Chapter 1

Chapter 1

I was reborn to the day I turned sixteen, the day of the embroidered ball throwing.

Without hesitation, I still quietly waited for Chen Jing to appear.

Today was the great day when the newly honored scholars paraded through the streets on horseback.

Zhuque Avenue was packed with people.

As the top scholar, Chen Jing was naturally at the very front of the parade.

I could hardly wait to see him.

Recalling my past life, my husband and I had been in perfect harmony, treating each other with the utmost respect.

Chen Jing rose through the ranks to become a Grand Secretary, elevating me, a merchant’s daughter, to a noble lady of status.

Though we had our share of bumps, it was still a top-tier marriage.

Thus, given this second chance at life, I still firmly choose him.

When the parade procession appeared, the crowd buzzed with noise.

I spotted Chen Jing at once.

Now, in his youth, he was truly a gentleman in his prime, bright and refined like jade.

In my past life, I only passed away ten years after Chen Jing died.

At this moment, seeing an old friend after a long separation, I was naturally excited, so much so that I overlooked the gloom and world-weariness on Chen Jing’s face.

My maid Anle urged, “Miss! Look! The top scholar and the third-place scholar are all here!”

Although the Shen family were merchants, they had a large business and occasionally took on imperial contracts. As the eldest daughter, I had been scheming from childhood how to make the Shen family prosper and thrive.

Therefore, the husband I selected could not be too inferior.

I had met Chen Jing half a year ago.

He had just arrived in the capital, unfamiliar with the place, and had his travel money stolen by thieves.

Considering his remarkable appearance and bearing, and that he was a scholar, I reached out to help. I invited him to stay at an inn owned by the Shen family and gave him some money.

Chen Jing had said that a drop of kindness should be repaid with a gushing spring.

I wasn’t demanding repayment either.

Even less did I intend to use the favor to demand something in return.

It was just that we were both young, easily stirred by romantic feelings, and he had expressed his good feelings toward me many times.

We had exchanged our affections.

Thus, I chose to catch a husband right after the imperial exam results were announced today.

Holding the embroidered ball, my eyes were fixed on Chen Jing. As he passed beneath Jinyu Pavilion, I threw the ball directly at him.

I thought everything would be exactly the same as in my past life.

Who knew, when Chen Jing looked up, his deep eyes were as calm as an ancient well, devoid of any emotion. He simply raised his arm and brushed the embroidered ball aside.

The moment our eyes met, my heart suddenly trembled.

This was wrong…

This wasn’t the way Chen Jing usually looked at me!

The embroidered ball, knocked off course, flew under the gaze of the crowd and hit a rough-looking man standing in a corner of the street.

The crowd gasped.

Anle’s mouth gaped open and she shrieked, “Ah- Miss! Wrong! It hit the wrong person!”

The smile on my face froze. Chen Jing averted his gaze, cutting off our eye contact. He slowly rode forward, continuing the parade.

He didn’t care about that embroidered ball at all, nor did he care who it ultimately hit.

He didn’t want to marry me again, and he didn’t care who I would marry.

He had lightly waved away my lifelong marriage.

He…

In this life, he wanted a different wife.