Rebirth and Rewriting Fate

It's already the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month, another Lunar New Year's Eve, and the air is filled with the warmth and joy unique to the festival. Along both sides of the street, every household has hung red lanterns and pasted festive couplets, preparing to welcome the upcoming New Year.

That day, Shili Shop packed up and prepared to close early. Yun Chu decided to let the shopkeepers go home early to celebrate the Lunar New Year's Eve as well.

Today, Gu Ruoxiao came to pick up Yun Chu after finishing his official business. Yun Chu was still busy, so he stood outside the shop waiting for her.

When Yun Chu came out, she saw that scene. The corners of her mouth unconsciously turned up, and her heart was filled with tenderness and love.

In the freezing snow, a child, dressed in a brightly colored cotton-padded coat, was a splash of color in the winter. He was playing and running around when he fell to the ground and cried out in pain.

Gu Ruoxiao gently helped him up, carefully brushing away the snowflakes and thin ice clinging to the child's body, and softly comforted him. His movements were gentle yet firm.

"It's alright, child, don't be afraid," he gently comforted the child, his voice full of warmth and encouragement. The child's crying gradually subsided, but he was still sobbing, his big, dark eyes staring at him with a mixture of fear and curiosity.

He produced candy from who-knows-where and handed it to the child, his tone calm yet encouraging and warm: "A real man sheds blood but not tears, you can't cry so easily."

"Don't cry, and you can have these candies." Gu Ruoxiao gently coaxed the child.

The child took the candy, clutching it tightly in his little hand. His eyes regained their sparkle, and a childlike smile appeared on his lips.

"Okay, go play now, and share the candy with the other kids."

Tears still lingered on the child's face, but a smile crept onto his lips. He nodded and ran off.

Yun Chu watched this scene quietly, her eyes filled with tenderness and emotion. A warm and firm smile appeared on her lips, and a warm feeling welled up in her heart. She thought, Gu Ruoxiao will definitely be a good father.

But... she suppressed her smile.

She touched her belly; almost two months had passed and there was still no sign of pregnancy. Even the Empress conceived in less than a month.

She couldn't help but feel a little worried.

When she first learned that she had taken the contraceptive soup multiple times, she simply stopped taking it. Because she thought she would never remarry, she didn't take any special care of herself. Now she wondered if it would affect her ability to have children. Besides, Gu Ruoxiao liked children, and the expression on his face was something she had never seen before.

She understood the storybook that Cheng's wife had given her the day before. Everyone was anxious, but no one dared to show it in front of her.

What about Gu Ruoxiao? If she really couldn't make it, what would she do? What would he do? Could there be others? She dared not think further.

Yun Chu lowered her eyes; she felt a pang of sadness.

“Yun Chu?!” Gu Ruoxiao turned around and looked at her.

Yun Chu raised her head.

"Are you done with your work?" he asked.

"Mm." Yun Chu smiled at him.

Gu Ruoxiao walked towards her and extended his hand, "Then let's go home."

Looking at the hand in front of her, Yun Chu concealed the disappointment and unease in her heart. She offered her hand and replied, "Okay."

The horse-drawn carriage sped along the empty streets.

Yun Chu lifted the carriage curtain and looked out. "Another year has passed," she couldn't help but sigh.

Red lanterns were hung everywhere in the streets and alleys, creating a festive atmosphere for the Chinese New Year. Every now and then, groups of three or five children would gather on street corners to set off firecrackers, looking very happy.

"What's wrong?" A voice came from beside me.

Yun Chu felt a warmth in her palms; Gu Ruoxiao was holding both of her hands.

She turned around and smiled at him. "It's nothing, it just feels like a year has gone by so fast."

"What do you want to eat tonight?" he asked.

"Anything is fine, I'm not picky."

"Then I'll make the arrangements?"

"Mmm." Yun Chuhui held Gu Ruoxiao's hand and leaned on his shoulder.

"Ruo Xiao".

"Ok?"

"I want to sleep for a while."

"Okay." Gu Ruoxiao picked up the blanket from the side and covered Yun Chu with it.

Looking at the sleeping face with her eyes closed beside him, Gu Ruoxiao's eyes darkened, and he lowered his gaze. He felt that Yun Chu had something on her mind, but there was no rush; he would ask her later.

When Yun Chu woke up, she was already in bed, so she got up.

Hearing a noise inside, Nanrao hurried in. "Your Highness is awake?"

"Hmm, what time is it now?" Yun Chu asked.

"It's almost the end of the You hour (5-7 PM) now."

Yun Chu was surprised that she had slept for more than an hour. It was probably because the New Year was approaching and she had been busy and thinking too much that she was tired.

"Where is the prince?" Yun Chu asked.

"Awake?" Gu Ruoxiao walked in as soon as she finished speaking.

"Hmm, did I sleep too long?" Yun Chu was a little embarrassed, knowing that Gu Ruoxiao must not have eaten yet and was waiting for her.

Gu Ruoxiao patted Yun Chu's head and asked, "Are you hungry?"

"Mm." Yun Chu nodded.

"Nanrao, prepare the meal," Gu Ruoxiao instructed.

Soon, the table was filled with food.

Looking at the table laden with food, Yun Chu couldn't help but smile. "So lavish today?"

"You took a nap and forgot it's the Little New Year today?" Gu Ruoxiao said with a smile, placing a piece of food into Yun Chu's bowl.

Yun Chu raised her hand to serve Gu Ruoxiao and herself more rice. Having eaten with Yun Chu for a long time, Gu Ruoxiao had also gotten used to not having servants serve her food and to doing it herself.

Gu Ruoxiao pressed her hand down.

Yun Chu looked at him with a puzzled expression.

"Zhu Ling!" Gu Ruoxiao called out.

Zhu Ling carried in a food box, placed it on the dining table, and then left.

"What is this?" Yun Chu asked curiously.

Gu Ruoxiao opened the food box, took out a bowl of noodles, and placed it in front of Yun Chu.

Yun Chu couldn't help but smile as she looked at the bowl of noodles.

During her recovery period, Gu Ruoxiao made noodles for her twice, but Yun Chu stopped her from doing so.

The regent of a nation, to win a smile from his beloved, personally cooked and prepared a meal. If word got out, it would not only damage the prince's reputation, but Yun Chu would also be falsely accused of being a femme fatale. Although, looking at it this way, she does seem to be a femme fatale, and people weren't wrong about her.

Although Gu Ruoxiao didn't care what others said, she still gave up after Yun Chu strongly stopped her.

But today, while she was asleep, he made her a bowl of noodles.

"Tell me, what bad thing have you done this time?" Yun Chu raised an eyebrow at him, her eyes revealing a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"Because you're unhappy today," Gu Ruoxiao said softly, stroking her hair.

"I'm not unhappy," Yun Chu said with an awkward smile, looking away.

"If you don't want to laugh, you don't have to. You don't need to pretend or hide yourself in front of me," the person beside me said gently.

The smile on Yun Chu's face gradually disappeared, and she lowered her eyes, her eyes welling up with tears.

As expected, Gu Ruoxiao could always see through me at a glance, and I could never hide anything from him.