Chapter 6: Not a Match

He Miaojiao was focused on her embroidery when she suddenly heard a loud “bang.” The courtyard door had been forcefully pushed open. 

A sharp-faced woman stormed in, cursing as she went. It was Wu Chéng’s mother, the widow Wu. 

She scanned the area and saw He Miaojiao sitting on a stone bench embroidering, with a handsome but unfamiliar man seated in a wicker chair nearby. The man’s gaze seemed to bore through He Miaojiao, prompting her to speak in a mocking tone. 

“Oh, He Miaojiao, how’s life treating you?” 

He Miaojiao’s usually gentle brows knitted together. She put down her embroidery and stood up sharply. 

“Why didn’t you knock, Aunt? You just barged into someone else’s yard without any manners!” 

The widow Wu snorted dismissively, smiling smugly, her tone sharp. “Why bother knocking? Unless you’re doing something shameful, what’s the need? Killing off your parents isn’t enough, and now you’ve learned to steal men? Think just because you picked up some random guy you can make a life out of it? It’s a good thing my son Da Cheng didn’t want you! If he married you, would he have to wear a green hat?”

He Miaojiao had once treated her courteously, but after seeing her true nature, she didn’t hold back. “Aunt, what kind of talk is that? You’re just judging others by your own standards! You think just because you have that kind of thought in your mind, everyone else does too? Ever since my father passed away, you’ve started acting this way, trying to make trouble for me. I suspect that you instigated Da Cheng’s decision to break off our engagement! Is it possible he’s just another Chen Shimei?!”

Wu Chéng’s father had gone off to join the army years ago and had never returned. Although there was no confirmed news of his death, after disappearing for over ten years, the villagers gradually assumed he had died.

The widow Wu had long been infatuated with He Feng. Although they hadn’t married, she couldn’t let go of her feelings.

That year when Wu Tiezhu, the widow’s husband, went off to the army, He Miaojiao’s mother, Mo Cui, was still alive. The widow Wu began to show interest in He Feng, but he never paid her any attention.

Later, news broke that Wu Tiezhu had gone missing in the military, and a few years later, Mo Cui also passed away. The widow Wu feigned grief for a while but then began to pursue He Feng aggressively.

In the year Mo Cui died, He Miaojiao was only seven, and He Feng was constantly in sorrow. The widow Wu thought this was a good opportunity to slip into their lives, constantly bringing food to He Miaojiao’s home, but He Feng would not accept anything from her. 

He Feng wanted to keep a clear boundary with the widow Wu, but she always found ways to feign concern for He Miaojiao.

At that time, He Miaojiao couldn’t see the adults’ hidden motives and thought widow Wu was genuinely kind.

He Miaojiao had grown up with Wu Cheng as childhood friends; he was a few years older and took care of her. 

Wu Cheng was gentle and compassionate, particularly clever, and he was noticed by the county school and became a student; everyone in the village felt he would surely have a bright future.

Widow Wu pursued He Feng for several years without success. 

But seeing that He Feng cared for Wu Cheng, she decided to propose an engagement between the two children. She thought that even though she couldn’t become a wife to He Feng, they could at least be in-laws, looking out for each other.

Although He Feng was troubled by widow Wu, he thought Wu Cheng was a good match and would have a promising future, unlike a foolish son. 

With a father protecting her, he thought she would not suffer from her mother-in-law’s anger after marrying into their family, so he agreed. 

At the engagement, He Miaojiao was only eleven and didn’t fully understand the concept of marriage. She thought she would be living with her father and mother in the future and happily accepted.

Widow Wu never expected He Feng to pass away when He Miaojiao was ten. Meanwhile, Wu Cheng had passed the civil service exam. Widow Wu began to find fault with He Miaojiao.

She felt that He Miaojiao had a hard life and feared that marrying into their family would bring bad luck to her son and considered her just a mountain village girl, while her son would eventually become a high official. They were mismatched in status.

Just two months ago, the widow Wu returned from visiting her son in Pingzhou, bringing back a letter.

The letter was written by Wu Cheng himself, intending to break off the engagement with He Miaojiao. 

Though it stated that the separation due to studying had led to an emotional distance, the widow Wu couldn’t wait to show off to the entire village that her son had met the daughter of the governor in Pingzhou.

With this relationship, the engagement was broken off two months prior.

At first, He Miaojiao was heartbroken, feeling she had let down