Chapter 130 - Contact Secretly

Shi Qingxue was unable either to laugh or to cry after hearing Dong Hui’s naïve reason.

She certainly knew that Mo Juyang was not a good person, and she was not, either.

But facing Dong Hui’s serious expression, she stopped joking and said solemnly, “Mother, we are not good people. Your reason is not proper. And…”

Shi Qingxue paused for a while and there was gentleness on her face that she didn’t notice. Then she said slowly, “And I won’t fall in love with anybody in all my life. If there is somebody, it will be him only. Do you understand?”

She was unwilling to disobey Dong Hui’s decision, but she had gradually found what she really wanted from the bottom of her heart. If she would have to obey her parents and marry somebody else, ignoring Mo Junyang’s love for her…

Sorry, she couldn’t do that.

Maybe she couldn’t treat Mo Junyang like he treated her for now, which was why she still refused to love him back even if they had vague feelings. But she was willing to make effort for their future.

However, Dong Hui wasn’t moved by her daughter’s rare sincerity and showed a weird expression with surprise, fear and regret on her face. She grabbed Qingxue’s wrist forcefully, stressing each word. “No. You can’t be with him.”

What she said was decisive, with no chance to change.

“Mother!” Shi Qingxue was anxious.

But Dong Hui waved her hand and interrupted her. She turned away and avoided seeing her daughter while saying, “I am your mother. Since I have given you a chance to choose a man, but you don’t want it, you should let your parents decide your marriage. Don’t worry. The guy from the Leng Family didn’t show up, but there are many good men in the capital city wanting to marry you. I will find another one tomorrow.”

“What? Another one?”

Shi Qingxue felt lucky that the people from the Leng Family didn’t come today, but she realized that Dong Hui meant to make a blind date for her every day till she found a husband.

She was annoyed. “I don’t want to see them. Stop joking. Why would I have to meet the men that I have never seen before?”

Dong Hui totally ignored Qingxue’s wish and arranged everything forcefully as she locked up Qingxue in the Luotong Boudoir like last time. At the same time, she had an appointment with a Rank-2 official’s wife to meet next day.

Shi Qingxue looked at Dong Hui who seemed to have changed and felt depressed, but even if her mother made an appointment for her without asking her, she couldn’t stand up anybody regardless of her mother’s dignity. She was so angry.

What could make her feel happy was that the blind dates made by Dong Hui in the following days didn’t go on well for different reasons. A man broke his leg by accident on the way to the restaurant, and another had taken an order from the emperor at the previous night and disappeared, or…

And Dong Hui didn’t cut off her connections with the outside world like last time. After locking her up for several days, she let Dong Shuang go back to serve Qingxue.

As soon as Dong Hui left, Shi Qingxue couldn’t wait to ask Dong Shuang. “What’s going on? What did Mo Junyang say? Does he have a way to prevent me from seeing those men?”

Dong Shuang smiled slyly. “My Lady, you haven’t met them yet, right?”

Shi Qingxue was distressed. “I can avoid it one day, but I can’t escape forever. I won’t be lucky every time as the man happens to be too busy to see me.”

“Maybe! Perhaps you will be lucky every time, My Lady!” Dong Shuang tried her best not to laugh and the smile in her eyes which couldn’t be concealed scared Shi Qingxue.

Shi Qingxue trembled and patted Dong Shuang’s head crossly. “Stop joking around. The news that my mother forces me to have blind dates must spread in the capital city. I don’t believe that Mo Junyang would be completely indifferent.”

She was not sure about others, but Mo Junyang, the man who was willing to sleep with her skeleton after she died, would never stand by and do nothing.

Dong Shuang finally couldn’t control herself anymore and burst into laughter. “Of course he did something. Otherwise why would the men who want to meet you these days be so unlucky?”

“…Uhh!” Shi Qingxue was astonished and soon realized what had happened. She opened her mouth wide instantly, which could swallow an egg.

But then she was worried again. “It can’t go on like this all the time. It appears that my mother wouldn’t stop until she finds me a good husband. I don’t want them to fight because of me.”

Xia Mang and Dong Shuang looked at each other and prayed for their lady for a second. Then they raised their heads at the same time and reminded, “Just now, Madam told you to dress up. You will go out to see Duke Wu’s heir later.”

“Wu Su?” Hearing this name, Shi Qingxue frowned.

Because the elders of the two families were friends, Shi Qingxue had connections with Duke Wu’s heir, Wu Su, when she was a child, but because of their relationship, she put that guy on the list of the people that she would never make friends with. She didn’t want to see Wu Su at all, let alone developing any special relationship with him.

“I don’t know what my mother is thinking. Dose she think that nobody wants to marry me? She actually likes Wu Su, that coward. It pisses me off!” Shi Qingxue thought her taste was insulted for the first time.

As soon as Mammy Zheng entered the room, she heard Shi Qingxue complain about the man, but she didn’t show any expression on her face. She just said formally, “My Lady, Madam has to deal with the family affairs today and has no time to go out, so she told me to meet His Excellency with you.”

