quarrel
"I hope you will seriously consider breaking off the engagement."
"I've already thought through my plans to break off the engagement."
The two spoke almost simultaneously.
Xie Zhuo's brow twitched a few times suddenly, and the smile on his lips vanished instantly. He asked, "Why?"
Fu Zhi Qiao didn't explain anything. She sighed softly, "I don't want you to make the decision to break off the engagement in a moment of madness."
Once you choose to break off the engagement, there will be no turning back. She hopes Xie Zhuo can think it through.
"Ah Qiao, I haven't lost my mind. I've thought it through very clearly." Xie Zhuo didn't know what had caused Fu Zhi Qiao to back down again. Could it be that he hadn't believed her immediately, hurting her feelings?
The current situation didn't allow him time to think things through, so he could only repeatedly state his position: "I broke off the engagement not for you, but for myself. Qiao, it's because I want to be with you, and I'm pursuing my own happiness."
Xie Zhuo's sincere attitude prevented Fu Zhi Qiao from saying anything harsh. She stiffly explained, "When two incompatible people are together, they are the ones who suffer in the end."
"Why use 'incompatible' to describe us? Don't we get along well?" Xie Zhuo raised his eyes and looked deeply into Fu Zhi Qiao's eyes, trying to see something in them.
"What I mean by 'inappropriate' is that there are too many problems standing between us."
Fu Zhi Qiao is not someone who can be satisfied with just love. She can feel that Xie Zhuo is sincere towards her, but how long can this relationship, which is based solely on the passion of the moment, last?
After the passion fades, all that's left is a mess.
Having faced life and death, Fu Zhiqiao has become increasingly clear about her life goals.
Being obsessed with emotions will only hinder her progress.
Putting aside the distant future, in the current situation, Yu Yadan wants to kill her, and Zuo Murui wants to drive her out of the capital. Having walked on the edge of death, Fu Zhiqiao increasingly doubts whether her relationship with Xie Zhuo was a mistake.
She didn't want to experience the near-death experience again.
Moreover, throughout history, very few women of humble origins who married into high social classes have had a good life. They may appear glamorous on the surface, but only they know the bitterness they endured.
Zhou Miaosi's experience was still fresh in Fu Zhiqiao's mind, so she couldn't help but think more. Zhou Miaosi was born into an official family. Even with such a noble background, she still suffered from her husband's family's grievances after marriage. How much more so for her?
Bound by moral and ethical constraints, Fu Zhi Qiao could even imagine what it would be like to enter the Prince's mansion. She would be confined to the small backyard every day, forbidden from venturing out freely. Each time she wanted to leave, she would have to ask permission before she could go out…
He is inferior to others in every way and is restricted by others in every way.
This is definitely not the life she wants.
Fu Zhi Qiao is a decisive person. She has clearly expressed her feelings and needs long ago. No matter how much she likes someone, she will not demean herself for that person. Besides, she has worked hard to build her career to its current scale, and no one can stop her determination to make money.
Seeing that Xie Zhuo was determined to get to the bottom of things, Fu Zhi Qiao decided to be honest with him: "Putting aside our status and position, my business is doing very well now. After we get married, will I still be able to do business? Will the Prince's Mansion agree to let me show my face in public?"
Xie Zhuo's gaze was fixed on her. "Qiao, don't worry, I will never restrict your freedom."
“You can’t, but your mother can!” Fu Zhi Qiao calmly stated the truth: “Your mother doesn’t like me.”
Xie Zhuo breathed a sigh of relief, his previously muddled mind immediately clearing up. He had thought Fu Zhi Qiao was dissatisfied with him, but since she wasn't, it meant there was still a chance.
He immediately retorted, "Ah Qiao, you are marrying me, not my mother."
Upon hearing this, Fu Zhiqiao knew that Xie Zhuo was completely unaware of the methods used in the inner courtyard.
That's true. How could arrogant men understand women's calculations? They don't know the methods of controlling people in the inner quarters, or rather, they simply don't want to know.
Among family relationships, the mother-in-law/daughter-in-law relationship is the most difficult to manage.
