Reborn: Femme Fatale First Daughter

It was rare to see a party like this. The groom was stunningly handsome. His bride stood beside him, elegant and slender in her long, red veil. Everyone was smiling, blinded by the festive colors. The air was filled with sounds of laughter and firecrackers. Nobody could resist the infectious joy and happiness in the air.

Except for her. She was alone in the joyful crowd.

Mo Xuetong stood at the corner of the room near the drapes. Her simple clothing could not hide the bloodthirsty hatred in her eyes. She watched Mo Xuemin and Sima Lingyun walk towards her, hand in hand. Her smile was coy, his gentle and warm. Mo Xuetong clutched the piece of flint tighter in her hand, trying not to shake.

The relationship between the three of them was absurd!

One was her elder sister, the other her husband, yet they still wanted to kill her with poisoned wine.

They had killed Mo Yu and Mother Xu. They had even killed Yu'er. Yu'er who she'd held in her arms and given a name only known by herself. Yu'er who had still been a baby, swaddled in blankets.

"Mo Xuetong, do you really think he could love you? Look at yourself, you ugly creature. Why don't you go to die? You're only embarrassing yourself. Don't worry. I'll take your place once you're gone. I'll guard your mother' dowry for you. Best to die now!"

The rage, the grief and hopelessness it brought, felt like they would tear her apart.

She watched them, face deadly calm. How could she not despise them? She wanted to eat their flesh and drink their blood.

No black pupils showed in the furious red of her eyes. She swear to put them to the 18th layer of hell even if she had to go with them!

When she struck the flint, the tent caught fire easily. As the flames spread, the guests ran in all directions, the wedding hall descending into chaos. The groom, Sima Lingyun moved quickly among them. He tried to pull Mo Xuemin, who hadn't figured out what was happening, out of the tent to safety.

Mo Xuemin started to follow him but found she couldn't move forward. She looked down, realized a corner of her trailing veil was caught, and ripped it off, running to safety. She hadn't noticed Sima Lingyun was no longer with her.

The fire roared and debris started to rain from above. A beam swayed precariously above. At any moment, the entire hall could collapse. Sima Lingyun struggled to escape, but Mo Xuetong had grabbed his gown and held him inside the burning tent. He kicked viciously at her, trying to pull free.

The beam above them finally gave out, crashing onto Mo Xuetong and smashing her head against the ground. Blood flowed from her head and down her face, blinding her. Her head swam with pain, but she stared at Sima Lingyun through the blood. Her red-stained smile was sharp and hopeless.

If she saw them again, they would pay their debts in blood. She would keep them trapped in hell for eternity. Even if she had to become a ghost, she would give up her own soul to drag them to hell with her.

"Mo Xuemin, Sima Lingyun, I swear on my child and my soul, I will make you two experience a hundred thousand times the pain you've set on me."

Her voice carried through the fiery scene and reverberated long after she stopped speaking...

Qingwei Gardens

Mo Xuetong woke with her whole-body rigid, fists clenched tight. She remained laying like that, still feeling the fire against her skin and the searing pain in her heart. It hurt almost too badly to breath. The hatred tangled with the pain, blurring her thoughts. She couldn't make out if she was awake or dreaming.

She stared dazedly at the familiar decorative snowflakes the hung from the drapes. It took her a moment to recognize them as the beloved drapes from her childhood. They fluttered beautifully in the breeze. She recognized the elegant green and red coral flower accessories that hung around her too.

She pushed the blankets away in a daze, but as she moved, she realized her arms no longer looked like her own. They were small and slender, still not done growing. When she pushed herself upright, a childlike face looked back at her, reflected in the table mirror. It was a young girl...

She examined the face with wide eyes, heart starting to race. She lifted her arms incredulously, staring at her dazed features in the mirror. This had been how she'd looked, when she was young. The jade and gold hairpin she wore had been given to her by Cousin Xuan when she'd turned thirteen.

Had she been spared from death and given another chance? Her hands shook in her sleeves and she clenched her fingers into a fist. The sharp pain was undeniably real.

She had been reborn, gone back before the tragedy. Even if it was not the start, it wasn't the end either. There was still time...

She bit her lip, forcing down the urge to jump and laugh, but her eyes still welled with happy tears.

