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

Su Yuyan was dragged and thrown into the innermost room by two pimps.

The room was filled with the smell of cheap liquor mixed with the stench of sweat.

Moldy straw was piled up in the corner, and the only window was covered with tattered paper, letting in a little dim light.

"New here? Serve the master well, and you'll get rewards!"

A burly laborer with a fierce face lunged at her, spraying her face with the smell of alcohol.

Su Yuyan screamed and tried to dodge, but was grabbed and held down by Li Fu.

"What are you hiding for? You convicted slut, do you still think you're some kind of rich heiress?"

She struggled desperately, scratching her nails on the laborer's arm, but was slapped hard across the face.

"Damn it, he dares to scratch people!"

Li Fu's fists rained down on her, and her cries for help were drowned out by the crude laughter and curses.

After an unknown amount of time, she lay limp on the haystack like a dead fish.

His clothes were torn to shreds, and blood was trickling from the corner of his mouth.

The pimp pushed the door open and kicked her impatiently.

"Get up, the next one is waiting."

"I won't... I won't go..."

Su Yuyan's voice was hoarse, and her whole body ached as if it were falling apart.

"Not going?"

The pimp sneered.

"Young Master Xiao specifically instructed you to 'work hard,' dare to slack off? You'll regret it!"

Prince Xiao?

Su Yuyan suddenly looked up, her eyes flashing with resentment.

It's Yun Shuyao! It must be her! She's the one who instigated Xiao Fang to take revenge on me!

She was dragged to the next room, where she was greeted by an old gambler with a face full of pustules.

The days that followed became endless torment.

She sees more than a dozen customers every day, ranging from laborers to beggars, from drunkards to madmen; no one treats her like a human being.

The old wounds on my body hadn't healed before new ones appeared, and they gradually started to itch and ooze pus.

The pimp gave her some dark ointment, saying it was "for relieving itching," but it only made it hurt more.

She wanted to rest for a day, but the madam burned her arm with a red-hot iron.

"Want to rest? Wait until you're dead!"

She huddled on the straw pile at night, seething with hatred.

She hated Yun Shuyao, hated Xiao Fang, and hated Gu Jinghuai even more.

If Gu Jinghuai hadn't sent her back, if the Marquis's mansion hadn't refused to acknowledge her as a secondary wife, she wouldn't have ended up in such a state.

She is the lawfully wedded young mistress of a marquis's mansion! How dare those lowly commoners treat her like this?

What's the use of being hateful? She didn't even have the strength to die; she could only watch helplessly as she rotted away day by day.

Gu Jinghuai was half-supported and half-carried back to the Marquis's residence by his servant Afu.

As soon as the carriage arrived at the gate, the servants began to chatter amongst themselves.

"Have you heard? The other day, people from the brothel came and made a scene, saying our young master owes eight thousand taels of silver..."

"That's right, it's all over town yesterday. The young master sent that Miss Su back again, and I heard she suffered a terrible fate..."

"Serves you right! Back then, you drove Miss Yun away because of a woman from the brothel, and we all had to cut our tips back a lot..."

"And you're even giving tips! Haven't you heard? Starting this month, the monthly allowance for the household will be halved!"

"Oh? The master is even eyeing our meager wages?"

"It all started with the entanglement between the eldest son and the young lady..."

Gu Jinghuai could only pretend not to hear, his back ramrod straight, as he slowly made his way into the mansion.

Aunt Liu stood under the corridor with her half-brother Gu Jingming. Seeing his disheveled appearance, she couldn't hide the smugness in her eyes, but she asked him insincerely.

"Hey, isn't this your older brother? What happened to you?"

Gu Jinghuai ignored him and went straight back to his courtyard, slamming the door shut.

It was chilly inside, and there wasn't even any charcoal fire burning.

He slumped to the edge of the bed, the wounds on his face still throbbing, but the emptiness in his chest was even worse than the wounds.

They sold Su Yuyan for a thousand taels of silver. After deducting the difference paid to the Jiaofangsi (a government-run entertainment institution), they still didn't know where to get the remaining silver.

A wave of weariness washed over him, and he slumped onto the bed, his eyelids growing heavier and heavier.

