Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
Wen Qingyue did not have to exert much effort to pursue him.
It was simply because Zheng Ning did not expect anyone to come after him immediately. Holding a money pouch in one hand and several scrolls on his back, he leisurely strolled out of the Liu Residence.
Before he could turn the corner, the Heir Apparent of the Silver Whip had already caught up. Without saying much, he turned back and ran.
Zheng Ning felt quite helpless and lazily called out to him, "Hey, take it easy. Do you think scholars can't fight?"
Seeing that Wen Da Shizi completely ignored him, Zheng Ning had no choice but to change his approach: "These hands of mine are worth more than ten thousand gold. If they get injured and I can no longer paint, will the Marquisate compensate me?"
Wen Qingyue paused for a moment before loosening his grip. However, he insisted on having Zheng Ning lead the way while he followed closely behind, step by step toward the hall.
Zheng Ning swayed his sleeves as he entered the room and scanned the crowd, spotting familiar faces.
He sighed and stepped forward to clasp his hands in greeting, wanting to smile but unable to do so. He could only say, "Junior pays respects to you, sir." After a pause, he added, "Long time no see."
The tone was familiar yet distant, leaving people puzzled.
Zhenyuan Marquis scrutinized him carefully.
With slender brows and eyes, rosy lips, and fair skin, his clothes hung loosely on him as if they were shapeless. Paired with his aloof features, there was an indescribable charm and ease about him.
Just like in the distant memories.
Master Wen could no longer contain himself after recognizing him and immediately shouted, "It really is you!"
Liu Fangyi looked at him with wide, fearful eyes, worried that he had offended Zheng Ning, and hurriedly stood up to persuade him. However, before he could straighten his legs, he heard the old man continue, "You haven't married all these years; are you still thinking about my Girl?"
This brief question was like a bolt of lightning on a clear day, shocking everyone in the room into a daze.
Wen Qingyue felt as if the voice wasn't even her own anymore. She stiffly turned her neck towards Master Wen and asked, "Grandfather, you... what do you mean?"
Zheng Ning frowned, a smile at the corner of his lips, glancing uneasily at Qing Wu, and casually said, "Old man, you can't joke about this."
"Joke? Is it really a joke?"
Hearing this, the old man became somewhat uncertain. He paused for a moment.
"That matter back then was indeed just a playful joke mentioned by the two families' mothers," Master Wen glanced at Wen Qingyue, "It was your mother who told me and your father about it. I don't know the specifics. At that time, there was no token; even though your mother repeatedly urged us, your father and I didn't take it too seriously. However..."
At this point, the old man showed a moment of uncertainty.
"However, ever since Xiaowu and the two of them disappeared without a trace, I have inquired about Ningzi's news several times. He is still traveling outside and has not married. I began to feel uncertain. Could it be that ever since your sister went missing, he has still been thinking about that matter? But without being able to find him, I couldn't talk to him face-to-face."
At this point, Master Wen, disregarding everyone's different gazes, said to Zheng Ning, "You were present when Madam Zheng and Xiaowu's mother arranged the marriage back then. Do you still remember that?"
As soon as he asked this question, He Family sensed something was off and curiously asked, "If you have seen Daughter, why didn't you recognize her when she was at our home?"
To this question, Wen Qingyue could answer, "I remember when Zheng Young Master came to our house; Xiaowu was only three or four years old. A chubby little Girl. The next time I saw her should have been when she was six years old?"
He arrived here and suddenly remembered the tragic death of his parents. He abruptly stopped speaking and did not continue.
Although he had not finished his words, everyone else understood.
When Qing Wu arrived at the Liu Family, she was already six years old. Having shed her chubby appearance from childhood, she had become a delicate beauty.
The two encounters had shown her in vastly different appearances; how could Zheng Ning have imagined that?
For some reason, Qing Wu suddenly recalled the scene of her grandfather and brother recognizing her, while the gentleman stood at the intersection watching her from afar.
At that moment, her heart was filled with mixed emotions, and she struggled to ask him, "Do you still remember the promise we made back then?"
"Promise?"
Zheng Ning smiled gently, brushed off his sleeves, and leaned against the table.
He remembered that at that time, while traveling through the Southwest, he had heard that a friend's mother was visiting the Zhenyuan Marquis Mansion. He decided to take a detour to visit her, just to see the only mother in his life who had treated him well.
