Rebirth and Rewriting Fate

“Pastries go very well with this fine Biluochun tea,” Luo Yan said, taking a sip of tea.

"Great idea! I'll start selling them in my shop too." Yun Chu had spotted a business opportunity.

Luo Yan laughed heartily.

A gentle evening breeze rustled the leaves, bringing a refreshing coolness that soothed the soul. The night was tender, and moonlight spilled into the courtyard, adding a touch of dreamlike beauty to the tranquil evening.

"Yun Chu," Luo Yan said, her voice tinged with nervousness.

"Hmm?" Yun Chu looked at him.

Luo Yan took something out of his pocket and handed it to Yun Chu. Yun Chu took it with a puzzled look and opened it. Inside was a jade bracelet.

A jade bracelet, smooth and lustrous like jade, lay quietly in an antique pearwood box. Its color was as warm and gentle as spring water, or like the softest moonlight in the night sky, flowing with a faint bluish-white hue, exuding an unspoken elegance and purity. The bracelet was carved with delicate and intricate patterns: auspicious dragons soaring through clouds, and phoenixes dancing gracefully, intertwined and lifelike. Every stroke contained the craftsman's boundless dedication and devout blessings.

"What is this?" Yun Chu asked, puzzled.

"This is a keepsake left to me by my mother, which she asked me to give to my future wife. It represents her beautiful wishes for our future. Now, I want to give it to you," Luo Yan said earnestly.

"Luo Yan..." Yun Chu began, a hint of barely perceptible panic and tension in her voice.

"Yun Chu, let me finish," Luo Yan interrupted Yun Chu. "I don't know when I started to like you. Maybe it was in Linchuan, or maybe it was when you were imprisoned, or maybe it was our time together in this Qingfeng Courtyard. By the time I realized it, you had already filled my heart completely." Luo Yan raised his hand to his chest. "Back then I was just a physician, but now I am a high-ranking official. I have the ability to protect you," he said gently.

Yun Chu's heart pounded in her chest. Her first instinct was to refuse. She said, "Luo Yan, I'm not a good person. I have a bad temper, a bad reputation, and no privileged family background to help you. Besides, I'm very petty. I don't like the backstabbing and infighting in the inner quarters of noble families." She lowered her eyes, her long eyelashes trembling gently like feathers swaying in the wind, betraying the turmoil in her heart. She knew that refusal would be hurtful; she would hurt his important friend.

“I don’t care about any of that. Because the person I love is you.” Luo Yan said solemnly, smiling as he continued, “I know what you want is to find someone to love and grow old with. If you are willing to be with me, you will be the only one in my life. My home is simple, without those dirty and messy things. My parents passed away early, so there are no mother-in-law/daughter-in-law troubles. You are still you, you just need to be yourself, and I will never interfere.” He looked directly at Yun Chu and said earnestly, “Yun Chu, give me a chance, and give yourself a chance, okay?”

Yun Chu looked up at Luo Yan, her eyes flashing with complex emotions—gratitude, apology, and a hint of hesitation. She clutched her dress tightly. "Luo Yan, I..."

“You don’t need to answer me right away.” Luo Yan shook his head with a smile. “I wanted to confess my feelings to you a long time ago. I was afraid it would be too late, and one wrong move could ruin everything. I’m telling you all this just to tell you clearly and plainly that someone likes you. I also hope that one day when you want to get married, you can put me on your priority list, okay?” He said with a smile, his eyes glistening with tears, his lips slightly pursed, forming a faint but unusually firm line.

Yun Chu lowered her head, her heart filled with mixed feelings of confusion, apprehension, and helplessness.

"Alright, I've said what I needed to say. I have other things to attend to, so I'll take my leave now." Luo Yan got up and left, hurrying towards the distant gate.

Yun Chu looked up at Luo Yan's figure, her eyes sweeping over the jade bracelet on the table. She quickly stood up and called out, "You didn't take your jade bracelet with you."

Luo Yan waved his hand and said without turning his head, "Keep it with you for now. When you make a decision, bring it to me." After saying that, he disappeared at the gate of the courtyard.

Yun Chu looked at the jade bracelet in front of her and sighed. The jade bracelet was smooth and round, and her fingertips felt slightly cool.

Inside the dormitory of the Prince's Palace's secret guards, Chengfeng was sitting at the table drinking tea, while Chiwu was tidying up the room beside him. They'd been away from the capital for so long; it was time to clean up.

"Brother Chengfeng, Brother Chengfeng, I'm back!" A voice came from outside, and Fengxing, who had just returned to the Dark Guard dormitory, rushed towards his Brother Chengfeng.

In the evening, he received a message from Chengfeng, informing him that Master Gu wanted him to go to Qingfeng Courtyard to check on Yun Chu's foot injury and Mo Han's injury. If it weren't for Doctor Wei's recent trip, Gu Ruoxiao would never have sent him. Fortunately, this time Miss Yun Chu didn't give him a hard time and even had Nan Rao serve him a bowl of red bean soup. He then took the opportunity to openly stay at Qingfeng Courtyard and play with Ping An.

"Okay, stop yelling. You have a really loud voice." Chengfeng, sitting at the table, picked at his ear.

Feng Xing raised his hand and drank the tea that Cheng Feng had just brewed in one gulp. Chi Wu, who was tidying up nearby, watched the two of them and shook his head.

"Brother, I have some big gossip, do you want to hear it?" Feng Xing said mysteriously.

"What gossip could you possibly have? I'm not listening." Chengfeng poured another cup of tea and said disdainfully.

"Listen to me!" Feng Xing couldn't hold back any longer. "I'm telling you, Lord Luo Yan confessed his feelings to Miss Yun Chu."

Cough, cough, cough—Chengfeng choked on his tea and coughed repeatedly. "What did you say?"

Feng Xing quickly tried to soothe his brother while offering his own insights, "I say, Lord Luo Yan confessed his feelings to Miss Yun Chu. Lord Luo Yan seems like a good person, he shouldn't bully Miss Yun Chu."

"What did Miss Yun Chu say?" Even Chi Wu stopped what he was doing and asked.

"I don't know." Feng Xing looked blank. Seeing that the two of them were looking at him, he said, "I heard him confess his feelings and ran back to report this to you. By the way, Lord Luo also gave Miss Yun Chu a bracelet. I suppose it was a token of their love."

Chengfeng and Chiwu exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with confusion and worry.

"Want some osmanthus cake? It's freshly made by Nanrao!" Suibo stepped in from outside, carrying a bag of snacks.

"You went to Qingfeng Courtyard too?" Chiwu asked.

"Yes, that's right. But don't worry, I put in some money. Do you want to try some? It's freshly made and smells amazing. I haven't had any in so long, I'm dying to eat it." Sui Bo picked up another piece of pastry and put it in his mouth.

"You also met Lord Luo Yan?" Chengfeng asked.

"Lord Luo? No, not at all. But I saw Miss Yun Chu sitting in the courtyard, gazing at a jade bracelet in a daze," Sui Bo said, taking a sip of tea.

"Does this mean that keeping the jade bracelet means the deal is done?" Feng Xing asked curiously.

"What are you talking about? What jade bracelet? What's done?" A familiar voice came from outside.