Really?
Madam Qi stood up and walked to the door. Suddenly, as if she remembered something, she turned back and smiled, "Oh right, didn't Senior Brother Yun invite you to Qiyue Tower? Let Chen'er accompany you tonight, otherwise I'm worried."
I remained silent, watching Lady Qi leave, a sense of guilt gradually rising within me.
During dinner, Jiang Chen remained calm and spoke very little. When he looked at me, his gaze was exceptionally deep, and I felt as if I had done something wrong, so I didn't dare to meet his eyes openly.
As the appointed time passed, I felt increasingly tormented and conflicted, at a loss for what to do.
Suddenly, Xiao Hebao rushed over from the courtyard in a panic, as if her eyebrows were on fire: "Miss, something terrible has happened."
"What's wrong?"
"I went to the outhouse just now and saw my son-in-law and cousin Shao Rong sitting on the swing chatting."
"Oh, what's wrong with that?"
Perhaps he was in a bad mood and wanted to talk to someone. I can understand how he felt at that moment. Although I didn't do anything to wrong him, I somehow felt a little guilty towards him.
Little Hebao stamped her foot anxiously: "I heard her say that my cousin didn't keep his word. He clearly said he would marry me when he grew up, but he brought home a sister-in-law without saying a word. Humph."
I was stunned. No wonder Shao Hua said she had designs on Jiang Chen. So that's what she meant! The emotions that Madam Qi had stirred in my heart vanished instantly.
I long to find a good man like my master, someone who can give me peace of mind, but Jiang Chen is always so unpredictable that I can't see through him. I was just moved by his chastity, but now I'm confused again. For whom is he remaining chaste? Could it be for Shao Rong?
"Miss, you must go quickly!"
I was dazed for a moment before I came to my senses and asked hesitantly, "What am I supposed to do? Break up a couple?"
"Oh my, miss, you're so patient! These chopsticks are already in your bowl, and they're taking all the meat away. What are you going to eat?"
I sighed heavily: "Perhaps I should personally put the meat in her bowl."
Little Hebao looked at him with a look of exasperation, rolling her eyes in anger.
I pondered for a moment, then smiled wryly and asked, "Where are they?"
Little Hebao glared at me angrily and then silently led the way.
The evening breeze was refreshing, and the night was deep. Xiao Hebao was rushing around like a madman, looking like she was catching a cheater. I followed silently behind, feeling a mix of emotions.
I've always felt that Jiang Chen is a womanizer. Although we've known each other for four years and I've never seen him have anything improper with anyone, I always thought it was because Xiao He Bao and I were the only two women in the Xiaoyao Sect, so he had no opportunity to use his talents. Just now, seeing with my own eyes that all four women in his room were virgins, I felt I had misunderstood him and felt quite guilty. But before this guilt could even warm my heart, I overheard him reminiscing about his past romantic affairs with my cousin under the moonlit flowers!
His temperament is truly worrying. I just can't figure him out, and I can't handle it.
There were indeed people on the swing in the small garden, but it wasn't a couple; there was only one. I stopped in my tracks, looking at that familiar figure.
The swing gently swayed and then gently sank back down, like soft ripples on water, rising and falling. In the swaying shadows of the trees, the person appeared like someone in a painting, hazy and indistinct, like a mirage.
He slowly stood up from the swing: "Xiao Mo, you're here."
The little purse gave me a hard shove from behind and whispered, "Miss, you'd better show some authority the first time, or you'll be even more uncontrollable later." With that, she turned and left.
After thinking it over all the way, I finally said what I thought was a very appropriate thing to say: "Jiang Chen, just now, Xiao Hebao overheard Shao Rong talking to you. She was just passing by and overheard it by accident."
Jiang Chen paused for a moment: "And then?"
"Then, she told me Shao Rong's exact words. I shouldn't have said much, but my master always taught us that we should keep our promises. Since you and Shao Rong had made a promise before, I am willing to fulfill it."
Jiang Chen remained silent, slowly walked up to me, and stood with his hands behind his back.
The wind seemed to have calmed down, and the fragrance of flowers wafted gently in the air.
I took a deep breath and turned to leave. My mind was in turmoil today. After all this torment, I was exhausted and felt utterly hopeless.
"Will you grant my wish, or will I grant yours?"
I was suddenly startled and involuntarily stopped in my tracks.
"She was five years old that year, and she came to Beijing with her uncle. She fell from a tree and broke her front tooth. She cried and wailed, and no one could comfort her. I comforted her by saying that if no one married her when she grew up, I would marry her, and only then did she stop crying. Do you think that counts as a promise?"
This really doesn't count.
"She really wanted my mother to open a shop in Fuzhou with the money she had saved, so that it could be part of her dowry. My mother was afraid of causing trouble for my uncle and insisted on refusing. So she kept pestering me to agree. When I refused, she brought up old grievances and said that I owed her a favor."
So that's what she meant by having designs on him?
"Xiao Mo, everyone has a heart of flesh and blood. I'm always laughing and joking, but you think my heart is made of stone and I don't feel pain?"
"I fell in love with you the moment I went to Xiaoyao Sect. I was young then and didn't know what love was."
"Later, I gradually understood my own feelings, but I was afraid of startling you. My true heart was hidden in jokes and banter, half true and half false, half clear and half dark. Whether you really don't understand or are pretending not to understand, I don't care. If you pretend to be confused, I will pretend to be confused with you."
"Time flies, and I've finally waited until today. Do you think I don't know what you're thinking? Even my mother can see it, let alone me? If you don't say it, I won't bring it up."
I seemed frozen in place, unable to move an inch, unable to utter a word, and even afraid to turn around and look at him. He seemed to be talking to himself, each word soft and gentle, as if in a dream. Those words were as gentle and distant as floating clouds in the sky, whispers among flowers. Yet, landing in my heart, they stirred up a thousand waves, a raging torrent.
He walked over gently and stood behind me, saying slowly, "He has invited you to Qiyue Tower tonight. I will personally escort you there, how about it?"
Go? Or not go? I feel like I'm being driven crazy.
Real brother? Fake brother?
Jiang Chen sighed and said softly, "Xiao Mo, I understand your temperament very well. Right now, even though you feel like you have wings and your heart is yearning for him, you are also bound by reason and morality and feel that you shouldn't see him. Actually, you don't need to feel guilty towards me. Originally, our marriage was not something you wanted; it was just a coincidence and a twist of fate. Therefore, I don't want this marriage contract to bind you in a way that is no longer the Xiao Mo you once were, and I don't want you to feel guilty towards me just because of the constraints of this marriage contract."