Miss and farmhand

Huang Chu really didn't know how to face Zhu Xiaoxu at this moment.

There may have been a misunderstanding before, but now the truth is clear: Zhu Xiaoxu did not do anything wrong.

Huang Chu still felt awkward.

Part of her heart still blamed Zhu Xiaoxu, because since you two had already pledged your love, then Luo San was your responsibility. Luo San had no other reason to run away; in the end, it was all for your sake.

Huang Chu kept thinking that if Zhu Xiaoxu had been a little nicer to Luo San, even if there were difficulties at home, and had comforted her more to reassure her, perhaps the subsequent events wouldn't have happened.

The two sat facing each other in silence. Mother Han served Zhu Xiaoxu a cup of tea and then stood still beside him.

No one drank the tea. After a long while, Zhu Xiaoxu spoke first, his voice terribly hoarse. Huang Chu couldn't help but look up at him.

"...Have you met Miss Luo San?"

Huang Chu shook her head. "I haven't had the chance yet. I plan to see her tomorrow."

"She may never want to see me again," Zhu Xiaoxu said bitterly.

Huang Chu didn't understand what he meant at first.

She looked Zhu Xiaoxu up and down and noticed that he had dark circles under his eyes, a sallow complexion, pale lips, and looked haggard, sad, and regretful.

Why is he sad?

Of course, it's for Luo San.

But Huang Chu never imagined that Zhu Xiaoxu would be so heartbroken over Luo San.

Is this her problem or his problem?

Huang Chu dared not think about it. She swallowed hard and comforted him, "...No, she'll be happy if you can go see her."

"I'm afraid your aunt won't agree either," Zhu Xiaoxu said. "Today in the hall, she didn't even glance at me or ask me anything. It was as if I had nothing to do with this matter or with Miss Luo San."

"...Your aunt doesn't want to cause any more trouble for your cousin. After all, you two aren't engaged yet. Getting you involved would only create more gossip and trouble for your cousin."

"If that's the case, I'd rather she hated me."

Huang Chu was speechless. She knew she should feel sympathy, but she couldn't understand such deep affection. It felt inappropriate and the person was wrong. Why would she say such things to her? He should ask his aunt to let him see Miss Luo San and then say all these things to her. Perhaps he could salvage the situation.

She could only pick up her teacup, take a sip, and remain silent.

Zhu Xiaoxu seemed to sense this and picked up his teacup to drink with him. After putting the teacup down, he seemed to have composed himself.

"Junior sister, I need your help."

"What is it?"

"If you see Miss Luo, please tell her for me that my heart has not changed, and I will definitely marry her. Please tell her not to lose heart and to wait for me."

As he spoke, the knuckles of his hand gripping the teacup tightened, turning a bluish-white.

Huang Chu, however, found herself lost in thought for some reason. In a past life, Zhu Xiaoxu's hand had offered her solace. They had become engaged after her mother's death, and their marriage was perfectly respectful and proper. Only at her mother's funeral did she falter, and Zhu Xiaoxu reached out to support her. In that brief moment, he had given her strength, support, and a sense of security. She was deeply grateful to Zhu Xiaoxu at that time.

But now, looking at this hand, she felt it was completely unfamiliar.

The coolness in her memory had turned into a strange coldness, and she couldn't tell which side was real and which was fake.

Her throat felt itchy, and she couldn't help but ask, "You really... will you marry Miss Luo again?"

Zhu Xiaoxu was taken aback.

What Huang Chu really wanted to ask was, "Have you ever really thought about marrying Luo Sanyao?"

But that was just too cruel.

Zhu Xiaoxu suddenly stood up, walked two steps in the hall with his hands at his sides, turned around and walked towards Huang Chu, stopping in front of her.

"Did she say something to you?" Zhu Xiaoxu stared at Huang Chu and asked, "Your aunt or your maternal aunt? Did they say something?"

Huang Chu blinked. "...They only said that they couldn't find you and were afraid that you were deliberately avoiding suspicion, so they wanted me to act as a go-between."

