servants as if she were the most gracious person in the world. Watching her, I felt a knot of unease in my stomach.

Unaware, I stepped on to an autumn leaf which made the most satisfying crunch at the wrong time!

Mei Lian's movements stilled, and her gaze swept the hallway, sharp and calculating.

"Is someone there?" Mei Lian's voice cut through the air like a blade.

My breathing hitched, and panic surged through me. She was suspicious. I had to hide, but where? Desperately, I backed away, fumbling for cover.

Without thinking, I turned and slipped through a nearby door, my foot catching on the edge of the frame. I stumbled inside, falling awkwardly to the ground. The door shut behind me with a soft thud.

I closed my eyes tightly, bracing myself for the worst. 

Seconds went by, one, two,.....ten.

But nothing happened.

Confused, I opened my eyes—and froze.

I wasn't on the ground as I expected. Instead, I found myself cradled in someone's arms.

The man holding me was stunning, his dark blue robes flowing like the ocean. His long hair fell loosely around his shoulders, moving gently as if carried by invisible waves. His eyes, gleaming like pearls, locked onto mine with an intensity that made my heart skip a beat.

His skin was pale and flawless, glowing with an almost ethereal allure. For a moment, I couldn't help but stare, utterly captivated by the sight before me.

My words caught in my throat. My mouth flew open. I had no idea who this man was, but one thing was certain—he was dangerously beautiful.