The heart of a young man, like crystal, pure and transparent, with fearless sincerity and courage, is presented in front of Duo Zhao.

  Dong Zhao felt deeply moved and suddenly didn't dare to look directly at him.

  She stood up, slightly turning her body to block the gaze, and smiled at Wu Ya: "Sisters don't need to be so polite." Then she kindly asked her, "Do you like playing Go or Double Land? Why don't we play a game of chess?"

  Wu Ya let out a long sigh.

  She was too rude just now, and the people present were all brothers' acquaintances and friends. Not to mention that brother's words moved her, even if brother didn't say anything, in order to save brother's face, she should have apologized to Duan Zhao. However, Duan Zhao has always been a person who doesn't forgive others in her heart, and she was prepared to be ridiculed or sarcastically criticized by Duan Zhao without retorting back. Unexpectedly, Duan Zhao actually gave her an opportunity to step down.

  "I like playing Go." She smiled and nodded, and Duan Pinshu hastily called for a chessboard to be set up, propping her elbow on the table and watching from the side.

  Wu Shanru let out a sigh of relief, but his shoulder was suddenly slapped heavily: "Alright! It was I who underestimated you before."

  He turned around and saw Du Qijun standing behind him.

  "I've said it before, I'll get things done." Wu Shan smiled, his smile becoming even more dazzling.

  They didn't return to the Duan's house until it was time for dinner.

  The big red lanterns on the bamboo poles outside the door illuminated the surroundings, the opera troupe on the stage had changed to another one, but the play was still being sung, and the crowd of people listening to the opera blocked the entrance of the Duan family's house.

  Dou Qijun and others entered the mansion from the side door.

  Wu Shan escorted his sister to the guest room.

  Mrs. Wu sat on a divan covered with matting in the hall waiting for them.

  Saw a pair of children coming back. Smiling and asking them: "Was it fun today?"

  Wu Ya smiled and nodded: "I was playing chess in the pavilion at the back of the mountain, and the twelfth brother also painted a portrait for me." Then let the maid take the portrait to show Wu TaiTai.

  "Shall we?" She smiled and took her mother's arm.

  The woman in the painting wore a light yellow cheongsam and pinned a snow-white magnolia flower on her hair, standing elegantly beside the Taihu stone.

  He pointed at the Taihu stone and said: "This is the Taihu stone behind Sixth Aunt's house.

  "Ah!" Mrs. Wu nodded in approval, "You've drawn it really well."

  "Twelfth Brother said, 'Wait for two more days when I'm free, and then help me with a spring scene, an autumn scene, and a winter scene. That way, we'll have all four seasons...' Wu Ya chattered on. Wu Shan didn't even get to say a word of intimacy to his mother until he walked out of the guest room."

  He was depressed and unhappy.

  Mrs. Wu frowned: "For the sake of the fourth miss of the Duan family, you also disciplined your own sister?"

  "Old Mrs. Yu hastily advised: 'At that time, several young masters and misses of the Duan family were present, and Seventh Miss's voice was indeed louder, Fourth Young Master also considered the overall situation...'"

  Before he could finish his sentence,

  The old lady didn't dare say more and quietly retreated.

  Mrs. Wu tossed and turned, unable to sleep.

  Although this marriage is arranged by parents and matchmakers, which parent in the world does not hope their children will live a happy and fulfilling life?

  She thought of her son who had been fond of approaching Du Zhao since childhood, but it wasn't until he got the case that he told her about this matter. His perseverance and endurance were all for this day, he was determined to marry Du Zhao! Thinking of her own youth... she couldn't help but let out a long sigh.

  Dòu Zhāo didn't know about all the things Wū Shàn had done for her.

  Back home, she washed off the dust on her body and went to pay respects to her grandmother.

  Grandma had someone make a bowl of mung bean soup and soak it in the well, then instructed Hong Gu to give one to Du Zhao Sheng. "That cold ice is too chilly, eating too much isn't good, it's better to use well water that has been soaked for a while." Then she sat behind Du Zhao and fanned her, asking: "Qū family's seventh young lady also went, did you two play Double Land together?"

