I Forced the Brooding Scholar to Marry Me—and Regretted It - Chapter 2

I wasn’t much of a scholar myself.

For a merchant, being able to read the accounts and work with numbers was enough. Who had time to recite poetry beneath the moon or mourn the passing seasons?

In our last life, Shen Mo often said talking to me was like playing music to an ox.

So now, as I looked at the painting on fine paper in my hands, I thought it was rather nice—but I couldn’t scrape together a single word of praise.

“There’s no need to keep looking. It isn’t worth that much.”

Shen Mo handed my pouch back, his eyes wary.

Everyone on this street knew my formidable reputation.

Zhao Tang, Yu County’s boss of bosses. Its notorious little tyrant.

But his mother really was terribly ill. Ordinary medicine probably wouldn’t save her.

I’d promised to help him rise in the world.

His mother had lived to eighty in our previous life. I couldn’t let her die at forty in this one.

“Do you have more paintings at home, then? I’ll pick out a few. I don’t know anything about art, but I know people who do. They’ll make good gifts.”

At least Qian Feng and I hadn’t fallen out yet in this life.

I’d find some excuse to dump them on him.

He’d been taking my castoffs since we were children anyway: cricket cages, storybooks, odd little wooden figures.

Whatever I gave him, he took. Not a peep of complaint.

But at those words, Shen Mo suddenly looked up at me.

His eyes were dark and fathomless.

I couldn’t tell what he was thinking.

After a long moment, he said, “If you don’t mind my humble home, miss, please come and have a look.”

It was a simple brick house, just two rooms wide.

Drafts came in everywhere. Melting snow dripped from the eaves.

His mother lay coughing in the inner room. When she heard they had a visitor, she struggled to get up and greet me.

The cold air only made her cough harder.

I was afraid the excitement might finish her off.

Forget manners.

I hurried straight into the room, bowed to her, and explained why I had come.

There was a resemblance between her features and Shen Mo’s.

The same cool, quiet air.

She even looked at me with a touch of gratitude.

That was certainly an improvement on the glares she’d given me in our previous life.

I sent someone to buy charcoal. At least the drafty room began to warm up.

As we talked, she told me all sorts of stories about Shen Mo as a child. Once, he’d fallen out of a tree while picking jujubes. He’d pretended he wasn’t hurt, only to cry under his quilt in the middle of the night.

And when his teacher scolded him for his poor handwriting, he never answered back—he just drew turtles on scrap paper to insult the man in secret.

She told the stories so vividly, with such humor.

Shen Mo stood beside me, blushing as he poured tea and brought me water.

When he noticed I was hungry, he handed me a mung-bean cake.

I took it automatically. Nothing seemed amiss.

It wasn’t until his mother’s expression grew peculiar that I suddenly realized.

Well, damn.

In our previous life, Shen Mo had waited on me hand and foot. I’d become so used to it that I didn’t even think.

Who knew he’d be just as good at looking after people in this life?

It was making me a little nostalgic.

I hastily found an excuse to leave.

Outside, dusk had just fallen.

Shen Mo lit a paper lantern and started to hand it to me, then stopped just before I could take it.

“Let me walk you home. It’s unsafe for a woman out after dark.”

I pointed out that I had servants. Besides, I could take ten of him in a fight.

He pretended not to hear and insisted on escorting me all the way.

Stubborn as anything.

I couldn’t shake him, so I let him have his way.

We were nearly home. The Zhao residence’s lanterns were visible in the distance when someone suddenly shouted:

“Zhao Tang! Who’s that with you?”

I jumped.

Qian Feng emerged from the shadows like a ghost. He hadn’t even brought a lamp.

“Are you mad? Scare me to death and you’ll have to find yourself another wife!”

I wasn’t wrong.

In this life, Shen Mo was going to be an official. Once he placed first in the examinations, my family would have someone in the capital.

Provided we didn’t break the law, we could really grow the business.

There was certainly going to be nothing between Shen Mo and me.

Qian Feng was another matter. We were engaged; the marriage contract had already been submitted. He was stuck with me this time.

In our previous life, I’d practically driven him to an early grave with anger.

He’d given up on finding a wife and spent his days as a bachelor in the county town.

With or without an excuse, he’d come hovering around me.

And the sour remarks never stopped.

“You and Shen Mo get along wonderfully, don’t you? He never sets foot outside. You’d think he was somebody’s new bride. What help could he possibly be to you?”

“He looks awfully frail. Probably won’t live long. You ought to choose someone sturdier for your next husband.”

I was furious. I snapped my account book shut and glared at him.

“What’s wrong with you? Are you wishing my husband dead?”

“Do you think all this whining makes you look clever? Jealous of my happy marriage? Go find a wife of your own!”

To my surprise, he went quiet.

His eyes reddened. He looked wounded.

“You think I haven’t wanted to? You’re an absolute bastard!”

Then he ran off.

Even his retreating back radiated resentment.

Later, Shen Mo died two years before I did.

Before he went, he made a little visit to the Qians next door.

He died after he came home.

Qian Feng even mocked him for dying young.

Then he himself lasted less than another year. Dead at seventy.

A bachelor to the end.

…

When he heard me say he’d have to find someone else, Qian Feng’s eyes widened at once. He shot me a reproachful look.

Then his face broke into a smile, and the muttering stopped.

He snatched Shen Mo’s paper lantern. “I’ll have it sent back to your house tomorrow.”

Beaming, he took my hand and made to lead me into the Zhao residence.

I was baffled.

“Aren’t you going home?”

Qian Feng smiled brightly. “I’m marrying into your family, aren’t I? That makes me half a Zhao son already. What’s wrong with getting used to things ahead of time?”

His palm was warm. He was like a big dog radiating heat.

Shen Mo let him take the lantern.

He said nothing.

I was the one who told a servant to escort him home.

Only after arranging that did I leave with Qian Feng.

…

The servant held up his lantern and looked at the tall, elegant man before him.

Why was he just standing there without a word? It was rather unnerving.

Muttering to himself, the servant raised the glowing lantern higher.

Suddenly, alarm crossed his face.

“Young sir, why are you crying?”