"Q'ling, don't tell me you're still in bed at this time of the day, you lazy pig".
Gao shin Li's yells could be heard from the entire large hallways of the Gao's family mansion, dashing through the doors of Q'ling's room without even attempting the simplest gesture as knocking.
Shin Li crossed her arms above her chest with a scoff, standing before Q'ling's bed with a wicked grin on her face.
For only G*d knows what evil she was plotting against the tiny physique who had only just shuffled in bed.
Gao Q'ling who was still half asleep as she had only gone to bed a few hours ago tossed and turned on the ruffled sheets.
She had stayed up the entire night studying through the loud piercing sound of the garden bells that kept going off due to the ceaseless reconstruction that went on.
The garden which was once her mother's.
They were going to turn it into a library by the orders of her father.
After having discovered that the garden belonged to his mistress, he immediately told them to take it down and reconstruct something else in its place.
It was her fault anyway, she had gone there countless times to escape their troublesome words and their endless errands.
Sometimes she studied there and often fell asleep in the sun's bask since it was the only place she found peaceful.
And maybe because it was so peaceful, she had been too careless not to realize that she had been followed by Shin Li who had vowed to make her life miserable. She was the one who revealed it to her father.
The heartless man who had cursed the day she came into existence and tortured her mother to death.
After all, he loathed her with all his heart and often protested that getting involved with her was the worse mistake of his entire existence.
Gao Fanshao said her mother was nothing but a maid that had thrown herself at him while he was drunk and should've known her place.
As if the poor woman was not unfortunate enough, she discovered her pregnancy around the time the family faced the public's bashing due to the slandering rumours of fraud tied with Gao Fanshao.
The family didn't want this scandal going out too, so they locked her up and starved her until she was malnourished and close to death, forcing her to go through the pain of early birthing.
She passed after pushing out her premature baby with her last breath.
And there you have it, Q'ling officially became the unwanted illegitimate daughter of the Gao's family and daughter of the family's maid.
Tough luck, no?
Her life had been nothing but certified misery from birth. And ever since she came to realize her situation in the household, she had equally accepted her fate.
... Her position in the household being the useless bastard daughter of the Gao's.
"Q'ling, don't say I didn't warn you".
Shin Li nodded slightly, wiping off the evil grin on her face. But the next thing Q'ling felt on her body was the full force of fresh ice bath of life, splashing around her entire body as it dripped deep into her night dress and panties, her bones, and her soul.
With a scream, she jumped out of the bed, in awe, fully awake now, gasping from the coldness.
She panted heavily, gripping tightly on her wet dress. Before she could even process the freezing pain, the shock on her face was wiped off by the loud five fingers of Shin Li's palm struck with full force.
That's right, a heavy slap.
Whack!
"You stupid bitch, the next time you keep me waiting in this disgusting hole of yours, I'll throw you out the streets where you rightfully belong".
Shin li blasted with a scoff, walking past her to the door.
"Get your pathetic self to the car in ten minutes... I need someone to carry my baggage".
With that, Shin Li dashed off, leaving the trembling Q'ling drenched and in rage.
Was she used to this? To an extent, but on a serious note, who would be?
One can only condone so much but for how long? How long should she have to be treated like shit by her own family?
Q'ling clenched her palm into a fist, feeling nothing but hatred.
This anger she felt wasn't because she was hit, no. After all, she had been hit a thousand times and humiliated just for their entertainment.
She was pissed because Shin Li was right...
She was pitiful.
Not just for show, but in every damned way.
In ways she brutally despised.
Worst of all, there was nothing she could do about it.
She was powerless.
She had spent her entire life enduring their tortures, their hate, their relentless torment. She had been beaten, starved, humiliated... and yet, there she was, still breathing. Still fucking alive.
Why?
Why couldn't she just die?
When did dying become so difficult?
Just when did she start to long so much for death?
When did living become so unbearable?
With a sigh, Gao Q'ling packed up her wet hair and rolled it into a bun. Her lifeless gaze trailing around her wet dripping bed before settling on the soaked books.
"What a great way to start a fucking day".She seethed through her teeth, tightening her jaws in anger.
She didn't care if her bed was wet or if she was freezing to death, she only cared about her books.
These books were all she had.
They were her escape, her dreams, her only proof that there was something beyond this house, beyond this life. She had taught herself medicine from them, mixing herbs in secret, healing her own wounds because no one else would.
And now, even "they" were being taken from her.
Letting out another sigh, she strolled into the bathroom, without even bothering to change sheets.
And after a few minutes, she was out with fresh clothes.
Gao Shin Li was already waiting in the car with the driver before she got in. With a little gesture of her hand to the driver, they started moving.