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

The burly man from the Jiaofangsi said in a gruff voice:

"We've inquired with the Marquis's residence, and the old Marquis said that this matter has nothing to do with them."

Gu Jinghuai, leaning against the door frame, his face still recovering from its injuries, sneered as he looked at Su Yuyan.

"Did you hear that? It's no use clinging to me."

Su Yuyan's face turned pale instantly. She lunged forward to grab his arm, but he dodged her with disgust.

She knelt down with a thud, tears streaming down her face like a broken string of pearls.

"Cousin, you can't abandon me! We were husband and wife, after all. Have you forgotten that you promised to protect me?"

"We were husband and wife?"

Gu Jinghuai looked down at her, his eyes now completely cold.

"When you told Wang Yuanbao you 'only want sincerity,' did you ever think about your relationship as husband and wife?"

As they were talking, Wang Yuanbao's carriage hadn't gone far when it heard the noise and stopped again.

He peeked out and saw the scene, frowned, but ultimately couldn't resist, got out of the car and walked over.

"Young Master Gu, let's talk this out. Why make things difficult for a woman?"

"To make things difficult for her?"

Gu Jinghuai felt as if he had heard the biggest joke in the world.

"Is Manager Wang trying to play the hero and save the damsel in distress?"

"Fine, you can pay the eight thousand taels of silver for her. You can take her away; I won't stop you."

Wang Yuanbao's face stiffened, and he immediately fell silent.

The servant boy, Afu, suddenly stepped forward and said, his neck stiff.

"Manager Wang, please have some self-respect!"

My young master is the eldest son of the Yongning Marquis's family. Even if he is no longer the heir apparent, it is not your place, a mere merchant, to have a say!

If you keep bothering me, we'll report you to the authorities right now and accuse you of abducting a member of the Marquis's family!

These words were like a bucket of cold water, instantly extinguishing Wang Yuanbao's "heroic spirit."

He glanced at the ruthlessness in Gu Jinghuai's eyes, then at Su Yuyan, who was crying her eyes out on the ground.

He gritted his teeth and bowed to Su Yuyan.

"Miss Su, I, Wang... cannot afford to offend you. Farewell."

The sound of the carriage wheels gradually faded into the distance, and Su Yuyan's last hope was gone.

She collapsed to the ground, crying even harder, but the coquettishness she had shown towards Wang Yuanbao was gone, replaced only by naked panic.

The thugs from the Jiaofangsi (Imperial Music Bureau) were getting impatient.

"Young Master Gu, have you made up your mind? Are you going to pay, or...?"

"Not only will I not pay her a single penny more, I will also sell her."

Gu Jinghuai interrupted him, his voice eerily calm.

The sticks were stunned for a moment, then they laughed.

"Sell? Sure."

However, let me make this clear from the start: you bought her for eight thousand taels, but now that you're selling her back, you'll only get eight hundred taels at most.

"It's been used, so it's worthless now."

"Eight hundred taels?"

Gu Jinghuai's hand clenched tightly, his knuckles turning white.

He took three thousand taels of silver from his mother as a deposit to redeem her.

Now, not only have these three thousand taels gone, but after sending the person back, we're also in debt to the Jiaofangsi (a government-run entertainment institution).

Subtract three thousand taels from eight thousand taels, then subtract eight hundred taels, and you're still short four thousand two hundred taels!

In one transaction, 7,200 taels of silver were gone.

What he got in return was a woman who betrayed him and a debt of more than four thousand taels of silver!

How much jewelry and headwear could this silver buy for Yun Shuyao?

Now, we have to spend it on this wretched woman!

"it is good."

Gu Jinghuai closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, all that remained was numbness.

"I'll sell, but I want to sign a death contract. You have to give me a thousand taels."

From that moment on, she was born a member of the Jiaofangsi (a government-run entertainment institution), and would die a member of the Jiaofangsi; she was never allowed to be redeemed.

The stick-wielders exchanged glances, decided it was a good deal, and immediately pulled out paper and pens from their pockets.

"Okay, sign it."

Gu Jinghuai took the pen, but his hand trembled uncontrollably.

It wasn't because he was reluctant to part with it, but because this stroke of the pen meant that all the absurdity, stupidity, and blindness of his previous life had been nailed to the nail.

Upon seeing this, Su Yuyan rushed over like a madwoman and clung tightly to his leg.

"No! Cousin, I was wrong! I'll never seduce anyone again!"

"I'll do anything you want, just don't send me back! That's no place for a human being!"

Her fingernails dug into his trouser leg, and her knee slammed into the scabbed wound on his leg.

Gu Jinghuai gasped in pain as blood instantly seeped from the cloth strips.

"Get out of here!"

Unable to bear it any longer, Gu Jinghuai kicked her in the chest.