When I opened my eyes again, I was in the peach blossom grove of the mountain villa.

Peach blossoms fluttered down from the sky, a scene so beautiful it was like an unreal dream.

He looked down and found himself holding Su Yuyan in his arms. She was smiling with her face upturned, her eyes sparkling, just like the charming girl he remembered.

"Cousin, look how beautiful these flowers are..."

"Get out of here!"

Gu Jinghuai pushed her away abruptly, as if he had been burned.

Su Yuyan stumbled and fell to the ground, looking at him in confusion.

"Jinghuai, what's wrong?"

"You wicked woman!"

He pointed at her, his voice trembling, a vague sense of disgust churning in his chest.

"You never loved me; you loved the wealth and power of the Marquis's mansion! You loved the power that allowed you to climb the social ladder!"

Su Yuyan panicked and scrambled to her feet, trying to pull at his sleeve.

"Jinghuai, what's wrong? I'm not..."

"Don't touch me!"

Gu Jinghuai didn't want to look at her anymore, so he turned around and ran towards the Marquis's residence.

He was overjoyed; he had actually gotten another chance. At this moment, Yun Shuyao should still be waiting for him at the manor.

Gu Jinghuai had only one thought in mind: to find Yun Shuyao!

He was going to tell Shu Yao that he knew he was wrong and that he wanted to make it up to her.

He will drive Su Yuyan away; this time he really will treat her well...

The road beneath his feet seemed to stretch out, and he ran until he was panting heavily, his lungs feeling like they were filled with fire.

Finally, they rushed through the side gate of the Marquis's mansion, only to see their mother, Madam Su, standing under the eaves, whispering instructions to Aunt Feng.

"...Remember to add more of that withered leaf grass..."

Su's voice was very soft, but it felt like an ice pick piercing his ear.

"She's been coughing badly these past few days, and I'm afraid she won't last much longer."

I've stabilized things with Jing Huai. He's at the estate with Yu Yan and won't be back for a while..."

"What?!"

Gu Jinghuai rushed over, wanting to question him, but no sound came out of his throat.

He reached for his mother's arm, but his hand passed right through it—he became a shadow!

"Don't worry, Madam."

Aunt Feng bowed and scraped, holding a dark bowl of medicine in her hands.

"This servant will deliver it to Madam immediately, without anyone noticing."

"Go quickly."

Su waved her hand, her face expressionless.

"Once she's gone, let Yu Yan enter the manor legitimately. As for Jing Huai, I'll handle that myself."

Gu Jinghuai watched helplessly as Aunt Feng carried the bowl of medicine toward Yun Shuyao's courtyard.

He chased after it like a madman, reaching out to knock the bowl of medicine over and over again.

My fingertips passed through the medicine bowl, but I couldn't touch anything.

He reached out and grabbed Aunt Feng's arm, his hand passing through her body.

He ran ahead to block the way, and Aunt Feng stepped right over him.

"No--!"

He screamed inwardly, but no tears came out; he could only follow like a madman.

I watched as Aunt Feng pushed open that familiar door.

Yun Shuyao was sitting at the table organizing the accounts, her back ramrod straight, but her shoulders were so thin they looked like they would break at any moment.

She looked up when she heard the noise, saw the medicine bowl in Aunt Feng's hand, a hint of resistance flashed in her eyes, but she still took it.

Aunt Feng placed the medicine bowl in her hands and tried to persuade her.

"Madam, the old lady specially had this herbal tonic stewed for you. Please drink it."

"The old lady has gone to great lengths again."

Yun Shuyao's voice was very soft and a little hoarse.

"Madam's health is important, please drink it while it's hot."

Aunt Feng's smile was fake.

Yun Shuyao looked up and smiled, a smile tinged with weariness, but she still downed the drink in one gulp.

Gu Jinghuai screamed in anguish from the side.

"Don't drink it! It's poison!"

But she can't hear.

Gu Jinghuai rushed over, trying to cover her mouth and knock over the medicine bowl.

But his hand repeatedly passed across her cheek, across the bowl of bitter-smelling medicine.

He could only watch helplessly as she drank the bowl of poison, sip by sip.