Zhang Chen followed the little maid, walking towards the house. Along the way, various thoughts swirled in Zhang Chen’s mind, his heart in turmoil, like a bucket dipping in and out of water. He pondered over what to do when he saw Jiang Nan later.
"Should I apologize and explain to Jiang Nan first, or wait for her to question me?" Zhang Chen’s thoughts spiraled.
As he walked through the courtyard and into the house where he saw Jiang Nan, Zhang Chen suddenly felt that the words he had prepared on the way lost their purpose.
Jiang Nan, dressed in white, sat there quietly with a pale face, brewing a pot of tea before her. Her demeanor was calm, as if nothing unusual had happened.
"Sit." Jiang Nan pointed to the seat opposite.
Hearing this, Zhang Chen sat obediently on the stool like a student facing a teacher, watching as Jiang Nan poured him a cup of tea: "Drink."
"Cousin, today I was also framed, and I am willing to take responsibility for what happened." Zhang Chen looked at Jiang Nan and said.
"Responsibility?" Jiang Nan looked at Zhang Chen calmly: "How do you propose to take responsibility?"
"I have decided to annul my marriage with Shen Ling, and I am willing to marry you!" Zhang Chen said.
"You’re willing to marry me?" Jiang Nan shook her head: "But I am not willing to marry you."
At these words, Zhang Chen was stunned, as Jiang Nan continued: "If you were from a noble family, the eldest son of the Zhang family, with the right to inherit the Zhang family, I would naturally be willing to marry you. But now..."
Jiang Nan stopped halfway, but Zhang Chen understood the implication: she disdained him for having no power, no status, and no capability.
"I have been belittled," Zhang Chen thought to himself.
Then, Zhang Chen tentatively asked: "What about what happened before..."
"Let’s consider what happened before as if it never occurred! Let it all end here," Jiang Nan earnestly told Zhang Chen. "Let it thoroughly rot away, and don’t bring it up again in the future. I won’t remember it. It was just a dream before, and now I am awake."
Seeing Zhang Chen about to speak again, Jiang Nan raised her hand to stop him: "You are a good person! But you know, girls are born to sell themselves for a good price, to marry into a good family, and then live a life of luxury without worries."
Hearing this, Zhang Chen smiled bitterly: "I understand, I was thinking too much."
Jiang Nan looked at Zhang Chen and sighed lightly: "It’s a pity for the two of us, but all we can say is there’s fate but no destiny. From now on, you will be my cousin, and I will be your cousin too. That matter should never be mentioned again."
"I remember!" Zhang Chen sighed, then lowered his head and took a sip of tea. The atmosphere sank into a deathly silence.
"I should be going." Seeing that Zhang Chen had finished his bowl of tea and Jiang Nan made no move to refill it, he understood she wanted him to leave, so he stood up to say goodbye.
Jiang Nan nodded at this and said to Zhang Chen: "Take care!"
Sighing deeply, Zhang Chen strode out of the courtyard, looking back for the last glance before leaving. He exhaled lightly, speaking to himself with a self-deprecating tone: "It seems I am indeed disdained! Also, now I am just a parentless, disinherited poor boy, while she is a lady from a noble family. How could she possibly take notice of me?"
The stories of princes and Cinderella are ultimately fairy tales.
Girls all wish to sell themselves for a good price.
"At least I was not held responsible, which is good. Listening to plays and pursuing immortality is the life I want after all." Zhang Chen whistled as he walked back leisurely.
He felt little discomfort because, to him, such things were common in this world.
Nonetheless, there was still some discomfort in his heart.
Meanwhile, Zhang Gaoqiu, having been returned by divine intervention, woke on his bed at home, feeling as if the sky had fallen at the pitch-black night outside.
"How did it suddenly turn dark? Wasn’t I on my way to find the old lady?" Zhang Gaoqiu suddenly sat up, his mind buzzing loudly.
Throwing off the covers, he rushed out of bed when a maid carrying a basin of water entered, her face lighting up with joy upon seeing him: "Master, you’re awake?"
"Why am I here?" Zhang Gaoqiu, puzzled, quickly asked his maid, wondering how he ended here when he was heading to find the old madam.
"A servant from the Shen Family brought you, saying you were ambushed and knocked unconscious on the road. Luckily, a Shen Family servant found you and brought you back." said the maid.
Hearing this, Zhang Gaoqiu felt at a loss and quickly asked: "Where is Zhang Chen? Where is Zhang Chen?"
"Mr. Zhang waited for you in the house for four hours. Seeing that you hadn’t returned, he took his leave." The maid said.
Upon hearing the maid’s words, Zhang Gaoqiu immediately asked: "Did anything happen during that time? Did the first madam come by?"
The little maid nodded upon hearing the words: "When I returned at the appointed time, I saw Miss Jiang Nan and the First Madam walking out from inside."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Gaoqiu felt as if the sky was about to fall. He had instructed the maid to return in three and a half or four hours; what had happened in the courtyard during this time?
