Love Like The Galaxy:The Choices We Make

Chapter -7

Shaoshang lay on her bed, feeling much better. The evening sunlight streamed in. She caught a glimpse of her hands, which were no longer trembling. Everything was ready. She had planned her escape with utmost care.

Tonight, as everyone slept early, she would sneak into the rarely visited southern part of the house. Climbing the wall using a ladder, she would then go to the countryside hut for the night. At sunrise, she would head north, towards a village famous for carpenters. This was her plan to disappear from the face of the earth.

She decided not to involve Lian Fang in her escape. Firstly, Lian Fang wouldn't let her leave without her. Secondly, even if she did agree, she would be heavily punished. Shaoshang knew her mother's capacity for punishment. So she chose to escape alone.

"I can't stay here and endure the constant comparisons. In the capital, those so-called noble ladies will make my life unbearable. And... I think I remembered a few more things yesterday. Forget it! Who cares. All I know is I'll suffer. Zisheng doesn't need my help. But when did he ever need it? I was just a pawn in his game. He used me for the map... used me to beat up those ministers in disguise... All he did was manipulate me into loving him." Shaoshang felt a surge of sadness. After a moment, she whispered, "Yes, I loved him. But do I still love him?"

This thought made her sit up. Her gaze, earlier blank and fixed on the ceiling, now traced the marks on her arm.

She smiled. "I loved him that much... I even took a binding bite oath for him. I don't want him in my life anymore. I want peace."

Shaoshang had no second thoughts about running away from it all. She didn't care about her parents either. Why should she? If they abandoned her, then she could do the same, she thought. Another driving force was the feeling she had encountered. Who needed her anyway?

As she waited attentively in her room for the lights to go off, she waited for complete silence, a hint that everyone had fallen asleep. She had already packed her belongings. She had asked Liang Fang to bring a male servant's uniform, using the excuse of practicing sewing. When she packed, she realized there was nothing she held dear.

Finally, it was time to move. She slowly opened the gate and stepped outside. Footwear in hand to avoid noise, she looked around and, when sure no one was there, she descended the stairs. Quietly, she headed towards the southern direction. Along the way was her parents' room, but luckily the lights were off. Still, she needed to be careful. One step at a time, she walked with her heart pounding. As she almost crossed the door, she heard something.

"I don't think Niao Niao can compare to her Yang Yang in terms of etiquette and knowledge," her mother said.

Shaoshang took cover at the corner, battling whether to leave or stay. Her heart betrayed her. She knew what her parents thought of her, yet she lacked the courage to break free from the hurt and abandonment. She gave up and silently stood there.

"Our Niao Niao is much smarter. I will teach her everything," her father defended her.

"Smart, you say? She's nothing but calculating like Madam Ge. Unruly and stubborn. Today I checked the stove. She changed it to use mother-in-law's superstitious beliefs," her mother criticized.

Her father laughed. "I told you our Niao Niao is smart."

"She's illiterate, and she's unruly and lacks virtues. Marrying her will be difficult. I need to be strict, or she'll never become a proper lady," her mother asserted.