At the sight of Xie Shuhuai, warmth spread through Yuhe’s chest, her eyes lighting up with joy. She walked up to him with slow, deliberate steps. After so many long years, she was finally standing face-to-face with him again.
No longer was she a helpless ghost, drifting powerlessly in his shadow—unseen, unfelt, and entirely unknown to him. She gazed at him softly, as though she could never fully drink in his presence.
Her sudden appearance threw the entire procession off balance.
The lively blare of the suona abruptly died down, and Shuhuai froze in his tracks. Behind him, the sedan chair bearers, the matchmaker, and the long line of attendants carrying the bridal dowry all ground to a halt.
As a heavy silence fell over the path, Yuhe snapped back to reality. “You’re marrying Li Yunluo… do you love her?”
Shuhuai’s eyes held not a single trace of affection. Flashing a look of disgust, he took two steps back and answered without hesitation, “I do.”
He was undeniably handsome, yet his eyes were as cold and unyielding as an icy pool. Another wave of sharp agony pierced Yuhe’s chest.
It’s true, she thought bitter-sweetly. They were betrothed since childhood, after all. If the Xie family hadn’t suffered that catastrophe, I wouldn’t have entered the picture at all. And later, when Shuhuai refused to remarry for so many years… wasn’t he just waiting for Li Yunluo all along? The moment she was divorced, he brought her straight home.
Hearing his blunt confirmation, Yuhe’s lips parted slightly, but every speech she had carefully prepared vanished from her mind.
Nearly everyone in the procession recognized Yuhe. Many of them had even taken part in her own grand wedding to Shuhuai. Right now, their gazes were heavy with disdain and contempt.
Seeing her cornering the groom, the matchmaker was the first to object. Striding up to Yuhe, she yanked her aside and declared loudly, “Mistress Lin, this is a joyous occasion! Whatever business you have, save it for after today! Delaying the auspicious hour brings nothing but bad luck!”
Behind her, the sedan chair bearers and townspeople chimed in with sharp taunts, eager to push her out of the way—if the wedding was called off, none of them would get paid.
“Move aside! How can anyone be so thick-skinned?”
“Inconstant and devoid of womanly virtue!”
“The Li family’s daughter is ten times the woman she is!”
Lin Yuping, fiercely protective of his sister, couldn’t bear to see her insulted. “My sister is innocent and pure!” he roared, stepping forward to block them. “Keep your foul mouths shut, or my fists won’t be so forgiving!”
Rolling up his sleeves, the burly young man looked ready to start a brawl right then and there.
Shuhuai paid no mind to the siblings, turning on his heel to walk away.
Yuhe remained composed. Calling out to his receding back, she said, “Xie Shuhuai, wait! I didn’t come here to block your way today. I only want to ask on behalf of the child in my belly… do you still want it?”
Shuhuai’s footsteps faltered. Slowly, he turned around. “What do you mean?”
Yuhe seized the opportunity to close the distance between them. Resting a hand gently over her lower abdomen, she said softly, “Last night, I had a dream. I dreamt of the child in my belly, covered in filth, asking me why I didn’t want it.”
By the time she finished speaking, tears were streaming down her face, her eyes filled with profound regret.
A crack finally appeared in Shuhuai’s stoic, icy demeanor. His gaze shifted down to her stomach.
“I came today only to ask you one thing,” Yuhe pressed on, her voice trembling. “The child inside me is yours. Do you still want it?”
Before Shuhuai could speak, the crowd behind him erupted in protest again.
“Young Master Xie, don’t listen to her lies! She’s already engaged to the Min family—why would she keep the child?”
“That’s right! She’s definitely tricking you!”
Yuping shouted back fiercely, “Whether she’s lying or not, a quick check by a physician will settle it!”
“By the time you find a physician, the auspicious hour will be long gone!” someone countered. “What kind of wicked scheme are you siblings playing at?”
Amidst the growing commotion, Shuhuai walked over to an old man carrying a shoulder pole. Bowing respectfully, he said, “Uncle Ji, I must trouble you.”
Uncle Ji was the local barefoot doctor of Hongye Village.
