Chapter 20 - The Youth

Chapter 20 - 14 The YouthIn fact, there was no particular connection between Wang Xuan and Fu Changrong, but compared to him, Zhao Hanzhang, a woman, found it even harder to visit directly.

That's why Zhao Hanzhang asked Wang Xuan for help.

The three of them took a carriage together to the Fu Family's front gate, and Wang Xuan personally stepped forward to knock and request a meeting.

The Fu Family's steward hurried over. Seeing Zhao Hanzhang sitting in the carriage, he was startled. After a gesture towards Wang Xuan, he promptly hurried to Zhao Family's carriage, bowed respectfully and said, "Why has the lady come here? Our master has already gone to your residence."

Zhao Hanzhang was taken aback and leaned slightly forward, "Fu Zhongshu went to my house?"

The steward clasped his hands and nodded, "Yes, and the lady wishes to..."

Zhao Hanzhang, after a moment of thought, said, "I want to meet your Family Head."

No matter if Fu Zhi's visit to the Zhao Family was to finalize the marriage or to withdraw from it, she had to personally meet Fu Changrong to confirm whether he was Professor Fu.

The steward hesitated, "This..."

Zhao Hanzhang looked at him and said, "Since Fu Zhongshu went to my house, you should know that our two families are negotiating a marriage. Is it unreasonable for me to want to see Mr. Fu?"

The steward couldn't help but mutter quietly, "Unreasonable is..."

Marriage has always been a matter decided by parental orders and matchmakers. Even if the marriage were already set, which it wasn't, no respectable family lady would just drop by unannounced.

But given their respective statuses, the steward didn't dare to voice his thought. Seeing Third Lady Zhao's calm face made him doubt whether he was overreacting.

He thought for a moment and stepped forward to quietly speak to Zhao Hanzhang, "Third Lady Zhao, our master is visiting to apologize. Our Family Head has injured his head, and this marriage is about to be canceled, so..."

Would it not be better if you didn't come in?

Zhao Hanzhang's eyes lit up, insisting, "Then I must see him even more now."

The steward blinked, staring blankly at Zhao Hanzhang, unable to quite grasp her meaning.

The intermediary Wang Xuan immediately stepped forward, "Steward, Third Lady Zhao specially entrusted my sister to plead, asking me to come forward to request a meeting. This shows her sincerity and persistence. Since both families intend to marry, and even the younger generation knows about it, it seems it's already at the final stage. Even if withdrawing from the marriage, they should still meet."

The steward glanced at the insistent Zhao Hanzhang and finally, biting his lip, said, "Third Lady, please wait a moment. I'll have someone bring a palanquin."

Evidently, he also knew about Zhao Hanzhang's injury.

As he left, Wang Si Niang immediately poked Zhao Hanzhang and said, "Oh Zhao Third Lady, you kept such a big matter as marriage negotiations from me. Tell me, when did you start discussing marriage with Mr. Fu?"

Zhao Hanzhang grabbed her finger, "I only found out yesterday."

Wang Si Niang was surprised, "And you agreed? Do you still remember what Fu Changrong looks like?"

No, since finding out yesterday, she had been searching her mind, but only had a vague image of someone amidst a group. Obviously, the young lady didn't remember what this Fu Changrong looked like.

The steward followed closely beside Zhao Hanzhang's palanquin, explaining on behalf of their Family Head, "Our master injured his head and has been recuperating lately, so we must trouble Third Lady Zhao to move to Jingsong Hall."

Zhao Hanzhang expressed that she had no problem at all with this.

Before entering, she heard the sound of reading aloud, and it was a duet.

She couldn't help but lean forward to look and saw a young man sitting in the courtyard. Upon hearing the commotion, he lifted his eyes and glanced over. When their eyes met, both remained silent for a moment.

Zhao Hanzhang, seated in the palanquin, examined the young man up and down, feeling that he looked very familiar and quite like Professor Fu. She was somewhat excited, eager to ask him, but held back because there were too many people around. She gazed at him with eyes full of light, trying hard to contain her excitement.

The young man's eyes reflected amusement, and his brows and eyes softened. He nodded slightly to the two Attendant Students sitting opposite him, and the steward spoke up, "Since we have guests, you may stop reading."

Only then did the two Attendant Students, holding books, notice the newcomers. They quickly clasped their hands and retreated to one side.

The steward stepped forward and reported to the young man, "Mr. Fu, this is Third Lady Zhao from the Zhao Family. Oh, also, it's Wang Dalang and Si Niang from the Wang Family. They've come to see you. Can you remember them?"

The steward's body happened to block the young man's view. He leaned back and tilted his head to look at Zhao Hanzhang on the palanquin. After a moment, he smiled at her and nodded.

The steward was stunned.

Since waking up, the master had rarely reacted and hadn't uttered a word, let alone smiled.

He turned back shocked to look at Zhao Hanzhang, only to find her smiling brightly at their master. The steward felt a tremor in his heart; today the master went to the Zhao Family seemingly to apologize and withdraw from the engagement...

Wang Xuan witnessed the young man's expression go from aloof to as warm as a spring breeze. He couldn't help but look back and forth between him and Third Lady Zhao. After a while, he grimaced as if in pain, grabbed his sister, and turned to leave, "Let's go to the front hall for tea first."

The steward came back to his senses, looking pained as he watched their master and Third Lady Zhao.

Third Lady Zhao commanded the maidservants, "Let me down, please, step back. I have something to say to Mr. Fu."

The maidservants complied, bowing and stepping back.

The young man waved to the two Attendant Students, signaling them to retreat as well.

The Attendant Students bowed and left.

Now the courtyard only had Ting He and the steward left as outsiders, as Zhao Hanzhang and the young man turned to look at them.

The steward looked conflicted, unsure whether to leave. To leave would be improper with an unmarried man and woman alone;

Not leaving, considering the master's situation, he feared losing this well-suited marriage. He couldn't just cut off the master's chance at matrimony, right?

Before he could resolve his inner conflict, Ting He had already stepped forward to pull him out.

Steward: "...Young girl, aren't you worried about your mistress?"

Ting He, most naturally, replied, "My mistress won't suffer any loss."

Mr. Fu still had bandages on his head, clearly more gravely injured than their Third Lady. If it came to a tussle, he would be on the losing end.

Steward: ...Never mind, after all, this matter is known only to them. As long as Zhao Family servants don't talk, their servants won't gossip either. Even if the marriage doesn't happen in the end, it won't be a big deal.

The steward resigned himself to fate, leaning outside the courtyard, with Ting He each guarding a side of the gate.

In the courtyard, Zhao Hanzhang's gaze fell again on the young man. The two silently watching each other, neither speaking at first.

Though she was already seventy percent certain, the remaining thirty percent was still risky.

So Zhao Hanzhang cautiously asked, "I once heard that someone asked you in class, if you were destined to spend your life with someone, who would it be?"

The young man, who had not spoken a word until now, smiled faintly, looking at Zhao Hanzhang, "Other than the one who first moved my heart, it would only be Bernhard Riemann."

Zhao Hanzhang exhaled a long breath and beamed broadly at him, "Professor Fu, long time no see."

The young man also released a breath, nodding slightly at her, "Teacher Zhao."