Shen Qianyu sat up and lay down on the couch repeatedly, unable to calm his emotions after numerous attempts.

He felt he understood Song Wan fairly well. He knew that woman had a sensitive heart, keeping everything inside and being too ashamed to show weakness before others. Now that she’d suffered such great humiliation, she probably wouldn’t say anything against Su Xie. To avoid worrying her elder brother and maternal aunt and uncle, she’d likely even comfort others instead.

The more he thought about it, the rougher Shen Qianyu’s breathing became. He’d actually worked himself into a fury.

Seeing this, Wan Xiao rubbed his nose and said softly: “Your Highness…”

“What?”

His tone was quite aggressive. Wan Xiao coughed lightly: “Didn’t you say some days ago you had important business with Gentleman Song?”

Shen Qianyu said: “That’s indeed so. Since I’m free today, I’ll go seek out Song Fu to discuss matters.”

Having said this, Shen Qianyu changed into everyday clothes and went to visit the Song residence.

The Song residence was quite lively at the moment—after all, Song Fu striking someone was a first in this lifetime.

A group of maids and older servants wanted to intervene but didn’t dare step forward. Left with no choice, they could only inform Song Wan of this matter.

“Elder brother… struck someone?”

“Miss, please go quickly and look. If the young master cousin is seriously injured, that would be terrible.”

“Young master cousin?”

Song Wan blinked slightly, immediately understanding what had happened.

It must be that Su Xie disagreed with this match and came seeking her elder brother. For her brother to lose his gentlemanly composure and resort to violence, Su Xie must have said something disagreeable.

Setting down the hand-knotted ornament she was holding, Song Wan called Jinshu and Luanjian to accompany her to Song Fu’s courtyard.

“Cousin, even if you beat me to death today, I won’t comply—I refuse unto death.”

When Song Wan entered the courtyard, she saw Su Xie lying in the center of the yard with tears in his eyes.

Song Fu stood to the side with an iron-blue expression.

When Su Xie had sought him out today, he’d known the other party was coming about the matter of the two families’ marriage alliance. Song Fu had intended to have a proper discussion with Su Xie, so he’d had him return to the residence together.

Who would have known that as soon as the two entered the residence, Su Xie couldn’t wait to refuse this match?

How could his Song Fu’s sister be humiliated in such a manner?

The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. Song Fu was preparing to teach this spoiled younger cousin another lesson when he heard Song Wan speak: “Elder brother, we have a guest at the residence?”

Song Wan’s tone was gentle and measured. A single sentence was enough to make Song Fu restrain his temper.

Not actually for Su Xie’s sake, but because he feared Su Xie’s loose tongue might say more unpleasant things that would sadden Wan’er.

“Why have you come?”

Song Wan said: “Hearing that Third Cousin from the Su family has come to visit, Wan’er came to meet him.”

She nodded slightly to Jinshu beside her. Jinshu stepped forward, preparing to help Su Xie up, but saw Su Xie dazedly climb up from the ground himself, then fumble to straighten his clothing.

“Cou… Cousin?”

Su Xie’s face flushed red. When he looked toward Song Wan, he somewhat dared not raise his head.

No one had told him that Cousin Wan’er was so refined and beautiful!

The youth’s temperament was impulsive with a somewhat mercurial quality. Song Wan, unaware of his change in mood, stepped forward and looked him up and down. Seeing Su Xie had no obvious external injuries, only then did she set her mind at ease.

If she caused a rift between the Su and Song families over herself, that would be her sin.

Seeing Su Xie’s face tinged with red, Song Wan said: “When you were small, I once gave you candy. I wonder if Third Cousin still has any recollection?”

“I… I remember.”

Su Xie didn’t dare raise his head, only feeling his chest pounding ceaselessly.

“I heard from Aunt that you’ve entered Jingshan Academy? I prepared a congratulatory gift for you early on. Since you’ve come today, you can conveniently take it back.”

Luanjian stepped forward and handed Su Xie a set of the four treasures of the study. Su Xie held them dazedly, not daring to look at Song Wan.

His head lowered, he noticed a red envelope on the set of scholar’s items—the kind an elder would give a younger person upon first meeting. His heart felt hazy with this realization. In a daze, he raised his head to look at Song Wan.

