Chapter Sixteen: The Huo Family Faces Pressure to Arrange a Marriage

After their conversation ended and they said their goodbyes, Huo Qingqing gently looked up at Ruan Tang’s chin and pressed her lips together. “Do you really want me to go to school?”

She had attended kindergarten before, but because of her solitary nature, after only a few days, she told Huo Yanxiu she didn’t want to go anymore—it was too lonely and isolating. She preferred staying home alone, painting.

Yet now, Ruan Tang wanted her to go to elementary school.

Ruan Tang looked down and smiled. “Why, don’t you want to go?”

Children’s thoughts are always peculiar; Ruan Tang wouldn’t dismiss her outright. Sometimes listening is more effective than denial.

Huo Qingqing struggled slightly, her eyes brightening. “I want to—”

But she feared encountering the same situation as in kindergarten—

Her gaze dimmed again, and Ruan Tang noticed immediately but said nothing. She just stroked her hair and then said, “Did you hear what Uncle Chen just said? Chen Xuanxuan from Uncle Chen’s family will be your first friend.”

From Huo Qingqing’s recent behavior, it was clear she was distant and solitary, spoke little, and preferred quiet—traits that often make children seem out of place among their peers.

But Ruan Tang believed there would always be children willing to reach out to Huo Qingqing. She hoped that Captain Chen’s daughter, Chen Xuanxuan, would bring about some positive change.

Friendship among peers is indispensable.

Huo Qingqing seemed to regain some confidence upon hearing this. She looked up at Ruan Tang again, her eyes now more resolute. “Alright, I want to go to elementary school!”

Ruan Tang smiled gently. “When Dad comes back, I’ll help you register, okay?”

But before that, she had to quickly gather enough money to buy a house in the city.

The system’s task rewards were steadily increasing, and she had a feeling she’d reach that goal soon.

The two of them—one grown, one small—returned to the hospital. Since their injuries were not yet fully healed, they stayed a few more days.

Meanwhile, since Huo Shancheng was taken away, Huo Qingqing’s mother had been filled with resentment, constantly berating Lin Hui and even Huo Ji’ai.

Huo Ji’ai was initially shocked when she heard Huo Shancheng had been arrested over that watch, but after hearing from Huo Qingqing’s mother that it was Ruan Tang who reported him, she felt somewhat relieved.

As long as it wasn’t because of the watch itself.

But the watch had actually been bought by Ruan Tang?

Huo Ji’ai hid inside, playing with the dazzling diamond watch, a great sense of satisfaction gleaming in her eyes.

She could only apologize to her elder brother; she couldn’t bear to let go of this watch.

“Ji’ai! Ji’ai! Are you home?”

Huo Ji’ai heard someone calling outside. Hastily, she tucked the diamond watch into the inner pocket of her newly sewn jacket, then got up to see who it was.

“I’m home. Who is it?”

Stepping outside, she saw the village matchmaker Su standing at the door, beaming with joy. Immediately, she frowned and curled her lips. “What do you want?”

Su hurried inside, grabbing Huo Ji’ai’s soft, delicate hand teasingly. “Isn’t it your mom arranging a marriage for you? She sent me here to help find a match.”

Huo Ji’ai was surprised. Her mother arranging a marriage?

She was only in her senior year of high school! She was preparing for university! What was her mother thinking?

Huo Ji’ai was furious. After all the hard work to secure her education, was it to end at senior year?

Ridiculous!

She snapped at the matchmaker, rolling her eyes and throwing a cold look. “You’re in the wrong place. I don’t want that. You should just leave.”

Perhaps because Huo Qingqing’s mother had given the matchmaker a generous sum, Su didn’t get angry but earnestly advised, “Ji’ai, your mother thinks you’re getting older and fears you’ll become a bookworm, so she wants to arrange a marriage for you.”

Huo Ji’ai suppressed her anger, displeased. “Who says studying makes you a bookworm? Are you cursing me?”

Su quickly apologized. “No, no, that’s not what I mean. Aunt Su just wants to say that you can marry and have children now, and go back to school later.”

Huo Ji’ai listened silently, expression softening as she began to consider this.

Seizing the opportunity, Su pressed on with an example: “Recently, Ruan Li from the village got married after dropping out in her senior year. She’s doing well now and is even planning to return to school. Doesn’t that tempt you?”

Ruan Li’s family situation was complicated.

Though her grandmother had married into the Huo family generation ago, her husband died young. The village made an exception allowing her to remarry, but she endured multiple tragic losses of husbands. By the time she was twenty-nine, the village refused to allow her to marry again.

Left with no choice, after negotiations between the village and her natal family, Ruan Li’s grandmother decided not to remarry but to establish a new household and find a husband from outside—the man being Feng Huasong.

Feng Huasong badly needed money, and since Ruan Li’s grandmother offered a generous bride price, he joined the family. But after she became pregnant, he disappeared without a trace. With no way to find him, Ruan Li’s grandmother raised Ruan Li’s father, Ruan Shixing, alone.

When young, Ruan Shixing tried his hand at business and befriended Song Congwen of the Song family, who had built his fortune from nothing. They agreed on a childhood engagement, but soon after, Ruan Shixing died, and the families drifted apart over time.

Not long ago, the Song family approached Ruan Li, offering a hefty bride price to marry her off. Naturally, Ruan Li refused, but her mother, Jin Meiyun, was ruthlessly greedy—willing to sever ties with her daughter just to secure the money.

Huo Ji’ai had heard this story and found satisfaction in others’ misfortune. But now, facing the same fate, she was suddenly gripped by panic.

The Song family was wealthy. Could she find a family as prosperous as theirs? No way!

Huo Ji’ai sneered inwardly but feigned confusion aloud. “She’s her own person, I’m mine. How could I find a family like the Song’s?”

Su’s face stiffened but quickly smiled again. “You have to try, right? If you don’t say you want to find someone, how will you find a handsome match like Song Yu?”

Damn girl, laying a trap for me!

The matchmaker cursed silently, already pondering what kind of suitor to introduce once Huo Ji’ai agreed.

Huo Ji’ai forced a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “I only want Song Yu’s family, not him. If I can’t find that, then don’t bother. It wastes your effort and my mother’s money—no one benefits.”

Just leave already, she thought irritably.

Seeing Huo Ji’ai unmoved, the matchmaker’s expression soured, and she scornfully remarked, “Fine, after all this talking, not even a cup of tea? The Huo family’s door is really hard to enter—”

She turned sharply, snorted, spat on the ground, cursed under her breath, and stormed out, leaving Huo Ji’ai simmering with anger.

What kind of person was that?

Huo Ji’ai curled her lips and, just as she turned back, saw Lin Hui standing silently in the doorway’s shadow, seemingly there for some time.

Startled, Huo Ji’ai broke out in a cold sweat. “Sister-in-law, why didn’t you say anything? You scared me!”

Lin Hui’s eyes were dim. “Maybe your conversation with the matchmaker was too loud, so I didn’t get noticed. Sorry, Ji’ai.”

Huo Ji’ai considered this and didn’t argue further. She hummed a tune and went inside happily.

Watching Huo Ji’ai’s cheerful expression and recalling that Huo Shancheng had been arrested, Lin Hui’s heart stirred with suspicion.