It has to be you

Soaking their feet in mugwort became an unspoken habit between Chen Bozhou and Yun Wu. The unique aroma that lingered in the Yun family courtyard seemed to have become a silent bond between the two. However, this tranquility did not last long.

The early summer breeze that day carried a hint of heat, blowing through the open doors and windows of the Shen family's main hall. Inside, the atmosphere was much more solemn than outside.

Chen Bozhou had just returned from the Yun family, covered in sweat and dirt. He was about to fetch water to wash off when his mother stopped him and asked him to change into clean clothes and come to the main room.

He was a little puzzled, but still did as he was told. As soon as he entered the main hall, he saw his father, Village Chief Shen, sitting in the main seat, his face expressionless. His mother sat beside him, her eyes filled with a complex look of wanting to say something but not being able to. His brother, Shen Boyuan, stood beside his father, shaking his head slightly at him.

What surprised him even more was that there was an unfamiliar woman sitting in the room, neatly dressed with a smile on her face, dressed like a common matchmaker in the village.

Chen Bozhou's heart skipped a beat, and he understood something instantly.

"Bozhou is back," Village Chief Shen cleared his throat and said calmly, "This is Wang the matchmaker from town."

Matchmaker Wang immediately chimed in with a smile, her voice bright and clear: "Oh, so this is Young Master Bozhou, right? He's such a handsome man, so energetic! No wonder the young lady from Mr. Li's family in our town was so moved by him!"

Chen Bozhou's brows immediately furrowed. He didn't look at the matchmaker, but looked directly at his father: "Dad, what are you doing?"

Village Chief Shen looked at him with a deep gaze. "You are not young anymore. It is time to consider starting a family. Mr. Li's family is a wealthy family in town. His daughter is well-educated and gentle, and she is a perfect match for you. Matchmaker Wang has come here today to propose marriage."

Chen Boyuan added in a low voice: "Dad is doing this for your own good..."

"For my own good?" Chen Bozhou interrupted his brother, his voice suddenly rising with uncontrollable anger and disappointment. "For my own good means ignoring my wishes and finding some random person to propose marriage to me?"

The smile on Matchmaker Wang's face froze, and she looked at Village Chief Shen with some embarrassment.

Village chief Shen's face darkened: "What do you mean by an irrelevant person? Parents' orders and matchmaker's words are the law of nature! Then why is Miss Li not worthy of you? At least she is better than you who are always..." He paused and didn't say the rest of the words, but the meaning was self-evident.

"All day what?" Chen Bozhou didn't give in, staring straight at his father, "Spending all day with Yunwu, huh?"

He simply made it clear, and the atmosphere in the hall instantly dropped to freezing point. Shen Boyuan looked at his brother worriedly, while Shen's mother nervously clenched the handkerchief in her hand.

Matchmaker Wang rolled her eyes, as if she had smelled something unusual, but due to the situation, she didn't dare to say anything more.

Village Chief Shen slammed the table and shouted angrily, "How dare you bring that up? I thought you were just young and naive, just looking for something new! I didn't expect you to be so stubborn! Yunwu is a man, what will happen if you get involved with him? You'll only make people laugh and bring disgrace to our family!"

"Fresh?" Chen Bozhou seemed to have heard something ridiculous. He took a step forward and stood in the middle of the hall. He stood tall and straight, his eyes sweeping across his father, mother, and brother, finally resting on his father's face. His voice was clear and firm, and every word was resounding:

"Dad, Mom, Brother, listen carefully. Yunwu has never been new to me."

He took a deep breath, as if to pour out all the emotions and determination that had been pent up in his heart:

"I knew he was a man, I knew this road would be difficult, I knew people would laugh at me, and it would bring criticism to my family. I thought all this through clearly from the moment I decided to go to him!"

His eyes were so frank and determined that even the originally furious Village Chief Shen was speechless.

"It's not because I've never held a girl's hand that I lost my mind," Chen Bozhou continued, his tone carrying an unquestionable sincerity. "It's because after I met him, there's no room for anyone else in my eyes and heart. He's quiet, but I understand his passion; he's aloof, but I know his resilience; he's in a difficult situation, but I insist on accompanying him on a path to a brighter future!"

He looked at his father, whose face was ashen, and his tone slowed down, but became more serious: "Dad, you taught me that a man must be upright, to keep his word, and to protect what he wants to protect. I am doing exactly that now."

Finally, he turned to the completely stunned Matchmaker Wang, bowed, and said politely but distantly, "Matchmaker Wang, thank you for your trip. I appreciate your kindness, but I cannot agree to this marriage."

Without waiting for Matchmaker Wang to respond, he turned back to face his family and, in an unprecedented, decisive tone, uttered the words that had been lingering in his mind for a long time:

"In this life, I am a boat anchored in the sea, and I only recognize the clouds and the mist."

As soon as the words fell, the main room fell into dead silence.

Matchmaker Wang opened her mouth wide, looked at Chen Bozhou, then looked at the sullen-faced Village Chief Shen, and tactfully shrank her neck, knowing that her mission was completely ruined. She found an excuse and left in disgrace.

Village chief Shen pointed at Shen Bozhou, his fingers trembling, and he was so angry that he couldn't say a word for a long time.

Mother Shen had tears in her eyes, feeling distressed and helpless.

Chen Boyuan looked at his brother deeply, as if he was truly getting to know his younger brother who he grew up with for the first time.

"You...you rebellious son!" Village Chief Shen finally caught his breath, his voice hoarse and filled with bitter disappointment. "You're going to piss me off to death! You're going to disgrace our Shen family!"

Chen Bozhou felt a pang of pain in his heart when he saw his father's face which seemed to have aged several years in an instant, but he did not lower his head or retreat.

"Father, I'm an unfilial son and I'm sorry to disappoint you." He slowly knelt down, but still kept his back straight. "But my feelings will never change. If this brings shame to our family, I will bear all the blame."

After he finished speaking, he kowtowed heavily, then stood up, no longer looking at the different expressions of his family members, turned around and strode out of the main room.

The afterglow of the setting sun stretched his shadow very long, casting it on the bluestone slabs, firm and lonely.

He knew that his words today were like a sharp blade severing his escape route, completely separating him from the "normal" life the world expected of him. The road ahead was destined to be full of thorns, but he had no regrets.

Because there is only one person in his heart. He will not marry anyone but you.

At this moment, Yun Wu, who was carefully loosening the soil of the seven-leaf lily in the Yun family courtyard, knew nothing about this.

He just felt an inexplicable heat in his heart, as if he could sense the burning determination in the distance to become the enemy of the world for him.

He raised his head and looked towards the sky in the direction of the Shen family. The sunset glow was breathtakingly red.