izi’s mother was about to go mad with anger. She suddenly realized that after all her picking and choosing, the boys from these other families were all better than that Li Changming.
Never mind Qingmu and Zhang Huai—they were in a league of their own. Even Changxing, Liu Sanshun, Big Mouth Zhao, Huang Dagunzi’s youngest son, and Li Gengdi’s youngest son—any one of them was a better sight than Li Changming.
’Oh, the regret she felt! Why didn’t I arrange a marriage for my daughter sooner!’
But hearing their words only made izi feel worse. ’Everyone is better off than Changming, but it’s not like he isn’t hardworking! And it’s not his fault he’s stuck with parents like that!’
After talking nonstop for what felt like an eternity, her mother said to izi, "I saw you were upset the last few days, and you kept going to see Juhua, so I thought you liked Qingmu. I asked your Grandma Huang to go ask Aunt Zheng what she thought. And look how ambitious Qingmu is! He insists on building his own fortune before he’ll marry. But he also thinks you’re a good girl and doesn’t want to lose you, so he suggested getting engaged now and marrying in two years. I was so happy! And you’ll get to stay ho with your father and for two more years. Isn’t that wonderful?"
When she finished, she stared intently at izi, ready to unleash the hundreds of argunts she had prepared the mont her daughter objected. After all, it was easy to find fault with Li Changming’s family and praise Qingmu’s. In her eyes, Qingmu was better than Li Changming in every single way.
When izi heard her mother say she had already been promised to Qingmu, her heart went cold as ice. Now she finally understood how Liu’er must have felt when she’d said, "I’m just so miserable." The other day, she hadn’t felt anything like this at all.
But she wouldn’t go looking for Li Changming like Liu’er. She wouldn’t tell her mother she was unwilling to marry into the Zheng family, either. She would obediently accept her mother’s arrangents.
But her heart was filled with indescribable sorrow.
Fighting back tears, she said to her mother, "I’ll marry whover you want to marry."
izi’s mother had a whole speech ready, waiting for her daughter to say she was unwilling to marry Qingmu so she could persuade her. She never imagined izi would say sothing like that.
But the sight of her precious daughter’s red-rimd eyes and utterly grief-stricken face was more painful than if she had cried and scread about wanting to marry Li Changming. The hundreds of argunts she had prepared were now caught in her throat, choking her. She could hardly breathe and nearly fainted, feeling a piercing pain as if her very insides were being torn apart.
She threw her arms around izi and began to sob, her heart breaking. In her mind, she cursed Li Laoda half to death. ’This Li Changming is about to beco my son-in-law... No matter how bad he is, he’ll still be my son-in-law, so I can’t curse him. I’ll curse his father, then. And that Granny Hua!’
Qin sighed and wiped away his tears.
When all was said and done, their daughter’s happiness was what mattered most. If she felt this wronged, it wouldn’t matter if she were marrying Qingmu or even a high official—it just wouldn’t work.
izi’s grandmother was speechless. After all her years, how could she not see what was in her granddaughter’s heart? izi had spoken those words with such simple resignation, and now none of the three adults could say another word. ’If we keep pushing,’ she thought, ’aren’t we just driving this child to her death? Can forcing her into a marriage ever lead to a good outco?’
’How does that saying go?’
’Oh, right—"the greatest contention is to not contend." That described izi perfectly in this mont.’
Gou Dan had fallen asleep, but the sound of crying from his sister’s room startled him awake. He sat up, frightened, and strained his ears. He realized it was his mother who was crying.
In the dead of night, her cries sounded so desolate and panicked that his heart began to POUND in his chest.
This was serious. He scrambled barefoot out of bed and ran into the other room. Seeing everyone in tears, with his mother and sister crying in each other’s arms, he assud sothing terrible had happened and burst into tears as well.
Although the little boy was often disciplined, he could still feel the warmth in his ho. A scene like this had never happened before, so he wailed his heart out, his cries loud and unrestrained.
When Qin saw his son had co in, he was in no mood to deal with him. But the boy’s loud wailing grated on his nerves, and he snapped, "Keep it down!"
izi’s grandmother quickly pulled her grandson to her side, lifted the corner of her shirt to wipe his tears, and whispered, "Don’t be scared, Gou Dan. It’s alright. Go back to bed. Grandma will be there in a little while."
Gou Dan refused to go, his face streaked with tears as he watched his mother and sister worriedly.
His grandmother had no choice but to pick him up and set him down on izi’s bed. Noticing he was barefoot, she had him sit so his legs dangled off the edge.
Seeing her mother sobbing so hard, izi thought she was worried she might do sothing disgraceful.
Though her own heart was breaking, she pushed down her sorrow and said to her mother, "Don’t worry, Mother. I promise I’ll marry Qingmu properly. I won’t go looking for Changming."
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