Chapter 1 — A Wrongful Match in Crimson

On the very night she was supposed to be married away, my younger sister hanged herself. In the final suicide note she left behind, every single word and line poured out her deep affection and longing for Gu Xiu Yuan.

"From childhood until now, my elder sister has always been far more radiant than I. I never dared to compete with her, nor could I ever hope to win."

Our parents blamed me for causing my sister to feel so deeply insecure about herself. Gu Xiu Yuan also lived in endless remorse that the bride he had married was not her. They spent the rest of their lives mourning my sister, and they spent the rest of their lives blaming me as well. Fortunately, I was granted a second chance at life; I have been reborn, and everything is still in time to be changed. Madam Gu came to our manor today, intending to officially settle the marriage alliance between Gu Xiu Yuan and me. I softly and firmly refused her.

"Shu Ning already has someone she holds dear in her heart."

01

Madam Gu froze in sheer astonishment for a brief moment, then chuckled teasingly.

"This little girl has literally grown up alongside Xiu Yuan and has never even laid eyes on any other young gentleman outside. Where on earth did she find someone else to care for?"

My mother chimed in with a matching smile.

"The person her heart has chosen—isn't it precisely our Xiu Yuan?"

"It is not."

I turned my gaze toward Madam Gu and bowed to her with gentle grace.

"Please forgive this junior, respected aunt. Precisely because I grew up alongside older brother Xiu Yuan, my feelings toward him have never been anything more than those between siblings. I have never harbored any other thoughts."

Right at that moment, Gu Xiu Yuan stepped across the threshold into the outer hall.

"Feelings like siblings?"

He repeated my exact words, his expression clouded with incomprehension and confusion. Yes, feelings like siblings. Those four simple words were precisely what he had said to me in our past life. Every single day of his life had been consumed by the bitter regret that he had not married my younger sister instead.

"I always foolishly believed I had deep affections for you, but it was not until she departed forever that I truly understood—what I felt for you was merely the bond of a brother and a sister."

He always remembered the younger sister who used to hide behind the artificial rockery and steal glances at him. He remembered the young maiden who lacked my poised and flawless propriety, yet offered him the entirety of her pure and steadfast heart. Even when we later had a daughter of our own, he insisted on naming her Nian Qiao, solely because my sister's given name was Shu Qiao. My father and mother furrowed their brows slightly, casting disapproving glances as though silently rebuking me for being so unaccommodating and unreasonable. Madam Gu's complexion turned deeply unpleasant as well.

"What is the meaning of this? Does the Shen family no longer hold our Gu family in any regard?"

This matrimonial alliance had been established long ago by the elders of both our households. Later on, my father brought our entire family to the capital to establish our roots, and his official rank eventually surpassed that of Uncle Gu. Yet, they had never once considered breaking the engagement. As the eldest daughter, carrying out this marriage was naturally my duty. My mother secretly pinched the back of my hand and spoke on my behalf, smoothing things over.

"There is nothing of the sort; Shu Ning is merely throwing a childish temper tantrum for a moment."

However, Madam Gu refused to let the matter drop, her voice dripping with thinly veiled sarcasm.

"Is that so? Everyone in the city knows that the eldest young miss of the Shen family is gentle and well-versed in etiquette. I suppose now that her reputation has grown so grand, her ambitions and pride have risen far above us as well."

My father pointed directly at me, his voice booming with absolute authority.

"Since when is a major life event like marriage yours to decide upon? If you refuse to marry him, then who will?"

So they were well aware that major life events like marriage were not up to me to decide. Yet, they had still unhesitatingly heaped the blame for my sister's tragic death entirely onto my shoulders, even though from beginning to end I had never even known she harbored feelings for Gu Xiu Yuan. I calmly looked at them and spoke in a steady tone.

"Father, Mother, the Shen family does not possess only a single daughter."

It was only at this very moment that Madam Gu remembered I had a younger sister.

"The second young miss? There is simply no reason or propriety for an elder sister to remain unmarried while the younger sister is wed first."

My mother nodded in quick agreement.

"Your younger sister is still far too young; what could she possibly know about the affairs of marriage?"

Just a few casual, dismissive words. My sister was only a single year younger than me, yet she was instantly transformed into a naive child who understood nothing of the world. Gu Xiu Yuan also shook his head, gently reproaching me for dragging Shu Qiao into this conversation.

