I pouted: "Mother, if you're not happy, how can I be happy?"
The mother laughed: "You silly child, you can actually be so cheeky! You and your father are so alike, both so wooden-headed. I was so afraid you wouldn't be able to get married, so I arranged a marriage for you a long time ago. What do you think, isn't the person I chose pretty good?"
I was stunned and confused: "Mother, what did you say? What marriage?"
The mother's eyebrows relaxed slightly, and she smiled, "It's about your marriage to Jiang Chen, but I've already arranged it with Madam Qi! I promised her that once you're married, I'll return the Chongshan Sword Manual to the Jiang family as part of your dowry."
I stared at my mother in astonishment, speechless for a long time. No wonder my mother was so eager to see us when Master threatened me with my marriage to Jiang Chen; there was such a hidden story behind it all!
After a moment, I asked hesitantly, "Jiang Chen, he actually had a marriage agreement with me all along?"
My mother looked at me, puzzled. "Yes, you didn't know? Then how did you and him get engaged?"
I always thought that my engagement with Jiang Chen was due to a misunderstanding, but I never imagined that we were already engaged!
So, does he know?
What if he already knew?
The thought of this made me feel like I had a thorn stuck in my heart, making me feel uneasy and uncomfortable.
My mother gently rubbed my cheek: "Mo Mo, what are you thinking about?"
I snapped out of my reverie with an "oh" and quickly laughed, "I was thinking, poor Dad, for years he thought Mom didn't want him. He was just worried that he would blackmail you and you would have to teach him a lesson."
The mother smiled and pursed her lips: "He needs to be taught a lesson. Now that he's older, he's gotten bolder, humph."
At this moment, my mind was in turmoil, and I felt uneasy, though I couldn't quite put my finger on why. Meeting my mother for the first time only amplified this inexplicable discomfort. I put my feelings aside for the moment and quickly said, "Master has worked so hard all these years and has always thought of my mother. I won't allow her to bully him."
My mother smiled without saying a word, a blush rising on her face, which was very touching. I took her hand, opened the door, and leaned out, saying, "Master, your wife invites you in; she has something to say."
My mother patted me lightly on the shoulder, and I turned around with a grin, making a face. I was overjoyed.
The master paused for a moment, then walked into the room with a nervous expression.
I pushed him towards my mother, then jumped out the door and slammed it shut behind me.
Jiang Chen asked mysteriously, "Should we go get a lock?"
I shook my head and looked at him. My joy vanished considerably. My mother's words just now felt like a stone had been placed in my heart.
I slowly walked down the corridor, Jiang Chen following behind me, and said, "Xiao Mo, why don't you seem happy?"
I can't keep things to myself; some things, if kept inside, will become a knot in my heart, and perhaps speaking them out will resolve them. So, I asked directly, "Jiang Chen, you and I are engaged, why didn't you say so?"
Jiang Chen was suddenly stunned and stood there.
The early autumn sun shone brightly but not harshly, and his eyes seemed to gleam with a faint, shimmering light, as if a moment of guilt had fleetingly passed through them.
Was his silence due to a lack of words?
I stood there, stunned, in the early autumn wind. The cool breeze seeped into my clothes, as if it reached the depths of my heart. His stunned silence showed that he indeed knew.
For a moment, my mind went blank, as if I had lost my voice, unable to utter a single word. I squinted slightly, gazing into his eyes, my mind perfectly clear: I could never truly see into his heart.
He loved beauty more than the throne.
His moon-white robe was clean and crisp, its pure color untouched by any dust, like a pool of clear water, its depths indistinct. Meanwhile, my white silk dress, billowing in the wind, clung softly to my skin, smooth and cool, like a thin sheet of ice about to melt.
"Xiao Mo, what are you thinking about?" He asked timidly, looking at me nervously, as if trying to keep me under his gaze.
I finally managed to ask the question that had been on my mind, "Why didn't you tell me? Was it because of the agreement between my mother and your mother regarding the dowry?"
He was startled again.
I suddenly felt suffocated and sad. I remembered on Flowing Gold Island, he would rather endure the torment of abdominal pain than let me hand over the "Chongshan Sword Manual," saying that it was more important than his life. So, why did he marry me?
I felt bitter and disappointed, and with a heavy heart, I turned around and left.
He suddenly stretched out his arm to block my way. I raised my hand to brush it away, but he grabbed my wrist.
I suddenly felt very weak, and I didn't want to look at him or talk to him.
Four years have passed, and we've spent almost every day together, yet I still can't see through him, I don't know what's on his mind. After the trip to Jinbo Palace, I thought I had seen his true heart, but now, I'm starting to have doubts again. If he wasn't guilty, why did he keep our engagement a secret for four years? Thinking back to that day at Shanyin Villa, when he deliberately came out of my room disheveled, it seemed like he did it on purpose.
My heart clenched with pain. I closed my eyes briefly, and when I opened them again, I felt slightly dizzy.
"Xiao Mo, are you wondering why I kept this from you?"
I smiled wryly and said slowly, "You don't need to tell me the reason. Anyway, we're about to get married. Don't worry, I won't go back on this marriage."
Yes, I won't go back on my word. I just won't be as easily moved by him as before. How many people in this world marry for various reasons, but how many are truly united by mutual love? I really shouldn't have such high expectations. How could I possibly discard my mother's good intentions and painstaking efforts?
I tried to pull my wrist away, but he wouldn't let go. His fingers were so strong and firm that they gripped my wrist until it hurt slightly. I was too lazy to struggle anymore, so I let him hold it, looking down at the stone slabs beneath my feet, feeling utterly weary.
"Xiao Mo, when my mother sent me to the Xiaoyao Sect, she told me that you were my fiancée. She told me to cherish you. I was young and impetuous then, and I didn't take the sudden marriage seriously. I had a plan in mind: if you weren't someone I liked, I would ask my mother to break off the engagement. I didn't say anything at first because I had this selfish thought. After seeing you, I couldn't help but want to tease and provoke you. I guess that's just a child's affection. Unfortunately, you don't like me. Although you hide your feelings for Yunzhou very well, I know. Because I've always paid close attention to you. I see every look and every word you say. I know what you're thinking."
He took a deep breath at this point, "I knew perfectly well that you liked him, but I pretended not to know anything, and I didn't mention that we were engaged. Do you know why?"
Why?
"Because, because I am also very proud, I don't want you to accept me based on a marriage contract. I don't believe I am inferior to him."
These words gave me a jolt. I could tell he was breathing heavily, and he must have been very excited.