Looking at the young, pale face in the mirror, she realized exactly when this was. When she was thirteen, she had fallen into the river near here. She had been comatose for two days.

Both indescribable joy and deep sadness filled her. She pushed both down, hands woven together tightly, though she could not keep them from trembling slightly.

God was indeed fair. She had been reborn.

God must have seen her tragic fate and given her the chance to seek revenge. She did not have to wait for the next life, she could have her revenge in this one. She went through the names. Auntie Fang, Mo Xuemin, Sima Lingyun. This time, she would not give her blind faith to those traitors.

It was her turn to show them hell.

A middle-aged woman in a grey robe lifted the door curtains. She paused for a moment when she saw Mo Xuetong sitting up in bed looking disoriented.

"Miss, do you want some water? Does your head still hurt? You mustn't scare your nursemaid again. How am I to live if something happens to you?! How are you feeling now? Are you hurting anywhere...?"

She hurried forward and began to tuck the blankets in, checking Xuetong's forehead out of habit. Once she had confirmed there was no fever, she relaxed and began to scold her.

The nagging felt kind and warm, and Xuetong couldn't help but enjoy it.

This was Mother Xu, her nursemaid. Mother Xu, who had stuck by her though thick and thin. When she saw the familiar, worn face, the tears she'd been holding back finally came, blurring her vision.

She took in the familiar scent, the warmth of her hands, and began to cry harder as she remembered what had just happened.

In this world, the day before yesterday had been the anniversary of her mother's death. She had gone to pray beside the water after dinner when there wouldn't be many people since she was staying in somebody else's home. She had brought two maids, Mo Yu and Mo Zhu, with her. She'd hoped the river would carry her prayers and yearning for her mother back home.

When she realized she'd left her mother's fan behind, she'd sent Mo Yu back to get it. After preparing the incense table, Mo Zhu had stepped back respectfully. Moe Xuetong had knelt to pray, not knowing trouble was about to come crashing down on her. A rock had come loose from the rock sculpture beside her and crashed into her. She'd gotten up to run, but her skirts had become snagged by something and she'd fallen into the river.

She'd almost died back then! It had taken two days to regain consciousness.

She remembered it clearly now. She was sure there hadn't been anything nearby to trip on. The ground around her had been empty. There hadn't been a single blade of grass, yet she'd tripped and fallen into the water. She could feel something inside her throat, choking her. It still felt so real, so she buried herself into Mother Xu's arms, sobbing so hard she couldn't catch her breath

"Miss, Miss. What's wrong? Are you hurt? Let Mother Xu see!"

Mother Xu assumed she was crying out of shock. Her heart ached as she held Mo Xuetong, patting her back lightly.

"It's alright, Miss. Miss, it's fine now. Mother Xu is here!" she said gently.

She held Mother Xu tightly and cried even harder. She cried as if her lungs were tearing themselves apart. She wanted to cry it all out. All the hatred, all the anger, all the fear. After this, she promised herself, she wouldn't cry again. She would give the people who'd hurt her something to cry about.

"Tong'er, what's wrong? Who bullied my Tong'er?!" somebody said from the door.

Even before they entered, the sound of the woman's laugh was clear and familiar. Madam Yu lifted the curtains high and walked in with a smile.

She was about thirty, and stunningly beautiful. She still looked young, wearing a light coral pleated skirt. When she saw Mo Xuetong struggling to sit up in her bed, she sat down next to her, taking her hand affectionately.

"Aunt!" Mo Xuetong hid the coldness in her eyes and looked up tearily.

Through the haze of tears, she could still see the coldness in Madam Yu's shrewd eyes. She didn't look sad or worried in the slightest.

"You look so pitiful. You're so skinny! Your body is too weak. You need to keep resting."

Madam Yu's smile was kind as an elder doting on a young family member. She began to issue orders to Mo Zhu, who had walked in behind her.

"Miss, lie down and rest," said Mo Zhu, trying to lay her back down. "You were already so weak you tripped into a river. Madam was so worried about you that she couldn't sleep! You're lucky you have an aunt like Madam to dote on you."

Mo Zhu wore a floral cotton dress. She was about fifteen or sixteen, but looked quite weak, as if a gust of wind would blow her away.

At a glance, she sounded like a good servant, worried about a sickly girl, but her words were calculated. Rather than showing sympathy for Mo Xuetong, she praised Madam Yu. She implied Mo Xuetong was weak and she had made her elder worry.

