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

The strong smell of medicine filled the Lady Hou's bedroom, and the flickering candlelight made the wrinkles on her face look as if they were carved by a knife.

Gu Jinghuai sat on the edge of the bed, looking at his mother's sunken cheeks and purple lips, and for the first time, a sense of panic welled up in his heart.

Come to think of it, he only now realizes that he was actually quite fortunate in his past life.

His life was arranged perfectly by Yun Shuyao, and his position as heir was so firmly held by his mother that no one dared to covet it.

He, on the other hand, doesn't have to worry about anything; he can simply stand in front of others in style and live a life of luxury.

But now, Yun Shuyao has also returned with her memories of her past life, so she has chosen to leave him.

And because his mother was implicated by his uncle, she could no longer be his help.

She was only one word from her father away from losing her position as the wife of the Marquis.

His position as heir apparent was also stripped by imperial decree, leaving him with no possibility of inheriting the title.

Gu Jinghuai felt increasingly exhausted as he thought about it, his steps heavy as if they were made of lead.

He reached out and touched Su's forehead; the burning heat made his fingertips recoil.

This illness was more severe than any he could remember.

"Your Highness, the medicine is ready."

The maid brought in a bowl of medicine, the rim of which was still steaming.

Gu Jinghuai took the medicine bowl, blew on it for a long time before daring to put it to his mother's lips.

Lady Hou forced herself to take a sip, then frowned and choked.

"It's too bitter... bring me some candied fruit."

He hurriedly told the maid to fetch it, and when he turned around, he saw Su Yuyan still standing at the door, her eyes red and wiping away tears, looking completely helpless.

"Come here."

Gu Jinghuai's voice was hoarse with fatigue.

"You take care of Mother."

Su Yuyan shrank back, her voice choked with emotion.

"I...I don't know how...I've never taken care of anyone before..."

Gu Jinghuai looked at her and suddenly remembered the days on the estate in his previous life.

At that time, Su Yuyan was carefully pampered by her, and hundreds of servants surrounded her to serve her alone.

Not to mention serving medicine and water, they don't even have to trim their own nails.

With Yun Shuyao managing the affairs of the household and taking care of her parents, she really didn't have to do anything.

At that time, when he looked at Su Yuyan's delicate appearance, he would feel a sense of pride as a man.

"If you don't know how, learn it."

Gu Jinghuai shoved the medicine bowl into her hands.

"Who is born with this skill?"

Su Yuyan timidly took the medicine bowl and was about to put it to the lips of the Lady Hou.

Lady Hou suddenly opened her eyes, and when she saw it was her, her gaze instantly turned sharp.

"Get away from me! You jinx!"

"If it weren't for you, how could I have gotten so sick?"

The medicine bowl crashed to the ground with a clatter, splashing brown medicine onto the hem of Su Yuyan's skirt.

She screamed in fright, and tears welled up in her eyes again:

"No...it's not my fault..."

"Get out!"

Lady Hou clutched her chest, gasping for breath, and roared as she pointed at the door.

"Seeing you brings me bad luck!"

Gu Jinghuai rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on.

"You can go out now."

Su Yuyan ran away crying, leaving a mess behind.

Gu Jinghuai sighed, told the maid to clean up, and then picked up the medicine bowl again, patiently coaxing his mother to drink the medicine.

I managed to finish the medicine, thinking I could finally catch my breath, but little did I know this was just the beginning.

"Water, I want to drink water."

As soon as she put down the medicine bowl, Madam Hou started groaning.

Gu Jinghuai poured her some water and handed it to her, but she took a sip and pushed it away.

"It's too cold."

Gu Jinghuai changed to a hot cup, but Su Shi complained that it was too hot.

"Are you trying to scald me to death?"

After half a night of fussing and turning, the water was changed seven or eight times, and the cloth was kept getting cold and then hot again.

Lady Hou wanted to massage her legs, but if she massaged them too hard, she complained it would hurt; if she massaged them too lightly, she complained it wouldn't work.

I need to massage my shoulders in a bit; my left shoulder is sore and my right shoulder is numb.

They start cursing at the slightest inconvenience.

She started cursing Su Yuyan, then Gu Jinghuai, and finally Yun Shuyao, calling her "heartless".

In the end, even the long-deceased patriarch of the Marquis's mansion was included.

Gu Jinghuai patiently served him, but his arms ached so much he could barely lift them, and his eyelids felt as heavy as if they were filled with lead.

The moon outside the window had already set in the west before he finally managed to coax his mother to sleep. He lay down by the bed to catch his breath, but as soon as he closed his eyes, he was woken up by the pain in his arm, which had gone numb from being pressed down.

He sat in the darkness, rubbing his numb arm, and suddenly remembered countless nights from his past life.

