Chapter 83: Marriage is not a way to repay a favor
He dragged his feet and slowly walked to Jiang Tong.
"Tongtong, my uncle came to talk to me today..." Su Guanqing lowered his head, as if he didn't dare to look at her, "There seem to be some rumors outside... I, I don't want to think about it..." When he was serving as a lecturer, the newly crowned top scholar, who had clear answers and quick thinking, now spoke incoherently.
"Yes, there have been a lot of rumors recently. After all, everyone in the court knows that Minister Su will sooner or later become successful. These days, matchmakers have been trampling on the threshold of my house, just to take advantage of your popularity." Jiang Tong curled his lips and smiled, but there was no smile in his eyes.
Su Guanqing panicked and said quickly, "These days, many colleagues have been asking me about marriage indirectly, and I have rejected them all. Tongtong, I will not marry anyone else. I only want... I... Tongtong... but..."
"What on earth do you want to say so late at night?" Jiang Tong frowned.
Seeing that Jiang Tong seemed a little impatient, Su Guanqing made up his mind: "I, I just want to ask, are you willing to marry me?"
Without waiting for Jiang Tong to reply, he launched into a barrage of words, "I'm already a sixth-rank official. My future is bright. Perhaps I won't be able to become a prime minister like my father. If you marry me, you'll naturally enjoy endless wealth and glory. After we're married, you'll have the final say in everything at home. You don't have to paint, you don't have to work, you can even climb trees, ride horses, or practice martial arts if you want."
"It turns out that Minister Su is still nostalgic and wants to help my Jiang family prosper together." Jiang Tong's tone was a little ambiguous.
Su Guanqing was so nervous that he didn't hear anything. He nodded hurriedly: "Tongtong, you've been good to me, and I will naturally remember it in my heart. When I get better, I will naturally be willing to take you with me."
Jiang Tong smiled, but that smile was a little cold.
...Guan Qing, do you want to marry me just to bring the Jiang family along?
She knew that Su Guanqing was a very soft-hearted person. He could not forget the murder in his previous life, nor could he bear to break up with her.
But even though he was torn between love and hate, he was unwilling to let others take advantage of him. He wanted to share any wealth and glory with himself.
But is it really his wealth that I want?
Jiang Tong sighed softly. She reached out and stroked his cheek, rubbing the dark circles under his eyes with her thumb. "Guan Qing, marriage is not a way to repay a favor."
Upon hearing this, Su Guanqing's heart skipped a beat. He called her pitifully, "Tongtong..."
"After all these years, whether it's gratitude or hatred, I owe you more." Jiang Tong's hand slid from his face to his arm, patting it twice, like a friend, without a hint of flirtation. "Just consider it a concession. From today on, we're even, right?"
Su Guanqing's eyes turned red. Tongtong said that her gratitude had ended from then on.
As long as he nodded, she would no longer owe him anything.
But how could he agree to this?
Su Guanqing raised his hand and held Jiang Tong's hand tightly: "No, Tongtong, I don't agree! I don't want to be even! We can't be even!"
The finger that had been re-bonded protested with a sharp sting as he exerted force, but Su Guanqing refused to let go.
Jiang Tong pulled twice, but seeing Su Guanqing's bloodshot eyes and expression of pain, she didn't dare to use any more force. She said in a plaintive voice, "Guanqing, I've done everything I can. What else do you want from me? Do you want my life? Well, if you must have my life to calm down, then take my life."
Su Guanqing was so frightened that he quickly let go of her hand and kept shaking his head: "Tongtong, I don't want your life. I don't blame you, I really don't. I will listen to you, I will listen to you, don't do anything stupid."
Jiang Tong looked at Su Guanqing in the candlelight in the room, but she didn't know what to feel.
...Am I bullying others again?
… He was clearly the one who suffered the most, yet he still tried to comfort her. He was the one who suffered the most and ultimately died, yet he could only suppress his grievances deep in his heart, never saying a single harsh word to her.
...In the end, I had gone too far. I knew he would always give in, but I took advantage of that to bully him. But even clay has its own temperament. These grievances accumulated in his heart, with nowhere to vent, and could only take root and sprout. No wonder he couldn't let go of this debt from his past life.
...Come to think of it, when have I ever paid it back seriously?
...Never mind, never mind. I can't pay it back, I can't settle it. I'll just keep owing it. Guan Qing won't ask me to pay it back anyway.
Jiang Tong thought about this, and his expression became calm instead: "It's late, I'm going to sleep, you should go back to sleep too."
Su Guanqing's eyes were always on her. Seeing that she quickly calmed down, his heart sank completely.
……really.
He didn't dare say anything else, as it would only upset Jiang Tong, so he had no choice but to say goodbye to her hesitantly and turned to walk towards the west wing.
The door closed gently behind him. Su Guanqing paused and a tear in his eye finally fell.
...I finally exhausted Tongtong's patience. Tongtong no longer wanted me.
Su Guanqing turned around and stared at the closed door in a daze.
He just stood there until it was almost five o'clock in the morning, then he turned around and stumbled back to his room on his feet that were so sore that he had lost all feeling.
After a sleepless night, he didn't feel tired or sleepy. He went back to his room and started packing his things.