Mo Xuetong glanced up, suppressing a cold laugh. How could she forget Mo Zhu?

Rather than caring for an ill child, Mo Zhu was trying to court Madam Yu's affections. She was blaming Mo Xuetong for causing trouble in somebody else's home and not knowing her place.

Thinking about it, it was obvious somebody had tripped her into the river.

And Mo Zhu had been the only other person there.

Mo Xuetong took the handkerchief beside her pillow and wiped away her tears. She tilted her pale face up, deep confusion in her wide, dark eyes as she looked at Mo Zhu. Something about that look made Mo Zhu feel cold and she shuddered, retracting her hand subconsciously. Her words caught in her throat, but she didn't dare leave.

Mother Xu walked up and pushed Mo Zhu aside, glaring at her. She put thick, lotus pink embroidered pillows behind Mo Xuetong and carefully helped her lean onto them.

"Tong'er isn't feeling well. Why are you letting her sit up? Don't make her sicker. Hurry and let her lie down." Madam Yu sighed. "It is so painful to see how the world treats motherless children. Even their own servants don't try as hard. Aunt will give you another two maids in a couple of days and change a few servants around so we can get rid of the lazy ones,"

Mother Xu continued to place the pillows

Mo Xuetong had just awakened from a coma after falling in the river. Her face was pale and drawn, helping her look pitiful. She hid the coldness in her eyes and looked up gratefully.

"Auntie, I don't want to sleep. If I fall asleep, I'm afraid won't wake up!" she said weakly. "The doctor said I shouldn't sleep too much. I thank auntie for her good intentions. Mother Xu and the others have worked hard to serve me. They were all left to me by mother. I wouldn't dare just switch servants."

Was that a gentle enough rejection?

Madam Yu's smile froze. She looked her niece over carefully and saw only a gentle smile on her young face. The only difference was her eyes. They seemed brighter than usual, lights dancing against a deep, dark black.

There was a subtle sharpness in her words. It didn't sound like something the weak and cowardly Mo Xuetong would say. In the past, no matter how she felt, Mo Xuetong would never dare contradict her openly. Could something have happened when the girl fell the water? Madam Yu couldn't help looking suspicious.

Mo Xuetong pretended not to notice Madam Yu's wariness.

"Mo Zhu, why aren't you serving Auntie tea?"

Mo Zhu looked at Mo Xuetong, shocked by her words. She saw Mo Xuetong leaning against a large pillow, watching her. The void in the girl's eyes felt like cold water running down the back of Mo Zhu's neck.

It was a look that seemed to see straight into the heart. She shuddered, not daring to speak, and hurriedly turned to get the tea for Madam Yu. She served the tea with a pale face, only calming down when Madam Yu gave her a relaxed nod.

She stood behind Madam Yu with her head and shoulders bowed, making it clear she was Madam Yu's servant. She told herself there was no reason to be afraid. Her madam would protect her.

Madam Yu was too focused on Mo Xuetong to notice Mo Zhu's odd behavior, even if it did break decorum. Mo Xuetong glanced at her but didn't ask her to return.

Madam Yu took a sip of tea before setting it aside and taking Mo Xuetong's hand.

"If you aren't willing to part with them, your Auntie will not try to force the issue. I have been worrying about you for two days and you look so weak," she said gently. "I'll have somebody bring by some ginseng later. You must take care of your body. A young girl cannot afford to let her body grow frail."

Ginseng? Mo Xuetong looked down to hide her anger.

In her past life, Madam Yu had sent her rotten ginseng. When Mother Xu saw it, she knew it was unusable and used the century old ginseng she kept for emergencies instead. When Madam Yu found out, she had pretended to be ill, saying she had given Mo Xuetong the only strong ginseng in the house.

In the end, she had gotten Mo Xuetong's superior ginseng while still looking caring and generous.

"Thank you, Auntie, for the kind offer, but I am afraid you are correct. I am an unfortunate child. Such a precious thing would be wasted on me," Mo Xuetong said, gently pulling her hand away. "Ginseng only extends the life of the fortunate. If Aunt really wants to help, she can help me send it to grandmother. If grandmother is well, it will be a great comfort to me, and I will surely recover faster."

