Chapter 3
Lin Zhao had been feeling embarrassed about not having any tea to offer her guest, but after hearing the matchmaker’s words, she froze completely.
She hadn’t misheard, had she?
The County Magistrate’s daughter?
Was that someone she could even come into contact with?
“Are… are you sure you’re not mistaken?” Lin Zhao’s expression was sheepish, and even the question she asked sounded inexplicably weak and uncertain.
The only connection she could possibly have with the County Magistrate was her occasional run-ins with the yamen runners when she got into trouble.
Official Matchmaker Zhang was not surprised by her reaction. “You heard correctly. I am talking about the County Magistrate’s daughter.”
Lin Zhao: “…”
Had she gone mad, or had the world gone mad?
Official Matchmaker Zhang found a seat for herself and looked around. Lady Ye had indeed been thoughtful. She had anticipated that Lin Zhao, having grown up alone after her parents’ early death, would have few presentable things in her house, and had entrusted her to have it decorated as soon as the marriage was settled.
Lin Zhao finally realized she had been neglecting her guest and turned to go to the kitchen to pour a bowl of water. Even if she had no tea leaves, she should at least offer some water.
“Young Miss Lin, there’s no need.” Before she could step out, Official Matchmaker Zhang called her back, clearly knowing what she was about to do. “I’m not thirsty. You don’t need to go to the trouble. Let’s sit down and discuss this.”
After her initial survey, Official Matchmaker Zhang felt a slight sense of relief. Although the house looked old and the furniture had faded with the marks of time, it was clean, which added a sense of comfort to the place.
No matter how shameless she was on the outside, facing such an embarrassing situation now, Lin Zhao could feel her face burning. She sat down awkwardly on the other side of the matchmaker. Even though it was her own home, she felt as stiff as if she were a guest in someone else’s house.
“May I ask what the young miss thinks of this marriage?” A matchmaker who could deal with high-ranking officials and nobles was naturally not like the ones in the marketplace who would start by showering you with effusive praise, talking so fast you couldn’t get a word in.
Official Matchmaker Zhang had a friendly demeanor, and her voice was soft and gentle, making people instinctively feel at ease and trust her.
Just by looking at her, Lin Zhao knew this must be a good match. But why would such a good match fall into her lap?
“Excuse me, but may I ask, why me?” Lin Zhao licked her lower lip nervously. She was apprehensive, but at the same time, there was a strange sense of anticipation.
Did she have some hidden virtue she didn’t know about?
However, her question seemed to stump Official Matchmaker Zhang. The woman, who could navigate conversations with nobles with ease, was now silent.
Because even she didn’t understand why it had to be Lin Zhao. It was said to be the Third Young Miss Chu’s own choice. When her elders disagreed, she went on a hunger strike to protest, insisting on marrying Lin Zhao. Even when Lord Chu threatened to disown her if she persisted, she refused to change her mind.
She truly hadn’t expected the Third Young Miss Chu to like women. And if she liked women, so be it; the world was not as rigid as it used to be. But… to fall for a loafer… this was really not a matter of them being old-fashioned!
“Perhaps… because you like women?” Official Matchmaker Zhang said quietly.
The fact that Lin Zhao liked women was known throughout almost all of Yong’an Town. It was rare for a woman to like another woman. If not Lin Zhao, it would probably be impossible to find another woman in Yong’an Town who openly admitted it.
Lin Zhao: “…”
She was stunned. “The Third Miss Chu you mentioned also likes women?”
For a moment, she couldn’t describe her feelings. Was it the joy of meeting a kindred spirit? Or was it confusion? It was probably a mix of everything—a whirlwind of emotions.
“Perhaps. Otherwise, why would she want to marry you?” Official Matchmaker Zhang said vaguely.
Although Lord Chu had threatened to act as if he didn’t have this daughter, Lady Ye, as her mother, couldn’t bear to see her youngest daughter marry into another family in such an unclear manner. All the proper etiquette that came with a marriage, she would ensure was followed.
“But… but I don’t know her,” Lin Zhao said, even more bewildered.
She found it hard to imagine what it would be like to have such a person in her life.
Hearing her almost naive words, Official Matchmaker Zhang couldn’t help but smile. “Marriages have always been decided by the order of parents and the words of a matchmaker. How many newlyweds actually know each other before the wedding? Isn’t this how everyone does it?”
Lin Zhao looked down at the tattered, patched shoes on her feet and seemed to snap back to reality. She shook her head and said seriously, “I’m not willing. You’ve seen my situation. I may not be a good person, but I won’t do something that will ruin a young lady’s life. The Third Miss Chu and I are not a good match.”
Doesn’t everyone talk about matching social status in a marriage? She and the Third Miss Chu were like clouds and mud—worlds apart.
Official Matchmaker Zhang was surprised. She clearly hadn’t expected Lin Zhao to actually refuse such a good match.
“Have you thought this through? If you miss out on the Third Miss Chu, you probably won’t meet anyone as good as her for the rest of your life.”
“Of course I’ve thought it through.” But Lin Zhao showed no sign of changing her mind.
Official Matchmaker Zhang smiled. “Young Miss Lin, don’t be so quick to speak. A marriage is a major event, not something to be decided in a moment. You should think about it carefully over the next few days. I will come again later. Perhaps you will have a different answer then.”
With that, she didn’t linger. She stood up and said, “We’ll leave the things we brought here for now, to save the trouble of moving them back and forth.”
