CHAPTER 39: CHAPTER 39: HANDLING THE YOUNGEST SON

Zhao Minghua didn’t really understand the affairs of the Xiao family, but he truly got to see the main person of interest.

As soon as he got home, he ran into his mother’s courtyard.

"Your son greets his mother."

"Oh, has the sun risen in the west today?" Mrs. Zhao glanced at the nearly setting sun: "The place where it sets isn’t the east, right?"

"Mother, what do you mean?"

"What do you mean? You, busy person, how do you have time to come here? Tell me, have you offended your big brother, or have you been beaten by your father?"

How could he voluntarily come to pay respects unless he was seeking refuge?

Besides, who in the family’s adored son comes to the main courtyard to pay respects as it gets dark?

"No, seriously?" Zhao Minghua embarrassedly touched his nose, motioning for the maids and servant girls to leave.

As soon as the servants left, Mrs. Zhao sighed.

"Speak, what trouble have you caused this time?"

For no reason, why would he seek her help?

They say people don’t visit without a reason, and her adored youngest doesn’t come to the main courtyard without one.

"Really, nothing, mother, I really haven’t caused trouble, and I’ve been quite good. Grandfather praised the herbs I sent and said I should collaborate more with Miss Xiao in the future."

"Wait." Mrs. Zhao finally remembered something to ask: "How old is this Miss Xiao you mentioned? How does she look? What is her character like?"

"Mother, what are you planning?"

Zhao Minghua widened his eyes.

"I’m not planning anything. I’m just afraid others might."

Mrs. Zhao was a bit confused, how could this particular Miss Xiao know Minghua in such a vast An Nan Town?

"Mother, Miss Xiao is about fifteen or sixteen years old, very, very pretty, with an excellent character..."

Something’s not right, why is mother looking at him like that?

"Are you enamored?"

Wow, Zhao Minghua’s eyes widened even more!

"Mother, your imagination is bold!" Zhao Minghua chuckled: "Do you think your son is as handsome as Pan An, as emotional as Song Yu, or more talented than Zuo Si?"

"Why, are you saying you’re not good enough for her?"

Mrs. Zhao disliked others saying anything bad about her son the most.

Yes, she could criticize her son, but others could not.

"Mother, you haven’t seen Miss Xiao... forget it, why am I talking about this, we shouldn’t gossip behind Miss Xiao’s back." Zhao Minghua almost forgot his main reason: "Mother, the marriage proposal from the big Xiao family has been canceled, right?"

"Why, do you regret it? Want to reconsider?"

"No, no, it’s best if it’s canceled, mother, you wouldn’t believe it, I saw the real person today, my heavens..."

"What do you mean, you saw the real person?" Mrs. Zhao laughed in exasperation: "Could there be a fake one? Haven’t you and Chunlan met?"

"What? When did that happen? I swear I haven’t met her or if I did, I wouldn’t know who she was, and I certainly don’t want to know who she is." Zhao Minghua was extremely reactive: "Mother, please don’t make me marry her, I’d rather become a monk than marry her!"

"Child, what did she do?" Mrs. Zhao frowned: "That’s the eldest granddaughter of the Clan Leader of the Xiao family, more than suitable for you, and you’re being dismissive?"

Your father even said not to proceed, he showed disdain as well, what kind of perspectives do this father and son have?

Such a good family, such a good girl, how could she not be suitable?

"Minghua brother, Minghua brother..."

"Are you possessed or haunted?" Mrs. Zhao stared at her son in shock: "Can’t you speak properly?"

"Yes, yes, that’s exactly how she called me, not a single word of proper speech, giving me goosebumps everywhere, mother, if I marry a woman like this, I’m guaranteed to walk unstably." Zhao Minghua gulped: "Really, her speaking is terrifying."

"You mean..."

"Yes, exactly like that, I don’t even know who she is, yet she’s rushing to call me." Zhao Minghua was genuinely spooked: "That’s why I came running to you, mother, you must take charge, ensure you don’t end up with such a daughter-in-law unless you can tolerate it!"

"Child..." Mrs. Zhao also got goosebumps hearing that delicate voice: "I have met Xiao Chunlan a few times, she seems quite composed and virtuous, how could she be as you described?"

"Mother, you probably don’t know, some people just love to pretend!" Zhao Minghua bluntly revealed: "Either she pretends in front of you or in front of me, speaking human words to humans, ghostly words to ghosts; she never shows her true colors, imagining a lifetime with someone like this is terrifying."

He shivered after saying that.

"Child, alright, alright, I get it, I have already clearly replied to the Xiao family calling off the marriage."

Mrs. Zhao also disliked overly coquettish women. To her, a daughter-in-law should be dignified and gentle, doesn’t need to have good looks or extraordinary talents, but must be kind and virtuous. A good daughter-in-law prospers three generations, she certainly doesn’t want a drama queen daughter-in-law.

"That’s good, thank you, mother, your son will take his leave."

Having gotten the answer he wanted, Zhao Minghua turned to leave.

"You stand right there."

"Mother, do you have any other instructions?"

"It’s dinner time, stay and eat with me."

"Ah?" He looked at the sky: "It’s still early, isn’t dad home? He will accompany you, I’ll just return to my courtyard to eat."

"If you dare run, tomorrow I’ll arrange for a matchmaker to propose to the Xiao family."

"Mother, one must be sincere and honest!" Xiao Minghua felt utterly helpless, feeling his vulnerability being controlled by his mother: "You already said you refused, so why change your mind?"

"An unfilial son not willing to accompany his mother for dinner, and so the mother finds a daughter-in-law who would." Mrs. Zhao said leisurely: "I remember that Xiao Chunlan quite liked being close to me, surely, as my daughter-in-law, she’d greet me and share three meals a day..."

"Mother, I’m accompanying, your son is more than willing to accompany." Zhao Minghua quickly surrendered: "Mother, take back what you said, a gentleman’s words cannot be recalled."

"Your mother is no gentleman but a woman." Mrs. Zhao finally found something to leverage against him, naturally, she wouldn’t let go: "Besides, marriage is a matter of parents’ orders and the matchmaker’s words, listening to parental arrangements is the proper way."

"Mother, mother, you’re a good person, the best mother, you wouldn’t let your son marry someone he finds annoying to look at and irritating to hear, right?" Zhao Minghua directly knelt behind Mrs. Zhao, massaging her shoulders: "Mother, you’ve worked hard, let me massage you."

"Fearless in everything, yet afraid of marriage." Mrs. Zhao laughed with anger, her adored youngest had never been so filial: "Passing on someone like that, tell me, what kind would you marry?"