Here’s the translation from Chinese to English (UK) with “—” replaced by commas:
—
The familiar surroundings reminded her of the last winter hunt.
Di Ronghua walked to the familiar lakeside, her gaze faintly catching movement in the woods beyond, a mysterious black figure stood with its back to her, not entirely clear, but she distinctly recalled what Xiao Hanjin had worn when he left that morning, so she knew exactly who it was.
And that water-blue figure, unmistakably a woman’s, stood out sharply in her vision.
A woman she thought she’d never see again.
Di Ronghua’s figure froze in place for several seconds, as if guided by some unseen force, she moved toward them with the lightest steps.
Later, she would wonder countless times, if she hadn’t approached that day, if she hadn’t listened to their conversation, would everything have turned out differently?
But she did hear it.
“Xiao Hanjin, you clearly brought her back to Beixi for me, so why are you treating me like this now? Have you really fallen for her, are you truly abandoning me?”
Mu Qingshuang’s expression was frantic, her face pale and on the verge of collapse, “I’m tormented by this illness every day, barely human anymore, why haven’t you acted against her, just because… she’s pregnant?”
“Who told you that?”
“Does it matter?” Mu Qingshuang gave a bitter laugh, “I never imagined she’d turn out to be my sister… Ha, hahaha, someone who flaunts her Xiliang princess title to humiliate me every day, a fake princess, and she’s actually my own sister!”
“Mu Qingshuang.” The man’s voice deepened, his brow furrowing tightly, “Who else have you told about this?”
“Who could I tell, who would I dare tell? What if she finds out and runs?” The woman’s agitation grew, her trembling voice sharpening, “I just never thought that in the end, the one who could save my life would be her…”
Di Ronghua’s body stiffened violently where she stood.
[You clearly brought her back to Beixi for me.]
[I’m tormented by this illness every day, barely human anymore, why haven’t you acted against her?]
[She’s just a fake princess, and she’s actually my own sister!]
[In the end, the one who could save my life would be her.]
Each sentence carried an overwhelming weight of revelation.
It took her a while to piece it together.
She’d always thought she was the only one who knew she wasn’t the true Xiliang princess, or perhaps the person who’d sent her that letter long ago.
But that person had never shown their face, she’d even forgotten they existed.
She’d never imagined Xiao Hanjin knew too, or that he might have been the one who sent the letter.
Even less had she thought that his sending her the letter, bringing her back to Beixi, was all for… Mu Qingshuang?
Hah.
She’d actually believed their relationship was, at most, one of mutual exploitation, like with Xiao Yixun at the start, marrying a powerful Xiliang princess to secure his position through alliance.
He’d told her as much himself.
But it turned out he’d been lying to her all along, deceiving her from beginning to end!
He hadn’t lost his memory, he hadn’t forgotten their bond in Xiliang, he just… couldn’t be bothered to keep up the act with her anymore.
Of course, he’d successfully brought her to Beixi, what need was there to continue pretending?
This entire relationship, from start to finish, had been a sham.
His calculated control, her solitary, self-deluded revelry.
