A Visit to the Residence
Shen Taohua originally thought that Xie Zhuo’s so-called “another day visit” would at least take a few days, but she never expected him to arrive the very next day, and as the newly appointed county magistrate, no less.
“You’re the new county magistrate?” Shen Taohua looked at Xie Zhuo in shock as he spoke with her father.
As soon as she asked, she remembered that Xie Zhuo had indeed said yesterday that he was a newly minted jinshi. The new county magistrate was also a newly minted jinshi, how had she not realized it? How could there just so happen to be two jinshi appearing in the same place at the same time?
Sitting in the main seat with Shen Feibai, Xie Zhuo nodded to her with a smile.
Shen Feibai looked at the two of them in surprise. “Lord Xie, you know my daughter?”
Xie Zhuo smiled calmly and said, “Back then, I was able to continue my studies thanks to Miss Shen’s financial support. Today, I have come not only to visit Uncle Shen, but also to personally express my gratitude to Miss Shen once again.”
Shen Feibai looked surprised. “So that’s how it is?”
He suddenly recalled that his daughter really had done such things years ago. That was also why he and his wife had assumed she had a favorable impression of scholars, and had specifically tried arranging that Song Fugui match before.
As for the result… better not mention it.
Earlier he had been wondering why Lord Xie had come to visit them personally instead of waiting for the local officials to come together, and why the gifts he brought were so valuable that he hardly dared accept them. So it turned out there was also his daughter Taotao’s connection involved.
To those who didn’t know, it would almost look like a marriage proposal instead of a courtesy visit.
Sitting on Shen Feibai’s other side, Xiao Qingqing noticed that although Xie Zhuo appeared to be speaking to Shen Feibai, part of his attention was clearly always on her daughter. Her expression turned somewhat meaningful.
She smiled and said, “If Miss Shen meeting Lord Xie back then was merely a coincidence, then Lord Xie returning to Peach Blossom County after achieving success, this really is quite a deep fate between you two.”
Xie Zhuo’s smile deepened. “I think so too.”
He glanced at Shen Taohua, who had obediently moved to sit beside Madam Shen after entering, and said, “Miss Shen is kind-hearted and helpful. Without her, there would be no me today.”
Shen Feibai shook his head. “That’s not quite right. Lord Xie’s success is due to your own talent. My daughter’s help only gave you a small push. Besides, I remember she once supported quite a few scholars back then, and until now, not a single one of them has returned except for you. It just shows not everyone remembers such kindness.”
Xie Zhuo smiled. “Those who fail to be grateful and act like ingrates are only harming themselves, they will regret it.”
Shen Feibai laughed heartily. He liked hearing that.
Still, he said modestly, “Not at all, not at all. She was just being childish back then.”
After that, the two continued exchanging polite remarks on this topic, both intentionally trying to build rapport, and the conversation flowed extremely smoothly. Even Shen Feibai’s address for Xie Zhuo gradually changed from “Lord Xie” to “Nephew Xie.”
Listening from the side while drinking tea, Shen Taohua thought: Nephew already? Isn’t this relationship warming up a bit too fast?
Today it’s nephew, tomorrow are you going to become an adopted son or something?
However, speaking of which, after she returned home yesterday, she had specifically dug out the account book from when she was doing her “investment” scheme. In it, she found Xie Zhuo’s name along with the amount of silver she had once given him.
It wasn’t a large sum, only thirty taels. Among all her “investments,” it was about average. But if there was anyone among those scholars who had left the deepest impression on her, it was indeed Xie Zhuo.
Because even though the young Xie Zhuo had clearly been down on his luck, as if he had suffered some great setback or hardship, and even though his face was still somewhat haggard and he had not fully matured yet, one could already faintly see how strikingly handsome he would become as an adult.
Now seeing the grown-up Xie Zhuo only confirmed that she had not been wrong back then.
At this point in time, she certainly did not lack those dozens of taels she had invested years ago, even doubling it would be nothing compared to her current monthly income.
