The life swap begins with Consort Hua becoming Lady Qin.

Wei Jing'an froze completely.

He stood there helplessly, even his breath caught in his throat for a moment.

Lin Qinshuang leaned against him, her voice soft and trembling slightly: "Anlang, I am very happy."

Wei Jing'an suddenly looked down at her: "Then...so you agree?"

Lin Qinshuang nodded gently.

Wei Jing'an's eyes lit up immediately.

He wanted to reach out and hug her, but dared not pull too hard. He could only awkwardly and lightly support her shoulders, stammering, "Shuang'er, don't worry, I will never let you down in this life. After we get married, you can bring your mother over, and I will definitely take care of her and let her live out her old age in comfort."

Lin Qinshuang was taken aback, a genuine feeling of emotion washing over her.

But things quickly returned to calm.

-

The day for the examination finally arrived.

Before dawn, Lin Qinshuang got up and made Dingsheng cake to bring over, accompanied by Mama Fang.

A large crowd gathered in front of the examination hall.

Wei Jing'an stood in front of the door, carrying a test basket in his hand.

Lin Qinshuang handed him the small box containing the Dingsheng cake and said softly, "Brother, go take the exam without worry. Mother and I will be waiting for you outside."

Wei Jing'an looked at her and nodded seriously.

I will do my best.

Before entering, he turned back and glanced at her one last time.

Serious and gentle, yet with a touch of determination.

Only when the gates of the examination hall slowly closed did Madam Fang help her turn around and return to the carriage.

After the carriage curtain fell, Madam Fang looked at her for a long time before finally speaking up: "Actually, Lord Wei is not a bad match."

Lin Qinshuang looked at her but didn't say anything.

Mother Fang sighed, "His face is undeniably handsome, even comparable to the top scholar Sheng in his prime. What's rare is his upright character and straightforward mind. His family may be poor, but if he passes the imperial examination this time, it will be like a fish leaping over the dragon gate, and who knows what he will achieve in the future."

"If we can succeed this time..."

"If he passes this time," Lin Qinshuang said calmly, "it shows he has real talent and learning. If our child can inherit his intelligence, in ten or twenty years, he might even pass the imperial examination and bring honor to our Xu family."

Fang's mother was stunned.

She scrutinized Lin Qinshuang closely and was secretly amazed to see that she spoke with such composure and sincerity.

This Sister Shuang surprised her even more.

At first, she thought she was just a weak and pitiful woman who relied on her beauty to depend on others.

Who would have thought that she would not only dare to kill, but also dare to propose such a shocking idea as surrogacy. Now she is even more unyielding, as if she has made up her mind and will not change it.

That personality...

You know what, she really does resemble her daughter.

A thought suddenly occurred to Fang's mother.

Perhaps this is another form of compensation that God has specially sent to His daughter?

Lin Qinshuang had no idea what Fang's mother was thinking.

She merely lifted a corner of the carriage curtain, watching the long street outside gradually become bustling.

She will not marry.

So what if she passed the imperial examination? So what if she passed with flying colors? Her father was a top scholar in both examinations, rising from commoner to official, how glorious that was! But once he made a mistake, the whole family could be destroyed in an instant.

In this world, only money can be firmly held in one's hands.

This is especially true for women like them who are destined to never appear in public.

If her mother had been more assertive back then and hadn't told her father to use all her dowry to take a concubine, they wouldn't have been so destitute when their home was raided.

So what if someone is a candidate for the imperial examination? What if someone becomes a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examination)? What does it matter if someone is a newly risen official in the court?

Only wealth and status are real and tangible.

Just like the Xu family.

As the legitimate daughter of a marquis, she inherited most of the marquis's property as her dowry. Even if she entrusted herself to the wrong person, even if she lost her son, and later raised an ungrateful wretch like Sheng Hong, as long as she had money in her hands, didn't she still get this daughter who was wholeheartedly filial to her?

No matter how good Wei Jing'an is, she will not marry him.

She would stay with Madam Xu for the rest of her life.

But thinking about how the two of them had clearly become engaged recently, yet Wei Jing'an was even more obedient and dared not overstep any boundaries, Lin Qinshuang felt a headache coming on.

If this person continues to be so celibate, when will she ever have a child?

She hesitated for a moment, then suddenly lowered the carriage curtain and looked at Madam Fang.

"Aunt Fang, could you go and get me some things?"

Madam Fang hurriedly said, "Whatever you need, just tell me."

Lin Qinshuang leaned closer and whispered a few words.

