Chapter 16 — Once reborn, I will no longer marry the wrong person

He was silent for a moment, then put his hand on my head and pressed it against his chest. The heartbeat under the dragon robe was both fast and strong, completely contrary to the calm expression that had never rippled on his face.

"Just this once." He said softly. "Don't tell anyone."

I buried my face in his chest. Smiling softly. In the fall of the same year, Tham Uyen Thanh gave birth to a baby girl. When I visited, she was holding her child against the head of the bed, with a peaceful and contented look on her face that I had never seen before. Luc Tri Hanh squatted beside the bed, gently poking his daughter's cheek with his finger. Tham Uyen Thanh immediately patted his hand and scolded: "Have you washed your hands yet?" He just smiled and withdrew his hand, but his eyes from beginning to end remained glued to his wife and daughter, unable to let go.

"Sister." Tham Uyen Thanh gave the baby to me to hold and said gently. "I want to name you Le Nhi."

"Why are you called Le Nhi?"

"I don't know anymore." She smiled, in her smile there was a hidden meaning that even she herself had probably never realized. "I just feel like that name is very nice."

I don't ask more. The newly planted pear tree in the yard has not yet bloomed, its bare branches gently swaying in the autumn wind. But next spring, it will bloom into a full tree of white flowers, each petal falling all over the yard, like a gentle snowfall. I held Le Nhi in my arms, suddenly remembering myself in my previous life, the person who died on that Winter Solstice night. At that time, I lay on the cold tile floor of Khon Ninh palace, my stomach hurt like hell, my hands clutched the hem of my dragon robe, my fingernails broke, blood seeped into the bright yellow brocade layer. I used to think that was the end of my life. We didn't understand until now. That's not the outcome. Which was just a false start. The real story... Just started from the moment I stood in Tu An palace and said four words:

"Goddess doesn't want it."

Side story · Cui Jin Shu The night we got married, Chu Minh Vien lifted the wedding veil for me. His hand holding the wedding scale shook violently, so much so that he had to lift it several times before lifting the wedding towel. I raised my head to look at him, only to see him standing in front of me in a crimson uniform, his face red, and a thin layer of sweat on his forehead.

"What are you stressed about?" I couldn't help but laugh.

"I... I've been waiting two years." He stammered. "I'm afraid it's all just a dream."

I reached out and gently pinched the back of his hand.

"Does it hurt?"

"Then it's not a dream."

He was stunned for a moment, then suddenly squatted down, burying his face in my palm. We feel every drop of warm liquid seeping through our fingers. He's crying. A man waited for two years. On the wedding night. Cry like a baby again. I gently stroked his hair and said softly:

"Chu Minh Vien, in those two years, I did some things. Very bad things... very cruel things. If you knew, maybe you wouldn't think I was worth waiting for anymore."

He raised his head. His eyes were red, but his eyes were incredibly bright.

"Cui Cam Thu." This was the first time he called me both my full name and my first name. His voice trembled but every word was extremely clear. "Whatever you have done, I don't care. The only thing I care about is that from today onwards, you are my wife, and I am your husband. What happened before, whatever it was, is over."

I look into those eyes. Suddenly felt. For the past two years, every day when I quietly put the medicine in the teapot, all the coldness, resentment and anger accumulated in my heart... Were illuminated by his eyes. Like ice and snow meeting the sun.

"Okay." I smiled softly. "It's all over."

Outside the window came the sound of the night watchman's gong. It's the third watch. He stood up, walked to the table, poured two cups of wine, one cup for me, one cup to take for himself.

"This time..." He smiled. "This is truly the right wine."

I received the cup of wine. Clear wine. Reflecting the light of a pair of dragon and phoenix flowers. I tilted my head back and drank. Slightly sweet in the mouth. Completely different from the bitter medicine that we have quietly put into the teapot every day for the past two years. It's the best cup of wine. That I've been drinking all my life. (FULL TEXT)