Uncle and Auntie’s Home
Chu Lian, wearing a silk satin blue robe embroidered with elegant patterns and a jade hairpin on his head, seemed to have the demeanor of a young noble, making him stick out like a sore thumb at this rustic wedding gathering.
At the moment, he was surrounded by a group of women who had come to attend the banquet. Since he was at Yang Ming’s relatives’ home, Chu Lian didn’t want to act too inappropriately, so he endured and chatted with these women, who were about as old as his mother.
His overly dazzling attire and extraordinary looks had piqued the intense interest of these country women.
"Are you Scholar Yang’s classmate?"
"Yes," Chu Lian nodded.
"Then what’s your last name? Where’s your family home?"
"I am surnamed Chu, my home is in Shibao Town."
A few women nodded upon hearing this, calculating in their minds: He must be from a wealthy family in town. With those looks and that attire, it would be wonderful if one of their daughters or relatives could marry into his family, so they all eagerly inquired further.
"How old are you this year?"
This was Chu Lian’s first time chatting with a group of women he didn’t know, and he didn’t know how to interact with them; he could only answer their questions as they came.
Upon hearing he was twenty-one, they calculated again in their minds. The age was a bit advanced; he might already have several wives at home.
"Have you married yet?"
"Not yet," Chu Lian replied with an awkward smile.
The women, hearing he was unmarried, thought they had a chance and decided to seize the opportunity.
So someone quickly introduced her relative, "I have a niece who is fifteen and still unmarried this year. Would you like to meet her?"
"My niece is fourteen this year; she’s really quite fetching."
Chu Lian thought it was just idle chit-chat, but to his surprise, these people had taken a shine to him and were looking to marry off their daughters or relatives to him.
Listened to the back and forth without a chance to get a word in, his face turned as dark as can be. He wanted to leave as soon as possible, but when he looked up, he saw the impudent girl not far away, watching him with a self-satisfied grin.
This impudent girl was clearly enjoying his misfortune, his eyes bulged with irritation when he saw that she was watching the drama unfold, staring back at him with a smug smile on her lips.
Jolted by anger, he came up with a plan and said to the women.
"Thank you, ladies, for your concern, but I’m already engaged."
"What? You’re already engaged?" As they were introducing their daughters, they heard him say he was engaged and immediately questioned him back.
Chu Lian pointed towards Wang Xiangxiang, showing a mischievous grin, "She is my fiancée, who has yet to come through my door."
Everyone looked in the direction Chu Lian indicated and saw a very attractive woman dressed in white brocade clothes, with a jade hairpin in her hair as well, clearly from a wealthy family.
Seeing that the two matched so well in looks and temperament, and realizing they had been introducing other girls to someone who was already engaged, they felt quite embarrassed, and thus they said to Chu Lian.
"Look at us, meddling in affairs. You two are well-suited for each other."
"Yes, yes, yes, congratulations to you both."
"When do you plan on getting married?"
Wang Xiangxiang, who had been pointed at, felt the group staring at her like she was some oddity, making her skin crawl. She instinctively felt that the rogue had been up to no good, so she gave a glare in return.
"Ladies, my fiancée who has yet to enter my household is getting angry and glowering at me. I must hurry over," said Chu Lian.
Seeing this, the women quickly said, "Yes, go quickly, hurry on over."