Su Rong’s rejection of Zhou Gu’s marriage proposal did not make Duanhua happy.
She flopped on the table, grumbling in frustration to Su Rong, "I’m at the mercy of my own luck. I wanted to marry Zhou Gu, but he never liked me, never saw me as worthy. While you who don’t want to marry him, made him desperate enough to even mention leaving his family."
She sneered at Su Rong, "If I were you, I would have changed my mind and decided not to cancel the marriage proposal at that moment."
Su Rong being honest, "I almost lost control, almost changed my mind."
However, she couldn’t.
"Why didn’t you change your mind?" Duanhua stared at her.
Su Rong sighed, "Why force together what doesn’t belong? Being clear today saves pain tomorrow. People like what they like, and avoid what they dislike. I’m no different."
Duanhua had a rebuttal, "That’s a good way of putting it. But the truth is, you just don’t like Zhou Gu as much. If you were as infatuated with Zhou Gu as I am, you would have clung to the marriage proposal and never let go."
"You’re right." Su Rong admitted, "I don’t like him that much. So if you really like him, then go for it!"
Duanhua rolled her eyes, "Why should I? He doesn’t like me."
Su Rong encouraged her, "There’s a saying, isn’t it? Men fear determined women just as much as women fear persistent men? The Princess and the Prince-Consort are a fine example. They are pretty lovey-dovey, proves even a forced relationship can be very sweet."
Duanhua grumbled, "That’s what I thought initially, but what happened? It only made him dislike me more. What good did it do? I’m going crazy here. And Zhou Gu is not like my father, he’s got a killer background and great martial arts. I stand no chance against him."
She sighed, reprimanding Su Rong, "And you? Everyone wants him, but you don’t. That’s a waste."
Su Rong did not argue further, shrugging nonchalantly, "Anyway, I have cancelled the marriage proposal. What you say now won’t make a difference."
Duanhua huffed.
Su Rong glanced at the sky and touched her stomach, "Why hasn’t Fen Ling come back yet? It’s mealtime, isn’t it? I’m getting hungry."
Duanhua finally thought of Fen Ling, "Didn’t he go with you? Why didn’t he accompany you to the Duke Residence? And why didn’t he come back with you? Where did he go?"
At this point, Su Rong revealed, "Let me tell you, I saw a man on the way to the Duke Residence. He was very handsome, I asked Fen Ling to investigate him instead of going with me to the Duke Residence."
"Who was it?" Duanhua was puzzled, "You asked Fen Ling to investigate someone just by looking at them?"
"A young man, he should be quite good looking. I saw him from afar, although not very clearly, but I was certain that he can match Zhou Gu in looks." Su Rong revealed, "I was just curious if there’s such a man in the Capital City of Daliang."
Duanhua immediately sat straight up, "Since when was there such a person in Capital City? Could it be the Crown Prince’s older cousin?"
"Can’t be. Every time the Crown Prince goes out, there’s always a procession right?" Su Rong didn’t mention she knew the Crown Prince.
"Not necessarily. Sometimes, the Crown Prince’s older cousin goes out covertly, without all the fuss." Duanhua speculated, "However, while the Crown Prince’s older cousin is indeed handsome, Zhou Gu is still more appealing. Especially because the Crown Prince’s older cousin naturally possesses a commanding presence that makes people keep their distance. Not dare look too much."
Remembering Crown Prince Yan Huisheng, Su Rong, albeit congenial and seemingly approachable, as the future king, still had a certain aloofness that separated him from others. Though she didn’t feel it much when spending time with him, she could tell he did intentionally suppress it for her. For others, they can’t but respect him, dare not offend him in any way, let alone stare at him.
"So you asked Fen Ling to investigate and he’s still not back yet? It’s been a while, hasn’t it?" Duanhua was a little worried, "He didn’t disturb the Crown Prince’s older cousin, did he? Or perhaps he encountered danger, maybe from a noble young master who dislike being investigated, and got silenced?"
Su Rong blinked, "Shouldn’t be."
Not to mention the fact that the man was not the Crown Prince at all, but considering Fen Ling’s martial arts, he can absolutely protect himself, not to mention there were some secret guards with him. But she still asked, "Even if it’s not the Crown Prince, do the young masters of the noble families in the Capital City act so lawlessly?"
Duanhua looked at her as though she was an idiot, "Do you have any misconceptions about the young masters of the noble families in the Capital City? Let me tell you, as long as they don’t get exposed, they dare to do anything."