  Dong Zhao understood her grandmother's intention, but she had already made up her mind not to marry anyone.

  The greater the hope, the greater the disappointment.

  She didn't want her grandmother to be sad, so she smiled and said: "We can't play together. She and Yijie are more compatible."

  The grandmother sighed and disappointment was written all over her face.

  Dong's mind flashed with Wu Shan's face.

  She shook her head and the fleeting light disappeared quickly.

  Dou Zhaolay on a cool bed emitting the fragrance of green bamboo. She soon fell asleep.

  The next morning, Wu's wife emerged from her inner chamber with two black eyes.

  Wu Shan and Wu Ya were startled and anxiously cried out "Mother".

  "It's nothing." Mrs. Wu rubbed her temples and said, "It's just too noisy outside."

  The play has been on for three days and three nights already.

  Wu Shan gently pressed his mother's temples.

  "Never mind, you go and attend to your business! With Ah Qi here with me, that's enough."

  Wu Shan deeply understood the principle that if you want to make it quick, you won't be able to get there. He smiled and nodded, made a gesture with his eyes towards Bi Xiuniang, and walked out of the hall.

  Wu Ya giggled and threw herself into her mother's arms.

  Mrs. Wu stroked her hair and smiled: "You go find your little sister to play too! Mom is going to take a nap again."

  Wu Ya took her maid to find Dou Pinyi.

  Mrs. Wu stood up and said to Aunt Bi: "Let's go, we'll go sit at Sixth Aunt's place for a bit."

  "Ah! You, you're looking for Madame Liu?"

  Mrs. Wu looked at him with a mixture of anger and amusement, saying: "What are you afraid of? My own son has fallen for someone else's daughter, do I still need to find someone to reason with? You two are in cahoots, can't you just let me go and sound out the Sixth Lady's intentions? If Miss Duan is already engaged, we've even invited matchmakers to discuss the union, wouldn't that be laughable? And if the marriage of Miss Duan was something the old lady could decide on her own, that would be for the best, so I wouldn't have to deal with that Wang woman."

  Old Madame was shocked, and didn't think of anything else, repeatedly flattering Mrs. Wu: "This is also what our Fourth Master knows, that under the sky, the one who loves him the most is indeed our mistress, so he dares to be so reckless; if it were someone else, our Fourth Master would never be so humble..."

  "Alright, alright." Mrs. Wu waved her hand to interrupt Old Lady Bi's words and smiled, "You don't need to speak for him either, my own son, I still know him. What benefits did he give you?"

  "Wronged, madam." Bi Xianger could see that Wu TaiTai was not really angry. Smiling and joking with Wu TaiTai, "How dare I, an old slave? Family harmony is everything, it's just that I don't want you and the young master to have any misunderstandings, let's all live in peace..."

  The two of them went to the Ji's place while they were talking.

  The maids and old women serving beside Ji's family stood in a row covering half of the courtyard.

  Mrs. Wu let out a cry of "Aiyo". She muttered, "Bad timing", and turned to leave, but was seen by Cai He who had just lifted the curtain.

  She hastily called out "Mrs. Wu", smiled and said: "Our madam just finished speaking, I'll let you know?"

  Mrs. Wu said thank you.

  Cai Yu went in and reported, and Ji Shi came out to welcome Wu Tai Tai. The maids and old women in the courtyard also dispersed.

  Mrs. Wu naturally wouldn't ask what had happened to the Ji family. After the maids brought in tea and snacks, the two exchanged a few pleasantries before Mrs. Wu tactfully asked about her purpose for coming: "...I only found out yesterday when I was talking to Hsiu-san that your daughter I has already been engaged, and isn't Fourth Miss only a few months younger than I? This niece of mine is already engaged, who knows when we'll be able to attend Fourth Miss's wedding?"

  Ji Shi immediately understood Mrs. Wu's implication.

