My Love Rival Became a Widower After I Died

[A headstrong, charging-wolf gong × a smooth-talking, venomous-snake shou] Shen Chewen's father was an independent prince personally ennobled by the Great Yan Emperor. Shen Chewen grew up playing with the emperor's four sons and had truly reached the pinnacle of power. One day, on his way to the palace, Shen Chewen slipped and fell down a well. When he opened his eyes again, he was standing in a mourning hall. The memorial tablet read: “The late Prince of Xiping, Shen Chewen.” Shen Chewen: ??? Did I just fall to my death? Before he could figure out what was going on, he heard someone open the door. With no other choice, Shen Chewen hid behind the screen beside the offering table. His love rival, Zhou Hedan, walked in wearing mourning clothes, holding the hand of a little boy he didn't recognize. Shen Chewen ground his teeth. “Zhou Hedan, you smug, self-satisfied bastard! You must have killed me! Stop pretending to mourn me!” Shen Chewen was about to charge out and teach Zhou Hedan a lesson when he saw the man and the little boy kneel at the same time. Zhou Hedan: “A-Nan, your father will be buried tomorrow. Make sure you say a proper goodbye.” Shen Chewen: ? What? Whose father? Zhou Hedan lowered his head and touched his belly. “Ziming, I'll raise A-Nan and give birth to our second child. You can rest easy.” Shen Chewen: ??? What? Zhou Hedan, you'd better explain yourself! The screen clattered, and Shen Chewen and Zhou Hedan stared at each other. Zhou Hedan: … Shen Chewen: … ## Shen Chewen slipped and transmigrated ten years into the future, where everything he knew had been turned upside down. The once-revered Crown Prince had been executed for rebellion. The carefree Second Prince had ascended the throne, only to die young, leaving his five-year-old son to inherit the empire. Shen Chewen, who had been devoted to serving his country, had become a treacherous minister who controlled the court and was now being targeted by loyal officials and righteous men. And the treacherous love rival he could never stand was earnestly mourning him as his widower. Wait. What's with the little boy beside him? And why is his love rival pregnant? CP: Shen Chewen (Shen Ziming) × Zhou Hedan (Zhou Xiangzhi) Reader's guide: 1. A clichéd, melodramatic pregnancy-and-childbirth story, 1v1, happy ending, both leads' first time. Bring on all the melodrama. Readers with strong character preferences may want to steer clear; no amount of warnings can cover every possible trigger, so proceed with caution if you have a lot of them. Side characters have romance plots, but they're not secondary couples, and most of their storylines are angsty. 2. Ten years ago, the gong had a crush on the Second Prince. The shou was rumored to be involved with the Second Prince, but neither had any real romantic entanglement with him. The Second Prince has his own CP. The gong and shou only have each other. 3. I've been writing for years and never abandon a story. Trust me. (Blows a kiss.) 4. All the court scheming is low-stakes. It all serves the romance. 5. In this story, time is singular, with no parallel worlds. The older and younger Shen switch places when they transmigrate. Neither remembers transmigrating, but every action the older Shen takes ten years in the past affects the world ten years later, while each action the younger Shen takes in the future gives the older Shen another memory. Theme: Good people deserve good things.