Things in this world are never always as people wish.
The thought that remained in Miss Ran's heart after that day never faded away.
She was a well-bred young lady from a prestigious family, and from a young age she was knowledgeable, reasonable, gentle and charming.
However, the magic of love easily shattered all her rational and moral defenses.
Even though she knew he already had a fiancée, she still couldn't control her feelings and wanted to be with him.
She had tried countless times to convince herself to let go of this inappropriate feeling.
But I can't help wanting to see him.
The moment she saw him, her once calm heart would start pounding uncontrollably, as if under a spell.
After struggling for a long time, she finally made up her mind to tell him everything.
Such a bright and beautiful young woman, once she has taken a liking to him, she is bound to express her deepest love to him.
So, with a heart full of trepidation, she mustered her courage and, in her father's name, extended an invitation to Cui Erlang to come and meet her.
During the waiting period, my emotions were fluctuating, filled with both nervousness and a hint of anticipation.
If Cui Erlang met him, would he fall in love at first sight just like I did?
If it's one of these three, then I need to have a good discussion with him about how to persuade my father!
As for his fiancée, she was just a peasant girl and was not good enough for him at all.
If she insists on pestering me, I have plenty of ways to deal with her!
Finally, Cui Erlang arrived as promised.
Miss Ran expressed her deep affection.
Unexpectedly, the moment Cui Erlang finished listening, his face turned deathly pale, and there was no joy in his eyes, only astonishment and fear.
"No...no, I already have a fiancée!"
Cui Erlang was startled and was about to leave with his hands clasped, but Miss Ran stopped him.
"Have you exchanged betrothal gifts? If you haven't exchanged betrothal gifts, how can you be considered a fiancée?" Miss Ran refused to give up and continued to press the issue.
However, even the most dull-witted Cui Erlang understood that if he didn't explain things clearly to her, something terrible might happen in the future.
He said solemnly, "She is my fiancée. When I go back to the academy for the holidays, I will inform my father and mother so that we can exchange betrothal gifts!"
Seeing this, Miss Ran became even more anxious and stopped the person to continue expressing her feelings.
Miss Ran said a lot, even resorting to threats and inducements, stating that being with her would greatly benefit Cui Erlang's career.
"Are you afraid people will say you're greedy for power and wealth, or worried that the village girl will keep bothering you? Don't worry, I can handle all of that!"
"Miss Ran, please stop talking. I will pretend that today's events never happened."
After thinking for a moment, he continued, "If Miss continues to pester me, I will have no choice but to go to Mr. Ran!"
Miss Ran was furious and even vowed never to pay him any more attention.
But not long after, his heart seemed to reignite as if it had been dormant for a long time.
She still couldn't let go of this relationship, and even afterwards, she added the virtue of being loyal and righteous to Cui Erlang's character.
Miss Ran, without her parents' knowledge, found Cui Erlang's mother, Madam Qin.
Upon meeting Miss Ran, Madam Qin was initially puzzled, but after understanding her purpose, she instantly beamed with joy.
From her appearance to her family background, Qin was satisfied with everything about Miss Ran.
If it weren't for Miss Ran's appearance, Qin might have been able to barely convince herself to accept Cui Erlang marrying Wang Xiuxiu, whom he merely liked but who offered no benefit to his future.
But now, with such an outstanding young lady from a prestigious family as a comparison, she can't let Cui Erlang make another foolish mistake and miss out on this good match!
So, behind Cui Erlang's back, Qin Shi readily agreed to Miss Ran's request.
Having dealt with Madam Qin, Miss Ran returned home and threatened to go on a hunger strike, forcing her mother to agree to her marriage to Cui Erlang.
It should be noted that Madam Ran was over forty years old when she had this precious daughter, and she naturally doted on her and spoiled her rotten.
Having already heard her husband praise Cui Erlang's character and knowledge many times, and now seeing her beloved daughter threatening suicide, how could she dare to have any intention of stopping her?
Therefore, she used her family's home as an excuse to send Headmaster Ran away.
During this period, the two mothers, for different reasons, stood on the same side and jointly facilitated this absurd marriage.
By the time Cui Erlang and Ran Shanzhang learned of this, it was already too late.
The two families had already exchanged birth charts and formally agreed to the arrangement through official media.
Everything is set in stone, and there is no room for change.
