My dearest readers, the previous chapter wasn't finished yesterday, so I've added it today. You can reread it now. I'll be very busy for a while as I've just returned to school and have exams this week. I missed the final exams last semester due to the epidemic... Ah, my unfortunate fate.
This means my updates might be a bit late and the chapters might be fewer. However, I will complete them all, so don't worry. I'm averaging six thousand characters per day. Although there are fewer chapters, we're still meeting our word count target.
Also... a personal question: have you gotten your ears pierced? I was afraid of the pain and never dared to do it, but yesterday I got mine done. It hurts like hell today, and it's already inflamed. I'm crying!
So, after piercing your ears, do you need to keep rotating them? Some people around me say yes, others say no... I'm confused. And... when will it heal?
Waaah~
Finally, one last thing. I'll give a unified answer to a question many of you have been asking: when will the female rebirth arc end?
Actually, I initially planned for three rebirth arcs: female rebirth, male rebirth, and dual rebirth. The female rebirth and dual rebirth arcs will both be 100,000 characters and are separate story arcs. In the female rebirth arc, the male lead will not have memories of his past life, but he will be tormented later. He will eventually clarify his feelings, but the female lead will have lost her courage. As for the ending... it's a secret for now. They might end up together, or they might not, or it could be an open ending.
When we get to the dual rebirth arc, there will be a lot of torment for the male lead. In the dual rebirth arc, the main focus will be on tormenting the male lead. He will have all the memories from his past lives: first life, second life, third life, including his current memories. However, for his memory of the first life, I will choose the second ending. So his rebirth will begin from our second ending. He will have feelings for the female lead upon rebirth and want to win her back, but the female lead will not have memories from the main story. In her heart, there will only be hurt.
Therefore, she will resent the male lead. In the dual rebirth arc, the male lead can be said to be tormented from beginning to end. If you're interested, you can look forward to it. Many people feel the male lead isn't terrible enough, right? Let's see how we torment him later. If you have any suggestions, feel free to share them.
This current arc will likely end in another ten to twenty thousand characters, within this week. The key is that I'm a bit busy these few days. If it were during the Spring Festival, it might be over in a few days, haha. Please bear with me.
Also, a reminder: the male rebirth arc in the side stories will be different from the main story. It will be presented in a special format and will be around 50,000 characters, finishing in about a week.
The initial estimated completion of this novel was 500,000 characters, but it went over. Now it's set at 1,000,000 characters, haha. You can keep an eye on the word count.
And seeing this, I'm still very grateful for everyone's support. Many of you have truly followed from beginning to end, and I'm deeply touched, haha. It feels like recognition. I've always been under a lot of pressure, afraid of disappointing your expectations later on. I want to write well, but I just can't. Sigh~ Thank you all again for your understanding. Having you all here is my greatest honor~ Thank you. If you have any other suggestions, you can leave them in the comments. I basically read every message.
Lastly, the new book is already in preparation. I originally planned to write a campus story, but a small change occurred in the middle, so there will be some adjustments.
The new book is still a historical romance, and it's also a male rebirth story, but it might have some differences from this one. Also, for those who are wondering why Mr. Xiao's novel was taken down, it's because I deleted it myself. I'll re-upload it after some revisions, but I can't confirm the exact time.
And for my other book, which some of you might have seen, the one about Jiuxian Suisui, it's been constantly paused because I'm too busy with this one. After this book is finished, I will focus on that one. That book won't be too long, it will finish at over 300,000 characters. Thank you all~
Feel free to leave any other questions in the comments. I originally wanted to post these words at the end, but I was afraid some people wouldn't see them, and if I posted them in the author's notes, there would be character limits. Please understand...
Alright, I've said a lot of rambling. I'm going to get to the main point now, haha.
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Nan Zhiyun was rendered speechless by Yu Jingchen's actions. Was he helping her wash up?
Nan Zhiyun was completely stunned, letting Yu Jingchen's actions proceed without moving, her mind entirely hazy.
Yu Jingchen seemed completely at ease performing these tasks, as if it were natural. Only after he finished did Nan Zhiyun slowly come back to her senses.
Then she saw Yu Jingchen bring the medicine: "Apply the medicine first, then eat," he said. He then casually sat down beside Nan Zhiyun, taking her foot and placing it on his knee.
Nan Zhiyun was somewhat flustered by Yu Jingchen's actions. Her foot was already red and swollen; it looked even worse than yesterday.
