"Our marital bond has long been severed. The child will take the surname Zhao, following Yun'er's." He lowered his head, looking just like a defeated rooster in the western market of Lingyang City.
Zhao Zhi didn't know how to comfort him. She had always known her older sister's personality—proud and unwilling to accept her fate. Li Huai'an was now a criminal, and Zhao Yun naturally wanted to get as far away from him as possible.
"By the way, tell me about yourself." After a long while, Li Huai'an raised his head again. Zhao Zhi noticed that his eyes were red. "The person you married, was it that Mr. Cui who treated you so well?"
"Ahem—" Zhao Zhi was stunned by his words. But she could understand why Li Huai'an could think that way.
She shook her head and denied it, saying, "He is my brother, and he will always just be my brother."
Li Huai'an stared at her in astonishment. During those days, he clearly saw the doting look in Cui Shenghe's eyes, which did not seem fake.
"Is your husband...is he also one of our Great Xuan people?" he asked unwillingly.
"Um."
Is this your first child?
“The…third,” Zhao Zhi answered truthfully.
The pain in Li Huai'an's eyes intensified. "Then...then he must have been extremely good to you. Childbirth is like stepping into the gates of hell for a woman. You were willing to bear three children for him, so it must be that...he was extremely good to you, extremely good."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Zhi felt a surge of emotion. She gently stroked the little life inside her, feeling a mix of emotions.
“Brother Huai’an, life is a long journey, and we have each seen different scenery. He has been very good to me. We have been through a lot to get to where we are today. Every child is a gift from God, and I am grateful for this fate. As for my older sister, one day she will understand. You and your father will recognize each other one day.”
Upon hearing this, Li Huai'an felt a mix of emotions, a sense of relief mixed with bitterness.
He forced a bitter smile, looked up at the quietly flowing Chunzhao River in the distance, and sighed softly, "Zhizhi, seeing you happy puts my mind at ease. But life is unpredictable. Who would have thought that the little girl who used to skip school with me would now be a mother of three?"
Zhao Zhi chuckled, "Yes, time really flies. I remember you always took the blame for me back then, and you never complained when the teacher punished you. Thinking back now, those days were truly carefree."
Li Huai'an lowered his head, his gaze falling on the bluestone slabs beneath his feet, as if he could see the shadows of the past reflected in them. "If time could turn back, I might still make the same choice. However, I am no longer the prince who could act recklessly."
Zhao Zhi stepped forward and gently patted his shoulder. "Everyone grows, everyone changes. You've been through so much, and you've become more resilient. I believe that one day, you will find your own path."
Li Huai'an looked up, his eyes filled with determination. "Thank you, Zhizhi. I will remember your words. I will try my best not to let myself sink into the past again."
The two remained silent for a moment. A gentle breeze blew across the riverbank in spring, carrying a touch of coolness but also dispelling the oppressive atmosphere.
Zhao Zhi glanced at the sky and said softly, "I should go now; there are people at home waiting for me."
Li Huai'an nodded. He stood alone on the banks of the Chunchao River, watching Zhao Zhi's figure gradually disappear into the distance, and a strange sense of melancholy welled up in his heart.
He took a deep breath to calm himself down, then turned and slowly walked along the riverbank.
As dusk fell, Li Huai'an and Xu Hui rode in a carriage back to the prefectural governor's mansion. When they passed the Zhao residence, he couldn't help but lift one of the curtains, but he didn't see Zhao Zhi.
Zhao Yun was wearing a Song Dynasty brocade vest with a lotus flower pattern. She was holding her daughter and standing at the door. Beside her stood Yu Ming, who was holding a palm-leaf fan and gently waving it, as if she was shooing away mosquitoes.
Li Huai'an noticed Zhao Yun's expectant look, as if she was waiting for someone.
She just didn't know whether the person she was waiting for was her uncle and aunt, or some other man.
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