Chapter 464: Chapter 453: The Top Scorer of the Farming Family
Xiao He, relying on his past life experiences, made a huge mistake again. As he listened to the servant’s report, he was shocked to think that last life’s top scorer in the Imperial Examination wasn’t Ye Qiu. Could his rebirth really have changed so much?
A month later, when the Little Emperor personally appointed Ye Qiu as the top scorer, Xiao He’s thoughts had already shifted.
Since Ye Qiu became the top scorer, her two unmarried younger sisters also rose in status. Especially after Ye Qiu, as the top scorer, invited numerous Advanced Scholars from the same field to a banquet in the peach garden, suitors began pouring in for the Ye Family daughters endlessly.
Meanwhile, the popularity of the new variety of roses developed by Xiutong started to spread on a small scale, and finally skyrocketed due to the Golden Science Top Scholar and many Advanced Scholars writing poems and words of praise, making every household in Shangjing proud to own a new type of rose from the top scorer’s family.
Initially, most people were just following the trend, but after truly seeing the breed and color of the new roses, they began to love them from the bottom of their hearts.
And for Xiutong, who cultivated these new roses, people pursued her greatly, and there were even families who brought substantial dowries to propose marriage.
This year, Xiutong is fifteen, and she will come of age in May. Hence, for those coming to propose, Ye Qiu also took a serious look one by one, with the most crucial factor being to seek Xiutong’s opinion.
However, just as Xiutong had told Ye Qiu that she did not wish to marry, an unknowing Xiao He became anxious.
He couldn’t help but silently blame Ye Qiu. Xiutong is not even fifteen yet, who is she marrying? He has just become the top scorer, what kind of good family can he choose? The disciples in Shangjing all love fun, with many frequenting the brothel; do Ye Qiu and Xiutong even know?
"What’s wrong? You look like someone’s stolen your beloved," Lady Xiao teased her son with a smile.
Lady Xiao’s words hit right at Xiao He’s heart, and his expression turned a bit unpleasant. But it was because Xiutong had saved his life, so he saw her as a younger relative. Logically speaking, it’s also time to discuss marriage for her. So why does it upset him when he thinks of her getting married? Could it be just like what his mother said?
Xiao He hesitantly asked his mother, "Mother, what does it mean when a man sees a woman as a younger relative, but doesn’t want her to suffer or marry?"
"Do they have a blood relationship?" Lady Xiao countered.
"No."
Lady Xiao looked at her son, then laughed gossipingly: "Congratulations, son, you’ve fallen for her. Tell me, who’s the girl? Mother will inquire for you."
Lady Xiao, seeing her son’s increasingly bewildered and astonished expression, became even happier. Her son is already twenty-one this year, having paid the bachelor tax for three years. If he doesn’t marry a daughter-in-law soon, she’d start to suspect her son is homosexual.
Xiao He, with a hesitant expression, stammered, "But, son has always seen her as a younger relative."
Lady Xiao’s heart rose with concern again. Her son is only twenty-one, and anyone he regards as a younger relative should also be young. The girl must not be a child, that’s unacceptable; she cannot allow her son to be a degenerate.
So, she gently asked, "How old is the other party?"
"She will be fifteen in May."
Lady Xiao heaved a sigh of relief, relieved. Although her son is six years older, he’s not a child predator. Six years older is good; she will come of age this year, finished the proposal and the engagement ceremony, and then get married at about sixteen, which is perfect for having grandchildren.
"Mother, do I really like her?" Xiao He couldn’t believe the fact, but deep down he was certain; otherwise, why would he be so angry upon hearing someone asking to marry Xiutong? Why didn’t any of the talented young men catch his eye?
With amusement, Lady Xiao looked at her son: "What else could it be? You aren’t related by blood, so why think about her all the time? Even among your cousins who are related, have you ever cared about any of them?"
Xiao He was left speechless by his mother’s retort, but after some thought, he felt relieved. Then, he quickly became anxious again—had Ye Family already promised Xiutong to someone else?
"Can you finally tell Mother which family the girl is from?" Lady Xiao asked eagerly.
Xiao He hesitated, "Mother, her family background might not be very good."
Lady Xiao replied indifferently, "Do you think your mother cares about power and status that much? We don’t need to depend on anyone else’s influence."
"But her parents are no longer alive."
At this, Lady Xiao finally hesitated, her face showing difficulty. But realizing her son had finally taken a liking to someone and was even considering marriage, she worried that opposing it might mean her son would never marry in his lifetime.
"Does she have other family members?" Lady Xiao continued, thinking as long as she isn’t from a brothel or completely orphaned, she would accept her.
"She has an elder brother, an elder sister, and a younger sister, um... her elder brother is quite accomplished."
Upon hearing her son’s description, Lady Xiao finally breathed a sigh of relief. It wasn’t an orphaned girl, after all. She thought for a moment, unable to find an appropriate family in Shangjing, then asked again, "So whose daughter is she exactly?"
"The second younger sister of Golden Science Top Scholar Ye Qiu, named Xiutong, the siblings who saved me last year."
Hearing this from her son, Lady Xiao truly felt at ease. Since she is the sister of a Golden Science Top Scholar, her upbringing and character surely wouldn’t be lacking. It’s said that the Golden Science Top Scorer is even more handsome than the third place, so his sister couldn’t be bad either. She has both good character and appearance, and she even saved her son; indeed, it must be fate!
"What are we waiting for then? Why not prepare the gifts and ask the matchmaker to propose marriage?" Lady Xiao hurriedly said. Such a good girl, even without parents, would have many suitors in Shangjing, and she finally understood why her son was bringing home flowers every other day. It turned out it was to get closer to the girl.
Xiao He hesitated with a lack of confidence in his voice, "But she doesn’t know my feelings yet! Isn’t this too presumptuous?"
Lady Xiao looked at her son in disbelief; she knew her son was prudent and decisive, but was he really this cowardly in front of the girl he liked? The house was nearly overflowing with flowers, and the girl didn’t know his feelings yet?
Lady Xiao didn’t even know how to express her frustration anymore.
"If you hadn’t told me today, would you have just waited until the girl was married before you regretted it?" Lady Xiao scornfully looked at her son, "Why are you still standing here? Didn’t you say that Miss Xiutong opened a flower shop in West Market? Take me there to have a look. Depending on you, all the bok choy will have gone cold."
Xiao He touched his nose and listened to his mother’s scolding with guilt; indeed, to successfully marry Xiutong, he really had no choice but to heed his mother’s admonition.
Mother was right, he had mistaken his affection for merely caring for a junior; if he didn’t act now, and Xiutong actually got engaged to another man, the regret would truly be unbearable.