At the Yu residence, the family had finished breakfast. Master Yu went out to check on the shops, while Yu Wanru stayed in the hall chatting with her mother.

Madam Yu seemed distracted, pondering whether Madam Xiao would agree to switch the engagement to the second son, which left her a bit absent-minded.

Noticing this, Yu Wanru gently shook her mother’s hand and asked with concern, “Mother, are you worried about my situation again?”

Madam Yu, snapping out of her thoughts, affectionately touched her daughter’s face and made an excuse, “No, I was thinking about your brother. It’s so hot; I wonder how he’s doing at school.”

The Yu family had two children, a boy named Yu Qing, aged fourteen, studying at Liucheng Middle School. He used to live at home and commute daily, but after an incident with the Sun family, Master Yu had him stay at school for safety, bringing him home once a month. The last visit was two weeks ago.

Yu Wanru said sadly, “If it weren’t for me…”

Madam Yu interrupted, “How could this be your fault? Silly child, don’t think that way. It’s the Sun family’s wrongdoings, not the victim’s fault. It’s Sun Er’s evil intentions. How could anyone blame you?”

Yu Wanru remained silent, but she had seen how the Sun family’s harassment had affected her parents over the past months.

Although the Yu family wasn’t among the top households in Liucheng, they were well off compared to most, managing four or five shops and some farmland, living comfortably.

However, the situation worsened after the Sun family’s trouble, forcing them to close four shops, leaving just one struggling to stay open. During that difficult time, though her parents tried to hide their worries, she noticed their distress.

Things only began improving three months ago when news of an engagement with the Xiao family spread, making the Sun family back off.

Lately, the family’s circumstances had been steadily improving, and they even planned to bring her brother back home. 

However, now that Xiao Young Master disliked her and wanted to break off the engagement…

If that news spread, the Sun family would surely come back stronger.

Clutching her handkerchief tightly, Yu Wanru thought, This time, I won’t let my parents worry about me. If marrying into the Sun family is inevitable, then so be it.

Seeing her daughter’s silence, Madam Yu was about to say more when Nanny Rong hurriedly entered the room. “Madam, the Xiao family’s young master is here again!”

Madam Yu instinctively stood up and asked, “Which young master from the Xiao family?”

Nanny Rong, unaware of the family’s plan involving the second young master, responded confusedly, “It’s the same young master from yesterday.”

“Him… What is he here for?”

Nanny Rong explained, “The young master said he’s here to apologize to our young lady.”

Madam Yu turned to her daughter, “Wanru, what do you think? Do you want to see him?”

Yu Wanru, still looking down at her embroidered handkerchief, raised her head and softly said, “Young Master Xiao didn’t do anything wrong yesterday. There’s no need for an apology.”

Madam Yu had similar thoughts. On his first visit, Young Master Xiao had upset her daughter, and if she could help it, she’d rather they not meet again.

But she also had other considerations. Regardless, she intended to secure the marriage agreement with the Xiao family. Even if Wanru didn’t marry the eldest son, she would eventually be his sister-in-law and live under the same roof.

She persuaded, “Since the Xiao young master made an effort to come in this heat, it would be impolite to turn him away. Let’s meet him.”

Glancing at the hot sun, Yu Wanru thought her mother made sense. It wouldn’t be right to avoid the guest who had come to visit.

She nodded, “Alright, as you wish. Please Nanny Rong, invite the young master in.”

“Certainly,” Nanny Rong replied, shielding her eyes from the sun as she hurried off.

Madam Yu pondered for a moment, “Wanru, I’ll go to the back room. You can speak with him here.”

Yu Wanru quickly asked, “Do you have something to attend to, Mother?”

Madam Yu shook her head, “No, I just think the young master might feel uncomfortable if I’m present. He’s still young. Don’t worry, you won’t be alone. Nanny Rong will stay with you, and I’ll just be close by. Call if you need me.”

Yu Wanru considered this and gently nodded, “Alright.”

As Madam Yu retreated to the inner room, Xiao Anlan entered the courtyard with Nanny Rong, carrying a large box that seemed quite heavy.

In the courtyard, he immediately noticed the well-dressed Miss Yu sitting at the table. She wore a light green, rounded-collar blouse and a black embroidered skirt, holding a handkerchief and a fan, all very proper.

Yu Wanru stood up, slightly reserved, and said, “Please have a seat, Young Master Xiao.”

Xiao Anlan sat down, feeling awkward about how to start, clearing his throat. The tension eased a bit as Nanny Rong diligently served tea, preventing the atmosphere from becoming too stiff.

After rehearsing his words mentally, Xiao Anlan finally spoke, “Miss Yu, I was too brash yesterday. I came today to sincerely apologize. I hope you’ll give me a chance to make amends.”

Yu Wanru quickly shook her head, “Young Master Xiao, you’re too kind. Yesterday, no one was at fault. What you said made sense. Decisions made by the elders shouldn’t be forced upon the younger generation.”

Xiao Anlan pondered her words and cautiously asked, “So, Miss Yu, what do you think?”

Thinking he was worried about her discussing breaking the engagement with her parents, Yu Wanru reassured him, “Don’t worry, Young Master Xiao. I’ve already spoken with my mother. We’ve agreed the engagement doesn’t count anymore. She’ll soon discuss it with your parents. It was our fault for troubling you before.”

Hearing her say the engagement was off, Xiao Anlan thought she must have resolved to marry his second brother. No wonder she was reserved today after her previous shyness.

But Xiao Anlan wasn’t one to give up easily.

Considering that his brother wasn’t even aware of this yet, the situation wasn’t set in stone.

He opened the box he brought, revealing it was full of books.

Yu Wanru was surprised, “What is this?”

“I heard you enjoy reading, so I stopped by a bookstore near your home. The owner recommended these when I mentioned they were for you. I hope you like them,” Xiao Anlan said.

Yu Wanru picked up a few books. Since being harassed by Sun Er, she hadn’t gone out in months, and her old books had worn out. The new ones were collections of poetry, travelogs, and folklore—exactly her taste.

Feeling a mix of emotions, she realized this young master was genuinely kind. Even though he rejected the engagement, he was sincere and hard to blame. Plus, bringing these thoughtful gifts showed his genuine apology.

She nodded, “Thank you. You’ve been very thoughtful.”

Relieved, Xiao Anlan saw her acceptance as a sign of a chance to change her mind. However, he knew he’d need a careful plan to win her over completely.

With pressing matters to attend to, he soon bid farewell.

After he left, Madam Yu emerged from the back room and asked, “Wanru, you accepted his gift?”

Yu Wanru nodded and explained, “I thought if I didn’t accept it, he might feel guilty and come again. In this heat, and since it wasn’t his fault, why make him run back and forth? It’s better to accept it and ease his mind.”

Madam Yu looked at the books, sighing inwardly. Both of them were good kids, so why couldn’t they just be together?

^[1]Author’s Note:

Their thought processes:

Young Master Xiao: Yay~ She accepted it, I’ll visit again tomorrow!

Wanru: I accepted it, so hopefully he won’t come again, right?