For the next few days, Su Yi had a persistent high fever and was in a daze, muttering incoherently.

His Highness the Crown Prince summoned the imperial physician, who prescribed medicine, but his condition did not improve. His fever reached an unprecedented high. The physician said, "If this continues, even if he doesn't die, he will likely be crippled when he wakes up."

These words terrified the Su family, but the expected thing did not happen. After Su Yi woke up, he was just like a normal person, and no one could tell that something was wrong.

"Mother, I only had a fever because my wound hadn't healed yet, but I'm fine now."

Su's mother finally breathed a sigh of relief, "It's good that you're alright, it's good that you're alright."

After resting for two more days, the first thing Su Yi did after getting up was to go to Huguo Temple, where the abbot was already waiting for him.

“Benefactor Su, Master Konghui anticipated your arrival and asked me to pass on a message to you.”

Su Yi looked like a drowning man seeing a small boat, his eyes pleading, "Please, Master, guide me through my confusion."

The abbot said, "Master Konghui only asked me to give you one sentence: 'What is destined to be yours will be yours, and what is not, you cannot force.' If you are destined to meet, you will meet again. I hope you will not be too attached to it."

He was mistaken; that wasn't a small boat, but a spear meant to kill him and a mountain to block his retreat.

Su Yi smiled bitterly, her eyes red: "I understand, thank you, Master."

Seeing his master emerge with red eyes, Changbai stepped forward worriedly, "Master..."

Su Yi strode out, saying, "Let's go home."

After returning home, Su Yi resumed his normal life, going back and forth between the government office and home. He was polite to everyone, a far cry from his previous cold demeanor, and could talk to anyone. He attended banquets and went on missions whenever there was one.

Back at the Su residence, he still tested his nephews and nieces on their homework every day, which was abnormally normal.

Even when Matchmaker Wang came to visit again, she greeted him with a smile, saying, "Aunt Wang, you don't know, I'm already married, and it's impossible for me to marry anyone else in this lifetime."

He paused for a moment, then added, "Not even a concubine."

Matchmaker Wang asked, puzzled, "Didn't you say it was Mrs. Su..."

Su Yi calmly interrupted her: "Whether she is here or not will not affect my decision." After saying that, he looked at his mother with a smile, "Mother, I will only say this once. You don't need to make arrangements for me in the future."

"You two keep chatting, I'll be going now." He said with a smile, being extremely polite.

While Su's mother was still processing these words, Wang the matchmaker disagreed, saying, "Men should marry when they are of age and women should marry when they are of age. Madam Su, you mustn't let Master Su do as he pleases."

Su's mother smiled wryly, "Since he has said so, then Sister Wang, please go back, Li Lian!"

Li Lian handed over a money pouch, and Su's mother said apologetically, "Fortunately, this matter hasn't spread yet. It's just that my Su family isn't lucky enough to marry such a good girl. Sister Wang, you should go and refuse her."

Although Wang the matchmaker was unhappy, she dared not say anything more, after all, the Su family was not someone she could afford to offend.

"Alright, since we're not meant to be, I'll make the trip for you one more time. Just call me if you need anything in the future."

She didn't believe a man could go his whole life without touching a woman; she'd seen too many men who pretended to be affectionate, and they couldn't keep it up for long.

After seeing off Matchmaker Wang, Su's mother slumped in her chair, tears streaming down her face, unable to recover for a long time.

When her father came to find her, she said, "Old man, let's go back to Maocao Village. I miss home."

Su's father felt sorry for his elderly wife and said, "Let's go, we won't come again."

If they want to leave, they will; no one can stop them.

If the elderly couple were to leave, Da Shi would have to go with them, along with Fang Yi and the children.

Fang Yi had no objection. She didn't like the many rules and regulations in the capital city, unlike Qingyang County.

On the night before he left, Su Yi knelt before his parents and said, "Father, Mother, it is your unfilial son who has caused you to worry about me for the rest of your lives."

Su's mother helped him up. "You've always been very opinionated, and once you've made up your mind, no one can change it. Your father and I let you have your way. We don't know what happened between you and Huanhuan, but it's true that the Su family owes her something. I don't care whether you get married or not, I just hope you won't disturb her life."

Su Yi nodded with difficulty, "Mother, don't worry, I won't."

Su's father said again, "It's up to you whether you marry or not. Anyway, we have Zhe-ge and the others. You can do whatever you want."

"Xiao Shi, if you want to marry, then marry; if you don't want to marry, then stay single for life and your mother and I won't object."

This was clearly said in anger.

Su Cheng said unhappily, "How could that be? I'll get married once I find someone I like."

Early the next morning

The group then returned, leaving only Su Yi and Su Cheng in the vast Su mansion.

The news that Su Yi would never marry spread throughout the capital. When the Xu family heard that Su Yi's parents had left the capital, they immediately sent people to arrange their daughter's marriage.

The princess was playing mahjong with Qi Yuechan when she learned of this, and the other young ladies sighed with regret.

"How did Lord Su end up like this with Huanhuan?"

"I don't know, Huanhuan has disappeared too, this whole thing has caused a huge uproar."

"Oh dear, I won! You guys weren't taking the game seriously." The princess pushed the tiles over.

As they shuffled the cards, Qi Yuechan asked, "Isn't the princess closest to Huanhuan? Why aren't you worried at all?"

The princess said indifferently, "What's there to worry about? She has her own life. If Xu Zijing ever dares to betray me, I'll take my daughter to my fiefdom and live a carefree life."

"What is Jiaojiao saying?"

The princess was so startled by the word "Jiaojiao" that she played the wrong card. Just as she turned around to get angry, she saw the Crown Prince arrive at the mansion with several young masters. "Greetings, Your Highness the Crown Prince."

"No need for formalities, we're just passing by, please continue."

Upon hearing this, the princess sat down, and everyone, without any formalities, began to draw lots and play cards again.

A commotion came from the Crown Prince's side. Everyone looked over and saw that Su Cheng had fallen down.

This caused everyone to burst into laughter. One of the young ladies, while playing a card, said, "This young Master Su is really interesting."

Her next comment was, "Haven't you noticed how handsome Lord Su is?"

"I don't like this kind of burly appearance."

After the young lady touched the tile, she said, "I didn't even ask you to like it, yet you still picked it."

Qi Yuechan overheard it and couldn't help but laugh when she thought of that idiot's appearance earlier. In a moment of distraction, she fired a shot at the princess.

"Yuechan, then I won't stand on ceremony."

Everything in the capital returned to normal, and the Su family's affairs were quickly replaced by other officials keeping mistresses and having affairs.

Liu Huan, who was far away in Nanchang County, knew nothing about these things; she was too busy taking care of her child to know anything about them.

Even though a month has passed, she still feels it's unreal. She thought she was going to die that day, but she was lucky enough to survive.

And she really did give birth to two children, a boy and a girl.

Because she was severely injured, she fell into a coma for several days and even dreamed that Su Yi was seriously injured, which was quite strange.

Lost in thought, the child on the bed started crying again. Feeling utterly hopeless, she picked him up and tried to soothe him, saying, "Little devil, if you wake your brother up crying, I'll give you a good beating."

As soon as she finished speaking, the one on the bed also started crying...