Destined

Liu Yu Ru held that box of rouge, taking a long while to regain her composure.

The young ladies in the shop were all busy selecting rouge, so no one noticed the conversation between Gu Jiusi and her. Yin Hong also went to pick a box of rouge. When she returned and saw Liu Yu Ru holding rouge in her hand, she smiled and said, "Miss, won't you choose another box?"

"Hmm."

Liu Yu Ru lowered her gaze. Since all the young ladies in the shop were selecting rouge, if she didn't choose any, it would appear unusual.

She quietly tucked the rouge into her sleeve and stepped forward to select a few boxes. The shopkeeper looked at her and said with a smile, "Miss Liu, Young Master Gu has that kind of temperament. Please don't take it to heart. He's always been sharp-tongued but soft-hearted. It must be that your brother won against him at the gambling den, so he came to vent his frustration on you. Just endure it for a while—it's nothing serious. You see, after venting, he spent money to buy some happiness."

"You're right," Liu Yu Ru sighed. "I've made a fool of myself in front of you, sister."

While Liu Yu Ru was selecting rouge in the shop, Gu Jiusi returned to the gambling den to continue gambling. However, their conversation quickly made its way back to the Gu Family. Gu Lang Hua was in the hall, angrily scolding Gu Jiusi with his wife. He fumed, "That ungrateful brat! Does he think I arranged his marriage for no reason? It's only because I'm afraid his maternal uncle will drag him to the palace to recommend him. With his looks, what if some princess really takes a fancy to him? Could he bear that kind of humiliation?"

"Don't be so angry."

Lady Gu, Jiang Rou, sighed: "Jiusi does have a point. After all, it's his marriage—he should find someone he likes. If you hastily arrange a marriage for him and he ends up with someone he doesn't love, that would hardly be proper."

"Then what would be proper? Would it be proper for him to marry a princess?!"

As the two were arguing, the steward hurried in from outside.

"Master! Madam!" the steward said happily. "We've found it!"

"Found what?" Both Gu Lang Hua and Jiang Rou looked puzzled. The steward exclaimed joyfully, "The young master's sweetheart!"

Hearing this, Jiang Rou was the first to react, raising her voice: "Jiusi has a sweetheart?! Why hasn't he told us?"

Compared to Jiang Rou, Gu Lang Hua remained calmer and asked first, "How do you know Jiusi has a sweetheart?"

The steward relayed what the guards had reported and said happily, "The young master has declared that he won't marry anyone but this girl. Isn't that proof enough of his feelings? Master, I know of this girl. I've already sent people to inquire about her. She comes from a good family, with an excellent temperament. Her looks are average, but not bad either. When choosing a wife, virtue matters most. If the young master likes her, that's what truly counts."

"The steward is right," Jiang Rou, having collected herself, quickly said. "Then hurry and make preparations. Inquire more about the girl's background. If she truly is a good match, I'll go with the master tomorrow to propose."

Having received his instructions, the steward promptly withdrew. Gu Lang Hua, reflecting on the steward's words, turned to Jiang Rou and said, "Wife, no matter how I look at this, it seems rather strange."

"It is strange," Jiang Rou sighed. "Jiusi has always confided in me about everything. Now he has a girl he likes, yet he never mentioned her to me. And she's such an ordinary girl—how did they even meet?"Gu Langhua remained silent, pondering carefully for a moment before saying to Jiang Rou, "Don't mention the marriage proposal to Jiusi just yet. Since he's the one who insisted he'd marry no one else, we'll arrange the engagement first. This time, we absolutely cannot let him cause any more trouble."

"This..." Jiang Rou hesitated, "Isn't it inappropriate not to discuss such an important matter as a marriage proposal with him?"

"It's fine," Gu Langhua waved his hand dismissively. "If we delay any longer and your brother suggests bringing Jiusi to the capital, it will be too late to refuse."

Hearing this, Jiang Rou understood. Gu Langhua no longer cared why Gu Jiusi had made that declaration; as long as he had said it, it would give them grounds to negotiate with their son later.

Liu Yuru was a native of Yangzhou through and through. Her past was ordinary—she was the epitome of a well-bred young lady from a respectable family. The steward returned the next day with a portrait and details of Liu Yuru's background. The Gu couple were thoroughly pleased; for their unreliable son to find such a dependable young woman seemed almost too good to be true.

"However, there is a rumor," the steward hesitated but spoke up anyway, "I've heard that the Ye family's matriarch is quite fond of Miss Liu. It's said that a marriage between the two families has been privately arranged."

