Chapter 65: Asking Heart

  If the Sun family doesn't want to make a big fuss, they don't need to invite the groom's parents over today. After giving them some money, they can just sign the contract and it's like buying a man back home.

  "The younger son has no status, and his surname is changed", the man who married into the family has a low social status, being looked down upon by others, especially in wealthy families, where they are most despised. The parents of the husband's side are even more so, not being treated as relatives at all, and mostly cutting off contact from then on.

  But because Sun Xuelian wanted to make her daughter's wedding a bit more grand, all the rituals of marriage were carried out without error. The parents of both sides, three matchmakers and six witnesses, all attended, so today they made an exception and called the groom's biological parents to come to the Sun Mansion to sign the marriage contract.

  The son-in-law of the Sun family is Du Tianwei, with a big name but from a humble background. He has four brothers and he's the youngest, a very honest kid, only one year older than Sun Miaoge. Looking at him standing in front of his elders with that awkward and shy demeanor, it's likely that his situation after marriage won't be much better than that of his predecessor, Geng Yun.

  The matchmaker hastily wrote: "Contract for the adoption of Du Duli, a resident of Shangmashi Village, Boshan County, Qingzhou Prefecture. His fourth son, Tianwei, is 20 years old and has not been married before. Now, through the introduction of the matchmaker, he enters into an uxorilocal marriage with the Sun family of Qingzhou, becoming their son-in-law and marrying their daughter. In exchange, he receives a dowry of 30 taels of silver."

  Du Jiatianwei, from the day he married into the Sun family, he was forever a part of it. From then on, he managed the family business, took charge of errands and tasks, changed his name and surname, lived without returning to his ancestral home, died without being buried in his ancestral tomb, and became a lifelong servant of the Sun family.

  Listen to education, support and care for parents, get along with wife and children. If not followed, flee east and west, drink and gamble, delay work, all will be punished by the Sun family.

  If there are relatives or outsiders who speak differently and regret, his father Du Duli will take the responsibility. The fine will be paid to the government according to the law. This is a voluntary agreement between you and him, fearing that there may be no evidence later, this contract is made as proof.

  This paper, similar to a deed of sale, was the marriage certificate. The matchmaker signed it and handed it over with a smile to Xiaomurain, who took up his pen and wrote "Year, month, day, master of ceremonies Xiaomurain". He then handed it over to Du Duli and his wife, etc., until Du's wife and Sun Xuelian, Geng Xin and his wife had signed. Then the two principals signed their names and affixed their seals.

  According to the rules, the bride and groom should not meet at this time. After writing the marriage certificate, they should each send it to their respective rooms for signature and seal. But this is the Sun family, and Sun Miaoge has been spoiled since childhood. She would rather die than listen to others and get married. Sun Xuelian was grateful. On these small matters, she wouldn't disobey her, so she also attended.

  Looking at this dull and timid young man named Du Tianwei, who is neither heavenly nor great, compared to the elegant and handsome Yang Dashi in her heart, it's really like heaven and earth apart. Sun Miaoge was more and more disappointed, and she treated him as dirt, where did he still have a good face to show?

  Sun Miaoge's face was as calm as water, she hastily waved her hand and said, "Let's go, Eldest Aunt!" without handing the pen to her future husband, and then she strode away with a flick of her sleeve.

  Xia Xun bid farewell to the old shopkeeper of Shengchuntang Pharmacy and stood on the street, feeling bewildered in his heart, and for a moment, he didn't know which way to go.

  Two idle men standing beside them said: "Hey, another lantern seller, where is he from? I heard he's from Baoshan County?"

  "This 'selling big lanterns' is a folk surname that ridicules the son-in-law who has joined the daughter's family, because in ancient times, when people celebrated festivals and happy events, they would hang lanterns at their doors with their own surnames written on them. However, the son-in-law who joined the daughter's family followed the woman's surname, so he didn't have the qualifications to write his own ancestral surname on the lantern, only the woman's surname. Therefore, even a poor man thought that he had more dignity than this kind of man and ridiculed him as 'selling big lanterns', meaning selling one's ancestors."

  Another lazy voice said: "It's okay, the Sun family has money, and Sun Xiaojun is born with a thousand charms. If it weren't for this son-in-law being not good to listen to, making our ancestors ashamed, I would have gone up early. This Cao surname may be poor, but at least he married a yellow flower girl, no worse than Lao Geng's stepson."

  The first loafer burst out laughing: "That's right, the one who sells lanterns and is a footman, he was showing off in front of Old Wang, I spat at him, you don't know, last time he walked past me with five or six people, I took a dislike to his appearance, and immediately shouted loudly: 'Mr. Sun, long time no see!' In front of Old Wang's face, it made the two of them blush, but they couldn't even fart, did Old Wang make a mistake? Haha..."

  Two people walked away with a smile, and Xia Yu heard them secretly shaking his head. At this moment, Sun Miao Ge rushed out of the mansion in anger, just about to walk towards the mule cart, when he suddenly saw Xia Yu, and was overjoyed, loudly calling: "Young Master Yang"

  Xia Yu turned around to see Sun Miao Ge hurrying over with her skirt in hand, her small face flushed with excitement, her big eyes shining with emotion as she looked at him and whispered: "You... are you here looking for me?"

  Xia Xian gazed into the girl's deep and sentimental eyes, only able to mutter: "Uh, yes, you..."

