After my luck was stolen, I led my whole family to defy fate and change our destiny.

"It's good to have a son-in-law; a son-in-law who is married into the family is less likely to be bullied."

[It's easy to end up with a poor man who lives off his aunt's money and needs. What if he harbors ill intentions? Zhou Zhixing is much better. Auntie, I want Zhou Zhixing to be my uncle!]

Gu Liyao: "..."

Gu Xinyi blushed, not wanting to be teased by her nephews any longer.

"Sister-in-law, I'm leaving now."

"Okay, think it over carefully."

Gu Xinyi nodded and left with Hehua.

As soon as they stepped out of the courtyard, Lotus couldn't wait to say, "Miss, I think Lord Zhou is really good, much better than... much better than that other guy."

"It must be because Lord Zhou saved Miss last time, and she fell in love at first sight."

"Miss, why are you still hesitating? Shouldn't you offer yourself to me now?"

Gu Xinyi stopped in her tracks: "Why?"

Lotus: "That's how it's written in storybooks."

Gu Xinyi: "Try reading less fictional stories and use your time to cleanse your mind."

"Oh"

Just as she was about to enter Fu'an Residence, a deep voice called out to her.

Miss Gu

Gu Xinyi turned around and was surprised to see Zhou Zhixing: "You haven't left yet?"

Zhou Zhixing scratched his head innocently: "I...I heard you like Liu's pastries. I queued up to buy them, and they're still warm. Eat them while they're hot."

Gu Xinyi pursed her lips, feeling that his behavior was very different from the legends. The legends said that he was decisive and stern.

Unlike now, he's so timid, almost thirty years old but still like a young boy.

I finally brought news from my elder brother, so I couldn't refuse him.

"Then thank you, Lord Zhou."

Lotus immediately took the pastries, stood behind Gu Xinyi, covered her mouth, and chuckled.

Just like in the storybook!

Zhou Zhixing's face flushed red: "You...I'm glad you like it."

As he was about to leave, Gu Xinyi called him back, feeling it was better to clarify some things.

"Was it you who saved me when I fell into the hunter's trap?"

Hearing this, Zhou Zhixing immediately became nervous: "When I proposed to your mother back then, I wasn't thinking of using the debt of saving my life to coerce you. You...you mustn't misunderstand."

“My aunt said you hate this kind of person the most and would never marry him, so she kicked me out. I wanted to find a chance to explain to you, but then I heard you were engaged to the Cui family, so I didn’t bother you.”

Gu Xinyi was taken aback; so that's how it is.

Gu Xinyi thought for a moment and then said, "I didn't say anything like that, and I didn't know you had come to propose marriage. I only found out about it recently."

"Although it's a bit late, I still want to say thank you for saving my life back then," Gu Xinyi said, bowing solemnly.

Fearing that he would be used by Madam Gu again, Gu Xinyi said, "My elder brother and stepmother have already separated their households. I will stand with my elder brother through thick and thin. The reasons are complicated. If you have any questions, Lord Zhou, you can ask me directly."

Zhou Zhixing stood there, stunned. He noticed that Gu Xinyi used "stepmother" instead of "mother." As a prosecutor of the Dali Temple, he had long since developed the ability to make connections from specific points, seize every opportunity, and speak with hidden meanings.

Upon hearing the word "stepmother," he considered countless possibilities, and his mind instantly cleared away, revealing the moon.

Because he didn't muster the courage to ask her himself, he missed out on her for so many years.

A dull ache suddenly gripped my heart. Then I remembered that I could ask her anything anytime. Did she care about me too?

Zhou Zhixing felt increasingly sweet as he thought about it, and chuckled foolishly, feeling the courage that should have come long ago about to surge forth.

"Okay, from now on I'll ask you questions, I'll listen to you on everything, and I won't easily trust others anymore."

Gu Xinyi: "?"

Did she mean it?

Zhou Zhixing then asked, "If... if you had known back then that I had proposed marriage, would you have agreed?"

