The young man's heart was like crystal, pure and transparent. He presented it to Dou Zhao with fearless sincerity and courage.

Dou Zhao was filled with emotion and suddenly he was afraid to look directly at it.

She stood up, leaned slightly to block the gaze, and said to Wu Ya with a smile: "We are sisters, no need to be so polite." Then she asked her kindly, "Do you like to play Go or double six? Why don't we play a game of Go?"

Wu Ya took a long breath.

She was too rude just now, and everyone present was her brother's close friends. Not to mention that her brother's words touched her, even if her brother said nothing, she should have given Dou Zhao a gift and apologized to save her brother's face. However, in her mind, Dou Zhao had always been a person who would not give in even if he was right. She was also prepared to be ridiculed or mocked by Dou Zhao and never talk back, but she didn't expect Dou Zhao to give her a chance to step down.

"I like playing chess." She nodded with a smile. Dou Pinshu asked the maid to set up the chessboard as if to join in the fun, and watched the game from the side with her elbows resting on her chin.

Wu Shan let out a sigh of relief, but someone suddenly patted his shoulder hard: "Great! I underestimated you in the past."

He turned around and saw Dou Qijun standing behind him.

"I said I would get things done." Wu Shan smiled, and his smile became more and more dazzling.

They did not return to the Dou family until it was time to light the lamps.

The big red lanterns on bamboo poles outside the door illuminated the surroundings. The troupe on the stage had been replaced, but the play was still going on. The crowd of people who came to listen to the play blocked the Dou family's door so that no one could get in.

Dou Qijun and others entered the mansion through the side door.

Wu Shan escorted his sister to the guest room.

Mrs. Wu was sitting on the couch covered with a cool mat in front of the living room, waiting for them.

When he saw his two children coming back, he smiled and asked them, "Did you have fun today?"

Wu Ya nodded happily: "I was playing chess in the pavilion in the back mountain, and my twelfth brother even drew a portrait of me." Then she asked the maid to show the portrait to Mrs. Wu.

"Resemble them?" She smiled sweetly and took her mother's arm.

The woman in the painting is wearing a light yellow summer dress and a snow-white magnolia flower in her hair. She stands gracefully beside a Taihu stone.

Wu Ya pointed at the Taihu stone and said, "This is the Taihu stone behind Aunt Six's house."

"Well!" Mrs. Wu nodded in appreciation, "It's a very good painting."

"Twelve brother said that when he has some free time in a couple of days, he would help me draw a spring scene, an autumn scene, and a winter scene, just enough to make up the four seasons..." Wu Ya chattered on and on, and Wu Shan was unable to say a single private word to his mother until he walked out of the guest room.

He was very depressed.

Mrs. Wu frowned and asked, "Did you teach your own sister a lesson for the fourth daughter of the Dou family?"

Nanny Bi hurriedly advised: "Several young masters and young ladies of the Dou family were present at the time. The voice of the Seventh Young Lady was indeed a little higher. The Fourth Young Master was also considering the overall situation..."

Before she could finish her sentence, Mrs. Wu waved her hand to signal her to leave.

Nanny Bi didn't dare to say more and retreated quietly.

Mrs. Wu tossed and turned and couldn't sleep.

Although this marriage is arranged by parents and matchmakers, which parent in the world does not want their children to live a happy and fulfilling life?

She thought about how her son had liked to hang out with Dou Zhao since he was little, but he didn't tell her about it until he won the first prize. He was so stubborn and patient all for this day. He was determined to marry Dou Zhao! She also thought about her own youth... and couldn't help but sigh.

Dou Zhao naturally didn't know what Wu Shan had done for him.

After returning home, she washed off the dust on her body and went to greet her grandmother.

Grandmother had someone make mung bean soup by soaking it in a bucket in the well. She quickly told Hong Gu to give Dou Zhao a bowl of it and said, "The ice is too cold. It's not good to eat too much. It's warmer to soak it in well water." Then she sat behind Dou Zhao and fanned her, and asked her, "The seventh young lady of the Wu family has also gone. Did you go to Shuanglu together?"

Dou Zhao knew her grandmother's intention, but she had already made up her mind not to marry.

The greater the hope, the greater the disappointment.

She didn't want to make her grandmother sad, so she smiled and said, "We can't play together. She and Sister Yi are more compatible."

Grandma sighed, her disappointment evident in her words.

Wu Shan's face appeared in Dou Zhao's mind.

She shook her head, and the fleeting image quickly disappeared.

Dou Zhao lay on the cool bed that exuded the fragrance of green bamboo and fell asleep quickly.

Early the next morning, Mrs. Wu came out of the inner room with dark circles under her eyes.

Wu Shan and Wu Ya, who came to greet her, were startled and called out "Mom" nervously.

"It's nothing." Mrs. Wu rubbed her temples and said, "It's just too noisy outside."

The play has been performed for three days and three nights.

Wu Shan obediently pressed his mother's temples.

But the mother said, "No need, just go and do whatever you want! Ah Qi is here to keep me company."

Wu Shan knew very well that more haste makes waste, so he responded with a smile, winked at Nanny Bi, and left the hall.

Wu Ya threw herself into her mother's arms with a smile.

Mrs. Wu stroked her hair and said with a smile, "You can go play with your little sisters too! I need to take a nap for a while."

Wu Ya took her maid to find Dou Pinyi.

Mrs. Wu stood up and said to Madam Bi, "Let's go and sit with Madam Six."

Aunt Bi was surprised: "What do you want to see Sixth Madam about?"

