Chapter 22
Yun Zhan stood there, stunned, unable to recover for a long time.
The prescription he was clutching in his palm was crumpled, and Yun Zhan's knuckles turned white from the pressure.
Yun Zhan looked up and saw that Shi Mingyue's bangs were being lifted by the night wind, and two flames that refused to go out were burning in her eyes, which made Yun Zhan's eyes sting inexplicably.
"Shi Mingyue..."
Yun Zhan's voice was so hoarse it almost sounded like his own, and the tremor at the end of his voice made even the copper bells under the corridor shake.
Yun Zhan never imagined that the always proper and well-mannered young lady from a wealthy family would utter such resolute words, swearing her life on it, in the dead of night.
Marriages among the upper class have always emphasized "matching social status," and resistance would undoubtedly be a catastrophe. For Shi Mingyue, resistance might be akin to risking her life to survive a tribulation.
Something exploded in Yun Zhan's chest—a mixture of shock and heartache.
She swallowed hard, wanting to tell Shi Mingyue that "love isn't worth it," but the words stuck in her throat.
He wanted to take a step back to avoid the question, but Shi Mingyue's clear black and white eyes were fixed on him, and the heartbeat that was pressing against his heart suddenly froze on the spot.
His heart was pounding rapidly, and through his thin night clothes, it beat like tiny hammers, making all of Yun Zhan's words sound weak and feeble.
She certainly believed that Shi Mingyue was that kind of person, which was why she was even more worried about her.
After a long while, Yun Zhan finally regained his breath, curled his fingertips, and stuffed the new prescription into Shi Mingyue's palm, the veins on the back of his fingers showing.
"It's said that only the wealthy and powerful can produce true lovers, and it seems that this refers to Miss Shi." Yun Zhan's fingertips lingered on the teacup, his expression returning to its usual calm.
"I haven't read many romance novels. But I know very well what I need. Marrying someone I don't love is more terrifying than wasting my life." Shi Mingyue glanced at Yun Zhan out of the corner of her eye and subtly curved her lips into a smile.
"I don't need status, fame, or much wealth... As long as she is the one I choose, I will love her with all my heart."
She is by no means a weak person; she has her own methods and means of doing things.
The girl stood under the sycamore tree, her sleeves still damp with night dew and the scent of herbs.
She took a deep breath, then suddenly raised her hand and took off the mutton-fat jade pendant that she had carried with her since childhood. The jade was engraved with the character "慎" (shèn, meaning cautious) in seal script. It was a talisman given to her by her grandfather when she was born.
Their fingers tightened, and the jade pendant shimmered with a cold light between them.
“I have been wearing this jade since I was born. It is my shackle, but I am willing to hand it over to my future partner.”
She stepped forward and placed the jade pendant on the table. The pendant lay quietly on the carved wooden table, like a pool of spring water frozen by the night.
Moonlight filtered through the window lattice, first spreading a thin layer of frost, then quietly seeping into the texture of the mutton-fat jade, transforming it from a calm milky white into a flowing silver-white, inch by inch.
"Then I wish Miss Shi to meet someone she likes soon."
Yun Zhan dared not look at the jade pendant, and instead turned his gaze to the lake surface under the moonlight.
"Actually, there's no need to wish me to meet someone I like, Yun Zhan, I will meet someone."
Her voice was soft, yet daunting, like a silver needle steadily striking a pulse: "I want you here, tonight, to wish me happiness."
She looked up, her eyes reflecting the lamplight and Yun Zhan's slightly trembling pupils: "No matter how great the storms, how high the social status, or how much suffering I endure, Yun Zhan... you must wish me happiness and never let me shed a single tear of grievance."
As she spoke the last sentence, she tightened her fingertips slightly, as if trying to press the vow into Yun Zhan's very bones.
"Yun Zhan, tell me."
She neither cried nor laughed, but simply gazed at Yun Zhan silently, not even blinking, as if missing a single moment would mean missing a lifetime.
"I wish you happiness."
Yun Zhan looked up at her, his gaze passing through her trembling eyelashes. His voice was not loud, but every word was resounding, startling the copper bells on the eaves.
...
late at night
Yun Zhan declined Shi Mingyue's offer to let him stay overnight and took the last bus back to the vicinity of the school alone in the early morning.
The north wind was like a dull knife, slicing through the streets. Yun Zhan pulled his night clothes hood tighter, but the hem of his clothes still fluttered in the wind.
The biting wind hit my face; it didn't hurt, but it was chilling to the bone.
Yun Zhan walked quickly with his head down, his boots crushing the water-dampened pavement. His mood was slightly heavy, as if a stone was pressing down on him, making it hard to breathe.
"Tell me, why did Shi Mingyue ask me to wish her happiness?" Yun Zhan couldn't understand, and felt that there was something hidden in Shi Mingyue's words.
Before you ask me this question, you should think about why she must have asked you to say those four words, and not someone else.
Shi Mingyue spoke cryptically, and 21 couldn't be entirely certain, but it could vaguely guess the meaning behind her words...
"I always felt that this blessing was a bit heavy; it's more like a promise."
Wish me happiness
Make me happy
21. It is speculated that perhaps the latter is the true consciousness.
However, Yun Zhan wouldn't believe that Shi Mingyue liked her, so he decided to leave point 21 for now.
Shi Mingyue is a person who is steadfast in love. If Yun Zhan, that blockhead, continues to be oblivious to her feelings... then Shi Mingyue will definitely tell Yun Zhan directly and then pursue him boldly and passionately.
In this respect, Wen Sixue is quite different from Shi Mingyue. 21 feels that Wen Sixue is more timid and reserved, and perhaps Yun Zhan needs to take a little more initiative to give her the courage to break the ice.