"Could it be that Shu Qiao would actually be willing to marry me?"

From right outside the doorway, a clear and resolute voice rang out.

"I am willing!"

Within my sister's eyes burned a fierce, unwavering determination as she spoke with absolute seriousness.

"Older brother Xiu Yuan, I am willing to marry you."

02

Before Madam Gu had even arrived, I had already sent a trusted servant girl to summon my sister. She loved Gu Xiu Yuan with every fiber of her being; she would never let such a golden opportunity slip through her fingers. Only, I had never anticipated that she would be this direct, this extraordinarily bold. Right in front of Madam Gu, she dropped to her knees before our parents and openly confessed the deep affection she held for Gu Xiu Yuan.

"We are both daughters of the Shen family. Why is it that the elder sister is permitted to marry him, while I am not?"

"Could it truly be that Father and Mother are so profoundly biased?"

Tears streamed down her face, falling directly onto the hearts of our parents. If there truly was any favoritism within this household, the one who had always received that partiality was her, not me. Over all these years, I had painstakingly built a spotless reputation for virtue and gentleness, bringing great honor and pride to my father. Suitors had crossed our threshold in an endless stream. Yet, our parents had consistently used the excuse of my prior engagement to turn them all away, among whom were countless scions of prestigious noble houses. Everyone whispered that if the elder sister was of such character, the younger sister must surely be just as exceptional. Now, although Gu Xiu Yuan had successfully passed the imperial examinations, the foundation of the Gu family still lagged far behind those aristocratic clans. My parents had originally intended to select an even more illustrious match for my sister. Yet they never expected that she would love Gu Xiu Yuan so desperately that she would risk her very life for him. Seeing her in such a state, my parents had no choice but to relent and yield. Gu Xiu Yuan said with a hoarse voice, his heart clearly shaken.

"Shu Qiao is still too young..."

Madam Gu also chimed in with gentle persuasion.

"Indeed, Shu Qiao is too young. How could she possibly be wed before her elder sister?"

My sister gazed up at him through her tear-filled eyes, her voice trembling.

"Older brother Xiu Yuan, I passed the age of capping long ago."

"Or could it be that within your heart there is only my elder sister, and no room for me at all?"

Gu Xiu Yuan hastily denied the accusation, panic coloring his tone.

"Since Shu Qiao is willing, I am naturally overjoyed."

The scholar was filled with affection, and the maiden shared the very same sentiment. This destined romance was finally brought to a consummation in this lifetime. However, when Madam Gu finally took her leave, her expression was utterly grim and unsightly. My sister returned to her chambers brimming with radiant joy, while I was forced by my parents to drop to my knees on the cold floor. They bitterly reprimanded me for refusing the marriage.

"If you had simply agreed from the very beginning, your younger sister would never have had to rush out and take your place."

Yet, if I had truly agreed, the one who would have been blamed in the end was still me. My mother flatly refused to believe that I had someone else in my heart.

"You have been sensible and obedient since you were a child; why on earth would you act so foolishly today?"

"Madam Gu wanted a daughter-in-law capable of managing a household just like you. If your younger sister marries into that family, she will undoubtedly suffer greatly."

Indeed. Marrying into the Gu family had never been a fortunate prospect. Yet they had never once considered my own well-being. The truth was, I truly did not have a secret lover. It was simply that the Grand Princess had once casually mentioned that her nephew still lacked an engagement.

"If you are willing, this palace can act as the matchmaker for you."

At that time, I had used my existing engagement as a polite excuse to decline the offer. But reflecting upon it now, marrying almost anyone else would be far preferable to being bound to the Gu family. Upon hearing the mention of the Grand Princess, my parents finally ceased their reprimands.

"If Shu Ninh truly manages to form a union with the Grand Princess's manor in the future, then Shu Qiao's life in the Gu household will also become much easier to endure."

When I returned to my own courtyard, the maidservant I had previously dispatched to summon my sister finally returned to report.

"This servant went to invite the Second Young Miss, but her room was entirely empty."

I froze in sudden realization. So my sister had rushed to the outer hall all on her own initiative? But how could she possibly have known that Madam Gu was currently visiting to propose the marriage? A faint, obscure suspicion slowly began to rise within the depths of my heart.

03

Once the matrimonial alliance was officially settled, the betrothal gifts from the Gu family were delivered to our manor in a grand and continuous procession.