“Young Miss Lin, I’ll take my leave for now.”
Lin Zhao’s eyes widened slightly, about to speak, but Official Matchmaker Zhang, despite her elegant and graceful appearance, moved surprisingly fast. In the blink of an eye, she was already out of the main hall. She instructed her people to put the things down and then left with them.
Lin Zhao: “…”
She walked into the courtyard and looked at the chests placed there, falling silent once more.
After a long silence, she finally remembered why she had come home. She went into the kitchen and poured herself a bowl of water. Looking at the kitchen, which showed little sign of life, Lin Zhao found it truly difficult to associate that young lady of high society with such a place.
Not long after Official Matchmaker Zhang left, there was another knock on her gate. Lin Zhao guessed who it was. It had to be Lin Yongchang and the others, who had seen the matchmaker leave and had come back to inquire about the situation.
She didn’t open the door. Instead, she went back to her room, pulled the blanket over her head, her mind a chaotic mess.
Finally, she let out a frustrated groan and forced herself to stop thinking about these troublesome matters, wanting only to fall asleep.
**
For the next two days, nothing happened, and Lin Zhao returned to her usual life. She first bought two steamed buns on the street, then wandered around for a bit. Feeling the money pouch at her waist, she turned and slipped into a gambling den.
As soon as she entered, a cacophony of noise washed over her. Some people were clearly deep in the heat of gambling, shouting their desired numbers at the top of their lungs.
Lin Zhao scanned the room and walked over to the dice table. Since everyone there was a regular, they were more or less familiar with each other. As soon as Lin Zhao approached, someone greeted her.
The person urged her to bet on “big” with him, but Lin Zhao waved her hand, indicating she would watch for a bit first.
“Lin Zhao, come on, let’s play together,” someone from another table called out. Lin Zhao looked over. It was just a few gamblers playing dice, comparing sizes. She immediately changed direction and walked over.
Picking up a dice cup, Lin Zhao raised an eyebrow with confidence. Having frequented these places since she was a child, she had long since mastered a special trick. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been able to survive all these years on just the little money her family had left her.
After several rounds, with some wins and some losses, Lin Zhao had managed to break even and even make a small profit. She glanced at the others who were already getting carried away and decided it was about time.
The dice she was pinching in her hand were starting to hurt. Just as she was about to swap the dice in the cup, a hand clamped down on her wrist.
Lin Zhao’s heart skipped a beat. Had she been caught cheating by the casino staff?
She turned her head, ready to play dumb and ask why they had grabbed her, but she froze. The woman before her possessed a refined and noble air that seemed out of place here. Her exquisite, beautiful face wore a faint smile, but there was no warmth in her eyes, sending an inexplicable shiver down one’s spine.
Lin Zhao’s pupils constricted. Before she could speak, the woman, dressed in fine silk and brocade, looked at her with a smile that wasn’t a smile and said, “I was not aware you had such a nasty habit of gambling.”
Lin Zhao: “…”
She felt that the recent events were seriously testing her uncultured, empty brain. Her mind was a complete mess right now. She couldn’t understand why such a person would suddenly appear.
From the looks of it, she probably wasn’t from the casino. Otherwise, her hand wouldn’t still be so gently held.
The grip on her hand tightened. The woman turned and gestured to the maid beside her. The maid immediately collected all the money from her gambling table. Then, she turned back to the other stunned people at the table and said, “I have some business with her. We won’t be joining you.”
With that, she grabbed Lin Zhao and started walking out.
Lin Zhao was completely dazed as she was dragged along. But she quickly came to her senses and looked at the person who had taken her money, her expression hesitant, clearly wanting to say something.
However, the woman paid no mind to her reaction. Ignoring the stares from the surrounding crowd, she dragged Lin Zhao straight out of the casino and into a small alley behind it. This place was rarely frequented, making it a good spot for a conversation.
“Miss… who are you?” Only then did Lin Zhao dare to speak, her voice a whisper.
It wasn’t that she didn’t want to be defiant; it was just that this woman’s aura was too powerful! Even with a smile on her face, she was still intimidating, making one’s confidence inexplicably shrink in her presence.
Chu Xihuan looked at the person before her. She was about the same height, but looked a bit thinner and weaker. Her clothes were patched all over, not a single spot looking presentable. The only thing she had going for her was her face, but perhaps due to an irregular diet, her complexion wasn’t very good either.
Chu Xihuan didn’t answer her question. Instead, she brought up what she had seen in the casino.
“Daring to cheat in a casino, do you really not want this hand anymore?” She looked down at the hand she was still holding, which was now clenched into a fist in a futile attempt to hide the evidence.
A cold sweat broke out on Lin Zhao’s forehead. So she had been caught trying to cheat. But as long as the woman hadn’t seen the dice, Lin Zhao wouldn’t admit it.
“You’re full of it! Which of your dog eyes saw me cheat?!” Lin Zhao puffed up her chest and glared at her, yanking her right hand back and rubbing her reddened wrist. As she did so, her previously clenched fist opened, revealing nothing inside.
“Insolent! You…” Seeing her speak so crudely to her mistress, the maid beside them couldn’t take it anymore. But she had barely started speaking when Chu Xihuan stopped her with a gesture.
Chu Xihuan’s exquisite, cool face showed no anger. Instead, she reached out and straightened Lin Zhao’s collar, then gave her a sweet smile.
“It seems I forgot to introduce myself.”
“Hello, my name is Chu Xihuan. I am your fiancée.”
