Marry by Relying on Favor: Chapter 23 - An Auspicious Day
Chapter 23: An Auspicious Day
He Qingchi didn’t know much about the Wen family.
From what little she knew, the Wen family of Jiangcheng shared the same lineage as the old-money Wen family in Yancheng, who were known for strictly observing ancestral traditions. Having endured for over a century, they were one of the most powerful and influential families among the elite, with an unshakable status.
Beyond that, she didn’t even know Wen Shuchen’s rank in the family or whether he had any siblings.
When she arrived at the Wen family’s old residence, the butler led He Qingchi to the living room. As soon as she stepped in, the first person she saw was a gracefully dressed woman seated on the sofa. When the woman saw her, she set down her teacup and smiled politely. “You must be Miss He, right?”
He Qingchi didn’t immediately respond, unsure of this woman’s identity. She looked to be in her late thirties or early forties and carried herself with elegance.
The woman got up and approached, taking He Qingchi’s hand as if they were already acquainted. “I’m Shuchen’s father’s second wife. Just call me Aunt Qiu.”
Second wife?
He Qingchi instantly understood the implications. As a well-bred socialite from the He family, she maintained her composure and replied, “Madam Wen.”
She didn’t address her as “Aunt Qiu” as requested, but her response was still impeccably polite—leaving no room for criticism.
Qiu Jin’s smile faded slightly but quickly regained its warmth. “Shuchen’s father heard about you two and wanted to meet you. No wonder—you really are a fine young lady from the He family of Yancheng. What lovely features.”
He Qingchi had heard compliments all her life and didn’t let a few flattering words sway her. Instead, she quietly wondered how the Wen family had “heard” about her and Shuchen. Their relationship hadn’t been publicly announced, nor had they been frequently seen together.
While she was lost in thought for a moment, a tall male figure appeared at the staircase. Despite being over sixty, he still stood upright and carried himself with authority. His features, though aged, retained traces of youthful handsomeness. A few strands of white hair touched his temples, and he wore a mild, unreadable smile.
“This is Shuchen’s father,” Qiu Jin said beside her.
Judging by his presence alone, He Qingchi could already tell who he was.
“Mr. Wen,” she greeted him with a formal title—not “Uncle Wen.”
Wen Jingchun’s gaze was gentle, though sharpness flickered behind it. He studied her for a moment. “I heard you’re with Shuchen now?”
He Qingchi hesitated, unsure if Wen Shuchen had mentioned anything to his family.
Were they “together”?
Maybe, but nothing had been officially stated. Their relationship was clearly more involved than mere friendship, but there hadn’t been a formal confession.
She couldn’t gauge the Wen family’s attitude just yet.
The way his father and stepmother said “heard” sounded more like they had her investigated.
Perhaps this unexpected invitation was to evaluate her suitability—or even to ask her to break up with him?
He Qingchi remained silent for a moment. Wen Jingchun didn’t press her, instead softening his tone: “When the old man passed away, his biggest worry was Shuchen’s marriage. Now that he’s finally thinking about settling down, as his father, I’m relieved. We’ll be having a family dinner tonight—why don’t you stay?”
“I’ve already asked the housekeeper to tidy up Shuchen’s room,” Qiu Jin added, not giving her much chance to refuse. She even offered a warm smile. “If Miss He is tired, feel free to go upstairs and rest.”
He Qingchi smiled slightly but didn’t confirm the relationship: “I’m not tired. I’ll just stay here in the living room.”
She wasn’t going to go upstairs to sleep in Shuchen’s room before their relationship was publicly acknowledged. If word got out, it could tarnish her family’s reputation.
After she declined, Qiu Jin continued: “How did you and Shuchen meet? He’s always been distant with girls since he was a child—I really worried that he might grow old alone.”
Everything she said seemed warm and pleasant.
However, He Qingchi knew very well: how many stepmothers in this world were truly kind?
With a light smile, she replied only with what she wanted to say: “Wen Shuchen is a very warm person. He won’t end up alone.”
Qiu Jin, seeing how composed and hard-to-fool the girl was, adjusted her approach, keeping up her courteous act and ordering the staff to bring over tea and pastries.
He Qingchi’s expression was calm, but internally, she was still uncertain.
She sat quietly in the living room as Qiu Jin tried to bridge the gap between them by talking about Wen Shuchen’s childhood. Meanwhile, Mr. Wen mostly stayed silent, observing her carefully the entire time.
Toward the end, Wen Jingchun suddenly spoke from his position as an elder: “Next Wednesday is an auspicious day. Why don’t you and Shuchen get married then?”
He Qingchi was sipping her tea and nearly choked.
Her wide black eyes reflected her surprise. She softly said, “Mr. Wen, that’s not a decision I can make.”
“Shuchen doesn’t want to marry you?” Wen Jingchun asked, looking at her.
He Qingchi slowly set down her cup and looked up. “My marriage is something for my father and the He family to decide.”
As a properly raised socialite with a strong family background, there was no reason for her to make such a major decision privately.
Besides, her relationship with Wen Shuchen hadn’t even been officially confirmed as a romantic one.
