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Feeling that it was a bit bland and perhaps insincere, she added, "The two of you are a perfect match, a match made in heaven, and you will surely have a happy and fulfilling life together."

These were indeed her innermost thoughts, but they enraged Zhou Zice, who had been suppressing his anger. "Damn this 'matching social status' nonsense!"

Author's Note: Four people could play mahjong...

twenty one

21. New Love, Old Love (Part 2)...

"Marry someone of equal social standing"—these four words, so light yet so heavy, became the reason she rejected him time and time again.

Recalling the past, Zhou Zice was overwhelmed with both old and new grudges. He abruptly released Miss Xu's hand, leaned over the table, and approached Fan Qingbo, roaring, "Fan Qingbo! Don't you have anything else to say besides 'marrying someone of equal social standing'?!" Damn it, "marrying someone of equal social standing"! It was a match specifically designed to bring him down!

"Uh, I could also say a perfect match, a match made in heaven, a harmonious couple..."

"Fan! Qing! Bo!"

"...Okay, I know this isn't funny. But Lieutenant Zhou, can you calm down? You're scaring your fiancée."

Seeing Miss Xu's pale face, Zhou Zice toned down his imposing manner, but his eyes were still fixed on Fan Qingbo with a fierce look.

Fan Qingbo winked at the scholar, who immediately understood and poured tea for Miss Xu to calm her nerves. Miss Xu accepted the tea and thanked him. Zhou Zice, finally taking the man who had been an eyesore seriously, said grimly, "Nice to meet you, Fan, aren't you going to introduce this man?"

"He just introduced himself, but you ignored him."

The scholar nodded and casually mentioned, "Actually, this isn't our first meeting. I had a brief encounter with Young Master Zhou and Miss Fan at the Xiaoyao Tea House before."

Zhou Zice frowned, scrutinized the scholar, and finally remembered that he was the one he had bumped into that day. Then, recalling Fan Qingbo's demand for an apology, and combined with the recent rumors about Fan Qingbo's new favorite, he was consumed by jealousy and laughed angrily, "Who knows if you two were meeting for the first time or already knew each other!"

The scholar paused, seemingly not understanding the veiled sarcasm, "Of course we are..."

Before she could finish speaking, Fan Qingbo interrupted her, slamming her hand on the table and demanding, "Zhou Zice, what do you mean by this?"

Seeing her angry, he felt a fleeting sense of vengeful pleasure, but it was quickly overwhelmed by anger. She was angry at him because of another man. "If you don't want people to know, don't do it in the first place! You dare say you have nothing to do with this man???"

Ha! Men! When they liked you, they said you were special and had personality, but now they turn around and join others in criticizing you for being promiscuous and unfaithful? Fan Qingbo originally wanted to part amicably, preferably without seeing each other, or at least nod and leave each other alone. But now that he insists on tearing things apart, fine! Let's lay everything bare and clear things up! Who's afraid of who!

"Who I am or what I do is none of your business. What gives you the right to talk to me like that?"

"For the past four years, you have been the only one in my heart, and I have always wanted to marry you!"

"Come on! You dare say you weren't tempted by that courtesan who threw herself at you?"

"Fan Qingbo, what kind of attitude is this! Didn't I reject her because of you? Besides, that happened four years ago!"

"And that pretty girl from a modest family whom you rescued three years ago!"

...

Four years of grievances can't be resolved in a short time. The parties involved described it vividly and emotionally, their voices rising and falling, making it difficult for bystanders to get as involved.

Amidst their loud argument, the scholar warmly greeted Miss Xu, "Those two seem to have a long way to go. If Miss Xu is hungry, why don't you start eating? Here, these two dishes are untouched."

"Thank you very much, Young Master Shu. I would be too impolite to accept such a gift."

Miss Xu smiled gently and lowered her head to eat in small bites. After a few bites, she stopped, elegantly wiping her mouth with a handkerchief. Seeing the scholar looking at her, she turned slightly and said, "Excuse me."

The scholar quickly returned the greeting, "Miss, you are too polite. I was rude."

Ms. Xu shook her head, indicating that she didn't care.

The scholar glanced to the side; the two men seemed to be calculating accounts from two years ago. He sighed, took out a book from his cloth bag, and remembering that there was also a Miss Xu, he took out a poetry collection as well.

As a result, the private room suddenly felt as if it had been divided into two different times and spaces.

While one side was engaged in a tense argument, the other side was enjoying tea and reading after dinner.

In fact, even if these two forms can coexist, it is only temporary.

"Miss Xu, do you know that this man has two concubines?"

Caught off guard by the question, Miss Xu blushed. She wanted to avoid it, but seeing Fan Qingbo's determined expression, she had no choice but to bite the bullet and vaguely reply, "Um, probably."

"Ha! Look, even Miss Xu, who has always lived a secluded life, knows about this! In other words, the whole world knows that I am a woman having an affair with a married man! You've put me in such an unjust and immoral situation, and you still dare to criticize me?"

After arguing for so long, Zhou Zice's initial anger, jealousy, and hatred have turned into a miserable, frantic, and distressed state.

"Fan Qingbo, can you be reasonable?! Those two girls existed before you! But their existence doesn't mean I'm a married man! If you had said earlier that you cared so much about them, even if I couldn't understand why you cared, I would have sent them away for you!"

"You bastard! You're going to abandon them after taking advantage of them? Send them away? Where to? Do you want to kill them? It's not their problem, it's yours! If I had known from the beginning that you had so-called concubines, I wouldn't have given you a second glance—that's how much I care, and you can't even understand why you care. That's the problem between us! An indelible problem!"

Miss Xu gathered her thoughts a few times, barely suppressing her blush, and weakly interjected, "Actually... it's normal for an adult man to have one or two, um, maidservants..."

"Look!" Zhou Zice found a supporter and immediately became arrogant.

Fan Qingbo snorted coldly, "Yes, you see, that's why I said you two are a perfect match, a match made in heaven."

"Fan Qingbo! Don't bring up the issue of social status in everything!" Zhou Zice jumped up again.

The scholar, who had been silently reminiscing for a long time, suddenly began to mutter to himself, "I am also a grown man, yet I have no maidservant. Am I abnormal? But the sages only said that a gentleman should have virtue, not that a gentleman should have a maidservant..."

"Look!" Fan Qingbo beamed with joy. If there weren't outsiders present, she would have pounced on him and kissed him long ago! This time, what the sage said was absolutely right!