Remarried to a top-tier playboy, her reborn ex-husband is filled with regret.

Gu Jinghuai slowly lowered the sleeve covering his face, and for the first time, he did not avoid Yun Shuyao's gaze.

"you're right.

I chose her, not because she's better than you.

She knows how to use methods that I find effective, making me feel like a man again.

Yun Shuyao didn't say anything, she just looked at him.

Gu Jinghuai gave a wry smile.

There's something I've always been kept in the dark about.

Later I had a dream in which I could see everything clearly.

When I was wounded at the border, Su Yuyan was the only one who took care of me.

One night, I suddenly felt feverish all over, as if I had been drugged.

From that day on, I finally had a proper relationship with her.

Later she got pregnant, and then... I became impotent.

Yun Shuyao's brow twitched; she was indeed somewhat surprised.

She had always thought that Gu Jinghuai was lying to her about being unable to have sex, but she never expected it to be true.

"That child, was it because she drugged you that you got pregnant?"

Gu Jinghuai nodded.

Gu Jinghuai looked like he was about to cry, but since he was interested in Yun Shuyao, he continued talking.

"I only figured it out later."

I was fine during the day, and the army doctor said the injury wasn't fatal.

But after she took care of me, something happened that night.

After I became impotent, she would always bring the child to me.

I knew I wasn't up to it then... and I really loved children.

As Gu Jinghuai spoke, his eyes seemed somewhat vacant.

"The more I like them, the more I can't live without them, mother and son."

It's not that I have any feelings for Su Yuyan.

It was because she always said sweet things that I liked to hear, and gently and sweetly coaxed me, that she managed to rouse my pitiful self-esteem.

I'm clearly useless, yet I still think of myself as a man.

Gu Jinghuai lowered his voice.

"So, I chose her not because she's better than you."

It's because I can't live without her.

No, no! It's not that I can't live without her, it's that I can't live without the feeling that allows me to keep pretending.

Yun Shuyao looked at him without saying a word for a long time.

She suddenly felt that the person in front of her was both a stranger and a pitiful figure.

Yun Shuyao stared at him for a long while before speaking again.

"I heard that you later redeemed Su Yuyan."

But not long after, they sold her back to the brothel.

A hint of embarrassment flashed across Gu Jinghuai's face.

He tucked his crippled hand back into his sleeve.

"I already knew you were going to ask this before you even finished asking."

His throat moved, as if he were trying to swallow something unpleasant.

"I originally thought that she must have some genuine feelings for me."

After all, she gave birth to my son in a previous life.

I'm not a heartless person, so when I heard she had entered the brothel, I couldn't bear it and gave her money to redeem her.

"For no other reason than that old bond, I can't let her die there."

Yun Shuyao remained silent.

Gu Jinghuai's voice lowered.

"But when she saw that I had lost my title and become a useless person, she looked at me differently."

All that tenderness and consideration from before has suddenly vanished.

She started to dislike me and avoid me.

I thought I was just overthinking it.

Until one day, I saw her flirting with someone, hinting to a bloated businessman that he should take her to Jiangnan.

She wouldn't have bothered with me if she hadn't thought I could inherit the Marquis's mansion.

Now that I'm useless, she naturally wants to find someone better.

As Gu Jinghuai spoke, he slowly turned his face away.

"It turns out that she never had a single sincere thought from beginning to end."

What she coveted was the power of the Yong'an Marquis's mansion, the status of the heir apparent's wife, and future wealth.

I was just a stepping stone she chose.

So I sold her again.

She should go back the way she came.

I don't want to waste any more time or effort on her.

Yun Shuyao listened quietly and only gave a soft "hmm".

It was like hearing something that was no longer surprising.

Yun Shuyao looked at him and suddenly asked another question.

"In your past life, when your mother drugged me, were you aware of it but didn't stop it, or were you involved from beginning to end?"

Gu Jinghuai looked up abruptly, as if he had been slapped in the face, his eyes filled with panic and pain.

"I don't!"

He blurted it out almost without thinking.

"I truly know nothing about this."