Talking about marriage was far too early.
“That’s easy,” Qiu Jin said with a smile, taking her hand again. “The Wen family will reach out to your father and formally propose the marriage.” She added warmly, “You can go ahead and register the marriage first with Shuchen. The wedding ceremony can be big and grand—we can start preparing now.”
Wen Jingchun nodded in agreement. “I’ve already sent someone with the betrothal gifts to Yancheng to speak with your father…”
This pace was almost too much for He Qingchi to handle.
It was overly enthusiastic—to the point of being a little strange.
What kind of family situation would make Wen Shuchen’s father and stepmother so eager to finalize a marriage?
He Qingchi couldn’t quite figure it out. When she heard that Wen Jingchun had already sent someone to Yancheng to speak with her father about the marriage, her lips parted slightly, but in the end, she didn’t embarrass Wen Shuchen’s father on the spot.
Since it now involved their parents, He Qingchi thought it would be more appropriate to let her father respond if she wanted to decline this marriage proposal tactfully.
It was better to leave some room—for both sides.
Qiu Jin looked very pleased and increasingly fond of He Qingchi as she glanced her up and down. “I’ve long heard of the ladies of the He family. I remember when your aunt was still unmarried, she was considered the top choice for a daughter-in-law among the upper-class social circles—everyone was dying to marry her. Who would’ve thought our Wen family would be lucky enough to marry the eldest Miss He?”
Truthfully, He Qingchi felt this was exaggerated. Most of her 23 years had been spent living quietly in Jiangcheng, mostly by her grandmother’s side.
Within the He family, her reputation wasn’t as prominent—certainly not as loud as her cousin He Li, who had grown up under her grandmother’s care and was more well-known.
Qiu Jin’s words and behavior made it sound as though her own son was marrying a treasure.
He Qingchi was tired from dealing with it all, though her trademark smile never left her face.
Eventually, when Wen Jingchun said it was time for his rest, Qiu Jin helped him upstairs, and the large living room finally quieted down.
With no one else present, He Qingchi pulled out her phone and sent a message to Wen Shuchen on WeChat: [I’m at your house!]
Feeling that wasn’t specific enough, she followed up:
[Your father had the butler bring me to the old residence. Wen Shuchen—your father wants us to get married next Wednesday!!!]
After those two texts, it was like they vanished into thin air.
He Qingchi guessed that Wen Shuchen was probably in a meeting and away from his phone.
Otherwise, knowing his style, he wouldn’t just ghost her.
All she could do now was wait.
While she was waiting, Qiu Jin didn’t reappear. Instead, He Qingchi, bored and sitting in the living room, suddenly noticed a man walk in—someone whose figure looked very similar to Wen Shuchen.
For a second or two, she thought it might be him.
The man who appeared had gentle, refined features. His facial shape and brows resembled Wen Jingchun. He wore a light gray dress shirt with a designer jacket draped over his arm and wheeled a suitcase beside him, clearly returning from a trip.
He Qingchi sat on the sofa, holding her teacup. Her presence didn’t seem to surprise the stranger at all.
Their eyes met briefly, and he suddenly smiled—just the right amount. “My name is Wen Yue. Which family are you from, young lady?”
Cousin? Or younger brother of Wen Shuchen?
He Qingchi politely replied, “The He family from Yancheng.”
Wen Yue placed his jacket on the suitcase and walked over slowly. “Would you mind pouring me a cup of tea?”
“This is the Wen residence,” He Qingchi said plainly. She was just a guest here—he was likely one of the household members.
How could she say no?
Wen Yue sat down confidently across from her and poured himself a cup.
In manner and demeanor, he bore about 30% resemblance to Wen Shuchen.
But the difference was: Wen Shuchen wore his shirts neatly buttoned to the top, leaving just half an inch of collar exposed—always just enough, projecting a mysterious, restrained masculinity.
Whereas this Wen family man didn’t wear a tie and had two buttons undone, exposing the area above his collarbone.
He Qingchi wasn’t in the habit of staring at strange men. She simply looked down and sipped her tea.
Wen Yue, engaging in small talk, finished his tea and said casually, “I’ve never seen a girl like you in Jiangcheng before. It’s obvious you’re not local—did you just move here recently?”
He Qingchi had lived in Jiangcheng for a long time but had stayed in a small town and rarely appeared in public.
She didn’t like discussing herself with strangers and just smiled. “Mm.”
Wen Yue noticed she wasn’t very chatty and kept his gaze on her with a hint of curiosity. At that moment, He Qingchi was wearing a mint green chiffon dress, sitting with a modest, well-mannered posture. Her waist appeared slender and graceful, and beneath the flowing skirt, her legs were long and straight.
Maybe it was just a natural male instinct to desire something beautiful—his interest in this poised young lady only grew.
The living room fell into a moment of silence before Wen Yue spoke again, his deep eyes glinting slightly. In a low voice, he said: “Miss He, would you be willing to give me your personal contact information?”
----------
If you like my translation, please support me by buying me a coffee:
0 comments:
Post a Comment