Shi Qingxue heard the first sentence and was about to grin, but she was frustrated by the last words. She rested her hands on the table with displeasure. “I won’t go.”

Mammy Zheng said, “Madam has made an appointment with Madam Wu. My Lady, if you refuse to go, Madam Wu would wait for you there.”

Seeing that Shi Qingxue hesitated, Mammy Zheng pushed harder. “Madam has said if you are still unwilling to go, she will go to Duke Wu’s mansion to apologize after she finishes her work.”

Hearing that Dong Hui would apologize, Shi Qingxue had to give in.

No matter how much she resisted Dong Hui’s arrangement, she wouldn’t make her mother lose face in front of outsiders, which would only give Mo Shujun more chances to spite Dong Hui.

She sighed helplessly. “I am going, okay?”

Mammy Zheng smiled with satisfaction and told somebody to prepare the carriage. She comforted Shi Qingxue, “My Lady, relax. If you don’t like His Excellency, Madam won’t force you. And you will meet him in a country house in the environs of the capital city, where there is beautiful scenery. You will enjoy it and forget to return home.”

Shi Qingxue leaned against the carriage and responded feebly, “I hope so.”

“And this time I have sent somebody to inquire. His Excellency has reached the house. You don’t need to worry that you won’t see the man as before.” Mammy Zheng added, thinking herself clever.

“What?” Shi Qingxue was surprised but not pleasant. She looked at Dong Shuang subconsciously.

She indicated, “Didn’t you say that Mo Junyang would handle those men?”

Dong Shuang was also distressed. “His Excellency did say that you don’t need to worry.”

Shi Qingxue glared at her crossly. “I don’t need to worry? You cheat me?”

Faced with Shi Qingxue’s anger, Dong Shuang lowered her head deeply and wanted to hide herself.

The carriage had arrived at the destination. Shi Qingxue had to get out and then walked into the house.

This house was built at the foot of a mountain, and a stream came from the mountain and flowed outside the courtyard. There were a mountain and a stream, and the scenery was indeed attractive.

After entering the courtyard, Shi Qingxue was more impressed. Different from the noble families’ luxury and grandiosity, the country house was decorated delicately but not wasteful. Every embellishment was perfect, and she didn’t have time to check all, so she believed what Mammy Zheng said before they came.

The trip was well worthwhile.

But…

“Since when did Wu Su have such good taste?”

Shi Qingxue murmured in surprise and heard the butler of this house report, “Master has prepared tea and snacks in the backyard. My Lady, please come to enjoy the scenery with him.”

“Okay.” Qingxue replied hesitantly.

Mammy Zheng wanted to go with her, but the butler stopped her with a good reason. “The backyard is a place for the masters to have fun, and nobody can enter without permission.”

“Uhh…” Mammy Zheng looked at Shi Qingxue in embarrassment. Dong Hui had told her to follow Qingxue closely, but guests should listen to the host, so she couldn’t enter. She had to pin her hopes on Shi Qingxue.

Shi Qingxue earnestly wished to cover this old maid’s eyes, in case that she got mad at Wu Su later and beat him up and would be told on. She certainly wouldn’t help Mammy Zheng and made a gesture to indicate that she could do nothing. She comforted to show her thoughtfulness, “We are guests, and of course we need to listen to the host, right? Wait outside. I will call you if there is something.”

Then she walked into the backyard swaggeringly.

As soon as she entered the backyard, Shi Qingxue was stunned.

Generally, the noble families liked to plant exotic flowers and rare herbs or raise some precious animals in the backyard to show their status, but there was only one kind of plant in this backyard, hibiscus.

The hibiscus trees were planted on both sides of the path, and they stood gracefully erect, like shy beauties. It was summer, and the hibiscus flowers were blossoming on each side. With the breeze, some pink and white petals fell occasionally.

Shi Qingxue was attracted by the fine view. She walked and stopped, and almost wandered around the same place for a long time.

Then a man’s laughter came from ahead. “I know you would be unwilling to leave after seeing it. Do you like it? Qingxue…”

His low voice was full of affection. Shi Qingxue suddenly raised her head and looked ahead.

She was astonished and then got joyful.

She couldn’t help but run to him instantly, asking with a smile while holding her face with both hands, “Mo Junyang, what are you doing here?”

Mo Junyang smiled and joked, “Weren’t you told to meet His Excellency? Who can it be except me?”

“…” Shi Qingxue was speechless because of this rascal. “So you have arranged the appointment of me and Wu Su?”

Mo Junyang smiled and didn’t reply.

Shi Qingxue was suddenly enlightened. She knew Mo Junyang was narrow-minded and had tried every means to prevent her from seeing those men before, but why did he become generous all of a sudden? It turned out that he was waiting here to see her in secret.

“So my mother had to deal with the family affairs because of you…”

Mo Junyang didn’t give her a chance to ask more and held her hand. He walked inside with her, hand in hand, and said gently, “The scenery inside is more beautiful. Let’s go in and have a look.”

Shi Qingxue was unable to respond.

She could do nothing to his natural behavior and had to walk in with him, but she was worried.

If Dong Hui knew that Mo Junyang had done so many things behind the scenes, would she go crazy?