"Is this what you call much better?" Yu Jingchen glanced at Nan Zhiyun. Feeling a bit guilty, Nan Zhiyun dared not reply.
As Yu Jingchen began to apply the medicine...
"Hiss... it hurts." Nan Zhiyun couldn't help it. It hurt, more than yesterday.
"Bear with it." Yu Jingchen said nothing else, offering no comfort.
Nan Zhiyun could only endure. But if she couldn't endure, what else could she do? Soon, tears began to fall. Yu Jingchen noticed and seemed surprised: "Does it hurt that much? You're crying?" he asked.
Nan Zhiyun didn't answer, looking at her foot. How could she possibly go out later? Yu Jingchen would definitely take her back to the palace.
"Alright, stop crying, it'll be over soon. Instead of crying, why don't you think about where you want to go later?" Yu Jingchen tried to divert Nan Zhiyun's attention.
Nan Zhiyun was startled by his words. So... she didn't have to return to the palace? He was willing to let her stay outside? However, this feeling didn't last long before she defeated herself again. In her current state, unable to even walk, where could she go?
"What's wrong? Still not happy? Or perhaps you don't know where to go?" Yu Jingchen asked. Why was she unhappy? She was being quite difficult.
"My foot... I can't go out." Nan Zhiyun felt wronged. She wanted to go out too, but she couldn't. In her current condition, what could she do? Was she supposed to be carried everywhere?
"Just tell me if you want to go. Do you want to go?" Yu Jingchen was impatient. Why so many reservations? It was just a simple matter, not that difficult.
"... I want to." Nan Zhiyun replied. Yu Jingchen was speechless. See? That's better.
"So where do you want to go? Is there anything you want to do?" Yu Jingchen continued to ask. He realized that if he didn't ask, she would bottle everything up.
"... I don't know." She had initially just not wanted to stay in the palace, but now that she was asked, she couldn't answer.
"You have an injury on your foot, so you need to avoid crowded places, can't stand for long, and can't walk too far." Yu Jingchen reminded her. Nan Zhiyun naturally understood this, but after satisfying these conditions, what places were left for her to visit?
"Do you like listening to folk tales and storybooks?" Yu Jingchen asked.
Nan Zhiyun didn't know why Yu Jingchen asked this, but she obediently replied: "Yes, I read some when I'm bored."
"Then shall we go to a teahouse later to listen to such stories? Is that okay?" Yu Jingchen asked proactively.
Nan Zhiyun thought about it. It seemed okay, and she hadn't really listened to such things before. So she nodded. Seeing her satisfied, Yu Jingchen finally breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed... she wasn't that difficult to please after all. She could be coaxed.
After Yu Jingchen finished applying the medicine to Nan Zhiyun, Xing Lai also brought people to serve the dishes. The dishes were quite exquisite, and Nan Zhiyun glanced at them. They were quite light.
"It's better to eat something light in the morning." Yu Jingchen said to her. Nan Zhiyun had no room to refuse. However, being observant, she quickly noticed something different. Many of these dishes were not available at this inn.
Nan Zhiyun looked for a while. Xing Lai clearly noticed her gaze, so how could he not chime in?
"Does Madam like these dishes? His Majesty ordered his subordinates to go out and buy them from various places for breakfast. We got all sorts of breakfast items. Madam can just choose whichever she likes, and then I can have people note it down. When Madam wants to eat them, we can buy them or have the imperial chefs learn how to make them." Xing Lai's observational skills were extraordinary.
Nan Zhiyun hadn't expected Yu Jingchen to go to such lengths. It was quite surprising, but she really couldn't understand why Yu Jingchen was doing this. The recent changes made her feel at a loss.
"Eat something first, see how it tastes." Yu Jingchen interrupted Nan Zhiyun's thoughts. Nan Zhiyun lowered her gaze. There were many dishes in front of her. She tasted them, and they all tasted very good. She really liked them.
Yu Jingchen watched Nan Zhiyun eat. If she seemed to enjoy a particular dish, he would make a note of it, which would be very convenient later. Nan Zhiyun had a good appetite yesterday, and Yu Jingchen was afraid she wouldn't want to eat anything this morning, so he specifically had people prepare these dishes, thinking there would surely be something she liked.
It seemed his decision was good, as she ate quite a lot. Were things outside really that delicious? How could Nan Zhiyun not control herself? But as long as she ate, that was good.
After Nan Zhiyun finished eating, she realized she had unconsciously eaten a lot. She was a bit surprised herself.
