Xu Caitong sighed deeply. Cui Lian didn’t understand, and she wouldn’t force her to. Days passed slowly; Mrs. Xu, along with Ruiping and Yue’er, came to visit Caitong, overjoyed to learn she had found her parents. The Xu family graciously hosted Mrs. Xu, and Yue’er, who found everything in the Grand View Garden fascinating, was always around Caitong, calling her aunt. On the day Mrs. Xu, Ruiping, and Yue’er left, Xu Caitong was reluctant to see them go, embracing Ruiping and holding Mrs. Xu’s hand, tears in her eyes.
Xu Caitong had been at the Xu family estate for a couple of months. She no longer watched the moon, believing it wouldn’t perform any miracles or cause another time-space distortion. Every day, she and Cui Lian spent time idly in the back garden, sometimes teaching her to read and write, sometimes teaching her to sing and compose lyrics, explaining the principles of time tunnels, and conducting chemistry experiments together, making Cui Lian finally understand that her mistress was different from before. However, Cui Lian remained stubborn, believing her mistress had merely gone to the 21st century to receive an education from that time.
Xu Caitong was also helpless; she knew it wasn’t something one could accept overnight. She spoke to Cui Lian about the freedoms of the 21st century—freedom in marriage, in love, in equality between men and women, the advanced science and technology, satellites, movies, TV, and the mysteries of space science.
“Miss, you say people in the 21st century have freedom in marriage and love?” It took Cui Lian a long time to understand what that meant.
“Isn’t that chaos?” she still couldn’t accept it.
Xu Caitong laughed, “How so? Being with someone you love is a joyful and happy thing.”
“Is it?” Cui Lian gradually realized that her mistress truly could not accept a husband she had never met. She felt pity for Xu Caitong and for the future son-in-law.
“Miss, do you really want to cancel the engagement?”
“Cui Lian, if I want to cancel the engagement, do you think the master would agree?”
“I doubt he would. This marriage is prestigious, and General Liu is an old friend of the master. He surely wouldn’t consent.”
“What should I do, Cui Lian?”
“I’m not clever enough to think of a good solution. Maybe you should just marry General Liu?”
“You silly girl, you know it’s impossible, yet you tease me.”
“Cui Lian wouldn’t dare, but I think it’s a pity not to marry General Liu. Finding a good family for a daughter is happiness.”
“Why don’t you understand?” Xu Caitong asked, her eyes wide with frustration.