"...She still doesn't trust me."

Zhu Xiaoxu sat back down in his chair. "I thought I had managed to keep it a secret, but I didn't expect it to still be..."

"Hide it? Hide what?"

"My mother. My mother has always favored you, junior sister." Zhu Xiaoxu said with a wry smile, "I'm not afraid you'll laugh at me, but my mother has always thought that I haven't married yet because of you. Actually, I just wanted to pass the imperial examinations first, establish myself, and then start a family... When you visited my house, I foresaw that something might go wrong, and Sister Luo really did misunderstand. I wasn't at the academy for a few days, and they thought I was deliberately avoiding them, so they came to you to act as matchmakers."

Huang Chu was speechless and could only listen to what Zhu Xiaoxu had to say.

"Actually, I went home. My mother was still dissatisfied and even threatened that if I didn't change my mind, I wouldn't have to go to the academy anymore. I ended up sneaking back."

"But that night, your aunt came to see you..."

"To tell you the truth, junior sister, I was also panicking. I was afraid that if I failed this exam and couldn't defy my parents' wishes, would I be letting Luo down? It doesn't matter if I'm alone, but I don't want to be a burden to her. I just didn't expect... that all of this would ultimately be my fault."

He lowered his head and stared at the ground.

Huang Chu really didn't understand. She opened her mouth to try to comfort her, but felt a tightness in her chest.

Don't meddle in their affairs. You don't know.

The man's voice rang in her ears again.

The man must know something she doesn't; he must have figured something out to say those things.

She wanted to confront the man right now and get to the bottom of things, but then she thought it was absurd—what could the man possibly say now that things had come to this?

Ultimately, Zhu Xiaoxu had said that he still intended to marry Luo San.

She couldn't help but confirm again and again: "You will definitely marry her, won't you?"

Zhu Xiaoxu looked at her, his eyes deep and filled with emotions she couldn't understand.

"Yes," he said.

Huang Chu nodded, "I'll help you."

A glimmer of hope appeared in Zhu Xiaoxu's eyes.

"I can't pass on your message; it won't solve anything," Huang Chu said. "But I can ask my aunt to let you see your cousin."

……

In the study.

The man assumed Huang Xingtong had summoned him to discuss important matters. Unexpectedly, Huang Xingtong slumped onto the couch as soon as he entered the study, leaning against the cushions, and uttering a long groan, the kind of moan a craftsman makes after a long day's work, as he drinks his first sip of old wine at home.

It wasn't very proper.

The man stood by the door without moving.

Huang Xingtong relaxed, only to feel a throbbing pain in his head. He pressed his brow bone with one hand on the coffee table, and waved the other hand casually. "Don't worry about me, pour yourself a cup of tea and sit down. What a day it's been, nothing peaceful at home. Luckily, Yingniang isn't well and doesn't manage things, otherwise how could she have held on?"

The man was used to Huang Xingtong's habit of mentioning his wife in every three sentences; no matter what the topic, he would always end up involving Shen Xuying. He was already somewhat incoherent in his speech, or to put it more politely, unrestrained. The advantage was that he didn't need anyone's response; he was just talking to himself.

Aside from things related to painting, men usually let things go in one ear and out the other.

For some reason, after a day of chaos, hearing Huang Xingtong's感慨 (gǎnkǎi, deep feelings) now, a smile appeared on the man's lips that he himself did not realize.

Huang Xingtong is a very kind person.

Huang Xingtong finished massaging his eyes and sat up straight, opening his eyes to find that Master Zhao was still standing, his hands hanging down as he looked at a painting of bamboo and rocks above his couch.

He's young after all; he's energetic and physically strong, and his shoulders didn't slump. He's just a bit too thin.

Huang Xingtong stared at him for a long time until the man noticed her gaze, lowered his head, and adopted a posture of listening attentively to her teachings.

Huang Xingtong scoffed, "Stop pretending. I'm asking you, would you like to study at my academy?"