In the carriage on the way back to the mansion, Bitao looked at Su Nansheng, who was bowing her head as if lost in thought, and probed:
"Second Miss, did anything unpleasant happen between you and Young Master He?"
Su Nansheng wondered, "Why do you ask this?"
"Because Young Master He didn't even offer to see you back to the mansion."
Bitao always felt that the atmosphere was a bit off when they came back. Especially He Xun. He looked like he wanted to smile but didn't, which seemed really strange.
"We're not related. It would attract gossips if he sent me back to the mansion."
Su Nansheng lifted the carriage curtain to check their current location and then said, "Uncle Wang, take us to the East Market."
Hearing this, Bitao no longer bothered to think about He Xun's attitude and said with a smile:
"Great! I haven't been to the East Market for ages."
Previously, the Second Miss loved to go out for a stroll. But these days, she had always been cooped up in the mansion. Even Bitao herself was getting bored.
When they arrived at the East Market, Bitao thought that Su Nansheng would buy some silk dresses and jewelry. But unexpectedly, Su Nansheng came back with a Fulin dog in her arms.
The little dog was only half the length of Su Nansheng's arm. Its fur was snow - white and its four paws were short. At the moment, it was wagging its tail frantically at Su Nansheng.
"This puppy is really cute. But why does the Second Miss suddenly feel like raising a dog?" Bitao stroked the puppy's head.
Su Nansheng stroked the fluffy and smooth long fur of the Fulin dog, in a great mood:
"I just want to. It makes me happy."
In her previous life, although she lived in the bustling Marquis Mansion, she often felt lonely. At that time, she had wanted to raise a pet for company.
But she was always busy with the affairs of the mansion and had no time for anything else. She was also afraid that the pet she raised would cause trouble and give others a handle. So in the end, she didn't raise one.
Now that the things that had worried her were being resolved one by one, she should fulfill one of her wishes as a celebration.
...
The next day, at the Scholar's Study, Su Hele stood in front of the door, looking calm.
It had been two days since He Jin proposed marriage to her. She thought that the news must have spread far and wide. It was time for her to restore her reputation.
Su Hele lifted her chin slightly, with a hint of pride on her face. She walked into the study like a willow swaying in the wind.
She was wearing a moon - white silk dress today, with her hair in a falling - horse bun. There was only a simple jade hairpin in her hair. Coupled with her plain makeup, she looked even more cold and elegant.
Su Hele paced in front of the bookshelves, seemingly selecting books but actually waiting for someone to initiate a conversation with her.
She often came here and had a few familiar poet friends.
If she met them, they would surely talk about what had been going on recently. She could just take this opportunity to explain the accident that had happened at the Cloud Tea House.
As she was thinking, out of the corner of her eye, she saw several scholars looking at her frequently.
The corners of Su Hele's lips curled up slightly. They must be her admirers.
"Humph, some people claim to value talent and despise fame and wealth on the surface, but secretly they are involved with the young masters of noble families. How hypocritical!"
"Sigh, who can blame them? We're just poor scholars. It's normal that she, an official's daughter, looks down on us. But her affected behavior is really disgusting."
...
One sarcastic remark after another hit Su Hele like inkstones on her head, making her dizzy.
These people used to respect her the most, but now they were speaking ill of her.
As scholars, how could they be so vicious and mean - spirited? Didn't they know the saying "Don't discuss others' affairs in idle talk"?
Moreover, how did they know about her rejection of the marriage proposal?
Su Hele was shocked and confused, but she didn't argue with them. Instead, she gritted her teeth and endured it.
The innocent will prove their innocence. As long as she ignored them, they would surely realize that it was all a misunderstanding, and the rumors would be self - defeated.
Sure enough, the whispers gradually died down. A smile flashed in Su Hele's eyes. Then she held her head high and left.
Who would have thought that as soon as she stepped out of the door of the study, a burst of sneering sounds came from inside.
Su Hele's face changed suddenly, and she could no longer maintain her calm.
