DTBCF Chapter 2

Liu Yangyang had been thinking for days and had already decided that from now on, she would become Bai Xiangxiu. She absolutely couldn’t afford to slip up and let others notice anything unusual about her.

Wasn’t it written in all those stories? If a woman wants to survive in a time-travel scenario, she must pretend to be the original character.

Her name was now Bai Xiangxiu, and she had to be careful not to freeze up if someone called her name, or it would be disastrous.

Sitting in front of a mirror, she studied her face and repeated her new name silently. But this supporting character’s appearance was just too stunning!

She had seen all kinds of beauties—those who had undergone cosmetic surgery and those who hadn’t, internet celebrities, women in paintings, and famous actresses on TV. But none of them compared to the delicate features of this supporting character!

The book mentioned that among the male lead’s concubines, Bai Xiangxiu was the most beautiful. That’s why she was so unwilling to be overshadowed by the less attractive female lead, and of course, she acted out because of it.

Now that she thought about it, she could understand. A woman this beautiful would naturally have some pride. Even if she didn’t expect to captivate all men, it was perfectly normal to look down on those who weren’t as beautiful as her.

Sigh, what a pity, being born this gorgeous but not being the female lead. She sighed but soon found herself happily admiring her reflection in the mirror. If there was anything to be happy about after this time travel, it was this beautiful face.

After checking her face, she looked at her body. Although she was only fifteen, she already had an alluring figure: a voluptuous chest, a slender waist, and long legs. Oh dear, even she blushed at the sight of herself!

At that moment, Xiao Shi walked in from behind the screen and saw her mistress, Lady Xiu, standing in front of the mirror with her outer garments removed, wearing only her underclothes. Startled, Xiao Shi dropped the copper basin she was holding, her jaw dropping in shock.

“…” This situation was indeed quite awkward. Bai Xiangxiu touched her nose, cleared her throat, and said with a smile, “Ah, come here and help me look. I feel like something is crawling on my back.”

Xiao Shi snapped out of her daze and hurried over to check. After looking her over, she said, “There’s nothing here.”

“Ah, it must be the clothes then. Let’s change them.” As Xiao Shi fetched new clothes, Bai Xiangxiu breathed a sigh of relief. She needed to be more careful from now on. The people here were quite conservative.

Bai Xiangxiu’s residence was called Dong Garden, the most remote of the four courtyards for concubines.

There was a reason the old matron had arranged for her to stay here. Although Bai Xiangxiu had a good reputation and came from a scholarly family, her beauty was simply too captivating.

The old matron feared that her son, just returned from the battlefield, might be seduced by such beauty, so she placed her in the farthest courtyard.

The plan was to let him visit the other three women first, and only after that would it be Bai Xiangxiu’s turn. This way, he’d be “immune” to beauty by then, having experienced all types.

The book mentions that the male lead, despite his reputation as a womanizer with countless conquests and his violent treatment of women, was still a virgin.

Bai Xiangxiu hadn’t thought much about this while reading, but now, she was deeply grateful to the old matron. Not having to meet the male lead yet was a blessing. What if he killed her off with a single blow? She was terrified at the thought.

However, some parts of the book weren’t exaggerated.

Indeed, the female lead’s halo was overwhelming, making it impossible to escape. Even with Bai Xiangxiu’s stunning looks, she was still reduced to being a background character. It was as if all the men in the story were blind.

It seemed like men preferred gentle and innocent women. Who would want a vicious woman as a bed companion? It wouldn’t be easy to sleep peacefully with such a person around!

Bai Xiangxiu forced herself to stop thinking about all this. No matter how beautiful she was, she needed to find a way to return to her own time. Being a diligent gardener suited her much better than getting caught up in the drama between the female lead and supporting characters.

But how could she go back?

She raised her hand and looked at the spot where she had pricked her finger on a cactus. It had long since healed. Occasionally, it would hurt a little, but it didn’t affect her movement.

Suddenly, Bai Xiangxiu’s eyes lit up. Could it be that pricking herself with the cactus had brought her here? If she pricked herself again, could she return?

Without caring whether the idea was far-fetched, she immediately called out for Xiao Shi. Hearing her mistress’s shout, Xiao Shi hurried in, confused as to why Lady Xiu had become so strange in the past few days. She used to be so gentle and ladylike, but now she moved like the wind and even spoke louder.

“Lady Xiu, what can I do for you?” Xiao Shi asked nervously.

“Do we have a cactus in the house?”

Her eyes sparkled with excitement. But in her enthusiasm, she forgot about the deadly charm of her appearance. Xiao Shi was taken aback by how dazzling her mistress looked, feeling as if she had been struck.

“A-a cactus? What is that?” Xiao Shi stammered, overwhelmed by her mistress’s beauty.

What?

Bai Xiangxiu remembered that the cactus had only been introduced to China during the Ming Dynasty. This world, though fictional, was still ancient. Could it be that cacti didn’t exist here?

“How about a firepalm?” Bai Xiangxiu asked again, using another ancient name for cactus.

“I’ve never heard of it,” Xiao Shi replied, noticing how her mistress’s bright expression instantly faded. She hurried to comfort her, “Lady Xiu, I can ask around for you. Maybe someone else knows.”

As soon as she said this, Bai Xiangxiu’s spirits lifted again, and she nodded gratefully, “Thank you, Xiao Shi.”

Xiao Shi nearly fainted from the charm of her mistress’s smile.

After receiving a description of the cactus, Xiao Shi hurried out, determined to find it. As she left, she clutched her chest, trying to calm her pounding heart. The Lady Xiu she knew had always been beautiful, but like a delicate flower in a painting, she had seemed distant and unreal.

Now, though, her lively expressions had transformed her from a pretty vase into a captivating and vivid beauty. Even Xiao Shi, a woman, couldn’t help but be moved by her charm. If men saw her, wouldn’t they go mad?

Determined to protect her mistress from being taken advantage of, Xiao Shi set out to search for the cactus. However, each time she returned, Lady Xiu’s disappointed expression tugged at her heartstrings, leaving her feeling crushed.

Seeing how her mistress was growing more despondent by the day, looking like a small, abandoned animal, Xiao Shi finally suggested, “Lady Xiu, why don’t we visit the docks and look for it there? But we’ll need permission from the old matron to leave the manor.”