Chapter 1 — A Woman Who Can't Change

When I opened my eyes again, I had become a wrinkled newborn in the delivery room. Before the blood on my body had been wiped clean, my maternal grandmother picked her up, put her in my gold-embroidered diaper, then stuffed me in a piece of rough cloth and threw her at the foot of the bed. In my previous life, they switched me to my uncle's house and ended up freezing to death in the firewood room; My cousin took on my identity and became the Marquis of Thien Kim Palace. Looking at Mrs. A lovingly reaching out to her, I desperately cried out loud, crying so much that my little face turned purple. A Nuong's fingertips trembled slightly and she suddenly took a half step back. The child in her arms fell onto the bed with a thud. She stared at the back of her sister's head, her face immediately turned pale.

“This child is not mine.”

01

When I opened my eyes again, in front of me was the red bed curtain hanging loosely. There was the sound of hot water, the sound of a midwife trying to hold her breath, and the faint cry of a woman. I want to call Mrs. A. But when he opened his mouth, only the weak, immature cry of a newborn came out. The whole body is so cold that it hurts. I bowed my head, I couldn't see my hand, I only saw a small wrinkled arm. I have returned. Return to the night I was born. In my previous life, I was also switched tonight. Grandmother Old Lady Bui carried her sister into the delivery room. She said that her aunt had a hard time giving birth, that the baby had stopped breathing as soon as she was born, and wanted to borrow the warmth of A Nuong's room to ward off bad luck. As soon as Mrs. A gave birth to me, she was in a daze and couldn't even lift her eyelids. No one stopped her. She opened my gold-embroidered diaper and carried me out. The blood on my body has not been cleaned yet. She called me dirty, frowned and stuffed me into a rough piece of cloth. That piece of fabric had a strong musty smell. My face was pressed against the cold corner of the fabric, the cold air seemed to penetrate straight into my bones. Old Lady Bui picked up another child. The child cried loudly, his face was rounder than mine, and there was a light red birthmark on the back of his neck. She placed that child in my diaper embroidered with gold thread. The edge of the diaper is embroidered with rattan patterns, only used by Marquis women. Old lady Bui said in a low voice:

"Nhuoc Vi has a good fate, from now on she will be the golden Marquis."

The midwife bowed her head, not daring to speak. A maid shook her hands, the water in the copper basin shook, creating a pale red ring. Old lady Bui glanced at her.

“Today in the delivery room, only one baby girl was born.”

The maid immediately knelt down.

“I remember.”

I risked my life to cry. My throat felt like it was on fire. In my previous life, I also cried to the point of exhaustion. But no one paid attention to me. I was taken to the Lieu family and became the sick and weak daughter of my uncle's family. Sister Lieu Nhuoc Vi bears my name and lives in the warmest courtyard of the Marquis Palace. She was dressed in gold and jade, and was held in her arms by Lady A. And I froze to death in the firewood room when I was six years old. Outside the firewood room door, my aunt scolded me for being unlucky. In the room, I held half a cold curtain, but in my heart I still only remembered Mrs. A. This time, I can't close my eyes anymore. I cry even harder. Old Lady Bui's face darkened.

“Close its mouth.”

The rough piece of cloth was pressed against my face. I can't breathe. At that moment, A Nuong's voice was heard from the bed.

“Where is the child?”

Her voice was very soft, but it made everyone in the room stiffen. Mrs. Bui immediately changed with a smiling face, carrying a diaper embroidered with gold thread.

"Here, Van Hanh, look at what a pretty girl she is."

Ta Van Hanh was half-lying and half-sitting on the bed, his face frighteningly pale. Cold sweat covered her forehead, but her eyes were still focused on that diaper. Lieu Nhuoc Vi cried twice. Mrs. Bui took her forward.

“Hurry up and carry me, this is the child you worked so hard to give birth to.”

Please raise your hand. I was in such a hurry that I almost choked. I cried with all my strength. Each sound sounds like it's tearing your throat apart. A Nuong's fingertips stopped in mid-air. She looked toward the foot of the bed. My duffel bag was thrown there haphazardly. The cold wind blew through the door. I cried so much that my little face turned purple. A Nuong's eyes gradually changed. Mrs. Bui immediately blocked her view.

“You just gave birth, don't let that bad luck ruin your luck.”

The lady didn't say anything. Her hand was still reaching toward the diaper embroidered with gold thread. Mrs. Bui breathed a sigh of relief. But right after that, A Nuong's hand suddenly stopped. She looked at the back of the head of the child in her arms. The light red birthmark shows through the diaper. A Nuong's face immediately turned pale. She suddenly stepped back. Lieu Nhuoc Vi rolled off her arm and fell onto the bed. The delivery room was as quiet as death. Old lady Bui shouted shrilly:

"Van Hanh! Are you crazy?"

The lady did not look at her. She propped herself up and sat up, her eyes staring at me at the foot of the bed.

“Bring that child here.”

The midwife did not move. Mrs. Bui also did not move. A's voice turned cold.

“I said, bring him here.”

The smile on Mrs. Bui's face completely disappeared. She stepped up to block my face.

“I just gave birth and I'm dizzy.”

A lady stared at her.

“Mother.”

She said every word.

“The child in your arms is not mine.”

02

Everyone in the room bowed their heads. No one dared to answer A's words. Lieu Nhuoc Vi lay on the bed crying loudly. As soon as the cry rang out, Mrs. Bui immediately rushed forward to pick her up. That action was a hundred times more careful than when she carried me.

“Van Hanh, you're confused.”

Old lady Bui tightly hugged the diaper embroidered with gold thread.

“This is my daughter.”

Nuong A's face no longer had any color left. She was still looking at me.

“So who is that kid at the foot of the bed?”

Old Lady Bui's eyes flashed.

“The unlucky child at my father's house.”

“His mother didn't have any milk, and he was weak, so he brought him here for some happiness.”

A lady burst out laughing. The laughter was very soft. But it made Mrs. Bui immediately shut her mouth.

“Half an hour ago, the aunt was still complaining of pain in the Western mist.”

“Why was the child brought to my delivery room?”

Old Lady Bui's face changed. The midwife's shoulders shook violently. A Nuong put her hands on the edge of the bed, wanting to sit up straight. The wound was so painful that sweat covered her temples. But she did not complain of pain. She just looked at the little maid kneeling next to the copper basin.

“Thai Chi, hold me here.”

Thai Chi was so scared that her face turned pale. Mrs. Bui shouted loudly:

“Who dares!”

Thai Chi knelt on the ground, not daring to move. I cry again. This time, I don't cry out of fear. I'm calling you. Honey, I'm here. A Nuong looked at me, her eyes red. She suddenly picked up the silver brooch next to her pillow and pressed it to her neck my hand.

“Whoever dares to stop me today, I will die right on this bed.”

The room was immediately chaotic. The midwife knelt down. Thai Chi crawled and ran to me, picking me up.