Yu Jingchen seemed to sense her embarrassment and spoke, a rare occurrence: "Perhaps the child in your belly is craving. If you like a certain type, have the servants prepare it."
Nan Zhiyun shook her head. She had already eaten enough. Seeing that she had truly eaten enough, Yu Jingchen didn't say any more. After breakfast was finished, Xing Lai instructed the servants to note down the dishes Nan Zhiyun ate the most of and specifically ordered people to learn how to make them.
"Do you need anything else? If everything is ready, shall I take you to the teahouse now?" Yu Jingchen asked Nan Zhiyun.
It was getting late, almost noon. If they didn't go soon, the whole day would likely be wasted.
Nan Zhiyun nodded, but then she looked at her foot. Before she could react, Yu Jingchen directly picked her up.
Nan Zhiyun had been picked up by Yu Jingchen so many times in the past two days that she was gradually getting used to it, but she still felt a bit awkward.
Xing Lai had already prepared a carriage. Yu Jingchen took a veil for Nan Zhiyun. As they went downstairs, he directly tucked her into his embrace. Nan Zhiyun buried her face in Yu Jingchen's chest, not letting anyone see her.
When they reached the entrance of the inn downstairs, Yu Jingchen placed Nan Zhiyun into the carriage before letting her go. Nan Zhiyun felt dizzy and almost couldn't sit still.
"Let's go," Yu Jingchen said to the person outside. The carriage began to move. Nan Zhiyun looked at the interior. It was quite nice. Perhaps because Yu Jingchen was there, everything was prepared to the highest standard.
"If you're bored, you can eat something." Yu Jingchen said to Nan Zhiyun. Nan Zhiyun glanced at the things in front of her. There was a table with grapes and other items on it.
However, she didn't touch them. Yu Jingchen didn't say anything either, letting her do as she pleased. The teahouse was not far away, so the carriage soon stopped. Nan Zhiyun began to look forward to it.
"Your Majesty, we've arrived," Xing Lai called out from outside. Yu Jingchen took the veil and then carried Nan Zhiyun out of the carriage. Xing Lai saw this action and quietly stepped back two paces.
"Alright, we're here," Yu Jingchen said. He then put Nan Zhiyun down and handed her the veil he was holding.
"Don't let your face show in crowded places," Yu Jingchen said.
Nan Zhiyun didn't know why, and of course, she didn't dare to ask. It was just a veil, so she'd wear it.
"Can you walk by yourself?" Yu Jingchen asked her, and also reached out to support her. Nan Zhiyun tried to walk, but after just one step, she couldn't. The next moment, she was in the air again, lifted by Yu Jingchen, causing onlookers to stare.
Quite a few people were already seated in the teahouse. Xing Lai had arranged for a seat on the second floor, with a wide view and a pleasant environment.
Not only that, but the servants behind them also brought out a lot of food. Nan Zhiyun watched them replace all the items on the table with their own prepared ones. Was this a bit too much?
"Don't eat things outside casually. You don't know if they're clean, and moreover, you're in a special condition, so you need to be more careful," Yu Jingchen explained. Nan Zhiyun felt it was a bit excessive but didn't say much.
"It's about to start. Do you have any other questions?" Yu Jingchen asked.
Nan Zhiyun shook her head. Fine. Seeing her shake her head, Yu Jingchen said no more. Soon, the storyteller came down.
Nan Zhiyun hadn't seen this kind of scene much before. She had read more than she had heard. Moreover, storytellers always liked to stop at the most exciting parts, so she disliked waiting and would just buy the books.
Today, the storyteller was narrating the story of a little fox who fell in love with a mortal. The mortal saved the injured little fox. The little fox spent some time with him, and besides gratitude, other feelings grew.
For this love, the little fox worked hard to transform into a human. However, when she transformed into a maiden and wanted to repay his kindness, the mortal had already reached his twilight years. She watched the mortal leave before her eyes, heartbroken. Later, she thought about waiting for his reincarnation, but when that time truly came, she couldn't find him.
To find the mortal, the little fox didn't hesitate to harm innocent people and used forbidden arts, endangering all living beings. She finally found the mortal. At that time, the mortal was the son of a great general. The little fox accompanied him as he grew up, secretly helping him grow up safely and embark on his official career.
One day, the mortal became the great general in everyone's hearts... but the little fox was despised. Furthermore, her identity was accidentally exposed, and she was condemned by the world.
