Ghostly Masked Prince Xiao
Chapter 1: Souls crossing over are all frauds

A burst of intense pain in her head, noises by her ear echoed that seemingly came from afar but, at the same time, was very near. Chu Yan, from a period of darkness, slowly woke up to a 'crack' sound and a long drawn-out voice saying 'Cai Cai'.

Just a moment ago, she was tired from taking pictures, so she had lied down on the makeup table in the photo studio, wanting to rest her eyes for a moment. Only, it seemed as if she had slept for a long time, otherwise, how could the mother in front of her eyes have a worried expression as if everything was on fire. However, during the period of her headache, Chu Yan still snuck a few glances at her mother's appearance. Oh, this makeup artist was really good, erasing the wrinkles at her outer eyes and the colored spots to the tip of her nose. Moreover, her mother had on an ancient period costume that made her seem delicate, sweet-tempered, virtuous and a morally good woman. Scoff——it was not in vain, the coupon she had cheated from her best friend for a family artistic photo shoot in traditional clothing. She had no time to attend to the unfamiliar pain from her head, therefore, Chu Yan's mouth pulled into a grin to smile at the pretty-as-a-flower mother in front of her.

"Finished taking it? Is it my turn yet?"

"Cai Cai, are you awake?"

Two people said it at the same time, Chu Yan's ears shook and didn't hear what she said clearly. But, she still nodded, "I'm awake, hey, Mom, why are you crying?"

After the words were spoken, the delicate mother in front of her suddenly had tears in her peach flower-like eyes and started to weep. This simply overturned her mother's normally strict and thunderous wind-like manner. Without another word, the image of a strong woman had changed, coming too fast. Chu Yan had no time to react.

"Thump, thump——" Came the sounds of a burst of footsteps, Chu Yan was just about to turn her head when a face suddenly crowded in front of her, "Cai Cai, you are awake!"

The enlarged face, with an ear-splitting yell, scared Chu Yan, who was too close, to jump back and withdraw. Her hand pressed down on her heart that was jumping with thumping sounds. With a complaining tone, she looked at the person that suddenly popped up, "Dad, why did you suddenly scare me?"

One could see the obviously sobbing mother, immediately pull the dad who continuously tried to get closer to the daughter, to the side. She softly reprimanded and said, " Official Yuan (1), Cai Cai just woke up, don't you scare her!"

Chu Yan was dumbstruck, she didn't mishear right? Official Yuan? Cai Cai? What does it all mean? What stunned Chu Yan even more was that dad obediently stood to the side, like a child that had done wrong and was listening to an adult's lecturing. From time to time, he even mumbled, "Cai Cai slept for two days. I missed Cai Cai. Just now wasn't on purpose. Cai Cai…"

In the end, what is going on?

Could it be that this artistic portrait had turned into filming a video drama? The able and efficient mother plays the helpless, weak and virtuous woman. The tough with a stocky build dad become the foolish yes-man.

However, the straw mat beneath her body, with a patched quilt. A roof that leaked in the wind…it didn't seem to be fake.

Thinking up to here, a vast stretch of memories appeared in her mind in an earth-shattering manner. It immediately drowned out Chu Yan's current train of thought.

The light breeze brushed by the house, the sky was bright with clear air.

A young lady that was about ten years old sat on the large rock in front of the room with her cheeks propped up. She had a blank expression.

Whereas on her side, sat a tall and powerful male with a face that was jade-like. One could only see him imitating the little girl on the side with chin resting on both hands, and from time to time, follow her to sigh.

The expression on his face was identical with the exact same movements, imitating everything to perfection. However, this kind of movement, placed on an eleven to twelve year old's body was extremely comical.

Chu Yan detected the actions of the person at her side and couldn't help but laugh with a 'pfft' sound. This laugh pulled at the injury on her head, all at once, her smile changed into a grimace.

That male immediately dropped the hand holding up his chin, and clasped her face, with a pout, he moved to before her eyes, "Cai Cai, blow, blow, then it won't hurt."

Chu Yan looked at this male's worried expression in front of her that wasn't faked, immediately, both of her eyes became red. As if she couldn't feel the pain, she pulled down his hand, then sighed, "I don't hurt anymore, Dad."

Until this moment, Chu Yan finally completely accepted the fact that her soul had crossed over into another time.

