nycdaug Chapter 223: Enke
Chapter 223: Enke
Time flies, and in the blink of an eye, we have arrived at the early summer of the year.
Ru Yue has been in this world for two years, and she will be of age by the end of this year.
"Chu Ning'an, we can't run around outside all the time like before! You, you have to stay at home and study hard; as for me, I will no longer go out and think about opening a shop or building a workshop. This way, we can save ourselves a lot of unnecessary trouble!" Ru Yue pouted angrily, with her hands on her hips, looking righteous, as if every word she said was a golden saying.
Ever since she came back from the college entrance examination last year, Ru Yue would repeat these words to Chu Ning'an every once in a while.
At the beginning, my family members found it a little novel, but as time went by, everyone got used to it and no longer felt surprised.
Nanny Qin, who was standing aside, looked at her daughter's proud and cute little appearance, her eyes full of doting.
In her opinion, such a lively, smart, outspoken and bold girl is really likable! As long as she sees Ru Yue, she feels particularly at ease, as if all difficulties can be easily solved.
Little Ruxue, who was only eight years old, also came over.
She is as delicate as a porcelain doll.
Little Ruxue imitated the adults, shook her head helplessly, then sighed deeply and said, "Oh, what's wrong with Sister? Is she crazy? She's said the same thing twenty-three times!"
Faced with her sister's teasing, Ru Yue just stuck out her tongue mischievously and did not refute.
Chu Ning'an, who had been listening quietly, smiled and nodded, saying, "Okay, I'll do as you say."
His voice was gentle and firm, as if giving Ru Yue a reassurance.
Ruxue walked slowly to her brother-in-law, patted his shoulder gently, shook her small and delicate head, and turned away without saying a word.
Looking at her brother-in-law's confused look, she couldn't help but think to herself: My brother-in-law's brain is probably difficult to cure even if he takes a lot of panaceas!
At that moment, Ru Yue, who was standing nearby, noticed her sister's overbearing demeanor. She felt as if someone had stepped on her tail, and her hair stood on end. Her emotions suddenly exploded. Her eyes widened, her eyebrows raised, and she said coquettishly, "Meng Ruxue, what do you mean by that expression?"
Facing her sister's questioning, Ruxue appeared calm and composed. She raised her head slightly, blinked her bright eyes, and said slowly, "Sister, it's only just summer, why are you so impatient? We women should be more prudent and dignified. Don't forget, you'll be coming of age at the end of the year."
These words were like a bucket of cold water poured on Ru Yue's head, making her feel like a deflated ball, and her whole body wilted.
Thinking that her coming-of-age day was less than six months away, was she really going to get married so soon? Filled with worry, she slowly walked towards the swing under the grapevines, sat down lazily, and swayed listlessly. Her once delicate and pretty face was now wrinkled into the bitter, bitter look of a bitter melon, a sight that made one feel deeply distressed.
It would be a lie to say that Ru Yue didn't like Chu Ning'an, but for a girl who was only fifteen years old, she really couldn't imagine how she could bear the responsibilities and life of being a wife.
She subconsciously lowered her head and examined her body shape, muttering to herself: Well, my figure is quite good... But even so, I'm still too petite and tender!
Whenever she thought that Chu Ning'an might have some intentions towards such a young girl like her, she couldn't help but feel annoyed and annoyed.
"Ruyue, don't you want to marry me anymore?" Chu Ning'an slowly walked in front of her, stretched out his hand, and gently pushed the swing under her.
His eyes were fixed on the petite person in front of him, and there was a hint of resentment and uneasiness in his voice.
Ru Yue, who was sitting on the swing, was slightly startled, then she smiled sweetly, her smile as bright as a blooming spring flower, but a sly glint flashed in her eyes: "No, it's just... I just feel I'm still too young."
Just as she finished speaking, she seemed to have thought of something interesting, and suddenly her eyebrows curved into a smile, like a little fox, she said cunningly: "Chu Ning'an, how about this, if you can pass the imperial examination and get the top three honors, then come and marry me, okay?"
In that case, by the time we get married, she will be about eighteen years old. By that time, I will be grown up and can be a wife and mother with peace of mind.
Hearing this, Chu Ning'an frowned slightly, a hint of helplessness on his face. He knew that Ru Yue didn't dislike him, but was just afraid of marrying someone else.
However, even though he understood her thoughts, when he heard her say this with his own ears, his heart still felt like it was pricked by a needle and hurt slightly.
He silently gazed at Ruyue's lovely face and whispered, "Ruyue, aren't you afraid that by then I'll be caught by those wealthy families?"
Ru Yue gently swung her legs, blinking her big eyes at Chu Ning'an, and answered seriously, "Chu Ning'an, it's really not that I don't want to marry you. Do you remember that strange dream I told you about before? In the dream, women had to wait until they were twenty to get married and have children. Maybe it's because of that dream that I always feel that marrying at fifteen is too early."
After saying that, she pouted, seeming a little aggrieved.
She tilted her head slightly, staring at him with her clear eyes, a faint blush on her face. This was the first time in her life that she had discussed this topic with him so seriously.
She opened her red lips slightly and said softly, "How about we fall in love first?" Although her voice was not loud, it was like a stone thrown into a calm lake, causing ripples in his heart.
When Chu Ning'an heard this, he was stunned at first, then asked with a puzzled look on his face: "What is love?"
His bright eyes sparkled with curiosity, as if filled with a desire to explore this unfamiliar word. However, the moment the word "love" reached his ears, for some reason, a beautiful and wonderful feeling arose spontaneously.
She pondered for a moment, then struggled to organize her words as she explained, "Dating is when a man and a woman meet under the moonlight before getting married, admiring the flowers and the moon together, sharing their innermost secrets, and holding hands... well, that's about it. Anyway, aside from the formal wedding ceremony and the bridal chamber, there's a lot of other things you can try."
In fact, even she herself couldn't quite articulate what a relationship entailed. After all, in her past life, as long as they weren't married, they were considered to be in a relationship. But now, living in this era, if she continued to pursue love the way she had in her past life, she might be seen as unruly and undisciplined, so she felt a bit unsure.
Those so-called romantic behaviors she mentioned were so reckless that it was hard to understand!
At this moment, a loud shout suddenly came from the gate of the Meng family compound: "Is Mr. Chu home? There's a letter from the capital!"
This sudden shout was like a thunderclap exploding over the yard, frightening everyone present.
A moment later, Uncle Qi walked in hurriedly, holding a letter tightly in his hand.
This letter was sent by Magistrate Huo at full speed, and its importance is self-evident.
After Chu Ning'an took the letter, he quickly opened the envelope, took out the letter inside and began to read.
However, when he finished reading the contents of the letter, his face was instantly filled with astonishment, as if he had seen something unbelievable.
Seeing this, Ru Yue's heart tightened and she asked anxiously, "What happened? Did something big happen? Look how scared you are!"
Chu Ningan paused, took a deep breath, and tried to calm himself down. Then he slowly said, "Ruyue, it seems that this is really what you wished for."
Hearing this, Ru Yue became increasingly flustered. Her eyes widened, her hands unconsciously clenching the corners of her clothes, and she eagerly asked, "What's going on? Don't keep me in suspense, just tell me!"
Chu Ning calmed himself down and replied with a serious face, "The Crown Prince will be married in August and will begin his regent duties at the same time. The Emperor has decided to hold an additional special examination, with the autumn examination to be held in August this year and the imperial examination next spring."