At that time, his mother was chatting happily with another graceful lady, who was the Heir Apparent's Wife of the Zhenyuan Marquis Mansion.
The two were engaged in conversation and seemed very happy. He could not interject and wanted to spend more time with his mother, so he simply picked up the little girl who was quietly playing by herself and began drawing on the ground with a stick for her amusement.
The girl neither cried nor fussed; she just stared blankly at him in his arms.
Madam Zheng and Madam Wen were joking and laughing together. Watching them, I suddenly felt interested and teased, "Oh, your daughter is truly adorable. How about letting her marry into my family?"
"Sure. If the child is with you, I will be at ease."
Madam Wen and Madam Zheng had known each other since the war began. Madam Zheng was a bit older and took care of Madam Wen in every way. After many years of interaction, they had grown as close as sisters, maintaining a strong bond. Although one married in the south and the other in the capital, their feelings for each other remained unaffected.
After agreeing to the suggestion, Madam Wen thought for a moment and said, "But your children have all grown up, while mine is still so young. Which of them could marry my daughter?"
"The oldest one," Madam Zheng smiled and pointed forward, "Isn't he just right?"
A fourteen or fifteen-year-old boy was holding a plump girl in his arms, carefully wiping the dirt off her fingertips.
Seeing the two ladies looking over, he thought they were calling him over, so he carried the girl toward them.
Unexpectedly, his mother suddenly exclaimed, "Aning, today I found you a bride. What do you think? Are you satisfied?"
The boy was taken aback for a moment, looking down at the pretty girl in his arms, and asked blankly, "Really?"
His slightly foolish expression made both mothers laugh.
They both chimed in unison, "Of course it's true. Now tell us if you are willing or not?"
Madam Zheng added, "But you need to think it through. The Wen Family does not allow men to take concubines. If you agree, you'll have to be patient and wait a few more years until Xiaowu grows up."
Her words were half true and half false. Madam Wen was somewhat worried about the young man in front of her, so she pulled her back and whispered, "Don't scare the child."
"What is there to be afraid of? The Wen family has a good reputation, so I am at ease. With you teaching the girl, I like it. Since it's a good thing, why should there be any fear? I just worry that you might think he is too old. However, being older is fine; he can take care of his wife."
After saying this, Madam Zheng added, "Just listen to him. If he agrees, it would be a wonderful thing."
Madam Wen wanted to say more, but she heard the young man softly say "Okay."
He squeezed the girl's hand and said, "My mother is troubled by my grandfather and father. I can't change my habit of running around. When the families hear about this, they get scared away. My father worries that no one will want me and scolds me for not knowing how to repent as soon as he sees me."
"If you don't mind, then just accept me," the young man smiled at Madam Wen. "This suits me well. Just right for me to enjoy a few more carefree years while she grows up."
"What nonsense!" Madam Zheng scolded. "Once you get married, you must learn to restrain yourself."
The young man sighed and shrugged his shoulders, saying, "I know. So let me enjoy a few more years. Just a few years, and then I'll obediently go back to work as an official and support my family. Isn't that acceptable?"
Before the mother and son left the Marquisate, Madam Wen hesitated to ask whether what Madam Zheng had mentioned earlier was true or just a joke, wondering if they should exchange tokens.
Unexpectedly, before Madam Zheng could respond, the young man had already smiled lazily and said, "I have always kept my promises. You can rest assured. There’s no need for tokens. The important thing is for the girl to grow up quickly."
Then he looked at the beautiful child, poked her cheek, and smiled, saying, "Hurry up and grow up; do you understand?"
The girl looked at him with a vague understanding and slowly nodded her head.
Not long after, the matriarch of the Zheng Family fell ill and passed away.
A year or two later, the Girl also went missing.
...
Zheng Ning did not expect to remember those events from back then so vividly and accurately.
It was clearly not an important matter, just a few silly jokes; how could he recall even the details?
Never mind, never mind. It must be that the Old Marquis kept bringing it up, which somehow triggered his memory.
"You don't need to pay attention to it. The agreement from back then?"
Zheng Ning leaned against the table, brushed his sleeve, and smiled lazily with a curve at the corner of his lips, lowering his gaze with a smile.
"What is that? I have long forgotten."
Comment 0 Comment Count