Chapter 2

Chapter 2

On the way out of the palace, I looked out the window with a trace of worry.

“Xie Changhui, Princess Rouyi doesn’t seem to like me.”

Xie Changhui paused for a moment.

“We aren’t money; it’s impossible for everyone to like us. Even if we were money, gold is more popular than silver or copper coins. You shouldn’t take it to heart.”

He thought about it and added a few more words.

“Life is actually about making choices-choosing the right friends, choosing the right lover. If Princess Rouyi doesn’t like you, it just means she isn’t suited to be your friend. In the future, we’ll just visit the palace less and see less of her.”

I asked, “What if I choose wrong?”

He fell silent for a moment. “That doesn’t matter, as long as you have the strength to walk away.”

Back then, I didn’t understand what he meant by the strength to walk away.

But I thought his words sounded beautiful, possessing a power that could truly move one’s heart.

I smiled and asked him, “Xie Changhui, why are you even here?”

“Your family pays well, enough for me to live a carefree life here.”

A slight smile played on Xie Changhui’s lips.

Yet his inner voice said:

[Qingya, once the mission is a success, I’ll be able to save you. You must not give up, no matter what.]

So that was it.

I looked out the window, feeling my heart grow even heavier.

Life really is a series of multiple-choice questions-choosing friends, choosing lovers.

Xie Changhui’s choice did not lie with me.

Just then, the carriage jolted to a sudden halt.

The driver grumbled, “Who’s trying to pull a scam in the middle of the night? Get out of the way!”

Xie Changhui quickly lifted the curtain. By the dim light of the lanterns, he saw a scrawny, skeletal child.

He froze.

[It’s him!]

“Who is it?” I asked.

Xie Changhui’s tone was complicated. “Just a little beggar.”

[The villainess’s enforcer. You love the Crown Prince, but this boy loves you. He becomes a perfect blade in your hand, striking wherever you point, nearly killing the female lead.]

I couldn’t help but smile.

Very good.

It turns out I am someone’s choice, too.

I spoke up quickly. “Since we hit him, let’s take him home. We can talk after his injuries have healed.”

Xie Changhui frowned. “He’s a complete stranger. It would be enough to send him to a clinic for treatment and give him some money so he can grow up safely.”

No!

If what Xie Changhui said was true and I had wronged him in my past life, then in this life, he was going to enjoy a good life with me.

I brought the little beggar home and asked for his name.

He said his name was Goudan.

Ugh…

That was terrible.

I said, “From now on, your name is Song Yichen.”

Song Yichen gave a soft “mm,” his eyes sparkling with admiration and gratitude.

Xie Changhui let out a sigh.

[Time to start the moral education classes. No breaking the law, no being a homewrecker for love-those are the prerequisites.]