Duanhua looked at Su Rong in shock, what on earth was this woman saying? She wondered if she had misheard. Was she saying that she wanted to divorce Zhou Gu?
She was proposing to divorce Zhou Gu?
She widened her eyes in disbelief, "Say that again!"
Su Rong sighed, speaking each word clearly, "Princess, you didn’t mishear, I came back to the Capital City this time to divorce him."
"Are you joking?" Duanhua raised her brows.
Su Rong shook her head, looking utterly sincere, "I’m not joking. If you don’t believe me, when the day comes for me to divorce him at Duke Residence, I’ll invite you to witness it."
Duanhua’s expression changed, "Are you serious?"
Su Rong replied earnestly, "Couldn’t be more serious!"
Seeing that Su Rong’s face was full of honesty, without an ounce of deception, Duanhua couldn’t believe it and asked, "What’s wrong with Zhou Gu? Why do you want to divorce him?"
Su Rong blinked, "Didn’t I just tell you? He has a bad temper, is conceited, and thinks he’s above everyone."
"That’s not really a flaw." Despite being angry with Zhou Gu after the last incident, Duanhua still liked him and defended him.
Su Rong nodded, "In your eyes, it may not be a flaw, but it is a major one to me. Also, he comes from a prestigious background while mine is average. The disparity in our status is too great. It’s better for two people to spend a lifetime together if they’re of equal status, don’t you think?"
Duanhua straightened her back instantly, "Humph, it’s good you know that you’re not worthy of him."
"Very well aware." Su Rong who had been holding Duanhua’s hand the whole time, marvelled at how well-maintained it was, soft and delicate to the touch. As she stroked Duanhua’s onion-like fingers, she found it difficult to let go, "So, Princess, have peace of mind. Since you like Zhou Gu, I won’t stand in your way. Once I divorce Zhou Gu, we’ll be completely unconnected, and you can approach him however you please."
Duanhua had intended to give Su Rong a severe dressing down upon seeing her, ensuring she cried and begged for mercy. She was determined to humiliate Su Rong thoroughly, otherwise, she wouldn’t be Duanhua.
But now, hearing this woman before her - she was suggesting a divorce with Zhou Gu? And she looked so sincere. How was she supposed to take action against her?
What she cared about the most was that Zhou Gu had an engaged fiancee. But now his fiancee wanted to end their engagement? Was Zhou Gu actually getting dumped?
Duanhua was dazed at the moment. Just as she was about to say something, the touch of her hand being fondled gave her a jolt. Looking down at her hand instantly, she turned to Su Rong and asked, "What are you doing?"
When had someone grabbed her hand?
Su Rong looked very serious and complimented Duanhua, "Princess, you really maintain your hands well. What creams do you use? I’d like to have hands just like yours too, but seems like I’m not buying the right creams, I just can’t achieve the same results."
Duanhua was taken aback, "I use Baoxiang House’s Nourishing Cream."
"No wonder! The thousand-gold-Tael-a-bottle Nourishing Cream. It’s at the same price point as Huichun Hall’s Jade Silk Cream. I surely can’t afford it, don’t have the money." Having taken enough advantage of the situation, Su Rong naturally let go of Duanhua’s hand and sighed, "Ah, money is a wonderful thing. Hopefully, after my elder brother ranks high, he’ll be able to buy me a bottle."
Duanhua’s mind was suddenly thrown off track by Su Rong’s words. Looking at her own hand, she pushed aside the strange feeling from just a moment ago and asked, "Who is your elder brother?"
"Su Xingze."
"Ah, Su Xingze, I’ve met him." Duanhua thought for a moment. Her memory was rather vague. She was too wrapped up in her obsession with Zhou Gu at that time to really pay attention to Su Xingze. "Can he rank high?"
"Yes, my elder brother is quite the scholar." Su Rong answered confidently.
"Even if your elder brother ranks high, you still want to divorce Zhou Gu?" Duanhua had calmed down by now, watching Su Rong closely and finding her behavior quite strange, "Are you trying to fool me because you’re afraid I’ll make trouble for you?"
"Whether my elder brother ranks high or not has nothing to do with me divorcing Zhou Gu. Even if my brother becomes number one scholar, our family will never match up to the Duke Residence." Su Rong sighed, "Princess, do I look like the kind of person who would fool you? Who would tell such an obvious lie? In a few days, you’ll know whether it’s true or not."
Duanhua asked, "Why wait for a few days?"
"Because Zhou Gu is taking the exams now, we should at least wait till his exams are over before I visit him, right?" Su Rong said helplessly.
"That’s true." Duanhua nodded, "Alright, today I’ll let you go."
Smiling, Su Rong thanked her, "Thank you for letting me go, Princess. You’re truly a kind person."
Duanhua found her words grating, "Are you mocking me?"
"Not at all." Su Rong shook her head decisively. Looking at the beautiful face in front of her, she extended an invitation, "I’ve taken a liking to you at first sight, Princess. I’m grateful that you recognized me and let me go today. May I invite you to dinner?"