She clutched her handkerchief, the very picture of vulnerable innocence. Anyone who looked at her would see an easy target, a cowardly and gullible girl.

Madam Yu sighed in relief. She was overthinking things. What could a neglected orphan do to her?

Seeing the satisfaction on Madam Yu's face, Mother Xu couldn't keep quiet.

"Miss, don't say that. Madam's been so good to you. It must hurt her to hear you talk like that. And how can you be unfortunate? You are the granddaughter of a lord. That is not something to take lightly. If anything happens to you here, Madam will make sure somebody is held responsible."

Madam Yu's heart skipped a beat. She knew Mother Xu had not brought up the lord to comfort Mo Xuetong, but to threaten Madam Yu. Could they have discovered something? Madam Yu tried to force her smile to be even more gentle and warm.

"Tong'er, you must not speak of yourself like that! If there is anything you are unhappy about, please tell me. I won't let my dear niece suffer. When you're ready to eat, tell the servants to bring you something."

Dear niece? Mo Xuetong could have laughed in her face, but her smile stayed sweet. She looked up hesitantly.

"Aunt, can I really tell you why I'm upset?" she asked, biting her lip fearfully. She looked awkward, as if she wanted to say something, but couldn't find the courage.

"Of course, Tong'er. Tell your Aunt. Did somebody bully you?"

Mo Xuetong struggled to sit up and pointed to Mo Zhu.

"Mo Zhu, kneel down! Aunt, please take Mo Zhu away. I cannot bear her service any longer."

Mo Zhu had not expected to get in trouble, but she still had Madam Yu on her side. She knelt but straightened her neck indignantly.

"Miss, why do you ask me to kneel and say you cannot bear my service? What do I have to do with your misfortune? Are you simply taking your anger out on me because I am only a servant?"

She covered her face and began to sob. Everyone besides Mother Xu hurried to her side, offering comfort.

"You've plotted against your mistress. Why should I not send you aw-" Before she could finish her statement, Mo Xuetong coughed violently, clutching her chest as if she was about to faint.

The room was thrown into panic. Only Madam Yu paid any attention to Mo Zhu, staring at her viciously. Mo Zhu reacted quickly, falling to her knees with a thud in front of Mo Xuetong and staying there, even as the physician came in to take Mo Xuetong's pulse.

Things slowly calmed down, but Mo Xuetong was paler. She looked as if she couldn't breath in as much air as she breathed out.

After the physician left, Mo Xuetong took a sip from a blue ceramic cut Mother Xu held for her. She looked at Madam Yu with tears in her eyes.

"I am sorry to scare you aunt. My body hasn't recovered from my fall into the river."

She turned and saw Mo Zhu again and was suddenly overwhelmed with rage. With a surge of strength, she grabbed her cup and hurled it at Mo Zhu. She was still weak, so the cup shattered against the floor in front of the kneeling girl, a couple steps short of hitting her.

The clear sound of the shattering ceramic surprised everyone.

"Aunt, Mo Zhu has plotted against me! I fell into the late because she pushed me. If you don't believe me, ask Cousin Xuan... I don't know what I did to offend her so badly! Sh-She wanted to kill me!"

She was overtaken by another coughing fit. She was certain Cousin Xuan would take her side. In her last life, he had told her that he suspected Mo Zhu.

The coughing panicked Madam Yu. She patted Mo Xuetong's back gently, glaring viciously at Mo Zhu. The maid was in shock, unable to believe what she was hearing.

"You whore, how dare you try to harm your mistress!? Men, take her outside and give her forty strokes of the cane."

Madam Yu could not afford to protect Mo Zhu. Mo Xuetong was furious, and she'd even implied Qin Yuxuan could back her up. If she did not respond appropriately, it might even cause problems for her.

Mo Zhu looked around the room. Mo Xuetong was coughing so hard she could not breath and Madam Yu was looking down at Mo Zhu in distain. She realized she was beyond Madam Yu's protection and threw herself at Madam Yu's feet. She cried, screamed, bowed until her head touched the floor.

"Shut her mouth and take her away," Madam Yu said coldly. If Qin Yuxuan had seen the incident, she could not keep this trouble causing girl around.

Mo Xuetong slumped against the embroidered pillow, clutching her chest in pain. The sight of Mo Zhu being dragged out like a dead animal did nothing to soften her heart. She could taste the copper tang in her mouth again, as if she was still in that fire, blood running down her face.