At this, Jiang Rou grew anxious immediately: "So it's settled?"

"Not at all," the steward quickly clarified, "It's merely hearsay."

"In that case," Gu Langhua considered calmly, "We should visit the Liu family in person and clarify the situation. If the engagement is indeed settled, we naturally won't interfere. But if it isn't, the choice should ultimately lie with the Lius."

Understanding Gu Langhua's intent, the steward worked with Jiang Rou the following day to draft a betrothal gift list. They then took the entourage directly to the Liu residence.

When the Gu couple arrived at Liu Yuru's home, she was still inside tending to Su Wan. No one had expected Jiang Rou and Gu Langhua to come with a marriage proposal, so Liu Xuan did not summon Liu Yuru to appear.

Given the Gu family's prominent status in Yangzhou, both Zhang Yue'er and Liu Xuan felt somewhat uneasy. While trying to gauge Gu Langhua's purpose, they made small talk with him. After a while, Gu Langhua smiled and said, "Recently, I heard there was joyful news in your household—apparently, Miss Liu has been engaged to the Ye family. Is that true?"

Hearing this, Liu Xuan and Zhang Yue'er exchanged glances. Zhang Yue'er, quick-witted, instantly grasped Gu Langhua's intention.

So that was why the Gu family had come today—they were here for Liu Yuru.

Liu Yuru was Su Wan's daughter, and Zhang Yue'er had never been particularly fond of her, though she maintained appearances. She had noticed Liu Yuru's efforts to secure a good marriage and understood that the girl aimed to marry into a wealthy family.

If Liu Yuru married well, the betrothal gifts would be substantial. Once those gifts entered the Liu household, they would eventually be left to her own son. Thus, Zhang Yue'er was content to let Liu Yuru scheme. Initially, she had been quite satisfied with the Ye family's interest—their betrothal gifts were generous, so she had been eager to marry Liu Yuru off to them. But compared to the Gu family, what were the Ye family's assets worth?

Zhang Yue'er's mind raced. While Liu Xuan hesitated, she laughed and said, "That's all rumor. Our Yuru is close friends with the Ye family's eldest daughter, so we've been interacting with them more frequently, but marriage has never been discussed. Besides, the Ye family's eldest son is currently occupied with imperial examinations—how would he have time for such matters?"Liu Xuan listened to Zhang Yue'er's blatant lies with some unease, but since the words had already been spoken, he couldn't refute her in front of others. He could only nod and say, "She is not yet betrothed."

Jiang Rou and Gu Langhua exchanged a glance, both visibly relieved. Without beating around the bush, Jiang Rou went straight to the point: "To be frank, we came today to seek Miss Liu Yu Ru's hand in marriage for our son, Jiusi."

With that, Jiang Rou proceeded to praise Liu Yu Ru extensively, followed by lavish compliments about Gu Jiusi. Finally, she got to the crucial matter, waving to her maid beside her before turning back to Liu Xuan: "Our Gu Family believes in straightforwardness and sincerity in all matters. If you both agree, this is the betrothal gift list. We will return tomorrow for the formal proposal. If you have any concerns, feel free to voice them—we'll do our best to accommodate."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yue'er's eyes lit up. She maintained a smiling expression as she watched Liu Xuan accept the gift list. The length of the list alone was astonishing, and the amounts specified represented a staggering sum for an ordinary merchant family like the Lius. Observing Liu Xuan's expression—though he tried to appear composed—his eyes betrayed his true feelings. Zhang Yue'er immediately understood the situation.

After reviewing the list, Liu Xuan handed it to Zhang Yue'er. Seeing the figures, she nearly lost her breath but managed a light cough and feigned regret: "Though I'm not Yu Ru's birth mother, she is the legitimate daughter of this household, and I've raised her as my own. Money isn't the most important thing—what truly matters is Young Master Gu's sincerity."

Having thoroughly investigated the Liu family beforehand, Jiang Rou knew exactly what kind of person Zhang Yue'er was. She understood the implied meaning behind "sincerity." Exchanging a look with Gu Langhua, she smiled and said, "Our family isn't skilled with flowery words, so we can only express our sincerity through gold and silver. We absolutely don't mean to disrespect your daughter. In this life, only tangible things can truly be held in one's hands, don't you agree?"

"In that case," Gu Langhua cleared his throat, "we'll add five shopfronts on East Street to the betrothal gifts. How does that sound?"