My mother was often sick back then, but she had never been through this kind of ordeal.

He always saw Yun Shuyao carrying a bowl of medicine in, and when she came out of her mother's room, her clothes were stained with medicine, and her eyes had faint dark circles.

But she could always smile at him and say, "Mom is much better, don't worry."

He never imagined how many nights like that were hidden behind that smile.

He only remembered that his mother always praised Su Yuyan for being thoughtful and filial.

I only remember my mother saying how much money the Su family had given them, otherwise they wouldn't have been able to afford the medicine.

I remember that every year on my mother's birthday, she would praise Su Yuyan for preparing a gift six months in advance.

Is that even possible now?

Su Yuyan can't even take care of herself, so how can she fulfill her filial duties?

Yun Shuyao provided everything meticulously, from medicinal cuisine to divine physicians, from clothing to jewelry, from birthday banquets to festival gifts.

Her mother, however, was never satisfied with her.

Back then, I was foolish enough to think that Yun Shuyao sometimes treated her mother less attentively than Su Yuyan.

Back then, although my mother often said she wasn't feeling well, she always had a rosy complexion, unlike how withered she is now.

He even forgot that his mother's illness was more serious before Yun Shuyao married into the family.

She had been coming to the Marquis's residence often before she was married, and discussed treatment plans with Physician Mu, gradually restoring her mother's health.

Those precious medicinal herbs, each costing several hundred taels of silver, amounted to tens of thousands of taels a year. They were all drawn from her dowry, yet she never mentioned them to him.

And what about him?

She took her efforts for granted and even felt that her mother was "not filial enough" when she was being bullied by her.

"Oh……"

Gu Jinghuai chuckled softly, his voice filled with bitterness.

He took care of the patient all night and was so exhausted that he couldn't straighten his back.

But what about Yun Shuyao? She took care of her mother for a full eighteen years.

From a naive young girl to a woman with graying temples.

She spent the best years of her life in this marquis's mansion.

Take care of the trivial matters he disdains, look after his impatient parents, and fill the holes he spends.

And it was only after he lost her that he glimpsed even a fraction of her hardship during that night of turmoil.

The sky outside the window was turning a pale white, and the light shone into the room, landing directly on his tired face.

Looking at his mother's sleeping face, he suddenly felt a strong urge to know.

Did Yun Shuyao spend those nights alone, just like now, feeling cold and tired, with no one to confide in?

The moment the thought crossed his mind, it felt like something was gripping his heart tightly, causing him so much pain that he couldn't breathe.

What he lost was never a "dull" wife.

She was the one who had smoothed out his days, yet whom he had discarded like trash.

When Gu Jinghuai dragged his leaden legs back to the east courtyard, it was just dawn.

The room was still dark, with only a little grayish-white light filtering through the window paper.

Su Yuyan was fast asleep on the couch, her breathing even and even with a slight snore.

The woman's cheeks were rosy from sleeping, a stark contrast to the chaotic scene in the Marquis's mansion.

Gu Jinghuai stood by the bed, looking at her carefree sleeping face, and a sudden surge of anger rose within him.

He stayed up all night in his mother's room, so exhausted he felt like his bones were about to fall apart.

She slept so peacefully, as if the chaos in the Marquis's mansion and her mother's serious illness had nothing to do with her.

He plopped down heavily on the edge of the bed.

Su Yuyan finally woke up, rubbing her sleepy eyes as she sat up. When she saw it was him, she immediately gave a shy and timid smile.

Her small hands softly rested on his shoulders, her voice sweet and cloying.

"My husband is back? I've been waiting for you."

Her fingertips were warm, but Gu Jinghuai recoiled as if he had been burned.

Gu Jinghuai clearly heard her snoring just now, and the words "waiting all the time" sounded particularly jarring.

"Um."

He gave a perfunctory reply, wanting nothing more than to lie down and rest for a while.

Su Yuyan didn't let go. Instead, she slid down his shoulder, her fingertips hooking the sash of his outer robe, her eyes sparkling.

"Your Highness, are you tired? Let me take off your outer robe and help you rest, shall I?"

"No."

Gu Jinghuai had been her husband his whole life, so how could he not understand her hints?

He grabbed her hand as it slid down, his voice filled with barely concealed exhaustion.

"I'll rest for a bit, then I need to go to my mother's. No need to trouble her."

"It's no trouble at all."

Her hands didn't stop; instead, they wrapped around him more softly, her cheeks close to his, her breath sweet as orchids.

"My husband, we... haven't consummated our marriage yet."

Gu Jinghuai froze, as if he hadn't heard clearly.

He had stayed up all night, his arms were still numb, and his mind was filled with his mother's groans and the smell of medicine. And yet, she brought up consummating their marriage at this time?