In the end, Mo Zhu only received thirty strokes of the cane. She died before she could receive the other ten. Madam Yu had her body dragged out, then went to comfort Mo Xuetong. Her niece looked weak, but her eyes filled with tears of gratitude.

Considering the problem dealt with, Madam Yu returned to the house with her servants, telling Mother Xu to fetch her if Mo Xuetong needed anything.

Once everyone was gone, Mo Xuetong forced her eyes open and struggled to sit up.

"Mother Xu, help me up. I have to write a letter."

Madam Yu's property in Cloud City was far from the capital. It was rare for anything important to happen here and the carriage that delivered letters only came once every five days. It was here today, so if she did not send the letter, it would be five more days until she had another chance. The people Auntie Fang sent would leave soon. She could not afford to wait five days.

She had to find a way back to the capital as soon as possible.

Mo Xuetong and her handmaid Mo Lan left through the main gates of the Qin Manor. Madam Yu had one of her best carriages prepared for them. On this surface, she'd been very kind to Mo Xuetong this visit but both girls heaved a sigh of relief as they rode into Cloud City.

They wasted no time going to the inn, afraid to miss the mail carriage. No matter what else Moe Xuetong did in this life, she needed to make sure Auntie Fang's upcoming plan failed.

The carriage sped towards House of Treasures. It was the most popular place for young ladies to get clothing and accessories in all of Cloud City. The most discrete way to the inn involved walking right into through front doors of the shop.

Behind House of Treasures was a narrow alleyway. At the end of the alley sat an unassuming door. It was usually shut, but if a customer knew the shopkeeper, he would gladly open it for them. Mo Lan was about to ask Mo Xuetong to wait there as she got the shopkeeper when she saw her mistress was already pushing on the door. It creaked open.

The door took them right into the back of the inn. As they rushed to the front, they could see the carriage just about to leave. Face hidden behind a hat and scarf, Mo Xuetong hurried forward. She held onto Mo Lan for support and curtsied to the middle-aged man in front of the carriage.

"Hello Uncle Shi!"

The Cloud City innkeeper had worked with Mo Huawen and had been on good terms with him, so she'd played here often growing up. The coach driver had a daughter about Mo Xuetong's age as well, so when he saw Mo Lan, he knew who was hidden under the scarf and hat.

"Third Miss Mo, where are you going?"

"Uncle Shi, please help me send a letter," Mo Lan said, holding it out to him.

Mo Lan helped Mo Xuetong press her gold seal onto the letter. The middle-aged man took the letter curiously. The neat handwriting said it was to be sent to the manor of the old lord. It was getting late, and it was not odd for a girl to want to write her own grandfather, so he thought no more of it. He waved them farewell and rode off.

Mo Lan helped Mo Xuetong back inside. She could feel her mistress' clammy palms and knew she could not stay upright much longer and helped her back towards the alley door.

"Miss, you wait here, and I'll get a carriage. You rest while I fetch it, and we'll get on right away."

Mo Xuetong released Mo Lan's hands and steadied herself against the wall. She removed her hat and scarf and took a deep breath. She nodded. Even staff didn't come this way, so she didn't have to worry about being seen. Besides, she was dressed as a maid. She could not wear the scarf and hat of a young noble lady.

Once Mo Lan was sure Mo Xuetong was steady, she let go and ran towards the main street.

The alley door was open a crack and the sunlight was too bright. Mo Xuetong narrowed her eyes and reached out to close the door. She'd overtaxed her tired body getting here and needed to close her eyes and rest.

Instead, a gust of wind pushed the door open. She reached out on instinct and heard somebody shout. Her eyes flew open and she was clutching a purple robe.

She quickly released her grip and backed away, but found she was already pressed against the wall. There was nowhere to run. She looked around in fear.

"You caught me and just let me go? You don't regret releasing a catching like this?"

The voice was naturally pleasant, but the tone was cold and lazy. It was like a rich wine that would quickly get the listener drunk.

The door opened the rest of the way and sunlight streamed in, giving her a proper view of the man.

He looked fifteen or sixteen. His purple robe was lined with black around the collar and shone with embroidered golden clouds. The same gold trimmed his robe, a long, sweeping garment he wore a bit open, showing the black shirt underneath. The colors complimented each other and gave him a devilish, mysterious look.

