Rebirth and Rewriting Fate

The weather was truly unpredictable; dark clouds began to gather, and soon a light rain began to fall. Fortunately, the fireworks had all finished, so it didn't dampen the joyful atmosphere among the people. Even the children started a water fight.

Ye Xingchen walked in the rain, her eyes vacant and unfocused. Tears silently streamed down her cheeks, as if she had exhausted even the strength to cry, letting them flow slowly. Her body trembled slightly, each breath feeling like a gust of wind sweeping through her chest, making her feel suffocated and heavy. Now she couldn't distinguish between rain and tears; her thoughts were chaotic, and her heart was ice-cold.

She didn't know how long she walked until an umbrella was placed over her head.

"Miss Ye, what's wrong with you..." Perhaps it was the sorrowful gaze she received that stopped Luo Yan from speaking.

Ye Xingchen continued walking, and Luo Yan silently held the umbrella for her. They crossed a small bridge, passed through a city gate, and walked along a main street. Ye Xingchen didn't even know where she was going. When she turned her head, she saw that most of Luo Yan's body was already soaked through by the rain.

She sighed and said, "Let's go back."

"it is good."

"It's raining outside, why hasn't Miss come back yet? The birthday noodles I cooked for her are almost mushy!" Nan Rao lifted the pot lid on the stove again to take a look.

"Perhaps right now, Miss is having a sweet time with the Prince." Zhu Ling cupped her face and smiled.

"That's true, this must be the best birthday gift for Miss!" Nan Rao said happily. "It's alright, there's also the longevity peach buns you made! Miss will definitely like them."

"What are you talking about?" Chengfeng stepped into the kitchen. "Is there anything to eat? I haven't eaten enough today." He then lifted the stove lid.

"Don't move, it'll get cold later," Zhu Ling quickly stopped her.

"Birthday noodles, longevity peach buns. Whose birthday is it?" Chengfeng asked.

Nan Rao, peeling peanuts, asked, "You're back? And your lord is back too?"

"came back."

Nan Rao continued, "He's with my young lady?"

Chengfeng shook his head. Nanrao and Zhuling seemed to realize something and stood up to look at Chengfeng.

"The prince is in his study, while your young lady was rejected after confessing her feelings on the bridge," Chengfeng said awkwardly.

As soon as she finished speaking, Zhu Ling rushed out, and Nan Rao followed suit.

Before Nanrao even reached the bedroom, she saw Zhuling return. "Miss is not in the room."

The two exchanged a glance and ran towards the main gate.

Chengfeng sensed something was wrong and slipped into the study.

"Master, it seems that today is Miss Ye's birthday," Chengfeng reported timidly.

Upon hearing this, Gu Ruoxiao paused in his writing.

"And now, Miss Ye still hasn't returned," Chengfeng blurted out.

Gu Ruoxiao got up and walked outside, and Chengfeng hurriedly followed.

Nan Rao and Zhu Ling encountered Ye Xingchen and Luo Yan, who were soaking wet, at the gate and quickly surrounded them.

"Miss, are you alright? You're all wet." The two maids asked worriedly.

Ye Xingchen turned around and curtsied, "Thank you so much, Doctor Luo, for getting all wet today."

"It's alright," Luo Yan said.

Just as he was about to turn and leave, Luo Yan called out, "Miss Ye," and handed her a wooden box. "Happy birthday!"

Ye Xingchen was stunned and looked up at him.

"I only found out it was your birthday when I went to the kitchen tonight, so I didn't prepare any birthday gift. Here's a bottle of medicinal herbs that I've carefully prepared over the years, wishing you a lifetime of peace, joy, and freedom from illness and disaster. I hope you won't find it offensive," Luo Yan said sincerely.

Ye Xingchen looked at him and saw that he was still as sincere and kind as he had been in her previous life. Otherwise, he wouldn't have accompanied her in the rain for so long without any complaints.

"Thank you very much, Young Master Luo. You're too kind." Ye Xingchen accepted the box with both hands and smiled.

A little later, Nanrao and Zhuling helped him back to change his clothes.

Gu Ruoxiao stood silently at the corner for a while, then turned and left.

Perhaps sensing Ye Xingchen's bad mood, Zhu Ling unusually quieted down, helping her young mistress dry her hair. Nan Rao brought over birthday noodles and longevity peaches. Ye Xingchen forced a smile at them, picked up the noodles and the longevity peach, took a bite, and said, "Delicious." Nan Rao and Zhu Ling's smiles looked more like grimaces.

There was a knock on the door. Nan Rao went out to check and heard hushed voices. A moment later, Nan Rao came back in.

“It is Lord Chiwu,” Nanrao said.

