Love Like the Galaxy

At this point, Huangfu Yi suddenly became short of breath. Yuan Shen silently poured a cup of warm water from the warmer and knelt beside his teacher to help him drink. After catching his breath, Huangfu Yi continued, "Not only that, but this young woman had to single-handedly take on the heavy responsibility of caring for the deceased gentleman's family. The manor and estates of that gentleman's household had been seized by local bullies, and the daily necessities for the widows and orphans all came from the fiancée's own resources. She waited like this for seven years."

Shao Shang's lips twitched a few times as she resisted speaking. In her heart, she thought she would never wait like that.

"Many of these things the gentleman only learned much later. For a man, seven years could be spent venturing into dragon's lairs and tiger's dens seeking revenge. But for a woman, it meant endless reproaches from relatives, being taken advantage of, exhausting herself to shelter the widows and orphans from hardship, and having to make decisions about every trivial daily matter as well as births, aging, sickness, and deaths."

Huangfu Yi's eyes grew moist: "But at that time, the gentleman was too arrogant. He thought his fiancée loved him so deeply that all this was only natural. It was only after many years of worldly experience that he gradually realized how much suffering his fiancée had endured for him..."

The usually reticent Ling Buyi suddenly spoke up, "Teacher, forgive my bluntness, but perhaps that gentleman should never have let his fiancée wait. If Heaven has its way, it would not separate those who love each other. If Heaven is without way, then man should follow Heaven's decree."

These words shocked everyone in the hall. Had they come from a world-weary elder or some mediocre person, it wouldn't have been surprising. But for Ling Buyi—a young, powerful minister capable of anything, at the peak of his vigor—to say such fatalistic words was truly strange.

Only Shao Shang clapped her hands enthusiastically in approval: "Well said, Lord Ling!" In truth, this was exactly what she thought too.

Throughout history, those who waited faithfully in bitter hardship never had good outcomes. After decades of waiting, the man across the strait would have already married, had children, and been surrounded by grandchildren. Or you might become an honored lady for one day, only to be presented with a young, noble, beautiful 'sister' who sleeps with your husband and beats your children. The scholarly elite would then immortalize your tragic story to 'inspire' future women to follow suit—though to Shao Shang, such stories served more as warnings.

According to Shao Shang's ethical logic, one shouldn't fight against Heaven. If Heaven separates you, then obediently part ways—each returning to their own home, each marrying anew. Many blended families find happiness too. Take her adoptive parents, for example—both remarried and lived happily, even becoming more peaceful and optimistic. If everyone could think this way, history would have seen far fewer tragedies.

Only after speaking did Shao Shang notice the astonished looks from others and belatedly realize her praise might have been inappropriate.

Fortunately, Young Master Lou was open-minded and sunny by nature, not prone to suspicion. He automatically took his fiancée's words as reflexive agreement with her idol—since he often unconsciously did the same with his 'elder brother's absolutely brilliant ideas.'

The others, however, clearly heard the girl's heartfelt sincerity. Huangfu Yi stroked his beard with a bitter smile and shook his head, while Ling Buyi seemed to think of something and actually turned his head to chuckle softly.

Yuan Shen then said, "Cheng Niangzi, if Young Master Lou were in such a situation, would you wait for him or not?"Shao Shang had already mentally slapped this guy back and forth eighteen times in her mind. She knew that whenever he opened his mouth, nothing good would come of it. Fortunately, she reacted quickly, forcing a smile as she said, "Young Master Yuan, let me ask you this in return: if you encountered such misfortune, would you want someone to wait for you?"

Yuan Shen raised an eyebrow. "I asked you first."

Shao Shang glared. "If you won't answer, neither will I!"

Seeing the tension between them, Lou Yao cautiously stepped in to mediate. "Shao Shang, I wouldn't make you wait—"

"Don't speak yet!" Shao Shang shot Lou Yao a look before turning to the teacher and disciple at the head of the room. She enunciated each word clearly: "Since Young Master Yuan asked, I'll answer. It's actually very simple—if he waits for me, then I'll wait for him!"

Yuan Shen frowned. "What kind of answer is that?!"

Shao Shang smiled resolutely. "If he remains devoted to me, even if he falls into destitution and his family's fortunes collapse, I would still wait for him." At worst, she could support the household herself—the mother of the Salted Fish Society's leader earned more than her husband, yet their marriage was harmonious and loving.