Mrs. Wu looked at him with both anger and amusement, and said, "What are you afraid of? My own son has fallen in love with someone, so why should I go and argue with him? You are all working together to plot against me, so why can't you let me go and test the Sixth Madam's opinion? If the Fourth Miss of the Dou Family is already engaged, and we still invite a matchmaker to mediate, wouldn't it make people laugh!" She added, "It would be better if the Madam could decide on the Fourth Miss of the Dou Family's marriage, so that I don't have to deal with that Wang family."

Nanny Bi was so shocked that she didn't even think about anything else. She kept flattering Madam Wu: "This is because our Fourth Young Master knows that our Madam loves him the most in the world, so he dares to act so recklessly. If it were someone else, our Fourth Young Master would never be so humble..."

"That's enough, that's enough." Mrs. Wu waved her hand to interrupt Nanny Bi's words and said with a smile, "You don't have to speak for him. I don't even know my own son. How much good has he done for you?"

"It's unfair, madam." Nanny Bi could tell that Madam Wu was not really angry, and she joked with Madam Wu with a playful smile, "How dare I? A harmonious family brings prosperity. I just hope that Madam and Young Master will not have any rifts, and that everyone can live in harmony..."

As they talked, they went to Ji's place.

The maids and old women who served Ji filled half of the yard.

Mrs. Wu uttered an "ouch" and murmured, "What a bad time!" She turned around and was about to leave, but was seen by Caishu who came out through the curtain.

She hurriedly called out "Mrs. Wu" and said with a smile, "Our wife has just finished talking. Shall I give you a heads up?"

Mrs. Wu said thank you.

Caishu went in and reported, and Ji came out to greet Mrs. Wu, and the maids and old women who filled the yard also dispersed.

Mrs. Wu naturally did not ask what happened to Ji. After the maids served tea and snacks, the two exchanged a few pleasantries. Mrs. Wu tactfully asked about the purpose of her visit: "...I just found out from talking to Grandma Xiu San yesterday that Miss Yi is already engaged. Miss Four is only a few months younger than Miss Yi, right? My niece is already engaged. I wonder when I can attend Miss Four's wedding?"

Ji was a very smart person and she immediately understood the implication of Mrs. Wu's words.

She looked at Mrs. Wu's eyes which contained a hint of expectation, and her heart was filled with a sense of pride and joy, as if her daughter had grown up.

The Wu family knows everything about her, which is much better than marrying into the Jining Marquis's Mansion!

But Dou Zhao's situation was special. No matter what Mrs. Wu heard, there were some words that should not come out of her mouth.

Ji immediately had an idea.

She smiled and took a sip of tea, then said vaguely, "As you know, Shougu's biological mother is no longer around, so I'm afraid she still has to consult her uncle about her marriage, so it's been delayed like this."

Mrs. Wu was relieved after receiving the news. She picked up the teacup and praised the tea repeatedly, said "good tea", chatted with Ji for a few words, then stood up and said goodbye to her second cousin, Mrs. Yu.

"You want to marry Shougu as your daughter-in-law?" When Mrs. Yu heard that Mrs. Wu asked her to propose marriage to Wu Shan, her eyes widened in surprise.

Mrs. Wu was a little unhappy.

Dou Zhao certainly has his faults, but since she has already asked for Wu Shan's hand in marriage, as a married daughter of the Wu family, Second Madam Yu should not have this attitude.

When Mrs. Yu saw Mrs. Wu nodded firmly, she was suddenly at a loss.

Why did her aunt suddenly fall in love with Dou Zhao?

Could it be that her aunt had been visiting the Dou family these days and heard some rumors?

Although the Second Lady issued a gag order, saying that it was for Dou Zhao's safety and that no one was allowed to talk about this matter. If anything happened to Dou Zhao, whoever leaked the news would be responsible, and the Dou family would not care whether he lived or died. But the Dou family had many mouths, and Dou Zhao was at the age of marriage, so it was possible that someone leaked the news...

The thought flashed through her mind, and she immediately rejected it.

Her aunt has always been aloof and would not encounter such a thing. If she did, she would definitely stay away from it, let alone ask her to propose a marriage for her son.

Thinking of this, she couldn't help but feel excited.

If Dou Zhao could marry into the Wu family, the Wu family's wealth would double. Although the Wu family would not set their sights on Dou Zhao, it would be good to have such a wealthy relative, and the girls who got married would also be proud of their husband's family!

Madam Yu couldn't help but laugh and said, "I didn't expect Auntie to be attracted to Shougu?"

If Dou Zhao married into the Wu family, she would be the daughter-in-law of the Wu family. Wu Shan must never say that she loves Dou Zhao. Those who know about it would say that they are in love with each other, while those who don't would think that they are not doing it properly!

Dou Zhao's reputation was damaged and the Wu family also lost face!

Mrs. Wu smiled and said, "I was a guest at your house these few days and saw that Shougu was very steady despite her young age. You also know that Shan'er has a gentle personality, so I wanted to find someone who could control him."

I'm afraid this matter still needs the Second Madam's approval.

Madam Yu smiled and said, "Then let me ask Madam Tai what she thinks first?"

Mrs. Wu was delighted when she heard this and said, "Don't you need to tell Wang?"

Second Madam Yu smiled and said, "After all, Shougu is from the West Mansion. It would be better if Madam Tai asked Seventh Uncle what he thought."

"That's right!" Mrs. Wu said with a smile, "I'll leave this matter to you."

"I'm also happy that we can become closer relatives!" said Second Grandma Yu with a smile.

After seeing Mrs. Wu off, she went to the second lady's place.

And Ji went to Xifu.