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墨書 Inktalez
From the window, a few children were flying kites on the street. The bright colors soaring high reflected in her eyes, but under the blue sky and white clouds, that splash of brightness could not shake her terrible mood. She absentmindedly tidied her smooth hair and looked into the mirror to apply her makeup, yet she did not know for whom she should draw her brows and apply powder.
"Su'er, Mr. Zhong is leaving. Come out to see him off," came her father's voice from outside the door.
She sat quietly, seemingly ignoring him, with no expression on her face, but inside she was stubborn and resolute.
Fortunately, Zhong Chuping did not press her. She heard his voice slowly rise, "Forget it, Uncle Cheng. Mo Su is tired; let her rest well. I will head back first."
Cheng Mo was slightly taken aback, her watery eyes shimmering as an unexpected chill ran down her spine, and a hint of bitterness appeared at the corners of her mouth. Such a familiar address coming from a stranger she had only met twice felt somewhat ridiculous and laughable.
She heard Zhong Chuping's footsteps gradually fade away, and she slowly let out a sigh of relief. However, Cheng Yi suddenly pushed the door open with a serious expression and sternly questioned, "Have you forgotten all the manners and etiquette I taught you since childhood? You don’t even know to see guests off?!"
She paused for a moment, lightly brushing her eyelashes, her delicate fingers tracing circles on the table.
Cheng Yi tossed aside his pipe and looked at her tightly pressed lips, emphasizing his tone, "You need to get along well with Zhong Chuping! After all, soon you will be family."
Her pupils suddenly tightened as she stared at her father in disbelief. "Dad, what... what are you saying?"
He lowered his eyes, unable to bear seeing his daughter in such a helpless state. "He has proposed a marriage contract, and I have already agreed. We will choose an auspicious date for your engagement; you can get married on your birthday next year."
Tears that could not be suppressed welled up like a spring, sadness slowly spreading in her heart, piercing her chest deeply and shallowly, making it hard for her to breathe or move. She lowered her eyes, fine strands of hair covering her expression; her voice was as soft as a whisper but incredibly firm. "But I did not agree."
"This marriage alliance is extremely important for our Cheng Family," Cheng Yi said earnestly. "The Zhu Family has always been our enemy; recently in financial matters, I have been completely outmatched by them. It’s not that I have any personal shortcomings; rather, the Zhu Family has recognized the situation and heavily funded Commander Jiang. Zhong Chuping is favored by the commander and carries significant weight in his words. If you two marry, it will only bring benefits to our Cheng Family."
"Then... what about my happiness?!" Cheng Mosu raised her eyes, her voice hoarse from the sudden increase in volume. "Dad, you only care about your own future, but have you ever thought about my happiness?! Are those external things more important than your daughter's happiness?!"
Cheng Yi sighed and turned to gently close the door. His daughter's emotions were extremely unstable; whatever he said would likely not be heard. He softly left a remark, "Cheng Mosu, you were born into the Cheng Family, and you must fulfill your own obligations. Trust me, Zhong Chuping will treat you well, and then you will forget Shaoyi."
"I won't!" She slammed against the door frame, but it was tightly secured by Cheng Yi and could not be opened.
"You ask me why I calculate the future instead of seizing the present; I can answer that now," he said slowly. "Do you know how I achieved my current position? Back then, I was just a poor scholar, lost in a vast ocean with no sight of shore. When the storm began to rise, I saw its trajectory. So I stood at the bottom of the wave, carefully riding the crest of the wave with trepidation, navigating with caution until I finally reached solid ground."
"Most of those who drifted with me in that vast ocean drowned. Most of those who stood with me on the crest of the wave misjudged and were overturned by the waves. In the end, very few stood with me on the shore." He paused for a moment. "Mosu, timing is crucial; a slight misstep can lead to falling off the crest. I don’t want you to fall."
She weakly sank down along the door frame, her fingers tightly intertwined, her eyes stinging.
"I know you're thinking that if only you were a child of an ordinary family, you could love freely without regard for circumstances, right?" A bitter smile appeared on his lips. "Mosu, right now there is war everywhere; everyone is struggling to survive. Who has time to think about love? Such luxuries are only available to you."
Her pupils tightened as her father's words pierced her heart like arrows, causing it to bleed drop by drop, filling her chest with an echoing emptiness.
"Mosu, we do not have to eat our fill from others' leftovers because we have everything we need. If a person has never possessed anything or tasted sweetness, they will not crave it because they cannot even imagine it. If someone has tasted sweetness, they cannot endure bitterness." He spoke earnestly. "What if one day you truly lose sweetness and have to taste bitterness? How long can you endure it? The most terrifying thing is not having anything but having once possessed something."
She covered her ears but could not block out the endless feeling of powerlessness within her. She stared motionlessly at the floor, watching the intricate patterns as breathing became difficult and her vision began to blur and lose focus.
"Dad knows you've been listening; now let’s talk about Shangguan Lin." He rubbed his temples and cleared his throat. "He is cold and decisive, acts with integrity, thinks meticulously, and possesses extraordinary wisdom. Indeed, falling in love with him is easy. But have you seen his flaws? When real life begins, his shortcomings will become clear to you; there will be many irreconcilable conflicts between you two. Love is not just a spark; it is a long-lasting companionship. When passion fades and splendor disappears, the one who stays by your side will be the one you truly love."
She clenched her fists tightly, her nails digging into her flesh as drops of blood rolled from her pale red palms onto her moonlit Qipao, creating a strikingly bright red stain. Her delicate face lost its color as she bit down hard on her rose-colored lips. She understood what her father was saying but could not accept it in her heart.
Cheng Yi looked at Cheng Mosu and sighed without saying a word. "Shaoyi is treating you well now, but he is definitely not a good husband. You know how ambitious he is, and the Northeast cannot satisfy his appetite at all. What you will face is the loneliness of him not coming home for long periods, and you will have to worry about his life being in danger at any moment. Do you think you can endure such a life?"
"And Zhong Chuping, he may not be as charming as Shaoyi, but he is definitely the most suitable person for you. Think it over." He turned and walked away, his footsteps growing fainter until they completely disappeared.
She weakly dropped her hands, and the desolate air instantly enveloped her. She moved her fingers and felt the soreness in her palms. She raised her other hand to wipe away the tears that were flowing uncontrollably, only to realize that this hand had also drawn blood from her own grip, adding a genuine flush of color to her pale cheeks.
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