Su Yuyan was kicked to the ground like a rag doll, clutching her chest and coughing for a long time, her fear turning into resentment.

"Gu Jinghuai! You'll get your comeuppance!"

You blind, useless piece of trash!

"It's your own stupidity, it's your own fault for wronging Yun Shuyao, what does it have to do with me?"

These words completely shattered Gu Jinghuai's last shred of pretense.

He rushed over, grabbed her hair, and his bloodshot eyes were filled with rage.

"Yes! I must have been blind! I must have been blind to have fallen for you!"

I must have been blind to trample Yun Shuyao's sincerity underfoot for you!

"I must have been blind to let a woman like you ruin my life!"

Fearing he might actually kill someone, the brothel's men quickly pulled him away and slammed an iron chain around Su Yuyan's neck.

"Let's go, girl."

The tall, thin man dragged the iron chain away, showing no mercy to the woman.

Su Yuyan was dragged along, her hair disheveled and her skirt stained with mud, finally ceasing her pretense.

She turned around and screamed with all her might.

"Gu Jinghuai! I curse you! May you live a life of loneliness and die without a proper burial!"

The sound of chains dragging on the ground grew fainter and fainter, but the vicious curse pierced Gu Jinghuai's heart like a needle.

He stood there, staring at the empty intersection, feeling utterly drained of all his strength.

Afu supported him and whispered:

"Sir, let's... go inside."

Gu Jinghuai didn't move, but just stared in the direction where Wang Yuanbao's car disappeared, and then looked in the direction of the Zhenbei Prince's Mansion.

Yun Shuyao was there, but there was no longer a place for her beside her.

Gu Jinghuai stood in this desolate manor, clutching the IOU for four thousand taels of silver in his hand as if he were holding a red-hot branding iron.

Seven thousand taels of silver bought a lesson, and a lifetime of regret.

As for the debt he owes Shu Yao, he's afraid he'll never be able to repay it in this lifetime.

"Ah Fu".

Gu Jinghuai's voice was as hoarse as a rusty piece of iron.

"Let's... go back to the Marquis's residence."

Even if going back meant facing his father's anger, his mother's crying, and his half-brother's mockery, he had to go back.

If he stayed in the village, even survival would be a problem.

Furthermore, he was still unwilling to give up and wanted to use the power of the Marquis's mansion to make a comeback.

He still has memories of his past life; he will definitely be able to turn things around!

Zhenbei Palace.

Yun Shuyao was curled up on the couch, her face pale and her lower abdomen feeling heavy.

Xiao Fang had just returned from outside when he smelled a strong aroma of brown sugar ginger tea as soon as he entered the room, and his brows immediately furrowed.

"Feeling unwell again?"

He took off his outer robe, walked straight to the edge of the couch and sat down. He rubbed his palms together to warm them and then placed them on her lower abdomen, massaging it with just the right amount of pressure.

Yun Shuyao felt a little more comfortable from the massage, but a sly smile curved her eyes as she suddenly leaned over and breathed into his neck.

"Xiao Fang, you're burning up."

He paused, his Adam's apple bobbing.

"Behave yourself."

"No way."

Yun Shuyao, taking advantage of the situation, lightly traced her fingertips across his Adam's apple.

Watching his jawline tighten even more, he suddenly opened his mouth and gently bit that protruding curve.

"hiss--"

Xiao Fang gasped, grabbed her wrist tightly, and his eyes burned with a fierce light.

"Yun Shuyao, did you do this on purpose?"

She smiled so hard her eyes narrowed, snuggled closer to him, and her voice was as soft as cotton candy.

"I was just flirting with you, so what?"

Xiao Fang stared at her flushed cheeks, then at her hand covering her lower abdomen, and ultimately couldn't bring himself to lash out.

He gritted his teeth and let out a soft groan, but softened the pressure on his hands even more.

"If you keep making a fuss, I'm going to sleep outside."

"Go ahead."

Yun Shuyao, unafraid of death, kissed his earlobe.

"I promise you, once you leave, don't even think about coming back in."

Xiao Fang was speechless after hearing this, and his hand rubbing her stomach moved faster and faster, clearly showing that he was trying to restrain himself.

Not long after, he suddenly got up and walked towards the door.

"I'm going to take a shower."

Yun Shuyao looked at his tense back and laughed even harder.

That night, Xiao Fang took three cold showers, and when he came back, his hair was still dripping wet.

But he still tucked her in first before curling up and sleeping on the edge of the bed.

Stay far away from her, like a wooden stake that obeys the rules.

Yun Shuyao turned over and moved closer in the middle of the night. She could clearly smell the coolness on his body and his hot, suppressed breath.

In her daze, Yun Shuyao heard a man's deep, hoarse voice.

"Little brat, once you're healed, I'll make you pay me back, with interest!"