397 I’ve Liked Him Since I Was Young

Liu Sanniang was a good listener. She listened quietly as Jiang Xiaoyan went on with her narration. Outside the house, it started to rain at some point and the raindrops fell rhythmically on the tiles.

From when she was young, Jiang Xiaoyan had liked Hu Futan.

The two families could be considered to be on good terms, and they had also thought about marrying their children to stabilize and strengthen the family business together.

Jiang Xiaoyan had been traveling with her father and brother since she was young. She was a woman with foresight. She knew how to do business. No one knew that a carefree woman like her would actually fall in love with a weak scholar like Hu Futan. But she liked to hear him recite poetry and practice calligraphy.

Because of some mistakes, the Hu Family collapsed in an instant, and their wealth was gone like flowing water.

The Jiang family had also lost a lot, but their foundation was not shaken.

When the Hu couple came to knock on the door, Jiang Xiaoyan knew that they had something to ask of her parents. She asked the maidservant to leave while she eavesdropped in the back hall. She heard Mr. Hu ask her father. “Brother, my family is down and out now. It doesn’t matter if I die, but my son is still young. I can’t bear to see him suffer with me.”

The Jiang couple did not say anything, but they knew that the Hu couple was here to propose a marriage for their son.

If it was in the past, they would have agreed without hesitation. However, things were different now. Given how down and out the Hu family was, how could the Jiang couple bear to marry their daughter over.

Her parents didn’t want to agree, but Jiang Xiaoyan didn’t want to miss the chance. She liked Hu Futan and wanted to be with him. She came out of the back hall and knelt down. “Father, Mother, I like him. Please allow me to marry him.”

Mr. Jiang frowned. “Xiaoyan, you’re a smart woman. You have to understand what you have to face when you marry Hu Futan. The Hu family is different now. Hu Futan is not cut out for business. The Hu family will never rise to their previous level. If you marry him, you’ll suffer a lot. Hu Futan’s heart is not with you.”

Jiang Xiaoyan knew. She had always known that Hu Futan liked the adopted daughter of the Hu family. Her name was Wang Ru.

She had seen the portrait Hu Futuan had drawn for her and the love poem he had written for her.

Mrs. Hu promised Mr. Jiang that Wang Ru had left the capital and would never come back. It was all Wang Ru’s fault that the Hu family was like this. Their son would never be with Wang Ru.

Jiang Xiaoyan said confidently, “I believe that when we become husband and wife, with more time spent together, he will gradually fall in love with me. No matter how cold the ice is, it will be melted by heat eventually. Even if he is a rock, ten years, twenty years, or even longer, one day, I will melt it.”

At that time, Jiang Xiaoyan was confident. She wanted to marry him and did not care about anything else. She didn’t care if she would suffer.

Her parents did not stop her and agreed to this marriage.

Outsiders laughed at Jiang Xiaoyan for being a fool. Hu Futan was not the only man in the world. Why did she have to marry someone who would only bring her misery?

Jiang Xiaoyan did not care. She only knew that she liked him and loved him very much. She was willing to risk her life for him and overcome all obstacles for him.

Her thoughts seemed to be disturbed by the rain that fell rapidly.

Liu Sanniang looked at her calmly. Jiang Xiaoyan continued absent-mindedly. “A few days ago, I had a dream.”

Jiang Xiaoyan felt a little cold. The knuckles of her clenched fists turned white. She didn’t know if it was because she was cold or because she was nervous.

She took a deep breath before continuing. “I dreamed of my dead father-in-law and mother-in-law. They seemed to be very anxious and seemed to be saying something to me, but I couldn’t hear them clearly. Maybe I heard them clearly, but I forgot. Or perhaps, I wanted to forget it myself.”

This dream made her uneasy. The main reason was that a servant had reported that Hu Futan had taken five hundred taels of silver and did not know what it was used for.

Hu Futan was no longer a young man, and there were only a few people who were on good terms with him. These people were also scholars who cared very little about money.

There were also a few times in a year when some poor people came to Hu Futan for help. As long as they could persuade Hu Futan, they would be able to obtain dozens of taels of silver from him. Jiang Xiaoyan never minded this.

After saying that, she looked at Liu Sanniang with a complicated expression. “Miss Liu, can you help me? I want to know what they said to me.”

She had a feeling that this dream was a bad one. It was a sign of something. She had to get rid of it before it happened.

Liu Sanniang looked at her. “Madam, your face revealed that your marriage is destined to end, and it can’t be forced.”

Jiang Xiaoyan found it hard to accept. “That’s impossible. You have no idea what I’ve sacrificed. He and I are going to be together forever. How can our marriage end just like that?”

Jiang Xiaoyan was on the verge of breaking down. Her eyes suddenly turned cold as she stood up. “I came to you to ask for your help. It’s fine if you don’t want to help, but why do you have to poke at my heart?”

Jiang Xiaoyan’s face darkened. She assumed a domineering attitude. Her face turned cold and she glared at Liu Sanniang. “Tell me, how much money do I have to pay you to get you to help me?”

If Liu Sanniang wanted money, she would give it to her.

Liu Sanniang looked at Jiang Xiaoyan calmly and said, “He never belonged to you. The tighter you hold onto him, the more painful it will be. Madam, you should understand that better than anyone else.”

Jiang Xiaoyan looked at Liu Sanniang. The hope in her eyes gradually faded, replaced by coldness. She pursed her red lips tightly. “If you want me to let go, unless I die, it’s impossible. I saved Hu Futan. He will always belong to me.”

Jiang Xiaoyan walked out with her back kept straight. The heavy rain quickly drenched her. She did not hesitate or stop. She was such a person, decisive in everything she did except for one thing. She hoped that Liu Sanniang could help her.

If Liu Sanniang refused, she would leave without hesitation.

Chu Yan entered the room and watched as Liu Sanniang slowly drank the fruit tea. His expression softened. “What do you want to eat tomorrow?”

“Anything is fine,” Liu Sanniang replied with a faint smile.

——

When Jiang Xiaoyan returned to the mansion, a maidservant hurriedly came forward to serve her. “Madam, where did you go? Why are you drenched?”

Jiang Xiaoyan’s expression was calm. “I’m fine. Just help me get changed.”

After letting the maidservant help her change her clothes and dry her hair, she waved her hand. “All of you can leave. I want to be alone for a while.”

The maidservants retreated. Jiang Xiaoyan leaned against the couch and fell asleep very quickly. In a daze, she dreamed again.

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