"But if he uses excuses like 'it's hard to make a living out there' or 'I have difficulties and hardships,' while indulging in pleasure left and right, I wouldn't wait for him for even half an hour!" After saying this, Shao Shang's gaze pierced straight toward Huangfu Yi.

Huangfu Yi, meeting the girl's sharp and clear eyes, felt a pang in his heart, as if hearing Sang Shi's accusatory questions from years ago.

He continued, "Before his family's downfall, many young women admired that gentleman. In terms of talent, looks, and family background, none were inferior to his betrothed. Yet he remained true to his promise, treating those women with icy indifference. Later, when calamity struck, those fleeting admirers naturally scattered. However... alas, that gentleman's late father once had an exceptionally skilled bodyguard, who later established his own reputation in the martial world. Out of gratitude for the kindness shown by the gentleman's father, he volunteered to escort the gentleman south. Unfortunately, he perished along the way..."

Shao Shang narrowed her eyes. "Don't tell me the bodyguard had a daughter?" Such a cliché plot!

Huangfu Yi nodded with a bitter smile. "Indeed. He left behind only one daughter, still young at the time, raised by relatives. Years later, when Emperor Li's tyranny incited uprisings across the land, the authorities could no longer enforce arrests. Remembering the bodyguard's dying request, the gentleman sought out the daughter and provided her with generous wealth."

"Let me guess—she suffered terrible abuse at her relatives' hands, living in misery?" Shao Shang eagerly filled in the blanks.

Huangfu Yi shook his head with a wry smile. "No, that wasn't the case. The bodyguard had been a respected figure in the martial world, and his orphaned daughter was well-protected. Later... later..."

"Later, the orphan girl must have fallen for that gentleman, clinging to him with infatuation, right?"

Yuan Shen frowned in displeasure. "Could you stop interrupting while the Teacher is speaking?"

"Your Teacher was hesitating, so I helped him along," Shao Shang replied playfully.

Huangfu Yi waved his hand, signaling Yuan Shen to stop arguing with Shao Shang, and continued, "Shao Shang is correct. However, the orphan girl didn't openly pursue him—she simply followed quietly in his shadow. Whenever she noticed his guards neglecting their duties, she stepped in to assist. Despite this, the gentleman remained cold toward her. Two years passed, and with the central plains engulfed in war, Emperor Li could no longer maintain control. The gentleman was finally able to return home."Shao Shang sneered inwardly. What a fine example of "not mincing words"—it was simply "neither accepting nor refusing."

"For these past seven years, the young master traveled the land, serving as a guest under many renowned heroes of the time and making quite a name for himself. He thought he could finally return in glory to marry his betrothed. So he wrote home, saying that on the day of his future father-in-law's birthday celebration the following month, he would enter through the main gate bearing golden phoenix robes and formally propose the wedding date before all the gathered guests! But who could have known... who could have known..."

Shao Shang was now completely engrossed and didn't interrupt.

Huangfu Yi's voice trembled: "On the very day the young master set out to return home, that orphaned girl took poison!"

"She died?!" Shao Shang exclaimed in shock. This story had taken quite a bizarre turn.

Ling Buyi said calmly, "Most likely not."

Huangfu Yi sighed deeply. "Because the maid reported it early and they induced vomiting in time, the orphaned girl didn't die. But seeing her hovering between life and death, the young master remembered her father who had died tragically—how could he abandon her then? He knew of a renowned physician living in seclusion, so he had no choice but to carry the girl to seek treatment. The young master resolved that this would be his final act of repayment for the guard's loyalty. After this, even if the girl died before his eyes, he would pay her no more heed. They rushed day and night to deliver the girl to the physician's mountain retreat, and then the young master hurried back home—only to find the birthday banquet had ended many days prior."

"The young master knew he had deeply offended his betrothed and wanted to explain himself. After days of desperate pleading, he was finally allowed to see her. But the first words from her mouth were to break off the engagement!" Huangfu Yi's fingers shook slightly. "At this point, relatives and guests all turned to persuade the betrothed to be reasonable and not so willful, lest she regret losing this excellent match. But... but..."

Shao Shang said coldly, "If the betrothed could withstand everyone's pressure not to break the engagement before, she could now stand alone in her determination to end it." Well done! It was downright satisfying!