East Street was the most prosperous thoroughfare in Yangzhou City—a single shopfront there was immensely valuable, let alone five! Even for the Gu Family, this was exceptionally generous.

Zhang Yue'er knew when to stop pushing. Glancing at Liu Xuan, she suppressed her excitement and said, "Master, Young Master Gu is already an outstanding talent. That he favors Yu Ru is her great fortune. What do you think?"

Liu Xuan listened to Zhang Yue'er while staring at the gift list. He felt torn between concerns for Liu Yu Ru's future and reluctance to give up such substantial wealth.

After a long internal struggle, he finally asked, "Might I ask... what does Young Master Gu think of this marriage?"

He had interacted with the Gu couple and found them reasonable—Liu Yu Ru wouldn't suffer if she married into their family. Although Gu Jiusi was... somewhat reckless, a woman's happiness ultimately depended on whether her husband cherished her.

Hearing this, Jiang Rou laughed: "If my son didn't admire Miss Liu, why would we go to such lengths?"

Liu Xuan breathed a sigh of relief. He had thought that even if the Gu Family were marrying beneath their status, they should have approached the Liu family first.Liu Xuan smiled, about to suggest consulting Liu Yu Ru, when Zhang Yue'er interjected, "That would be a match made in heaven, blessed by the matchmaker! Our Yu Ru has said before that Young Master Gu is handsome, chivalrous, and a rare fine gentleman!"

Liu Xuan's expression shifted slightly, but Jiang Rou smoothly took over the conversation: "Did Miss Liu truly say that?"

"Indeed," Zhang Yue'er chatted amiably with Jiang Rou. "Though our Yu Ru has little acquaintance with Young Master Gu, she holds him in high esteem."

"How wonderful," Jiang Rou turned to Liu Xuan. "Master Liu, shall we come tomorrow to formally deliver the betrothal gifts? Is it settled then?"

Caught in their coordinated persuasion, Liu Xuan found himself unable to oppose. After careful consideration, he reflected that marriages were ultimately arranged by parental authority and matchmakers. Since Liu Yu Ru had always been gentle and obedient, whether she married Ye Shi'an or Gu Jiusi likely made little difference to her.

Thus, Liu Xuan nodded and smiled, saying, "Then I shall await your esteemed visit tomorrow."

After seeing Gu Lang Hua and Jiang Rou out alongside Zhang Yue'er, Liu Xuan sighed and turned back. "You should inform Yu Ru about this matter. Such conversations are more suitable between women."

Zhang Yue'er agreed cheerfully, linking arms with Liu Xuan. "Don't worry, Master. The Gu Family is far superior to the Ye Family. The Ye Family has too many rules, while the Gu Family is amiable, powerful, and influential. With Gu Jiusi as their only son—though he may be somewhat unconventional—who in this world is perfect? As long as Gu Jiusi favors our Yu Ru, she'll live well."

"You're right," Liu Xuan exhaled in relief. "You've considered this thoroughly."

"Set your mind at ease. I'll speak with Yu Ru," Zhang Yue'er said gently. "She's still young. For such an important decision as marriage, we elders should make the proper arrangements for her."

After reassuring Liu Xuan, he went back to attending his business affairs. Once he left, Zhang Yue'er summoned servants to inquire about Liu Yu Ru and Gu Jiusi, soon learning about the incident at the rouge shop.

Zhang Yue'er chuckled upon hearing this. Seated in her chair, she told her maid, "Su Wan is incompetent, but her daughter certainly attracts attention. Very well, use this as pretext—tell her she's being confined for half a month due to improper conduct, so we can secure the marriage first. Make sure the servants keep their mouths shut. If anyone leaks this before the betrothal is settled, I'll have them sold off!"

The maid, recognizing Zhang Yue'er's seriousness, hurriedly replied, "Rest assured, no one will gossip."

Zhang Yue'er nodded, pondered for a moment, then added, "Speak kindly to her. She's still eagerly waiting for Ye Shi'an to return for their betrothal. Coax her along—I'll persuade her properly after the engagement with the Gu Family is finalized."

"Understood," the maid smiled. "Don't worry, I'll handle this delicately. After all, she's the future Young Madam Gu—we wouldn't want to offend her."

"What a pity," Zhang Yue'er sighed. "I don't have a suitable daughter of marriageable age myself—Xue'er is still too young. Otherwise, the Ye Family wouldn't be bad either."

"This Liu Yu Ru," Zhang Yue'er glanced down at the gift list and smirked scornfully, "is truly valuable."