Chapter 265 The person you admire is actually Lu Zhaoruo?
The old lady's smile froze slightly, but she wasn't particularly surprised. She assumed it was just the mind of a young man and asked, "Oh? Which family's daughter is she? Tell your grandmother."
“My grandson has long been in love with her,” Meng Xi said calmly, word by word, “She… has an extraordinary character, unlike any ordinary young lady. Yesterday in the suburbs, she risked her life to protect my grandson from a knife, and her left arm was seriously injured.”
Upon hearing this, the old lady's face showed surprise and heartache: "Is this true? Are you badly injured? You child, why didn't you say so sooner! You should thank them properly! But..."
She changed the subject, returning to the main point with a gentle yet firm tone: "Precisely because marriage is a lifelong matter, it is all the more necessary for elders to carefully plan for you and find a good match. The girl I'm telling you about today, her character, talent, and temperament are truly the best I've ever seen in my life. It's no exaggeration to say she's one in a million!"
The old lady became more and more excited as she spoke, her eyes full of admiration: "That child, although born into a merchant family with an ordinary background, his insight and composure are in no way inferior to those noble ladies! He is also very insightful and experienced in dealing with people, and his courage and ability are beyond the reach of many young men, let alone young ladies!"
She lowered her voice, her tone carrying a hint of sincerity: "To be honest, I've lived most of my life and seen countless outstanding individuals, but I've never seen a woman like her before. She faced adversity without losing her will, carved out her own path through her own abilities, and treated others with neither servility nor arrogance, possessing a unique and upright character! I genuinely like her and believe that she and you are a match made in heaven!"
The old lady looked at Meng Xi with loving yet firm eyes, her tone becoming increasingly earnest: "Besides, you must have heard of her, she is..."
“Grandmother,” Meng Xi interrupted her, suddenly lifting his robe and solemnly kneeling before the old lady, looking up at her with unprecedented earnestness and determination in his eyes, “My mind is made up; I will marry no one but her in this life. I beg you, Grandmother, to grant my wish!”
The old lady was stunned by her grandson's sudden kneeling. Looking into his usually nonchalant phoenix eyes, she saw an unprecedented depth of affection and stubbornness. She immediately understood—this child was serious.
She paused for a long time, then finally sighed deeply, her voice filled with regret: "Alas... it seems that you and the good boy I chose are ultimately destined to be apart."
She lovingly helped Meng Xi up, and said in a conciliatory tone, "Alright then. Tell me, which family's daughter is it that has made you so determined?"
Meng Xi answered clearly and calmly, "It is Madam Lu Zhaoruo, who comes from Jizhou and runs Yunshang Pavilion in the capital."
As soon as he finished speaking, the entire courtyard fell silent.
Madam Di was stunned on the spot, her eyes widening slightly, unable to react.
Granny Xiang, standing to the side, burst out laughing. She quickly covered her mouth with her handkerchief, her eyes and brows brimming with undisguised amusement. She leaned close to the old lady's ear and whispered, "Oh my! Old lady! Listen to this! Isn't this an incredible coincidence? The one you've carefully selected and praised so highly is none other than this Lady Lu!"
The old lady suddenly came to her senses, her gaze sweeping back and forth between Granny Xiang and Meng Xi. The expression on her face went from astonishment to disbelief, and finally turned into a kind of ecstatic joy that was both funny and exasperating.
She pointed at Meng Xi, her voice trembling: "You...you monkey! The person you admire is actually Zhao Ruo?!"
She grabbed Meng Xi's hand, laughing and sighing, "Oh my! This is truly a match made in heaven! The one Grandmother was praising to you for so long is her! Good! Good! That's wonderful! Grandmother is a hundred times willing!"
A huge weight was lifted from my heart, leaving me with nothing but joy.
Meng Xi was taken aback by this turn of events, never expecting that the person her maternal grandmother had so strongly recommended was Lu Zhaoruo.
Seeing the old man's overjoyed expression, he was taken aback, but a genuine and relieved smile slowly crept onto his usually slightly pursed lips.
This coincidence is truly perfect.
Madam Di was overjoyed and immediately instructed Granny Xiang: "Quickly! Go open my private treasury, select a few pieces of jewelry that are both valuable and tasteful, prepare some fine materials, and choose an auspicious day. I will personally go to propose marriage!"
"How about... how about three days from now?"
The more she thought about it, the more she felt it was a match made in heaven. Her face beamed with undisguised joy as she held Granny Xiang's hand and murmured, "My heart feels like it's filled with warmth! I really want to hear Zhao Ruo call me 'Grandmother' so affectionately as soon as possible!"
She gently patted her chest, her eyes filled with anticipation and emotion: "In my life, I have experienced all kinds of glory and prestige, but now I only have this one wish left: to see my Xi'er find a good match who truly loves him and whom he also cherishes, and to live a smooth and peaceful life."
"Now it seems that Zhaoruo is that child. The two of them are truly destined by the Bodhisattva."
Meng Xi stood there, watching her grandmother happily making arrangements for the marriage proposal the next day, while Granny Xiang also smiled and readily agreed.
Although he still looked lazy, the smile on his lips lingered for a long time.
A strange, unfamiliar warmth silently seeped into his heart, which he usually felt was empty and tasteless.
There was a time when he believed that marriage and children were nothing but self-inflicted shackles, and he only thought about living a carefree life with just himself and his horse, until he silently disappeared from the world and that would be the end of his life.
He never imagined that one day his name would be so closely linked to another person's, and that they would spend the rest of their lives together.
But at this moment, when the thought of "marrying Lu Zhaoruo" clearly emerged, he felt none of the usual rejection and weariness. Instead, he felt a kind of fervent anticipation that he had never expected.
He recalled her clear eyes, her composure while playing chess with him, and her resolute act of shielding him from harm yesterday… If it were with her, the seemingly long and tedious rest of his life would suddenly become something to look forward to.
He even began to imagine the tranquil moments in the back hall of Yunshang Pavilion in the future, where she would be engrossed in the account books and he would be leaning lazily against the window, undisturbed yet sharing the same breath.
This feeling was unfamiliar to him, yet...not bad.
Changhong was overjoyed to see that his husband's great event was about to succeed. He drank a few more cups with a familiar servant in the mansion and, in a moment of loose tongue, revealed this "great joy" to others.
The news spread like wildfire throughout the capital overnight, and naturally reached the ears of Lady Jiang of the Qi family.
Jiang was already troubled by her son Qi Liang's muddle-headed behavior and Lu Zhaoruo's growing popularity. Upon hearing this, her face darkened even more.
Wan Ningniang was in the side courtyard, having several maids serve her as she did her makeup, when she suddenly heard the news that the Duke of Di's mansion wanted to propose marriage to Lu Zhaoruo. The jade hairpin she was playing with fell to the ground on the dressing table with a "thud".
A surge of burning jealousy rushed to her head, almost making her faint with anger.
Why should she, Lu Zhaoruo, be the only abandoned wife of a merchant family? Why is it not enough that General Xiao protects her? Now even a family like the Duke's Mansion is eager to marry her?
Then look at myself, nameless and without status, stuck in this little courtyard, living by the mercy of others!
She stared intently at her reflection in the mirror, her face contorted with rage, her eyes suddenly turning fierce.
No! We absolutely cannot let her have her way!
She stood up abruptly, her hair still disheveled, and rushed straight to find Jiang Shi.
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