He was exquisite but felt as if there was some vast power inside him. A pin of lavender jade was placed casually in his black hair. His face was gentle, but his smile was impossible to read. He had sweeping eyes that could make hearts speed up and faces glow red. Even Mo Xuetong, who was not easily moved by such things, felt herself blush and her pulse begin to race.

The stranger looked Mo Xuetong over and smiled as if he had discovered an interesting plaything.

"They've sent a beautiful one this time. It's just that it's too small. Why don't they feed them and make them more solid?" He reached out to touch her face, grinning.

She felt this judgement was unfair. Compared to him, who would look beautiful enough?

Moe Xuetong recovered from her shock and turned her head away.

"Young sir, please have some self-respect!"

"If you wanted us to have self-respect, why did you pull on my robe? I like you. I'm giving you my time, so why are you objecting?" His face was still gentle, voice warm as nectar, but Mo Xuetong sensed danger. He was still walking towards her.

"Young Master, you are mistaken. I was resting here with my eyes closed and didn't see you enter. I heard a sound and reached out in fright. I thought there might be something dangerous. I apologize if I offended you."

She had not seen this man before, not in either of her lives. Even in ordinary clothes, he would have looked like a noble. He flashed that devilish smile again, and though his voice was fond and relaxed, there was something about it that could strike fear into even brave hearts.

She had hidden here while Mo Lan got the carriage to avoid making trouble, and yet she still gotten into this mess. No wonder the door had been left ajar. It had been purposely left that way for someone else. If she'd known, she would have just gone with Mo Lan.

"Something dangerous? Me? You pull my robe the second I'm through the door, and now you call me a dangerous thing. Dare I ask what you're trying to say?" She could feel his breath against her ear. "What is it? Are you being coy?"

Mo Xuetong turned to look at him and met his passionate gaze. She could almost feel the heat off him and her own face flushed. She tried to move off to the side, but he leaned against the wall, blocking her way. He was almost embracing her now.

She bit her lip, calming her heart, and looked him square in the eyes.

"Young sir, please move your arm and let me past. Men and women don't even sit at the same table past age seven. Will you really be this boorish?"

"If we aren't even supposed to be at the same table, why did you grab me just now?" He showed no sign of getting out of her way.

"Young sir, I have already explained that what happened just now was an accident. Furthermore, this is a passageway. If you can pass through it, why can't I?" Mo Xuetong told him, no longer nervous. She had found her anger again.

He seemed somewhat shocked by her rebuttal, then laughed.

"You seem like such an innocent and pretty girl. Why do you have such a nasty temper?"

"My temper is not your business, young sir. Please let go. My young miss will come soon. If she sees you blocking me, she'll wonder if I did something to you," Mo Xuetong said coldly. "If she thinks I upset you, she'll make things difficult for me back at the manor."

She was dressed like a maid, so it was easiest to go along with it. She just wanted to get as far away from him as possible.

"You're a maid?" he asked teasingly, looking her over again.

"Would I be here, being tormented by you, if I were not a maid?"

"What a pity! Would you like to work for me then? Nobody would make things difficult for you. I'd even dote on you. How about that?"

He said it gently, like a whisper to a lover, and Mo Xuetong flushed again.

His breath brushed her ear like a warm breeze across the heartstrings, but that would no longer work on her. She was starting to overflow with anger.

"Young sir, how can you be so disrespectful?"

"Am I disrespectful? Here I am, deigning to compromise with you. Do you not find me even the slightest bit attractive?"

His eyes flashed and a smile played across his lips.

"You are so-"

Mo Xuetong didn't know how to finish tthat, so she gave up on speaking. Instead, without hesitating, she grabbed the hand in her way and yanked it downwards. Mo Lan would return soon, and if she called her 'miss', her identity would be revealed. This was near the House of Treasures, and somebody might recognize her. When her mother was still alive, she'd made friends with the other young noble ladies here. Cloud City was small, so it was easy to run into familiar faces.

The man clearly did not expect her to be bold enough to grab him. He looked at the slender hand on his arm. Next to the butterflies on her sleeve, his own embroidery came alive. Instead of clouds, it became flowers drifting in the butterflies' wake.

A warm and elegant voice suddenly called form the alley behind them.

"Eighth brother, what are you doing? Hurry up!"