Free Web NovelChapter 614: Chapter 614: Not Believing in Love at First Sight
After dinner, Gu Honglian tossed the bowls and chopsticks onto the table and quietly headed to Gu Xiaoxue’s room.
"Gu Xiaoxue, do you know who the family is planning to arrange your marriage with?"
Gu Honglian revealed the information she had gathered at the dining table to Gu Xiaoxue.
She didn’t know who the third son of the Lian Family was, but she knew that when the weaving workshop opened, Miss Lian and Aunt came.
Could it be the same Lian Family?
If it was the Lian Family where Miss Lian was from, why would they be interested in her?
Gu Xiaoxue couldn’t believe that a wealthy young master would fall for her at first sight, but she suspected the family had ulterior motives in arranging her marriage to the Lian Family.
If that were truly the case, they were mistaken; she was no longer someone the family could easily manipulate.
Gu Xiaoxue’s eyes darkened as she decided to discuss it with Tong Huaqiong.
"I gave you the news, so the hairpin is mine now."
Taking advantage of Gu Xiaoxue’s distraction, Gu Honglian swiftly plucked the Luo Mei hairpin from her head. freewёbnoνel.com
Gu Xiaoxue was now earning money and didn’t care about a hairpin; she let her have it.
Besides, she and Gu Honglian had reached a tacit agreement: Gu Honglian would help relay information, and Gu Xiaoxue would give her benefits.
Gu Xiaoxue walked out of the house.
The weaving workshop, aiming to meet production needs, would light lamps to spin yarn and weave cloth.
Therefore, when Gu Xiaoxue went out at night, the old Gu Family house paid her no mind.
Gu Xiaoxue didn’t go to the weaving workshop; she went to Tong Huaqiong’s house.
Gu Honglian followed her like a sticky candy, wanting her sister-in-law to know that she wasn’t allied with the others at the old house.
Gu Xiaoxue arrived at Tong Huaqiong’s house and directly said: "Aunt, Matchmaker Wang arranged my marriage to the third son of the Lian Family."
Lian Family?
Hearing the Lian Family’s name suddenly, Tong Huaqiong was momentarily confused.
Gu Honglian added: "They said the family is in the pearl business, and the sister is the Magistrate’s wife. Tsk tsk tsk, Xiaoxue, this is a good match. If you marry, you’ll be the Lian Family’s third young mistress."
Gu Honglian was a bit jealous of Gu Xiaoxue.
Not that she liked the Lian Family, but since childhood, she was overshadowed by the fair-skinned and beautiful Gu Xiaoxue and wanted to compete with her niece.
Gu Xiaoxue coldly replied: "If Aunt finds it good, Aunt can marry in my place."
Gu Honglian snorted and said: "Don’t let your grandmother hear that; she’d certainly be happy. But I’m not willing; I like..."
The words "Fan Tong" nearly slipped out, but Gu Honglian glanced at her sister-in-law.
Tong Huaqiong frowned.
It wasn’t because Gu Honglian liked Fan Tong but because of the Lian Family.
A family engaged in the pearl business, with a sister as the Magistrate’s wife—that must be Lian Hengruo’s maternal family.
Tong Huaqiong asked Gu Honglian: "Are you sure it was the third son of the Lian Family?"
Gu Honglian nodded, saying: "I didn’t hear wrong; it’s said to be the third son of the Lian Family who just passed the scholar exam this year."
Last year, when she visited the Lian Family, Tong Huaqiong didn’t meet the third son.
She wasn’t aware of the third son’s character.
If his character was indeed good, it would be a decent match for a girl of this era.
Marrying him would certainly ensure clothing and food, and being part of the Lian Family would mean having enough to eat.
Moreover, the third son of the Lian Family passed the scholar exam this year, and the future seems promising.
As for his character, one could inquire with Aunt Tang to learn more.
However, Tong Huaqiong had a strange feeling about this.
Though she knew she shouldn’t evaluate a marriage based solely on family status, given the Lian Family’s circumstances, it seemed unlikely they would come to Qinghe Bay looking for a country girl.
Unless the third son had seen Gu Xiaoxue beforehand.
