Chapter 898: 898 Instigating trouble 1
“Pfft!” Su Qingyue laughed upon hearing this, “You say ‘so long’, but how long is that exactly?”
“…” He did the math, it had been only a few months since old lady Liu offered seventeen taels for Su Qingyue. He had felt something for her starting that day… so it seemed it hadn’t been very long after all.
“Enough,” she said indifferently, “In light of your ‘sincere’ affection, let me offer you a piece of advice, stop deceiving yourself. It doesn’t matter whether my third brother is better than you, the fact is that I don’t have those feelings for you.”
“The kind where I like you.”
His facial expression darkened, “You like Xiao Yuchuan?”
“Yes. Otherwise why would I marry him?”
She stated with certainty that she liked another man, and Li Gui felt bitterly stifled inside, “Are you truly so heartless towards me?”
“Heartlessness implies that there was once affection, to begin with. There’s no opportunity for heartlessness between us.”
“Su Qingyue…” he felt heartache, “Everywhere, every girl is eager to marry me, yet it’s only you who rejects me with such finality.”
“There are always exceptions. One more mistake on my account is meaningless; you should go ahead and secure a marriage proposal early on your own, to ensure the Li Family lineage.” She proceeded to leave with the big mixed fur following her.
He stopped her, “Wait.”
“Don’t test my patience,” she said, with a hint of impatience in her eyes.
He pulled out two taels of silver from his chest, “I promised you ten taels last time; I only gave you eight, here are the remaining two taels.”
She accepted it unceremoniously, tucking it away in her sleeve pocket. If it was agreed upon, why not take the money?
Li Rong’er witnessed this scene and was completely unsettled.
She could only think that Su Qingyue was having an affair with Li Gui.
What did two taels of silver mean? She had to work as a head maid in the Fang Mansion for six or seven months to earn that salary. Li Gui was giving that amount to a woman, on top of the eight taels previously given—this was simply…
She was consumed with jealousy!
Su Qingyue passed by Li Gui and continued towards the river bank with the big mixed fur obediently following behind.
Li Gui followed her and said, “Su Qingyue, the incident on Hanging Neck Mountain had nothing to do with me. Liu Yuhong’s mistress is Liang Ping’an, please don’t misunderstand… You have to believe me.”
“Is that so.” Even if he wasn’t involved with Liu Yuhong, there were still undisclosed complications.
Her noncommittal response floated back as she disappeared around the corner.
Li Gui stood there, his face betraying a mixture of complex emotions, but he murmured firmly, “Su Qingyue, I will have you!”
Li Rong’er overheard his murmur and grew more certain of an unspeakable connection between him and Su Qingyue.
She headed back to the Xiao Family without even washing the clothes, still holding the basin.
As soon as she entered the courtyard door, she saw Xiao Yuchuan flipping and drying herbs on the medicine rack and approached him. Looking at Xiao Yuchuan’s hesitancy, she started, “Third… third young Master…”
Although Xiao Yishan had told her to call him third brother or Yuchuan, in the face of Xiao Yuchuan’s cold demeanor, she felt it was more appropriate to address him as third young Master until she officially became his wife.
Xiao Yuchuan continued to carefully flip the herbs on the rack. These were collected painstakingly by his wife on her trips to the mountain, and he had no interest in whatever Li Rong’er might say.
A typical person might ask about the unspoken words given her expression, but seeing Xiao Yuchuan showing no inclination to inquire, she had to say, “Third young Master, I have something to say but I’m not sure if I should speak.”
“If it’s something you shouldn’t say, then don’t say it.” He didn’t feel that a foreign and unfamiliar woman could have anything good to say.