Xi'An is like the Rome of Italy to China, Xi'an is the capital of nine different Chinese dynasties. It is also the city in which Ling Qi was born and raised.
Ling Qi's dad is the governor of Shann Xi Providence and her mom is a chemistry professor at Zheng Zhou University.
Together, Ling Qi's parents have three children. Ling Qi's oldest brother is Ling Shuo. Ling Shuo is in his last year of residency at Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan. Ling Shui is married and has a daughter named Ling Zhi and a son named Ling Yan.
Ling Qi's second sister is Ling An. She is currently a physiology and criminology professor at Wuhan University. She is married and has a daughter named Guo Qin.
Ling Qi's second sister is Ling An. She is currently psychology and criminology professor at Tsinghua University. She is married and has a daughter named Guo Qin.
Then there is Ling Qi, who just received her PhD in Ancient Chinese Linguistics emphasis History, Poetry, Customs, and Writing at Zheng Zhou University.
"Tomorrow we will have all of our relatives and friends here in the city. We will host a dinner to celebrate your graduation," Ling Qi's mom says as she took picture of the food on the lazy Susan.
Ling Qi's mom always has her hair up in a ponytail. On her wrist, there are always ten to twelve hair bands. She lends the extra hair bands out to the girls in her chemistry labs.
"I still can't believe you actually got a degree in ancient history." Ling An says shaking her head.
"Ling An, Your third sister simply chose a field she desires. It's actually important to know our culture, it is the only way to past it down for generations. As long as she is happy and healthy, we should be satisfied," Ling Qi's dad says.
Ling Qi's dad is spoon feeding Guo Qin, Ling An's daughter.
Ling Qi's dad is quite chubby. Ling An gave him the nicknamed 'seahorse', because he looked like he could be pregnant, and male seahorses are the men that gives birth. Ling Qi nicknames him teddy bear, because as a child she loved to sleep on his belly.
"All I can say, is that I do hope in your next life, you can be reborn as an nobility in the Tang or Song Dynasty. It is where your soul belongs after all," Ling An says.
Ling An usually acts sophisticated and with intelligences, until she bumps into Ling Qi. It's most likely the middle child complex, which causes everything to be a competition.
They say with siblings, you must hold the water cup balanced, however, no one can hold a water cup without shaking their hands. Ling Qi's mom favors Ling Shuo, Ling Qi's dad favors Ling Qi, and sadly, like most families, Ling An is often neglected.
"Is that your way of placing a curse at me?" Ling Qi asks.
"Don't act like you wouldn't enjoy it." Ling An says.
"I do still like toilet, toilet paper, healthcare, smartphone, and right as a human opposed to property." Ling Qi says. There are good and bad parts to every culture in every era.
"Ling An, stop arguing with your sister and eat. You're 32 years old, and you act 17." Their mom says.
Ling Qi can feel Ling An's eyes burning a hold into the side of her forehead, as Ling Qi eats with a smile on her face.
"Ling An, be nice to your sister," Ling An's husband says, "yes she did choose history, but even with your physiology and criminology PhD's, the both of you still end up as professors."
Ling An's husband is one of those cold as an iceberg rich second generation boys. Prior to their marriage, Ling Qi has always thought that they were just playing around. But Ling An's husband is a very good human, he treats their parents well, and has a matching moral compass to Ling An.
Ling An's husband has always been a second older brother to Ling Qi. He doesn't like to talk much, and when he does, he tends to make Ling An angry.
"Why are you always on her side?" Ling An exclaims with rage and envy. "I'm your wife."
"She's your little sister, therefore she's also my little sister." Ling An's husband says.
"Because I'm adorable, and wonderful human being." Ling Qi says shamelessly. Ling An throws a pair of chopsticks at Ling Qi.
"Please get her another pair," Ling Qi exclaims at a waitress.
"That can not be the reason," Ling An says. Ling An's husband whispers something into her ears and she immediately turns red and proceeds to slap him.
At this moment, the door opens. "I'm sorry to be late," Ling Shuo rubs Ling Qi's head as he walks in with his wife, and two kids.
"I was doing math homework with dad, " Ling Zhi says, "it took us 1 hour to do three problems, and mom came home and 35 problems was done in ten minutes." Ling Zhi is 12, next year she'll be in Junior high school.
Ling Zhi sits down in between Ling Qi and Ling An. "Aunty Qi-Qi, Aunty An-An!"
"Good Girl, come sit here," Ling Qi says patting the chair in between Ling An and Ling Qi.
"I thought you were good at math as a kid," Ling An says. "How did you get into medical school?"
Ling Yan, Ling Shuo's five year old son goes and sit by Guo Qin. "Grandpa, grandma. I received a gold star at preschool today." He shows his grandparents the paper crane.
"I want a gold star too," Guo Qin pouts.
"I'll buy you some on the way home," Their grandpa says.
"I do know how to math. The problem is, I haven't had a math class in years. I don't know how to explain math questions to her without giving her the answer." Ling Shuo says.
"You'd think he would have learned how to help with homework now that Zhi-Zhi is 12, but no...it hasn't improved." Ling Shuo's wife says sitting next to Ling Yan. Ling Shuo sits next to Ling Qi.
"Hey, I am very capable of helping Zhi-Zhi with any homework other than math."
Ling Shuo's wife is an elementary school math teacher. She always wears a pair of square glasses, and her hair is about ear to neck length.
