After the Gu incident, Ying Ying moved back to Yang residence, leaving Hen Qing alone. Once in a while, Ying Ying would stop by, but would be locked out. Hen Qing didn't want to see her, nor listen to the excuses of teaching her the right morals.
Sobs could be heard coming from the dark corner of Hen Qing's room. She broke everything in the house that reflected her wrinkled face. The pieces of glass and small traces of blood from her foot surrounded her sorrow figure.
Sniffles
"Everyone betrayed me. I have nobody. Mom left me for Yang Ya Nuo. My only love was also taken away by that witch! Why? Why her? I had everything, but spent it on her. I went overseas and used all my money on connections to get through to a master."
She hiccuped twice as she recalled learning how to set Gu's on Ya Nuo. When she failed the first time, she tried again and again. By the time she got out of the dark room, the master shook his head.
"I warned you that amateurs like you shouldn't attempt such dark spells on another or it'll backfire. If you continue like this, you'll lose all your Qi (energy) and become a body of a dry corpse before even getting revenge. I never saw someone as persistent as you to risk your life like that. I'll help you. "
Ever since the master agreed to set the Gu on Ya Nuo, Hen Qing stayed there to rest and recover her damaged energy. After resting enough, she came back only to find out that they were getting married. The more she thought, the more unfair she interpreted the situation.
"It wasn't fair and square!"
The door to her room creaked open and a woman in sharp heels walked in, "What is actually fair and square in this world? It's either you fight for it or don't bother with any of it. What's the use of crying over spilled milk when the man you want is already with another woman?"
Hen Qing gasped, "It's you. What are you doing here?" She wiped away her tears and faced away.
"I'm here to help you." The woman poured herself a cup of tea and sat down.
"Help? Hah! It's because of you. Because I listened to your words that I even bothered going overseas! You told me if I wanted to beat Ya Nuo then I can do it with hidden methods! You taught me where to go and find a master to set the Gu. It was all you!" Her heart ached for her stupidity.
"You were the one who came looking for me first. I only told you what I knew and thought. You were the one who followed my plans, so you can't blame me for anything. Besides, when you came back, I only told you that they were getting married." The woman responded calmly with a smile on her face.
"And you? I only wanted to ask you about my mother! If you didn't provoke me and tell me that Ya Nuo was my mother's real daughter and that I was just a replacement, why would I go on with this plan?!" Hen Qing slammed her fist to the wall creating a huge thump noise.
"Don't release your anger like that while your enemies are out there laughing happily. I'm the only person you can trust now. I can guarantee you that I can make Yang Ya Nuo disappear if you consider the previous deal I offered. If you say yes to that, then I'll make a move as soon as the time is right." The woman finished sipping the warm tea and stood up to leave.
"Wait! If you want me to agree to that deal, I can, under another condition!" Her disheveled hair and stained shirt became evident when the lights from the hallway shone into the room.
"And that condition is?"
"Find a master for me to switch my soul with hers. Or better yet, kill her and put my soul into her emptied body! Huan Hei doesn't like me because of my looks. Either that or help me find someone to revert myself to the original me. I want my youth back!" Hen Qing gritted her teeth, waiting anxiously for the woman to respond.
Finally, after a few minutes, the woman made a call before responding to Hen Qing's request.
"Soul switching is not possible. Killing Yang Ya Nuo and then switching your soul into her body is also impossible. The only thing the master can do is suck out the vitality from other young girls and help you recover half your youth. Anymore than this, the master himself will get punished by the heavens."
"Fine. Deal. Before I complete your part, I need to make sure you keep your words. Kill Yang Ya Nuo for me first and recover my youth halfway. This way, I can feel rest assured that I'm not being lied to this time." A slasher smile showed on her expression, sending extreme chills down the woman's back.
"Alright, but this would require quite an amount of time. Don't forget, your mother already betrayed you. There's no need to hold back. Also, in order to kill Yang Ya Nuo, I must make sure it is at a benefitting time to do it. Therefore, it may take months or even years. I want my part of the deal done within this year." The woman was about to step out of the room, but paused when she heard Hen Qing's words.
"Okay. By the end of the year, I'll complete our deal, but at least my face needs to be half fixed within this year. No more compromising." Hen Qing stomped her foot against the ground as if she had lost a piece of flesh from her body.
"Alright. I'll set everything up and contact you again. You stay put and wait for my good news." The woman turned around and walked downstairs. After she left, it felt as if she had never been there.