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

Gu Yan showed no mercy and began to strike relentlessly.

"How could I have given birth to such an idiot like you!"

He'd rather give up the legitimate daughter of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion and marry a lowly maid from the brothel!

Now, because of you, your father is despised by the Prince of Yi and ridiculed by his colleagues. Are you satisfied now?

The rattan cane struck his back, causing Gu Jinghuai to grimace in pain, his inner garment instantly soaked with cold sweat.

He gritted his teeth, not daring to flinch. He knew his father's anger would eventually erupt.

"Snapped!"

Another blow landed, and the sound of flesh tearing was exceptionally clear in the silent hall.

"Do you think the position of crown prince is so easy to hold?"

Gu Yan was panting heavily, his eyes filled with ruthlessness.

"If you can't even handle a woman, how can you expect to support the Marquis's mansion?"

"Let me tell you, His Majesty has deposed you from your position as heir apparent, which suits me perfectly!"

Gu Jinghuai finally reacted, looking up at Marquis Yong'an in disbelief.

My father didn't say that in my past life. He said I was his pride and his most prized son.

Why did it turn out like this?

When Gu Yan got tired of hitting, he suddenly threw the rattan stick on the ground with a loud clang.

"I will immediately submit a memorial to His Majesty, requesting that your second brother be made heir apparent! We shouldn't have let you occupy that position in the first place!"

Gu Jinghuai lay on the ground, his back burning with pain, but his heart felt even colder than his body.

He knew his father wasn't just saying things out of anger.

If the Marquis's mansion wants to continue to rely on the Wing King, it must take a clear stance.

Gu Yan didn't want to see him anymore. Ignoring the injury on his back, he waved his hand and told him to get lost.

Gu Jinghuai dragged his injured body back to his courtyard; it was already completely dark.

As soon as I pushed open the door, a chill hit me.

The room was empty. The jade vases on the display shelves, the calligraphy and paintings on the walls, and even the pair of green jade paperweights that Yun Shuyao had given him on the desk were all gone.

"Where are my things?"

His voice trembled as he turned and walked out.

Just as I arrived at the gate of the courtyard, I bumped into Su Yuyan running towards me, crying and sobbing.

"Husband, they...they took everything from our house! I couldn't stop them..."

"Who did it?"

"It was...it was the steward who said it was Aunt Liu's order..."

Gu Jinghuai felt his blood rush to his head, and he grabbed his robe and rushed towards the steward's room.

The steward was directing the servants to move away the last gilded incense burner.

Upon seeing Gu Jinghuai arrive, he gave a forced, insincere bow.

"Young Master."

"Put your things down!"

"Young Master, please calm down."

The manager said slowly.

"This is Aunt Liu's order, and also the Marquis's intention."

The second young master is about to be made the heir apparent, and according to regulations, these ornaments should belong to the heir apparent.

"You are no longer the crown prince, so naturally you have no need for these things."

"You...you all..."

Gu Jinghuai clenched his fist.

"The Marquis said that the Second Young Master is the hope of the Marquis's mansion from now on."

The manager glanced at his bleeding back, his contempt undisguised.

"Young Master, you should take care of yourself and...Miss Su."

Oh, by the way, Aunt Liu also said that the household is currently strapped for cash, and it seems you'll have to find a way to pay for the Lady's medicine yourself.

After saying that, he directed a group of servants to carry the things away, not even bothering to give them a second glance.

Gu Jinghuai stood frozen in place, the wound on his back feeling like salt had been rubbed into it, the pain making it almost impossible for him to stand.

Su Yuyan was still crying behind her.

"What are we going to do, Jinghuai? Aunt is so sick, she can't stop taking her medicine... Now even our belongings have been stolen..."

He turned around abruptly, looked at her tear-streaked face, and suddenly felt incredibly disgusted.

"Cry! All you do is cry!"

Gu Jinghuai let out a low growl, his voice filled with deep disappointment.

"If you hadn't egged me on..."

He swallowed his words back before he could finish.

Whose fault is it? He chose this path himself.

He staggered back to the empty house, sat on the cold chair, and suddenly images of his past life flashed before his eyes.

Back then, Yun Shuyao always kept the house tidy, the antique display shelves were spotless, and his favorite tea was always warm on the table.

In spring, there is new tea from Jiangnan; in summer, there are chilled lychees; in autumn, there are hairy crabs from Yangcheng Lake; and in winter, there is venison simmering in a charcoal stove.

...It was all his favorite food, and he never had to ask for it.

The mother's medicine was never interrupted, and the divine physician Mu would come to check her pulse on time, with precious medicinal materials being sent to the mansion in a continuous stream.

He never asked about the price; he only knew that his mother's complexion was getting better and better.

At the time, he only thought it was because the Marquis's family was wealthy, but now he understands that all those "having everything" was built up by Yun Shuyao with her dowry and hard work.

She would even personally go to the dock to oversee the shipping, just so he could eat the freshest river crabs.

They would offer a hefty reward just for those few rare medicinal herbs for their mother.

In fact, Gu Jinghuai knew better than anyone how difficult his mother was to get along with.

Yun Shuyao's service to her has remained unchanged for decades. If it weren't for making him feel comfortable, why would she go to such lengths?

And what about him?

He enjoyed it with a clear conscience, even complaining that she was too delicate and lacked the charm a woman should have.

But now that I think about it, he never considered her his woman in his past life.

If Yun Shuyao had shown even a fraction of the patience and affection she had shown Su Yuyan, she wouldn't have died of depression.

"Shu Yao..."

Gu Jinghuai covered his face, his shoulders trembling violently.

The wind blew in through the window, making the empty room howl as if mocking his foolishness.

He finally experienced what it meant to be "cold-blooded" in the world.

Having lost his position as heir apparent and his usefulness gone, even the servants' attitudes changed so quickly.

If Shu Yao were here, he wouldn't have been treated so coldly.

She would sell her dowry to support the Marquis's mansion, and when she was feeling down, she would say, "I'm here, don't be afraid."

It seemed that as long as Shu Yao was there, there was nothing she couldn't solve.

And what about him? He was still speaking coldly to her until her last breath.

Even when he saw her vomiting blood and collapsing to the ground, he chose to comfort Su Yuyan.

When Chun Tao begged him to find a doctor, he chose to give up on saving her life.

Gu Jinghuai suddenly raised his hand and slapped himself hard.

He was such a terrible person; no wonder she was reborn with memories of her past life, and the first thing she did was to break off the engagement with him.

However, I didn't know she had also been reborn at that time, otherwise... otherwise I would have tried my best to make it up to her.

Gu Jinghuai had always known that she, as a woman herself, had always longed for her husband's love and affection.

But at that moment, he simply didn't care about her feelings...

The wound on my back still hurt, but the regret in my heart was like a tide, overwhelming all my senses.

Gu Jinghuai racked his brains trying to figure out how to appease Yun Shuyao.

As long as she's willing to come back, even if... even if she was with Xiao Fang, I can forgive and forget.

Gu Jinghuai didn't believe that Yun Shuyao really had no feelings for him anymore.

After all, in his past life, she had been so devoted to him.

Zhenbei Palace.

Yun Shuyao returned from the front yard and had just walked into the corridor when someone hugged her from behind.

Xiao Fang rested his chin on her shoulder, still carrying the scent of summer heat from just returning from outside.

"Where did you go? I've been looking for you for ages."

"I'll go arrange the gifts for tomorrow's homecoming visit."