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

Gu Jinghuai, dressed in a moon-white brocade robe, walked in, fanning himself with a confident smile on his face.

"Shu Yao, I heard you've returned to the manor, so I came to see you specially."

His gaze swept over the red silk in the courtyard, his tone tinged with smugness.

"The Duke of Zhenguo's mansion is quite well-arranged, and the Marquis of Yong'an's mansion is also ready."

Three days from now, you will be mine.

"As long as you behave, I can forgive and forget what happened in the past. Yu Yan will not compete with you for the position of the Marquis's heir's wife."

"Gu Jinghuai".

Yun Shuyao looked up at him, her eyes indifferent.

"You think you can force me to comply like this?"

"Otherwise what?"

Gu Jinghuai snapped his folding fan shut, lifted her chin, and made a flirtatious gesture.

"The marriage certificate has been drawn up and the invitations have been sent. Even if you run to the ends of the earth, you will still be my wife, Gu Jinghuai's wife."

It's better to behave now than to face embarrassment later; it's better for everyone.

"Let go of my young lady!"

Chuntao, who was guarding the door, couldn't help but call out.

Gu Jinghuai glanced at her sideways, ignored her, and kept staring at Yun Shuyao.

"Don't even think about asking Xiao Fang for help. Even though he is the heir of the Prince of Zhenbei, he can't openly steal a bride."

Besides…

He lowered his voice, his tone sinister.

"If you don't obediently comply on your wedding day, you won't be able to get past your father and brothers."

Yun Shuyao slapped his hand away, leaving a red mark on the back of her hand from the fan bone.

"It's not even dark yet, and Young Master Gu is already daydreaming?"

Gu Jinghuai looked at her reddened hand and smiled even more smugly.

"I will not argue with you. I will wait for you to hold the wedding ceremony in three days... and then we will consummate our marriage."

After saying that, he waved his fan and strode away.

Yun Shuyao didn't speak, but slowly curled the corners of her lips into a smile.

She couldn't just enjoy the momentary satisfaction of words; some plans only worked when they caught someone off guard.

Gu Jinghuai was too hasty; he seemed to have forgotten that Yun Shuyao was never a pawn to be manipulated.

Otherwise, why did Gu Jinghuai only dare to bring that illicit mother and son into the mansion after her death in her previous life?

Yun Shuyao calmly returned to her courtyard and summoned her personal maid.

"Chuntao, come here."

Yun Shuyao lowered her voice and instructed:

"Take a thousand taels of silver and go to Fengyun Tower."

Spread the word that Su Yuyan will be auctioning off her virginity at the Hundred Flowers Pavilion in three days. Then you go...

Chun Tao was already seething with anger, but seeing that her mistress had a solution, she immediately beamed with joy.

After carefully listening to all of the young lady's instructions, he left the mansion through the back door with light steps.

Evening, at Tingxue Courtyard.

With the military rations case closed, Yun Shuyao sat under the lamp, listlessly flipping through the account books, but couldn't concentrate on a single word.

The wind outside the window rustled the fallen leaves, and for the third time, her gaze drifted uncontrollably toward the window.

It was empty there, with only the shadows cast by the moonlight, like an unfinished painting.

During this period, every night, a figure would jump into the window.

The man, carrying the chill of the night dew, with a blade of grass dangling from his mouth, exuding a roguish air, shared life-or-death responsibilities with her.

But now, the bowstring has suddenly been released.

The Qin family was safe and sound, while the entire Su family was convicted. All the schemes that required all-night discussions and the messages that needed to be secretly passed on became a thing of the past.

Logically, they should have returned to their respective paths.

She should continue being the young lady of the Shen family, and he should continue being his mischievous devil; they should never cross paths again.

But the emptiness in my heart felt like a piece had been ripped out, and I couldn't fill it back.

"Who are we waiting for?"

The sudden sound startled Yun Shuyao, causing her hand to tremble and the account book to fall to the ground with a "thud".

She looked up abruptly and saw a person sitting on the windowsill, dressed in red and wearing black boots.

The moonlight fell on the corners of his upturned lips, his roguish air tinged with a familiar mischievousness.

Xiao Fang bent one of his long legs, stepping on the window frame, while the other leg dangled and swayed inside the room.

He was tossing a small pebble in his hand, grinning like a fox watching a good show.

"I've seen you glance this way for the third time, Miss Yun. Are you waiting for me?"

Yun Shuyao's face flushed red, and she hurriedly lowered her head to pick up the account books, her voice a little tense.

"Who, who's waiting for you? I was just checking if the window was closed properly."

"Oh?"

He drew out a long, drawn-out note, then jumped down from the window frame, bringing with him a touch of the night's chill.

"What a coincidence! I've been watching you from the tree for ages, and I thought you were waiting for me to come."

As Xiao Fang spoke, he moved closer to the table, his breath reeking of alcohol mixed with Chen Baixiang's scent—a smell she had grown accustomed to over the past two months.

Yun Shuyao's heart skipped a beat for no apparent reason, and she deliberately put on a stern face.

"The case is closed; you shouldn't have come back."

"Shouldn't I have come?"

He raised an eyebrow, reached for the account book on the table, and casually flipped through a couple of pages.

"You're allowed to secretly think about me, but I'm not allowed to secretly look at you?"

She was speechless and could only turn her head to look out the window.

The moonlight cast a long shadow of that tall figure on the table, making it appear extremely imposing.

"I have something to tell you."

Xiao Fang suddenly stopped joking and moved closer to her, his face unusually serious.

"I'll take you somewhere."

"What happened?"

Yun Shuyao asked subconsciously.

"You'll find out when you come with me."

Without saying a word, Xiao Fang grabbed her wrist and started walking out.

As they walked to the window, the man suddenly bent down and picked her up in his arms.

"Xiao Fang!"

The sudden feeling of weightlessness made her gasp in a low voice, instinctively clutching Xiao Fang's clothes and wrapping her other arm tightly around his neck.

"What are you doing? Put me down!"

"Let me take you flying."

He chuckled softly, lightly touched the ground with his toes, and actually leaped onto the courtyard wall with her.

The night wind blew by, and she instinctively closed her eyes and buried her face in the crook of his neck.

Xiao Fang was faster than ever before, and Yun Shuyao felt as if she were floating, as if she were about to fly.

"Don't be afraid, you won't fall."

The man's voice was tinged with laughter, and his hot breath fell on her ear.

"You still don't trust me?"

His arms were indeed very steady, like an iron cage, firmly protecting her in his embrace.

The wind whistled in her ears, and she could hear his steady heartbeat and the soft thud of his footsteps on the roof tiles.

After an unknown amount of time, Xiao Fang suddenly stopped, and his deep, magnetic voice rang out.

"Open your eyes and look."

Yun Shuyao hesitated before opening her eyes, and was instantly stunned by the scene before her.

They were standing atop a magnificent palace, its glazed tiles gleaming coldly in the moonlight.

The palace walls in the distance resemble a sleeping dragon, seemingly embracing the entire imperial city.

The moon overhead was so large it seemed you could pluck it from the sky, its clear light bathing every tile and even the air itself carrying a cool glow.

"Is this... the Imperial Palace?"

Yun Shuyao almost screamed.