Chapter 7 Forcing You to Marry Me

“The situation was urgent just now. My cousin had a high fever and was delirious. If I hadn’t tried to bring down your fever, would you be standing here talking to me now? It seems I was meddling. In that case, I have nothing to say. Just pretend I was never here today.”

After Jiang Zhi finished speaking, she put down her teacup, got up, and left.

Shen Ci'an hadn't expected her to turn on him so suddenly, and the words he wanted to say to her were stuck in his throat.

Seeing her as if he had humiliated and wronged her, Shen Ci'an felt his head, which had just begun to recover, start to ache again.

“I know that Miss did this for me, so how could I be so ungrateful as to wrong you like this?” Shen Ci’an called out to her.

"However, this action is far too outrageous. We must nip it in the bud. If I harbor malicious intentions and spread rumors about what happened today in the manor, or if I want to curry favor with the Jiang family and deliberately ruin your reputation to force you to marry me, how will you, Miss, conduct yourself?"

He spoke frankly and openly, and every word he uttered showed that he was putting himself in Jiang Zhi's shoes.

Jiang Zhi couldn't help but think to herself, if he really did that, she would have a lot less to worry about.

However, if that were the case, he wouldn't be Shen Ci'an anymore.

So Jiang Zhi turned around and looked at him seriously, saying, "Cousin, you are a gentleman. I had Qingxing send you money several times, but it was returned each time. This shows that you are calm and composed, and have an open mind. You are not the kind of person who is eager for quick success and instant benefits. That's why I did the favor of wiping your body in a moment of desperation. If it were anyone else, I would never have bothered with such a thing and would have avoided them like the plague. I did this only because I trust your character."

Being trusted and praised so unreservedly, even someone as calm and composed as Shen Ci was inevitably moved.

He said helplessly, "How can you be so sure that I'm not that kind of person, Miss?"

Jiang Zhi couldn't help but snort, "I knew it."

Seeing her unwavering expression, Shen Ci'an couldn't help but chuckle.

Then he remembered to ask her, "Why did Miss come to Zhizhi Pavilion today? What brings you here?"

He didn't usually interact much with the women of the Jiang family; even if they occasionally bumped into each other, he would only greet them from afar.

Staying at the Jiang residence was already an inconvenience, and he dared not get involved with the two young ladies of the Jiang family.

“I do have an important matter to ask of you, cousin,” Jiang Zhi said solemnly, her nonchalant expression vanishing. “My father always complained that my calligraphy lacked strength and was weak and feeble. But you are different, cousin. You are exceptionally learned and knowledgeable, and your official script is praised by even my father. I have come here specifically to ask you to teach me calligraphy. I only hope that you will not find me unworthy and will accept me as your student.”

Shen Ci'an Qingjun's face showed reluctance, "Teaching you calligraphy? That's probably against etiquette."

Although they are cousins, the fact that boys and girls do not sit together from the age of seven inevitably leads to gossip and judgment.

“I will not go inside; I will simply practice calligraphy under the eaves. This is perfectly aboveboard. Moreover, I have already obtained my grandmother’s consent, and no one in the Jiang family dares to say anything.”

Jiang Zhi sighed softly, "Unless my cousin finds it troublesome and is unwilling to listen to my grandmother's teachings."

Shen Ci'an hesitated and pondered for a few breaths.

The Jiang family had done him a favor, and he couldn't refuse the old lady's request. Moreover, the young lady had just risked her reputation to help him, so he couldn't simply refuse. He could take this opportunity to repay her.

Without much hesitation, he nodded and said, "Since the old lady has given the order, Ci'an dares not disobey."

"Thank you, cousin," Jiang Zhi smiled with narrowed eyes, straightened her posture and bowed respectfully to him, "Master, please accept my bow."

Shen Ci'an accepted her greeting with a solemn expression.

At this moment, Qingxing brought over the medicine that had been decocted.

"This medicine is specifically for treating colds. My cousin wants to teach me calligraphy, but he must first cure his illness."

Shen Ci'an did not refuse and took the medicine bowl, drinking it all in one gulp.

Although he was ill, he was elegant and upright, with a straight nose like carved jade in profile, and a sharp edge hidden in his scholarly air, like a plum branch covered with frost and snow in winter.

Seeing that he had finished his medicine, Jiang Zhi took out a piece of pear syrup candy from her purse and gave it to him. "When I was young, I was weak and often had to take medicine. My mother would carry candy with her to coax me. After eating it, it wouldn't be bitter."

“No need…” Shen Ci’an had just begun to refuse when Jiang Zhi directly offered him a pear syrup candy.

Shen Ci'an subconsciously held it in his mouth.

The sweetness of the pear syrup candy dispelled the bitterness filling his mouth. Perhaps it was because it was taken from her purse. The subtle sweetness also carried her unique fragrance, making him unable to help but recall the scene of her falling on him just now.

His face stiffened, he swallowed the sweetness in his mouth, and couldn't help but admonish her with a stern face, "Since Miss will regard me as her teacher in the future, she should also be respectful when teaching and receiving, and should not be so impolite."

Even so, Jiang Zhi noticed that the blush on the tips of his ears had already spread all the way down to his neck.

She didn't point it out, but sincerely bowed and said, "Yes, student understands."

Shen Ci'an coughed a few times, covering his mouth with his sleeve, then pulled a piece of paper from the table and laid it in front of her, asking her to write a few words to test her skills.

The paper was the cheapest hemp paper in the market, with a rough texture. Next to it were several sheets of paper covered with dense writing, which showed his usual poverty and frugality.

Jiang Zhi picked up her brush, dipped it in ink, and finished writing. She then blew on the ink to dry it. "Please, Master, take a look."

Upon closer inspection, Shen Ci'an discovered that while Jiang Zhi's calligraphy appeared elegant and graceful, it lacked composure amidst its liveliness, clearly indicating a weak wrist and a lack of brush strength.

He picked up his pen and circled a few points that needed attention, slowly demonstrating his calligraphy style to her. However, he was still ill, and after writing a few words, he started coughing again, and a cold sweat broke out on his forehead.

“There’s no rush. It’s more important for you to recover right now,” Jiang Zhi said, taking the paper he had written on. “I’ll take these back and practice them. I can come back to ask you for guidance tomorrow.”

Shen Ci'an nodded, "If Miss wants to practice calligraphy properly, she needs to be prepared to be diligent every day without slacking off. She must never tire of refining her skills and never forget to practice them. Only in this way can she become proficient and let her brush move freely."

"The student has learned a lot," Jiang Zhi said seriously.

Although she used calligraphy practice as an excuse to get close to Shen Ci'an, she knew that this matter required diligent effort. What she did in the room just now could be said to be a last resort under duress, but if she didn't focus on the right thing while practicing calligraphy, Shen Ci'an would inevitably think that she was really frivolous and unambitious, which would be detrimental to her plans.

*

Jiang Zhi returned to Chuntang Garden and practiced calligraphy for a while when a servant rushed in to report.

"Miss, the master has instructed you to go to the front hall immediately, saying someone is looking for you."

Jiang Zhi's heart skipped a beat; she had a bad feeling about it for some reason.

Upon arriving at the front hall, I indeed saw a familiar figure standing with his hands behind his back.

She pretended not to see it, and forced herself to step forward and bow, "Zhi'er greets Father."

Jiang Zhengting was fidgeting in his chair. When he saw Jiang Zhi, he was furious. "Tell me, what exactly did you do at Puzhao Temple?"