Rebirth and Rewriting Fate

Auntie made tea for everyone, and the room was packed with people, even the doorway was crowded. Everyone was staring at Gu Ruoxiao and Ye Xingchen, the air thick with a mixture of surprise and excitement.

Ye Xingchen looked embarrassed and at a loss, her face flushed. She thought to herself, "I should have known better than to bring Gu Ruoxiao up here."

"Alright, alright, stop looking! Hurry up and prepare the meal." The old lady finally spoke.

Third Aunt and the old lady exchanged a glance, then came over and took Ye Xingchen's arm, saying, "Yun Chu, come with me to pick out some vegetables and see what you want to eat."

"Yes, go ahead, you'll definitely miss the taste of the mountains," the old lady urged.

"No, don't make things difficult for him, he's really not my son-in-law." Ye Xingchen only had time to say these words before she was dragged away.

Soon the old lady emptied much of the room, leaving only the eldest uncle, the third uncle, and the eldest aunt.

The empty room was quiet, and the atmosphere became somewhat awkward.

The eldest uncle cleared his throat, breaking the silence, "Where does Nephew Xiao live?"

"I have lived in the capital for a long time," Gu Ruoxiao replied.

"The capital is good, the capital is good. Yun Chu is in the capital, so the two of them can look after each other." Aunt clapped her hands and chimed in.

"Then how does Ruoxiao make a living?" Uncle San asked after taking a sip of tea.

"I am..." Gu Ruoxiao was about to answer.

"It's not important!" Third Uncle interrupted Gu Ruoxiao, shaking his cane. "The person Yun Chu has chosen can't be wrong. Mother, don't you think so?"

"Alright, alright, stop scaring them. Otherwise they'll never dare to come again, thinking it's a den of dragons and tigers!" the old lady said kindly.

“Mother, what are you saying? Isn’t Xiyan Mountain infamous as a den of dragons and tigers? This nephew of yours dares to come, so he’s no ordinary person!” The eldest uncle laughed heartily.

Did you meet Yun Chu in the capital?

"Yes, Madam," Gu Ruoxiao replied respectfully.

"How is she doing?" the old lady asked hesitantly, her voice slightly tense. "This child, she never reports bad news, only good news."

“Mother, when you mention this, I think of Yun Chu, such a small child, who ran for many days to come up the mountain alone. When I saw her, she was wearing a black fur cloak, so she must have met a kind person. But her clothes were so tattered, and her little face was so cold.” Aunt gestured, quietly wiping away her tears.

As if seeing Gu Ruoxiao's confusion, the old lady explained, "What her aunt said is true. After Yun Chu's mother passed away, this girl did not return to the Ye family. Instead, she walked alone for more than half a month and came to Xiyan Mountain."

“What are you going back to the Ye residence for? If the Ye family had any humanity, they would have abandoned her and her daughter in a separate courtyard for years without a care.” Uncle San angrily tapped his cane.

“Child, we’re not saying this because Yun Chu is complaining to you. We just want to tell you that Yun Chu has her own abilities, and we have the power to support her.” The old lady said kindly but with a hint of sternness.

"That's right. If it weren't for Yu Niang's insistence on disagreeing, saying she was heartbroken and didn't want anything to do with the Ye family, I would have stormed their door long ago. Our reputation as Xiyan Mountain isn't for nothing," the eldest uncle said angrily.

"Madam, please rest assured, Yun Chu will get better and better," Gu Ruoxiao said.

The group chatted idly about everyday things, mostly talking while Gu Ruoxiao listened.

Ye Xingchen picked at the green beans while peering inside. What were they saying? They'd been talking for ages. How was Gu Ruoxiao? Was she managing? She should have rehearsed her lines beforehand; she hadn't prepared at all.

Seeing this, Auntie San came over with a smile and patted her on the shoulder. "Don't worry, the old lady won't eat him up. They say an ugly daughter-in-law has to meet her in-laws eventually, and the son-in-law is no exception. Besides, he's such a handsome son-in-law! How could the old lady bear to part with him?" Auntie San teased.

"I already told you he's not the son-in-law," Ye Xingchen explained again helplessly.

Aunt Liu nudged her shoulder and laughed, "If he weren't your son-in-law, would you have brought him up Xiyan Mountain? If he weren't your son-in-law, would he have come to this dangerous place with you?"

Ye Xingchen sighed helplessly, not knowing how to explain. She also wanted to bring him to meet everyone as her son-in-law, but they didn't think he was suitable.

Xiyan Mountain remains as it always has been, the air still refreshingly crisp, mingled with the fragrance of earth and wildflowers. Birdsong rises and falls, clear and melodious, seemingly welcoming returning companions in the simplest of languages; the melodies hold a familiarity and warmth that touches the heart. The countless bluestone paths trodden along retain their ancient simplicity and resilience, weathered by time, each stone bearing witness to past footprints and stories. Looking up into the distance, the mountains rise in layers, shrouded in mist, like a delicate ink painting, both hazy and real. Everything in the mountains seems so harmonious and natural, as if time has stood still, everything unchanged, just as it always has been.

At lunchtime, the table was laden with a rich array of colorful dishes, ranging from simple home-style fare to unique wild game; every bite tasted like home. Everyone was genuinely happy, their faces beaming with joy.

The elders were busy serving food to Ye Xingchen and Gu Ruoxiao, piling the dishes high. Ye Xingchen had initially worried that Gu Ruoxiao might find it unpleasant or uncomfortable, but he showed no resistance and adapted very well.

Uncle San was always carrying a glass of wine, grinning from ear to ear. He was so happy today that Aunt San didn't mind him at all. Even the old lady happily drank a glass.

After lunch, some of the people who had been drinking got drunk, and the old lady went to take a nap.

"Are you alright?" Ye Xingchen asked, looking at Gu Ruoxiao whose expression remained unchanged. He had just been forced to drink quite a bit by his uncles.

"Me? I'm alright." He leaned against the wooden pillar, a slight smile playing on his lips.

Ye Xingchen looked up. He usually presented himself with a calm and elegant demeanor, but now his eyes were dreamy and deep, yet with a hint of imperceptible haziness, which added to his unusual charm.

"Alright, come with me." Ye Xingchen sighed and led him to a wooden house, pointing to the bed. "You can rest here for a while. My aunt just told me that she cleaned my room."

"And what about you?" Gu Ruoxiao asked, her eyes blurry with drunkenness.

Even drunk, he kept an eye on things. "Don't worry, I'm not leaving. I'll just look at the scenery outside." With that, he casually closed the door.

Gu Ruoxiao looked around. It was a small stone house built of stone slabs, and the interior was very simply furnished. Apart from a bed, a bamboo table, and a bamboo chair, there was nothing else. He lay down on the bed fully clothed, closed his eyes, and placed his fingertips on the edge of the bed. Suddenly, his keen sense of touch made him feel that there were words carved there. He touched them, and after a moment, his eyelids twitched.

There was a line of words engraved there: "Mother, Yun Chu will be alright."