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In ancient times when travel was so inconvenient, a single letter could easily spend two to three months on the road, so to have received six letters in the year and a half since Gu Jiao had left was proof enough that Xue Ningxiang had been writing quite frequently.

Most of what Xue Ningxiang wrote about concerned the back mountain as well as her everyday life in the countryside.

“Her handwriting is even better than mine now…” Gu Jiao muttered to herself.

The back mountain had already been cleared and cultivated, and according to Gu Jiao’s instructions, different kinds of medicinal herbs had been planted, with the expectation that some could be harvested by the following year.

Gouwa was now five years old, mischievous and full of energy, always running all over the place, which caused Xue Ningxiang no small amount of trouble in looking after him.

He got along well with Dean Li, so much so that he truly believed himself to be Dean Li’s biological son; Dean Li had begun teaching him how to write, and, surprisingly enough, he was learning very well.

In the second-to-last letter, Xue Ningxiang had written that Grandaunt had sent her a message inviting her, her husband, and Gouwa to visit the capital, and she had said that they would come very soon.

But in the most recent letter, which followed shortly after, she explained that she was pregnant and thus could not travel for the time being, and that once the baby was born, she would bring the child to the capital to visit Grandaunt and Gu Jiao.

After listening to an entire afternoon of news and reading through so many of Xue Ningxiang’s letters, Gu Jiao suddenly felt a strange, dreamlike sensation as though an entire lifetime had passed.

When she had first transmigrated, Gouwa had only been one year old, and now he was already five.

Unknowingly, she had already spent four years in this place.

As she was lost in such emotions, Gu Xiaobao came toddling into the room.

He stood before Gu Jiao and Empress Dowager Zhuang, looking up at the Empress Dowager with a pair of especially innocent and well-behaved eyes.

“Grandaunt.” He called out in his soft, childish voice.

Empress Dowager Zhuang gave a cold snort through her nose. “Humph, and what trouble have you gotten into this time?”

Gu Xiaobao placed his two small hands together in front of him, his right hand pinching the index finger of his left. “None.”

Empress Dowager Zhuang struck straight at the truth. “If you’re fiddling with your little hands like that, then it means there is something.”

No sooner had her words fallen than Yu Ya’er and a young palace maid from Renshou Palace rushed in, both looking flustered and uneasy.

The two lowered their heads.

Yu Ya’er herself did not even know what it was, nor how she ought to report it.

At last, the little palace maid gritted her teeth and forced herself to speak. “Th-the… the Phoenix Seal… it has been broken.”

Empress Dowager Zhuang’s face instantly darkened, and her eyes shot forth a volley of sharp daggers!

Gu Xiaobao quickly stepped forward and hugged Empress Dowager Zhuang’s hand. “Grandaunt, Xiaobao loves you.”

Empress Dowager Zhuang’s body trembled violently. Just who on earth had taught him to say such things!!!

Gu Jiao only returned after having dinner at Renshou Palace.

By then, Gu Xiaobao had already fallen fast asleep, nestled in Gu Jiao’s arms, breathing softly with sweet little snores.

Gu Jiao gazed at him. “Mm, children really are quite adorable.”

Yu Ya’er smiled as she said, “Young miss, there’s no need to envy, very soon you and guye will have one of your own!”

Her? Have a child? Gu Jiao froze on the spot, completely dumbfounded.

……

At the Yuan Family Residence.

Grand Secretary Yuan was chatting happily with Old Marquis in the reception hall.

Gu Changqing, seated beside Old Marquis, felt as if he were sitting on pins and needles.

Suddenly, he caught sight of a shadow flitting past the window, and it seemed the person had glanced at him deliberately.

Understanding immediately, he rose and said, “Forgive me, I need to go to the lavatory.”

Old Marquis cast a displeased look at his grandson, silently rebuking him. Here they were discussing important matters, and he chose now of all times to excuse himself for such a thing?

Grand Secretary Yuan, however, smiled and raised his hand. “It’s fine, go on. Zhao San, take Gu shizi to the lavatory.”

“Yes.”

The servant boy addressed as Zhao San led Gu Changqing toward the lavatory.

Gu Changqing kept his face calm as he said, “I know the way. You go back first, I might take a while.."

“Yes.” Zhao San turned back to the reception hall.

Gu Changqing then shifted his steps, using his qinggong to swiftly arrive at a small garden nearby.

There, a young Taoist nun dressed in a Toist robe had been waiting for quite some time, a newly published novel held in her hands.

She closed the book she had been halfway reading, turned, and looked at Gu Changqing. “You’ve finally come. If you hadn’t, I would have gone to fetch you myself.”

“It was you who sent someone to summon me just now?” He asked.

“Mm.” The Taoist nun nodded.

He asked, “What is the matter?”

The Taoist nun glanced past him, then signaled with her eyes toward the servant girl beside her.

