Ye Gaosheng arrived at the main courtyard and, sure enough, Madam He was busy packing two large trunks in the yard. The trunks were tied with red silk, clearly preparations for a marriage proposal.
"Mother, what are you doing?" Ye Gaosheng suddenly spoke up, his voice a bit too loud because of his agitation.
Madam He looked up and glared at him irritably, "What else could I be doing? I’m preparing the betrothal gifts for your marriage proposal. It’ll be November soon, and you’ll be 18 after the new year. If you don’t get married, we’ll become a laughingstock."
In her heart, Madam He was thinking she should get this matter settled quickly and then arrange the wedding before the New Year.
However, Ye Gaosheng came with a face full of sorrow and indignation, "Mother, stop fussing, I don’t want to get married yet."
Having been busy all day, Madam He’s face turned green with anger on the spot, "What? Say that again?"
Not long ago, he had told her to just take care of it, and now that a suitable match had been found, she had even prepared the betrothal gifts, but this ungrateful boy suddenly said he didn’t want to get married?
As Madam He’s temper flared, Ye Gaosheng immediately felt his confidence falter.
But the frustrated Ye Gaosheng still repeated himself with a whimper, "I... I’m busy, alright? How do I have time to get married?"
"Everything else is taken care of by your old mother. Won’t you even have time to come back and perform the wedding ceremony?" After hearing Ye Gaosheng’s words, Madam He found it utterly laughable.
Ye Gaosheng, not eloquent to begin with, was now completely at a loss for words, "Anyway, anyway, I just don’t want to get married!" It was the first time in his life that Ye Gaosheng dared to contradict Madam He, but thinking about marrying someone other than Qingyue made him feel terrible.
"Oh, so the brat’s got nerve now, huh? You don’t want to get married, and your old mother doesn’t even want to bother with arranging it for you. Heartfelt efforts wasted; what a joke! Look at the betrothal gifts here. Which of your brothers could match this? I thought you were the most considerate and obedient, but as you grow up, it seems to get worse. You’ve learned to hurt your mother’s heart..." Madam He truly hadn’t felt for quite a long time.
Though Madam He didn’t directly curse, her tone and expression made Ye Jiu feel as if perhaps he had gone too far himself!
Ye Jiu arrived just in time to hear Madam He scolding Ye Gaosheng.
Immediately, Ye Jiu spoke up to diffuse the situation, "Mother, what’s happened? How did Fourth Brother offend you again?"
Madam He instantly softened when facing Ye Jiu, but when she turned her head back to look at Ye Gaosheng, her annoyance returned, "Ask him yourself. I spend all day worrying and working for his sake, and he, ungrateful wretch, doesn’t appreciate it!"
"Fourth Brother?" Ye Jiu questioned.
The Fourth Brother was always an honest person, obedient to his mother’s every word; could he really have dared to offend Mother now?
Ye Jiu found it unbelievable.
Ye Gaosheng, feeling helpless, looked towards Ye Jiu, hoping Ye Jiu could help persuade, "I haven’t done anything, I just... simply don’t want a wife yet!"
"Really?" Ye Jiu arched an eyebrow.
Ye Gaosheng nodded in defeat, "Really."
"Then that’s truly a pity," Ye Jiu said with a smile that wasn’t quite a smile, looking at him, "Sister Qingyue also ought to marry. I was thinking of keeping it within our own people, but now that Fourth Brother is unwilling... well, I suppose I’ll just have to think over who else could be a good match for Sister Qingyue!"
As he spoke, Ye Jiu assumed a regretful expression, lowering his head in thought as though he was sincerely considering the options.