The items that Cui Erlang had personally prepared as a marriage proposal gift were all sent by Qin Shi to the home of Ran Shanzhang.
Headmaster Ran chased after her, shouting that he would beat the unfilial daughter to death.
But Madam Ran stopped him firmly, saying, "We only have this one biological child. Are you really going to beat him to death? Who will you pass on all the family knowledge and connections you've built up over half a lifetime?"
Ran Shanzhang blamed his daughter for being bold, his wife for being muddle-headed and foolish, and also blamed himself for being careless and failing to notice that his daughter had been acting strangely lately.
But looking at this young man whom he had always admired, he remained silent for a long time, and finally his emotions prevailed over his reason.
Ran Shan sighed and said, "Go and explain things to that girl. Since things have come to this, it is indeed our Ran family that has wronged her. Go and explain the whole story to her. As long as her request is reasonable, I will do my best to meet it."
Cui Erlang's mind was in a complete fog, and at this moment it seemed as if he couldn't understand what the headmaster was saying.
His eyes were vacant and lifeless, and he walked home unsteadily.
Meanwhile, Qin Shi, who was sitting calmly at home, was beaming with joy, completely unaware of Cui Erlang's unusual expression.
She sat in the hall, holding a letter from the Ran family in her hand, her smile almost impossible to suppress.
The letter was written by Ran's mother. It was written with earnest words, mentioning the good relationship between the two families, saying that they were well-matched and a perfect match, and hinting that Qin should give more advice to the Qin family.
The more Qin looked at it, the happier she became, as if she could already see the grand occasion of Cui Erlang being appointed as an official and prime minister.
Cui Erlang never imagined that his marriage would be decided so hastily.
Anger and despair surged within him like a tidal wave, almost overwhelming him.
He stared at his mother's face, which was contorted with pride, and suddenly couldn't utter a single word.
He felt an unprecedented sense of estrangement, as if the woman in front of him, beaming with joy, was not the gentle and loving mother he remembered.
Finally, he could no longer bear it, turned around abruptly, and staggered out.
Upon seeing this, Qin got up to chase after them, but was firmly stopped by Cui's father who was standing to the side.
"Why are you stopping me! Erlang is about to become the son-in-law of the Ran family, how can he get involved with that Wang family village woman at this time!"
Qin's voice was sharp and urgent, carrying a hint of dissatisfaction and anxiety.
Cui Yuanshan had always known that his wife had a tendency to look down on people.
Since it had never caused any real harm, he chose to turn a blind eye and let things slide.
However, what she did this time was so excessive that even Cui Yuanshan was disappointed in his wife.
She has always been in charge of all matters, big and small, at home. A few days ago, when the two families were getting engaged, she sent herself away. I never expected that she had made such a plan beforehand!
Cui Yuanshan frowned, his gaze sharp as he stared intently at Qin Shi, his tone unusually stern: "When you did such a ridiculous thing, did you ever consider Erlang's feelings? He was happily preparing the betrothal gifts, only wanting to marry Xiu'er into the family, and now, you've ruined everything! And now, you still have the nerve to say such things!"
Qin was taken aback by Cui Yuanshan's rebuke, but she quickly regained her self-righteous demeanor.
"I'm doing this all for his own good! Between the Ran family and the Wang family, either one should choose the Ran family's daughter! The Ran family's daughter is well-educated, reasonable, and comes from a distinguished family. In every way, she is better than that Wang family's village woman. If Erlang marries her, his future career will be smooth, and our Cui family will also benefit!"
Upon hearing this, Mr. Cui's anger intensified, and his voice rose several decibels: "But you are not Erlang! The one he truly loves is not Miss Ran. If he were to give up willingly, that would be fine, and we would accept it even if he were branded as heartless and ungrateful! But you are going your own way, how can he let go in the future? How can he not hate you, his mother, in the future!"
Qin remained unmoved, stubbornly insisting, "Impossible! Erlang always listens to me! Besides, the Ran family girl is so outstanding. Once they are married and time has passed, she will surely understand my good intentions!"
Seeing that she was still arguing so stubbornly, Mr. Cui was furious. He slammed his arm down and walked out without looking back, leaving Qin Shi standing there blankly, her smile instantly frozen.
As she watched her father's departing figure, a sudden, inexplicable panic welled up inside her, as if something important was quietly slipping away from her grasp.
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