A peasant girl travels through time with a hospital, rising to become an empress.

Nie Qianqian and Gu Xiao went home together that night, riding in their own oxcart, driving slowly towards the village. Gu Xiao drove the oxcart, while Nie Qianqian lay leisurely on it, a herb in her mouth, and crossed her legs for a nap.

Nie Qianqian woke up after a daze and found that she was wearing an extra garment. Gu Xiao had taken off his outer robe and covered her with it.

Nie Qianqian turned her head and looked at Gu Xiao's back as he drove the carriage, thinking about their relationship.

If they were husband and wife, their relationship was as innocent as that of brothers in bunk beds. They held hands once at the academy gate, but there had been no physical contact since. They had never done anything romantic or intimate with each other. If they were friends, they were raising a baby together.

Nie Qianqian had always felt guilty towards Gu Xiao, a feeling that had been very strong since she first met him. Nie Qianqian knew that this wasn't her own emotion, but rather the lingering feelings of the original owner of the body.

The original owner may have had some affection for Gu Xiao when she rescued him, but the subsequent developments were beyond her control. Old Madam Nie set a trap, drugged the two of them, and refused to treat Gu Xiao's illness, causing him to become disabled.

The original owner's initial goodwill had long been overshadowed by deep guilt. Nie Qianqian, having transmigrated, inherited some of the original owner's emotions and always felt guilty towards Gu Xiao, believing that "she" was the one who caused him to be trapped in a predicament, lose his freedom, and lose his brilliance.

This sense of guilt constantly interfered with Nie Qianqian's emotions. The occasional flutter of her heart and shyness was quickly disrupted by the "original owner's" feelings of guilt and inferiority.

Nie Qianqian stroked her chin, pondering how to repay Gu Xiao as soon as possible what the original owner felt she owed him, cure his hand ailment, find the jade pendant, and help him with his imperial examinations.

Once the matter is resolved and neither of them owes the other anything, they will be free to return each other to their freedom.

In this era, divorce is a huge deal for a woman, and she would only divorce as a last resort. But for her, a modern person, there was no psychological pressure. She didn't want Gu Xiao to be forced to take responsibility for her because of the absurd things that happened three years ago.

She wanted him to know that he was free, and so was she. People are free, hearts are free, and nothing and no one can bind them together, for a lifetime.

"You're awake. We'll be home soon," Gu Xiao's voice came through the phone.

Nie Qianqian got up, returned the clothes to Gu Xiao, draped them over his shoulder, and sat down next to him.

Gu Xiao: "Don't sleep in the carriage anymore. The weather is getting colder, and you're more likely to catch a cold."

A warm feeling rose in Nie Qianqian's heart, and she nodded without saying anything.

"It smells so good!" Nie Qianqian smelled the fragrance filling the house as soon as she got home.

"Mother is back! Father is back!"

Upon hearing Nie Qianqian's voice, Tuantuan rushed out immediately, her short legs carrying her to hug Nie Qianqian's leg. After hugging Nie Qianqian's leg, she went to hug Gu Xiao's.

Just as Gu Xiao was about to bend down to pick up Tuantuan, he saw Tuantuan let go of his hands and hug Nie Qianqian's leg again. She raised her little head and looked at Nie Qianqian with her big, watery eyes full of expectation.

Gu Xiao chuckled to himself; Tuantuan was becoming increasingly attached to his mother.

Nie Qianqian instantly understood what her baby meant, squatted down, picked up Tuantuan, and kissed his cheek.

Tuantuan's little wish was fulfilled, and she grinned happily. She then squinted and rubbed her cheek against Nie Qianqian's, praising, "Mommy smells so good! Nobody else smells as good as Mommy, it's like..."

Tuantuan couldn't say anything; he didn't know how to describe the scent, but it was sweet.

Gu Xiao silently finished Tuan Tuan's unfinished words in his mind, like the fragrance of jasmine, elegant and sweet...

Nie Qianqian gently pinched Tuantuan's nose, "Did Tuantuan complete the tasks Mother assigned today?"

Tuantuan raised her little head proudly and said, "Reporting to Mommy, all done! Tuantuan ate her food diligently, finishing all the eggs, milk, and meat, and even did the exercises Mommy taught her!"

Nie Qianqian kissed Tuantuan again as a reward. Raising a baby is really addictive. She feels like she can never get enough of kissing her own baby.

Nie Qianqian taught Tuantuan, and his daily tasks were to eat well and exercise. She would check on him every day, and when she touched the few ounces of fat that Tuantuan had painstakingly gained around his waist, she felt a sense of satisfaction.

Liu Yan came out of the kitchen and greeted the three of them, "Don't get cold outside, come in and eat."

The family of four sat down at the dining table. Nie Qianqian looked at the table full of dishes and exclaimed in surprise, "Mom, why did you make so many dishes?"

The table was covered with dishes that Nie Qianqian had previously taught Liu Yan, including Maoxuewang (a spicy Sichuan dish), pickled fish, sweet and sour pork, and braised pork belly.

Given Liu Yan's frugal nature, how could she possibly prepare so much food?

Nie Qianqian looked at Liu Yan and then at Gu Xiao with a puzzled expression, and asked Gu Xiao, "Is today your birthday?"

She knew that Liu Yan and Tuan Tuan's birthdays were in the summer. Could it be because today is Gu Xiao's birthday?

Gu Xiao: "No."

"When was that?" Nie Qianqian pressed.

Gu Xiao was stunned. It had been so long since he had celebrated his birthday that he had almost forgotten.

"The third day of the twelfth lunar month." This is not his birthday, but the day he left the capital and began living in the world as Gu Xiao. This can be considered Gu Xiao's birthday.

"Oh," Nie Qianqian replied simply, silently memorizing the date in her heart. It was the third day of the twelfth lunar month, which meant that Gu Xiao's birthday was less than two months away.

"So, Mom, why did you make so much food?"

Liu Yan was a little nervous, rubbing her hands nervously and tidying her hair. "Qianqian, Gu Xiao, I want to discuss something with you. I'm a useless person, all I know is how to work in the fields and cook. I haven't been able to provide you with a good life in the Nie family..."

Mentioning the Nie family's life, Liu Yan's voice choked up involuntarily. She paused, picked up her bowl, gulped down the water, and continued, suppressing her emotions, "Now that we're divorced and living separately, I don't want to sit at home and let our savings go to waste. I want to earn money with my own hands. The new house is almost finished, so I don't need to keep an eye on things here anymore. I'm thinking of setting up a food stall in the county, selling the dishes Qianqian taught me to make. Your uncle mentioned last time that these dishes Qianqian taught me to make aren't available in the county, and they taste even better than those from the wealthy families in the county. Qianqian also mentioned selling the food to restaurants. I've thought about it, and I think it's better to set up a food stall and earn more money than to sell to restaurants. What do you think?"

After Liu Yan finished speaking, she looked at the two men with some trepidation, waiting for their reply. She had thought about this idea and these words for a long time, and she was unsure whether it would work.

Nie Qianqian then understood why Liu Yan knew how to cook these dishes. Just as she was about to speak, Gu Xiao spoke first, "I don't approve of you going."