Just then, Cao Xingwen was walking towards her. He should also be here to buy something at the Scholar's Study.
Seeing Su Hele, Cao Xingwen was stunned for a moment and then turned around to leave.
"Master Cao, please wait a moment."
Su Hele quickly caught up with him:
"Master Cao, you've misunderstood me. I rejected your marriage proposal because I wanted to go to Fangzhou with my father. That's why I made up the excuse that we were not well - matched in talent."
It must be him, right? It was him who spread the news of her rejection of the marriage proposal and caused people to misunderstand.
Cao Xingwen frowned and said coldly:
"But at that time, Miss Su thought that the one proposing marriage was Young Master He. You two were already discussing marriage, weren't you?"
Su Hele's face changed again. That talkative Matchmaker Liu!
"Actually, if Miss Su had just told the truth, I would have surely congratulated Miss on finding a good match. There was really no need to go to so much trouble to make up an excuse."
Cao Xingwen bowed deeply and then turned around to leave.
Looking at Cao Xingwen's departing back, Su Hele narrowed her eyes.
They were just a bunch of scholars who hadn't even passed the imperial examinations. How dare they lecture her? They didn't deserve it!
"Back to the mansion!"
...
In the flower hall of the Su Mansion, Su Nansheng was being held by Chen Wanrong's hand as she inspected the gifts for the marriage proposal brought this time.
"A Xun said that the last marriage proposal was not solemn enough. So I came here in person today."
Chen Wanrong pointed at the wild goose in the servant's hand, smiling proudly:
"Look, this was caught by our A Xun himself. You don't know. As soon as he left the Hanguang Temple yesterday, he went to the Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain. He just wanted to hunt the wild goose as soon as possible to propose marriage."
"And this fire - fox fur cloak was also hunted by him before. Now he surely won't need it. But in winter, just this one cloak can make people sweat. With it, you're sure not to get cold.
And this lamb was personally selected by me. It's the most beautiful one. And this bundle of silk and black - red silk..."
Su Nansheng looked at the gifts that were lined up all the way outside the flower hall, happy and surprised.
She didn't expect He Xun's marriage proposal to come so soon, nor did she expect Chen Wanrong to take it so seriously.
"Well, isn't our A Xun a good catch?"
Chen Wanrong patted Su Nansheng's hand and gave her a mischievous smile.
Yesterday, He Xun had been in a hurry to prepare the gifts. He also asked her to invite the best matchmaker in the capital. He didn't stop until midnight.
Her son, who remained calm even when a mountain was about to collapse in front of him, finally had such a flustered day.
Seeing Chen Wanrong's smile, Su Nansheng finally felt a bit shy.
But before she could say anything, Mrs. Deng said first:
"For just a marriage proposal, aren't there too many gifts? It might be a bit over the top."
She was just a concubine, but she had more gifts for the marriage proposal than the main - wife - to - be, A Le. If this got out, wouldn't A Le be laughed at by others?
Chen Wanrong frowned slightly, but quickly relaxed and said with a smile:
"I'd like to see who dares to say that we're over the top. Besides, Nansheng deserves so many gifts for the marriage proposal."
Seeing her attitude so firm, Mrs. Deng had no choice but to nod with a forced smile.
At this time, Su Hele walked gracefully into the flower hall:
"Mother, is it Young Master He Er who has come to make up for the gifts of the marriage proposal?"
Just as she had entered the mansion gate, she had heard the maids in the mansion gossiping.
They said that a lot of people from the Anshun Marquis Mansion had come, and the gifts for the marriage proposal were piled up so high that the main courtyard could hardly hold them.
Their tone was full of envy.
Su Hele's originally angry heart immediately calmed down. Her heart was filled with pride, but on the surface, she still looked calm.
She knew that Matchmaker Gao's behavior that day was a test for her. Seeing that she really didn't care about fame, wealth, and money, here they were, coming to make up for the gifts of the marriage proposal.