CHAPTER 51: CHAPTER 51: NO ONE DARES TO MARRY HER

"They’ve all gone out," Grandma Jiang looked at her and said, still with a kind expression.

Su Lingzhi was silent for a moment, then got straight to the point: "Grandma Jiang, I’m sorry to Brother Chenglin, I don’t want to marry him."

Grandma Jiang’s expression didn’t change, and her tone remained gentle, "Then tell me why. Did he bully you?"

"There’s already someone in my heart. I don’t want to enter into an arranged marriage, nor do I want to damage the relationship between our two families because of it."

"The Su Family has nurtured you as a lady of a wealthy family for many years, and an arranged marriage is the inevitable result; it is your duty. Even without our Jiang Family, Old Master Su would arrange another marriage for you. For now, Chenglin is your best option."

Su Lingzhi responded, "I understand the concept of arranged marriages and the interests involved. I just don’t want to go against my own heart. I want to marry someone I love."

"You are still young and have fantasies and persistence about love. I understand, because I have also walked through this stage step by step."

Grandma Jiang wrapped her hand in hers, and changed the subject: "But child, sometimes love and marriage are two different things. Having love doesn’t necessarily lead to a happy marriage, and having a marriage doesn’t necessarily mean losing love. Moreover, for those who achieve great things, love can only be a burden."

Listening to these insightful words, Su Lingzhi felt admiration for her and fell into deep thought.

"No matter what, I want to be the master of my own future. I don’t want to follow the family’s arrangements."

Seeing her attitude clear, Grandma Jiang shook her head, "It seems you’ve already made your choice. Won’t you regret it?"

"No regrets."

Grandma Jiang sighed, "Although you were our Jiang family’s favored choice for a granddaughter-in-law, if the Jiang Family and Su Family are to marry, it doesn’t necessarily have to be you; the recently found daughter from your Su Family is also a possibility."

Su Lingzhi’s expression turned complicated and unbearable.

She hadn’t expected it to be so easy to change Grandma Jiang’s mind and inadvertently pushed Tong Yan out.

Grandma Jiang frowned at her and explained, "Last night Fu Yinli came to Yan City and coerced us to change the marriage partner. He’s a top-tier figure in the capital, someone we can’t afford to provoke. We don’t know how you got involved with him, but he said you stole something from him and didn’t want to let you go. As long as he doesn’t relent, no one would dare marry you. Could it be Fu Yinli that you’re longing for?"

Upon hearing this, a storm surged within Su Lingzhi’s heart, triggering a series of reactions that momentarily left her unable to think straight.

Grandma Jiang’s voice continued, "The deep mansion of the Fu Family, who knows what potential danger lies there; your future with him may not end well..."

Whatever else Grandma Jiang said, she couldn’t hear it anymore.

In the darkness, she felt as if she was trapped in a meticulously woven net, with every slight movement causing the threads to cut her to pieces.

She didn’t even know how she managed to stumble out of the room alone, not realizing when she tripped over the table or when her dress had gotten stained with tea.

It wasn’t until Du Qin held her hand that she gradually came back to her senses, "Mom, I..."

Seeing her pale face, Du Qin worriedly asked, "What did you talk about with Grandma Jiang? How did your dress get dirty?"

Su Lingzhi tried hard to suppress the bitterness, "I want to be alone for a while."

"Let me take you downstairs. There are too many people here, and with no one watching, don’t fall."

Jiang Chenglin frowned as he took over and led her downstairs, "I’ll take you down."

Su Lingzhi lightly shook off his hand, "No need."

Seeing her being led downstairs, Jiang Chenglin pushed open the door and entered the room.

Only to find his grandmother sitting there stably, sipping tea.

He walked over, sat down opposite her, and asked, "Grandma, what did you say to Lingzhi?"

Grandma Jiang looked at him and met his gaze, "Are you feeling bad for her?"

Jiang Chenglin remained silent; after the person had left from there, her face was frighteningly pale, something must have happened.

"She doesn’t want the arranged marriage, and I agreed."

Hearing this, Jiang Chenglin’s brow furrowed tightly, "Didn’t you say before that it wouldn’t change?"

Grandma Jiang replied calmly, "The marriage between the Su Family and the Jiang Family remains, it’s just the person that’s changed."

"You want me to marry Tong Yan?"

"Yes."

"Why?" Jiang Chenglin questioned, "You shouldn’t change my wife without my consent so easily."

"Wasn’t the childhood engagement initially set without your consent either?" Grandma Jiang said steadily, "The alliance between the two families is beneficial for business interaction."

Jiang Chenglin firmly stated, "I don’t oppose the arranged marriage; I only want Lingzhi."

"For those who achieve great things, marriage is just a bargaining chip, and love has no value. I’ve told you this already. You’re twenty-seven now, not a 17 or 18-year-old boy. You should be more stable than before, not causing trouble with me for love issues."

"Since the alliance doesn’t change, why can’t it be Lingzhi?"

"Originally, I was in favor of her, but she involved herself with someone she shouldn’t have."

"If you insist on this, then replace me too. Let other male members in the family marry the Su Family."

Grandma Jiang was enraged, "Nonsense!"

Jiang Chenglin looked at her with restraint, gradually calming down, "I don’t know what Lingzhi said to you to make such a big change, but I am not being unreasonable. Please respect my decision and consider it again."

After he finished speaking, Jiang Chenglin already stood up and left the room.

However, after looking around downstairs, he couldn’t find her anywhere.

At this time, in the hotel’s courtyard.

Zhuang Xiaoxi had stepped away, leaving Su Lingzhi alone in the distance, watching her.

Although she didn’t know what had happened, she could sense that Su Lingzhi was in a lot of pain right now.

The night wrapped around her delicate figure, the fragmented light and shadow falling on her. Her form was thin and desolate as if her wings had been clipped, with none of the vitality she once had.

Su Lingzhi held the enamel pendant in her hand, her fingers gently rubbing against the smooth matte surface.

The color of high-temperature enamel never changes, not fearing the erosion of time. She thought their feelings for each other would be the same, never changing.

Clearly, he had promised to protect her and never betray her, but now it seems it was just a momentary whim.

What were their feelings exactly? Is it even love?

This whole time, he never called to check on her, returned home without telling her, and silently went to Yan City to threaten the Jiang Family, hiding everything from her. What was he really thinking?

Now, she truly couldn’t understand him, or maybe she never understood him at all.

Even the reasons for why she liked him became blurred.

Was it just his looks? Or the romantic memories he gave her?