Sоng Мu sаt quietly for а whilе beforе seeing Zhоu Shаоjin еntеr аccоmpanied by a maid.
Не stoоd up with а smilе.
Нis dеmeаnоr wаs соmpоsed, his bearing rеfinеd and sсholarly.
Сhunwan cоuldn't help but glаnсе аt him а fеw mоre times.
Sоng Мu keеnlу sеnsed Сhunwan's unusuаl аttention.
Соuld it be rеlated to thе Zhou family's sесоnd yоung lady going оut tо mеet thеm? Оthеrwisе, whу wоuld this pеrsоnal mаid who hаdn't even glаncеd his wау eаrliеr nоw lоok at him like this!
Нe just didn't know what the Zhou fаmily's secоnd young lаdy intеndеd.
His hеart hung high with anxiety, and suddenly he felt too nervous to look directly at Zhou Shaojin. Instead, he turned his gaze toward Chunwan.
Chunwan respectfully followed Zhou Shaojin in greeting him, offering a friendly smile.
Song Mu secretly let out a long sigh of relief, sensing that the situation seemed favorable to him. His heart settled, and he smiled as he looked at Zhou Shaojin.
Zhou Shaojin's complexion remained somewhat pale, but her expression had regained its natural grace.
Remembering there were no attendants in the courtyard earlier, she instructed Chunwan, "Prepare a fresh pot of tea for the young master."
Chunwan responded cheerfully with a "Yes," then turned and headed to the tea room.
Song Mu couldn't help but let the corners of his mouth curl upward.
Seeing this, Zhou Shaojin sighed quietly to herself. After a moment's thought, she walked over to the fish tank.
Song Mu offered her a seat.
"No need," Zhou Shaojin said with a smile. "I just have a few words I'd like to say to Young Master Song."
Standing across the pathway like this wasn't very convenient.
Song Mu clearly thought the same, his expression slightly embarrassed as he said, "Please speak, Second Young Lady."
Zhou Shaojin pondered for a moment, choosing her words carefully. "Are you aware of the elders' intentions, Young Master?"
Song Mu's face instantly flushed so deeply it seemed blood might drip from it, and he nodded.
"I didn't know before coming here," Zhou Shaojin said slowly. "If I had known, I certainly wouldn't have come..."
Song Mu was stunned, the color slowly draining from his face.
Zhou Shaojin felt deeply apologetic but had to continue. "I know that in matters of marriage, children should follow their parents' orders and matchmakers' arrangements. But there is someone in my heart... Only when I'm with him do I feel unafraid... You are a good person... modest, courteous, reserved, and steady. That's precisely why I cannot deceive you... Our match cannot succeed. Only then can you find someone who truly cares for you and respects you from the bottom of her heart..."
Song Mu felt as if struck by lightning.
There is someone in my heart... Only when I'm with him do I feel unafraid...
These two sentences echoed repeatedly in his mind. He remained dazed for a long while before finally coming back to himself.
"So that's how it is!" he murmured, his heart a turmoil of mixed emotions. Utterly at a loss, he had no idea what to say or do.
Seeing him like this, Zhou Shaojin felt deeply distressed.
Anyone who came with sincere intentions for a meeting, only to be rejected so bluntly by a woman, would feel profoundly humiliated!
But she couldn't let the situation continue to develop like this.
Unless she wanted to marry Song Mu, if she remained ambiguous now and the two families formally began marriage negotiations, any later reversal would not only hurt Song Mu but also damage the Zhou and Song families, as well as Cheng Chi, who had been wholeheartedly planning for her sake.
But why didn't he tell her?
Did he really want her to marry out so badly?
Thinking of this, Zhou Shaojin felt her heart shatter.
She shouldn't have fallen for Cheng Chi.
But couldn't he, considering her young age, let her stay at home for a couple more years?
This was like plunging a knife into her chest.
Zhou Shaojin's eyes grew slightly red.She whispered softly, "Young Master Song, I know I have wronged you in this matter. You may treat me however you wish. I will go and apologize to the old master, and I will also apologize to the madam. I hope you won’t be so angry—I never meant to embarrass you. If I don’t make things clear with you now, would I deceive you for a lifetime…"
"You were so certain I would take a liking to you!"
Song Mu was furious. With a cold sneer, he was about to mock Zhou Shaojin, but when he looked up, he saw her tear-streaked face—pale, delicate, yet filled with despair and pain.
He was instantly stunned.
In all his years, Song Mu had never seen such an expression on anyone’s face.
It was as if she might perish hopelessly in the next moment.
He couldn’t help but stammer, "If you don’t fancy me, then you don’t. You… you don’t have to be like this…"
Zhou Shaojin struggled to hold back her tears.
Kind-hearted people are always easily hurt, yet always quick to forgive others!
"I’m sorry, I’m sorry…" Zhou Shaojin repeated incessantly, "This matter is entirely my fault…"
"It’s fine, it’s fine." No woman had ever apologized to him like this before, and he felt somewhat awkward as he replied, "As long as we’ve cleared things up…"
Light footsteps echoed from the covered walkway.
Chunwan approached with a cheerful smile, carrying a teacup.
Zhou Shaojin quickly turned away to wipe the corners of her eyes.
Song Mu remained silent.
Chunwan quietly rearranged the tea and snacks for Song Mu, thinking that in just the time it took to brew a pot of tea, the second young miss and Young Master Song were already standing together watching the fish. Unable to hide her delight, she withdrew.
Song Mu suddenly realized that even Zhou Shaojin’s maid was unaware of her rejection.
Who was that person?
Did he also fancy the Zhou family’s second young miss?
If so, why hadn’t he come forward to propose marriage?