Chi Wu, an honest and unassuming man, had been put through a lot of trouble by those interrogations. Ye Xingchen smiled wryly, "Let him in."

Chiwu entered and stood respectfully.

"Is something the matter?" she asked.

Chiwu handed over a wooden box about a foot long and said, "This is a birthday gift that His Highness sent me to deliver."

The room fell silent; Nanrao and Zhuling didn't dare to breathe.

Ye Xingchen didn't speak. She slowly ate her noodles, and after swallowing the last bite of the longevity peach bun, she said coldly, "I can't accept a reward without merit. Lord Chiwu, please leave."

Upon hearing this, Nanrao hurriedly stepped forward and invited Chiwu away.

Chiwu, looking puzzled, asked Nanrao from outside the door, "Why is the atmosphere so strange? What happened?"

Nan Rao rolled her eyes at Chi Wu. "Go back and ask your prince. Oh, or you can ask your good brother."

"Master, the birthday gift has been returned," Chiwu said, placing the box on the desk.

"Tsk, you won't accept such an expensive gift? It's priceless!" Chengfeng chimed in from the side.

"Miss Ye, you kicked me out without even looking at me," Chi Wu reported in a formal and rigid manner.

"You may all leave," Gu Ruoxiao gestured.

Perhaps due to the rain overnight, Ye Xingchen fell ill again that day. She didn't let anyone make a fuss, prepared and took her own medicine, and stayed in the courtyard without going out. After all, coming to Linchuan was just a pretext. She hadn't seen Gu Ruoxiao for many days. Perhaps he was too busy, or perhaps Ye Xingchen didn't want to go out; the two of them hadn't met at all.

Yesterday, Chiwu said he was returning to the capital today and told everyone to pack their things. Sensing the tense atmosphere, Chiwu stood outside the courtyard, not daring to step inside.

She hadn't brought much luggage when she arrived, and she hadn't brought any gifts when she left. After all, no one in the Ye family needed her to remember her. Ye Xingchen was tucking the dagger she always carried into her boot, looking around the small courtyard. Goodbye to the courtyard where she had spent almost a month!

"Miss, Miss, someone's looking for you?" Zhu Ling rushed in, grabbed the person, and ran.

"Slow down, what's wrong?"

Outside the gate, two people stood beside the carriage, Erdan and Xu Li, smiling at Ye Xingchen.

"Sister! Sister!" Erdan called out.

Xu Li, who was standing nearby, quickly stopped her, "I told you not to call her 'elder sister.' Miss Ye, I'm sorry."

"You've come to see me?" Ye Xingchen asked curiously.

"We..." Xu Li hesitated for a long time before finishing the sentence.

"Sister, oh no, Miss Ye, can you take us with you?" Erdan couldn't bear to see his brother unable to speak for so long.

"You want to go to the capital?"

“No, no, we want to go with Miss Ye.” This time, Xu Li said decisively.

"Why?" Ye Xingchen asked, puzzled.

“Miss Ye is a good person, we believe you,” Xu Li said.

Perhaps it was the first time an outsider had told her they believed him, and Ye Xingchen was somewhat moved. "But the capital is too far from here. What about your family and parents?"

"My father and mother are both gone." Erdan lowered his head.

“My father and mother were seriously injured in this epidemic, but fortunately we were able to see them one last time when we returned. After we finished arranging their funerals, we thought we would come to find you,” Xu Li explained.

"I still belong to the Ye family. If you follow me, I'm afraid..." Ye Xingchen explained patiently.

“It’s alright, we can sign a contract of servitude with you, we trust you,” Xu Li replied.

She thought about it and realized that it was indeed difficult to do some things without any men around. "Alright, you can come with me, but you don't have to sell yourselves into slavery. I'll sign a contract with you, so it will be easy for you to leave if you want to in the future."

Xu Li and Erdan nodded gratefully.

"There's one more thing."

Xu Li hurriedly said, "What did you say?"

Ye Xingchen patted Erdan's head. "If you're going to follow me, Erdan, you'll have to change your name."

"Then I'll trouble you to give me a name, Miss. I've never been to school and don't know many characters," Xu Li said apologetically.

"It doesn't need to be complicated. Just name yourself Ping An, wishing you a lifetime of peace."

"Xu Ping'an. Good, good, good." Xu Li clapped his hands.

“I have a name now, brother, I have a name now,” Ping An said happily.

"Can you drive a horse-drawn carriage?" Ye Xingchen asked.

"Yes! Yes! Yes!" Xu Li said.

"Then the position of driver is yours for the rest of the journey." Everyone laughed.

Not far away, Gu Ruoxiao, observing the scene, instructed, "Send someone to investigate the background of these two."

"Yes." The guard withdrew.