Marriage Proposal

After Li Xue finally relaxed, she stood up and began exploring the manor. The hallway was silent, and as Li Xue wandered through the Wei Manor, she noticed a group of servants approaching, speaking loudly with serious expressions.

Quickly, Li Xue hid behind a nearby box, large enough to conceal her completely, and listened intently to the maids' conversation. The maids were dressed in simple yet elegant white robes that enhanced their beauty.

"Did you hear? Wei Lan brought two beauties into the manor," one maid whispered.

"Yes, I saw them. They truly are stunning. I think Madam Zhou's position might be in danger. The Old Master seems quite pleased with Wei Lan," another maid replied.

A beauty? Li Xue thought, but her musings were interrupted as one maid continued, "Such a pity the girl will become a concubine. Her pink eyes were so enchanting."

"Pink eyes… Hua Rong," Li Xue murmured, but she wasn't quiet enough.

"Who's there? Come out!" demanded a maid with phoenix-like eyes.

Li Xue froze but eventually stepped out from her hiding spot. The maids' angry expressions shifted to astonishment when they noticed her long, curly, fluffy hair, which was unkempt and far from beautiful. Despite her hair, her light brown skin was striking compared to their pale complexions, though it failed to make a good impression.

"Who are you?" one maid asked suspiciously.

"Greetings. I'm just a lowly servant of the people you were discussing earlier," Li Xue said with a nervous laugh. "I got separated from my masters and found them here. Could you lead me to them?"

The maids sneered. "Who are you trying to fool? Such beautiful people wouldn't have such an ugly servant. Don't waste our time." With that, they turned and left, leaving Li Xue in disbelief.

"Are they seriously not worried about leaving a stranger in the manor?" Li Xue muttered.

"No, that's usually the guards' job," a voice replied, startling her. Li Xue turned to see a girl who looked about fourteen, her face carrying a confident smirk.

"Hi, I'm Jinora," the girl said with a chuckle. "It means 'wisdom.' You're looking for your masters? Follow me."

Without waiting for a reply, Jinora turned and began walking. Li Xue hurried after her, asking cautiously, "You're not trying to trick me, are you?"

"You're insignificant. I have no reason to harm you," Jinora replied confidently.

Li Xue narrowed her eyes and thought, What an arrogant brat. Still, she followed. Eventually, they reached a gate, and strange noises could be heard from the other side.

Li Xue's face turned green with worry, and she rushed forward, pushing the door open with such force that it startled everyone inside. Hua Rong, who had been sipping wine, jolted, causing her cup to shatter. Chen Yi, sitting beside her, also looked startled.

"Hua Rong! Chen Yi! I'm here to save you!" Li Xue shouted as she ran toward them.

The guards moved to block her, but Hua Rong quickly intervened, commanding them to stand down. She approached Li Xue, her white robes fluttering elegantly. "Are you alright?" she asked.

Li Xue angrily shoved Hua Rong aside. "What the hell are you doing here? Did you forget about me so soon?" she scolded.

Hua Rong tried to explain, but Chen Yi interrupted. "The Wei Manor's head, Wei Cheng, said he'd look for you. Now that you're here, why are you so worked up?"

As the three of them argued, a man coughed dryly to catch their attention. "Xiansheng Yi, who is this? Your maid?" Wei Cheng asked.

Li Xue's blood boiled at his words. "Old man, how dare you call me a maid! I'm their cousin, and I hold the same status as they do," she declared, glaring at the maids she'd met earlier, suspecting they had spread misinformation.

Wei Cheng composed himself. "Ah, esteemed guest, please take a seat," he said, trying to mask his irritation. Li Xue huffed and sat where Hua Rong had been sitting. Both Hua Rong and Chen Yi stayed quiet, sensing her anger, and joined her.

Scanning the room, Li Xue noticed two men and a woman seated opposite them, their demeanor composed and elegant. She nudged Hua Rong and whispered, "What were you all laughing about?"

"Nothing much," Hua Rong replied, barely suppressing a laugh at Li Xue's disheveled hair.

The woman across the room stood up and gracefully approached Chen Yi. Her rosy cheeks complemented her pale skin, and her yellow robes accentuated her peach blossom eyes. With a polite smile, she asked, "Esteemed guest, would you like to take a walk with this humble lady?"

