Chapter 21: Could It Be That You Are Unreconciled?

Tong Chuxue walked unhurriedly between Tong Yu'er and Yao Tianyuan. She glanced left and right before speaking in a leisurely tone, "Sister, you say I have no regard for reputation, but I must return that sentiment to you. I was wondering what you were doing in town today, but after wandering for half a day, you have empty hands and bought nothing. Now I understand—you were here to meet your lover."

At these words, Yao Tianyuan, who had been inexplicably targeted, looked utterly bewildered. Tong Yu'er, however, was both shamed and furious. It was Zou Hongping who stepped forward first to defend her daughter, snapping viciously, "Tong Chuxue, what are you saying? I brought Yu'er out today to buy fabric!"

"Oh?" Tong Chuxue turned to Yao Tianyuan, feigning confusion. "I thought Sister Yu'er was here to see Young Master Yao. Truly, there is no harm in it; engaged couples meeting occasionally is nothing for people to gossip about. Why should you be ashamed to admit it?"

The words were spoken lightly, but to Tong Yu'er, they were like a thunderclap.

"You!" Tong Yu'er was so incensed by Tong Chuxue that she could barely speak. How could she say such things in broad daylight? While there was nothing wrong with an engaged couple meeting, it never sounded good when spread around. Especially since Yao Tianyuan was an educated man, not some common country bumpkin; what if he grew to dislike her because of this?

"It seems my sister is shy. Very well, since that is the case, I, as your elder sister, will say no more. Please, do continue your stroll." Tong Chuxue waved her hand, appearing as though she were kindly letting them off the hook.

After all this commotion, she had nearly forgotten that she had come to buy a copy of the *Three Character Classic*.

But how could Tong Yu'er swallow such an insult? She sneered, "Sister, you aren't still unwilling to let go, hoping to snatch this marriage back, are you?"

Unwilling to let go? Tong Chuxue found it laughable. She wouldn't want a man like Yao Tianyuan even if he were given to her for free. *Unwilling*—Tong Yu'er certainly had a vivid imagination. Then again, they seemed quite well-matched.

"Sister, can you still not let go after all this time? Grandmother has already said that the Yao family is betrothed to the Tong family, and you are no longer a member of the Tong family," Tong Yu'er said, fuming and determined to lock horns with Tong Chuxue.

"Tong Yu'er, have you forgotten how Grandmother promised me that original arrangement? Would you like me to kindly remind you?" Tong Chuxue’s expression turned cold as she looked down at her.

Back at the Tong household, Tong Chuxue had forced Grandmother Tong to admit in front of everyone that the marriage had been stolen from the third branch by their family. If Tong Yu'er insisted on dragging up the past, it would only harm herself, not Tong Chuxue.

At the critical moment, Zou Hongping realized the danger and pulled Tong Yu'er aside. "Is this how you treat your sister? Aren't you afraid of retribution? We won't argue with you, out of consideration for family ties. I still have to take Yu'er to the fabric store."

With that, Zou Hongping firmly grabbed Tong Yu'er by the arm and dragged her away.

***

Tong Yu'er, left speechless and blocked by Tong Chuxue, was already angry; being dragged away by Zou Hongping made her even more displeased. "Mother, I wasn't finished yet."

"Finished? Do you want to air all of our family's dirty laundry for everyone to hear?" Zou Hongping scolded, frustrated by her daughter's lack of foresight. Where had the girl's usual cleverness gone? Ever since they separated households, they hadn't won a single encounter with Tong Chuxue. Why provoke such a disaster?

"So what if I did?" Tong Yu'er retorted stubbornly.

"Are you mad? What kind of family is the Yao family? You saw it yourself—Yao Tianyuan is a man of talent, and now that he has passed the entrance exam, the next step is the scholar's examination. How could a family like that want a woman with a tarnished reputation? That little girl Tong Chuxue was just baiting you. If you fell for it and word of this got back to the village, do you think the Yao family would still want you as a daughter-in-law?" Zou Hongping analyzed.

"Then... would they dare to break off the engagement?" Tong Yu'er persisted. "It was settled long ago. Don't these scholars always talk about keeping one's word? If the Yao family finds someone else, how good would their own reputation be?"

"You are foolish! A man like Yao Tianyuan won't be affected much, but you are a girl. If your reputation is ruined, what will you do in the future?" Zou Hongping lectured.

Tong Yu'er pouted and fell silent.

Inside the Mobao Study, Tong Chuxue finally purchased her book. As she was leaving, she was intercepted by Yao Tianyuan. "What did that young lady mean just now?"

Tong Chuxue looked confused. "Just now? You mean Tong Yu'er? What did she say?"

"Why did you say she came here to... meet her lover?" Yao Tianyuan seemed to have gathered great resolve to utter the last three words.

He actually didn't know. Tong Chuxue gave a chuckling smile of amusement before replying, "Young Master Yao, do you not recognize her? That young lady is your bride-to-be."

Yao Tianyuan froze, his expression revealing a desire to escape. *It's over,* Tong Chuxue thought with malicious glee. *It seems he doesn't like Tong Yu'er.* How could the marriage the Tong family had gone to such lengths to secure end up like this?

In fact, Tong Chuxue was right; Tong Yu'er was a far cry from the image of a wife Yao Tianyuan had envisioned. In his imagination, his wife should be kind, gentle, hardworking, and domestic. But what Tong Yu'er had displayed was nothing but pettiness and calculation. How could he possibly live with a woman like that?

***

Tong Chuxue couldn't be bothered to care about Yao Tianyuan's thoughts. It was getting late, and they needed to catch the ox cart back to the village.

Tong Chuxue and her mother walked alongside the two Luo brothers. Luo Hui'an had initially been worried that Tong Yu'er's words would affect Tong Chuxue, but he soon discovered his concern was entirely unnecessary; not only was Tong Chuxue unaffected, but she was clearly in high spirits.

"Are you not bothered by what Tong Yu'er said?" Luo Hui'an asked.

Tong Chuxue looked at him and shook her head. "Not at all. I never wanted this marriage anyway. Isn't it better to be on my own?"

Upon hearing this, the expression on Luo Hui'an's face shifted slightly.

"You girl, what are you saying on the street!" No sooner had Tong Chuxue finished speaking than Xu Jinnian scolded her, forcing her to shut her mouth obediently.

For a long while, Tong Chuxue heard nothing from Luo Hui'an.

Luo Huifeng, caught in the middle, sensitively sensed that the atmosphere was wrong and kept quiet; after all, Luo Hui'an was terrifying when angry.

This silence lasted until they reached the ox cart. Combined with the friction between the Tong mother-daughter duo and the others, the return journey remained exceptionally quiet.

When they returned to Qingshan Village, twilight had gathered. Tong Chuxue stepped off the cart with her bags, and Luo Hui'an insisted on walking her home. Unable to refuse, she let him share the burden of her belongings.

Luo Hui'an carrying the packages was spotted by two young girls not far away. One girl in a blue cloth skirt nudged the girl beside her. "Shuangling, is that the sickly weakling you're supposed to marry?"

The other girl blinked her large eyes and admitted without a hint of shyness, "Yes, that's him."