"Congratulations on graduating," Ling Shuo's wife says. "It is a big milestone. I can't imagine studying for that many years."
"Thank you!" Ling Qi says as she hugs him.
"Let's take a group Photo."
After taking multiple pictures, Ling Qi picks up her phone to check the time. She sees a message from her boyfriend, Liu Yang.
Liu Yang : Ling Qi, I want to break up. I fell in love with the girl my parents introduced. We are planning to move to Australia in a month.
Instantly, Ling Qi's smile turned into a frown. Her heart felt as if someone is squeezing it. Tears immediately begins to stream down her face.
Ling Qi : How long have you been cheating on me?
Liu Yang : Five years. With three different girls. Look, you're a good girl, that's why I couldn't bare to separate from you. But she is pregnant, I must give her a home and a status. You've never had sex, so you wouldn't understand the emotional bindings....
Ling Qi's phone was snatched from her by Ling Shuo. "What the fuck does this boy think he is doing?"
"What's wrong?" Ling An's husband asks.
"Here, you read it." Ling Shuo says passing the phone around.
"What do you want to do?" Ling An's husband says after looking at the message.
"Nothing. He should have broken up with me five years ago, but I'm glad that I found out now and not years later." Ling Qi says.
"In your seven years together, you've never allowed him to touch you?" Ling An asks. "No wonder why he cheated."
"I wanted to save myself for my future husband. You can't be sure until you actually sign the papers and go through with a wedding." Ling Qi says.
"It's okay, we can set you up with someone, after you heal from this." Ling Shuo's wife says. "At least we see what type of person he is."
~~~~
After dinner, Ling Qi rides on her electric scooter to the Forbidden City. Her mind is running wild with scenarios.
Who is the three girls?
Who else knew and didn't tell her?
Did they know about her?
Was everything a lie?
Maybe Ling Qi was considered the side chick for not having sex with him.
Where and when did they meet?
How did Ling Qi not know?
What in the world is going on?
Why does he have to do this to Ling Qi?
"Liu Yang, I hate you. I fucking hate you. You could have just broken up with me."
Boom. Ling Qi's electric scooter bumps into the car in front of her, she flew into the sky, and tumble down onto the concrete. Her skin immediately burst open, and blood behinds to ooze.
She feels her eyelids getting heavier. Ling Qi close her eyes.
In a mist of chaos, she can hear people speaking.
"Miss, are you okay?"
"We are calling the ambulance, hang on."
"Can you hear me? Nod or move your fingertips."
"Qi-Qi. It's mom. I'm here. Please wake up."
"We shouldn't have allowed her to go home alone after that. I should have driven her." Ling Shuo says.
"Qi-Qi. Please wake up." Ling An says. "I'll never argue with you again. Please."
"Qi-Qi. If it hurts too much, just let go. We will always love you, and keep you in our hearts. Don't worry about us." Ling Qi's dad says.
"Dad!"
"She hates pain. I just don't want her to be in pain."
"But she has a whole life ahead of her. It shouldn't end here."
There was a long period of silence, then she heard the sound of wind chimes. She moves her fingers on the bed.
For days, she tries to move different parts of her body. Some days it worked, and other days her body wouldn't budge.
"I think we should help the empress," the language was no longer Mandarin Chinese, but instead a language mixed between Cantonese and a bunch of different dialect, not to far different from what she studied in school.
"We shall stay loyal to our Lady."
"She's already been laying here for three months. Our only chance of survival is to help the empress."
"She will wake up."
"If the emperor finds out, he will kill all 9 generations of our family and the empress would at most thrown in the cold palace. If I'm going to die either way, I'd rather die with loyalty and honor. Our lady has treated us with nothing but kindness...."
~~~
For three months, Ling Qi listened to the maids speak. Most of the time, the maids would talk to her disrespectfully. Ling Qi just wants to get up and slap them.
At first Ling Qi thought that this was all a dream, that she was just imagining a world while in her coma.
She hopes that when she open her eyes, she'll see her family. But as time dragged on and on, she come to the realization that this is real life.
During the last three month, two man has been constantly visiting her. She can tell that one of them is an Emperor named Wu and the other is a man named Chu Lin.
Emperor Wu : Shu'er, please wake up soon. The physicians say that you're getting better. Can you perhaps hear me? I've already locked the empress in her palace, once you wake up, I'll punish her in front of you.
Chu Lin : Do you really think I like you? I was only using you. My true love is the Empress, you can be compared to her. You've cause her so much suffering, and I want you to suffer.
Emperor Wu : Our kids miss you a lot. I miss you a lot.
Chu Lin : I hate you so much. I wish you could just die. Why are you holding on for? The empress told me to rape you, but i wouldn't touch anyone other than her.
She gathered this much.
The body she is currently in, is no longer her own. Instead, she is in the body of a lady named Wei Shu Ting. Wei Shu Ting is the daughter of Duke-General Wei, the Royal noble consort of Emperor Wu. Wei Shu Ting was poisoned by the Empress and betrayed by Chu Lin. Wei Shu Ting has three children with Emperor Wu.
She can feels her body growing stronger every day. By the time she opens her eyes, she'll no long be Ling Qi, but instead she'll be Wei Shu Ting.
'Wei Shu Ting. I'll take care of your children, and revenge your death."