Chu Qing-Yan, nicknamed Cai Cai, was the name for her current body. This year, she was ten years old, and she looked exactly the same as when she was this age in the other time. Only, this body was very malnourished and sickly in appearance. Clearly, she was undernourished.

The male face that was confused and concerned in front of her belonged to her father. He was called Chu Huai-Yuan, about twenty-five to twenty-six years old. In her memories from before, he was a general. But ten years ago, during a military defeat, with the army completely wiped out, when they found him, he had already lost his wisdom. He became foolish, illogical and naive.

And the woman washing clothing not too far away was her mother. Her name was Miao Dan-Xuan, in her memory, she was the daughter from a n.o.ble family, accomplished in all four arts (2) and proficient in all kinds of subjects. After marrying Father, the two people were perfectly in sync. However, they came across misfortune, with her family's husband and lord implicated as having neglectful of his military duty. Afterwards, the whole family was abandoned by the family clan. So, the delicate mother brought her foolish husband and the newly born two-month-old child here to seek a living in such difficult conditions. From leading a pampered life of a treasured young miss, to a woman that did the laundry all day long for the people in a wealthy family's mansion, her mom used this method to support the family.

In an instant, ten years pa.s.sed.

Chu Qing-Yun heavily sighed. If she hadn't seen it with her own eyes, she also wouldn't believe that her mother from the cream of the elite would become a laundry lady. Moreover, her father, as the nation's commander of the special forces, would become a foolish imbecile that stared blankly.

Moreover, just a few days before, this body's owner had a dispute with the kids from the same village. Those kids saw that they couldn't beat her, so they started to throw stones at the owner of this body. A bowl-sized stone smashed against her head, in a flash, blood flowed out. The owner of the body pa.s.sed out and was originally judged by a doctor that she would certainly die, then, the her who had just squinted her eyes to sleep, like this, crossed over into this body.

She thought that if it was not for her pulling her mom and dad, taking advantage of the New Years leave to take artistic photos, maybe she wouldn't have woken up to encounter such a horrifying scene.

Forget it, since she was already here, might as well make herself comfortable. Besides, her mother and father were still her parents. Even though a slip-up happened in the middle, after all, they were still the same people.

Maybe the G.o.ds felt that her mom and dad, for so many years, didn't accompany her, and as a result, the heavens allowed her whole family to cross over, to properly enjoy domestic bliss. Even though this domestic bliss might seem miserable, but she was not worried. Based on her twenty-first century brain of a college student from the new age, she didn't believe that she couldn't conquer this legendary farming life.

Chu Qing-Yan looked at her own short hands and feet, even though her physique was a little weak, however, as long as she nourished it properly, she could still break off a piece of the world for her future.

As a result, Chu Qing-Yan suddenly stood up and clenched her pink fist, making a cheering beautiful arc towards the sky. She believed that she would definitely bring her beautiful mom and foolish adorable dad, and rush towards the the blessed, well-off life on the starlight road!

Just at this moment, a mournful voice came from the distance.

"Cai Cai, your dad once again chased after our family's chickens and ducks and run off——"

Cai Cai? Seems to be calling her.

Chu Qing-Yan's stiff neck turned right, and saw a plain-clothed virtuous aunty wailing in anguish at her. She looked towards the direction where she was howling to the sky and grabbing the earth.

Her foolishly adorable dad was just in the midst of letting loose to joyfully chase after others' chickens and ducks while running all over the field.

Bold, full of pa.s.sion, hot blood, immediately choked in her heart.

As if the dream was truly full but reality was very thin.

Only, now was not the time for her to imagine the beautiful future. Her top priority was to chase back her dad that was running around chasing after others' chickens and ducks. Then, she could discuss matters later.

"Dad, dad—— you, come back——"

Chu Qing-Yan's legs took strides forward, wanting to cry but lacking the tears, and chased over.

As a result, there was this scene in the field. Daddy Chu chased after the chickens and ducks, and Chu Qing-Yan chased after her own dad with dogs barking and chicken crying. Men with hoes raised aloof working in the field. Women carrying bamboo baskets by the doorways. All of them, seeing this scene, couldn't help but smile and grin from ear-to-ear. For a moment, it was very lively.

1) Official Yuan (元郎) – So the Chinese 郎 could mean youth, official, minister. In modern day, this character refers to a single manly man