In her past life, how could she have been so heartless and cruel as to continuously sacrifice the interests of her family, who had always treated her so well, just to please Wen Zhuqing?
(Zhuqing and Zhiqing is different Zhuqing is his name and Zhiqing means Educated Youth)

In her past life, after she jumped into the river and was rescued, her elder brother had compromised.

Later, she did manage to marry Wen Zhuqing as she wished, but that was the beginning of her nightmare.

Because she jumped into the river in the middle of winter, she developed infertility issues. Out of guilt for not being able to give Wen Zhuqing a child, she kept sacrificing her family’s and her own interests to help him.

For Wen Zhuqing, her maternal family was nearly destroyed. Her elder brother and sister-in-law became a resentful couple, her second brother went to prison, her second sister-in-law died during childbirth along with the baby, her third brother’s university spot was taken by someone else, and the light in his eyes faded. Her parents died tragically while searching for her.

As for Wen Zhuqing, after squeezing every last bit of value from her family, he faked her disappearance and repeatedly offered her to others, using her beauty to gain benefits for himself. In the end, to smoothly marry a wealthy and beautiful wife, he orchestrated her death in a fire.

Yao Chunhua, Old Man Gu, and the others had never seen their daughter cry so bitterly before. The Gu family had always doted on their youngest daughter, treating her like the apple of their eye. They couldn’t bear to let her work in the fields, and they always saved the best things for her.

Seeing her cry like this now, their hearts ached. They gently patted her back to comfort her.

“Don’t cry, Ning. Don’t cry.”

“Here, drink some chicken soup first, then rest well.”

“In the future, no matter what happens, we can always discuss it as a family. Just don’t do anything foolish again.”

After a long time, Gu Jianing finally calmed down. Her mother personally fed her a bowl of chicken soup, and then she lay down.

“Sleep well. I’ll call you when it’s time to take your medicine.”

After carefully tucking her in, Yao Chunhua left with the rest of the Gu family, gently closing the door behind her.

The room was now quiet, with only Gu Jianing left alone.

Her eyes were red from crying, but they were also filled with relief.

Gu Jianing couldn’t believe that she had truly been reborn, and at the very moment when, in her past life, she had jumped into the river to force her elder brother to give his job to Wen Zhuqing.

As she recalled, in her past life, just before she was burned to death, she had seen a figure in dark green rushing into the fire without regard for his own safety, desperately calling her name.

After her death, her soul had seen that the person who had hurried to save her was someone she had long forgotten—Sheng Zexi.

Following Sheng Zexi, she learned that the man who had once been just a battalion commander when they first met was now a high-ranking official.

From Sheng Zexi’s account, she learned that on the day she jumped into the river, he had sent a matchmaker to the Gu family to propose a marriage. Unfortunately, the matchmaker had arrived just as she jumped into the river, and the village was abuzz with rumors about her and Wen Zhuqing.

The matchmaker, thinking she was already in love with someone else, had left without even entering the Gu family’s home and had rejected Sheng Zexi on her behalf.

Sheng Zexi had left, and by the time he returned, she had already married Wen Zhuqing.

Heartbroken, Sheng Zexi had remained unmarried all those years.

Gu Jianing saw that Sheng Zexi, who had carried her out of the fire, had suffered severe burns, especially on half of his face. Even as he aged, his once handsome face was now scarred. Despite saving her from the fire, she had still died. Sheng Zexi had arranged her funeral and, with ruthless efficiency, had taken revenge on Wen Zhuqing, bringing him down.

At the age of fifty, Sheng Zexi had died from his injuries and illnesses, leaving behind a single will: to be buried with her…

At that time, Gu Jianing thought that although Sheng Zexi was arrogant and sharp-tongued, if she were given another chance, she would be willing to try with him. He was certainly better than Wen Zhuqing, that wolf in sheep’s clothing.

Little did she know, her wish would come true.