Huangfu Yi nodded. "The young master thought his betrothed was simply angry and would calm down with time. So he told her family they could proceed with breaking the engagement for now—as long as she remained unmarried, he would not wed another. The day she changed her mind, he would immediately welcome her back with sincerity. But what he waited for... what he eventually heard... was news that his betrothed was marrying someone else. The young master went mad with grief and rushed to demand an explanation."

Huangfu Yi's face twisted in pain. "No matter how the young master explained about the orphaned girl, or how he had sent messengers to report back—only for them to meet violent deaths on the road, leaving his betrothed humiliated at the banquet through no fault of his own—his betrothed refused to listen. She only asked whether he had ever truly cared for her, whether he had ever understood what she truly wanted! Without waiting for his answer, she declared their ties severed forever."

"The young master simply couldn't understand. His betrothed had waited seven years for him, endured so much hardship, and had always been generous and principled since childhood. Why, when happiness was finally within reach, would she stubbornly fixate on this one trivial matter at the very end?" Huangfu Yi clutched his graying head, tears streaming down his face.

For a long time, the hall was so silent you could hear a pin drop.

Lou Yao listened to this lengthy tale with only partial comprehension. Yuan Shen, who already knew the story, could only bow his head with a quiet sigh. Only Shao Shang burned with fury—if not for tightly sealed lips, her scathing insults would have come pouring forth like an avalanche.Ling Buyi caught sight of the girl, who resembled a plump little kettle with a pouting spout, the steam of boiling water nearly lifting the lid. He quickly spoke first, "Teacher, Zisheng has a few questions. May I speak?"

Huangfu Yi, his face streaked with tears, looked up. "Zisheng, speak freely."

"Teacher just mentioned that the young lord was cold and indifferent to all the young ladies who admired him. Zisheng would like to ask—was this young lord affectionate and considerate toward his betrothed?" Ling Buyi tilted slightly as he posed the question.

Huangfu Yi was taken aback. "Well... this young lord was calm and restrained from childhood. He was not... not particularly attentive..."

Shao Shang couldn't help but interject, "Cold and indifferent to others, lukewarm to his own betrothed—is there really much difference?" What women wanted was preferential treatment. If a man treated outsiders and his wife the same, who would bother with him?!

Ling Buyi suppressed a laugh and continued, "From what Teacher has said, this betrothed was an exceptionally intelligent woman. Though the young lord knew that virtue was paramount in a wife, he still secretly lamented her plain appearance. Teacher, do you think the betrothed had long since noticed this?"

Huangfu Yi hurriedly replied, "I... she... the young lord may have harbored such thoughts in his youth, but later, he was moved by her deep devotion and noble character. He no longer entertained such frivolous notions!"

Shao Shang snapped angrily, "Did the betrothed want the young lord's pity? My uncle—" She bit back her words and changed tack. "At the time, who knew Emperor Li would bring about his own downfall so quickly? That betrothed waited steadfastly even when hope seemed lost—what does that say about her indifference to fame and fortune? All she sought was to be cherished in the heart of the one she loved. Yet she ended up with a self-important, heartless scoundrel!"

Huangfu Yi was speechless.

Yuan Shen did not come to his teacher's defense this time. Instead, he glanced sideways at the girl's flushed face, her bright eyes gleaming with intensity. Silently, he thought to himself: If someone treated him like this, he would never be as aloof and indifferent as his teacher. He would treat her well.

Suppressing her anger, Shao Shang asked, "That orphan girl followed the young lord for two years—surely many in the village knew of it? Did the rumors reach the family of the young lord's betrothed?"

Huangfu Yi leaned on Yuan Shen's arm and stood up urgently. "They knew, yes. But the young lord repeatedly wrote to his family to dispel the rumors, insisting the orphan girl was of no consequence!"

Shao Shang smirked mockingly. "Yet the betrothed could not believe it!"

Huangfu Yi was thunderstruck. Beads of cold sweat dripped from his wrinkled forehead as he weakly defended, "In the young lord's heart, that orphan girl was not worth a fraction of his betrothed! How could he abandon the latter for the former? It was truly a misunderstanding on the betrothed's part!"

Shao Shang was furious. Misunderstanding? That was men's favorite excuse! "Teacher, you—" But for a moment, she couldn't find the perfect retort. She couldn't very well start cursing.

Ling Buyi slowly rose and walked to the massive Conjoined Lantern, using a bronze needle to brighten the flames. "Master Huangfu, if the betrothed and the orphan girl were both on a battlefield..." He shook his head, realizing the example was flawed—what would two women be doing on a battlefield?