Not only was the First Madam involved, but how did his own cousin get entangled as well?
"Was there anything unusual when the First Madam and Cousin Miss left?" Zhang Gaoqiu asked.
The little maid pondered for a moment upon hearing this, and then said: "Yes!"
"What was unusual?" Zhang Gaoqiu pressed further.
"Their clothes were a bit disheveled, their eyes were dull, and besides that, their bodies were trembling, and their legs were shaking," the little maid replied.
Upon hearing this, Zhang Gaoqiu felt as if he had been struck by thunderbolts, his legs weakened, and he directly sat to the ground, with only one thought flashing in his mind: "It’s a disaster! It’s a disaster! I didn’t manage to accomplish what I intended, and yet I implicated my future mother-in-law."
"However, the First Madam’s cultivation is stronger than Zhang Chen’s; she should be fine, right?" Zhang Gaoqiu felt somewhat fortunate, and then hurriedly got up using both his hands and feet, quickly heading in the direction of the First Madam to probe some more.
Meanwhile, over at Shen Ling’s residence, accompanied by a soft sound, Shen Ling woke up from her stupor, looking bewildered at the setup inside the room: "How did I end up here?"
"A young lad said you fainted on the road, and the family steward brought you back," the little maid said respectfully.
Upon hearing this, Shen Ling was taken aback: "I fainted? What about Big Cousin? Was the plan executed smoothly?"
Thinking of this, Shen Ling sat up and was about to seek out Zhang Gaoqiu for inquiries, but the maid said: "Miss, the Madam has ordered that if you wake up, you must immediately go for a visit."
Upon hearing this, Shen Ling nodded and hurriedly arrived at Madam Wang’s residence, only to see Madam Wang sitting in front of a table, flipping through account books, with incense smoke wafting in front of her.
With just one glance, seeing that her mother appeared normal, Shen Ling couldn’t help but inwardly breathe a sigh of relief.
"Mom!" Shen Ling approached and hugged Madam Wang’s arm.
"You’re awake?" Madam Wang looked at Shen Ling with affection.
"How did the plan go?" Shen Ling didn’t answer Madam Wang’s words and instead asked.
"It’s been resolved. Zhang Chen has agreed to dissolve the marriage with you. You don’t need to target him any longer. Since you and Gaoqiu are fond of each other, I’ll send someone to Kyoto to discuss the marriage, so your wedding can be settled soon," Madam Wang said.
"Really? Did that scoundrel really relent? Good! Good! Good! Now I don’t have to worry anymore; it seems everything’s sorted out," Shen Ling said with a smile, her face full of joy.
Seeing Shen Ling smiling like a blooming flower, Madam Wang sighed lightly. Just as she was speaking, the sound of footsteps came from outside, and Shen Qiu walked in: "Mom, you called for me?"
"I have something important to discuss with you," Madam Wang said.
"What is it?" Shen Qiu slouched onto a nearby chair.
Recalling the scene of Zhang Chen spreading Jiang Nan’s legs and advancing vigorously, Madam Wang said:
"You are not to interact with Miss Jiang Nan in the future; I do not approve of your marriage!"
"What?" Shen Qiu was taken aback and looked at Madam Wang with a face full of surprise: "Why? Weren’t you fully supportive before? Why the sudden change of heart? Didn’t you send me to Guangji precisely to engage with the little cousin? You were the one who instructed me to do so."
Madam Wang lowered her eyes upon hearing this, took a breath of sandalwood incense, then glanced at the ledger in her hands: "There is no reason why; the situation has changed. When I say no, it means no."
"You set up the arrangement with cousin and me, and now you want to forcefully intervene and break us apart. Why is it that you decide as you please? I won’t agree!" A trace of anger flashed in Shen Qiu’s eyes.
"Have your wings grown so strong that you won’t even listen to your mother anymore?" Madam Wang’s eyes narrowed at these words, looking up suddenly with a chilling gleam in her eyes.
"I don’t care; I’ve set my sights on the little cousin and will marry no one but her..." Shen Qiu’s eyes were full of stubbornness.
Hearing Shen Qiu’s words, Madam Wang remembered Jiang Nan being wrenched apart at the waist, her face showing a tinge of anger, and just as she was about to rebuke again, a guard came in from outside: "Madam, Zhang Gaoqiu requests to see you."
Hearing that Zhang Gaoqiu sought an audience, a flicker of coldness appeared in Madam Wang’s eyes, her anger beginning to surge: "How dare he come looking for me; he truly deserves to die a thousand deaths!"
Despite her extreme annoyance, Madam Wang did not show it, merely saying calmly: "Let him in."
As her words fell, Zhang Gaoqiu came in from outside, his eyes observing Madam Wang’s expression. Not seeing anything unusual, he felt a bit uncertain, and he respectfully bowed: "Nephew greets Aunt."
While saluting, Zhang Gaoqiu pondered Madam Wang’s expression, contemplating whether there were any clues.