He was two years older than her, witnessing her birth in his innocence, childhood sweethearts, once pledges to the mountains and seas, promising to become a couple when they grew up.
Though they were young at that time, they were Licheng City's most enviable couple, and their marriage seemed destined from childhood, without any suspense.
At that time, his proudest moment was being neighbors with Gu Jiayin; because of this, he had the advantage and met her first, pursuing her before any other man could.
But at sixteen, she suddenly disappeared from his world.
Upon learning of her shipwreck, he frantically took a boat to Jiangshang, searching with the police, yet even after ten days, there was no trace of her, only retrieving her bloodstained clothes.
When the police determined the three members of their family had died in a crocodile's belly, he felt his world entirely collapse.
For a long time afterward, he was in unbearable pain.
Later, he resolutely chose to enlist in the army, voluntarily taking on any dangerous missions, because blood and carnage could temporarily make him forget the pain.
He had never dared to imagine that one day, she would appear alive in front of him again.
Seven years apart, she had changed, and he had changed too, but the only thing that hadn't changed was his heart for her.
"Jiayin." Pei Nianchen's voice was terribly hoarse; unlike before, he was much less confident.
If it were before, even if she was mad at him, he would domineeringly pull her into his arms, but now, he didn't dare.
Gu Jiayin looked away from the sky and slowly turned to meet Pei Nianchen's deep and clear eyes; he had too many emotions, while she had been worn down by hardships to a state of cold numbness.
"Do you love Qin Xueyao?"
"No."
"No? Then why is she pregnant with your child?"
"It was an accident, I..."
Gu Jiayin suddenly raised her pretty face, mocking; she didn't like to hear about accidents, "Brother Nianchen, if you had to love someone anew and marry and have children because I died, I would bless you, but why of all people must it be my enemy?"
"Jiayin," Pei Nianchen stepped forward, wanting to hold Gu Jiayin's hand, but she timely stepped back, "Don't touch me!"
Just thinking about what he did with Qin Xueyao, he was no longer clean in her eyes; before the age of sixteen, her most precious thing was tainted by the most disgusting person, leaving a thorn in her heart.
Though she herself wasn't clean anymore, that was different; he could have any other woman, but it should never have been Qin Xueyao.
Pei Nianchen's hand froze in place; he painfully watched the person he loved deeply, his eyes reddening again, "You consider me dirty."
It's not a question, but a statement.
He painfully lowered his head, "Jiayin, I didn't do it on purpose."
It truly was unintentional; that night he was drunk, and Qin Xueyao seized the opportunity to drug him. After waking up, he hadn't wanted to take responsibility, but unexpectedly she became pregnant, and due to family pressure, he had no choice but to marry her.
Gu Jiayin looked at Pei Nianchen deeply entangled in his pain and finally felt a bit sympathetic. She quietly looked at him and said, "Brother Nianchen, if you had to choose between Qin Xueyao and me, whom would you choose?"
"Choose you."
"Even if she is pregnant with your child?"
Pei Nianchen raised his head and looked at Gu Jiayin firmly, "Tomorrow, I will handle everything."
Gu Jiayin gazed deeply into Pei Nianchen's eyes, seeing sincerity; he was still the same, willing to give up everything for her with just a word from her, sadly, everything had changed over time.
Gu Jiayin felt relieved but also deeply regretful, "Brother Nianchen, thank you for still holding these feelings for me, someone who died seven years ago."
"Jiayin," Pei Nianchen finally gathered the courage to hold Gu Jiayin's hand, "From now on, I will protect you well and never let you get hurt again."
Gu Jiayin smiled lightly, lowering her head to suppress the tears trying to escape, "Okay, I'll wait for you to handle Qin Xueyao's matter."
In a brief moment, she had thought about it; she still wanted to find Pei Nianchen.
For one, there truly were still feelings; even though they had been apart for seven years, more than ten years of feelings couldn't easily fade.
Additionally, returning alone to Licheng City, she needed a strong support to compete with Sheng Qianchi, she didn't want to be entangled with him anymore.
Having received this promise, Pei Nianchen was moved to tears and pulled Gu Jiayin into his arms, rubbing his cheek against her long hair, "Jiayin, thank you."
—Thank you for still being alive, thank you for still being willing to accept me.
The space fell silent.
Separation by death for seven years, lovers reunited, some words were very pale.
They could still feel each other's heartbeat, each other's warmth, but there always seemed to be a sense of desolation lingering between them.
After a long time, Pei Nianchen gently reached out to smooth her hair, softly asking, "These years, what have you been doing, why didn't you come back earlier to find me?"
If she had returned earlier, perhaps he wouldn't have become entangled with Qin Xueyao; he never drank, but that day was her birthday, he was in pain from missing her, so he went drinking, giving Qin Xueyao an opportunity.
He guessed that she must have suffered a lot.
"Yesterday's things died yesterday, I don't want to mention it again." Gu Jiayin truly didn't want to mention it, firstly the past was unbearable to recall, secondly her true identity couldn't be exposed.
"Alright, no mention." Pei Nianchen never troubled Gu Jiayin; if she didn't speak, he would investigate himself instead, "Where are you staying?"
"Naturally, I'll return to the Qin Family."
Pei Nianchen suddenly frowned, "Don't stay there, I'll buy you a house."
He knew the Qin Family wouldn't treat her well.
Gu Jiayin smiled lightly, "Everything there was left by my grandfather, it's mine, they are now occupying it like birds taking over a nest, should I still be left out in the cold?"
"Jiayin..." Pei Nianchen was very worried.
Gu Jiayin lifted her face to look at him, the depth of her smile but with a unique chill, "The Gu Jiayin of seven years ago certainly died, the Gu Jiayin now won't be a lamb to be slaughtered."
Pei Nianchen quietly looked at her for a while and finally compromised; it seemed that since childhood, he had always been the one to compromise in the end, "Alright, anyway our two families are neighbors; if there's any issue, call me."
Gu Jiayin nodded with a smile, but she wouldn't call him, after all, Qin Xueyao was pregnant with his child.
...
Although it started raining, the wedding guests in the hotel had already dispersed, yet reporters waiting at the hotel entrance were still diligently holding their ground, waiting to corner Gu Jiayin.
Today was Gu Jiayin's first day back in Licheng City, yet she dropped a bombshell news on the Licheng City media, instantly renowned throughout the city.
Why?
Because upon return, she seized her brother-in-law and seduced her sister's husband, causing both Qin Family daughters to lose their marriages.
She hadn't even left the hotel, yet the internet was flooded with reports about her, skyrocketing to the top of the trending list.