Shao Shang instantly grasped his meaning and quickly added, "If the betrothed and the orphan girl both fell into a river, whom would the young lord save first?"

Huangfu Yi was about to answer when Ling Buyi added another condition, "What if the betrothed knew just enough about swimming to stay afloat for a short while, while the orphan girl couldn't swim at all? Whom would the young lord save first?"Upon hearing this, Huangfu Yi hesitated again: "This... this..." In normal thinking, wouldn't one let those who can swim hold on a little longer while saving those who can't swim first?

Shao Shang felt Ling Buyi's remark was brilliantly cutting. She looked at him with appreciative eyes, while Ling Buyi kept his gaze forward, though the corners of his lips curled slightly.

Seeing his teacher's troubled expression, Yuan Shen spoke up: "Lord Ling, if it were you, who would you save first?"

Ling Buyi answered straightforwardly: "Naturally, I'd save my betrothed first."

Huangfu Yi trembled and said, "Then... then would you just watch the orphaned girl die..."

Shao Shang snorted coldly. If it were that pig-footed Uncle, he'd absolutely save Aunt first! What orphaned girls or widows—none of their lives would matter more than a single sip of river water causing Aunt Sang distress!

Though Lou Yao was young and impulsive, after pondering the situation, he also voiced his opinion blankly: "If... if it were me, I'd save Shao Shang first too."

Delighted, Shao Shang turned and threw him a big flirtatious glance as praise.

Young Master Lou blushed crimson but was thoroughly pleased.

Ignoring the young couple's antics, Ling Buyi continued tending the fire with a bronze needle. "That year when General Wu campaigned against the Usurper Chen, His Majesty kept me in the rear to guard the formation. Thinking it idle time, I feigned an attack on the convoy hiding the Usurper's treasures. Unexpectedly, the foolish Chen diverted thirty percent of his forces mid-battle to protect his wealth, leading to his army's complete collapse."

Under the glow of the Conjoined Lantern, Shao Shang thought his profile looked as flawless as jade.

"Back then I was still young and couldn't understand—why worry about treasures when victory would bring all? But that wealth-obsessed Usurper Chen thought differently. To him, cities could be lost, soldiers could perish, but not a single treasure could be endangered."

Ling Buyi clasped his hands behind his back, smiling modestly. "Teacher, to that young master, was his betrothed not someone who couldn't endure the slightest mishap? Anyone who's swum knows riverbeds vary in depth, with unseen dangers like tangled weeds or whirlpools. Did that young master consider his betrothed might drown the moment he chose to save the orphan first? If she truly held his heart, how could he risk even half an accident?"

Yuan Shen couldn't help defending his teacher again: "The betrothed hadn't fallen into the river."

"Neither had the orphaned girl. She poisoned herself."

Ling Buyi's tone was icy. "Such people—let them die. Then adopt a son for that guard, ensure his promotion and prosperity, with descendants to continue his lineage." This blunt solution left Huangfu Yi and his disciple dumbfounded, while Lou Yao and Shao Shang struggled to suppress laughter.

Yuan Shen said, "That seems rather unfair to the guard who died tragically."

"Unfair or not, one can't please everyone in this world." Setting down the bronze needle after adjusting the last lamp, Ling Buyi added, "Had that young master known the guard's sacrifice would cost his marriage, he should've hired martial artists instead—others might've been equally willing to die."

Shao Shang mocked, "My father's a general. Countless soldiers have died protecting him on the battlefield. Proper compensation for their families and promoting their children suffice—not every one had daughters or sisters demanding to marry Father!""I can't stand this talk of repaying kindness with one's life. By that logic, those generals and marshals—if one lieutenant died for them, they'd marry his sister; if another adjutant was crippled for them, they'd marry his daughter—who knows if they're repaying debts or just enjoying the perks! If they had to compensate for a hundred thousand troops, they'd need kidneys growing all over their bodies!"

Huangfu Yi was utterly silenced. Yuan Shen supported his mentor, feeling half of the old man's body trembling and ice-cold.

Lou Yao quickly chimed in with admiration for his idol, sighing, "Elder Brother speaks wisely. That orphan girl disregarded her parents' care and upbringing just to delay the young master's return—she truly lacked self-respect."

Yuan Shen argued, "Perhaps it wasn't solely to delay him. Maybe she took poison in despair upon learning the young master was about to marry upon his return."