Duanhua was silent. "
She had never encountered someone like Su Rong. While she felt they should be at each other’s throats at their meeting, Su Rong was inviting her to dinner instead?
Su Rong asked again, "Your Highness seemed in a rush just now. Do you have some important business to attend to? If you do, then please do not let me keep you. We can arrange our meeting for another day. If you are not busy, we could get a meal at a restaurant right now."
"Of course I had important business. I was planning to go to the Great Buddha Temple outside the Capital City to pray for Zhou Gu to achieve great academic success," Duanhua said, looking at Su Rong. "But just when I was about to leave the city, I ran into you."
Su Rong widened her eyes, "Princess, you’re indeed good-hearted. Despite the way Zhou Gu treated you, you still want to pray for her?"
Having said that, she sighed, "You truly are extraordinary. If I were in your place, I would’ve cursed her every single day."
Duanhua: "..."
Su Rong sighed again, "Well, then feel free to go. I just arrived in Capital City and was planning to explore a bit. Do you happen to know where the food tastes best?"
Duanhua got side-tracked again and rattled off a list, "Zuixian Building, Juxian Building, Zhuangyuan Building, Shanhai Pavilion, Meiweizhai, Xiangyunfang, and the newly opened Yingkefang, are all excellent choices."
Having said that, she suddenly realized something and said, "Aren’t you supposed to be praying for Zhou Gu’s success?"
Su Rong reminded her, "I’m trying to break off the engagement."
Duanhua choked on her words, "What about your elder brother? Isn’t he also taking the exam? Shouldn’t you, as his sister, pray for him?"
Su Rong shook her head, "I have faith in my older brother’s capabilities. He doesn’t require any divine intervention to top the exam."
Duanhua stared at her, "Are you trying to avoid spending money on worship and divination?"
Su Rong: "..."
She coughed, "That’s hardly the case. Even though it’s difficult for me to spend a fortune on bottles of expensive Níngzhi-cream, I do not mind spending on other things."
She added, "In fact, I am willing to spend a sum on a good meal with you. We could go to the best restaurant. Divination, however, is unnecessary. I have full faith in my brother’s achievement."
Upon hearing this, Duanhua changed her mind immediately, "I also trust Zhou Gu’s abilities, I won’t bother with the prayers then. Let’s go. I accept your invitation."
Su Rong was elated and once again grabbed Duanhua’s hand, "Where shall we go? There are so many delicious places and I’ve never been to any of them. What do you suggest?"
"Let’s go to Zuixian Building! Their fruit wine is wonderful and ideal for women. It’s sweet and sour, yet not too strong. You should also try their Crystal Cake, it’s a unique delicacy in Capital City. Not even Chengji House can make it. Then there’s their Hibiscus Chicken, it’s simply irresistible with its crispy outside and tender inside. After eating it, you will always crave more. Their steamed Mandarin fish is also exquisite..."
Every time she mentioned a dish, Su Rong’s eyes lit up.
Fen Ling, the food lover, his eyes also sparkled. He suddenly found Duanhua more pleasing and kept nodding in agreement, "Let’s go to Zuixian Building."
Duanhua turned to Fen Ling, "And who might you be?"
"I am Fen Ling." Fen Ling introduced himself.
"Fen? That’s an unusual surname," Duanhua examined Fen Ling from head to toe and suddenly asked, "Hey, are you Su Rong’s lover? Is that why she wants to break off the engagement with Zhou Gu?"
Fen Ling: "..."
Su Rong: "..."
Fen Ling hastily denied the accusations, "No, I’m not. Don’t make baseless accusations. Su Rong is my elder sister."
Duanhua did not believe him, "Don’t lie to me. I’ve investigated Su Rong, Su Xu has one legitimate son and seven concubine-born daughters, and she supposedly has no younger brother."
Fen Ling rolled his eyes, "Believe whatever you want."
Su Rong took Duanhua’s hand and moved closer to her, speaking softly, "He’s my guard. Although we’re not related by blood, our bond is stronger than that of most siblings. In public, we introduce each other as brother and sister. However, since I feel very close to you, I decided to be frank."
Duanhua looked suspiciously at Su Rong and then glanced at Fen Ling who was making faces at her, but she decided to believe, "Well, I’ve never seen such a cocky guard."
She turned around to get in the carriage but noticed that Su Rong was still holding her hand. She turned and glared at her, "Why can’t you keep your hands off me?"
Su Rong quickly let go with an embarrassed grin, "Your Níngzhi-cream, it’s irresistible, I can’t help myself..."
Duanhua’s face turned red, she glared at her intensely, "Get in the cart with me. I’ll take you to Zuixian Building."
Su Rong nodded. After Duanhua got onto the carriage, she followed suit under the odd and astonished gazes of the onlookers and Princess Qingping’s guards.
Fen Ling, without any sense of restraint, hopped onto the carriage behind her.
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