章節 13: 第13章: Truths Are Realized

She wondered too. The dress was heavy, and the colors was the kind that she detested with every inch of her life. She didn't even need another word to say it. That was how drastic it was. But still, the invitation could not be declined. The place was simple, with simple decorum and the courtyard bare. It was as though almost no one was living in it.

If anything, it was creeping her out. There were plenty of ways that it will end in a really horrible note in the first place. Horrible in the sense that meant she will not see any further than this. It has been something that she could not avoid by any means. Nothing else could have been known or seen, not at all.

She entered inside when she was prompted to do so in the first place. With a servant hinting that she should have chose this in the first place. But she has never been one to just trust others, and she found it suspicious among all else. And uncomfortable in such a situation in the first place.

She looked upon her options later on, slowly coming to terms with the situation. Here are the options she will have at the end of the day. The choices that she could make among them. There wasn't much in the first place, knowing that she was limited the moment she received the invitation. Because of how this was a man who could help her, very very much. The same came for declining.

No one will believe that she has taken ill, rarely doing so even when there were outbreaks of plague. But their town has never been severely afflicted, the last time had been well over a decade. When she was too young to even remember or never born.

Not that it will have been a good reason either.

She was just in a situation that coming had not been an option, it was a much by all means and unavoidable. And so, she came by herself.

"Welcome." At least no one curtseyed or bowed to her. If she did, she will have ran instead. Raised in a place where many simply ignored her, forgot that she existed and by all means thought that she was just another face. To be so acknowledged made her feel uneasy, since her recognition was minor by all means.

Even after years of excelling in serving them right, that few will complain about her. Other than the occasional accident. This was just so wrong with her. As much as it told her that coming was a bad idea. She went with them, since her running will be an overall affront.

If anything was wrong, then she will bolt as fast as she could. At least this was a dress that she didn't really need. She had some finer dresses, which could be used this was just too much for her.

Entering inside the small place, she finally stumbled upon a large garden. Unlike the courtyard, which was bare as it could be. The garden had plenty of fresh flowers, a huge takeaway from here.

She knew better than to go and get one, many will say that it will render her barren. Although not of the superstitious kind, but she thought that it will have been a travesty to do so. For a flower that will simply die within days, that was a little too difficult for her to accept and understand.

As she stepped closer to inner garden, where the man sat. Dressed in simple clothing and waiting for her, she simply wondered just what was he intending to do. On the table was a series of brushes, and paper. She knew that it was fresh as well.

Having done some bookkeeping for her mother before, when she was ill she knew how to use a brush and the basic words. Required for her to be able to handle them with ease, her mother boasted of a similar education as well. Meant to be able to understand what was going on but few other.

She stared at them, but did not choose a single one.

"Make yourself comfortable." If she wasn't in some strange men's house, invited by him without much reason she will have been a lot more comfortable. And if the invitation had been more discreet it will have helped to make her a lot less unsettled as to what he was planning.

"Besides, you're not alone." She felt the inclination to shudder had it not been Yuntong, someone that she has spoke to and have a relationship with showed up. Then again, he also had questionable motives, although it seemed that he was around for the sake of his little sister.

Even if nothing told her that she should keep herself away from him in the first place. But she simply waited, choosing without consideration was dangerous for her. Given her background and gender, she knew that she was limited in the first place.

"Hi." He also didn't seem to find any more so either. If they were not chatting since they both had plenty of common ground in the first place.

"I have business to attend to."

The moment he was gone, both of them stared at each other.

"It feels weird, doesn't it?"

"You have no idea." He set down his fan, dressed like their first meeting. "Since our family is intending to unite, he is trying to find a suitable girl."

Although many will scoff at her being the candidate, but given how much effort went into bringing them together. If this was considered one of them, when they were anything but surrounded by anyone for that matter.

"I'm not going to marry you. I only went because I knew your reputation and was curious who my little sister will be under."

