âIt looks like we willhave fruits soon enough!â
In the morning shortlyafter daybreak, Cheng Xiao Xiao was kicked away by her sisterâs little LanLanâs little feet. When she woke up, she could already hear noises from theoutside. She knew those were her fatherâs disciples by name cultivating.â
Cheng Xiao Xiaocarefully pulled the blanket over her sister before she got up, washed up, andwent to help her mother one some household matters. As for breakfast and whatnot, there were others to take care of those. They didnât need to worry aboutthem anymore. After a busy morning and everybody had breakfast and back towork. Innkeeper Zhu was teaching the servants and maids the proper way to greetguests.
Cheng Xiao Xiao didnâtleave the house but casually picked up some notes to read. Her mother Mrs.Cheng walked in from the outside and quietly handed her a letter to read.
âMom, whoâs the letterfor?â Cheng Xiao Xiao was surprised.
Mrs. Cheng seemed abit uneasy and said, âXiao Xiao, you read first, then we will talk about it!â
Cheng Xiao Xiao didnâtsay much more and started reading the letter. This was a letter for her mother.After she had finished reading it, her look was stone-cold. She handed theletter back to her mother and didnât say a word.
âXiao Xiao, do youwant to meet her?â Mrs. Cheng studied her daughterâs face cautiously.         Â
Cheng Xiao Xiao felt a slight headache.Of course she knew who her mother was referring to as âherâ. She couldnât helpbut to ask, âMom, you want to meet her?â
âXiao Xiao, I think we should. No matterwhat, youâve had a marriage arrangement when you were kids, now that your Gu da niang send a letter to point thatout. Itâd be rude of us to just ignore her!â Mrs. Cheng expressed her thoughtson the matter.\nEver since they have opened up thepathways to Willow Village, there had been more and more strangers coming toWillow. Or, to be more precise, more and more individuals sending letters tothe Chengâs. There were never one relative visited previously, now thereâs aline of people outside delivering letters claiming that they were theirfatherâs brother, fatherâs sister, motherâs sister, husband of a cousin. Justan endless string of relatives.
Most of them they could just ignore.Even Mrs. Cheng wouldnât pay attention to those who tried to claim they werehowever remotely related. Except for the Guâs of the city of Yin. She couldnâtnot accept their letter. And as soon as she has finished reading it, she wentlooking for her daughter to discuss.
âMom, I am going to be brutally honestwith you. Itâs best that we donât meet them. Once weâve met, you will never beable to get rid of them!â
âBut why would we want to get rid ofthem? Xiao Xiao, she is going to be your mother-in-lawâŚâ
âWait, mom! Stop!â Cheng Xiao Xiaoquickly interrupted her mother and said in her most serious tone, âMom, I amnot in a hurry. I donât care what kind of family the Guâs are. I wonât begoing. I hope youâd understand?â
âWhy? Xiao Xiao, I have met Junxian.Heâs not a bad looking kid, he should be a gooâŚ.â
As she was explaining, Mrs. Cheng sawthe indifferently way that her daughter was looking at her and stopped but sheadded softly, âYour dad wonât agree to ending this betrothal either.â
âWeâll talk about it later!â
âYou are not young any more!â
âMomâŚ.â Cheng Xiao Xiao felt helplessfacing her mother, finally she had to remind her, âMom, even you have once gaveup everything for your own happiness to be with the one that you love. So whywouldnât you give me that chance too? Was the parentsâ orders or thematchmakersâ words really that important?â\nâXiao Xiao, you, you are right!â
Mrs. Cheng paused for a second andnodded. She took a look a the letter in her hand and said, âXiao Xiao, ifthatâs the case, we will just ignore this!â as she put away the letter in herhand!
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