Shao Shang retorted loudly, "Intentions don't matter—results do. The result was that seeking treatment for her delayed the young master's return, so she poisoned herself to delay him!"

Yuan Shen sighed. He'd tried his best for his mentor.

"Ultimately, that young master should have sent the orphan girl away earlier..." Huangfu Yi lamented with a sorrowful sigh.

Ling Buyi arched his elegant brows. "That orphan girl was nothing but a petty clown, unworthy of mention." Suddenly raising his voice, he asked, "Cheng Niangzi, if your uncle traveled far away and rumors spread that he'd taken up with another woman, would your aunt believe them?"

Shao Shang laughed. "Absolutely not." She added with another chuckle, "My aunt would probably send someone to rescue him immediately, terrified that my utterly defenseless uncle might be kidnapped by some passing female bandit lord!" If it were Old Man Cheng, Director Xiao would also worry the bandit lord might be swindled out of her entire fortune through his collusion.

Ling Buyi couldn't suppress a smile. Huangfu Yi, though disheartened, knew the girl spoke truthfully.

Ling Buyi continued, "This fiancée could neither believe the young master's cold exterior concealed genuine affection for her, nor trust that he truly felt nothing for that orphan girl. How could two people who lack such mutual trust become husband and wife? She likely realized this and thus decisively broke off the engagement."

Huangfu Yi murmured, "...But...but in his heart, he truly only had his fiancée!"

"Seven years of life-and-death commitment, endless suffering—the entire village knew of the fiancée's devotion. Yet this young master couldn't make his fiancée trust him, proving his excessive pride and reserve." Ling Buyi's words marched forth like an army, leaving no room for rebuttal.

"That fiancée spent seven years proving her devotion, then decisively ended the engagement to show the young master that though she might lack beauty, her feelings were not to be slighted."

Thinking of how her aunt Sang Shi—such an excellent woman—had suffered such great humiliation, Shao Shang couldn't hold back her tears.

Ling Buyi looked at her gently. "Zisheng believes this fiancée was truly wise and perceptive—capable of decisive action without hesitation once her mind was made up."

Huangfu Yi collapsed to the floor, covering his face with his sleeve, utterly silent. Yuan Shen, pitying his mentor, could only stand silently by his side.

Filled with gratitude, Shao Shang thought that perhaps in the future, she could follow Lou Yao's lead in admiring their shared idol—husband and wife in harmonious admiration.

Ling Buyi bowed respectfully toward the head seat. "This disciple apologizes to Teacher for overstepping and speaking out of turn."

Huangfu Yi, still seated on the floor, weakly waved his sleeve. "What fault is there to apologize for? This old man should thank Zisheng—a decades-old confusion in my heart has finally been resolved today. It was my mistake, all my mistake..."

Over the years, though he had harbored deep apologies and gratitude toward Sang Shi, in the quiet of midnight reveries, he couldn't help but resent her for breaking off the engagement over such a trivial matter—it seemed an overreaction. Now, reflecting back, his fault wasn't merely missing Sang Taigong's birthday banquet, but rather his lifelong arrogance and self-restraint, never reciprocating Sang Shi's affection. Year after year, bit by bit, time eroded like sand, youth wasted away, until it finally wore down all of Sang Shi's passion.

The wine grew cold, the feast ended, the music ceased, and the guests departed.

Yuan Shen helped the drunken Huangfu Yi back, while Ling Buyi seemed about to say something when Liang Qiuqi entered the hall with a grave expression, presenting a dark scroll. Shao Shang and Lou Yao took their leave first.

The early spring night was still bitterly cold, but the rice wine they had drunk earlier kept them warm as they strolled slowly along the corridor back to their rooms.

Lou Yao exhaled a white breath and sighed, "Master Huangfu's story was actually about him and Aunt, wasn't it?" Even someone as dull as him had caught on.

"Obviously," Shao Shang snorted lightly.

Lou Yao sighed again, "If Aunt had realized earlier, she wouldn't have suffered so much. Thankfully, your admiration for Brother isn't even a fraction of Aunt's, or you'd have endured even greater hardships." Brother Zisheng wasn't the type to cherish tender sentiments like Master Huangfu.

Shao Shang scoffed, "If Aunt had broken off the engagement sooner, she might not have ended up with my uncle! It's all fate, fate! Ah..." She suddenly paused. Wait, what had Lou Yao just said?