"I agree. You're just nice to talk to." While both of them had many similar interests, the thought of them making a leap of marriage when they knew each other for no longer than perhaps two weeks or so. Although she knew that marriages occur between individuals whom never met. And their first meeting will be in the nuptial chamber, since the bride was always veiled or carried a fan with her.

"Well since there are brushes, do you want to write?" He stood up, going to the table.

"You know that the best of my education consists of keeping accounts and learning how to read legal documents so I don't get tricked. And I happen to be one of the luckier ones?" She was stating a fact that she knew this was rare rather than normal.

"I know that. Besides, it will be rare for you to ever have this chance again." She took up the brushed, deciding to write her own name. Her name was unlike others, being quite difficult for her to write in the first place. As she slowly finished, it seemed that it was not of the degree she wanted.

"You're not holding the brush right." Although it will be a lot easier if she was sitting down. Before he raised his, giving her a chance to take a glimpse. He gave it to her, guessing that it is very very much a gift.

"By the way, it isn't really proper. But I feel that it suits you best." She knew it was not an insult to her in any way, rather it was praise. Noticing her for who she was, and a woman's name was always forgotten by history.

There were exceptions but they tended to have been exceptional women in their own right. Then again, men were the same as well. Albeit it was far easier for one to be noticed by the court as compared to a woman, who mostly will have been relegated to that of a wife.

She wrote one word which meant cloud, which was something that came to her mind. Something that she didn't think all too deeply about either. And another for the sky.

"What do you think is the man's aim?"

"If I'm not wrong, even I don't know. Maybe you're his daughter and his recognizing you now."

"It's possible." Upon deeper thought it was, she was born in the first lunar month. Which she knew that many thought her an unlucky child, which was superstition. Although she never did learn who was her real parents.

"I said that as a joke." He stared at her, wondering why she was so certain in the first place.

"Although he had some rumors, including the one I told you about but why?"

"I'm an adopted child, my real birthday is in the first lunar month."

"Late Winter, just after the new year?" Even he found it baffling that something so coincidental happened in the first place. Many were certain that it will have not by any means. "It can't be. Do you know who your mother was?"

"Yeah, the owner of a restaurant." She gave him a small smile.

"I meant your real one." Getting the idea of his query being a little too vague.

"All I knew was that she died, and I don't know of what." If she had, then she will have a better idea. "My father was still alive, racked with grief and gave me away."

"Well, I remember because my mother told me that as a cautionary tale. He was a man who fell madly in love and gave up a promising career at the capital in favour of her. His family practically disowned him, although they did not formalize it."

"So, the woman died?"

"Giving birth to a daughter born during during the first month, which many found to have been a wholly bad omen. Not to mention her death later, which was by plague." It was too similar, for it to have been impossible.

And Yuntong realised this as well, knowing that it was very very much a possibility. Not just an assumption, the chances of it becoming real was high. Which was why neither of them could bring themselves to talk about it.

She had taken a seat, with this behaviour also making even more sense. It will not have been lost on Yuntong either; as he was not his chatty self.

Before they could piece together the real reason why this was so. A match, to a scholar's daughter. She was old enough, some girls married even younger than she had. To another scholar, and a family at that. Many will thought that it will have been kind, to be married to an esteemed man when compared to her options before.

Her mother was a spinster and well past the marriageable age. This was one which will have gained few opposition in the first place.

"If we are ever matched, we should leave the town."

"I'll even ditch you at the altar if it comes to that. And I'll get Qingshuang to join me, since I can get him away as well. Heck, I'll leave with that boy who works at the inn."

"Same thing, I'll leave with Feiyu as well."

"We should leave the place before something stranger happens." Both of them nodded and went to leave the place quickly. Just before they reach the gate, Yuntong came face to face with his father. Both of them looked at each other, knowing that their chances to avoid this and quietly keep themselves outside of it was anything but possible.