At first, Mrs. Fang listened attentively, but once she truly understood, her expression gradually froze.

-

a few days later.

When Wei Jing'an woke up groggily, he felt his head was still a little heavy.

But soon, he froze.

Because there was a soft body pressed against me.

Wei Jing'an felt as if he had been struck by lightning, and he was unable to move for a long time.

Scattered memories slowly crept into my mind.

When he came out of the examination hall the day before yesterday, he was almost half dead, and his legs felt weak.

It was Shuang'er who brought Granny Ma to pick him up.

She helped him into the carriage, took him back to the house, had hot water prepared for his bath, served him hot food, and then let him sleep soundly in his warm bed.

He slept in a daze for a day and a night. When he woke up, Shuang'er smiled and served him a table of food and wine, saying that she wished him success in the exam.

He wanted to say that we shouldn't be too happy too soon.

But thinking of that brilliant essay written in the examination hall, and of my own hard work these past few days, a secret expectation began to rise in my heart.

Looking again at the beautiful woman under the lamp, her cheeks flushed and her eyes filled with affection, he finally drank a cup.

then……

Wei Jing'an's face turned pale.

He raised his hand as if to slap himself.

He rarely drinks alcohol.

Firstly, because of his virtuous conduct, and secondly, because of his family's poverty. If he had money for wine, wouldn't it be better to buy two pieces of scrap meat from the butcher at the end of the street, cook a bowl of meat porridge, and treat his two younger sisters to a nice meal?

Who would have thought that after just three drinks, he would turn into a beast!

My hand was only halfway up in the air when it was gently grabbed.

Wei Jing'an froze, slowly turning his head to meet a pair of eyes that were on the verge of tears, yet filled with boundless tolerance and tenderness.

Lin Qinshuang looked at him, her eyes slightly red, as if she was trying hard to hold back tears:

"What are you doing?"

"So, when you said you'd marry me, it was all a lie?"

"No, how could that be!"

Wei Jing'an immediately denied it.

His voice was hoarse: "I hate myself for being so pathetic and desecrating you."

Lin Qinshuang threw herself into his arms.

There was not a trace of resentment.

"As long as you don't let me down, I'm willing to do anything."

Wei Jing'an felt a mix of guilt, pain, and inexplicable gratitude.

"Shuang'er".

Many words were stuck in my throat, but in the end, only one sentence remained.

"Don't worry, I will never let you down."

Lin Qinshuang raised her face and sealed it with a kiss.

"Anlang, I believe you."

The room was filled with tender affection.

In the afternoon, Lin Qinshuang saw Wei Jing'an off.

For the sake of clearing her name, Wei Jing'an insisted on returning to Daxiangguo Temple.

Lin Qinshuang could only stand at the door, watching his back as he turned back every few steps, yet still forced himself to leave, looking utterly helpless.

That idiot.

The deed is done, so what's the point of trying to clear one's name?

She had clearly told him that Granny Ma was not there, and that it was just the two of them left in the house, but he still didn't get it.

"You're so stupid!"

Lin Qinshuang turned and went back into the house, feeling disappointed and frustrated.

Upon entering the room and seeing the messy bedding, her face involuntarily turned red.

She pursed her lips, rubbed her aching back, and still cleaned the room herself.

By the time everything was finished, she was exhausted.

But when her hand landed on her lower abdomen, a hint of anticipation appeared in her eyes.

My child, you must make your mother proud.

Otherwise, if I give her another dose of medicine, Mother really won't be able to take it.

On the other side, Wei Jing'an jogged back to his room at the Daxiangguo Temple, immediately laid out paper, ground ink, and wrote a letter home.

The very first sentence is:

Dear Father, I am getting married.

As he wrote this, his hand paused slightly, his face flushed and he became serious.

Afterwards, he concealed what had happened the night before, only saying that he had received a lot of care from the Xu family mother and daughter, and that he had already pledged his love to Miss Xu. If he succeeded in this attempt, he would like to marry her.

After finishing the letter, he rummaged through his belongings and finally pulled out an old jade pendant from an inconspicuous corner by his bedside.

Wei Jing'an looked at it, a look of nostalgia in his eyes.

"daughter."

"My son is getting married."

"She's a very good girl. My son was foolish and took advantage of her while drunk; we can't just stand by and do nothing."

He carefully rewrapped the jade pendant and then tucked the letter into his bosom.

A moment later, Wei Jing'an pushed open the door and walked towards the nearest pawnshop.