After being reborn, her aloof ex-husband and her crazy deceased husband got into a fight.

The next day, Gan Cai'er boarded a carriage early in the morning to return to the Gan family home.

Qingshui Town is not big. It takes less than the time it takes to burn two incense sticks to get from the Lan family's house to the Gan family's house by horse-drawn carriage.

The Gan family mansion occupies a large portion of the street, a three-courtyard residence. Its vermilion gate, gray-tiled roofs, and white walls, set against the surrounding greenery, exude a rustic grandeur, clearly the work of a master craftsman, quite unlike the style one would expect from a remote town. Two fierce stone lions stand guard on either side of the gate, further emphasizing the wealth and status of this prominent household.

When the servants of the Gan family saw Gan Cai'er return, they rushed to greet her warmly. The steward, Chen Ping, told a servant to quickly go to the main room to inform the master and mistress.

Not long after Gan Cai'er sat down in the main hall, she heard a noisy and chaotic sound of footsteps coming from outside. Looking in the direction of the sound, she saw a group of people heading this way.

"Nannan, why are you back today?"

A woman strode in, took Gan Cai'er's hand, and acted very affectionately.

The woman appeared to be around thirty years old, dressed in a long, crimson dress with gold trim and exquisite embroidery on the collar and cuffs. The hem of the dress was further embroidered with large, vibrant peony blossoms. Her jet-black hair was piled high, adorned with numerous gold and jeweled hairpins. She was the epitome of wealth!

Despite the rich and colorful attire, she didn't appear vulgar or cheap; instead, she exuded an air of nobility.

This person is none other than Wei Yulan, the matriarch of the Gan family and Gan Cai'er's stepmother.

In the blink of an eye, the others entered the main hall. Gan Cai'er glanced around and saw that besides her father and stepmother, there were also her older brother and younger brother. The whole family was there.

Looking at her family members, still alive and full of energy, Gan Cai'er couldn't help but tear up. She had longed for this moment for twelve whole years! In her previous life, ever since she entered the Duke of Wei's mansion, she had never been able to see her family again, not even until her death!

"Little sister, did that boy from the Lan family bully you? I'm going to find him!"

Seeing the tears in his sister's eyes, Gan Baoyuan was instantly enraged. Without saying a word, he rolled up his sleeves and was about to go out to settle accounts with Lan Tingzhou.

Gan Cai'er quickly grabbed him and said reproachfully, "Who said he bullied me?"

"Look at you, your eyes are all red!" Gan Baoyuan didn't believe it.

"Me too! Me too!" Five-year-old Gan Baoguang waved his hands, his face full of excitement.

"What trouble are you causing now!" Gan Cai'er laughed in exasperation and vigorously ruffled Gan Baoguang's hair.

After all that commotion, Gan Cai'er's sadness dissipated. The love and playfulness of her family finally put Gan Cai'er at ease, and she truly felt that she had been given a second chance at life.

"My dear, if anything happens, don't keep it to yourself. Don't worry, your father will take care of everything for you!"

Gan Cai'er felt a warmth in her heart, but also a pang of guilt. Since marrying into the Lan family, she had rarely returned to the Gan family. No wonder the whole family was staring at her with worry in their eyes; were they worried that she had been upset and run back to her parents' home?

"This is my home, can't I come back and visit?" Gan Cai'er glared, becoming spoiled and domineering.

"Yes, yes, yes! Who says you can't? You can do it even if you go home every day!" Gan Maoguo nodded hurriedly, his face beaming with joy.

"I just miss my parents~~~" Gan Cai'er snuggled into Wei Yulan's arms, acting coquettishly.

"Butler Chen, quickly tell the kitchen to buy the freshest sea bass!" Wei Yulan ordered loudly.

"Yes, I'll go right away," Butler Chen replied with a smile.

Steamed sea bass is Gan Cai'er's favorite dish.

"Mother still cares about me the most, thank you, Mother." Gan Cai'er affectionately took Wei Yulan's arm.

Wei Yulan was overjoyed and clapped Gan Cai'er's hand happily.

"I recently bought several pieces of fine Yun brocade, specially for you. Come on, let's go take a look."

As Wei Yulan spoke, she pulled Gan Cai'er towards the inner room.

Watching the mother and daughter leave hand in hand, Gan Maoguo felt a mix of emotions. His daughter, whom he had raised with such care, had been so easily taken away by an outsider?

Wei Yulan is not Gan Cai'er's biological mother; she is Gan Maoguo's second wife. However, the relationship between the stepmother and stepdaughter is even better than that between a biological mother and daughter.

