Chapter 9: You Two Really Dare to Dream

Su Family Front Hall.

Su Mingyue gleefully admired herself in the bronze mirror, and after a while she couldn’t help but show off, “Cuicui, doesn’t this hairpin on my head look absolutely gorgeous!”

Cuicui twitched the corners of her mouth, really wanting to shake her love-struck young lady awake.

Which of her lady’s jewelry sets didn’t start at fifty taels? And she’d never heard her say those looked good.

Now this little hairpin that cost only two taels was enough to make her so happy?

What kind of love potion had that Shen Xiuyan fed her to make a young lady who used to spend money like water wrong herself like this?

Love truly is blinding—rich girls weren’t exempt from its dizzying effects either.

This was dangerous…

But she didn’t dare say that out loud, so she could only put on a deadpan face and stiffly reply, “Yes, it’s very pretty…”

“Hehe, Shen-lang must really love me! The moment he earned some silver from copying books, he thought of me first!” Su Mingyue rubbed her face, once again drowning in a sea of pink.

“What happened to make my daughter so happy?” came Master Su’s voice before he even appeared.

Su Mingyue felt a little guilty upon hearing her father’s voice—after all, she had just used him as a scapegoat.

But!

Her father’s reputation taking a hit was still better than letting Shen-lang think she was a spendthrift. What if, because of that, he didn’t dare to marry her in the future?

Thinking this way, she felt that her father had totally taken one for the team!

“I just bought a pretty piece of jewelry, so I’m in a good mood.” With that, Su Mingyue got up and helped Master Su sit down, proudly showing off, “Dad, look at this hairpin—don’t you think it’s pretty?”

Master Su: “?”

Was his daughter short on money?

Why was she wearing such a cheap-looking hairpin and even asking if it looked good?

He’d never restricted her spending—what was going on?

Could it be she was trying to adopt a frugal image?

Something like that was only suitable for his concubines—his precious daughter shouldn’t have to wrong herself like this.

He patted her hand with affection. “If you’re short on money, just go ask the accounting office. Don’t be shy. After all, this family business will be yours in the future. You don’t need to put yourself through this.”

Su Mingyue: “?”

What the heck was her father thinking! Was he looking down on this hairpin?! So annoying!

“Dad!” Su Mingyue puffed up in indignation, “You’re so superficial! All you see is money! This hairpin may not be expensive, but it has artistic meaning. Take a closer look!”

Master Su clicked his tongue. Had his daughter evolved? She could now see meaning in a hairpin?

He looked again more carefully.

Hm. Very well.

Still couldn’t make sense of it…

No matter how he looked at it, it didn’t seem as pretty as those expensive ones. Look at those others—big gemstones, elegant and luxurious. This one had a gem the size of a fingernail—you could barely see it without squinting…

But with his daughter staring at him with such wounded eyes, Master Su, with a strong sense of survival, could only plaster on a smile. “It’s beautiful. I took another close look—definitely more beautiful than that three-hundred-tael hairpin you bought before.”

That was what Su Mingyue liked to hear, so she gave her father a sweet smile.

Master Su looked at his lovely daughter and sighed. She was so beautiful, and the family was wealthy—why wouldn’t she agree to marry?

It was his fault. She grew up without a mother, and afraid that a stepmother might mistreat her, he never remarried. That’s why she’d developed such a fearless, headstrong personality.

Even when it came to something as major as marriage, if she didn’t like someone, she just wouldn’t consider them.

And now it had dragged on for so long, her temper only grew worse, and she still hadn’t found someone she liked.

He didn’t even hope for a son-in-law who was some scholarly official anymore—he’d be content if she could just find someone with a similar family background.

At least it would guarantee her a life of wealth and comfort.

With that in mind, he cautiously opened his mouth. “Daughter, your father wants to discuss something with you. I know the son of a wealthy merchant who’s currently looking at potential matches. How about lowering your standards a bit and going to take a look?”

“Dad!” Su Mingyue pouted and refused. “Not going!”

“Aiyo, why not? His family matches ours well, it’d be a great match.”

“Dad, you can’t be so wishy-washy. You used to say I could even become a scholar’s wife, and now you want me to marry into a merchant family?”

Master Su sighed. “That was before. Now I just want you to get married…”

“Besides, if you’re going to marry off to a poor Tongsheng or a pitiful Xiucai, it’d be better not to marry at all.” With wealth and status, Master Su naturally didn’t consider such options for his daughter.

“What’s wrong with a Tongsheng? Tongshengs can still keep climbing up the ranks.” Su Mingyue couldn’t help but defend Shen-lang. “I told you already, I like scholars. Even if he’s a Tongsheng, I’d still accept it.”

“Ai, fine, your father will keep looking for you then…” Master Su sighed.

Scholars were great, but all the eligible Tongsheng and Xiucai in the county had poor family backgrounds, and their learning was often lacking. If his daughter married into such a family, she’d just end up being drained. He wasn’t doing such a losing deal.

The rest were all older men—some old enough to be her father. That was even more out of the question.

“Ai…” Master Su furrowed his brows and sighed again.

Seeing her father like this, Su Mingyue couldn’t help but feel a bit guilty, so she comforted him. “Dad, don’t be discouraged. Even though I’m marrying a bit late, what if your daughter’s lucky and ends up becoming a Juren’s wife?”

After all, Shen-lang was so handsome and talented—he was bound to pass the Juren exam.

Next time they met, should she maybe urge him a bit?

Completely swept up in love, Su Mingyue was now blindly convinced that her Shen-lang was the best.

Taking the civil service exams? He’d definitely ace them.

“Goodness, my daughter really has ambition. If we’re going for it, let’s go big—let’s aim to be the Zhuangyuan’s wife. If he’s not the Zhuangyuan, we’re not marrying him.” Master Su was fired up by her words, slapping his thigh as he envisioned the glorious future.

Cuicui: It’s over. Another one’s lost it.

“Dad, your standards are way too high. I’d be happy enough just being a Juren’s wife.”

A Zhuangyuan? She didn’t even dare to dream that far. If he really became the Zhuangyuan, would Shen-lang still be able to marry her in this lifetime?

Cuicui: “……”

You two really dare to dream.

————

—Zhuangyuan (状元) was the title given to the top scorer in the highest level of China’s imperial examination system. It symbolized the peak of academic achievement and often led to prestigious government positions. Today, it refers more broadly to anyone who ranks first in exams or excels in any field.