flstandardbreds Chapter 167 "Success"
Chapter 167 "Success"
"That's true. Right now, the only girl in our house is Mo Xuan. My naughty boy still needs two or three years to get married. Anyway, those men who come to propose marriage are all pretty good..." Huang Qinya said as she casually flipped through the portraits of young talents in her hands, with a look of consideration in her eyes.
Before Yu Yan'er could respond, hurried footsteps suddenly sounded outside the door, and then Chu Moxuan rushed in like a gust of wind.
"Mother, why, why are you choosing a husband for me without even asking me?" Chu Moxuan spoke impatiently the moment she entered the room, her voice tinged with anxiety and a touch of shyness. Her gaze swept over the portrait spread out on the table, a complex wave of emotions welling up within her, a slight resentment that her mother had made the decision without her permission.
Yu Yan'er was slightly startled, the portrait in her hand stopped in mid-air. She looked up at her daughter, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes, and then she said softly, "Girl, why are you in such a hurry? Mother is just trying to help you check first. I can't just promise you to someone without permission."
Huang Qinya watched the mother and daughter from the side, a smile on her lips, and jokingly said, "Mo Xuan, your mother loves you and is afraid that you will be wronged in the future. You must understand her painstaking efforts."
"But, but those previous approval documents allowed me to find a son-in-law at home? And I'm not in a hurry." Chu Moxuan raised her chin slightly, with a hint of stubbornness in her eyes, and her words were full of unwillingness to give in.
In reality, Chu Moxuan secretly didn't take the men in the portraits seriously. Her heart was secretly in love with her father's junior apprentice, Su Linqing. The thought of Su Linqing made her cheeks flush, and her eyes gleamed with a different kind of brilliance, a stark contrast to the indifference she'd shown when she looked at the portraits.
"Back then, it was to prepare you for the imperial marriage, fearing that Meng Yujiao would give you to Chen Yun as the prince's consort. Our family never considered letting you find a husband at home. Things are different now, so you can naturally choose to marry out." Yu Yan'er spoke softly, her tone hinting at explanation. She was well aware of the complexities involved. Back then, forced by circumstances, to prevent Chu Moxuan from being caught up in the quagmire of imperial strife, they had come up with the tactic of finding a husband at home, a sort of "shield" from the imperial family. Now, the situation had changed drastically, and naturally, the old methods could no longer be used to restrain this girl.
Huang Qinya nodded slightly and agreed, "Sister-in-law is right, Mo Xuan, you now have more choices. Whether you want to marry out and find a good family, or still want to find a son-in-law at home, as long as you can get what you want and live happily, my family will not force you."
Chu Moxuan's heart throbbed after hearing this, and her tense expression relaxed a bit. She knew all about the royal marriage incident, and how her family had racked their brains to avoid it. Hearing her mother and aunt Huang Qinya's words, a warm feeling welled up in her heart. But the thought of Su Linqing made her heart flutter again.
"I... I understand your good intentions, but the person in my heart, he..."
Chu Moxuan bit her lower lip, wanting to speak but hesitant, the blush on her cheeks growing hotter. She wanted to be honest, but she was afraid her mother and aunt would object if they knew. After all, Su Linqing's status was somewhat special. Although he was her father's junior apprentice, he was often traveling abroad, his whereabouts erratic, and in the eyes of others, he might not be a good match.
Seeing her like this, Yu Yan'er guessed something in her heart, so she asked softly: "Moxuan, who is the person in your heart? You can tell me. If he is a person with good character and talent, we are not pedantic people and will never break up a couple." She looked at Chu Moxuan gently, trying to give her some courage.
Huang Qinya also stared at her niece with a burning gaze, waiting for her answer. The atmosphere in the room seemed to freeze, and everyone held their breath. The only sound was Chu Moxuan's increasingly rapid heartbeat.
"It's... it's Uncle Su, Daddy's junior apprentice, Su Linqing." Chu Moxuan finally spoke, her voice small but detonating like a bombshell in the room. She lowered her head in panic, not daring to look her mother and aunt Huang Qinya in the eye. Her hands clenched nervously around the hem of her clothes, her knuckles white from the strain.
Huang Qinya and Yu Yan'er were both stunned when they heard this, and then they were extremely happy in their hearts. It was worth it that they deliberately spread the news that they were going to choose a husband for Chu Moxuan.
After a long while, Huang Qinya was the first to come back to her senses. She sighed softly and said, "Mo Xuan, how could you, child, fall for him..."
Yu Yan'er also came back to her senses and gently soothed her, "Mo Xuan, don't panic. Let's talk slowly. Although Su Linqing is a man of outstanding talent, he has been wandering around for many years and has no fixed place to live. If you follow him, you will inevitably suffer in the future... You must think carefully."
Chu Moxuan raised her head, tears glistening in her eyes, but with a resolute light, and said, "Mother, I am not afraid of hardship. As long as I can be with him, I can endure any hardship."
Huang Qinya and Yu Yan'er exchanged a smile, their smiles brimming with cunning and anticipation. Their underlying motive in spreading the seemingly unrelated news about choosing a husband for Chu Moxuan was clear: they hoped Chu Moxuan and Su Linqing would soon break free from the veil of intimacy. Their simultaneous questioning was intended to quietly guide Chu Moxuan, forcing her to confront her deepest admiration for Su Linqing.
As they stared at each other, a fleeting glint of joy flashed across their eyes, the elation of a successful scheme. Chu Moxuan, on the other hand, hadn't noticed the subtle ulterior motive behind her aunt and mother's words. She simply lowered her head slightly, her brows furrowed, lost in her own thoughts.
"What about Su Linqing? What did he say? You're not young anymore. Look, Wange, who's a few months younger than you, has been married for a year. I'm not pushing you, but I'm really worried about you." Yu Yan'er gently took Chu Moxuan's hand, her eyes full of concern, but her words were filled with anxiety. She saw that her daughter now understood her feelings for Su Linqing, but this matter ultimately required mutual consent. Her biggest concern at the moment was to ascertain Su Linqing's attitude.
Yu Yan'er leaned slightly to the side and exchanged a glance with Huang Qinya, a look that shared a mixture of worry and anticipation. They had put so much thought into this, hoping their two children would finally find a happy ending. Now that their daughter's situation was clear, it all depended on how Su Linqing would respond.
Chu Moxuan's cheeks flushed slightly when she heard her mother, Yu Yan'er, say this. She lowered her eyes, her fingers unconsciously twisting the corner of her clothes. Her heart was filled with a mixture of shy love for Su Linqing and a certain uneasiness about the unknown. She opened her mouth, wanting to speak but stopping herself, unsure how to respond.