Chapter 14 I'll marry if I want to! Nobody can force me.

“He’s not just bad,” Ye Wanning said. “He’s an ungrateful scoundrel.”

In her past life, she treated him so well, giving him all her savings to help him prepare for the imperial examinations, yet he turned around and betrayed her, conspiring with Ye Jingshu to kill her. In this life, she wouldn't be foolish enough to pay him any attention again.

For the next few days, Xue Lin'an really didn't come again. Ye Wanning thought he had really given up, but unexpectedly, a few days later, Ye Jingshu's people came again.

"Second Miss, our Eldest Miss says she knows where Young Master Xue is and would like you to come over." It was Cui'er, Ye Jingshu's maid, who came.

"What does she want from me?" Ye Wanning raised an eyebrow.

“Miss said she knows you don’t want to see Young Master Xue, but he is deeply in love with you, and she wants to help you two reconcile,” Cui’er said.

Ye Wanning sneered inwardly. Ye Jingshu was trying to match her up with Xue Lin'an again. In her past life, she had been tricked by Ye Jingshu and Xue Lin'an into marrying Xue Lin'an, ultimately leading to her tragic death. Did they want to play the same trick again in this life?

"Tell your young lady that I don't have time," Ye Wanning said.

“Second Miss, please go,” Cui’er said. “The Eldest Miss said that if you don’t go, she will come to the manor to find you.”

Ye Wanning frowned; she didn't want to argue with Ye Jingshu anymore.

“Alright, I’ll go,” Ye Wanning said. “I want to see what tricks Ye Jingshu and Xue Lin’an are up to this time.”

Ye Wanning followed Cui'er to Ye Jingshu's courtyard, where she saw Ye Jingshu and Xue Lin'an sitting and drinking tea. Upon seeing her arrive, the two stood up.

"Sister, you've arrived," Ye Jingshu said with a smile.

"Young Master Xue, hello." Ye Wanning greeted Xue Lin'an.

"Sister, please don't be angry with Young Master Xue," Ye Jingshu said. "Young Master Xue really likes you very much. He was just confused that day and said the wrong thing. Please forgive him."

"I have nothing to say to Young Master Xue," Ye Wanning said.

"Ningning, I know I was wrong," Xue Lin'an said. "Give me another chance, and I'll definitely treat you well."

Their back-and-forth banter annoyed her greatly.

"If you have nothing else to say, I'll be leaving," Ye Wanning said.

"Sister, don't go!" Ye Jingshu pulled her back. "I've prepared food and drinks for you. You two should have a good talk; maybe you can clear up the misunderstanding."

She tried to shake off her hand, but it was held tightly.

"Sister, please let go," Ye Wanning said.

"Sister, please stay."

Just then, Xue Lin'an suddenly stepped forward and grasped Ye Wanning's hand: "Ningning, I really like you! Marry me, I'll treat you very well!"

Ye Wanning flung her hand away: "Xue Lin'an, how dare you!"

“Ningning, I’m sincere!” Xue Lin’an said.

"Enough!" Ye Wanning shouted angrily, "What exactly do you want?"

“We don’t want anything,” Ye Jingshu said. “We just want you and Young Master Xue to be together. Although Young Master Xue isn’t rich, he’s talented and will definitely be successful in the future. You won’t lose out by marrying him.”

"What exactly do you want?" Ye Wanning looked at them, then suddenly laughed. "Do you think that because I came back from the countryside, I'm unworthy of the status of a noble lady and can only marry a poor scholar like this?"

“Sister, that’s not what we meant,” Ye Jingshu said.

"Then what do you mean?" Ye Wanning said. "Do you think I'm easy to bully and want to push me to Xue Lin'an so you can stay in the Marquis's mansion peacefully?"

"We don't have..."

"Enough!" Ye Wanning interrupted her. "I'm telling you, my marriage is none of your business! I can marry whomever I want! Nobody can force me!"

After saying that, she turned and left, no longer wanting to pay attention to these two clowns.

Looking at her retreating figure, both Ye Jingshu and Xue Lin'an's expressions turned grim.

"What should we do? She doesn't seem to be falling for it," Ye Jingshu said.

"It doesn't matter if she doesn't fall for it, I have plenty of ways to make her marry me." Xue Lin'an's eyes were sinister.

Before we knew it, the Shangsi Festival had arrived.

People of all ages would go out of the city for a spring outing, and the younger ones would drink wine and compose poems by the Liubei Pond, searching for their ideal husbands.

Minister Ye also said that the young people in the mansion should go out for a walk and relax.

Ye Wanning didn't want to go, but Ye Chengjing said, "Ningning, you should go. Staying in the manor all day is so boring; getting some fresh air is good for you."

Ye Wanning couldn't refuse him, so she had no choice but to agree.

Before we set off, Ye Jingshu suddenly arrived and said she wanted to go with us.

"Big brother, big sister, I want to go out for a walk too," Ye Jingshu said with a smile. "I'm getting so tired of staying in the yard all day."

Ye Chengjing hesitated. He hadn't planned to let Ye Jingshu go, fearing she would cause trouble again.

"Big brother, let your little sister come along," Ye Wanning said. "It'll be more lively with more people."

She wanted to see what tricks Ye Jingshu was up to this time.

Ye Chengjing nodded: "Okay, but you have to be obedient and don't cause trouble."

"Yes, brother," Ye Jingshu replied obediently.

The group arrived at the Flowing Cup Pool outside the city, where many people had already gathered.

The men drank wine and composed poems by the lake, the women chatted and admired the flowers, and the children chased and played on the grass, creating a lively scene.

Ye Chengjing led Ye Wanning and Ye Jingshu to a quiet place to sit down and had the servants set out the snacks and drinks they had brought.

"Sister, look how lively it is over there!" Ye Jingshu pointed to a group of young people not far away. "Let's go take a look."

Ye Wanning shook her head: "No, there are too many people."

"Come on, sister, it's rare for you to go out," Ye Jingshu said, pulling Ye Wanning's hand. "I heard there are many young men composing poems here today, let's go take a look."

Ye Wanning couldn't dissuade her, so she had no choice but to go with her. Ye Chengjing, fearing something might happen to them, also followed.

After walking only a few steps, Ye Jingshu said she was going to pick flowers and asked Ye Wanning to wait for her where she was.

Ye Wanning knew she definitely didn't mean any harm, so she simply nodded and said, "Go ahead, but come back soon."

Ye Jingshu laughed and ran off, giving Xue Lin'an a wink as she left.

A cold glint flashed in Ye Wanning's eyes. So they really were in cahoots with Xue Lin'an.

However, instead of waiting where she was, she walked in the opposite direction to a secluded bamboo grove. She wanted to see what they planned to do there.

Ye Wanning entered the bamboo forest and found a secluded spot to hide. Not long after, Xue Lin'an sneaked in, looking around as if searching for something.

Ye Wanning held her breath and looked at him.

Xue Lin'an walked around the bamboo forest, but did not see Ye Wanning, and his face showed impatience.

Ye Jingshu's voice came over: "Young Master Xue, I've brought my sister with me."

Ye Wanning peeked over and saw Ye Jingshu leading a maid dressed the same as her into the room. The maid had her head down, so her face was not visible.