“How could it be him?”

Li Wenshi was startled by his son’s reaction.

Had this fellow seen a ghost?

“Why are you reacting so dramatically? Could it be that Young Master Gong of the Gong family isn’t worthy of your elder sister?”

Of course!

Li Cheng said, “Father, anyone else would be fine, just not him!”

“Why?”

“Because…” He didn’t know how to begin, hesitating for quite a while, “In any case, it just can’t be him!”

Li Wenshi immediately flew into a rage and slapped the table, “You listen to me! If you dare to interfere and sabotage your elder sister’s marriage, I’ll skin you alive.”

Having thrown down these harsh words, Li Wenshi left.

Leaving Li Cheng alone in the hall frantically losing his mind.

His face was red with anger.

Although the Gong family and his Li family had always been longtime friends—whether in official circles or privately, they could be described as “snakes and rats in the same nest”—despite this, he and Gong Shilin had been mortal enemies since childhood.

Bitter rivals!

As for why, this had to be told from when they were young studying together. At that time, Gong Shilin was eight years old and Li Cheng was seven. The two attended the same private school, and their relationship was neither warm nor cold. Occasionally when their two families gathered together they could exchange a few words. But then one time, their teacher required the students to recite “The Long Poem” from memory. Because Li Cheng had been a poor student since childhood, extremely unruly, and moreover never paid attention in class, while Gong Shilin was an excellent student, Li Cheng, who sat next to Gong Shilin, copied his “Long Poem.” When Gong Shilin discovered this, he immediately raised his hand and told the teacher.

In the end, Li Cheng was struck twenty times with the disciplinary ruler by the teacher in front of all the students.

His palms burned so painfully it was as if a layer of skin had been peeled off!

After returning home, he was locked in a confinement room by his father and punished to copy “The Long Poem” two hundred times.

He remembered that was the greatest humiliation and punishment he had suffered in his entire life up to that point.

So from that time onward, he hated Gong Shilin to death.

And it was bone-deep hatred!

Over these years, whenever he saw Gong Shilin on the street, he enjoyed targeting him with a few remarks, and moreover was “tireless in this pursuit.”

Now hearing that his own elder sister was betrothed to his mortal enemy, how could this be acceptable?

He wished he could rush to the Gong Manor right now and strangle that punk!

Just thinking about that punk becoming his brother-in-law made his back molars grind audibly.

Meanwhile, in the rear courtyard.

After Li Wenshu arrived at her own quarters.

She washed up and prepared to rest.

Just entering the inner chamber, she saw those several books placed on the shelf she usually used for storing books.

Her gaze fixed.

She took one down from above.

Flipped through it.

Inside were densely packed verses of poetry.

Every stroke and line was written by her.

But these verses didn’t originate from her mouth.

Rather, they were Du Mubai’s.

All the verses Du Mubai had composed, she had recorded stroke by stroke inside.

Extremely detailed!

A maid entered the room intending to light incense in the burner for her, and saw her staring blankly at the book in her hands.

The maid didn’t think much of it. While lighting the incense for her, she said, “Miss has been gone for two whole years. The maids in the manor have always been thinking of you, every day hoping you could return. Now it’s good—we’ve finally waited for your return.”

Li Wenshu said nothing.

“Miss surely doesn’t know yet, but some time ago, Left Chancellor Gong came to the manor several times.”

Previously, Left Chancellor Gong would often come to the manor to drink tea and discuss matters with Li Wenshi, but this never concerned Li Wenshu, and the maids never mentioned Left Chancellor Gong’s visits to the manor in her presence. But now the maid suddenly brought it up, which definitely had another meaning.

Li Wenshu glanced sideways at the maid and asked, “Why bring up Left Chancellor Gong out of the blue?”

“Does Miss still not know?”

“What should I know?”

The maid looked at her in surprise, “I thought you knew, Miss. The Marquis has already betrothed you to the heir of Left Chancellor Gong.”

Uh!

Li Wenshu froze slightly.

But she wasn’t too surprised!

Only the hand holding the book tightened considerably.

Actually, she had anticipated this long ago!

The Li family and Gong family were longtime friends. She and Gong Shilin had essentially grown up together. There had always been rumors that Gong Shilin liked her, so this marriage alliance was inevitable.

She just hadn’t expected this day would come so quickly.

After a long silence, she said, “Oh.”

The maid was puzzled, “Miss doesn’t seem very happy.”

“Do I?”

“Yes!”

“Don’t speculate randomly.” Li Wenshu’s tone became slightly heavier, also carrying a trace of warning.

The maid quickly shut her mouth.

Li Wenshu then closed the book in her hand and took down the other several books as well.

Then she threw them to the maid, saying, “Burn these.”

“Burn them? Aren’t these all written by Miss herself?”

“I said burn them!”

“Oh!” The maid nodded repeatedly, carried those several books out, and as she left, muttered, “How is Miss different from before?”

She seemed so fierce.

Li Wenshu paid no attention, appearing very calm.

She got into bed, pulled the covers over herself and went to sleep.

…

On the other side, after learning that his father had betrothed his elder sister to Gong Shilin, Li Cheng felt like his family’s prized cabbage was about to be devoured by a pig!

And that pig was also his mortal enemy.

His anger surging, he rushed out of the manor and headed straight for the Gong Chancellor’s Manor.

He wanted to kill that punk.

Meanwhile, Gong Shilin was sitting in his family’s rear courtyard reading, completely unaware that crisis was approaching.

A young servant walked over and said, “Young Master, we just learned that Miss Li has returned to the city, and Young Master Cheng has also returned together.”

“Oh.”

The young servant thought he hadn’t heard and deliberately emphasized again, “Young Master, Young Master Cheng has returned.”

Gong Shilin put down the book in his hand and glanced at the young servant, “So what?”

“Previously when Young Master Cheng was in High-Ding, he was always targeting you, Young Master. Now that he’s returned, he’ll definitely come to trouble you every day.”

Speaking of the devil, and the devil appears.

This was absolutely true.

From afar, they heard someone shouting at the top of his lungs, “Gong Shilin, come out here!”

I’m going to duel with you!

Both Gong Shilin and the young servant were startled and looked at each other.

The young servant slapped his thigh, “Oh no, it’s Young Master Cheng.”

Just as he finished speaking, they saw Li Cheng coming in a fury.

Still clutching a wooden stick in his hand!

Seeing this, the young servant immediately blocked in front of Gong Shilin, “Young Master Cheng, what are you doing? My young master hasn’t offended you.”

Li Cheng glared at Gong Shilin behind the young servant, “Listen here, Gong! You can marry anyone, just not my elder sister. Otherwise, don’t blame me for being impolite.”

He waved the wooden stick he had temporarily picked up from the roadside.

Gong Shilin wasn’t actually afraid of him, just utterly helpless.

He pushed aside the young servant in front of him and said to Li Cheng, “Marriage has always been determined by parents’ orders and matchmakers’ words. My father has already made arrangements with your father. It’s not something I can refuse just because I say I won’t marry.”

“You punk, how can my elder sister be ruined by you?”