Gan Baoguang was Wei Yulan's biological son, but Wei Yulan doted on him far less than she did on Gan Cai'er. The reason was simple: Wei Yulan preferred her daughter.

When Wei Yulan married Gan Maoguo, Gan Cai'er was only five years old, a time when she was incredibly cute and adorable. Wei Yulan fell head over heels for Gan Cai'er at first sight and spoiled her rotten, even more so than Gan Maoguo had ever done.

Wei Yulan's favorite thing to do was dress up Gan Cai'er. Gan Cai'er's fame in Qingshui Town and her becoming the town's most beautiful woman were largely due to Wei Yulan.

Upon seeing a pile of brightly colored, dazzlingly beautiful brocade, Gan Cai'er couldn't help but facepalm. The golden light flashed so brightly it almost blinded her. Wei Yulan particularly liked to dress her up in a way that was so rich, festive, vibrant, and intense that it was almost suffocating.

In her past life, Gan Cai'er was often ridiculed by the noblewomen of the capital. They laughed at her, saying that she couldn't leave the house without carrying three catties of gold and silver, and mocked her for being uneducated and having the air of a nouveau riche.

Having broadened her horizons in her previous life, Gan Cai'er now felt an eye strain looking at this colorful pile of things. But these were all carefully selected and stored for her by Wei Yulan, and she couldn't refuse such kindness, so she could only accept them.

"Tell me, what brings you back this time?" Wei Yulan asked, tidying up the brocade while looking at Gan Cai'er.

No one knows a daughter better than her mother. Gan Cai'er was raised by Wei Yulan. She could hide her thoughts from others, but she could not hide them from Wei Yulan.

"Hey, hey, Mother knows me best." Gan Cai'er smiled and leaned against Wei Yulan.

"Ha, with your petty thoughts. Hurry up and tell me."

“My husband will be taking the exam next February. I’m thinking of sending him to a good academy, preferably one in the prefecture.”

"Just a few days ago, weren't you crying and saying you wouldn't let him leave town? How come you've changed your mind all of a sudden?" Wei Yulan looked at her suspiciously.

"I've figured it out. What if he passes the imperial examination? I could become an official's wife!" Gan Cai'er said with a sheepish smile.

"My dear girl, being an official's wife isn't that easy," Wei Yulan sighed.

"Once a man gains power, all he thinks about is fame and fortune, and beautiful wives and concubines. It's common for him to abandon his wife who has shared his hardships."

"As the saying goes, 'The most righteous are often from humble backgrounds, while the most heartless are often scholars.' I've seen far too many fickle and heartless talented men," Wei Yulan said earnestly, patting Gan Cai'er's hand.

Wei Yulan's words were not unfounded. She did indeed know many talented scholars and writers. Gan Cai'er's return to the manor this time was also to seek her help.

Before marrying Gan Maoguo, Wei Yulan was the madam of the Hongxiuzhao brothel in Danzhou Prefecture. Although Hongxiuzhao was only a second-rate brothel in Danzhou Prefecture, it had two top courtesans, and many scholars and literati came to the brothel because of their reputation.

Having spent over twenty years in the entertainment industry, Wei Yulan had witnessed countless devoted women and unfaithful men. In her eyes, it was better to keep a man firmly by her side and live a stable, ordinary life as a couple than to let him soar to great heights.

Gan Cai'er thought the same way in her previous life, but in this new life, she decided to let go of her selfish feelings for Lan Tingzhou and only seek to repay the kindness from her previous life.

Different mindsets lead to different choices.

"No, Mother~~~" Gan Cai'er persisted and began to whine, "I just want to be an official's wife!"

"Moreover, once my husband becomes an official, he can also take care of my father's business. Then, won't I have more money to buy jewelry? I can not only become the richest woman in Qingshui Town, but also the richest woman in Zhushan County!"

When Gan Cai'er is coaxing someone, her voice is sweet and soft, and her words seem to be coated with honey.

"I really don't know what you see in him!" Wei Yulan's heart softened, and she poked Gan Cai'er's head angrily, her face full of disappointment. "Besides his good looks, Lan's boy is just a block of ice, cold and hard, and he's so clueless. And yet, he manages to be so infatuated with you!"

"So be it. A married daughter is like water spilled from a cup. I'll send a letter to my sisters in Danzhou tomorrow to ask about the current situation at the Fuzhou Academy."

Wei Yulan finally gave in to Gan Cai'er's wishes.

Gan Cai'er returned to the Lan residence in high spirits.

In this new life, everything has a better start.