She thought her great general would protect her, but he didn't. Not only that, but the great general in his heart wanted to uphold heavenly justice and kill her...
Nan Zhiyun listened intently, and tears involuntarily welled up in her eyes. Yu Jingchen had never been interested in such stories, but he had been observing Nan Zhiyun's situation.
Seeing that she seemed a bit off, but unable to see her expression clearly through the veil, he couldn't help but ask, "What's wrong?"
Nan Zhiyun came back to her senses and shook her head slightly. But how could Yu Jingchen be easily fooled?
"If you're unhappy, you're unhappy. Why are you pretending?" Yu Jingchen frowned. Nan Zhiyun fell silent. Yu Jingchen looked down. Was it because of the story being told?
"It's just a story, it's not real," Yu Jingchen picked up his cup.
"But... the little fox will be truly desperate..." Nan Zhiyun suddenly said. Yu Jingchen's hand holding the cup paused. He looked at Nan Zhiyun and then heard her continue: "The little fox harmed people, but even if she wronged the world, she didn't wrong that general. Yet, in the end, it was the general who delivered the most fatal blow, both physically and mentally. Even if she was unforgivable, the general was the least qualified to condemn her, because most of what he has now is because of the little fox." Nan Zhiyun whispered. Yu Jingchen didn't expect to hear such words from Nan Zhiyun.
Yu Jingchen looked at Nan Zhiyun. Did this woman truly believe that emotions were that simple?
"Do you really think it's enough if only the little fox likes him?" Yu Jingchen retorted. Nan Zhiyun didn't know how to answer.
"In a relationship between two people, if only one person cares, then not being liked is the original sin. She willingly went up, so who can she blame? If you don't respect yourself, if you don't cherish yourself, you offer your dignity and backbone with both hands. Something you can easily give away yourself, why would you expect others to treasure it? Nan Zhiyun, do you think that after falling in love with someone, you must make that person fall in love with you back?" Yu Jingchen's tone was not good. Nan Zhiyun didn't know how to refute him.
"Self-respect and self-love, self-reliance and self-strengthening. If you can't do it yourself, how can you expect others to?" Yu Jingchen told her.
"But... some things are beyond control." Nan Zhiyun explained, trying to retort.
"Why beyond control? Can't let go?" Yu Jingchen countered.
Nan Zhiyun moved her lips, but in the end, she said nothing. In the past, it seemed impossible, but now it didn't seem that difficult... yet she still felt that some things were indeed uncontrollable.
As for Yu Jingchen, reaching this point, he seemed to recall something and immediately swallowed back what he was about to say: "Forget it, don't think about it. It's just a story, just listen and forget." Yu Jingchen said.
Nan Zhiyun didn't respond. The storyteller below had just reached the part where the great general, to establish his image in the hearts of the people, being a general of a nation with the power to protect the region, personally captured the little fox.
The little fox was now on the execution platform. They wanted to burn the little fox alive. Nan Zhiyun's heart tightened upon hearing this.
But... what happened next was the thing Nan Zhiyun disliked the most: the storyteller's words – "To know what happens next, stay tuned for the next episode."
Nan Zhiyun's expression... froze. This was really too much, wasn't it?
Even though Yu Jingchen couldn't see Nan Zhiyun's expression, he could generally guess it. For some reason, he felt a desire to know Nan Zhiyun's current mood.
"Do you want to continue listening?" Yu Jingchen asked her.
"... The day is still long." On one hand, Nan Zhiyun genuinely wanted to continue listening, and on the other hand... she really didn't want to go back.
"Do you have an ending in mind? How do you hope it will develop later?" Yu Jingchen suddenly wanted to know what Nan Zhiyun was thinking.
"... Give up. Isn't she a demon? If she wants to escape, it's simple... Leave, go back to being a little fox, forget everything, and live well." Nan Zhiyun thought for a moment and replied.
Give up? Was she talking about the character in the story or herself? Yu Jingchen's eyes deepened. It was a pity that this "giving up" definitely wasn't about herself, because it was too late now. If it had been a bit earlier, he might have let it go, but now... it was absolutely impossible.
Yu Jingchen gave Nan Zhiyun a look. Xing Lai didn't react at first, but when Yu Jingchen looked down, he understood and quickly left the area.
Nan Zhiyun sat in place, watching the heated discussions below, her mood complex. She didn't want to continue watching. This story... she probably wouldn't hear the end of it, because she would likely be returning to the palace tomorrow. So, this story without an ending left a bit of regret.