But Xie Zhuo’s appearance meant that she hadn’t entirely ended up funding a bunch of ingrates. Her judgment wasn’t as bad as her father’s!
Thinking of this, the way Shen Taohua looked at Xie Zhuo took on a faintly gratified, almost motherly satisfaction, like looking at a cabbage she had personally raised, along with the excitement of finally seeing a return on her investment.
Meanwhile, Xie Zhuo, who was in conversation with Shen Feibai, thought: Is she looking at me? Does she also have feelings for me?
With both sides intentionally trying to build rapport, Xie Zhuo and Shen Feibai had a very pleasant conversation. If not for Xie Zhuo taking the initiative to leave, Shen Feibai would have even wanted to keep him for lunch.
Even after he left, Shen Feibai continued enthusiastically praising him at length, and his earlier concern that the new magistrate might be difficult to deal with had completely disappeared.
Even Xiao Qingqing said, “Compared to Xie Zhuo, the young men we previously arranged for Taotao really were rather mediocre. No wonder she didn’t like any of them.”
Shen Taohua’s eyelid twitched violently. A bad feeling rose in her instinctively.
As expected, Xiao Qingqing immediately turned to her and asked, “You were always picking faults with your matches before, this one is bad, that one is not good, so what do you think of Lord Xie? Can you find any flaws in him?”
Shen Taohua: Of course!
Noticing her father’s eyes lighting up instantly, Shen Taohua quickly said, “Mother, what are you thinking? Xie Zhuo is already of age; he’s probably long married by now. He might even have children already.”
Xiao Qingqing curved her lips. “That’s not necessarily true. Don’t worry about whether he’s married or not yet, even if he isn’t, just tell me what you think of him.”
Shen Taohua’s gaze drifted. “Well…”
Her impression of Xie Zhuo was naturally very good. Last night while reading storybooks, she had even unconsciously used his appearance as the model for the male lead.
But could she say that out loud?
Obviously not.
At that moment, she suddenly belatedly remembered that she seemed to have forgotten to check the compatibility score between herself and Xie Zhuo.
Although it would definitely be an unqualified result, looking at it would at least make her rebuttal more justified.
See? It’s not that I’m picky, it’s just truly not suitable! None of them are!
Thinking this, she confidently opened the system panel and entered Xie Zhuo’s name.
And then…
【Compatibility: 99!】
The moment she had just picked up her teacup and taken a big gulp, Shen Taohua immediately spat it out. “Pfft—!”
Shen Feibai, who had just been slightly moved by what his wife said, was startled. “What’s wrong? Why are you spitting out your tea?”
Xiao Qingqing was also a little surprised. “I just asked you a question, why such a big reaction? Don’t tell me you’ve really taken a liking to him? Speaking of which, Lord Xie’s appearance is indeed very pleasing, quite in line with your taste. If you can’t even look at Xie Zhuo, then it’s not just a matter of having high standards.”
Shen Taohua, still in shock, quickly waved her hands. “Cough, cough, cough, I’m not, I didn’t, I just accidentally choked. Mother, don’t overthink it. It’s not like I’ll fall for anyone just because they look good. Um, I’ve got something to do, I won’t talk anymore.”
With that, she fled as if a dog were chasing her from behind.
Only after returning to her room did she sit there in a daze, staring at the system panel, her mind full of question marks.
The system must be bugged, right?
How could this be possible!
She had been bound to this system for over two years and had never seen such an outrageous number.
Ninety-nine compatibility?!
Did numbers like that even exist?
Wasn’t this basically the system forcing her to marry Xie Zhuo on the spot?
It was practically slapping the words “perfect match” right onto her face!
She repeatedly refreshed Xie Zhuo’s profile in disbelief, almost to the point of crashing the system interface, but the numbers did not change at all.
That shockingly high compatibility score felt like it was hinting at some unchangeable reality, making her eyelid twitch uncontrollably.
This was bad, very bad!