Any ordinary man would be entranced by such an offer, but Chen Yi was no ordinary man. He glanced briefly at Li Xue, who seemed completely unbothered, and replied with a blank expression, "No, thank you."

The woman's polite smile faltered slightly at Chen Yi's blunt rejection, but she quickly composed herself. "Perhaps I did not make myself clear," she said, her voice soft but with an undercurrent of impatience. "I am Bai Lian, and that's my father." She said as to threaten or force him, "It is rare to meet someone as esteemed as yourself in the Wei Manor. Surely, a short walk would not be too much trouble?"

Chen Yi's expression remained unchanged, his eyes calm and uninterested with a poker face Chen Yi replied. "I appreciate your courtesy, Lady Bai, but I must decline. I'm not in the mood for a walk."

Bai Lian's patience began to waver, though she tried to maintain her dignified demeanor. "It is not every day that I extend such an invitation, Xiansheng Chen. You might reconsider; after all, this is a gesture of friendship."

Li Xue, who had been watching the exchange, rolled her eyes dramatically. Her temper finally snapped as she stood up and pointed at Bai Lian. "He said he doesn't want to, so he doesn't want to! Stop pestering him!"

Bai Lian turned to Li Xue, her composure cracking as her eyes narrowed. "And who are you to speak for him?"

Li Xue crossed her arms, her expression unbothered. "I'm his cousin. And unlike you, I don't need flowery words to understand his feelings. He doesn't want to go, so leave him alone already!"

Bai Lian's face turned red with frustration. She glanced at Chen Yi one last time, hoping for some kind of intervention, but he only gave a faint shrug, as if to say, What she said.

With a huff, Bai Lian spun on her heel, her robes swishing angrily as she stormed out of the room. Li Xue watched her leave, a smug grin on her face.

"She was getting on my nerves," Li Xue muttered, flopping back into her seat.

Hua Rong chuckled softly, finally breaking her silence. "You certainly know how to handle people, Li Xue."

Chen Yi's expression didn't change, but a faint glimmer in his eyes showed his silent gratitude to Li Xue for stepping in. Meanwhile, Minister Wei, seated at the head of the room, was left speechless. His original plan had been to pair his son with Hua Rong and his daughter, Bai Lian, with Chen Yi, believing them to be the young heirs of a wealthy family. However, the lack of interest from his guests was becoming increasingly apparent.

After a long sigh, Minister Wei finally spoke. "Esteemed guests, I must admit that when I first welcomed you into my manor, I harbored hopes of uniting our families through marriage. Seeing you, Xiansheng Chen, I believed you would be a fine match for my daughter, Bai Lian. And as for the lady in white robes, I thought she might complement one of my sons."

Hua Rong's jaw nearly hit the floor as she looked toward the two men sitting on the opposite side of the room, neither of whom had caught her attention before. Chen Yi, as usual, remained unreactive, though his slightly furrowed brow hinted at his annoyance. Beside him, Li Xue clamped a hand over her mouth to stifle her laughter.

Minister Wei continued, oblivious to the growing tension. "However, it seems you hold no such interests." He hesitated for a moment, then added with a hopeful tone, "Perhaps you might consider staying in my manor for a little while longer? In time, your opinions of my children may change."

This time, Li Xue couldn't contain herself and let out a sharp laugh, quickly turning it into an exaggerated cough to maintain some semblance of politeness. She glanced at Chen Yi, who gave her a brief look that clearly said, Control yourself.

Clearing her throat, Li Xue stood and addressed Minister Wei, her tone deceptively formal. "Minister Wei, while your offer is… generous, I believe my cousin and Hua Rong would rather not impose any longer than necessary. Isn't that right, Chen Yi?"

Chen Yi remained silent but gave a subtle nod, his neutral expression perfectly masking his frustration. Hua Rong chimed in, her voice sweet but firm. "Minister Wei, we appreciate your hospitality, but we wouldn't want to overstay our welcome."

Minister Wei's face fell, but he managed a strained smile. "Of course. I only wish to ensure your comfort during your stay."

Li Xue plopped back into her seat with a satisfied grin. Trying to match them up like chess pieces? Not on my watch, old man.

"We'll stay!" Hua Rong exclaimed.