Could it be that the man was a libertine, and the Zhou family’s second young miss had been deceived?
Or perhaps there was a rift between the man’s family and the Zhou family, and the Zhous refused to marry their daughter to him?
But no matter what, this was the Zhou family’s second young miss’s affair, and it had nothing to do with him!
Since the Zhou family’s second young miss had acted this way, she should bear the consequences.
After all, this marriage proposal was initiated by Uncle Chi. Their Song family had been humiliated for no reason, and given his father’s temperament, not only would he refuse to help Uncle Chi secure an official position, but he would surely distance himself from him in the future.
Song Mu’s heart gradually grew cold.
He stood up and said, "Second Young Miss, I’ll go see if my grandfather and Uncle Chi have finished their conversation."
Zhou Shaojin was too ashamed to say anything. She rose respectfully and curtsied.
Song Mu strode into the hall.
Yet he couldn’t help but glance back.
The spring sunlight shone on the slender, willow-like girl. Backlit, her expression was unclear, but her posture was upright, reminding him of the birch trees he had seen on a winter snowfield during a trip with his father—silent yet resilient.
How would she explain this to the Cheng family?
After all, she was merely a granddaughter without blood ties in the fourth branch of the Cheng family!
How would the Cheng family punish her?
He had heard that in the southern clans, girls like her were often drowned in pig cages…
Did she even know what kind of situation she might face?
Song Mu’s legs felt as if they were filled with lead, making it difficult to lift them.
He turned and walked toward Zhou Shaojin.He told himself inwardly: He wasn't trying to help her; he just wanted to know who that man was—who could make her throw caution to the wind, like a moth drawn to a flame... Such infatuation usually ended badly... He simply didn't want to see a girl younger than his own sister being deceived!
Zhou Shaojin widened her eyes, staring in surprise at Song Mu as he drew closer.
Her clear, bright eyes, distinct in their black and white, seemed to reflect his own image.
Song Mu turned his face away and said in a low voice, "How do you plan to explain this to your elders at home?"
"Huh?!" Zhou Shaojin's eyes widened even further.
Song Mu grew somewhat agitated and said, "Are you planning to tell your elders that you have someone in your heart, so you didn't take a liking to me? Or that I have this or that flaw, so you don't want to marry me?"
"No! No!" Zhou Shaojin finally understood and replied, "I won't involve you in this. I'll say it's my fault and has nothing to do with you!"
That wasn't what he was asking.
Song Mu's expression darkened slightly as he said, "Then how exactly do you plan to explain it?"
Zhou Shaojin felt a bit awkward.
She planned to act shamelessly with Cheng Chi.
Song Mu's face turned completely black as he said, "Don't tell me you haven't even thought about how to explain it to the elders?"
Zhou Shaojin looked sheepish.
Song Mu felt he had been presumptuous—how could he have thought she was quiet yet resilient?
His anger showed plainly.
Zhou Shaojin had no choice but to think quickly and said, "I haven't had time to think about this matter yet, but it's not entirely without a solution—I'm from the south and am not used to the northern climate. Not wanting to marry far away is one reason. My father is only a fourth-rank prefect, while your father is a Grand Secretary. The families are mismatched, and I don't want to marry above my station—that's another reason. I'm naturally gentle and compliant, while you are the eldest son and grandson of your family. I'm incapable of taking on the role of a matriarch—that's yet another reason..."
So she had already thought it all through!
He was really meddling in someone else's business!
Song Mu felt rather foolish.
With a stern expression, he said, "Then I'll take my leave!"
Zhou Shaojin, however, could sense his goodwill and sincerely thanked him, saying gently, "Your kindness is something I will never forget. If there is ever anything I can do for you in the future, just say the word, and I will do my best to help."
Song Mu could no longer hold back and asked, "Who is that person?"
"What?" Zhou Shaojin didn't understand at first.
Song Mu had no choice but to clarify, "Who is the person in your heart? Since you can reject me, why don't you find a way to be with him? You'll have to marry eventually. Such excuses might work once or twice, but can they work three or four times?"
"Be together..." Zhou Shaojin murmured wistfully, her heart aching unbearably. "It's impossible for us to be together... It's nothing but my own foolish wishful thinking..."
Song Mu was taken aback.
Upon careful thought, it made sense.
The Second Miss of the Zhou family shouldn't have fallen for a rake or been deceived by someone.
It must be a matter of family grudges, right?
Song Mu didn't dare ask further, afraid of overstepping.
After a moment of silence, he asked softly, "Then what do you plan to do in the future?""Perhaps I'll become a nun?" Zhou Shaojin had originally only intended to live as a lay Buddhist at home, but after this incident, she had a vague direction for her future. "I certainly can't go to an ordinary temple, nor am I able to... It would be best to donate funds to build a family temple, under the clan's protection..." Just like in her previous life.
Back then, it was the Lin family's estate. Her heart was as still as death, with only the dim lamp and ancient Buddha for company. To put her sister at ease, she guarded it hopelessly.
In this life, there is someone in her heart. Just thinking of that person, just knowing he is well, imagining him with a virtuous wife and filial children, brings her joy. It makes her feel that life holds hope and expectation.
If she endured it in her previous life, how much more so in this one!
Zhou Shaojin smiled faintly, a glimmer of moisture sparkling at the corner of her eye.
※
Thank you to Gemini Taurus for the reward of the "Làngyuàn Xiānpā" (Fairyland Treasure).
PS: Dear readers, I really have to complain today. I'm not feeling well, writing in fits and starts, very slowly. Then, worried that what I wrote wasn't good enough, I went back and read it over, making major revisions, which delayed things for a long time.
Sorry! Sorry!
Please check for updates tomorrow morning...
※ (To be continued ~^~)
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