I Am the Youngest Daughter

A figure flashed by, and Madam Liu appeared beneath the moon gate.

Pei Jingzhi looked over and found that his wife, Madam Liu, had shed the noble, elegant robes of a prominent family's matriarch, and was instead dressed in the attire of a young maiden.

She wore a light emerald soft satin skirt that fell just below the knee, paired with a moon-white gossamer short jacket that was light and airy. Her long hair was loosely tied into a double-ring knot, held in place by only two pearl hairpins.

Her brows and eyes revealed a bit of a young girl's gentle charm.

There was absolutely none of the fierce sharpness typical of the Hedong Liu clan; instead, she looked like a delicate, innocent water maiden who had never experienced the harshness of the world.

Yet, Pei Jingzhi only felt a profound sense of familiarity!

This version of Madam Liu was so familiar!

However, searching through his memories, his mind was completely blank. He couldn't recall when he had ever seen Madam Liu look like this.

He saw Madam Liu, but she did not see him.

Because Madam Liu had returned through the back door specifically to make a surprise inspection of the eighteen warriors she kept. Now, looking at them, she was quite satisfied.

"It seems that none of you slacked off while I was away. I am very satisfied, but you must work even harder..."

"Only by enduring the bitterest of hardships can you become more like him."

"The more you resemble him, the more I will dote on you."

"Do you understand?"

The eighteen men shouted in unison, then scrambled to claim credit.

"Madam, I have really worked on my eyebrows. Look, don't I look more and more like him?"

"Madam, look at my legs, long and powerful. Don't I already look ninety percent like him?"

"Madam, I am the most hardworking one. Although I lack natural talent, I am diligent. Today, I wouldn't dare say I look the most like him, but my temperament is definitely identical, a military background, handsome and robust..."

...

Surrounded by the crowd, Madam Liu's face bloomed with a radiant smile.

Beaming with joy, she picked and chose among them, taking a good while before selecting her favorite.

"Hmm, Xiao Wu is not bad, he has made the most progress. Today... I'll have Xiao Wu accompany me!"

The one called Xiao Wu instantly grew excited: "Madam chose me, Madam finally chose me! Today, I will accompany Madam."

However, before he could finish his words, the moment Madam Liu turned her head, the orderly formation dissolved into chaos. One person immediately shoved Xiao Wu aside and took his place.

"Madam, I am Xiao Wu. Today, I will accompany you!"

The ousted Xiao Wu grew frantic and was about to argue his case, but before he could act, another person shoved him aside: "Madam, I am the real Xiao Wu. Today, it must be me who accompanies you!"

"Madam, Madam, look at me, I am Xiao Wu!"

"Madam, Xiao Wu is none other than me!"

...

Madam Liu turned her head back, her eyes blurring at the sight.

Before her were eighteen nearly identical faces and identical physiques. Every single one of them looked like him; every single one was just like the man in her memories.

Exactly the same!

It made her sway slightly.

Which one was Xiao Wu again?

Right, this one is!

Grabbing the one she believed to be Xiao Wu, she said, "Xiao Wu, you are the most obedient, and the easiest to be pushed out of your spot. This time, Madam will stand up for you!"

"Madam has a keen eye and loves me the most!"

The man was overjoyed. As he smiled, chaos erupted behind him, especially one voice that screamed the loudest and most heartbreakingly.

"Madam, I am the real Xiao Wu!"

But his agonizing cry overpowered the crowd for less than a breath's time before an even more agonizing voice rang out nearby: "Madam, you are mistaken! I, I am Xiao Wu!"

"Madam, I am truly Xiao Wu, he stole my spot!"

"Madam, you must look closely, I am the real Xiao Wu. The others are all impersonating me!"

...

This fighting scene displeased Madam Liu.

Her delicate brows furrowed, and a touch of cold ruthlessness appeared on her face. "Enough, stop making a scene, or don't blame me for being merciless with the family rules!"

Madam Liu clearly ruled her subordinates with an iron fist. The moment these words left her mouth, the chaotic scene instantly froze. Only the real Xiao Wu was still unwilling to give up.

Just as he was about to speak, he saw Madam tightly holding the fake Xiao Wu's hand. Knowing today was hopeless, he tried to divert her attention.

He shouted, "Madam, a newcomer has arrived. Won't you grace the newcomer with your favor?"

"A newcomer?" Madam Liu was surprised. "Where?"

"Over there, it's that old one!"

Madam Liu then looked toward where the real Xiao Wu was pointing. A man stood there. Though clearly old, he was dressed in flashy clothes. At first glance, he had the vague appearance of a handsome young man, but he couldn't withstand close scrutiny; otherwise, he looked like a clown, comical and ridiculous.

However, upon clearly seeing this comical person, Madam Liu's body shuddered violently. Swaying, her face instantly drained of all color.

"Jing... Jingzhi..."

As soon as this name was spoken, the eighteen warriors were upset.

"Madam, how can he have a name?"

"Exactly, at most he should be called Little Nineteen. Why does he get a name? Otherwise, Madam, you should call me by my name from now on. My name is the most handsome, I am Zhang Hanhan!"

"Bah, clearly my name sounds the best. My father hoped his son would become successful, so he named me Du Ziteng. Tell me, isn't that handsome?"

"Handsome, very handsome, Brother Du!"

...

Amidst the clamor, Madam Liu suddenly let out a loud shout.

"Shut up, get out, all of you get out!"

"Otherwise, I will send you back to Protector Bai, and make you beg for life and wish for death!"

This command rolled out like heavenly thunder.

The eighteen warriors fell silent. Even the fake Xiao Wu, who had fought so hard to snatch his spot, resentfully stepped away from Madam Liu and obediently exited the courtyard.

The courtyard was now empty, leaving only Pei Jingzhi and Madam Liu.

The loving couple, who had once been the envy of the entire capital, were now separated by just a few steps. Yet, these few steps felt like an impassable chasm.

"Jingzhi, listen to my explanation."

"I understand everything now," Pei Jingzhi spoke slowly, his tone suppressed to an extreme flatness, but two clear tears involuntarily rolled down his aged face.

They smashed fiercely onto the floor, shattering his heart full of love.

So, it was all fake!

Everything was fake!

In those years, he had exhausted his mind and body, forgetting to eat and sleep, pouring out his heart's blood to pull Madam Liu out of the despair of her first love's death.

Back then, young and fearless of hardship, he believed that true love could move heaven and earth!

But he was wrong!

Madam Liu's subsequent sweet affection toward him, her gentle and sweet smiles, her resolute determination to marry him regardless of everything, it was all fake!

The one Madam Liu wanted to love, the one she wanted to marry, was Pei Jingzhi's youthful face, the face that closely resembled Madam Liu's dead first love!

That was why, after he grew old, Madam Liu would force him to exercise and force him to wear those trendy clothes.

And when he could no longer satisfy Madam Liu, she found so many identical men.

The ridiculous part was, they were not identical to him.

But identical to Madam Liu's first love who had died in the military!

It turned out...

Madam Liu's heart had died along with her first love. All she had left for him was an illusion, a pipe dream. Now that he saw everything clearly, he realized that the passing clouds of the past were all just empty phantoms.

He, Pei Jingzhi, was nothing but a fool!

...