No wonder.
Tang Zhou possessed an extraordinary bearing—he was actually from Yuejing City.
What kind of status did he hold in Yuejing City? It must have been equally remarkable.
But that wasn’t important.
What mattered now was that he was simply Tang Zhou.
Lost in thought, she was suddenly called by Tang Zhou in a serious tone, “Lily.”
“Hmm?” She quickly turned her head, pushing aside her thoughts as she asked, “What’s wrong?”
In the end, he returned to that topic. “Your aunt won’t let you off so easily.”
Shen Zhixi let out a bitter laugh and replied, “I know. But she probably won’t come knocking anytime soon.”
“Why?”
“Because Steward Liu is leaving the province tomorrow for business.” Shen Zhixi’s lie came effortlessly.
Tang Zhou remained silent, waiting for her to continue.
“Since no one has come for me yet, it means Steward Liu isn’t in a hurry to take a concubine. He’s likely busy preparing for his trip tomorrow and doesn’t have the time. But my aunt has already taken the money, and she’s afraid that if she delays, something might go wrong and the money will slip through her fingers. That’s why she’s so desperate to tie me up and send me to the steward’s mansion overnight, hoping to seal the deal.”
“And…”
She paused, letting out another bitter laugh.
“I already have a solution.”
“What solution?” Tang Zhou asked again.
“Get married before I’m sent to the steward’s mansion.” She said it lightly, but Tang Zhou’s expression changed. Of course, she noticed, but she continued without pause. “You probably heard my aunt’s words during the day. Steward Liu won’t want a woman who’s lost her purity. Or, I could scar my face. If I ruin my appearance, Steward Liu naturally won’t want me anymore.”
“You…”
“Don’t worry, I won’t resort to self-harm unless I have no other choice.”
“Then you…”
“Then I’ll have to take the first option.”
Shen Zhixi smiled as she looked at Tang Zhou, carefully observing his expression. But he hid it well, making it difficult to detect any flaws.
In truth, he must have his suspicions, right?
Suspecting that her reason for saving him was related to this matter, suspecting that she had her sights set on marrying him.
She leaned closer to Tang Zhou and nudged his shoulder.
“You look so serious. You don’t think I plan to marry you, do you?”
Tang Zhou lowered his head slightly, as if she had hit the mark.
“Don’t be nervous. I’ve already planned this out and have someone in mind. Saving you was an accident and has nothing to do with this.” She deliberately adopted a playful tone to put Tang Zhou at ease.
Tang Zhou lifted his head and turned toward her, hesitating as if wanting to say something.
Shen Zhixi sat back, putting some distance between them before adding, “I just didn’t expect my aunt to be in such a hurry. Today’s events really caught me off guard. Thanks to you, otherwise… I’m truly grateful, and I understand that this matter can’t be delayed any longer. Tomorrow morning, I’ll resolve it.”
“You…”
Tang Zhou opened his mouth but couldn’t find the words for a long time.
“Go on.” Shen Zhixi stared at him, wanting to see what he would say, wanting to know how he would react to the news that she was going to marry another man.
He pondered carefully, weighing his words, before finally speaking again after a long pause.
“Won’t he mind?”
“He” referred to the man she was going to marry.
“Mind what?”
“Mind that you saved a man of unknown origins and brought him home to live under the same roof. Such things, if spread, would inevitably damage your reputation.”
Shen Zhixi turned her head and sighed.
“I don’t even mind that he had a wife who passed away and is raising two children. Why should he mind?”
Tang Zhou seemed surprised, probably not expecting her to marry such a man. He slightly opened his mouth as if to say something, but then felt that nothing he could say would be appropriate.
“Let’s not talk about it anymore. I’m going back to my room.”
Shen Zhixi stood up, her tone changing as if she were unhappy.
Without waiting for Tang Zhou to speak, she walked down the steps toward the opposite door, quickly returning to her own room and closing the door, leaving Tang Zhou standing there.
Tang Zhou couldn’t see, and his inner helplessness always felt deeper.
He could naturally tell that her decision to marry the man whose wife had passed away and who was raising two children was a move born of necessity. She didn’t actually want to, but to avoid marrying a fifty-year-old man, she had no other choice.
But was he really the only option?
Did she really have to choose between a man in his fifties and the one with two children?
She must be quite attractive; otherwise, she wouldn’t have caught the eye of Steward Liu. But if she was good-looking, wasn’t there another, more suitable man willing to marry her?
She said she would go and settle the matter first thing tomorrow morning.
Was she planning to finalize the marriage?
Across the way.
Shen Zhixi stood behind the window, her expression calm as she watched Tang Zhou sitting on the steps.
Everything was going according to her plan, following the steps she had set. She was looking forward to Tang Zhou’s final choice, hoping only that things wouldn’t go against her wishes. She was determined to get everything she wanted.
Then, she closed the window.
Tang Zhou was completely shut out, a sign that she had never intended to let him into her heart.
The next day.
When Shen Zhixi opened her door to leave, Tang Zhou from across the way happened to step out at the same time.
Both of them paused in surprise.
“Good morning,” Shen Zhixi said, descending the steps and standing in front of his door. “Why didn’t you sleep a little longer? How are you feeling today? Is your wound still bleeding?”
“Yes, I’m fine.”
Tang Zhou stood facing the wind. The wind was strong today, whipping his robes and causing his hair to flutter behind him like swirling mist, wrapping itself around one’s heart.
Shen Zhixi smiled, feeling she could never tire of looking at him.
“That’s good. I’ll have Herb bring you breakfast once it’s ready. I’m going out for a while and will be back before lunch.”
Tang Zhou nodded. He knew she was going to meet the man she was about to marry.
He wanted to say something but felt he had no right to speak.
After saying goodbye, Shen Zhixi left not long after.
Of course, she was returning to the Shen residence to discuss some matters with Mama Cui. She also needed to reward and console the two servants who had been injured by Tang Zhou the day before.
Breakfast was the same as yesterday—white sugar and red date porridge.
When Yuanyang brought the porridge to Tang Zhou’s room, he was sitting at the table, head lowered, staring intently at the three sugar beans in his hand. Even though he couldn’t see, his gaze was fixed on them.
Hearing footsteps, he quickly put them away and looked up.
“Tang Zhou, the porridge is here. It’s white sugar and red date porridge, made as my sister instructed.”
“Thank you.” Tang Zhou clenched the sugar beans and hid them in his sleeve.
“You’re welcome. Please take your time, Tang Zhou. Just leave the bowl when you’re done, and I’ll come back later to collect it.”
As she was about to leave, Tang Zhou called her back.
“Is there something you need, Tang Zhou?”
Tang Zhou took a deep breath and asked cautiously, “Is your sister getting married?”
“Yes, she told you about it?”
He nodded and asked again, “Who is she marrying?”
“A hunter. His wife died two years ago, and he has a son and a daughter. He’s an alcoholic with a bad temper, and he often beats the two children.”
Yuanyang spoke with resentment, though these words were all taught to her by Shen Zhixi.
As he listened, Tang Zhou’s expression gradually darkened.
“Why must she choose to marry him?”
“Who else is there? To force my sister to marry that old man, my aunt spread rumors everywhere that my sister and that old man had already… No one within ten miles is willing to marry my sister anymore. Only that hunter, whom no one else wants to marry, is willing to take her.”