120 Matured

Lin Xia walked over, set her backpack aside, and sat on the edge of the bed. She smiled and asked, "How are you feeling today? Is your leg still hurting, or are you still being woken up by the pain in the middle of the night?"

Xie Xitong smiled. "It still hurts a bit, but it’s not as severe as it was in the beginning."

"Xia, thank you all so much for everything these past few days," Xie Xitong said sincerely, looking into Lin Xia's eyes.

Lin Xia gave a dismissive wave. "With the relationship between us, there’s no need for thanks. But you—after this major illness, your personality seems like a completely different person. If we weren't such close friends, I’d suspect you’d been 'transmigrated,' just like in Yan Da’s novels."

As she said this, Lin Xia stared intently into Xie Xitong’s eyes, but she saw only a calm, ripple-free gaze. There was no hint of surprise. If she truly had transmigrated, she wouldn't be so composed. Even she herself, back when she had first been reborn, had been incredibly shocked and had taken a long time to understand and accept the truth.

"You are as mischievous as ever," Xie Xitong said, playfully pinching Lin Xia’s nose.

The inadvertent grace of a young girl flashed across her features, causing Lin Xia to sigh, "This illness of yours has really 'cured' your temperament. I don’t know whether to cry or be happy."

Although she had gained a general understanding from the original owner’s memories, the fact that even this quiet little girl was saying such things confirmed that Xie Xitong had indeed been spoiled rotten. It was no wonder she had met with such misfortune.

"Mother must be happy," Xie Xitong laughed. "She’s always praised you for being steady. Now that I’m learning from you, why wouldn't she be pleased?"

"Oh? After reading *Scheming the World* for a few days, you’re already quoting lines from it so naturally. I’m truly impressed," Lin Xia teased.

Xie Xitong loved the books written by the author Liu Yan. After Lin Xia and the others brought her *Drizzle*, she had read it and was quickly drawn to such novel stories. She had never seen anything like them in her previous life. Plus, having just arrived, she had been in a state of bewilderment; although she possessed the original memories, her past experiences and personality made her afraid to speak too much.

She had been awake for a long time, but after overhearing the conversations of those around her while she was "unconscious," her deeply cautious nature kept her from waking up too quickly. It was only when she could no longer hold out that she finally "slowly regained consciousness."

Just when she didn't know what to do, Lin Xia and her friends brought her the magazine *Drizzle*. As the third young lady of the Xie family, she had been well-versed in poetry, calligraphy, and painting. With the aid of her memories, she guessed and deciphered the simplified characters, and by the end of the magazine, she had recognized them all.

That was when she realized that her arrival here was what they called "transmigration."

She had traveled through a hundred years of time to reach this space.

So be it. Her mother was already gone, and that household left nothing to pine for. Xie Xitong looked at the sincere girl before her, who was about the same age as she had been in her past life, and felt a surge of warmth.

Since waking up, she had a loving father and mother, a protective brother, and this group of friends who treated her with genuine kindness. Her sisters in her former household, though related by blood, were all hypocritical; few had ever treated her with sincerity.

Over the past few days, she had feigned boredom while recovering, browsing through the books in the study. The results were limited, but she was deeply astonished: how could a family like this have no records of recent history, only ancient texts akin to the *Records of the Grand Historian* from centuries ago?

These were of no use to her.

Fortunately, she was deep-thinking and patient. Having survived the cutthroat world of an aristocratic inner courtyard, she was more than a match for these modern people if she wanted to hide something.

Hearing Lin Xia’s comment, she pouted and said, "You know me—I love Yan Da’s work. Her books are written so well, it’s no wonder I’m learning from them."

Though she said this, she remained vigilant. Habits formed over a decade were not changed overnight, but fortunately, this excuse had covered things up. She felt a glimmer of gratitude toward this author, Liu Yan.

Seeing her pout, as if she had returned to her old self, Lin Xia pinched her cheek. "Alright, alright, I didn't mean you. But Xiaoxiao and the others are whispering in my ears all day—'What is the matter, my dear?' 'What a truly fine day'—it’s making my head spin."

As she spoke, she comically shook her head.

Xie Xitong could easily imagine the scene and burst into laughter. She was truly growing to love this place and these friends. If she could spend her life like this, what did the so-called glory and wealth of that old manor matter?

As the two girls chatted, Xie Xitong took the opportunity to ask a question she had encountered while reading. Having lived in a truly prestigious household, her insights into "inner-chamber schemes" were far more profound than Lin Xia's. A few questions later, Lin Xia found herself inspired by some of the points raised.

In the middle of their lively discussion, Lin Xia noticed the thick stack of books on the desk and smiled. "My word, you used to hate reading these ancient texts—how did you suddenly have a change of heart?"

She picked up a book at random and flipped through it, discovering it was a history of the Ming Dynasty. She waved the book with a laugh, "Incredible, you’ve even managed to cram history books into your head."

"What’s so strange about that? I’ve always been clever; these little history books are nothing," Xie Xitong said proudly.

She was telling the truth. In her past life, the Third Miss Xie was known as the most talented woman in Jinling, and in this life, she was naturally intelligent as well. She had only failed to study before because she couldn't settle her heart. Lin Xia and the others had long known that if she truly applied herself, these books would not be difficult for her.

"Still as conceited as ever, shame on you," Lin Xia teased, winking.

"What’s there to be afraid of? We’re all friends here," Xie Xitong laughed.

Just as they were joking, Xie Fanghua appeared at the door and smiled. "Time to eat."

"I'll eat with you all. I don't want to be in this room alone."

"Of course, of course." Xie Fanghua readily agreed, and together with Lin Xia, she carefully helped Xie Xitong into her wheelchair and pushed her to the dining room.

The meal left Xie Fanghua feeling deeply emotional. It was good that her daughter had become sensible and obedient, but sometimes she missed the haughty, vibrant girl of the past. A daughter who was spoiled and oblivious to the ways of the world was something all mothers envied.

However, as the saying went, "Who is to say that a blessing in disguise is not a fortune?" Her daughter was getting older every year; when she was small, people ignored her spoiled behavior, but now that she was grown, others would not be so forgiving.

Thinking of Lin Xia and Zhao Xin, Xie Fanghua felt it was better that her daughter had grown up and become more mature.