Song Wan’s expression was gentle with a faint smile on her face. Seeing Su Xie gazing at her, she smiled radiantly.

Pure and refined elegance.

After these four characters floated into his mind, his head swam and he couldn’t think of anything else.

“Now that I’ve met Third Cousin, Wan’er will take her leave. Elder brother must be tired after finishing his shift. I hope you’ll rest well.”

Understanding this was meant to prevent him from striking again, Song Fu nodded and had a servant woman accompany Song Wan back to her courtyard.

“See the guest out.”

Su Xie raised his head. Song Fu also saw the red envelope Song Wan had given him. He snorted coldly: “Return home. You don’t expect me to keep you for a meal, do you?”

Having said this, Song Fu strode back into his own room.

The servant woman who personally attended Song Fu said: “Third Young Master, your wet nurse Ruan Pozi is this old servant’s younger sister. Please don’t take offense at this old servant’s blunt words.”

“The marriage between the two families hasn’t even been settled, yet you so eagerly rushed here to break off the engagement. Such behavior is truly extremely discourteous. Fortunately, we’re all family. If it were other families, the two residences would likely become enemies.”

“Moreover, you’re the young miss’s cousin. Madam originally intended to protect the young miss’s dignity and give her face. Your behavior both wounded the young miss’s heart and slighted Madam’s face. It’s truly…”

The servant woman sighed, her brow furrowed disapprovingly.

Su Xie, clutching the congratulatory gift in his arms, hadn’t heard a single word.

His gaze was fixed firmly on the red envelope with its delicate handwriting.

Actually, he knew of this cousin from the Song family.

The sensational matter of the daughter of the Grand Councillor of State severing ties with the Marquis of Chengyang and returning to her residence—even though he wasn’t in the capital, he’d heard of it. Moreover, when in Baoding Prefecture, classmates had often gossiped about this matter in front of him.

Before outsiders, he’d always defended Song Wan, but in his own heart, he harbored some resentment.

A cousin who’d failed in wifely virtue and whom he’d only met a few times in childhood had caused him to lose face, made him ashamed to face his classmates, and caused the Su family to be slandered for lax family discipline…

As a son of the Su family, how could he not resent this? How could he not feel dissatisfaction?

Therefore, he’d long held some grudge against Song Wan.

Thus, when his mother mentioned the marriage arrangement with the Song family yesterday, he’d refused on the spot.

But not only did his mother not listen to him, she kept insisting Song Wan was more than good enough for him—that he, Su Xie, would have to burn high incense and pray for three lifetimes before he might obtain such a marriage match.

Young and impulsive as he was, how could he listen to such words? In a fit of anger, he’d run to the Song residence.

At that time, his mind was full of “why should I?”

Why should a remarrying woman be more than good enough for him?

Why should he accommodate his aunt’s daughter and marry a woman who’d been cast aside?

Why should he—a renowned son of a distinguished family in Baoding Prefecture who could choose his marriage at will—marry someone his classmates called damaged goods?

But having seen Song Wan, Su Xie finally understood what his mother meant by saying he’d like her once he saw her.

Looking at the servant woman beside him, Su Xie spoke dazedly: “I… I… I didn’t actually…”

“Quickly send him back to the post station.”

Su Xie was still stammering when Song Fu angrily shouted, having someone quickly escort him away.

Nanny Song stood beside Song Fu and said: “The young master cousin really won’t do. As the youngest child in the family bearing no responsibilities, Lord Su and Madam probably rarely discipline him, which is why they’ve raised such an innocent and reckless temperament eager to prove his mettle.”

“Even if the young miss were to marry him, they’d likely be an incompatible couple, and she’d suffer greatly.”

She could guess Madam Su’s intentions somewhat—nothing more than seeing the young miss’s gentle and dignified temperament and hoping she could help discipline the young master cousin. But whether Madam Su had considered that youths have mercurial temperaments—even their parents as father and mother cannot control them, so how could a daughter-in-law manage him well?

“The young master cousin is young and doesn’t know how to cherish the young miss. Instead, he knows where to wound her most painfully. Looking at it this way, he’s actually inferior to that Yang family son.”

Song Fu’s brow furrowed slightly as he unconsciously nodded.