The servant girl understood at once and walked a short distance away to keep watch.

Only then did the Taoist nun ask, “How are your grandfather and mine getting along?”

“They…” Gu Changqing recalled the scene of the two elders hitting it off at once, his expression turning complicated. “I’m sorry. I never expected my grandfather would seek out the phoenix bird himself. Give me some time, I will find another way to withdraw from this marriage.”

Yuan Baolin paused, then asked tentatively, “If you withdraw this time, then… does that mean you won’t need to marry at all in the future?”

“What?” Gu Changqing did not understand why she was asking this.

She explained, “I mean, our original plan was flawed. It’s not that easy for me to return to the Taoist temple, especially since my grandmother even threatened her own life not long ago to prevent it… and it’s the same for you, isn’t it? Even if you withdraw from the engagement with me, your family will simply arrange another marriage for you, again and again, until you take a wife.”

Gu Changqing fell silent.

Yuan Baolin was right. He was the heir of a marquisate, destined to inherit the family estate in the future, and his grandfather would never give up on arranging his marriage.

Yuan Baolin thought for a moment, then asked him, “So now… are you still the same as before, still unwilling to marry?”

“Yes.” Gu Changqing nodded firmly, without a shred of hesitation.

Yuan Baolin said, “Me too, I don’t want to marry anyone. What good are men anyway? Of all the women I’ve seen who lived to a ripe old age, every single one of them lived that long because their men died early. Treasure life, stay far away from men.”

Gu Changqing: “…” He found himself utterly speechless.

Yuan Baolin hugged the book in her hands, her eyes shifting mischievously as she cast him a sly glance, then smiled and said, “Since you don’t want to take a wife and I don’t want to marry a man, why don’t the two of us work together?”

Gu Changqing looked at her intently. “What you mean is——”

Yuan Baolin walked forward a few steps, speaking lightly as though it were nothing. “Anyway, as long as we deceive them, that’s enough! In the future, if you find someone you truly love, or if I find someone I truly love, it won’t be too late for us to separate then!”

Gu Changqing hesitated for a moment, then said, “But this wouldn’t be fair to you.”

For a man, divorcing was not much of an issue, but for a woman, once divorced, gossip and criticism would follow no matter what; even as the legitimate granddaughter of Grand Secretary Yuan, she could not escape the shackles of society’s judgment.

Yuan Baolin smiled faintly and said, “That is nothing for you to worry about. To be honest, I don’t care what others think of me. Their eyes and their words cannot wound me. You just have to say whether you agree or not.”

This kind of unorthodox, unconventional nature… it really was somewhat similar to that of her younger sister.

Gu Changqing furrowed his brows; for him, this arrangement was all benefit and no harm, but for her, it truly was——

Yuan Baolin spoke with frankness and composure. “Don’t look down on women too much, and don’t use your way of thinking to measure me. I know exactly what I want. Unless you don’t wish to cooperate with me, in which case just take it as if I never said a word.”

Gu Changqing contemplated in silence for a moment, his expression complicated as he looked at her, and finally, he gave his decision.

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Description:

In the suspenseful supernatural novel “Records of Mortals,” Jiang Baiyan, once a solitary and impoverished youth, finds refuge in the Shi family of Chang’an due to his extraordinary bloodline. With his clear and captivating peach blossom eyes, this seemingly innocent young man conceals a fanatical and malevolent lunatic within. Destined to succumb to darkness amidst hardship and degradation, he becomes a harbinger of chaos.

When Shi Dai suddenly transmigrates, she takes on the role of the Shi family’s young lady, the one who subjects him to countless trials, eventually leading to her demise.

The twist? She never got to finish reading the novel.

From what she knew of the plot, Jiang Baiyan was just a silent, timid, and often bullied pitiable character.

***

Jiang Baiyan had never encountered someone like Shi Dai.

After he had slaughtered all the evil creatures in the garden, the blood-stained young man, exuding a murderous aura, approached her step by step, his lips curling into a malicious smile, "Scared?"

Shi Dai responded, “You’re really amazing! I applaud you until I spin like a spiral and fly around the moon three hundred times! And also——you have dimples when you smile!"

Jiang Baiyan: ...?

—

After seeing her at a lantern festival with another man, Jiang Baiyan lowered his eyes, his fingers twirling her hair. He said in a mocking and sinister tone, "The mansion in the western suburbs...if I hide you there, no one will find you, right?"

Shi Dai replied, "Does it come with meals and lodging? Can I sleep in everyday? Oh, and your cooking is the best!"

Jiang Baiyan: ...?

—

Jiang Baiyan was supposed to dislike her, even hate her, but as their separation drew near, his eyes turned red and he grabbed her sleeve, pleading, "Don't abandon me, alri—”

Shi Dai responded, "Alright, alright, I’ll only have you. Mwah."

Jiang Baiyan: ...?

He hasn't finished his lines yet though…

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