The moonlight, like water, like mist, like a dream, enveloped the woman's face, veiling her eyes with a thin layer of gauze, making them indistinct and unclear.
At that moment, Ling Qingxue opened her mouth slightly, but couldn't say anything.
Su Xuerong saw helplessness, confusion, and melancholy in his eyes...
She immediately understood.
A bittersweet feeling welled up inside her, and she whispered, "I understand."
Seeing the emotion welling up in her eyes, Ling Qingxue couldn't help but say, "Arong, I will definitely persuade my mother, I..."
Su Xuerong said softly, "The difference in our social standing is something you can't convince me of."
After Chen Siyi helped her analyze the Ling family's background, she knew that with a family like Ling's mother's, how could they agree to a woman from such a humble background marrying into the family?
That's just one point. Besides, she had been married and had a daughter before. How could Ling's mother possibly agree to that?
Although she was prepared to be rejected, she was still very upset.
Ling Qingxue gently placed her hands on her shoulders and said softly, "Arong, I will think of a foolproof plan and I will definitely persuade Mother..."
Su Xuerong knew in her heart that he was just trying to comfort her, so she could only nod silently.
"Go and rest, we have to leave tomorrow morning." She looked at him with her watery eyes, her gaze filled with an unyielding melancholy.
As Ling Qingxue watched her turn and leave, she felt a sudden emptiness in her hands and a profound sense of desolation in her heart.
The next day, Su Xuerong got up early and left the house, only to learn that Ling Qingxue had left even earlier and was probably already out of the city.
She looked at Ling Qingxue's tightly closed door, feeling a heavy weight in her heart.
In the afternoon, Su Xuerong was in the backyard with her two children when Chen and her daughter Zhang came over.
"Ah Rong, my mother has found a good family for my cousin, and we're just about to discuss finding a time to meet them," Chen said, beaming.
Judging from her expression, Su Xuerong seemed genuinely enthusiastic about matchmaking.
A short while later, Madam Wang arrived with Lin Jinyu.
Zhang immediately relayed the man's information: "...This gentleman's surname is Wu. His family is from Hangzhou. His ancestors were once officials in the capital, but their fortunes declined by his father's generation. Now they run a small business in the city. Mr. Wu passed the county-level imperial examination two years ago and is waiting to take the provincial-level examination next year. He just turned twenty this year and has a handsome appearance..."
At this point, she smiled and glanced at Lin Jinyu: "Master Wu said that if you are willing, we can find a time to meet."
After listening to the other party's terms, Wang asked, "What kind of business does the Wu family do in Hangzhou?"
“You run three rice shops.” At this point, Zhang said with a smile, “Speaking of which, your two families are doing similar businesses.”
Wang nodded, agreeing that the other party's conditions were quite good, and then looked at Lin Jinyu.
Lin Jinyu kept her head down the whole time, showing no emotion whatsoever.
Chen couldn't help but ask, "Cousin, what do you think?"
Lin Jinyu raised her head and said indifferently, "Not good!"
The women were all stunned.
Zhang's expression stiffened slightly: "Could it be that my wife is unwilling?"
Lin Jinyu smiled and said, "Auntie, thank you for your hard work. I don't want to get married yet..."
Zhang breathed a sigh of relief; a husband with such good qualities is hard to find.
Su Xuerong looked at Lin Jinyu and saw a hint of melancholy in her eyes.
Wang couldn't help but scold, "You're seventeen this year, why don't you want to get married?"
She finally found a husband with such good qualities, yet she still acts all high and mighty.
Lin Jinyu said irritably, "Mother, can't you afford to raise me? Are you trying to kick me out to marry someone so soon?"
Zhang laughed when she heard this: "What are you saying, child? How could your mother not be able to support you? If you really don't want to get married, your mother can support you for the rest of your life!"
"How about this, you think about it for a few days, and then give me your answer, okay?"
Lin Jinyu had no choice but to nod.
Wang was furious and glared at her daughter several times.
As Su Xuerong saw Chen and her daughter off, Zhang couldn't help but ask, "Madam, does that Lady Lin have someone she likes?"
Otherwise, why wouldn't a man with such good qualities even bother to meet her?
Su Xuerong said, "I'm not entirely sure either, but thank you very much, Auntie."
She asked Xiuchun to give Zhang a money bag.
Although Zhang is related by marriage, she has worked hard for Lin Jinyu for a long time, so she deserves the compensation she is due.
Zhang didn't stand on ceremony, only sighing, "I think the two of them are quite well-matched, what a pity."
Chen then took Su Jian back to the next room and didn't mention it again.
Wang also stormed out angrily, without even waiting for her daughter.
After a while, Su Xuerong finally saw Lin Jinyu slowly walk out.
"Jinyu, come with me for a moment."
Lin Jinyu followed Su Xuerong to the backyard and sat on a bamboo chair under the eaves, staring blankly into the distance.
Su Xuerong entered the house and handed her an exquisite gilded lacquer box.
What is this?
"Open it and take a look."
Lin Jinyu slowly opened the lacquer box and saw a row of neat ink sticks inside, a rich fragrance wafting out.
"this……"
"Seven Fragrance Pills?" Lin Jinyu asked in surprise.
Seven Fragrance Pills are eyebrow pencils made by mixing seven kinds of flowers with stone ink. Although not as expensive as snail ink, they are still a rare commodity and were quite popular in the palace. Only in recent years have they appeared in the folk market.
However, due to its high price and extremely limited production, it was rarely sold in cosmetic shops in the city.
Lin Jinyu had seen Su Xuerong at her residence in Suzhou before and had been thinking about her ever since.
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