An Jing said, "No matter what Prime Minister Li thinks, I believe that you should still visit the Prime Minister’s residence as originally planned. You haven’t even tried and have already given up; do you think you are being fair to Wuyu’s profound feelings for you?"
"I know I’m unworthy of her, but..." Wang Youbao was extremely pessimistic, "I was born out of wedlock, a mere merchant, while she is the daughter of an official, and the only child of the highest-ranking official at that. The distance between us is immense; even if I don’t try, I know there’s no future for us."
An Jing scoffed coldly, "You not trying is what ensures there’s no outcome! If you try, at least you have a sliver of hope! Wang Youbao, I’m starting to doubt whether you truly like Wuyu. Or to put it another way, I wonder if I should doubt whether you like her as much as you claim. If you loved her as much as she loves you, wouldn’t you try for her at least once?"
Wang Youbao was instantly at a loss for words. But then he quickly said, "No, no, no, I do like her. I’m willing to do anything for her, it’s just... my status is really too lowly..."
An Jing immediately rebutted, "Excuses! All excuses! What does trying have to do with your low status? You may have a lowly status, but does that mean you lose the right to even try? I’ve certainly never heard of such a law in Xiyun!"
Wang Youbao was once again at a loss for words. It seemed... he really was...
"Wang Youbao," An Jing scoffed again. "If you don’t try, then your relationship with Wuyu can only end here. But if you do try, even if you can’t end up together, at least you tried, and you would have been true to your feelings for Wuyu. Do you understand?"
Wang Youbao hung his head, silent.
"Look at yourself now, avoiding Wuyu, not willing to see her, even sending Yu Erming to tell her you’re not worthy of her, and you don’t even have the courage to tell Wuyu yourself. Are you still a man? How can you lack so much responsibility and courage? You’re simply a coward! Do you know how much you’ve hurt Wuyu with your actions?" An Jing didn’t mince her words, intending to wake Wang Youbao up with her scolding.
If it weren’t for a friend, An Jing wouldn’t have interfered. If you want to be a coward, so be it; it’s none of my business anyway. But one is her close friend, and the other is her apprentice; she couldn’t stand idly by.
Chastened by An Jing’s scolding, Wang Youbao indeed felt that An Jing was right. His head drooped even lower, like someone who has done wrong and accepts the continued reprimand.
An Jing looked at Wang Youbao in that state and thought he resembled a student who had made a mistake, and she the disciplinary dean. The thought made her almost want to laugh and cry at the same time.
After a long moment, she stopped scolding and sighed, "Youbao, I am saying these things because I consider you a friend. I don’t want to say anything more. Let me just say this one last time: Give your relationship with Wuyu a proper closure. Running away is truly not a solution."
Upon hearing this, Wang Youbao pursed his lips. Then, lifting his head, he spoke with a determined look of gratitude, "A single word awakens one from dreams. Thank you, An Jing. I hadn’t considered these things before. I was just fixated on not being worthy of Wuyu and... Now I’ve understood. No matter whether things with Wuyu work out or not, I will go to the Capital and give both Wuyu and myself an explanation."
An Jing nodded, "It’s good that you’ve come to understand. I’ve told Wuyu to go back to the mansion and wait for news. Go find her; she looked as pale as you do."