"After you married Xiao Fang, I had a dream that made me see all those things clearly."

In my dreams, there is you, my mother, and Su Yuyan.

I dreamt that you coughed up blood, and I also dreamt that my mother added something to your soup.

It's like standing by, helplessly watching you cough up blood, and being able to do nothing at all.

He spoke hastily and incoherently.

"In my past life, I only thought that you were just unwell, but I never imagined that it was my mother... that my mother put something on you."

Shu Yao, if I really knew, I…”

He stopped abruptly halfway through his sentence.

If he really knew, would he stop him?

He suddenly became unsure.

In his past life, he was completely devoted to Su Yuyan and never cared about Yun Shuyao.

Even if he knew what his mother was doing, he might not care.

He could swear to God that he knew nothing about it.

But if he knew, could he really stand up for Yun Shuyao?

Gu Jinghuai opened his mouth, but ultimately didn't say anything more.

Upon seeing this, Yun Shuyao curled her lips into a cold smile.

Gu Jinghuai slowly lowered his head, not daring to look Yun Shuyao in the eye.

"In my past life, I knew nothing."

But I've been pretending to be blind to all the suffering you've endured.

Yun Shuyao felt there was nothing more to ask.

She listened to everything she was supposed to hear.

She's seen enough of what she needed to see clearly.

She didn't look at the man huddled in the corner anymore, and turned to leave.

"Shu Yao!"

Gu Jinghuai suddenly called out to her.

His voice was urgent and hoarse, as if he had used up all his remaining strength.

Yun Shuyao stopped in her tracks, but did not turn around.

"Can...can you forgive me?"

Yun Shuyao slowly turned around, as if she had heard an extremely unbelievable joke.

"I forgive you?"

Gu Jinghuai looked ashamed, but still stubbornly stared at her.

"I know I don't deserve it, and it's okay if you don't forgive me."

He took a breath, as if he were asking for something more important than his life.

"If there is an afterlife..."

"If there is an afterlife, I don't want to have any contact with you."

Yun Shuyao interrupted very quickly.

Gu Jinghuai was stunned, then forced a bitter smile.

"Okay, I won't covet the next life."

But in this life, can you please not forget me?

Even if you've always...hated me.

Yun Shuyao looked at him, just quietly watching him.

She saw the death wish in Gu Jinghuai's eyes.

Like a fire that's almost burned out, just waiting for the last gust of wind to blow it out.

Yun Shuyao suddenly understood.

After seeing her, Gu Jinghuai decided he no longer intended to live.

But this is not the outcome Xiao Fang wanted to see.

Gu Jinghuai colluded with the enemy and betrayed the country, causing the death of the Prince of Zhenbei and leading to the tragic deaths of tens of thousands of soldiers on the border.

He should be tried alive, escorted back to the capital alive, and made to pay for everything he has done.

It would be too easy for him to die here.

Yun Shuyao withdrew her gaze, her tone indifferent.

I cannot forgive you.

But I hope you live well.

Gu Jinghuai's pupils suddenly contracted.

He trembled all over.

"Shu Yao... what did you say?"

Yun Shuyao looked at him and didn't repeat herself.

Gu Jinghuai grasped at the last straw.

"If I insist on living, will you still come to see me?"

Yun Shuyao was silent for a moment before answering affirmatively.

"meeting."

After saying that, Yun Shuyao didn't look at him again, turned around and walked out of the dilapidated house.

The door closed behind her.

A cold wind suddenly filled the entire room again.

Gu Jinghuai leaned against the wall, feeling as if all his energy had been drained away.

He looked in the direction Yun Shuyao had left, and suddenly smiled.

The laughter was extremely faint, and extremely bitter.

You won't come to see me.

Shu Yao...you're lying to me.

They tricked me into continuing to live so that Xiao Fang could take revenge himself.

But... it's okay if you lie to me.

If this is what you want to see, then I will definitely do it for you.

In both my lives, I have done too many wrong things.

If this makes you a little happier... I won't go against your wishes.

As he spoke, tears streamed down his face.

Those tears were indescribably bitter...