  She gazed at Mrs. Wu's eyes, which held a hint of expectation, and felt a surge of pride and joy, thinking "My daughter has finally grown up".

  The Wu family is well-known and respected, compared to being married off to a distant place like the Hou Mansion in Jining, who knows how much stronger they are!

  Duo Zhao's situation is special, no matter what Mrs. Wu heard, some things shouldn't be said from her mouth.

  Ji immediately had an idea.

  She smiled and took a sip of tea, saying vaguely: "You also know that Shougu's mother is no longer around, so her marriage may still need to ask for her uncle's opinion, so it has been delayed like this."

  Mrs. Wu felt relieved after receiving the news, and she picked up her teacup to repeatedly praise "good tea". She chatted with Madame Ji for a few sentences before getting up to bid farewell and heading to Er Tang's wife Yu Er Nai Nai's place.

  "Do you want to marry Shougu as your daughter-in-law?" Yu Erniang was shocked and widened her eyes when she heard that Wu Tai had entrusted her to propose marriage to Wu Shan.

  Mrs. Wu was slightly displeased.

  Dong Zhaoyi indeed has her shortcomings, but since she has already spoken up for Wu Shan to marry Dong Zhao, as a daughter married into the Wu family, Yu Erniang shouldn't have this attitude.

  Yu Erniang was taken aback when she saw Wu TaiTai nodding firmly.

  How did her aunt suddenly take a liking to Du Zhao?

  Could it be that her aunt had been visiting the Dus' home these past few days and overheard some rumors?

  Although the second lady had issued a gag order at that time, saying it was for Duan Zhao's safety and not allowing people to discuss this matter. If something happened to Duan Zhao, whoever leaked the news would be responsible, whether he lived or died, the Duan family wouldn't care. But the Duan family has many mouths to feed, and Duan Zhao is now at the age of marriage, so there are also those who have leaked the news...

  The moment the idea flashed through her mind, she immediately negated it.

  This aunt of hers has always been proud and aloof, if she hadn't encountered such a thing, she would have stayed far away, let alone ask her to be the matchmaker for her son.

  Thinking of this, she couldn't help but feel a wave of excitement.

  If Duan Zhao could marry into the Wu family, the Wu family's wealth would double. Although the people of the Wu family wouldn't bully Duan Zhao, having such a wealthy relative is always good. These girls who married out also gained face in their husbands' families!

  Yu Erniang couldn't help but laugh and said: "I didn't expect Auntie would actually take a liking to Shougu!"

  Dòu Zhāo if married into Wū's family, would be Wū's daughter-in-law. Wū Shàn loving Dòu Zhāo is absolutely not to be said, those who know say it's mutual affection, those who don't know think they're unclear about giving and receiving!

  Dou Zhao's reputation was tarnished, and Wu's family also lost face!

  Mrs. Wu smiled and said, "It's because I've been staying at your house for the past few days, and I saw that Shougu is still young, but she handles things very steadily. You also know that Shan'er has a gentle temperament, so I thought of finding someone who can manage him well."

  This matter is likely to require Second Mistress's approval.

  Yu Erniang smiled and said: "Then I'll ask about Madame's intentions first?"

  Mrs. Wu heard this and happily said: "Don't need to tell Mrs. Wang about it?"

  Yu Erniang smiled and said: "Shou Gu is after all from the Western Manor, it would be better for Old Madam to ask about Seventh Uncle's intentions."

  "Also!" Mrs. Wu said with a smile, "I'll leave this matter to you."

  "It's wonderful to be able to add to our close relationship!" said Yu Erniang with a smile.

  She saw Mrs. Wu off and then went to the second wife's place.

  Ji went to Xifu instead.

  ※

  I won't say another word about the male lead!

  ~~~~(_

  I just saw someone commenting that they didn't like Wu Shan, so I thought everyone felt that the character's portrayal was bad, and asked about it. Didn't expect it to evolve into guessing who the male lead is...

  ※