Chapter 14: 014 Villain

Chapter 14: 014. The Villain

"Baby, is it what Mother thinks it is?" Bai Suihe could quickly step into the role of a mother, but she truly didn't know how to face her "cheap" husband. Now that a layer of mystery had been added, she felt a sense of trepidation.

"Daddy is also back, but I cannot communicate with him right now. I have to wait until he reaches home."

The fetus in her womb was very joyful; it seemed to have a great affinity for its father, Gu Kaiyuan, whom it had never met.

"You mean your father can also hear you speak?" For some reason, Bai Suihe felt a sense of loss. She had thought this was a secret between her and the baby, but now there was another person involved.

"Of course. Father and Mother are connected to my blood; our family will naturally be connected in spirit."

"What about the others in the Gu Estate?" Bai Suihe felt somewhat anxious. If too many people knew this secret, would it still be a secret?

"That is impossible," the baby said. Perhaps it was because Bai Suihe had rested well, allowing the baby to stay awake longer, "I can only communicate with Mother and Father like this."

Bai Suihe breathed a sigh of relief. "Does the baby have a name?"

"...Mother, you and Daddy haven't had the chance to name me yet." The baby's voice sounded excited; she wanted a name of her own as well.

Bai Suihe said softly, "I might not have the final say in your formal name, but you can choose your own nickname, Baby, to whatever you like best."

Bai Suihe knew the rules of this household; names were assigned according to the generational lineage, much like the sons of the first and second branches—one named An Liang and the other An Wei.

However, it was a bit strange that even the female protagonist followed the generational naming convention, which was technically against the rules.

"Mother, I don't know either. Can Mother help me choose one?"

Bai Suihe replied, "...Then Mother will think about it carefully. I'll come up with several options so you can choose the one you like best."

Sensing that the baby was becoming tired, Bai Suihe did not dare to keep chatting. She comforted the baby to rest properly before instructing the servants to fetch food from the main kitchen.

She wondered if the Gu Estate was truly struggling financially, as the meal was not very abundant.

Since there was food available, Bai Suihe did not complain. After eating, she used her drowsiness as an excuse to dismiss everyone.

She turned and entered her spatial dimension. Not much had changed here, but something looked slightly off—why did it feel like the rice stalks were a few inches shorter?

She summoned an apple, wiped it casually on her clothes, and began strolling through the space while munching on it.

She glanced at the boiled water she had poured in various places earlier; the temperature in the rooms remained as it was at the start, but outside the courtyard, the water had already turned ice-cold.

"It seems freshness can only be maintained within this courtyard," Bai Suihe walked into the courtyard and noticed that the lychee peels she had thrown in the corner yesterday had disappeared. It seemed this space had a self-cleaning function.

With such a treasure at her disposal, Bai Suihe felt even more grateful toward the child in her womb.

☆

A carriage sped along the official highway. Sitting inside, Gu Kaiyuan stared blankly at the carriage roof. He had clearly been poisoned by that venomous woman, Gu Antong, and had died with regrets, only to wake up and find himself in this manor.

He remembered that when the family estate was confiscated, these manors had been reclaimed and later bestowed upon the new nobility by the Emperor.

Seeing his younger self, he understood that this was a miraculous second chance.

He didn't even bother managing the crops harvested from the manor; he had people drive the carriage back to the capital through the night.

Before the calamities began, he wanted to go back and see his wife and daughter.

However, sitting in the carriage, he felt lost again.

He had held onto the conviction of revenge, constantly opposing the Third Prince and Gu Antong, hoping that one day he could kill his enemies with his own hands.

But looking back now, the features and voice of his little wife seemed to have blurred in his memory.

Lifting the curtain to look at the moonlight spilling across the road, Gu Kaiyuan still felt a sense of unreality.

"Third Young Master, the post station is just ahead. Should we stop to rest?" Lin Wei, driving the carriage, knew that at such a speed, his master could not possibly sleep.

"Rest at the post station for the night," Gu Kaiyuan had been pushing the horses hard since he woke up, but during the journey, he had realized that rushing back now would achieve nothing.

If the man doesn't rest, even the horses need a break.

Lin Wei also breathed a quiet sigh of relief. Although he was the Third Young Master's guard, traveling at night was not a wise move; if they encountered bandits on the road, he wouldn't be able to handle them alone.

As the carriage entered the post station, station officials immediately came to help settle the vehicle.

Those who could afford a carriage, especially one pulled by two fine horses, were people of status—not people they could afford to offend.

"One superior room and two medium rooms," Gu Kaiyuan certainly wouldn't let his people suffer. Once rested, they would continue the journey tomorrow. "Bring your best wine and food."

He could not prevent the disaster of the estate being confiscated, but after everything in his past life, in this life, he only wanted to protect his wife and child. As for his parents and brothers...

After finishing his meal, Gu Kaiyuan did not return to his room. Instead, he unhitched a horse and let Lin Hua and Lin Wei rest in the post station while he rode alone to the foot of the mountain.

There was no one around, so he drew the sword from his waist and began practicing his moves with intensity.

On the day his wife and daughter suffered, although he knew who the enemy was, he had remained suppressed by his parents and brothers.

Later, once he was vindicated, he immediately charged into the military camp alone. Driven by the rage bottled up in his heart, he climbed the ranks step by step until he finally commanded military power, which allowed him to point his blade at the Third Prince.

He only regretted that he had been one step behind, losing the entire game and failing to avenge them.

It was all because he had been too impatient. If only he had waited...

But this time, having been reborn, he could not stand by and watch the tragedy repeat itself.

As for the culprit behind it all, Gu Antong—from the moment he woke up, he would no longer recognize her as his niece. He had already repaid the debt of his parents' kindness and his brothers' affection in his past life; he hoped they would not repeat the same mistakes.

A sharp sword stroke swept through, and the messy, wild trees in front of him fell in unison.

Looking at the sword in his hand, he felt a sense of regret. This was not the "Green Blade" he had stumbled upon later; its power was less than half. If the opportunity arose in the future, he would seek it out.

After venting his frustrations, he returned to the post station. Seeing him return safely, Lin Hua and Lin Wei, who had been guarding the place, finally went to their rooms to rest.

Lin Hua and Lin Wei had grown up with him; they were his personal attendants and guards.

The confiscation of the estate had come so suddenly that they hadn't even had a chance to react. As domestic servants, they had all been taken by the government to be resold. He had searched for them later, only to find that both of them had met tragic ends.

The confiscation was inevitable, so he had to make arrangements for his trusted men in advance.

However, their indentures were still held by the household, so he would have to find a way.

Lost in these thoughts, Gu Kaiyuan tossed and turned in bed, his sleep restless and interrupted by several awakenings.

Lin Hua and Lin Wei were also very worried about his unusual behavior, but they had no way to share his burden; they could only serve him with all their hearts.

(End of Chapter)