758 Let Me Do I (1/2)

There was a blurry light in the midst of her drowsiness. A water droplet dripped onto her face. They were so close to each other, yet she could not even make out that frail and elderly face.

”Granny, are you there?” That familiar voice spoke once again. It sounded so far away and it was weak and hoarse. ”Are you… crying?”

”No, no. An old lady like me is just feeling happy for Princess.” The old granny calmly wiped away her tears and held the children beside her closely. ”Congratulations, Princess. They are both lovely girls. They look as pretty as you were when you were a child.”

”Where are they? Let me see them. Granny, I can barely see anymore.”

The old granny lowered her head and tried her best to stop herself from crying. ”They are right in front of you.”

A cold hand probed around in the air and finally landed on the child's face. Her touch was as soft as feathers. It was also itchy and the child began to laugh.

”She's laughing, right? Granny, another child is crying… I have hurt her.”

”Not at all. It's because I was too rough, so the Princess was frightened. See, she knows that she is with her mother now so she has stopped crying. The minds of mother and daughter are really in sync.”

”I see.” That familiar voice asked softly, ”Can I carry them?”

A pair of hands held the child up ever so gently, as if she was carrying the most precious treasure in the world. A blurry face came close, and there was a warm and gentle smile on the pale face.

”One's a rascal and the other's a crybaby. Granny, these are my daughters. How adorable.” She was laughing. She laughed. How wonderful. Seeing her smile was the most wonderful and amazing sight in the world right now. But the granny lowered her head and could no longer stop herself from crying.

”Granny, don't cry. Have I done something wrong again?”

”No, not at all.” Granny replied gently, ”An old lady like me just wishes that your health will get better. I wish that mother and daughters will be healthy and safe so that there can be more of such wonderful times ahead.”

”Don't be sad, Granny. I was born to have a hard life. To be able to witness their birth, I am already more than content.” The woman hugged them tight and put her face close to theirs as she shared with them her own heartbeat that was beating weakly. ”Look, they are so adorable and lively.”

”One became two. The name that we prepared can no longer be used.” Granny forced out a smile. ”We must trouble Princess to come up with new names for them again.”

”Chao Yue and Bai Xi.” She hugged the children and whispered, ”Shall we name them Chao Yue and Bai Xi?”

”Tide [1]?” Granny was taken aback for a moment before recovering quickly with a smile. ”They are both good names. Both sisters will forever be linked with their hearts, as if they are one.”

She smiled. ”Chao Yue, Bai Xi, Chao Yue, Bai Xi…” She leaned close to their faces. Her lips were cold and she closed her eyes with a content look on her face.

…

”Mother…” Bai Xi woke up from her dream and opened her eyes. She could not help but sigh. She did not manage to see her mother's face once again. It was so close…

The pain in her head did not subside. As her bones and body continued to grow due to puberty, the pain, that was the result of the incompleteness that she was born with continued to linger in her flesh and bones. Once again, she inspected the alchemy formation that has been imprinted onto her flesh. Her long and slender fingernails brushed past her skin. There was a hint of coolness and the cool breeze of the late autumn triggered a layer of goosebumps.

When she sensed a chill seeping into the yarn, she hurriedly put on layers of clothes, only to realize that these clothes, which once fit her perfectly, now felt tighter on the chest region.

”How annoying,” she muttered softly. Then, she heard a low voice from outside the door.

”Looks like it must have been a good dream.” The door opened and the cold yet graceful Empress stepped into her room. She looked at her from top to bottom. ”I thought that you would be feeling troubled and depressed. I didn't expect that, on the contrary, you are in such good condition that you have even put on weight. Is your headache better?”

”Thanks to the great blessings of the Empress, they seem to have worsened recently.” Bai Xi rolled her eyes and her expression was cold. She no longer behaved carefully and respectfully like in the past. Many servants were enraged. The Empress waved her hand so that everyone else would step back, then she sat down opposite of Bai Xi.

”In the entire palace, your pouting is the only thing that His Majesty is slightly fond of.”

”Is that so?” Bai Xi looked at her with a teasing look in her eyes. ”Actually, I was just thinking about this yesterday. What is happening to me now can be considered as falling out of His Majesty's favor right?”

”Oh.” The Empress raised her eyebrows slightly and carefully inspected her pretty face. She looked happier. ”Are you so keen to gain the favor and affection of His Majesty? Unfortunately, your legs are too long. If they were a little more petite, you may just be favored by His Majesty.”

”That's not true, right?” Bai Xi climbed up from her bed and came closer, and it was almost rude of her to inspect the graceful face across her. ”According to my estimation, compared to the bunch of sissies that His Majesty favored, shouldn't he favor someone who is more manly, like me?”

Without any hint of shame or embarrassment, the Empress only stretched out her hand, and her white and slender finger pressed against the middle of her brows and pushed her back. Then, she tilted her chin and looked at her face before sighing softly. ”You may have fit all of His Majesty's criteria but why are you born a woman?”