"When did I ever have admiration for Lord Ling?!" Shao Shang grabbed Lou Yao's sleeve, her eyes flashing dangerously. One could eat carelessly, but words couldn't be spoken carelessly. Even if she were a toad, she couldn't be falsely accused of coveting swan meat!

Lou Yao was startled and stammered, "Didn't you... didn't you argue with Wang Ling that day...?"

Shao Shang sorted through her thoughts, puzzled. "Wang Ling said I admired Eleventh Master?" Though she had no idea who Eleventh Master was.

"Brother... Brother is... is Eleventh Master?" Lou Yao looked dumbfounded.

Shao Shang froze for a long moment, her expression as if she'd been struck by a blade, her mind in chaos. "...Then why is he called Eleventh Master?"

"His Majesty has ten princes. Brother had a distant relationship with Ling Hou, so he was raised by the Emperor and Empress since childhood, living in the palace and accompanying His Majesty on travels. His Majesty said Brother was his eleventh son."

Shao Shang's face turned pale, then flushed, as if thunder rumbled overhead.

For a moment, she was relieved Lou Yao had told her—otherwise, she might have given herself away elsewhere. Then she recalled her interactions with Ling Buyi over the past days and felt a creeping unease.

"You really didn't know Brother is Eleventh Master?" Lou Yao asked incredulously.

Shao Shang hastily reined in her runaway thoughts and forced a sheepish smile. "Well, A Yao... if I told you that since our betrothal, I've completely forgotten about Eleventh Master, would you believe me...?"

"Of course not!" Lou Yao's face turned red. He wasn't that stupid!Shao Shang herself felt the excuse was too flimsy, so she released Lou Yao's sleeve and said weakly, "Actually, there's something I've been too embarrassed to mention. My second aunt and my mother have long had grievances between them. Since childhood, I've been confined to the inner quarters and never allowed out. I have no close friends among the maidens and know nothing of the prominent families outside. Once at a banquet, when the other girls were all animatedly discussing Eleventh Master with such fervor—ahem...you know how it is—when everyone likes something except you, it makes you stand out oddly... Truth is, I didn't even know who Eleventh Master was!" After saying this, she cautiously observed Lou Yao's expression, secretly hoping this excuse would work.

To her surprise, Lou Yao actually bought it completely. Scratching his head with shared understanding, he laughed, "You make a good point. I don't care for cockfighting, but all the young masters in the city are experts at it, so I had to keep a few colorful roosters myself. Honestly, what's so interesting about cockfighting? I can't see the appeal at all."

Shao Shang breathed a sigh of relief. She knew choosing to marry Lou Yao was the right decision! But then another, more troublesome matter came to mind.

From their first encounter at the Wan family's Martial Arts Field to the rescue at the hunting lodge, she had vaguely sensed that Ling Buyi treated her with particular courtesy—his smiles so gentle and handsome, his words so polite and modest. He might even have mistaken her various polite attentions for secret affection.

Since Ling Buyi was Eleventh Master, he must think she was one of those infatuated maidens. He probably also believed she had caused someone to fall into the water for his sake, unlike Lou Yao, who had witnessed her quarrels with Wang Ling and others!

And then...and then she got engaged... What must Ling Buyi think of her now? A fickle woman? A flirt? One moment smiling like a flower with him in the hunting lodge, the next happily calling him 'elder brother' with her new fiancé?

Even someone as bold as Shao Shang, who considered herself a tyrannosaurus, felt this might be lacking in principles.

After circling these thoughts, Shao Shang couldn't help asking Lou Yao, "If you thought I admired Eleventh Master, why did you still want to marry me?" She found his reasoning incomprehensible.

"Because Brother Zisheng has no interest in you!" Lou Yao answered as if it were obvious. "There must be at least eight hundred maidens in the Capital City who admire him, yet they still marry and have children as usual!" His younger cousin Lou Li would be discussing marriage prospects next year too.

Shao Shang's mouth fell open. The thunder in her mind ceased, the clouds dispersed, and daylight reappeared.

She clapped Lou Yao on the shoulder joyfully. "A Yao, you're absolutely right! Brother Zisheng has no interest in me!"

—Perhaps in Ling Buyi's eyes, she was no different from Wang Ling or Lou Li. Then why was she worrying so much? Truly making a mountain out of a molehill!

Author's Note:

Back in the days of blooming flowers and full moon, you called me 'sweetie.' Now that a new love has surpassed the old, you call me 'Madam Cow'—hahaha...