Chapter 55

Chapter 55

Golden Light Temple was not a place for long-term stay after all.

After Han Zhang woke up and the physicians confirmed he was out of danger, Grandpa Han busied himself with arrangements to take him home for recuperation.

Madam Shen also ordered various medicinal herbs and tonics, along with a hundred-tael silver note, and specially arranged for a physician to accompany the Han family and stay temporarily at their home, in case Han Zhang's injuries had any later complications that would delay treatment.

Once everything was settled, Madam Shen finally took the still-reluctant Shen Qinglan back to the Shen residence to rest.

The herbs and silver note that Madam Shen gave could hardly be considered a formal thank-you gift. After all, they were too meager for the Shen family.

The life-saving grace was too great to be taken lightly; a proper visit with gifts should be arranged on an auspicious day to express gratitude formally.

Moreover, Madam Shen also intended to use the excuse of the life-saving grace to finalize the children's marriage, so she naturally could not let the matter end so lightly.

Thus, after returning to the residence, she called her son to her room that very evening and gave him instructions.

Madam Shen said seriously, "Lan Geer, I, your mother, agree to your matter with Little Han, but if you want to marry him, everything must be arranged according to my plans."

"Mother, just tell me. As long as I can be with Brother Han, I will obey you in everything."

Hearing that he could marry his beloved, Shen Qinglan almost without thinking nodded excitedly and happily.

Madam Shen looked at her son, so deeply infatuated, and couldn't help but sigh before instructing him.

"Lan Geer, I see Little Han's sincerity, and I do not deny his feelings for you at this moment. But still, as I said, the most unreliable thing in the world is the human heart; throughout the ages, true feelings are the most changeable..."

"Whether you think your mother is too harsh or overly worried, in short, for my son's future, I must plan carefully for you, even if it means scheming!"

Shen Qinglan knew his mother loved him the most, and his eyes grew hot as he nodded: "Mother, please speak. I know I am foolish, but I will listen to you."

"You are not foolish, just too young. People always have to stumble before they know pain, before they grow up, but I cannot bear to let you go through the same suffering I endured... So you must remember clearly what I am about to say."

Madam Shen lovingly pulled her son into her arms, gently stroking his hair as she did when he was little, and continued slowly:

"Do you know what foolish things I did back then to marry your father?"

"At that time, your maternal grandparents firmly opposed, but my heart was full of your father, and I came up with a stupid idea—I gave my body to your father beforehand, forcing my family to agree to save face."

"At that time, your father said he was moved and swore he would treat me well forever. Who would have thought that within a year of marriage, he would want to take a concubine? The deep feelings of the past became a shameful matter in his mouth, and even a handle to threaten me..."

Speaking up to this point, Madam Shen choked up and could not continue.

Shen Qinglan could hardly believe it: "How could Father be like this?"

He knew his father was not a good man, but he never imagined he was so despicable and shameless.

Madam Shen wiped her tears and sneered: "From that moment on, I came to my senses and understood a principle: in life, no matter how dirty the inside is, one must stand on the moral high ground on the surface."

"Now Little Han has saved our lives. If you marry him easily, you will only be looked down upon. If things go wrong later, and the Han family puts pressure on you with the grace of saving your life, you will never be able to hold your head up."

"However, a life-saving grace is heavy, but if the Shen family marries their son out of gratitude, it will become a praiseworthy tale and a righteous act..."

"So, your marriage to Little Han must never be 'repaying a life-saving grace by giving oneself,' but 'the Shen family, valuing righteousness, marries their son to repay a favor'..."

"Tomorrow I will go discuss this marriage with your father. At that time, you only need to put on an unwilling look. I will take care of the rest."

"Remember, you must never show any affection for that Han man in front of your father. Otherwise, given your appearance and qualities, your father would never allow you to marry a poor scholar who brings no benefit to his official career... Do you understand?"

Afraid her son would be deceived by his father's false front, Madam Shen thought for a moment and still explained in detail.

"I admit, your father does have some genuine affection for you. But that father-son bond, after all, cannot compare to his own future."

"Compared with your other brothers and sisters in the household, you may lack cunning and skill, but there is one thing they can never surpass—your looks."

"Even if you have been through several broken engagements, so what? Most men in this world are blinded by beauty. If they are interested, you can still continue to pave the way for your father's career..."

"This is not me exaggerating, but after so many years of marriage, I know your father's character too well. So before the marriage is settled, you must hide your feelings for Han Lang."

Madam Shen sighed deeply, her words earnest.

Shen Qinglan felt a chill in his heart, yet was warmed by his mother's wholehearted planning for him.

He leaned down, nestled his head on his mother's knee, eyes slightly red, and whispered: "Mother, I understand... thank you."

"Silly child, what need is there to thank me? You are the apple of my eye. I only hope my son truly finds a good match, and that Han boy's feelings for you will be lasting... lasting even longer."

Madam Shen smiled gently, her face so warm and loving in the candlelight.

Shen Qinglan looked at his mother like this, feeling a warmth flowing in his chest, filling his heart.

He secretly vowed in his heart: In the future, he would stand up for his mother, he would definitely stand up for his mother.

...

On the other side.

The Han family.

The Han family were also discussing the Shen family with Han Zhang.

