A piercing pain came rushing in; the scorching discomfort in her throat made Bai Xiaomo feel as though she was suffocating. She wanted to pry the hand choking her, but her body was soft and powerless. It felt as if this was what dying felt like, a sense of helplessness and unwilling submission to pain.

Death?

Wasn't she already dead?

Dying in that pitch-dark prison.

But the pain was so clear, it didn't feel like the sensation of being dead.

As her consciousness gradually returned, the grip on her throat seemed to have loosened a bit. She held her breath, fighting to wheeze in some air. Opening her heavy eyelids, she stood agape at what she saw.

What did she see?

She hastily shut her eyes again. She must have seen wrong. How could Shi Mohan be here?

"Bai Xiaomo, open your eyes!"

The man roared in fury as if he was about to tear her eardrums apart.

She had heard this voice many times. It was so familiar that she knew this wasn't a dream.

Shi Mohan...

She opened her eyes once again, looking at the handsome young face before her. She stretched out her hand and gently laid it on his cheek, murmuring, "Indeed, time is only cruel to women."

So many years had passed; she had witnessed countless changes. Her mindset had aged drastically and her appearance had aged a lot, but he had hardly changed.

His eyes were bright and star-like; he had a tall nose and thin, cold lips. His facial features were defined, and his profile was perfect, so handsome. How could she not appreciate him back then?

She was six years younger than him, yet she now looked more like his mother, aged and weary, didn't she?

Shi Mochan's face was as cold as ice, his gaze frigid as frost. He was visibly furious and even had his hand around her throat. But what on earth was this woman doing?

She was actually touching his face!

Wasn't she the one who despised him the most?

She would consider even a glance in his direction a waste of time, let alone touching him.

White Xiaomo gave him a reassuring smile, her eyes rimmed with redness. "Thank you for coming to see me. I'm really glad to see you."

Seeing a familiar face before dying was comforting. Even if she had been terrified of him and hated him, and the feeling was mutual, none of that mattered.

At least, when she departed, she wouldn't be alone. Someone would remember her.

"White Xiaomo, what tricks are you playing now?"

"What tricks can I play? I'm in this state, and I don't have the strength nor any interest."

Her heart was burnt out and bleak. In this prison, all she could do was await her end. None of her friends from years ago visited her, instead, the person she once resented came.

"Do you still want to escape?"

His voice was icy, colder than the freezing atmosphere surrounding them. Even if he was as harsh and cold as ever, or even wanted to strangle her, she found it comforting.

"How can I escape? It's impossible. I'm bound to die, you might as well strangle me. I don't want to keep living this endless darkness, it's pointless."

She had no means of breaking out of prison. It would be fine to die in his hands. Indeed, it would even be quite nice.

"Do you wish to die?"

"Yes." Death would be the end to everything after all.

The past was too painful for her. Betrayed entirely by those around her. It was her fault for failing to see people's true colors.

His expression turned colder upon hearing her words, a violent aura surrounding him.

She really did want to escape. Knowing that death awaited her if she couldn't, but she still wanted to be with Shen Qian. So much she hated him. Hated him to the point where she would rather die than be with him.

Shi Mohan's eyes were increasingly dark. Letting go of her, he kicked over the table before him, smashing an antique vase worth millions without even blinking.

Upon hearing the commotion inside, the people outside broke out in cold sweat, their hands and feet frozen in fear. Shaking their heads together, this was the end for Bai Xiaomo.

She actually dared to elope with her lover on such an important day, blatantly disrespecting him. This was akin to tickling the beard of a tiger. It was basically courting death.

If she didn't die, then who would?

Bai Xiaomo was startled by the loud noise. Before she could make sense of the situation, realizing it wasn't a jail she was supposed to be in, her chin was gripped tightly. The strong smell of blood filled her nostrils as the handsome cold face loomed large before her.

"Bai Xiaomo, you want to die? Trying to shake me off, impossible!"

What?

She was dumbfounded. Shake him off? No such thing.

To be honest, she was quite delighted to see him. Even when he was angry and cold, she didn't fear him. Instead, she found him quite comforting.

"Shi Mohan, have you got it wrong?"

He only smiled, a cruel smile, "Dream of being together forever with Shen Qian, it will never happen in this lifetime!"

"No, I don't dream of being with him. I hate him."

In her life, if she had not encountered Shen Qian and suffered from his actions, she would not have ended up in prison at such a young age. All because of that man and her so-called best friend, who continually manipulated her!

"Hatred? You've just eloped with him, and now you're saying you hate him. Do you think this will make me spare him?"

Shi Mohan presented a cold laugh, “For him, you really have put in a lot of effort.”

What did he mean by that?

Eloped with him?

Hadn't she run away with Shen Qian many years ago?

Shi Mohan stood up, and only now did Bai Xiaomo get a clear look at his dress for the day. It was a brand-new, handmade suit. His tie was secured with a delicate clip, and his dress shirt cuffs shimmered brightly. Most importantly, there was a red rose tucked in the pocket of his suit.

"Call someone."

In an instant, someone pushed the door and came in, "Young Master."

"Shen Qian has run away with my wife, ruin him!"

"Yes." The bodyguard accepted the order and set out to execute it.

Bai Xiaomo: "......"

It seems the situation deviates significantly from what she had thought.

Shi Muhuan left, as though he took the cold air with him, restoring the warmth of the room.

Soon, someone came to clean up the shards on the ground.

"Are you Aunt Hua?"

Recognizing the middle-aged woman cleaning up, Bai Xiaomo was rather stunned.

Aunt Hua looked at the bruise on her neck and sighed, "Young Miss, don't provoke Young Master anymore, you've overstepped this time."

"Hold on, what do you mean 'Young Miss'?"

Unfortunately, Aunt Hua had already left. She couldn't talk to Bai Xiaomo, seeing her so disheveled, she couldn't help but speak more than she should have.

Bai Xiaomo remembered what Shi Muhuan had said earlier, "Shen Qian took my wife." That was something from ten years ago. And Aunt Hua calling her 'Young Miss'...

She took a look at the room's decoration, realizing this wasn't a prison, but a place to keep her under house arrest.

She was very familiar with the room, she had been detained by Shi Muhuan here for half a month before, always thinking of a way out, even pondering coercion by death.

"Ten years ago, ten years..."

She thought of something, dashing to the vanity in front of her. Looking at the reflection in the mirror, she stood there, shocked for a long time.

Her rough skin was no longer visible. It was as though she was reborn, with delicate, smooth, glowing skin that was full of elasticity. Her black hair was smooth, no longer rough and straw-like, and her face even held a hint of puppy fat, no longer sharp like a melon seed. The dullness of her old face had disappeared, replaced by a young and attractive face.

This was her from ten years ago. So, had she been reborn?