Everyone in Hongye Village had long ostracized the Xie family. Back when Shuhuai possessed no imperial titles, the villagers had routinely made life difficult for them. It was only after he passed the scholar examinations and earned the rank of juren that the locals finally curbed their spite. But after his failure at the national exams earlier that year, they had resumed their gloating, spreading vicious gossip about the Xie household at every turn.
The men helping with today’s wedding procession had all been hired by Shuhuai from neighboring villages. Only Doctor Ji had volunteered out of goodwill to carry the bridal gifts for him.
At Shuhuai’s respectful request, Doctor Ji nodded softly.
Yuhe cooperated without hesitation, extending her wrist to let the doctor check her pulse.
Moments later, Doctor Ji spoke with absolute certainty: “Mistress Lin speaks the truth. She is indeed three months pregnant.”
The crowd fell dead silent.
Shuhuai remained quiet for a long moment before bowing deeply to the gathered procession. “Everyone, the marriage with the Li family is called off,” he announced calmly. “The silver promised to each of you will be paid in full.”
The matchmaker stomped her feet in a fury. “Young Master Xie, have you truly thought through the consequences? Just how do you plan to explain this to the Li family?”
“I shall go to the Li family in person to seek forgiveness,” Shuhuai replied smoothly. “I must ask you, Auntie, to go ahead and inform them first.”
Though disgruntled, the crowd had no power to override Shuhuai’s decision. Accepting their coins, they dispersed one by one.
Without another word, Shuhuai turned around to walk home. Yuhe and her brother quietly followed closely behind.
Shuhuai’s residence sat in the southwest corner of the village. As the trio crossed the settlement, they drew curious stares and whispers from every side. It was only upon returning to the familiar mud-walled courtyard that the frantic uncertainty in Yuhe’s heart finally settled into peace.
There were hardly any guests present—aside from Shuhuai’s mother, Lady Cui, and his young niece, Yun’er, the only others were a few village women who occasionally kept company with the family, now helping the cook in the kitchen.
The courtyard was dressed in festive splendor. Crimson “Double Happiness” paper cutouts adorned the walls, bright red lanterns hung beneath the eaves, and a vibrant red cloth curtain framed the doorway. It was even grander than the setup for her own wedding to Shuhuai years ago.
When Lady Cui saw that her son had brought Yuhe back, her face flushed with anger, and her voice trembled violently. “Who allowed you to bring her back? Today is your grand wedding with Yunluo!”
Yuhe stood rooted to the spot, bowing her head in deep remorse. “Mother…” she called softly.
“I am not your mother!” Lady Cui barked instantly. “Leave this instant!”
Acheing for his sister, Lin Yuping stepped forward to reveal the truth. “Aunt Cui, the child in Hehe’s belly is still alive. That is Shuhuai’s own flesh and blood!”
Lady Cui froze in shock, unable to utter a single word for a long time as the weight of her son’s choice finally sank in.
Shuhuai offered no further explanations. He simply handed out gifts of gratitude to the few helpers, and within minutes, all the outsiders carried away their rented tables and benches, leaving the courtyard completely quiet.
Once they were alone, Shuhuai’s face turned deathly cold. “Once you give birth to the child, you will leave immediately,” he said, his voice laced with frost. “And you are not permitted to set foot near my room ever again.”
The harsh words struck Yuhe like a heavy blow, leaving her utterly stunned. He has no intention of remarrying me at all. Staying by his side meant she had a mere half a year left.
Yet she knew she had brought this upon herself. She had no right to complain, only to take things one step at a time.
Suddenly, a realization sparked in her mind. After giving birth, I’ll still need to nurse the baby! That will take at least a year or two… Can Li Yunluo truly wait that long?
Suppressing the sudden burst of joy in her chest, she nodded obediently in agreement.
Yuping couldn’t bear the mistreatment and opened his mouth to protest, but Yuhe quickly reached out to stop him.
Moments later, Shuhuai emerged from his chamber, having stripped off his vibrant red wedding robes. Seeing him prepare to step out, Yuhe called out softly, “Husband…”
Before she could finish, Shuhuai cut her off sharply: “Silence! You and I are no longer husband and wife.”
“If I call you ‘Brother Shuhuai’, you become the child’s uncle,” Yuhe reasoned gently. “Since you are the father, I can only call you Husband. I’ll only call you Husband in private… outside—”
Before she could babble any further, Shuhuai flicked his sleeves in annoyance and walked away.