After her death in her past life, Sheng Zexi had done many good deeds in her name, accumulating a lot of merit. Combined with her deep regret and her strong desire for a child, she had attracted the attention of a “Childbearing System,” which had bound itself to her soul and brought her back to this moment.

Perhaps it was due to the exhaustion from jumping into the river, or perhaps it was the overwhelming sadness and emotional release, but Gu Jianing was now utterly exhausted. Nestled in the warm blankets, her eyelids grew heavy, and she fell asleep.

Her last thought before drifting off was whether the matchmaker would reject Sheng Zexi this time.

[Don’t worry, Host. Rest well. The matchmaker definitely won’t reject him outright.] The mechanical voice echoed in her mind as Gu Jianing sank into a deep sleep.

The matchmaker, whom Gu Jianing was thinking about, had left the gifts Sheng Zexi had asked her to bring to the Gu family. Seeing that the Gu family was too busy taking care of Gu Jianing to pay her any attention, she had said her goodbyes and left.

By now, she had already left Huaihua Village and spotted a green jeep parked by the roadside. Leaning against the car was a tall man in a dark green military uniform, a cigarette dangling from his lips. She hurried over.

“Officer Sheng,” the matchmaker called out, raising her hand in greeting.

The man, who had been lazily glancing at his watch, suddenly looked up. His features were sharp and well-defined, with deep-set black eyes, a strong jawline, and slightly raised eyebrows that gave him a somewhat unruly air. He stood about 1.9 meters tall, with a tall and lean build. His back was straight, and his belt accentuated his slim waist. Below, his long legs were encased in military trousers, straight and well-proportioned.

Upon closer inspection, his collar was slightly open, giving him a relaxed and casual appearance.

Seeing that it was Wu, the matchmaker he had sent to the Gu family, he immediately straightened up, extinguished his cigarette, and composed himself. He pursed his lips, his expression turning serious as he strode over, his long legs moving with an urgency he himself didn’t seem to notice.

“Auntie Wu, how did it go?” The man’s voice was low and resonant, carrying a magnetic quality.

Before the matchmaker could catch her breath, she sized up Sheng Zexi and thought to herself, “It seems Officer Sheng’s heart is set on the Gu family’s girl. I just wonder if she’s worth it.”

She didn’t beat around the bush. “She agreed, but…”

Seeing the matchmaker hesitate, Sheng Zexi, who had just felt a surge of joy, frowned. “Is there something else?”

The matchmaker hesitated for a moment but eventually told him about what she had heard in Huaihua Village—that Gu Jianing was in love with Wen Zhiqing and had even jumped into the river to force her elder brother to give up his job for him.

“…When I arrived, the girl had just been pulled out of the river. I don’t know how she ended up agreeing to meet you, but the whole village knows about her feelings for Wen Zhiqing (Educated Youth). I think it’s true. But of course, it’s up to you to judge for yourself.”

As soon as she finished speaking, the matchmaker saw the man’s expression darken. His eyebrows furrowed, and a cold glint appeared in his eyes. The corners of his lips curled into a mocking smile. “That foolish girl, is she blind or just brainless? Falling for a mere educated youth and even jumping into the river for him? Does she not have enough water in her brain already?”

The matchmaker: “…This officer is handsome, no doubt, but his mouth is too sharp. If the girl were here, he’d probably make her cry.”

“So, Officer Sheng, are you still going to meet her tomorrow?” Auntie Wu asked tentatively.

“Of course I am. I’ll pick you up tomorrow, and we’ll go together.”

“That’s good to hear.”

Reassured, Matchmaker Wu left with a smile.

Sheng Zexi effortlessly swung himself into the driver’s seat. His dark eyes stared intently in the direction of Huaihua Village. His hand rested on the steering wheel, and just as he was about to start the engine, he seemed to remember something. He turned the wheel sharply, executing a 180-degree turn, and headed toward the county town. The car kicked up a cloud of dust as it sped away, disappearing quickly.