Zhou Zhixing turned his gaze to her.

Gu Xinyi felt a little burned by Zhou Zhixing's intense gaze and clutched her handkerchief tightly: "I don't know, what's past is past."

Zhou Zhixing felt so stupid that he wanted to slap himself; the question he asked must have reminded her of something unpleasant.

Zhou Zhixing scrambled his hands: "Then... then when Lord Gu comes out and proposes marriage to you, will you agree?"

Gu Xinyi lowered her head, her ear tips flushed red: "Marriage arrangements are naturally decided by my elder brother and sister-in-law. Besides, my reputation is damaged by divorce, so I have no intention of remarrying for the time being."

"Isn't this a coincidence? My reputation is also terrible, but is it worse than mine? People outside are saying all sorts of things about me, but with me backing you up, what are you afraid of?"

Gu Xinyi didn't say anything, but there was another sentence she said that she didn't hear.

Zhou Zhixing, with his sharp eyes, noticed her flushed ears and smiled, "Oh, okay, I understand. I'll get Lord Gu and Madam Gu's approval."

Gu Xinyi: "?"

"You...you should go inside now. I've been standing here for quite a while, which isn't good for your reputation. I'll be going now."

Saying that, he turned around and left.

Gu Xinyi looked up and saw Zhou Zhixing's awkward back, and he even jumped up and down excitedly a few times when he reached the alley entrance.

Gu Xinyi felt as if a cotton ball had been stuffed into her chest, soft and yielding, and she couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Gu Xinyi had no idea that Zhou Zhixing, who seemed to be in a great hurry to marry her right after their divorce, was actually many years late for this moment.

He was afraid that if he wasn't careful, Gu Xinyi would marry someone else again, so he finally mustered up the courage to try and change that tiny possibility.

Back at Fu'an Residence, Gu Xinyi stared at Liu's Pastries on the table, lost in thought.

half an hour.

She instructed Lotus, "Prepare the medicine the imperial physician prescribed last time."

Lotus asked with some confusion, "Didn't Miss say she wouldn't drink it? She said she wouldn't need it even if she did."

She tried to persuade her for a long time, but the young lady wouldn't drink it. Why does she want to drink it now?

Suddenly—

Lotus, realizing something, blushed with excitement: "Hehe, I'll go brew the medicine right away. Miss, you must drink it on time every day!"

After saying that, she ran away as fast as she could, afraid that her young lady would change her mind.

Gu Xinyi's ears turned red. She picked up a piece of pastry and ate it slowly. Why was today's pastry sweeter than usual?

At the Ministry of Rites, Su Xiuran was overjoyed to receive a letter from Chen Boqing.

Finally, something worth celebrating has happened after all this time.

"Yu'an, Mr. Chen has agreed to give the lectures and will be here the day after tomorrow."

Gu Yu'an smiled happily; the fate that couldn't be formed in the previous life had been continued today.

Only Gu Ziming's sorrow flowed like a river.

He pursed his lips and teased his little turtle with foxtail grass; he had taken a liking to turtles ever since he stopped keeping parrots.

Now he's obsessed with raising poultry; he has several chickens, ducks, and geese in his yard.

Su Xiuran complained that his chickens, ducks, and geese pooped everywhere, so Gu Ziming thoughtfully made diapers for his pets.

Gu Yu'an patted Gu Ziming reassuringly: "Didn't you want to study with your little sister? Well, here's your chance."

He had been listless, but instantly sat up straight: "I will definitely study hard."

Su Xiuran was overjoyed and immediately gave Chunhe instructions on what he would need the day after tomorrow.

"We must treat Mr. Chen well since he's here, and he will also be in charge of the young lady's early education."

Chunhe smiled and said, "Yes, Miss is so intelligent, Mr. Chen will surely be very proud."

Su Xiuran nodded and smiled as she looked at Gu Linglong, as if she were looking at a future talented woman.

Gu Linglong, who was sucking her thumb, looked up in confusion, feeling that her mother's eyes were somewhat malicious!