Seeing her sister-in-law frown, Gu Honglian didn’t wait for the question and said: "Second Brother suspects that last year in Pingchuan, the third son of the Lian Family took a liking to Xiaoxue, which is why he sent someone to propose."
Tong Huaqiong thought it possible, though such clichés of a CEO falling for a flower might be believable, caution is needed.
Gu Xiaoxue replied: "I’ve never met any third son of the Lian Family."
Tong Huaqiong regained her calm and asked Gu Xiaoxue: "If the third son truly values you and has a good character, are you willing?"
Gu Xiaoxue shook her head without hesitation, saying: "I’m not willing. Aunt, we’re out of his league. The Lian Family doesn’t only consist of him; he has parents. Would such a well-mannered, educated young man from a wealthy family truly be allowed by his parents to marry a country girl? If the in-laws don’t approve, life’s luxuries would be meaningless."
Tong Huaqiong smiled and said to Gu Xiaoxue: "You really have a sharp perspective."
Gu Xiaoxue, even in difficult situations before, was unwilling to marry Liu Qingsong, who risked his life for her. Why would she be moved by a wealthy young master’s instant attraction?
Gu Honglian didn’t understand Gu Xiaoxue’s refusal, saying: "That’s a major family’s Eldest Young Madam position! You don’t want such a great match? Who do you want to marry, the Emperor? Leaving that aside, consider Xu Zaohua, who married into a wealthy family—even as a widow, her life is more comfortable than most."
Xu Zaohua?
Tong Huaqiong felt as if a thunderbolt had struck her mind; she seemed to have grasped what was wrong.
The Lian Family has three sons. The eldest son is married, the second son has a broken bloodline and is mentally impaired, and the third son is normal. Could it be that they are masquerading a marriage proposal for the third son to actually marry the second?
Tong Huaqiong shared her inference with Gu Xiaoxue.
Gu Xiaoxue’s eyes flashed coldly.
Matchmaker Wang, scheming to deceive, deserved punishment; her parents would likely applaud her jumping into the firepit due to the Lian Family’s background if they knew the truth.
They all wanted to manipulate her.
Apparently, her madness hadn’t been enough yet.
Tong Huaqiong said to Gu Xiaoxue: "I’ll help you verify if the marriage proposal is really for the third son. You need to withstand pressure from your parents. Despite the tradition that parents decide children’s marriages, there’s no forcing the unwilling. I’m afraid they might receive the Lian Family’s bride price secretly and clandestinely arrange your engagement. You need to watch out."
Gu Honglian quivered in fright; she feared that if Gu Xiaoxue refused the match, her brother and sister-in-law might swap her in secret.
No way!
She belonged to Fan Tong.
Gu Xiaoxue nodded, saying: "I won’t let them succeed."
After Gu Xiaoxue and Gu Honglian left, Tong Huaqiong leaned over the table to write a letter to Aunt Tang.
Gu Xiaoxue was now her employee; she had to be concerned about her marriage.
Xiao Long poked his head out and asked coolly: "Grandma, do you know why Matchmaker Wang targeted Aunt Xiao Xue?"
Tong Huaqiong: "You know?"
Despite Xiao Long being young and typically reticent, there was nothing about the village he didn’t know.
The child with a palace background was extremely scheming, dealing with Chun Wang effortlessly.
Xiao Long said maturely: "Xu Xinghua pointed Matchmaker Wang to Aunt Xiao Xue, saying the Gu Family could sell a son, so selling a daughter was even easier, and I overheard it."
Tong Huaqiong squinted; so Xu Xinghua intended to push Gu Xiaoxue into the firepit?
Speaking of Xu Xinghua, she had a psychological issue—if she disagreed with village girls, she’d scar their faces. Previously, she’d nearly done it to Gu Xiaocao’s face.
Gu Xiaoxue’s striking beauty was hard for Xu Xinghua not to envy.
Unexpectedly, Xu Xinghua was so malicious.
...
Early the next morning, Tong Huaqiong sent Qin Qingyou to the prefectural city to deliver a letter to Aunt Tang.
That evening, Aunt Tang brought back Qin Qingyou’s letter.
Madam Lian was indeed arranging a marriage for her son. Just as Tong Huaqiong thought, the Lian Family was indeed setting up a marriage for the third son while actually seeking a scapegoat for the second.