Before Su Rong could speak, she puzzled again, "However, the person you described is quite strange. I’ve grown up in Capital City and I’ve never heard of anyone on par with Zhou Gu in terms of looks. If it’s not the Crown Prince’s older cousin, then is he from somewhere else?"
She asked Su Rong, "What kind of carriage was the man riding? You said there was a little girl in the carriage?"
"Hmm, the little girl looked a few years old, and the man was quite young." Su Rong recalled, "The carriage was very ordinary, nothing special about it."
Duanhua frowned, suddenly asking, "So, how could you, having only glimpsed a man once, go and tell Zhou Gu that you like him? You’re really something."
Su Rong didn’t deny that she had bluffed Zhou Gu by using that man as an excuse. At least if Zhou Gu pursued the issue, he could indeed trace it back to this man. She looked at Duanhua, begrudgingly saying, "Otherwise, if I didn’t do that, would I have let him never let go and leave on his own? The Duke Residence would hate me to death, and the marriage cancellation would really cause hatred."
Duanhua choked, not daring to think that Zhou Gu could do such a thing. She managed to say, "Muddying your own name, you really don’t hold back. Even without knowing the person’s surname or identity, you dare to bring yourself into such nonsense."
Girls value their reputation. She felt she could swallow her pride, but she didn’t expect Su Rong to add a "more" to it.
Su Rong was indifferent, "Anyway, I’m going to get married sooner or later. If I annul Zhou Gu’s marriage, it doesn’t mean I won’t get married anymore. Before Zhou Gu, whether my reputation is damaged or not, I don’t care."
Duanhua: "... "
She looked at Su Rong in shock, "You’ve just called off your marriage with Zhou Gu, and you’re thinking of marrying someone else?"
Su Rong glanced at her and confidently responded, "While I’m young, I might as well pick someone good quickly. If I wait until I’m old, it will no longer be me picking someone, but someone picking me. If there’s someone good and suitable, of course I’ll settle down. Otherwise, if it’s too late, after dragging on for a few years and becoming an old maid, I’ll have to settle for someone old and ugly. Were you in my place, would you be willing?"
Duanhua shivered, "I wouldn’t."
She immediately felt a warning for herself, "I’m half a year younger than you, should I also hurry up and find someone for myself? If I delay for a few more years with Zhou Gu, will I be doomed?"
Su Rong nodded, "Exactly! After all, an eighty-year-old man can marry an eighteen-year-old, but an eighty-year-old woman can only match an eighty-year-old man."
Duanhua felt a chill run down her spine, she shook off the goosebumps, resisting strongly, "No, I don’t."
If she reached eighty and was unmarried, she would rather be buried than be with an old man.
Su Rong looked at her, "So, do you think I’m right?"
Duanhua bobbed her head, "Yes, yes, yes."
So, the two reached an agreement, and again started chatting happily. One no longer rolled her eyes and scolded her for letting Zhou Gu slip through her fingers, while the other took the opportunity to listen to her list the pros and cons of the unmarried young men in the Capital City.
After going round in circles, Duanhua said to Su Rong, "There isn’t the man you mentioned."
"He’s probably not from the Capital City." Su Rong rubbed her belly, "We’ll know when Fen Ling comes back. Let’s eat first, we won’t wait for him."
"Let’s wait a little longer. You can eat a couple of pastries to hold you over." Duanhua called out to the servant to bring pastries.
Su Rong was displeased, "Why do we have to wait for him?"
"Because the meal is more delicious with him." Duanhua gave her reason.
With such a compelling reason, Su Rong had nothing to reply, "Alright, let’s wait for him a little longer."
The maid brought a variety of pastries, and Su Rong picked one up to eat, telling Duanhua, "Keep talking."
Duanhua saw her interest and continued the previous topic, "The Duke Residence has the most descendants, a large family with many sons and daughters, both legitimate and illegitimate. The most famous one is Lu Weiran, the heir of the Duke Residence. He is twenty years old this year and hasn’t married yet. He was ranked top of the second class in the examination three years ago and is now serving in the Ministry of Housing. If it wasn’t for the fierce competition amongst his brothers at home, he would have married by now. His previous fiancée was forced to break off the engagement by his brothers half a year ago."
Su Rong sighed, "Having too many brothers and sisters is also a curse."
"Isn’t it? Like me, I’m the only one at home. I wish I had a brother or sister to accompany me, but I’m not lucky enough." Seeing Su Rong eating and enjoying, Duanhua also picked up a piece of pastry and put it in her mouth.
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