In Love With My Fierce Farming Wife!
Chapter 1198 - 1110: Yet Powerless to Change...

Chapter 1198: Chapter 1110: Yet Powerless to Change...

But Su Ke couldn’t help feeling increasingly stifled.

He sneered coldly twice and shifted to one side, unwilling to accept the courtesy: "Your words are out of line. Shuang’er’s mother is my mother’s cousin, and since we were young, Shuang’er and I played together as equals, genuine childhood playmates. I really can’t accept being called your little cousin."

This statement made things awkward.

Zhang Zhongding’s courtesy had only been half performed, with him bending at the waist, so what was he to do? Continue or not?

Seeing Zhang Zhongding embarrass himself, Qin Shuan’er’s initial awkwardness and frustration vanished almost completely as she stepped out from behind the crowd, scolding softly but angrily.

"Su Ke! What on earth do you intend to do?"

"What do I intend to do? What could I possibly do? I’ve done nothing at all!"

The more Su Ke spoke, the angrier and more stifled he became.

He actually wanted to do something, didn’t he? But he hadn’t done anything yet, had he? If he really had done something, would he be caught in such a passive situation right now?

The shopkeeper didn’t know whether to stay or leave, so he just shrank to the side and played dumb.

Seeing the two standing there as if they were sulking, it was Xue Qian who stepped forward to smooth things over.

"Since your private room has been taken and the shopkeeper won’t step in, why don’t we all go inside here and wait together in the private room?"

Cramming so many people into one private room, although a bit crowded, would also be lively, right?

Luckily, there were enough tables and chairs.

Upon hearing this, the shopkeeper was overjoyed and repeatedly offered apologetic smiles: "This gentleman speaks wisely. Since you all know each other, sharing a private room will make it easier to chat. As for today’s expense, consider it the shop’s way of offering an apology to you gentlemen."

This shopkeeper turned out to be quite the character!

"Who needs your paltry sum? Hurry up and prepare some wine and dishes to bring out," scolded Xue Qian as he ushered the group into the private room.

The shopkeeper gave his profuse thanks and left, while everyone else introduced themselves and took their seats one by one.

As they sat down, Xue Qian deliberately, and perhaps inadvertently, took the main seat. Qin Hua, Qin Hui, and the third person also took their seats, leaving three places open. Xue Qian left one seat to his left and two to his right. Without thinking, Su Ke walked straight over and sat down to the left of Xue Qian.

Seeing the two places left, Zhang Zhongding, with a look of ingratiating himself, pulled out a chair for Qin Shuan’er, and after she sat down, he then took a seat on the right of Xue Qian. As a result, they formed a triangle, and for Qin Shuan’er to see Su Ke, she would have to turn her head.

Qin Shuan’er was so mad inside!

To be exact, her presence here today was still because of Su Ke.

Before the New Year, Qin Yu had been drugged and collapsed in the Guiyuelou, nearly falling into someone else’s trap, but it was Zhang Zhongding who happened to pass by and saved Qin Yu.

After sobering up, Qin Yu praised Zhang Zhongding profusely.

As it happened, Zhang Zhongding was an ambitious man, and he made excuses to visit Qin Yu every other day. Even though Qin Yueshi and her three brothers were there to greet him, they inevitably met from time to time.

Moreover, Zhang Zhongding wasn’t like the effeminate scholar of the times, with his robust figure, bronze skin, and vigorous momentum, he really suited Qin Yu’s taste.

As a result, lately, all Qin Yu talked about was how wonderful Zhang Zhongding was, so much so that Qin Shuan’er’s ears nearly developed calluses.

"Mother, can we delay this a bit longer? Shuang’er still hasn’t made up her mind," Qin Shuan’er approached Qin Yueshi, attempting a last-ditch struggle.

"Tsk! You child, what are you thinking in that head of yours?"

Qin Yueshi pressed hard on her forehead, a face full of disapproval, "It’s said that men should marry when they come of age, and so should women. You are getting older by the year, luckily this is the Capital City, and your Third Uncle has become the Emperor, and you rise with the tide. Otherwise, with your age, could you even find a match like the Zhang Family’s second son who is both talented and good-looking?"

"But Mother, I genuinely feel... this isn’t right."

"What’s not right about it?"

"Everything is not right, nothing is right at all."

Qin Shuan’er couldn’t articulate what was wrong. Strictly speaking, as her parents said, the Zhang family’s second son was indeed talented and good-looking, and he truly liked her from the bottom of his heart. She really couldn’t find any fault with him.

But why, when she dreamt at midnight, was there always another figure quietly infiltrating her dreams?

Causing her to suffer from insomnia in the middle of the night, tormented by an immense sense of loss.

She wanted to change the status quo but was powerless to do so...

"Silly child, you must think this through. This marriage was found for you by the Empress, with the Zhang family’s background, if not for the Empress mediating, even ten Qin Shuan’ers would not hope to secure such a fine marriage." Qin Yueshi said earnestly, trying to persuade her: "But you insist on pushing away such a good match! And after the betrothal gifts have been exchanged and the ceremonies performed, when everybody already knows about your engagement to the Zhang family. Do you realize that if you break off the engagement now, forget about marrying into a prominent family like the Zhangs, even being proposed as a concubine, people would still pick and choose. Think about it carefully!"

Having finished speaking, she stood up and walked out.

"What’s with you... have you been bewitched, or has your head been kicked by a ball? You child..."

Qin Shuan’er quickly shouted out loud.

"Mother..."

But after shouting, what then?

She found herself speechless, slumped despondently in her chair.

She knew all too well how harshly society judged a woman’s reputation, and by now, she had no way out!

After muddling through days like this, this morning, hearing her three brothers mention that they had reserved a good spot on the second floor of Bangpeng Street, knowing Su Ke had also participated in the Spring Imperial Civil Service Examination, she pleaded with her brothers to go out together.

After finally convincing her parents, to her surprise, as soon as she stepped out, she unexpectedly ran into Zhang Zhongding, that taffy-like pest again!

Thus, the party of four became a party of five.

Upon reaching the street, Zhang Zhongding unexpectedly encountered playmates he grew up with in Hezhong City, who were all raised in the military camp, be it children of Deputy Officials or brothers of Generals. After a few introductions, everyone became acquainted. A large group of people called out to their friends and swarmed up to the second floor.

Unexpectedly, the spot they had reserved had been taken by others...

This led to the earlier scene.

"... that shopkeeper said he didn’t dare offend the other party, can you believe that!" Qin Hui angrily recounted the earlier incident, oblivious to the undercurrent surging beneath the surface of the table.

"Brother Qin, don’t be angry anymore. If the others hadn’t taken our spot, we wouldn’t have the pleasure of sitting together at the same table and drinking today," Xue Qian picked up the wine jar, filling each person’s cup in turn: "There’s a predestined time for everything. Today is fated by the heavens for us to gather together. So let’s not dwell on those buzz-killing matters. Come, let’s finish this cup!"

Upon hearing this, everyone felt there was some truth to it.

They all felt a bit more cheerful inside and drank the wine in their cups.