Chapter 34: Cousin (I)
Chapter 34: Cousin (I)
Xu Zhixian was stupefied. Cheng Min saw his son’s reaction and couldn’t help but patted his arm. “Mother is speaking. Why are you stupidly gawking like that?”
Xu Zhixian slowly returned to his sense. He said strenuously: “Mother, what did you just say?”
“I didn’t say anything. You boy, don’t scare your mother…”
“The previous sentence!”
“Let Yujin be your wife?”
When Xu Zhixian heard the sentence again, he suddenly felt his whole body uncomfortable. With a loud ‘thump,’ he jumped up from his seat and exclaimed with a loud, uncontrollable voice: “Mother, are you crazy? Elder sister Jin and me? Marry? How is this possible!”
For so many years, Xu Zhixian grew up listening to the adults using Cheng Yujin’s name every day to let him study and work hard like her. Over time, Cheng Yujin has become a living symbol, like Confucius’s portrait hanging on the wall. Who would ever consider marrying Confucius?
Xu Zhixian was taken aback by the shock. He was too shocked and didn’t pay attention to the volume of his voice. After shouting, he felt embarrassed. How could he use such words? Obviously, he didn’t mean it…
At this moment, a servant girl’s puzzled voice came from outside: “Eldest Miss, why are you standing here? Eh, eldest Miss…”
Xu Zhixian’s brain seemed to be shattered. His expression was indescribable. Cheng Min knew that this matter had been broken. She stood up and smacked Xu Zhixian’s forehead, glaring at her son: “See what trouble you cause now! Stay here and reflect on your wrong! Don’t you dare to go out!”
Xu Zhixian nodded vigorously. He also didn’t want to. Cheng Min hurriedly pushed the door open. At the corner of the building, a servant girl was holding a food box, clearly at a loss: “Lady, eldest Miss told this servant to send this food box to you…”
Seeing the food box, Cheng Min sighed helplessly. Cheng Yujin must have sent this box after hearing that Xu Zhixian was helping with the guests in the outer courtyard. She was afraid that her cousin would be hungry, and specially came to deliver a meal. Unexpectedly, she heard such words from him.
Cheng Min didn’t expect that the girl’s kindness would result in such a situation. She said to the servant girl: “Second young master is inside. Send the box in and also tell him what the eldest girl said to you.”
The servant girl didn’t quite understand the situation, but vaguely had some guesses from the loud voice that had just come from inside. She dared not say much, and bowed her head: “Yes.”
After sending the servant girl away, Cheng Min held the hem of her skirt and walked fast, and finally caught up with Cheng Yujin at the moon gate. Here was the place that separated the inner and outer courtyard. Cheng family built a small garden with winding corridors among the trees. The two sides were covered by vines and other plantations, which not only added a touch of nature, but also blocked outside view. Cheng Yujin was about to walk into the garden when she heard Cheng Min voice calling her. She turned around and greeted Cheng Min with a smile: “Aunt.”
After finally caught up with Cheng Yujin, Cheng Min felt embarrassed when she remembered the thing that had just happened. She held Cheng Yujin’s hand and said: “Yujin, my family’s stupid boy is simple-minded. He spoke without thinking, so don’t put his words into your heart.”
Cheng Yujin thought to herself: speaking without thinking, so the meaning was real. Cheng Yujin smiled and held Cheng Min’s hand: “Aunt, I understand. Don’t worry, I don’t mind.”
Cheng Min sighed, “Do not take Zhixian’s words into your heart. Marriage has always been done on parents’ orders, brought together by the matchmaker. I am truly fond of you. It’s my utter wish that you can become my daughter-in-law. Young people are unstable. They might say one thing today and another thing tomorrow. Zhixian is still young. He still doesn’t understand your goods. After you married in and slowly get along, he will understand that such a dignified and virtuous girl like you is the best person to spend life together. If he dares to trouble you in the future, just tell me, and I will beat a sense into him!”
“Aunt, Yujin understands your care.” Cheng Yujin gently shook Cheng Min hand, “My engagement has been canceled once, and my future marriage is difficult. Aunt takes pity on me and wants me to marry biao elder brother. This is to save me from the fate of unmarried and being talked about maliciously. But biao elder brother is also a man, and he has his own ideas. Since he doesn’t like this marriage, then forget it. After all, I am an outsider. Aunt doesn’t have to put yourself in a dilemma because of me and damage your mother-son relationship.”
After hearing Cheng Yujin’s sensible words, Cheng Min became even more distressed: “Nonsense! I am truly fond of you. If you can come to our Xu family as my daughter-in-law, I must burn incense and thanks to the Buddha. I’m only afraid that the stupid boy in our family doesn’t have any talents and isn’t worthy of you.”
“Aunt is joking. Biao elder brother is so good. He will meet a girl he likes in the future, so you shouldn’t force him because of me.”
“Yujin…” Cheng Yujin’s reasonings made Cheng Min felt extremely uncomfortable. She knew that those words were right. Her wish to make the Cheng Yujin her daughter-in-law was not without pity. But in the end, Xu Zhixian was Cheng Min’s own flesh and blood. If Xu Zhixian was unwilling, how could Cheng Min wronged her son for a niece.
Cheng Yujin saw it so clearly, and that’s why Cheng Min became even more uncomfortable.
“Zhixian’s words aren’t necessarily his real thought…you can take your time. Which couple aren’t like this? Many have never met before married. After marriage, if you spend your time together, feelings naturally will grow. In this world, there aren’t many who have mutual feelings before marriage. How can one choose a marriage based on liking alone?”
Cheng Yujin smiled and gently pushed Cheng Min’s hand away: “Yujin thanks aunt. But I don’t mind, so aunt also shouldn’t feel guilty.”
The more sensible Cheng Yujin was, the more distressed Cheng Min became. She asked skeptically: “You really don’t mind?”
“Yes.” Cheng Yujin’s smile was unchanged. Of course she didn’t mind, because she had found a better candidate.
In the beginning, she indeed had an idea about Xu Zhixian. If she had never met Lin Qingyuan, right now she must think for a way to remedy Xu Zhixian’s attitude. However, now that she had another husband candidate with a higher comprehensive score, she no longer cared about the previous one. Yet, Cheng Yujin was still surprised. She knew that she wasn’t popular among young men, but never expect that Xu Zhixian would have such a huge repulsion about marrying her. Since she no longer had any intention on Xu Zhixian, naturally there was no need to force the other party. It’s better to settle the matter today, so everyone would still getting along amicably in the future.
Oh, and additionally, she could also use the opportunity to gain more Cheng Min’s favor.
T/N:
Well, this is the regular post for Thursday. Sorry for the delay! I’ll see if I can post a few sponsored chapters this weekend (including THDP and MWFV), but my priority is preparing enough for regular posts next week, so the chance is slim….