Old Madam Song could tell from his expression that he still hadn’t come around, and she suddenly lost all interest in continuing this conversation with him. She lowered her voice, infinitely weary as she admonished him: “Xiao Yi’s marriage is not something you can decide on your own, nor is it even something we can arbitrarily determine. Do you know what rewards the palace sent down this time? Do you know that Xiao Yi’s reward is the only one of its kind among the young ladies of the capital’s noble circles?! In your current rush to hastily arrange a marriage for her, have you considered what the noble ones’ intentions might be?” She paused, and seeing Second Master Song suddenly raise his head, she sighed: “You must stop interfering in this matter. I’ll keep these things with me, and I’ll speak with the Shen family myself. From now on, you’d better keep your distance from the Shen family.”
Since reasoning with him clearly wasn’t working, she could only resort to using authority to pressure him. No matter how muddled Second Master Song might be, he knew that the noble ones in the palace’s intentions could not be defied, and he likely wouldn’t dare harbor any other thoughts in the future.
Old Madam Song paused for a while, then turned her head to glance at the inner room. She still couldn’t help wanting to sigh, but in the end she held it in. Looking at Song Yi with profound sincerity, she said: “Xiao Yi grew up by my side and is no longer that child who understood nothing from before. Before you do anything, you should also ask her opinion. You say she has a good relationship with Seventh Young Master Shen, but if you think carefully, how long ago was that? In all these years, when have you ever seen Xiao Yi have any contact with the Shen family? Have you perhaps forgotten about that time you asked her to lend Seventh Young Master Shen her qin?”
Song Yi’s heart flooded with an indescribable sense of loss. Old Madam Song’s speech had instantly extinguished all his passionate enthusiasm. How could he maintain any semblance of being a father in front of Song Chuyi now? Apart from respectfully calling him “Father” when they met, she had no other words to say to him. How would he have known she no longer liked Seventh Young Master Shen?
The next day, after much painful reflection, Song Yi summoned Song Chuyi to the main courtyard of the second branch.
In the blink of an eye, several years had already passed. The number of times Song Chuyi had set foot in the main courtyard of the second branch could be counted on one hand. The honeysuckle entwined on the ground brocade scattered a faint, ethereal fragrance—the scenery was completely different from when Li Shi had been there. Song Chuyi walked through it with her eyes straight ahead, and after entering the room, she lowered her brows and eyes demurely as she performed a curtsy to Song Yi.
This attitude was completely different from her casual naturalness in front of Old Madam Song. Second Master Song couldn’t quite describe what he felt. He coughed once and called for her to sit, then carefully considered his tone as he brought up the Shen family matter: “This matter was indeed not thoroughly thought through by Father. I originally thought that since you children were childhood sweethearts, and you used to be so fond of him…”
When his topic reached this point, seeing Song Chuyi suddenly frown, he involuntarily stopped, coughing somewhat awkwardly several times: “You don’t like him?”
Song Chuyi raised her head and smiled faintly at him. This smile was like an epiphyllum blooming—supremely beautiful yet fleeting in an instant: “That’s right, I don’t like him.”
Song Yi was stunned. Song Chuyi’s appearance truly resembled both Cui Shi and himself, and she had inherited only the best features of both. With that smile, she gave one the feeling of suddenly emerging from darkness into light. He was dazed for a moment before he realized what Song Chuyi had said, and asked with some embarrassment: “Then you… then do you have…” He couldn’t continue asking. How could he ask his own daughter if there was someone she fancied or got along well with who could be considered as a potential husband? Although Old Madam Song had said that Song Chuyi’s marriage would likely be decided by the noble ones in the palace, he still wanted to first ask Song Chuyi’s own opinion. What if she was unwilling? If she was unwilling, perhaps he could still make some effort…
Song Chuyi did not appreciate this rare display of genuine concern from him. She raised her head to look at Song Yi and suddenly noticed he had become much more haggard—no longer the high-spirited Second Master Song from several years ago who had lived like a fish in water.
This thought lasted only a moment before she immediately cast aside that rare bit of sympathy—Song Yi was too muddled a person, and he lived too self-centeredly, often moved by his own actions. If she showed him any kindness, he would inevitably be encouraged and do things he assumed were good for her and her siblings. Now that Song Yan was about to return to the capital, she could not let Song Yi’s confusion harm Song Yan.
“Father might really not understand me at all.” Song Chuyi looked at him, her gaze piercing: “I remember telling Father many times that I am no longer that child from my youth who didn’t know any better and shamelessly followed after someone else, pressing my warm face against their cold backside. But Father, you never listen.”
Seeing Song Yi look over in shock, she laughed derisively: “On what basis does Father assume I like Seventh Young Master Shen? Father knows how much he detested me when we were young, doesn’t he? Must I really be so self-deprecating that I have to cling to someone who once treated me coldly for the rest of my life? Father thinks he’s doing what’s best for me, but in fact he hasn’t considered my feelings at all.”
Song Yi had nothing to say. Her words left him somewhat red-faced with embarrassment. He had thought it was merely childish friction between children that would pass. He had thought Song Chuyi’s previous refusals were just her displaying a young girl’s petulance. It now appeared that he truly did not understand his own child at all.
Song Chuyi didn’t wait for Second Master Song to speak again. He slumped back into the round-backed chair behind the long table, his gaze blankly fixed on some particular spot, looking completely lost and dejected.
“In the past, Father could feel at ease entrusting me to Li Shi. Why not now feel at ease entrusting me to Grandfather and Grandmother instead? Perhaps I was simply not fated to have a connection with Father, lacking the fortune to enjoy what Father considers good.” She performed a gentle curtsy, completing her final bow to Second Master Song, then turned and walked out the door.
Outside, sunlight scattered across the ground, spreading a golden layer everywhere. She raised her hand to shade her eyes. Qing Tao came forward to walk beside her, quietly reporting: “Just now, the First Madam has already sent someone to Duke Yingguo’s residence with an invitation.”
Old Madam Song and First Madam Song had both been well aware of the Shen family’s schemes all along, but they never expected that this time they would actually seize upon the fate compatibility theory to directly propose marriage.
This wasn’t providing help in time of need—it was clearly taking advantage of a crisis.
When Zhou Weizhao heard this news, he had just gone with Ye Jingchuan to check on Ma Wangkun. This fellow had great fortune and a resilient life—he had finally managed to pull through without incident and could now get out of bed and walk on his own.
Ye Jingchuan had never truly respected many people, but he genuinely respected Ma Wangkun. Han Zhi was a madman—someone who could survive a round under his hands without revealing a single word was a true man. What Ye Jingchuan admired most were people with backbone.