Chapter 6
The young woman’s face was as smooth and white as a pearl, her eyes bright and deep, with long eyelashes like two black butterflies.
Her little mouth was especially striking – pink and full, like a carefully crafted work of art.
My pupils constricted as I stared at the girl in the mirror. It was me, looking just as I had before I was disfigured.
Overnight, I had become a vase maiden.
Jack stared at me, his eyes gleaming with greed, just like that night nine years ago.
Rose, seeing this, couldn’t help but curse angrily.
“You old pervert, get those filthy thoughts out of your head! Don’t forget Leo’s instructions. If you dare touch her, Leo will make you wish you were dead.”
Jack flinched, quickly averting his gaze from me.
The next day, Leo arrived early in the morning. When he saw me, his eyes flashed with delight.
“Lily, you’re still as beautiful as you were when you were young!“‘
I suddenly widened my eyes, finally remembering who this man was.
After my mother married me into Jack’s family, I often wandered outside to avoid Jack’s harassment, returning home late.
D
One evening, as I was passing through a cornfield, I saw a skinny young man being robbed by five or six young men. They took all his money and tied him up, leaving him in the cornfield.
The young man’s mouth was gagged, and when he saw me, he looked at me with pleading eyes.
I hesitated for a moment but still went into the cornfield to untie him.
Unexpectedly, the group of young men returned. When they saw me, they assumed I was the young man’s girlfriend.
They said that Leo was a lucky bastard to have such a beautiful girlfriend.
They all revealed evil smiles and pounced on me in the cornfield.
And that boy named Leo? He stood weakly to the side, watching as I was violated.
When my mother found me, I had been tortured beyond recognition. She cried her heart out.
But she blamed me for not listening, for staying out late and wandering around.
My mother boiled water to help me wash. When she went out to fetch cold water, I picked up the kettle and poured the scalding water on my face.
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My mother boiled water to help me wash. When she went out to fetch cold water, I picked up the kettle and poured the scalding water on my
face.
From that day on, I went from being the prettiest girl in the village to the ugliest person.
Adults avoided me, and children would cry in fear when they saw me.
The terrible scenes from the past came flooding back like a tidal wave.
My chest heaved violently, and my throat felt like it was blocked by a huge stone. I couldn’t make a sound.
Jack obsequiously handed me over to Leo, saying he had restored my beauty as instructed.
He said the high–interest loan he had borrowed from Leo would be written off.
It was then that I realized this had all been Led’s scheme.
He had deliberately lent money to my father, letting him marry a vase maiden, in order to uncover the secret of the vase maidens. All of this was to turn me into a vase maiden as well.
Leo excitedly took me away.
“Lily, I’m sorry for what happened in the past. I didn’t have the power to protect you then, but from now on, I’ll be good to you. We’ll never be apart again.”
I looked at Leo coldly.
“Your self–righteous attitude makes me sick.”