In the Great Wei Dynasty, the essence of the relationship between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law is that the mother-in-law is superior to the daughter-in-law. The daughter-in-law must be absolutely obedient to her parents-in-law. Equality, respect, and tolerance are non-existent. Serving her husband and parents-in-law is the daughter-in-law's greatest duty.
In ordinary families, daughters-in-law have to serve their parents-in-law in their daily lives, serving them tea and water. In wealthy families, these chores are taken care of by maids and servants, so daughters-in-law don't have to do them themselves. However, if a mother-in-law wants to control her daughter-in-law, it's an easy thing.
Even Zhou Miaosi, as the daughter of an official, could not avoid such things, so how could she escape? Once she showed weakness and backed down, she would definitely be oppressed and never have a chance to rise again.
Thinking of this, Fu Zhi Qiao felt a surge of annoyance. She rubbed her temples and said, "It's true that I'm marrying you, but after we get married, will we live under the same roof as your mother? Will I have to go to her courtyard to pay my respects morning and evening?"
"As children, we should do the same." Xie Zhuo's tone gradually softened.
Fu Zhi Qiao stared straight at him: "When I have a conflict with your mother, whose side do you take? What do you do when your mother tries to put other women in your room? If I can't give birth to a son, will you take a concubine?"
"I will not take a concubine!"
Xie Zhuo felt an instinctive sense of crisis welling up inside him. A voice in his heart told him that if he couldn't give the right answer, he would definitely lose her.
Before he could speak, Fu Zhiqiao continued, "In that case, apart from the status I would gain from marrying you, everything else is far inferior to what I have now."
Fu Zhiqiao said firmly, "I'm not willing to trade my freedom for status!"
Seeing Xie Zhuo speechless, Fu Zhi Qiao said quietly, "You see, there are indeed many problems between us that we cannot solve."
A hint of sadness flashed in Xie Zhuo's eyes. He tried his best to calm himself down and pointed to his heart, asking, "Ah Qiao, what about me? Are you going to give up on me?"
Xie Zhuo's gaze was too aggressive, making Fu Zhi Qiao feel a little uncomfortable. She said, "It's not that I want to give you up, but that I can't afford to love you anymore."
Xie Zhuo looked at the woman in front of him, who had a calm expression but spoke ruthless words. He was very sensitive and grasped the key point in her words. She was afraid of falling out with her mother, which was why she had the idea of resigning. He asked anxiously, "What if I can do what you say?"
“Ah Qiao, I know you have your own ideals and ambitions, and I also know you are worried about being bound by the Prince’s Mansion and losing your freedom…” At this point, Xie Zhuo paused, “I, Xie Zhuo, swear that I will only marry Fu Zhi Qiao as my wife in this life, and will never take a concubine. If I break this oath, may a thousand arrows pierce my heart.”
Xie Zhuo's eyes were sincere, and his tone was earnest.
Fu Zhi Qiao's eyes stung with tears. "Xie Zhuo, I don't doubt your love, but..."
Xie Zhuo reached out and stroked her face, his eyes filled with laughter: "No buts, Qiao, the person I want to grow old with has always been you."
His gaze was frank and firm, which made Fu Zhi Qiao's heart skip a beat, and she could no longer say no.
Xie Zhuo opened up his heart, and Fu Zhi Qiao felt a faint sense of guilt, but more than that, she was touched. Just as she was about to say something, Xie Zhuo leaned his whole body against her.
Xie Zhuo swallowed all the words Fu Zhi Qiao wanted to say. She was dizzy from the kiss, and her hands unconsciously hooked around his neck. Their breaths mingled as they both succumbed to the kiss.
After a long while, Xie Zhuo released her. Fu Zhi Qiao was breathing rapidly and her mind was in a mess. She said, "I just don't want you to have any rifts with your family because of me."
After a long silence, Xie Zhuo spoke: "A Qiao, I understand what you mean. I will definitely find a solution!"
*
As the saying goes, it takes a hundred days to recover from a broken bone. Fu Zhi Qiao couldn't stand it anymore after lying in bed for four or five days. She felt numb all over her back and desperately needed to get out of bed and move around.
