Rebirth and Rewriting Fate

The haystack outside was already half a person high, yet it stood quietly as always, exuding a simple and warm atmosphere. Ye Xingchen climbed up it just like when he was a child, lay down, and enjoyed this peaceful moment, feeling utterly content.

A gentle breeze rustled the surface of the haystacks, creating a soft, swaying sound, like a melodious symphony of nature, immersing one in tranquility and peace.

"It's good that they're still here in this life." Ye Xingchen thought to herself. Once she returned to the capital and settled things for Nan Rao and the others, she would come back here to stay with the old lady and never leave again. Looking back, the reason she left two years ago seemed somewhat laughable. At that time, she discovered the treasure map her mother had left behind, learned of her grandfather's wrongful conviction at sea, and discovered her engagement to the royal family. She had planned to return to the Ye family, use the engagement to climb the social ladder, and take revenge on the Ye family. Unfortunately, she later fell in love and was manipulated. Now, reborn, grudges seemed unimportant. As long as those who were still alive were still alive, nothing else mattered.

The afterglow of the setting sun spilled onto the mortal world, and the haystack beside him suddenly shrank; it was Gu Ruoxiao who had arrived.

"Madam, is this your maternal grandmother?" he asked.

Ye Xingchen shook her head. "Not really. She and my maternal grandmother were both fishermen who fished at sea. They worked together on the sea when they were young, and their husbands knew each other. But later, after the old lady gave birth, she caught a cold and was no longer suitable to stay at sea. So everyone found this place to settle the elderly, the weak, and the children, and to protect them from the wind and sun."

"You lived here for six years?" Gu Ruoxiao shook her clothes.

"They told you?" Ye Xingchen smiled. "Yes. This is my paradise. I've probably spent more time here than I did at the other house. Ever since I can remember, every summer my mother would bring me here to escape the heat, and in winter we'd come to see the snow and keep my grandmother and everyone company on New Year's Eve. Winters here are so beautiful. My third uncle would even lead a bunch of us kids to dig snow caves and look for frozen fish! That little guy you saw at noon, he was so tiny back then, always following us around."

"When your mother passed away, didn't the Ye family come to pick you up?" Gu Ruoxiao asked cautiously.

"I heard it was because of a clash between me and Ye Wangshu, and the Ye family, naturally, dared not be careless with that infant in swaddling clothes. But I didn't believe it, so I sneaked back once, and guess what I saw?" Ye Xingchen paused. "That day was the Mid-Autumn Festival, and Mother said it's a day for family reunion. I saw the Ye family enjoying themselves, the old lady and the first lady were playing with Ye Wangshu, and Father was holding Ye Ruohuan high in the air. But they didn't seem to remember that I was left behind in the other courtyard. But I didn't care, and I turned around and ran away." Ye Xingchen spoke casually, as if it hadn't happened to her at all.

"Did no one in the Ye family know that you disappeared for so many years?" Gu Ruoxiao couldn't help but ask doubtfully. Even though he had investigated her background, he had never known that she had disappeared from the villa for so many years.

The person beside me chuckled. "Back when my mother and I lived in the villa, the people there never cared about us. They were just concerned about keeping us from starving. So my mother often took me out, and they were used to it. But after I disappeared, they suddenly became anxious. However, can you believe it? When I disappeared, the head maid of the villa, fearing blame for negligence or losing the young master, kept quiet and found a child the same age as me to live in the villa. Anyway, Minister Ye wouldn't care. You know how terrified they were when I returned? They were all stunned. It was hilarious."

Gu Ruoxiao suddenly felt a mix of emotions; it was as if he had suddenly seen a different Ye Xingchen.

"I heard them all call you Yun Chu?" Gu Ruoxiao asked.

"Yes, this is the name my mother gave me. She always hoped that after the storm, the sun would shine through. She probably hoped that I would be alright. So here, in front of my mother, I am called Yun Chu," Ye Xingchen explained.

"Yun Chu?" Gu Ruoxiao murmured to herself.

"Gu Ruoxiao, can you promise me something?" Ye Xingchen turned to look at him.

"You said."

“As you can see, Xiyan Mountain isn’t some kind of den of dragons or tigers. It’s mostly inhabited by the elderly, the weak, and the widowed. My eldest uncle lives there because of his poor health, and my third uncle lives there because of a foot injury. The young and strong have all gone out to sea to fish, only returning once every year or two, either to send money back or to take their grown children out to explore. They pose no threat to anyone. The rumors circulating down the mountain are just for self-preservation, to prevent other bandits from even considering attacking the mountain,” Ye Xingchen said anxiously.

"Speak slowly," Gu Ruoxiao interjected.

“You are a prince, I know you have the ability, power, and influence. You can transfer an upright official to govern Linchuan County and protect the people. Currently, the official in Xiyan Town is a man of the Fourth Prince. Could you replace him with your own? I guarantee the people of Xiyan Mountain will behave themselves and will never harm the people,” Ye Xingchen pleaded.

Gu Ruoxiao looked at the person in front of her and said, "I promise you, I will protect Xiyan Mountain for you."

Tears welled up in her eyes instantly, and Ye Xingchen turned her head away. Gu Ruoxiao promised me, and he's a man of his word. He will definitely protect Xiyan Mountain. Yes, Gu Ruoxiao is indeed a good person; he's good in every way, except he doesn't like me.

"Don't worry, I will definitely do what I promised you," Ye Xingchen assured her, knowing there was still half a parchment scroll left.

The two sat quietly together, their gazes fixed on the gradually sinking sunset. The afterglow of the sunset gently brushed their faces, adding a warm and soft touch to the silence.

"Then why did you leave Xiyan Mountain and return to the Ye family back then?" Gu Ruoxiao asked the final question.

However, Ye Xingchen did not want to answer this question.

As the sun sets in the distance, withdrawing its last rays, darkness begins to descend.

"Sister Yun Chu, are you up there? Grandma's looking for you!" the little one called from below.

"Coming!" Ye Xingchen replied.

Entering the old lady's room, she was leaning against the headboard, looking at Ye Xingchen with a kind expression. "Come, talk to Grandma."

The old lady was no longer the same as before; her temples were streaked with white, a testament to her past. Ye Xingchen felt a pang of sadness at the sight.

"Does Grandma still have a headache?" she asked. "Let me rub it for you."

"Good child." The old lady closed her eyes and enjoyed the massage.

“That child, I’ve given you my opinion, and the person my granddaughter has chosen is certainly quite good,” the old lady said.

"Grandma, he isn't."

"You're still lying to your grandma? Grandma has watched you grow up since you were a child, and she can see right through your eyes." The old lady opened her eyes and held Ye Xingchen's hand.

"Child, Grandma just wants to tell you that you should never wrong yourself, no matter what you do. If you're unhappy or sad, just come back to Xiyan Mountain. Xiyan Mountain will always be your home, and Grandma will always be here waiting for you," the old lady said.