Two months flew by in the blink of an eye, and Xiao Jiu's illness had mostly recovered.

Now he was wearing new clothes, his complexion as rosy as an apple. Every day after school, he would run to the tavern and cling to me, begging for a hug.

Fu Xianze would occasionally come to the tavern as a guest, bringing books or toys for the children. He even said that when Xiao Jiu grew a little older, he would teach him martial arts.

But between us, there was an unspoken understanding, and we didn't mention the unsettling question from that day.

"Oh my, why are you so sticky like a little sticky bun..."

I laughed and playfully hugged Xiao Jiu, but an unexpected visitor suddenly arrived at the tavern.

"A Yue, I know I was wrong. Please give me another chance, okay?"

I looked up at the sound and saw Gu Lin, his face haggard.

He was dressed in plain white clothes, looking like he had taken great care of his appearance, but the weariness in his eyes couldn't be concealed.

"Mr. Gu, aren't you confused? We have been divorced for almost a year now. We agreed not to see each other again. Why are you here now?"

I pinched my brow and raised my hand to shoo him away, but he grabbed my wrist:

"A Yue, you don't know. Shen Fu, that despicable woman, is actually a spy sent by Minister Chen, and her pregnancy is a lie. She deceived all of us! A Yue, please come back. I miss you so much, and my parents often mention you. We have treated you poorly all these years, but from now on, I will treat you well. You are the only one in my life..."

Gu Lin knelt before me, crying uncontrollably, but I couldn't believe a single word.

Although I no longer cared about politics, I had heard some rumors recently.

It was said that Gu Lin had fallen into Minister Chen's trap and miscalculated a large sum of money. Now, if he didn't fill this big hole himself, there was a danger of being dismissed from office. But how could the Gu family, who pretended to be high and mighty, have so much money? So, they turned their attention to me, their ex-wife, who had a considerable dowry and a thriving business.

I may not be clever, but I'm not a fool either.

"No matter what the reason is, a mistake is a mistake. We made an agreement at our marriage. If you take a concubine, we will divorce, and you should never come looking for me again. I will never turn back."

I coldly withdrew my hand and called for the waitstaff to escort the guest out.

Gu Lin's face immediately turned gloomy, and he maliciously glanced at Xiao Jiu hiding behind me.

"A Yue, I really can't understand you anymore. We were living a good life, but you insisted on running this run-down tavern and working yourself to death. You even adopted a little beggar as if he were a treasure. Come back with me and continue being a glamorous mistress in the mansion, isn't that better?"

I covered Xiao Jiu's ears and called for two guards.

"Throw him out! Now, immediately!"

Gu Lin was pushed onto the street by the guards, looking disheveled, and coincidentally ran into Fu Xianze returning from his errands.

"Oh, no wonder you didn't come home with me. So this pair of adulterers is colluding again. Burning your letter wasn't enough for you. You're shameless..."

He pointed at the two of us and cursed, but Fu Xianze swiftly restrained him.

"If you don't want your fingers, then they shall be useless."

Fu Xianze viciously scolded, and he immediately broke two of Gu Lin's fingers.

"Ah!!!"

Gu Lin cried out in pain and was then carried away by the Gu family's servants to a clinic.

"He's a fourth-ranked official. Will there be consequences for injuring him?"

I watched Gu Lin's departing figure, worriedly asking.

"Don't worry, I hold a higher position now, and the emperor is about to investigate the Gu family. Even if I kill him, it won't matter."

Fu Xianze said, his voice filled with an indescribable coldness.

I stared at him, feeling a mixture of surprise and fear. I never expected him to be so ruthless and powerful.

"Fu Xianze, what happened to you? You used to be gentle and kind, but now..."

He looked at me, his eyes softened slightly.

"I've changed, A Yue. I've seen too much darkness and betrayal. I've learned that in this world, sometimes you have to be ruthless to protect what is important to you."

His words puzzled me, but I didn't press for further explanation. I knew that Fu Xianze had his own secrets and burdens to bear.

"Let's not dwell on Gu Lin. He's no longer in our lives. We have little Xiao Jiu to take care of, and that's what matters." I smiled, trying to lighten the atmosphere.

Fu Xianze's expression softened, and he nodded in agreement.

"You're right, A Yue. We have Xiao Jiu now, and we'll give him the best life possible."

We returned to the tavern, where Xiao Jiu was waiting anxiously. Seeing us come back, he ran up to us and hugged our legs tightly.

"Mama, Papa, you're back!"

My heart warmed at his words, and I picked him up, giving him a tight embrace.

"We're back, Xiao Jiu. We'll always be here for you."

As I held Xiao Jiu in my arms, I couldn't help but feel grateful for the little family we had created. Despite the challenges we faced, we were together, and that was all that mattered.

The future was uncertain, but as long as we had love and each other, we would face whatever came our way.