Chapter 207: Chapter 207: Parental Orders and Matchmakers’ Words
Ren Hua was in a daze for two days, absent-minded in everything she did at home. When her father asked her what was wrong, she hesitated but couldn’t say anything.
Qu Fulan came to see her, and the two were eating melon seeds in the room, but after Qu Fulan talked for a long time, Ren Hua still didn’t respond.
"What’s wrong with you?" Qu Fulan waved her hand in front of Ren Hua, but she didn’t react. Her distraction was too severe.
Had she lost her soul?
Finally coming to her senses, Ren Hua looked at Qu Fulan and said, "What would you feel if Mr. Pei said he wanted to marry you?"
Qu Fulan almost choked on the melon seed, "Have you gone mad or been possessed? What nonsense are you talking about?"
The Princely Heir wanted to marry her? Why on earth would he want to marry her? Was he bored and had nothing better to do?
Ren Hua’s expression showed that she wanted to speak but hesitated, then she appeared thoughtful, only to hesitate again, looking as constipated as possible. Qu Fulan felt uncomfortable seeing it, "What’s wrong with you? At least tell me so I can analyze it for you!"
This half-baked sentence confused her entirely, how could she even respond?
Ren Hua blushed again, seemingly unable to utter a single word.
Actually, she still felt a bit dazed. Was all of that real?
It was too mystifying, too sudden, like a dream.
But upon reflection, everything was indeed real; it truly happened.
Ren Hua remembered her heart pounding at the time, as if it would leap out of her chest.
Then came shyness, embarrassment, nervousness, and helplessness.
In the end, she felt like she was floating mid-air, stepping on seemingly weightless feet as she returned home. She only knew how to sit there dumbfounded, distracted, unable to manage anything, her mind stuffed with mush, incapable of thinking or reasoning.
Facing her father’s inquiry, Ren Hua managed to keep it to herself without revealing anything.
After all, this was not a child’s play; letting her parents know would be a significant issue.
But keeping it to herself made her feel suffocated, and she began to fantasize wildly. If she didn’t find someone to confide in soon, she felt like she would go crazy.
"Mr. Pei, he... he said he wanted to marry me..."
*
The second Madam of Pei Mansion has been in good and bad health; presently, household affairs are jointly managed by Third Miss and Miss Cheng.
But since Third Miss is of marriageable age, her focus is on embroidering her dowry, leading to inevitable negligence in overseeing everything thoroughly.
Cheng Ru was different, attentive to all matters, comprehensive, strict when necessary, and generous when appropriate. She managed the household for a short time but gained widespread praise.
Such a meticulous person naturally noticed and remembered her cousin’s abnormal behavior.
"My cousin seems to have taken a liking to that merchant’s daughter."
Cheng Ru discussed this matter with her mother when no one was around.
Mrs. Cheng was shocked, "Xiang’s new friend, the girl named Ren Hua?"
After all, there was currently only Ren Hua to be described as a merchant’s daughter.
Xiang liked to befriend people and invite them over, and Mrs. Cheng had met her once and didn’t see anything wrong with it. Making friends widely isn’t wrong, but discussing marriage is a different matter.
The Pei Family already had a concubine-born Third Madam causing discord among sisters-in-law; such a status disparity could disturb tranquility in the inner courtyard.
If another merchant’s daughter were to come and rank below even Yao Xing among the junior wives, how could that be acceptable?
Moreover, the intentions of Cheng mother and daughter were clear to them. If Cheng Ru became the wife of the Princely Heir, she’d have to be a sisters-in-law with a merchant’s daughter in the future, which was excessively improper if rumors spread.
"How did you notice this? What did your cousin do?" Concerned, Mrs. Cheng couldn’t afford to be careless.
Cheng Ru sighed, "Earlier, when the Ren Family’s shop opened on the day of the Ren Family banquet, I went with Third Sister. My cousin also attended and drank heartily with Mr. Ren, they got along very well. You know my cousin’s personality; he isn’t keen on family social engagements, yet he lowered himself to a merchant’s family. What other reason could there be?"
Besides this, Cheng Ru found out that during Ren Hua’s illness, her cousin visited several times, even sending many precious medicinal herbs.
Not only that, the two had privately met several times in Pei Mansion.
When Pei Yuan did these things, he was aboveboard and open. Only by being upright and clear would others not think perversely, considering the girl’s reputation. He considered everything thoroughly.
Unfortunately, he was a bit too confident. What he considered candidly different appeared unusual to others, even someone as perceptive as Mr. Ren found it odd, let alone Cheng Ru.
If Cheng Ru weren’t managing the Pei Mansion’s inner courtyard, she wouldn’t have known, but she happened to be responsible for it now. Coupled with witnessing it firsthand, it was convenient and easy to find out.
"You said Mr. Pei wants to marry you?!"
At Ren Family’s home, when Ren Hua determined to confess to Qu Fulan, her words were overheard by her father, who came looking for her.
As expected, Mr. Ren was in shock.
Ren Hua wished she could faint, but if she did, things would escalate, so she resolutely faced her father.
"It’s not what you think, I just expressed it wrong earlier..."
No matter how wildly she had imagined before, at a time like this, Ren Hua’s mind instantly became clear.
"I must have misheard. How could Mr. Pei possibly want to marry me? I must be dreaming during the day for wanting to marry into a high-status family!"
To avoid her father misunderstanding, Ren Hua uttered whatever she could.
At this point, whether Mr. Pei meant what he said no longer mattered. What mattered was that it was impossible; Ren Hua had decisively abandoned a girl’s shyness, pulling out her hidden delight and anticipation.
Ren Hua was barely at coming-of-age, a girl would naturally have fantasies about her future spouse, hoping to meet an ideal husband. So, when faced with Pei’s outstanding confession, she couldn’t help but feel moved.
But even though she was moved, rationality returned, and she understood the weight of matters.
"What do you mean by dreaming during the day? I was wondering why for no reason Mr. Pei would be so friendly at the banquet. If he wanted to marry you, everything would make sense. I found Mr. Pei very sincere and earnest. What’s with your timid and evasive behavior, being decisive in business but not in matters of life?"
Mr. Ren thought clearly, that even if Mr. Pei has a son, if it weren’t for this, how could he choose their family?
Ren Hua saw her father’s seriousness and felt the urge to splash cold water on him, "Marriage has always been decided by parents and matchmakers, even if Mr. Pei might have intentions, how could Second Madam agree, and Mrs. Pei as well?"
Indeed, Mr. Ren was sobered by "cold water." Yes, marriage has always been decided by elders; what use is Mr. Pei’s intention then?