Can't You All Stop Fighting?

Before Liu Ruyan was called Liu Ruyan, a blind fortune-teller came to her village.

He said she was destined for a life of hardship.

Liu Ruyan didn't believe him.

Later, her parents died, and her relatives sent her to the Glazed Pavilion. She became Liu Ruyan, too.

Liu Ruyan still didn't believe him.

At last, she persuaded a client to buy her freedom.

She had chosen him carefully: he was gentle and kind, handsome, and possessed a refinement that belied his status.

Liu Ruyan only hoped to enjoy a few days of a decent life, enough to prove the fortune-teller wrong.

But that very day, before anyone could lift her bridal veil, she opened her eyes and found herself back in the woodshed where she had been locked up as a child.

Liu Ruyan: ...

She could only try again.

Trying again changed nothing. Her parents still died, and she still ended up at the Glazed Pavilion. But she had gained some experience, so once again Liu Ruyan persuaded a client to buy her freedom.

Again, before anyone could lift her veil, she blinked and found herself back in the woodshed.

*

After repeating this several times, Liu Ruyan finally understood. This world was a trial ground for a handful of exalted figures. They loved and fought each other, and whenever one of them died, the others couldn't accept it, so they started over, only to go right back to loving and fighting.

All Liu Ruyan wanted to say was:

Please, stop fighting! Can't you just let me buy my freedom once?

*

Content warnings:

1. In a sense, the female lead and the male lead are not virgins, but by the final cycle, both are physically chaste...

2. The “exalted figures” in the background are all men. There are some BL elements unrelated to the female lead, but they are straight.

*

For now, the plan is for this to be a short story, just tens of thousands of words _(:зゝ∠)_

Theme: As long as you're alive, miracles can happen