Seeking relatives

  "Qiang Mei Zi, dinner is ready!" Qi Ze called out for half a day. Xiang Lan came out with a cold face and scolded: "Are you calling my soul? Didn't we say we weren't eating anymore? Why are you still calling?"

  Qī Zé glared at Xiāng Lán and said, "What's with the way you're talking? I'm inviting my sworn sister to eat, what business is it of yours? If you don't want to eat, no one's asking you, I..."

  Xiang Lan grabbed his arm and dragged him to the outer courtyard, growling at him in a low voice: "Third Miss is not in a good mood, can you please stop shouting?"

  "Why? What's wrong with Third Miss? What happened?" Qi Ze asked repeatedly.

  He cast a sideways glance at Lan Bai and said, "I don't know, just don't bother her!"

  She didn't even bother to respond, and walked straight back, closing the courtyard door behind her. She went to Xiao Congrong's window, tilted her head to look inside, and saw that Xiao Congrong was sitting at his desk with a medical book in front of him, but it looked like he hadn't touched it at all.

  Xiang Lan pursed her lips and didn't go in, returning to her own room instead.

  Xiao calmly heard the sound of her closing the door, expressionless, and flipped to the next page. Although she didn't see what was written on the book clearly, she still didn't want to sit there stupidly in a daze.

  Her heart no longer ached as it did yesterday, and the feeling of loss and despair was also gone. However, the anger from being deceived only grew stronger, making her appear calm on the surface but with a raging fire burning inside!

  This anger is not towards Yiqiao, nor is it towards Chuying's madness, but towards myself!

  Why is she so foolish, allowing herself to be deceived time and time again; why is she so easy to believe in people, stupidly dedicating her true feelings over and over again?

  Xu Zheng is like this, Chun Xiang is like this, Chu Qing Kuang is also like this...

  What they said about liking was just a deception... from start to finish it's all lies!

  The medicine has already been given to someone else, yet she is still being kept in the dark, foolishly holding onto hope and waiting!

  What she says is her partner, originally from start to finish only she thinks so! Others have never treated her fairly like that!

  Those who are good to her are just pretending, out of guilt, sympathy, or ulterior motives... and have nothing to do with love!

  That anger made Xiao Congrong a bit cornered, losing his calmness, and constantly sneering in his heart: You want to marry me because you pity me? Even if I can't stand up for the rest of my life, I don't need anyone's sympathy! You can go find your Shui Pei, be together till death, I Xiao Congrong don't believe that without me you won't be able to survive in this world!

  So what you meant by asking me to forgive you was because of this matter! You had already thought out an escape route, and had already calculated my reaction after I found out!

  So... Chu Qingkuang, have you figured out the ending?

  I forgive you, I understand your choice... but I can't forgive your deception!

  From now on, you and I will be strangers, just like husband and wife who have been divorced!

  After Chu Qingkong left the Xiao Mansion, he was busy preparing the betrothal gifts. He found out that Hong Kun loved tea, so he specially selected several famous teas and reluctantly gave up a set of his own cherished purple clay teapot. He also bought an expensive jade paperweight and collected a few calligraphy paintings before asking Huakunzi to propose on his behalf.

  Hua Junzi was doing this for the first time, and she was so nervous that she didn't know how to place her hands and feet without losing face in front of Chu Qingcang. But Chu Qingcang was calm and collected, and he handed over his visiting card before pulling a smile on his face and saying, "Relax, we're not strangers!"

  Hua Junzi gave him a resentful look and said, "Third Miss is familiar, but General Hong is not! He's a general, leading an army of millions!"

  Chu Qing said with a hint of disdain, "What's the big deal? Isn't he human?"

  ——(

  Hua Junzi was speechless, looking at the soldiers guarding the gate, and only when he saw that no one was paying attention to them did he put his mind at ease. He smiled wryly: "Young master, you're here to ask for help, so lower your posture a bit. If someone hears this and misunderstands, what will happen?"

  Just then, Qi Ze came out to greet them. Seeing Chu Qingxian, his eyes lit up and he pulled them inside, only saying on the way: "Young Master Chu, are you here to discuss marriage? General Hong has entered the palace and will probably return soon. You two sit down first, I'll go call out Rong's younger sister!"

  Invited by Qi Ze to sit in the hall, Qi Ze was busy arranging tea for them. Hua Junzi saw his diligent appearance and quietly asked: "Young master, are you very familiar with this big brother?"

  Chu Qingxiao smiled and didn't explain, but instead let Qi Ze hurry to invite Xiao Congrong, wanting to take advantage of Hong Kun's absence to say a few words to her.

  Qī Zé went out for half a day and still hadn't returned. Chǔ Qīng Kuáng didn't know what had happened, and it wasn't good to intrude into the inner courtyard uninvited, so he could only anxiously wait.

  Hua Junzi couldn't help but laugh and said: "Young Master, this is the first time I've seen you like this! It seems that Third Miss really means a lot to you!"

  "Nonsense!" Chu Qingkong glared at him sideways, also laughing at his own abnormal loss of composure. What's wrong with him? In the past, even major events couldn't affect his mood, so why did he become unlike himself just because of Rong'er?!

