Chapter 34 Persuading Meng
Su Yuan dismissed the attendants in the cabin, cleared his throat, and said to Meng Yunlan sincerely:
"Mr. Meng, Han Ling broke off your engagement today. Who knows if it's not a good thing? The process was indeed humiliating and your reputation was ruined, but Han Ling dared to treat you like this before the marriage. If you really marry her, wouldn't you be regarded as a thorn in her side?"
"At the very least, she will ignore you and continue to suck the blood of the Meng family. At the worst, she will abuse your husband. With her methods, will you still be alive by then?"
After saying this, Su Yuan sighed and said with emotion:
"I know that the world is particularly strict with men nowadays. Many men have lost their lives because of their damaged reputations. But I want to say that you are different from them. Most of them were forced by their relatives and had no choice."
"But you have your sister's support, so you don't have to care about what others say. Even if you don't want to get married, Meng Yunqiao is the eldest daughter of the Meng family. With her protecting you, you can live a worry-free life. Isn't that happier than getting married and suffering a lifetime of grievances?"
Meng Yunlan had been suppressing her emotions and not showing them, but after Su Yuan's persuasion, she seemed to have found a breakthrough.
The overwhelming despair, pain and depression in my heart surged out and filled my whole body.
He suddenly lowered his head, his thin back twitched violently, and he sobbed bitterly, letting his tears flow unrestrainedly down his cheeks and drip onto his brocade robe.
Meng Yunqiao saw that her friend had just said a few words of comfort, and her brother, who had just smiled and told her that everything was fine, immediately looked like he had suffered a serious blow, and he lowered his head and cried in despair.
She quickly ran over and hugged her brother's shoulders, whispering:
"Brother, what's wrong with you?"
After that, he took out a handkerchief from his bosom and said urgently:
"Come and wipe your face. If you have anything to say, tell your sister. I'll help you decide. Are you sad because Han Ling broke off the engagement? Otherwise, I'll go beat her up. Ahem, no, I won't beat her up. I'll tie her up and force her to marry you."
Meng Yunlan silently took the handkerchief and wiped the tears from her face.
He slowly raised his head, glanced at Su Yuan, and said to his sister with red and swollen eyes:
"No need, Miss Su is right, I'm not sad now."
Hearing this, Meng Yunqiao glanced at Meng Yunlan with suspicion.
Just now my brother said he was not sad and was even smiling, but who was the person who suddenly lowered his head and started crying?
She didn't believe it, stared at Meng Yunlan's face and observed it carefully, suspiciously:
"Really? You're not saying this because you're afraid that I'll cause trouble for Han Ling, are you really not sad anymore?"
"Okay then, let me ask you, do you still have that bastard Han Ling in your heart, ahem?"
Meng Yunlan was stunned when he heard this, and his eyes unconsciously glanced at the opposite side. He saw Su Yuan and Nan Chu also looking at him curiously.
He shook his head and answered in a panic:
"No."
Meng Yunqiao looked at him suspiciously, then shook his head helplessly.
It seems that my brother still has that despicable Han Ling in his heart.
If it's true, why is my brother so flustered?
She has learned to observe now, don't try to deceive her.
Meng Yunqiao couldn't bear to expose his brother, so he sighed and said:
"Okay, I believe it."
By the time the Meng siblings finished their conversation, Su Yuan and Nan Chu had already filled their stomachs with fruits, snacks, and tea.
Seeing that Meng Yunqiao had finished talking, Su Yuan felt that she had comforted Meng Yunlan. She smiled and said:
"It's getting late. Shouldn't we go back? I'm getting sleepy from being on this pleasure boat."
Meng Yunqiao looked outside and saw that it was almost dusk. She nodded in agreement:
"Okay, let's go back."
After saying that, he asked the helmsman to dock the pleasure boat, and everyone returned home facing the sunset.
——
In March, when flowers are in full bloom and willows are green, all things come back to life, presenting a beautiful scene full of vitality.
Half a month has passed since the county examination.
Today is the day when the government announces the results.
These days Su Yuan still maintains the habit of reading and practicing calligraphy every day, and occasionally accepts Meng Yunqiao's invitation to go out for a stroll.
However, due to the special circumstances today, she was dragged to Xiangsufang by Su's father.
According to Su's father, Su Yuan would become nervous when he was alone, and having something to do in the store could distract him.
In the bustling Xiang Su Fang where business was booming, Su Yuan sat in a corner, glanced down at the tea and snacks in front of him, and shook his head helplessly.
Ever since she proposed to buy servants for early training a year ago and open a branch in Tongcheng in the future.
Su's father then found four men from the market who were nimble and literate.
Together with the original staff in the store, there were eight people in total, and there was no place for her to use her talents.
Since she arrived in the morning, her father had arranged for her to sit in a corner inside the counter, where she could drink tea and eat snacks, and also receive verbal instructions.
Nan Chu would pass by her from time to time, pouring more tea and cakes for her, making her look like a decoration.
"Bang, bang, bang."
Accompanied by the sound of gongs, the people who were leisurely strolling on the street and choosing things at the stalls were instantly cleared out, and most of them went out to join in the fun.
Upon hearing the sound, Su Yuan also ran to the door of the store, leaned against the door and glanced out with interest, then said leisurely to Nan Chu at the counter:
"I have discovered that this group of uncles and aunts are really eager to join in the fun. If they were parents of students taking the exam, they would have gone to the county government gate early to grab a spot. These people are probably just there to watch."
After saying that, she glanced at Nan Chu and sighed:
"It's a good thing you didn't go with Daddy, otherwise with your small body, if there was a stampede, you wouldn't be able to run away in time."
Nan Chu also glanced outside and nodded in agreement:
"Daddy was smart and didn't let us go."
Su Yuan snorted and laughed, echoing:
"Yes, yes, he is smart. What did he say to me before he left in the morning? You are a scholar, thin-skinned and weak. Only when Dad goes can you squeeze into the front row."
"Don't be fooled by the smooth queue in the morning. Once the red paper is posted, it will be so crowded that people will die. Only someone like Dad who is thick-skinned and good at farming can go there without being squeezed out."
After Su Yuan finished speaking, he turned his head and stared at Nan Chu with a half-smile:
"Do you also think that what Dad said is right, that I am a weak scholar with thin skin and weak body?"
Nan Chu swallowed nervously when he heard this, and looked around, but didn't look at Su Yuan. He muttered:
"I, I, it wasn't me who said that, it was Daddy!"
He didn't mean that!
The wife is so shameless.
Phew, no, not thin at all.
Su Yuan chuckled and did not continue the topic. He looked at Nan Chu and asked thoughtfully:
"I remember you will be sixteen in two months. Although you are already married and cannot hold a coming-of-age ceremony, you can accept gifts. Tell your wife what you want so that I can prepare it in advance."
After hearing this, Nan Chu nodded with a simple look in his eyes, and smiled slightly:
"Yes, May 6th is my birthday. Hmm...how about my wife giving me a hairpin?"
Whether he wants it or not, the wife will give him a gift, so it’s better for him to ask for one himself.
Otherwise, if the wife goes looking for some valuable items, it will cost a lot of money.
Su Yuan looked around Nan Chu's face and guessed what he was thinking.
She curled her lips slightly, raised her eyebrows and smiled, and agreed:
"Well, I'll do as you say."
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