“You can come and look anytime. But let’s go inside first. I have something to show you.”
“Mm.” Gu Qingtong lowered her head, lifting her skirt and entering.
Han Yue’an first took out a sandalwood box from a drawer, opened it, sighed, and handed it to her.
Gu Qingtong took it in surprise, opening it to find a high-quality circular jade pendant, but missing half. She didn’t understand his meaning and waited for him to speak.
Han Yue’an remained silent, taking out a red paper from another drawer and sighing again: “Take a look.”
Gu Qingtong put down the sandalwood box and opened the red paper. The writing was messy, but she could vaguely make out phrases like “betrothal”, “Gu family’s legitimate daughter”, “Jiang family’s eldest son”: “Adoptive father, this…
Here’s the edited version of the article with irrelevant content removed:
“This was sent by the Jiang family’s young master a few days ago.”
“He sent this? What does it mean?” Gu Qingtong remembered that Jiang Shangheng had indeed come to see Han Yue’an a few days ago.
“An arranged husband? Turns out he’s climbed to a higher branch.” Gu Qingtong gave a cold laugh and tore up the marriage contract in her hand.
Han Yue’an saw the red paper torn to pieces and looked at her in surprise: “Tong Tong?”
“Foster father, I don’t need to fake my death, nor do I need their sympathy. I’m doing well now. Although I don’t have parents, I have foster father who loves me, and that’s the same. Besides, it’s easier to be alone. Why suffer through the trivial daily life and demean myself?”
“Do you really plan to never marry?”
“Is marriage a good thing? I look at those young masters and ladies who speak sweetly before marriage, but afterwards they’re just hypocritical. Men spend their time drinking and carousing outside, while women cry miserably at home, having to deal with concubines and serve their in-laws. Which part of that isn’t miserable? Even if I went to another country with that illegitimate son, would I really have a good life? Unlikely that it would be better than staying with foster father.”