Her ankle sprain wasn't too serious, and she could walk slowly with someone's help. Yinxing helped her slowly move to the pavilion, where she listlessly threw pebbles into the pond, creating ripples as the pebbles fell into the water.
Since Xie Zhuo confessed his feelings to her, he hasn't appeared in front of her even once in the past four or five days.
Fu Zhi Qiao thought he had taken her words to heart and was giving each other some space to calm down, until she realized how naive she had been when she was about to leave.
She's under house arrest!
She didn't realize at first that this was house arrest.
During her recovery, she did not leave the gate of Wenyuan Villa. Until yesterday, when she wanted to go back to Taibai Tower to check on the business, the gatekeeper told her that no one was allowed to leave without the prince's order. Only then did Fu Zhi Qiao realize that she was under house arrest.
Without Xie Zhuo's orders, she couldn't even leave the gates of Wenyuan Villa, which made Fu Zhi Qiao almost laugh in anger.
Two more days passed before Xie Zhuo finally appeared.
"How long do you plan to keep me under house arrest?"
Hearing Fu Zhi Qiao's questioning tone, Xie Zhuo's aura also dropped. Did she really think of him like that?
Fu Zhi Qiao knew that this person was being stubborn again. She looked at him with innocent eyes and said, "My injury has almost healed. I need to go out. I can't neglect the business of Taibai Tower."
Xie Zhuo's expression remained cold, but his tone was much gentler: "A Qiao, stay in this villa for a few days. I will let you leave when the time is right."
"What is the right time?"
Xie Zhuo looked somewhat uneasy. He hadn't confined Fu Zhiqiao to the villa without reason. His plan to annul the engagement was being prepared, and to avoid any unforeseen complications, he couldn't allow Fu Zhiqiao to appear in the capital or in his mother's sight.
For her safety, he had no choice but to hide her.
The matter of breaking off the engagement was of great importance. The cancellation of the engagement would be a great loss of face for both families, so Xie Zhuo dared not be careless. He had to make sure that every step was foolproof.
Breaking off an engagement would damage a woman's reputation, and Xie Zhuo had no intention of letting Yu Yadan bear the stigma of being rejected.
Sheng An has discovered that HSBC Casino is one of the rendezvous points of the Death-Snatching Sect. After confirming this clue, he sent people to bring Sun Chi back to the capital from his hometown. Under the control of the secret guards, Sun Chi confessed everything.
The person who intended to kill Fu Zhiqiao was indeed Yu Yadan.
Although Xie Zhuo was furious at her actions, he had no intention of ruining her life.
A woman's reputation is of utmost importance. It would be easy to ruin Yu Yadan's reputation, but he cannot do so. He will avenge the harm Yu Yadan caused Fu Zhiqiao, but not by destroying her reputation. Ultimately, he was the one who started the whole thing, so the reason for the annulment of the engagement can only be attributed to him, not Yu Yadan.
Now that A Qiao has been exposed to her mother and the Yu family, if her plan to annul the engagement is discovered, her mother and the Yu family will definitely vent all their anger on her, and she may not even be able to save her life. Therefore, confining her to the villa is the best way to protect her.
The fewer people who know about the annulment of the engagement, the better.
Xie Zhuo only told Fu Zhi Qiao that he wanted to break off the engagement, without telling her the detailed plan.
Xie Zhuo had mentioned breaking off the engagement many times before, and when she heard that he was going to carry it out, Fu Zhi Qiao's face flashed with shock, "But what about the relationship between your two families..."
"Ah Qiao, all you need to know is that I will definitely keep my promise!" Xie Zhuo interrupted her, "Just stay in the villa during this time, and Sheng An will protect you."
Sheng An is a bodyguard. Under what circumstances would it be necessary to deploy bodyguards?
Fu Zhiqiao lowered her head and remained silent.
Seeing that she seemed distracted, Xie Zhuo assumed she was scared, so he immediately pulled her into his arms and comforted her, "Don't worry, it's very safe in the villa."
The thought of facing imminent danger made Fu Zhi Qiao hesitate. She glanced at him worriedly and tentatively asked, "Maybe we should just give up?"
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