Yun Zhan: "21, I feel like this is a bit like making a wish. How should I put it, it's like I can help her fulfill this wish."
She's not the matchmaker.
21: "It's good that you can sense it."
Hmm...not bad, you've guessed half of it. In this world, girls can marry each other. You can guess the rest yourself.
...
In the main hall of Mingyue Manor, a gilded beast-shaped incense burner emitted wisps of auspicious smoke.
Shi Ke sat upright in the main seat, with a stack of gilded scrolls spread out beside him—these scrolls listed the gifts sent by various prominent families this year.
Shi Ke specially invited Shi Mingyue over as well.
Shi Mingyue's mother, Shen Qingyi, served tea with a gentle smile: "Mingyue, these are all gifts sent this year. Take a look and see if there's anything you like."
Shi Mingyue stood in the center of the hall, her long, sky-blue dress accentuating her straight figure.
"Mom, I have everything I need in my room." Shi Mingyue smiled and gently put the gold-embossed stickers back. The corners of the papers clinked together, making a crisp "tap".
"Speaking of which, my daughter is an adult now, so it's time to worry about her marriage. Should I find her a suitable match among her peers?"
Shen Qingyi's words were quite clear: all the outstanding men she knew were from noble families, and if Shi Mingyue took a liking to one, she could immediately arrange it.
Shi Ke remained silent, tacitly agreeing with Shen Qingyi's words.
"Father, Mother."
Her voice wasn't loud, but it carried weight in the silent hall: "My daughter already has someone she loves."
Shi Ke's brows furrowed, and he tapped his fingertip on the back of the chair: "Whose house is this?"
She took a deep breath, raised her eyes to meet his gaze, unafraid of his sharp eyes—"The person I like isn't one of those noble young men, but someone else's daughter."
That short sentence struck like a thunderbolt onto the sandalwood floor tiles.
Shi Ke's eyes turned cold: "Whose young lady is she?"
“She went to Minton School with me, and I didn’t dare tell her name unless my parents agreed.”
Shen Qingyi's teacup trembled slightly, and the lid made a soft "ding" sound.
Shi Ke stood up and said coldly, "Since you're attending Mington School, your family background must be quite good. But you're my only daughter. Same-sex marriage means no children, and there will be no heir for the Shi family..."
"Shi Mingyue, I always thought you were quite talented and a sensible child, but now it seems you've been seduced and blinded by her." Shi Ke sneered.
Although same-sex marriage is legal in this country, it's not as mainstream as heterosexual marriage and is subject to more gossip and criticism, especially since he was their only child...
Shi Mingyue suddenly knelt down, her back straight, her forehead lightly touching the floor tiles, but her voice was even more steady: "I took the initiative to pursue her because I liked her. My daughter is devoted to her and will not marry anyone else."
Shi Mingyue showed no fear. Meeting Shi Ke's gaze, she resolutely declared, "From childhood to adulthood, I have never said 'no' to you, but on this matter, I will not comply. I must marry her."
The hall fell into a deathly silence.
She kowtowed again, the jewelry at her temples swaying slightly, the beads trembling gently, but it couldn't hide the determination in her eyes: "I beg Father to grant my request."
The candlelight crackled, illuminating a red mark on her forehead, like cinnabar in the snow.
Shi Ke's black fox fur cloak trailed behind the gold bricks as he spoke in a very low voice: "You won't marry anyone but her? What is it about her that makes you dare to defy me?"
Shen Qingyi was frightened and quickly went to help Shi Mingyue, but Shi Mingyue gently avoided her.
Shi Mingyue raised her head, her eyes clear and bright, like two pieces of black jade immersed in an icy spring, reflecting the image of her father's rage.
“Father, if you want me to marry against my will, then I might as well give up the rest of my life.”
Shi Mingyue's voice was eerily calm: "Even if you lock me up and shut the hospital doors, you can't lock people's hearts. If you really force me, I don't know what I might do."
She turned around, her back straight as bamboo.
Shi Ke's expression was already quite unpleasant.
“Our ancestors always said that when it comes to marriage, personal preference is the most important thing. Why won’t you give me the choice I want?” The night wind lifted the hem of Shi Mingyue’s skirt, but she refused to yield.
Shi Ke stood there, his ashen face flickering in the candlelight, his knuckles cracking as he clenched his fists.
"But the child..."
“With modern technology so advanced, if Father insists on having a child, I can have a child with her, and I guarantee it will be of the Shi family bloodline.” Shi Mingyue knelt in front of the door, the moonlight streaming in from outside, casting a cold silver hue over her.
Seeing Shi Mingyue's relentless determination, Shi Ke was completely defeated...
After a long silence, he whispered, "I do not accept your marriage to her. If you insist on being with her, she must marry you and come to our Shi family."
“Okay.” Shi Mingyue’s eyes lit up, and the silk thread that had been taut at her fingertips suddenly loosened, and the silver needle fell to the blue brick floor with a “ding” sound as crisp as shattered ice.
The next instant, a joyful breath rushed into her chest, her chest heaving violently, even the stray hairs by her ears were stirred by her breath.
With her mother's help, Shi Mingyue lifted her skirt and stood up. Because she was in such a hurry, she didn't feel any pain when her knee hit the embroidered stool. She only stumbled one step before regaining her balance—like stepping from the long night into the morning light.
Her lips trembled slightly at first, then gradually lifted, the curve growing larger and larger until it was almost impossible to hide, revealing the girl's two rows of fine white teeth.
Author's Note:
Ah, yes, our Miss Shi is just that charming. But Miss Shi's love life is far from over.
The three female protagonists in this book have roughly equal screen time, and each has many memorable moments. There will also be later scenes depicting Wen and Pei confessing their feelings to each other.
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