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“I don’t want a good deed to turn into a bad one; after all, forced melon tastes bitter,” Wang Jinhe remarked.
Raising an eyebrow, Su Yu responded, “How would you know if the melon is sweet or not if you don’t pluck it off the vine?”
Wang Jinhe shot Su Yu an exasperated look, feeling he was twisting logic around.
“Later, ask them about their thoughts and see what they think,” she instructed.
Once Lou Manqing knew the timing, he began preparing for the betrothal, while Su Yu and Wang Jinhe, with their children ready, headed to the palace to attend the banquet.
At the palace gates, they encountered Su Jiu and his wife.
While Wang Jinhe conversed with Ming Wanning, Su Jiu, observing the close relationship between his wife and her younger sister-in-law, approached Su Yu, asking, “What are they up to?”
“Xiao He is acting as a matchmaker for Lou Manqing; the other party is her sister-in-law’s cousin. Now, she also thinks highly of her sister-in-law’s sisters and wants to help Nan Qiao and the others find matches. She’s discussing this with her sister-in-law. It seems my wife has suddenly taken an interest in matchmaking,” Su Yu explained, feeling a bit perplexed by his wife’s newfound matchmaking enthusiasm.
“Shouldn’t we ask Nan Qiao and the others for their opinions? Deciding such important matters for them without their input might not be ideal,” Su Jiu pointed out.
“We will definitely ask. If they are willing, the Ming family girls do indeed seem like suitable matches. It all depends on how they feel about it,” Su Yu responded.
As they discussed this, Wang Jinhe was also conversing with Ming Wanning about the same topic.
“Dear sister, what do you think? You’ve met Nan Qiao and the others several times. What is your opinion of them?” Wang Jinhe inquired.
Ming Wanning pondered thoughtfully, “They are truly good individuals, each with their own strengths and a diligent, reliable nature. I would be happy if it worked out for them.”
As a caring older sister leading a happy life, she naturally wished the same happiness for her younger siblings.
With a smile in her eyes, Wang Jinhe suggested, “Later, let Su Yu ask Nan Qiao and the others for their thoughts. If they agree, we’ll help arrange things for them to prevent any misunderstandings.”
“Alright,” Ming Wanning nodded, holding back a smile, finding Wang Jinhe’s approach quite amusing.
The palace banquet was much like previous ones—eating, drinking, watching performances. After the feast, Xuan Feiran rewarded the deserving soldiers, including the generals and those recommended by Su Jiu and Su Yu, who had shown merit on the battlefield.
After the rewards were given out, indicating the end of the palace banquet, everyone returned to their homes.
When Su Yu’s family returned, they found Lou Manqing with his parents in the front hall, all delighted to see them back. The children’s gifts were flowing out like they cost nothing, especially a large red packet presented to Wang Jinhe.
“Princess, my son’s marriage owes you so much. Without you, I would have thought he’d remain a bachelor for life,” Lou Manqing’s mother said, after exchanging greetings, launching into a playful critique of her son.
The level of disdain was palpable, leaving Wang Jinhe somewhat astonished.
Glancing at Lou Manqing’s nonchalant demeanor, Wang Jinhe suddenly understood that only someone very close could speak like that.
“Mother, Father, now that my sister-in-law is back, let’s discuss the betrothal,” Lou Manqing eagerly suggested.
Su Yu promptly gave Lou Manqing a light slap on the back of his head. “Discussing the betrothal at this hour? Can’t we do it tomorrow? Look at the time; let’s let Uncle and Aunt rest.”
Despite being scolded, Lou Manqing didn’t seem upset; he just smiled sheepishly.
Observing his overly naive demeanor, Wang Jinhe felt exasperated. “It’s indeed late. Let’s all rest now and discuss it thoroughly tomorrow. After all, the proposal is only the day after tomorrow.”
Wang Jinhe watched the family of three leave and then turned to Su Yu with a smile, “I’ve never seen such an amusing family before.”
“Their family dynamics look genuinely good,” Su Yu remarked.
“That’s natural. They only have Lou Manqing as their son, and he has been cherished since childhood. Despite the pampering, they haven’t allowed him to become spoiled. He has learned all the necessary skills. At sixteen, Lou Manqing gained the recognition of everyone in the Number one building through his own abilities, becoming the young master of the number one building.”
“Impressive.”
“Let’s go rest now. You’ll have a busy day tomorrow and the day after.”
“Don’t forget to ask Nan Qiao and the others for their opinions.”
“Don’t worry, I won’t forget.” Despite being preoccupied with her own concerns, Wang Jinhe couldn’t forget about the important matters she was mulling over.
The next day, as expected, Su Yu called Nan Qiao and the others over since Yin fan was occupied.
“Brother Yu, what brings us here so early? Don’t you have to teach the princess in the palace? Why do you have time to see us?” They were surprised to be summoned by Su Yu so early in the morning, given Su Yu’s recent busyness.
“Well, I just wanted to ask if you have any plans for marriage,” Su Yu inquired.
The group looked at Su Yu with puzzled expressions, “You’re asking us about getting married?”
“Yes, you’re not getting any younger. If you’re not ready to marry immediately, at least consider engagement,” Su Yu suggested.
The group fell silent, not uttering a word.
Finally, it was Bai Qi who spoke up, “We’re all from the Forget Sorrow City. Which girl would be willing to marry us?”
“Yeah, Brother Yu, aren’t you putting these girls in a difficult spot? It’s not right,” Nan Qiao shook his head.
“What if the girls are willing?”
“Huh? Someone would be willing to marry us?”
“Your sister-in-law thinks highly of the remaining Ming family girls and wants to know your opinions. If you are open to the idea of marriage, she will inquire about the Ming family’s thoughts. She could even invite them over for a visit. Take some time to think about it. If you are interested, I can act as the matchmaker for you to get engaged. However, in your family…”
“They are eager for us to get married, but the people they introduce us to are not to our liking. After a while, they stop pushing the issue,” Nan Qiao admitted somewhat sheepishly.
The individuals they were introduced to were truly dull.
Being uninterested from the start, committing to someone uninteresting for a lifetime held no appeal.
Of course, finding someone with shared interests and someone fun to be with was crucial for a less boring future.
Su Yu could sense that the group wasn’t opposed to the idea of marriage, but rather concerned about how their backgrounds might be perceived.
“I understand the situation. I’ll discuss this with Xiao He later. Just wait for updates, but once you agree, don’t back out later,” Su Yu reassured them.
The group, looking at Su Yu, wondered if they appeared so unreliable. After all, this was a lifelong commitment.
Realizing that Wang Jinhe was heading to the Ming family that day, Su Yu decided to inform her about Nan Qiao and the others’ concerns.
Upon hearing about Nan Qiao and the others’ worries, Wang Jinhe furrowed her brow and said, “Nan Qiao and the others are obedient and sensible. What’s wrong with being from the Forget Sorrow City? Tell them not to underestimate themselves.”
Wang Jinhe wanted to ensure that Nan Qiao and the others didn’t sell themselves short due to their origins.