While Shen Taohua was thrown into chaos, on the other side, Xie Zhuo, after returning to the county office, was in an excellent mood.
Seeing this, Xie San, now serving as Xie Zhuo’s advisor, understood and said, “Have you seen the Miss Shen you’ve been thinking about day and night? Were you disappointed? After all, so many years have passed since your first meeting, she must be quite different now compared to then.”
Xie Zhuo shook his head. “How could I possibly be disappointed? I’m delighted beyond words.”
Yesterday’s situation had been special, and the light was somewhat dim, so he had not seen her clearly. But today, seeing her again without any obstruction, he naturally felt that every aspect of her, whether appearance or every subtle expression, was utterly endearing, softening his heart completely.
Especially the way she had occasionally stolen glances at him while he was speaking with Uncle Shen, thinking back on it only made it feel even more adorable.
Xie San saw the undisguised fondness in his eyes and understood that his nephew was already deeply entangled and beyond saving. He sighed and said, “I’ve heard quite a bit about Miss Shen from the people at the yamen. She is not quite like ordinary young ladies from respectable families.”
Introducing other girls to matchmaking candidates, publicly criticizing her own blind dates so harshly that they couldn’t save face, and not long ago even gathering a group of men to conduct some kind of “interview-style matchmaking”?
More than that, she also seemed to have connections with local thugs in the city.
Xie San recounted all of this one by one, and said somewhat disapprovingly, “Miss Shen’s behavior is rather unorthodox. Are you really not going to consider other women? Peach Blossom County is not small, you could still find a suitable girl if you truly wanted to.”
The smile on Xie Zhuo’s face faded slightly. “The person you spend your life with is not something that can be casually replaced. Moreover, I don’t think there is anything wrong with what she has done.”
“She introduces other girls without forcing anyone into anything. Those who ended up marrying successfully only did so because both sides had mutual interest, she was simply doing a good deed.
Those men she scolded clearly weren’t sincere in the first place; they were coveting the Shen family’s wealth while trying to manipulate her. Shouldn’t they be scolded?
The so-called ‘interview-style matchmaking’ was just to save everyone’s time. She couldn’t possibly waste her own time on irrelevant people.
As for her interaction with thugs, it must be because those people’s character wasn’t actually bad. This only proves that she judges people by character rather than status. That kind of virtue is ten, even a hundred times better than those who flatter the powerful, look down on the weak, and are obsessed with profit and climbing the social ladder.
If I don’t like a woman like that, then what kind of person should I like?”
Xie San was speechless. “So in your eyes, everything Miss Shen does is right, isn’t it?”
Xie Zhuo raised an eyebrow. “Of course.”
Xie San: “……”
Love really does make people blind.
Xie San then asked, “Since she is so good, how do you plan to marry her? Did you bring it up when you visited today?”
Xie Zhuo shook his head. “No. Marriage is not something to rush.”
He could sense that her impression of him was not bad, but that was all. A good impression did not mean she was willing to marry him.
He had even considered using their past connection as an excuse to offer himself in marriage, but he was afraid that even if he was willing, she might not accept.
After hearing his thoughts, and skipping over the part where he wanted to “offer himself in marriage,” which left Xie San speechless—Xie San asked, “So you’re just going to give up directly?”
Xie Zhuo glanced at him lightly, his tone calm but firm, leaving no room for doubt. “I will never give up.”
“If she doesn’t have feelings for me right now, then I will slowly let her become familiar with me, understand me, until one day she sees my sincerity and is moved by me.”
Xie San deliberately asked, “And if she never has any interest in you?”
A shadow flickered across Xie Zhuo’s eyes before he said, “Then I will silently stay by her side.”
He would not arrogantly assume she could only choose him. Matters of love cannot be explained by logic. Although he had better character, appearance, and talent than most people, that did not necessarily mean he was the one she would like.
All he could do was present his heart to her as sincerely as possible.
If she accepted it, he would give it to her.
If she did not, then he would never fall for anyone else again.