Chapter 2: The Turmoil of a Substitute Bride

Chapter 2: The Turmoil of a Substitute Bride

A night of nightmares.

In the dreams, they were all memories of Yun Xiaosha.

The seemingly obedient Yun Shuiyao in public ruthlessly snatched away Yun Xiaosha's toys, haughtily declaring, "Xiaosha, your room and toys are mine now. Get out and sleep in the doghouse!"

"Xiaosha, nobody loves you. You should just go die!"

"Fool, get lost to the mental hospital! From now on, I'm the Young Miss of the Yun family!"

In the eerie and terrifying mental hospital, Yun Xiaosha was bound to a laboratory table, enduring daily electroshocks with desperate cries for help.

"Daddy, Mommy, save me!"

"I'll be good, I promise I won't make you angry anymore..."

"Come and take me home..."

A cold tear trickled down the corner of her eye.

Suddenly, her beautiful eyes snapped open, filled with emptiness and a hint of ruthlessness!

The searing pain that ripped through her soul in the dream had pierced deep into her bones, making Yun Mu tremble with boundless hatred.

That poor little fool never made it back home in the end.

She had cried out in such agony and despair, waiting for her family to come and take her back, only to be met with yet another scheme and exploitation!

The Yun family, for the sake of an adopted daughter, had once again sent Yun Xiaosha to another hellish existence.

But to their dismay, Bei Xiaosha regained consciousness at the last moment, choosing suicide, foiling the Yun family's plans.

She slowly sat up on the bed, unable to recall why she found herself in such a luxurious suite.

Her gaze drifted through the car window, taking in the scenery outside.

They were already within the borders of Country Hua.

She casually rummaged through the closet and pulled out a set of men's shirt, trousers, and jacket, slipping them on.

She rolled down the car window.

The chilly wind danced through her long, curly tresses like sea kelp, while her pale, bloodless cheeks were accentuated by a pair of stunning eyes.

In the next instant, she leaped out of the window as gracefully as a butterfly taking flight!

She was determined to avenge that innocent fool!

But she had forgotten about the man from the previous night...

...

In an instant, Ting Huo Cheng pushed open the bathroom door, his body steaming with moisture, and emerged with an icy-cold, handsome face.

Underneath the black silk robe, the contours of his sexy, muscular chest tantalizingly peeked through.

Fixing his gaze on the empty bed, the man's narrow eyes narrowed abruptly, and a surge of fiery emotion boiled within him!

The temperature inside the carriage plummeted to freezing.

"Feng Shuo! Get in here!"

In the next instant, Feng Shuo rushed in and pushed the door open. "Young Master!"

"Where is she?" Huo Tingcheng pointed at the vacant bed, demanding an answer.

Feng Shuo was startled. "Young Master, wasn't that woman always with you?"

Their gazes simultaneously fell upon the open car window.

The icy fury roiling in He Tingcheng's eyes could no longer be contained, like a caged beast on the verge of breaking free.

This was a precursor to an impending emotional outburst.

"Find her for me!"

This ungrateful woman!

Last night, she shamelessly nestled into his embrace, yet she ran away the moment she woke up today?

Not even leaving her name behind. Splendid!

"Yes, Young Master!"

Feng Shuo promptly took the order and didn't dare to delay.

But after searching the entire train, there was no trace of her. The only possibility was that she escaped through a window.

However, in the vast Country Hua, finding one woman was like searching for a needle in a haystack!

Ten minutes later, Feng Shuo reported with beads of sweat on his forehead, "Young Master, we've found the surveillance footage of the woman jumping off the train. She should still be within the borders of Country Hua."

Huo Tingcheng fixated his gaze on the figure of the woman leaping out the window and swiftly vanishing from the camera's view.

His fingers, hanging by his side, curled into a tight fist.

Feng Shuo hastily responded, "Young Master, if that woman is still within the borders of Country Hua, I will surely bring her back to you!"

"I give you three hours!"

"Yes, Young Master! But we should return to the Huo family residence. Today is your wedding day."

Somehow, news had leaked, and the old master was already aware that the Young Master had brought a woman back to his room last night.

The Young Master had always kept his distance from women, even going so far as to despise them utterly.

Now, for him to take an interest in one, if this woman were to reappear, it would undoubtedly cause a huge uproar!

But the Young Master's orders could not be defied.

At that moment, at the Yun family mansion.

Within the grand castle, surrounded by gardens and under strict security, the atmosphere in the living room was tense and oppressive.

Yun Shuiyao, clad in a white chiffon dress, sat on the sofa with tears streaming down her cheeks. A woman dressed in an elegant sky-blue cheongsam approached gracefully, her steps as delicate as lotus blossoms. Time seemed to have left no trace on her face, instead imbuing her with an added air of refined charm.

"Don't cry, Yao'er. Mommy will find another solution for you. I won't let you marry that living executioner!"

Yun Shuiyao lifted her gaze, a teardrop sliding down her exquisite, innocent features to land on her diamond necklace, shimmering with translucent beauty.

"Mommy, but the Huo family's wedding procession will be here soon. If no one marries into their family, they won't let it go easily."

With a pale face, she looked at Lin Wanqing with a sorrowful expression. "Mommy, if Sister really isn't coming back, then I'll do it!"

At this, she fell to her knees with a thud, her voice quivering with determination. "Thank you for raising me these past dozen years. Now, consider this my way of repaying your kindness."

"Who knows if I'll come back alive after today. Please, forget about me, and take care, Daddy, you, and all my brothers!"

Lin Wanqing's heart ached even more upon hearing this. She quickly pulled Yun Shuiyao into her embrace. "Yao'er, Mommy won't let you become a sacrifice for a sickly man. You'll only marry Jinzhou and become the future matriarch of the Huo family. Trust me, Mommy will think of something!"

With that, Lin Wanqing turned resolutely to the butler. "Have you found her?"

The butler reported with a grave expression, "Madam, our people have been searching day and night, but there's been no sign of Miss. It seems like the situation is grim..."

Lin Wanqing's face paled even more.

Despite having been estranged for years due to her mental state, they were still her flesh and blood.

Now, one daughter was about to step into a dangerous situation, while the other's fate remained unknown...

How could Lin Wanqing not feel heartbroken?

But since one daughter was already lost, she had to protect the other!

At that moment, no one knew that a figure had stealthily entered the second floor of the Yun family residence.

Swiftly, the figure made its way into the main house's western wing. Under the sunlight, a slender silhouette held an axe, smashing through the door with a cold gaze.

She methodically activated a small bomb mechanism.

With an icy expression, she hung the countdown timer on the door and then locked it.

A faint smile curved her lips, her eyes shimmering with the pleasure of revenge. She descended the stairs with elegant poise.

As the clock ticked by, Lin Wanqing clenched her palms tightly, forcefully suppressing the sorrow in her heart. With a steely determination, she declared, "The cause of the young lady's death must be concealed. Tonight, we must find a substitute bride to marry into the Huo family! No one is taking my Yao'er away from me today!"

"Madam plans to pull off an audacious deception?" the butler asked, taken aback, but he could only comply. "Yes, Madam."

The Yun family was in a state of chaos and tension, with everyone frantically rushing about.

Unnoticed by all, Yun Shuiyao, nestled in Lin Wanqing's embrace, revealed a triumphant smile through her starry eyes.

But at that moment,

a cool, clear voice pierced the air.

"There's no need to search. I'm back!"