  Now I'm feeling a bit anxious and tense, wondering if I'll also be out of sorts when I meet Hong Kun later.

  What would he do if he didn't marry Xiao Congrong? Would he just abduct her and leave? From then on, he would take Xiao Congrong with him, wandering freely to the ends of the earth... But it's unknown whether his adoptive father would let go, and what kind of poison he had used... Chu Qingcang didn't know what kind of poison it was, but she held a thread of hope, wishing that she was just overthinking!

  He shook his head and didn't let himself think deeply, picked up the tea cup, just about to take a sip, when he heard the soldier's announcement outside the door: "General Hong has returned to the mansion!"

  Hua Junzi jumped up anxiously and pulled him, shouting: "What to do?!"

  Chu Qingcang was speechless and pulled down his hand, looking at him with disdain: "Hua Zhe, you've seen some of the world with the young master, what kind of prince have you not met, how can you be so shocked by a general!"

  Hua Junzi chuckled and accompanied the smile: "Aren't those princes very familiar? General Hong is said to be very strict! If he goes to a wine house to drink, I'm not afraid, now it's for you to propose marriage, I..."

  Before he could finish complaining, Chu Qing had already dragged him out.

  Hong Kun's face didn't look good, he was thinking about something, and walked over without seeing Chu Qingcang at the door, so he just went straight in.

  Chu Qingkuang and Hua Junzi exchanged a glance, then followed him in.

  Hong Kun suddenly turned around and saw Chu Qingcang and others, frowning and shouting: "Who are you two? How come here?"

  Chu Qing felt a bit frustrated and didn't know if Hong Kun was doing it on purpose. Did he really have no presence at all? It wasn't their first meeting, they had even formally introduced themselves last time, so how could he not recognize him after just a glance?

  Thinking of his own intentions, Chu Qingkong suppressed his displeasure and cupped his hands, saying: "General Hong, I am Chu Qingkong, your junior. I have come to request an audience with you on a matter, and it was Big Brother Qi who told me to wait for you here!"

  "What about Qi Ze?" Hong Kun turned his head to scowl at his attendant, "Go and bring him here! How can you do things like this? Don't you know I'm very busy? Why are all sorts of people being let in!"

  As soon as these words came out, Chu Qingkong didn't care much, but Hua Junzi's face changed first. He had been with Chu Qingkong for many years and had never seen anyone be so slow to treat him in front of Chu Qingkong, even when several princes met their own sons they were polite and courteous.

  At this time, he didn't care about the other's reputation anymore. Just as he was about to speak, Chu Qingfan pressed him down and gave him a warning look, so Hua Junzi reluctantly shut his mouth.

  Chu Qing took a step forward and said, "General Hong, I know you're busy, but please spare some time to listen to me. To save your time, let's get straight to the point. I've come today with only one request: I ask that you marry Third Miss Xiao Congrong to me! I can make a solemn promise to marry only her, even if in the future..."

  "Hold on!" Hong Kun interrupted him, frowning: "You want to marry Xiao Congrong?"

  "Exactly!" Chu Qing said seriously, staring at him: "I fell in love with Third Miss at first sight and am willing to marry her. I hope General will help me out!"

  Hong Kun looked him up and down, his eyebrows furrowed even tighter, and rudely asked: "What did you say your name was?"

  Chu Qingkuang's throat moved slightly, and even if he was slow-witted, he understood that Hong Kun deliberately looked down on him. If it were someone else or something else, Chu Qingkuang might have exploded in anger. At this moment... thinking of Xiao Congrong, he swallowed his breath and said with a lowered gaze: "Chu Qingkuang!"

  "Oh... I remember now, you're the boss of Drunken Fragrance Pavilion! Geez, your parents are really something else, giving you a name like that... so unconventional!" Hong Kun shook his head, his expression full of disdain.

  Chu Qing's face sank, and he replied lightly: "That's right, my mother hoped that I would be free and unfettered, proud and independent, not burdened by the common people of the world, so she started with a name that was different from others!"

  Hong Kun detected the sarcasm in his words and looked at him with some surprise. As he took a closer look, he found that Chu Qingcang seemed somewhat familiar, with features that resembled those of an old acquaintance. Before he could ponder further, Qi Ze walked in, interrupting his train of thought.

  "Hong Bo Fu, are you looking for your nephew?" Qi Ze asked hastily, thinking it was something urgent.

  Hong Kun glared at him, and Chu Qing's sarcastic remark made it awkward for him to scold Qi Ze in front of him. He could only wave his hand at him and say, "Sit down first, we'll talk later!"

  He was called Qi Ze, and unexpectedly didn't think to let Chu Qingkuang sit down, but Chu Qingkuang naturally pulled Hua Junzi down to sit, putting on an air of wanting to have a long conversation with Hong Kun.

  Hong Kun subconsciously frowned, but had to admit that the businessman in front of him was not like an ordinary businessman. The demeanor and momentum were completely different from those he had seen before!

  :(（