Girl, There's Something Wrong With You - Chapter 42

Xie Qiudu ran desperately, his face already covered in tears and snot.

He didn’t know why those people hadn’t chased after him, but if the Taiyuan Wang clan really intended to target the Fufeng Xie clan, they wouldn’t just target him and his guards.

His father was likely already ambushed as well!

Thinking of this, he couldn’t help but shiver.

He feared being killed by assassins who might jump out from either side of the road at any moment, and he feared even more that he might arrive safely only to find his father’s corpse lying among a heap of bodies and pools of blood.

He rushed all the way to the edge of the venue, and only when he heard the guests’ laughter and music inside did he let out a sigh of relief in his heart.

Then he showed a determined expression and suddenly rushed in while the guards were caught off guard.

In the center of the venue, a group of scholars sat in the courtyard. Warm stoves were placed at intervals, making the whole courtyard as warm as spring. Some scholars even took off their outer coats, sitting in just their single-layer garments, chatting and laughing.

Suddenly, Xie Qiudu burst into the venue, knocking over several stoves along the way, and rushed to his father’s side, shouting:
“Father! This is a Hongmen Banquet, they…”

“Wait.” Xie Anshi raised his hand, signaling him to stop talking. Xie Qiudu anxiously wanted to continue, but held back his words.

He suddenly realized that since he had already mentioned the “Hongmen Banquet,” with his father’s wisdom and skills, he couldn’t have been completely unprepared.

However, his father still calmly signaled him to stop talking, which meant…

Was I mistaken?

“Apologies for the disturbance,” Xie Anshi turned around and said with a smile to Wang Maohong.

“No harm done.” Wang Maohong looked at Xie Qiudu leisurely. The latter hurriedly wiped his face with his sleeve, trying to appear calm.

“It seems my son and your daughter are not destined to be together,” Xie Anshi said with a smile.

“Regrettable.” Wang Maohong stroked his beard, “Since she has made up her mind, I can’t interfere much.”

“Hahaha.” Xie Anshi laughed, “Are there things even Wang Gong can’t handle?”

[Gong=Lord.]

“Human efforts have their limits, especially for an old man like me.” Wang Maohong smiled, “Let the young people make their own decisions.”

“Indeed.” Xie Anshi sighed deeply, “So be it.”

He stood up, bowed, and said:

“Then we shall take our leave, no need to see us off, Wang Gong.”

As they left the Taiyuan Wang’s estate, Xie Qiudu noticed the puzzled expressions on the other clan members’ faces, clearly caught off guard by the recent events. Only his father’s expression remained gentle and smiling, without a trace of anger or surprise.

“Father.” He mustered the courage to speak, “I…”

“Qiudu.” Xie Anshi said gently, “You need to pull yourself together. You can’t continue living so recklessly. Otherwise, in this world, there won’t be many good women who will fancy you.”

“Yes.” Xie Qiudu said gloomily, covering his face with his sleeve, full of shame.

“Master Xie!” A voice suddenly called from behind. Xie Anshi turned around to see Xie Yongye hurrying over with Xie Lingjiang.

“Third Uncle.” Seeing Xie Anshi’s gaze on her, Xie Lingjiang timidly called out, pretending to know nothing.

After all, I’m just a three-year-old child…

“Lingjiang.” Xie Anshi smiled, “You did well.”

Xie Lingjiang: ?

Before she could react, Xie Anshi patted her head and laughed heartily:

“A jade tree in the courtyard, orchids growing by the steps. I consider myself learned, but why am I completely outshone by my elder brother’s descendants?”

The Xie clan members behind her immediately started to talk amongst themselves, looking at Xie Lingjiang with an inexplicable sense of envy.

Everyone knew that Xie Lingjiang’s eldest brother, Xie Youdu, was highly regarded by Xie Anshi, who had once called him “the treasured tree of the Xie family.”

The saying “a jade tree grows in the courtyard, and orchids bloom on the steps” clearly referred to her brother and her, implying that she was the “orchid of the Xie family,” with talents and demeanor that matched her brother’s.

This was quite a high evaluation. From now on, the title “Orchid of the Xie Family” would likely spread throughout the Fufeng Xie clan.

“Master Xie,” Xie Yongye took half a step forward and whispered to Xie Anshi, “I fought with that person, he…”

“No rush, we’ll talk about it later.” Xie Anshi gently patted his arm, then pointed forward and smiled, saying:

“The interest has waned, it’s time to return.”

The Fufeng Xie clan left cleanly, leaving the members of the Wang clan in the courtyard looking at each other, not knowing what had happened.

From the conversation just now, it seemed that the marriage between Wang Gong’s daughter Wanrou and Xie Anshi’s eldest son had fallen through?

“Wang Gong,” after a while, someone finally gathered the courage to carefully ask about the matter.

Wang Maohong listened calmly, then smiled and said:

“I don’t know Wanrou’s thoughts. But judging from Xie family’s eldest son’s demeanor, it seems he spoke with Wanrou and was bullied by her.”

Hearing this, the crowd began to whisper among themselves. Some looked indignant, while others sneered.

For Xie Qiudu to visit Wang Wanrou before they were married was rude; being bullied by her during the visit showed a lack of talent; rushing to complain to his father in Wang Gong’s presence showed a lack of virtue.

Without courtesy, talent, or virtue, what did it matter if he was Xie Anshi’s eldest son? Did the Taiyuan Wang clan need such an alliance?

Thus, everyone began to take their leave, not daring to disturb Wang Maohong any further.

After sending off all the clan members, Wang Maohong also headed to the small building where Wang Wanrou lived.

In the first-floor living room, the servants had already cleaned up the mess, and the overturned furniture was set right. Wang Xinzhi had already left, urgently escorting Cheng Jinyang out of the clan grounds, while Wang Wanrou remained at the scene, watching the servants finish cleaning before they quietly left.

Then her father came in from outside.

“Father,” Wang Wanrou greeted with a bow.

“Mm.” Wang Maohong looked around and understood the situation. “Since you do not like the Xie family’s son, I will find you another suitable match.”

“Father, I am not currently interested in such matters,” Wang Wanrou said, lowering her eyes.

“Do you already have someone in mind?” Wang Maohong asked.

Wang Wanrou remained silent.

“Very well,” Wang Maohong sighed. “If you truly have feelings for that person, the family will not stand in your way. But there are a few things I must inform you of in advance.”

His expression suddenly turned stern:

“First, if he betrays humanity in the future, the Taiyuan Wang clan will sever all ties with you and will not show any mercy. Do you understand?”

Wang Wanrou remained silent.

“Second, if he chooses to marry a princess and become a prince consort, as a daughter of the Wang clan, you must never become a concubine and live beneath others. Do you understand?”

Wang Wanrou continued to remain silent.

“Third…” Wang Maohong paused, then suddenly asked, “Has your ideological seal been removed?”

“Father, you jest,” Wang Wanrou finally replied, still lowering her head to avoid letting her father see her face.

“Mm.” Wang Maohong’s face showed no emotion as he turned and said, “Whether you have found a way to break the seal or have misinterpreted its meaning, you must be cautious and not arrogant in the future.”

“Otherwise, your ‘ill-fated’ second uncle will be your future fate!”