...I have selfishly taken up too much of Tongtong's time and can't delay her any longer.
Su Guanqing didn't plan to take too many things, just a few sets of clothes.
After packing his clothes, he picked up several cloth belts of different materials from the closet. There were silk ribbons that Tongtong prepared for him when he regained his sight for the first time, and there were also coarse cloth belts that Tongtong cut for him when he regained his sight for the second time.
He carefully put the belts into his chest and walked out with his bag on his back.
It was already dawn at this time. He went to the backyard first and kowtowed to Jiang Huaishan and Zhong Wanci, thanking them for taking him in during this period of time.
Jiang Huaishan was so angry that he just chased him away.
Zhong Wanci asked him with red eyes where he planned to settle down.
Su Guanqing was confused for a moment, then he remembered that he had no place to stay. He was stunned for a while before saying, "I plan to stay in the inn first and make plans later."
"Since you have nowhere to go, why not stay for a while?" Zhong Wanci looked at him hopefully with her big eyes. "Are you really willing to leave Tongtong?"
Su Guanqing's nose felt sore, and he lowered his head as if to hide his feelings: "My nephew will come back to visit you often in the future."
"Who needs your visit! If you want to leave, just leave now!" Jiang Huaishan blew his beard and slammed the table.
"Huaishan!" Zhong Wanci glared at him, then turned to Su Guanqing, "Guanqing, your aunt has always said that the Jiang family is your home, and you can come back anytime you want."
"Yes, my nephew will come back often." Su Guanqing kowtowed and did not get up for a long time.
Zhong Wanci also turned her back and covered her face with a handkerchief.
When Su Guanqing came out of the backyard, he hesitated for a moment, and then went to the east corridor. When he passed the study, he stopped at the door, hesitating and unwilling to knock on the door, nor to leave.
In the study, Jiang Tong was painting a full-color picture of flowers and birds.
Zhao Quesheng stood aside and watched her finish her painting.
Fine brushwork is much more complex than ink painting. The colors can't be applied all at once; they must be applied layer by layer, from light to dark. After several layers, glue and alum must be applied again. It's the most labor-intensive.
Zhao Quesheng had been standing all morning and felt the urge to pee, but she didn't dare ask Jiang Tong to stop and wait for her. It was only when Jiang Tong noticed her squirming that she looked up and asked, "Do you want to pee?"
Zhao Quesheng nodded hurriedly.
Jiang Tong said, "Go ahead. I just need a break."
Zhao Quesheng was overjoyed and jumped out like a little monkey.
Jiang Tong had just put down her pen when she heard Zhao Quesheng's voice outside the door: "Master? Are you going to accompany us to revise the painting today?"
Jiang Tong's heart moved, and a sour and soft feeling suddenly arose in his heart.
"Don't you need to go to the bathroom? Why don't you go quickly?" Jiang Tong walked out quickly.
"Yes!" Zhao Quesheng ran out immediately.
Jiang Tong then turned to Su Guanqing. When she saw the bag on Su Guanqing's back, the corners of her lips that were about to curl up fell down again.
Zhao Quesheng's footsteps had quickly faded away, leaving only Jiang Tong and Su Guanqing staring at each other at the study door.
"You want to leave?" When Jiang Tong spoke, all her emotions were forcibly suppressed.
"...Yes." Su Guanqing's voice was low and muffled.
Jiang Tong asked, "Have you bought a house?"
Su Guanqing shook his head.
"Wait." Jiang Tong said, and walked towards his room.
A small hope rose in Su Guanqing's heart. He followed Jiang Tong to the door of the east wing and waited there obediently.
After a while, Jiang Tong came out and handed him a key: "Take it."
"What is this?" Su Guanqing looked at the key in her hand in surprise.
"It's the small house we lived in before. Since you don't want to stay here, it's the same whether you live there." Jiang Tong said, and handed the key in his direction.
Su Guanqing refused to take it: "I don't want it."
"The house is too small, and it's really not worthy of Minister Su's status. Minister Su, please just put up with it for the time being."
Su Guanqing shook his head repeatedly: "I'm not disgusted, I..."
...I just don't want to hurt feelings.
"...I have a place to live." Su Guanqing finally said this.
"That's good." Jiang Tong didn't ask where he lived. She looked up and saw Zhao Quesheng running back, so she said, "I won't see you off. Goodbye."
"Master, where are you going?" Zhao Quesheng, who was dressed in a relaxed manner, only then noticed that Su Guanqing was carrying a bag.
Su Guanqing's eyes were fixed on Jiang Tong until she entered the study. Then he turned to Zhao Quesheng and said, "Master is moving out."
"Where are we moving to? Why are we moving away for no reason?" Zhao Quesheng was shocked.
Su Guanqing rubbed Zhao Quesheng's head and forced a smile, saying, "Master is gone. You must listen to the teacher and never make the teacher angry."
Zhao Quesheng's eyes were red. "Will Master come back? Can I still hear Master's lectures?"
Su Guanqing nodded: "I will come back. From now on, Master will come back every day off to check on your homework."
The people who are most important to him in this world are all here. Even if Tongtong doesn't welcome him, he will still come to her door with a shameless face.
But he never expected that Jiang Tong wouldn't even give him this opportunity.
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