  "It's still not my mother, I don't know what madness has possessed her, insisting that I get married now"

  Sun Miaoge said, "However, it doesn't matter. Which self-respecting man would be willing to marry into a family? I just saw that good-for-nothing person, humph! He dares to control me? It's strange! In the future, we can still meet with Wen Xuan Gege often, but recently, I've been living at my aunt's house and it's really not very convenient."

  Xia Xun's scalp felt numb and he replied casually, "Are you currently living at your aunt's house?"

  Yes

  Sun Miao Ge lowered her head somewhat uneasily: "Sorry, Wen Xuan brother, you told me to keep an eye on Uncle Li and Geng Xin, but as soon as I returned to the manor, Mother sent me to my aunt's house, so I didn't get a chance. Now that good-for-nothing who married into our family is living in the manor again, Mother says it's to give me a grand wedding, let me ride in a sedan chair and wear a wedding dress. But others... they would rather secretly meet with Wen Xuan brother in that deserted temple courtyard than want to have anything to do with that foolish goose's splendor."

  "Miao Ge..."

  Xia Yu didn't know what to say to this lovesick girl. If he said too little, she would be heartbroken; if he said too much, wouldn't that make her sink deeper? Before he could think of a suitable response, Sun Miao's aunt walked up to the carriage and saw that she had been chatting with a young man for half a day, already attracting attention from passersby. She couldn't help but call out loudly: "Miao, it's time to go!"

  "Oh!"

  Miao Ge responded with a sound, and then looked at Xia Yu again, speaking ambiguously: "Wen Xuan brother, I'm leaving, you have to be careful yourself. Miao Ge... is waiting for the day when Brother returns 'The Legend of the White Snake' to me, that day... you and I... you and I..."

  She blushed and glanced at Xia Xun, then turned around and ran away.

  Xia Xian gazed at her back, thinking to herself: "This matter probably has nothing to do with Geng Xin. The Sun Manor is busy preparing for the wedding, and he can't leave now. Everyone in the Sun Manor is busy cleaning and arranging things, even places that are only cleaned during Chinese New Year are being thoroughly swept. It's impossible to hide anyone there. If Geng Xin wanted to harm me, he wouldn't choose this time to make a move, would he? But if it wasn't Geng Xin, who else would want to harm me? And why didn't he target me directly, but instead targeted my personal maid? What does he want to know?"

  Xia Fu's judgment was shaken, he untied the reins, grasped the stirrup and rode out a short distance. A gust of wind came, blowing in a paper note, it was unclear whose funeral had scattered them on the street. Xia Fu leaned to one side to avoid it, watching as the paper note fluttered away, he spurred his horse on, wanting to go to the government office to ask for news. Just as he rode out more than ten feet, his body suddenly shook, and he tightly grasped the reins.

  Suddenly, a pair of eyes appeared in front of him, and then a face gradually became clear. It was such an honest and simple face: "Liu Xu, Liu Xu! Could it be him?"

  Xiao Qi was tied back to the pillar, her clothes disheveled and stained with blood all over her body. The fresh blood on her had already dried into a light black color.

  Her head finally fell down, she did not yield, biting her teeth from start to finish, and endured the cruel torture, she had fainted.

  Liu Xu had tortured her for half the night, using who-knows-how-many methods, until he was exhausted and lay down on a nearby bed to sleep. Xiao Ding thus gained a chance to catch her breath. She was still in a daze, her body bound up like a lifeless corpse, only occasionally emitting a few twitches and sudden rapid breathing, showing what kind of suffering she had endured, to the point where even in her unconscious state, her body would involuntarily react.

  Xia Yu's anxiety was like a burning fire, as soon as he left the city gate, he whipped his horse to fly, using the fastest speed that his riding skills could achieve.

  He is not a god who governs the good and evil of humanity, nor is he a noble gentleman with high moral integrity. He originally had no responsibility or connection to this little girl's disappearance. The rational thing for him to do would be to remain unmoved by Xiao Ding's disappearance, at most making some gestures to comfort his loyal servant Xiao Jing Tang's feelings. Little Ding couldn't possibly know any of his secrets, and even if she were willing to confess, she wouldn't be able to provide anything valuable to anyone. Therefore, he had no need to worry about anything. If the person who kidnapped her was really Liu Xu, the more indifferent he appeared, the more it would prove his innocence and integrity.

  But he still came, and he didn't know if Liu Xu had any other helpers or whether doing so would make all his previous efforts go down the drain.

  He came without any reason, didn't think of any consequences, didn't care about any gains or losses, completely out of a kind of instinct, a kind of concern for the person he wanted to protect.

  In this time and space, the anxious and worried mood he had only experienced during Uncle Hu's serious illness. After Uncle Hu passed away, he came to Qingzhou in disguise as Yang Xu, so everyone here was his potential enemy, he had to be on guard at all times, not daring to enter anyone's heart, nor allowing anyone to enter his own heart.

  But it wasn't until now that he realized, someone had already unknowingly moved into his heart. That lovely little maid, the little girl who chattered incessantly in his ear like a younger sister, the little girl who took care of him with the meticulousness of a family member.

  Unconsciously, he had become accustomed to Xiao Qi's existence and was used to seeing her joyful smile as soon as he returned to the mansion.

  Now, he just wants Xiaoying to live a good life, without considering gains or losses!

  Xia Fu has gone to save Xiao Qi, Xia Fu is going to make a name for himself, don't give Liu Zhanggui any chance. Di Renjie, Zhan Xiang and all book friends are possessed by the soul at this moment, he is not alone, he is not fighting alone! Swing it up! Can Liu Xu still smile in front of this person? What will his expression be like 10 seconds later?