Shu Wan’s lips were slightly pursed, and her eyelashes trembled. She looked exactly like a shy and emotional young girl. "Thank you, I will definitely go tonight."
Seeing Shu Wan still looked as foolish as ever, solely intent on eloping with Scholar Lin, Shu Ying felt relieved.
Just as she entered, seeing Shu Wan’s calm profile as she sat there, Shu Ying thought Shu Wan had become smarter. But now, it seemed nothing had changed.
"Sister, Scholar Lin already knows about your participating in the contestant selection. You need to explain it to him. In a few days, you will head north to the Capital, wouldn’t it be unfair to Scholar Lin?"
Shu Wan’s eyes widened slightly, in an utterly panicked expression. "What should I do? I don’t want to participate."
"Sister, did you read the script I showed you a few days ago?"
"Yes." Shu Wan nodded, following Shu Ying’s lead. "What do you mean?"
"Why don’t you just emulate Cui Yingying, and I emulate the matchmaker?"
Shu Wan understood. "You mean, let me elope?" Googlᴇ search novel_fіre.net
"Yes, Sister, don’t you really like Scholar Lin? He is highly talented and handsome as a jade tree in the breeze, bound for great success in the future. He might even become a marquis or prime minister. When that time comes, you can return, and our parents will surely forgive your current transgressions."
Listening to Shu Ying’s words, Shu Wan snorted coldly in her heart.
Shu Ying’s words sounded nice, certainly capable of deceiving a naive young girl of tender age.
But to her ears, they were full of holes.
Even in the world a thousand years later, elopement was greatly despised, not to mention in today’s age.
Step back ten thousand steps. Even if that so-called Scholar Lin were to succeed in the future, as he rose from the masses, his first step would probably be to kick her aside, let alone repay the favor she did today.
Her thoughts swirling, Shu Wan had a look of anticipation on her face as she gazed at Shu Ying. "What should I do, please teach me, my sister."
"I have already arranged everything for you." Shu Wan had always been gullible, and Shu Ying had no doubts at this moment. "Tonight, you run away with Scholar Lin. I have someone replace your household registration; from now on, you will be a fisherwoman from Dongnan County, no longer a daughter of the Shangnan County Magistrate."
Shu Ying spoke a lot of nonsense that Shu Wan couldn’t be bothered to remember, but at least, some of the information was very useful.
Her current identity was the legitimate daughter of the Shangnan County Magistrate.
Shu Wan knew Shangnan County; it was a county under Suzhou Prefecture, not far from Bailu Mountain. When Shu Wan first left the mountains to study, she and her classmates had eaten tofu pudding at a small stall in Shangnan County.
Back then, how could she have imagined that she would return here under such an identity?
Seeing Shu Wan silent, Shu Ying thought she was having second thoughts. "Sister, Scholar Lin has already defied his family’s old mother for you; you can’t fail to live up to his deep affection."
"I know." Shu Wan nodded moved. "Let’s do as you say. I need to prepare some gold and soft fabrics. Sister, could you lend me some money? Once Scholar Lin becomes successful, we will surely not forget you."
This sudden pie in the sky outlined by Shu Wan left Shu Ying a bit stunned. She forced a smile. "Sister, you know I am not the legitimate daughter. Father doesn’t give me much money each month."
Shu Wan glanced at Shu Ying’s head full of pearls. "Then I’ll discuss it with him, save some money, and we will leave later; there’s no rush now."
"Don’t!" Shu Ying’s tone turned urgent.
In a few days, the contestants would set out for the Capital. If Shu Wan didn’t leave, how could she have a chance?
"Sister, Father is coming back tomorrow. If you don’t leave tonight, you won’t be able to once Father returns!"
"But," Shu Wan looked troubled. "I really don’t have much money, as you know, and he is also embarrassed..."
"I’ll lend it to you!"
Shu Ying clenched her teeth. What was money anyway? If she could become a contestant, she would have all the gold and soft fabrics she wanted.
"Really? Then thank you, my sister. Hurry back and pack. I’ll have Caiyun go find you in a while, I need to pack my things too."
Saying this, Shu Wan stood up and began to pack.
Seeing Shu Wan was genuinely preparing to elope with Scholar Lin, Shu Ying also left reassured.
Although Shu Wan was indeed packing, she was not preparing to leave but was searching earnestly for information about her predecessor.
Two hours later, Shu Wan had sorted her current situation a bit.
Shu Wan, 16, legitimate daughter of the Shangnan County Magistrate, belonging to an obscure branch of the Shu Family, was to head to the Capital in three days to participate as a contestant.
And last night, she had resisted the contestant selection and, having left a suicide note, had taken her own life in her boudoir.