Lotus in a Bottle - Chapter 1

Chapter 1

As I sat in the bridal chamber, waiting for my husband to lift my veil, I had a dream.

I dreamed that this world was actually the setting of a wish-fulfillment novel about an irresistible heartthrob.

The male lead, Tan Lian, was a peerless white lotus beyond anyone’s reach. Whether it was his looks, personality, family background, or talents, every part of him was flawless.

Naturally, a man like Tan Lian attracted the attention of countless men and women. They all longed to pluck this pure white lotus, only to return defeated because Tan Lian insisted he would “marry only one person in this lifetime.”

Later in the story, these devoted supporting characters willingly became Tan Lian’s stepping stones, helping the emperor’s illegitimate son ascend to the supreme throne.

As for me, Xie Baoping, I was merely the wife Tan Lian had married in his younger years.

The disposable first wife who died abruptly not long after the wedding, her cause of death shrouded in mystery.

I was more than halfway through the story when the phrase “his late wife, Xie Baoping” appeared yet again and scared me wide awake.

I was so terrified that I didn’t notice anything was wrong until an unfamiliar presence drew close.

It wasn’t Tan Lian.

On my wedding day, a strange man who wasn’t the groom had slipped into the bridal chamber…

Was he one of the spurned male love interests, here to assassinate me?

Chapter 2

I shot to my feet and was about to call for help when my vision blurred. Dizzy and weak, I collapsed back onto the edge of the bed.

A strange heat flared in my lower abdomen, and my expression twisted for a moment.

…Everyone who liked Tan Lian really was a pervert, wasn’t he?

After a moment’s hesitation, I decided against crying out for help.

This man intended to ruin my reputation on my wedding night. Even if I managed to summon someone, I might not be able to explain the situation.

I had no idea whether my death in the original novel had anything to do with what happened tonight.

My thoughts darted from one thing to another as I tried to distract myself.

The person before me, however, grew anxious.

He raised his voice, revealing the clear, youthful tones of a boy.

“Hey, why haven’t you passed out yet? Don’t tell me you’re forcing yourself to stay awake for Brother Tan.”

The boy paced back and forth, making me even dizzier.

“I don’t want to target a woman like you, but you used such despicable methods to trick Brother Tan into marrying you!

“Brother Tan is like an immortal from the heavens. No one is worthy of him. Even if he insists on marrying you, I refuse to stand by and watch you defile him!”

I was speechless.

Then why didn’t you just drug your precious Brother Tan instead?

“But you don’t have to be afraid. This knockout drug will only make you sleep for one night. It isn’t poisonous. So stop fighting it and go to sleep already. Don’t wait up for Brother Tan.”

He prattled on like a noisy mynah bird, his mouth never once stopping.

But… a knockout drug?

What kind of knockout drug had effects like these?!

I couldn’t stop railing at him in my head, but I was afraid an improper sound might escape my lips, so I bit down hard on my lower lip.

When the boy saw me sitting there rigidly without saying a word, he hesitated, then took two steps closer.

“Hey, why… why aren’t you saying anything?”

As he spoke, he actually reached out and lifted my veil halfway.

The veil that should have been lifted by the groom was raised halfway in such a careless manner. Frowning, I looked at the person before me.

Sure enough, he had appeared in my dream.

He was the stupidest of all Tan Lian’s admirers, the current emperor’s most beloved son: Third Prince Shen Huaihuan.

Shen Huaihuan stared dumbly at my tightly bitten lips, his gaze moving back and forth over them.

After a long moment, the hand holding my veil abruptly clenched. Then he flung the veil back down, blocking my view once more.

“Y-You’re even trying to seduce me? You temptress! Have you no shame?”

I was baffled.

I couldn’t begin to understand what was going through Third Prince’s mind.

While he was still flustered, I swiftly pulled a gold hairpin from my hair and made a show of pointing it at my throat.

“Third Highness, please leave.” I carefully made sure the hairpin didn’t actually pierce my skin. “If I die here, Tan-lang will never forgive Your Highness for the rest of his life.”

Shen Huaihuan stopped shouting.

He stared nervously at my throat and stiffly backed away several steps.

“Don’t do anything rash. It’s just a knockout drug. Is that really necessary…?”

I threateningly pressed the gold hairpin an inch closer. This time, the point truly touched my neck.

Shen Huaihuan instantly panicked and scrambled toward the door. “I’m leaving! I’ll leave right now!”

He truly did care about Tan Lian. He was terrified of earning even the slightest displeasure from him.

The door swung shut, but Shen Huaihuan suddenly thumped the wall in frustration.

“Wait. Could it be that what Gu Nanzhou gave me wasn’t a knockout drug at all…?”

Before he could finish, a familiar, gentle voice tinged faintly with intoxication drifted over on the night breeze.

“Third Highness, why are you in my rear courtyard?”

It was Tan Lian.