"Miss Song?"
The door was opened from inside, and a middle-aged butler in a black suit was embraced by Song Lili.
She hugged him tightly, her body trembling incessantly!
Uncle... Wei...
Taken aback, Wei Yuandong had no idea why the young girl had woken up this way so early in the morning.
Xiao Pan had told him that Miss Song seemed to be possessed.
Now, as she suddenly flung herself into his arms, the force nearly broke his back. Wei Yuandong, confused, decided to send Pan Qin away first.
"Xiao Pan, you go out first."
Pan Qin left the room, looking suspicious.
Wei Yuandong gently patted Song Lili's back,
"What's the matter, Xiao Li? Did you have a nightmare? Do you know where you are? If people see you hugging me like this... What about the distinction between master and servant, the rules?"
What rules, what master and servant...
Song Lili knew only that her beloved Uncle Wei was still alive. If it was all a dream, she never wanted to wake up again, just wanted to keep holding the warm Uncle Wei tightly.
"Lili... talk to me?"
Wei Yuandong was frightened by Song Lili's behavior and urged her worriedly.
"Uncle Wei... you must never leave me again!"
Buried in his chest, Song Lili commanded him in a muffled yet firm tone.
Hearing this, Wei Yuandong could not help but laugh, indulgently stroking her hair, "You silly girl... what nightmare did you have to scare you this much?"
With her eyes closed, Lili had visions of a cold, damp, barren place, a body gnawed by rats and ants, cold and stiff, emitting a rancid smell...
She was silent; she couldn't say another word. Wei Yuandong led her into the room, and all the while she clung tightly to him, refusing to let go.
"Xiao Li, it's okay, it's okay, huh?"
Wei Yuandong gently patted her back, soothing her like a child, patient and indulgingly protective...
But Song Lili's body still trembled, the pain of a bullet tearing through her body, the pain of nearing death, lingered in her mind.
Real or fake, true or false...
Everything was so terrifying that she didn't even dare to open her eyes, afraid that upon opening them, she would return to that place.
After a long while, Song Lili gradually calmed down and loosened her grip on Wei Yuandong; her tear-streaked face was completely a mess.
"Oh, look at Lili, all cried out. When Young Master Nian comes back and sees this, he'll be so heartbroken..."
Song Lili looked steadily at Wei Yuandong and suddenly said seriously,
"Uncle Wei... I will take care of you, I will protect you, and I won't let anyone bully you again!"
"Ha ha!"
Regardless of what had affected Song Lili, Wei Yuandong was warmed by these words,
"Who would bully me? Except for you, girl, causing me worry. Look how you frightened me first thing in the morning."
"Sorry, sorry..."
Seeing a living Wei Yuandong, Song Lili's heart was truly happy; nothing was more thrilling than regaining what was lost.
"I say, you little girl... How come you've become so meek, polite, and courteous after waking up?"
Song Lili wiped her tears, forced a smile, scratched her head, and then asked,
"Uncle Wei, what's the date today?"
"Yesterday was your twentieth birthday. What do you think?"
"I am only... twenty?"
Lili was utterly stunned.
"..." Watching Song Lili's dazed expression, Wei Yuandong felt nervous too. What on earth was wrong with her today?
Twenty years old...
She was only twenty years old...
And yet she had already turned thirty-three.
Those thirteen years... Although she wanted to doubt they were just a dream, she was acutely aware they were not!
"Lili? What's wrong with you? You're scaring Uncle Wei..."
Song Lili came back to her senses, chuckled lightly at Wei Yuandong, and said softly,
"Uncle Wei, I... am a bit hungry."
Upon hearing this, Wei Yuandong immediately got up, "You should have said so earlier. I'll go prepare breakfast for you right now!"
He left the room.
Song Lili leaned back on the bed, looking at the deep gray silk quilt, its surface intricately patterned with dark embroidery.
This was... the presidential bedroom on the top floor of the President Mansion.
Everything was real; her thirteen years, her death, and at this moment, she was young and alive again, lying on the bed she had once lain upon.
She would never forget, on her twentieth birthday, she and Wen Nian had married secretly, hiding it from everyone.
Only, on their wedding night, the groom was delayed by a long Cabinet meeting.
Such bizarre occurrences, those of fantasy novels, were now her reality—
She had been reborn.
Reborn back to the age of 20.
Slowly lifting her head, her young eyes, which should have been naive and clear, were tinged with red.