Grandpa Han's expression was solemn, his gaze piercing: "Big Brother, what exactly is going on between you and that Master Shen? Your grandparents and parents aren't blind. That Master Shen is the young Master Wang you brought to the temple fair last time, isn't he?"

Although Shen Qinglan's appearance had been obscured by powder and paint then, he hadn't changed his features. Grandpa Han, who had traveled far and wide in his youth, was most discerning and could spot the clues.

"Yes, Grandfather. Qinglan is the Worthy Brother Wang I introduced to you back then. Qinglan and I met when I was writing storybooks and earning silver at the bookshop..."

Han Zhang did not hide anything. He then told the story of how he and Shen Qinglan had met and come to know each other, of course in an edited version.

In his telling: Shen Qinglan had admired his talent and gave him some help out of kindness, but he had fallen in love at first sight, discovered Shen Qinglan's identity as a male wife, and, unable to control his feelings, had let selfishness take over and schemed to seduce him.

"Grandfather, I know this act is despicable and not the deed of a gentleman. But love is truly hard to control. I simply could not bear to watch him marry someone else."

"This wolf attack was also orchestrated by me to win over Madam Shen's favor..."

"I know these methods are not honorable, but even if I bear the name of a shameless man, I will definitely marry him as my husband."

Han Zhang confessed his true thoughts openly and shouldered the responsibility.

Because only by saying this could he show Shen Qinglan's importance in his heart.

He liked Shen Qinglan so much that he would bet his life. If the Han family were to look down on his hard-won husband, he would surely hold a grudge.

He had originally intended to project a loyal and righteous image in front of the Han family, but a loyal and righteous person does not necessarily have to be completely pure and noble.

Besides, if a person is too perfect, it's too fake.

Every person has a dark side. He wanted the Han family to know his dark side—his stubborn obsession.

He truly loves Shen Qinglan, so he hopes the Han family, out of consideration for their precious grandson, will treat his husband well.

Han's parents were momentarily speechless, not knowing how to respond.

It wasn't that they thought their son's planning a marriage was wrong—after all, they had once hoped he would marry a woman from a good family and solid family background.

What they hadn't expected was that their son was such a hopeless romantic.

Grandpa Han and Grandma Han exchanged a glance.

Grandpa Han asked, "Do you really like him that much?"

A gentle smile curled on Han Zhang's lips. "I do. I can't help myself, I'm completely captivated."

Grandma Han said, "You're saying this because you're afraid the family might look down on him, right?"

Without hesitation, Han Zhang nodded honestly. "Grandma, I'm ashamed. I don't mean to be suspicious out of my own pettiness, but I am the one who secretly arranged a relationship with him. If Grandpa, Grandma, Father, and Mother hold any resentment, it's only natural."

"Now that things have come to this, I must protect him completely—it's my responsibility."

His eyes blazed with sincerity, every word earnest.

Han's mother couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy. "You're such a caring husband. Aren't you afraid you'll spoil him and leave your own mother feeling neglected?"

Which mother wouldn't feel a little sour seeing her son dote on someone else?

Han Zhang smiled and naturally took his mother's hand, ready to soothe her.

"Mother, a kind mother's thread weaves her child's traveling clothes. You carried me for ten months and raised me with such hardships, so how could I ever let you suffer the slightest grievance?"

"I know that no matter how many good things I say about Qinglan, you'll think I'm just favoring him. But you're a woman, Mother, and you should understand that if a young lady or a young man truly loves his or her husband with all his or her heart, he or she will naturally respect and care for his or her mother-in-law."

"Qinglan's love for me runs so deep that he was even willing to marry me to ward off my illness or even die for love of me. Love me, love my dog—when he sees how filial I am to you, how could he ever neglect you?"

Han's mother thought it over and her jealousy faded, replaced by a touch of melancholy.

"You men really know how to trick us women..."

If Master Shen loved her son this much, and if her son ever changed his heart, there would be no place for that young man to seek justice.

Unjustly implicated, Han's father said resentfully, "Darling, I never tricked you."

Han's mother snorted. "Never tricked me? Then when you proposed back then, who was the one swearing he'd study hard, pass the imperial exams, and make me an official's wife? And now? Not only am I not an official's wife, but our son is already a scholar, and you're still plowing the fields."

As the eldest son, Han's father had once been sent to a private school with high hopes.

But he truly wasn't cut out for studying, feeling like it was torture. So, once he married the most beautiful girl in the region—his mother—he never stepped foot in a private school again.

Exposed, Han's father was speechless.

He quickly dragged Grandpa Han into it. "Father, I recall that when Mother was with the theater troupe, there was a High Official who took a fancy to her and wanted to take her as a concubine."

"Then you promised Mother, 'One heart, one person for life,' and said you'd eventually rise to prominence and give her a good life. So Mother followed you, right?"

Grandma Han quickly added, "He kept the 'one heart, one person for life' promise, but the good life never came."

Mainly because a peasant man couldn't afford a concubine besides his wife.

She had been fooled by the old man.

Grandpa Han was left speechless.

He coughed awkwardly and turned to Han Zhang. "Well, my boy, since things have come to this, I won't say much more. Now that you've married him into the family, treat him right from now on."

"Our Han family has nothing else but sincerity. Rest assured, your grandparents and your parents will never look down on Master Shen just because you two had a private engagement."

After all, besides sincerity, the Han family had nothing else to hold onto their daughters-in-law—so how would they dare make trouble?