Chapter 364: Acting out a play

After a while, Ah Jian and Lian Ze also returned.

After tidying up, Ah Jian went to speak with Lian Fang Zhou as usual and report everything that had happened in the cotton fields. Everything had been normal, so she was relieved.

Although Zhao Ru Jun had already been punished in order to ‘clean up’, neither Lian Fang Zhou nor Ah Jian believed she would really let things go.

However, even if she used her secret contacts, it would be harder than before. Nowadays, Ah Jian and Lian Ze went to the cotton fields each day. On every visit, they kept an eye out for changes and urged the guards to be more attentive.

This way, outsiders wouldn’t be able to get close to the cotton fields, let alone set foot on them. The chances of another daring thief venturing in the night had decreased a lot. Those traps were not for show!

Hearing Ah Jian’s report, Lian Fang Zhou smiled at him: “You have always been very cautious in doing things, I am very relieved!” In her mind, she added: I just don’t know how long you will stay with my family…

Such thoughts naturally were born from the bottom of her heart and were followed by a faint melancholic and unpleasant taste. Seeing how easily her mood changes, Lian Fang Zhou couldn’t help but give herself a mocking smile: what the hell was wrong with her?

Why did she always like to think about this these days?

Hadn’t she known from the beginning that he would leave one day?

In reality, knowing something was one thing but being able to control one’s emotions was another. Knowing logically that her thoughts were unreasonable but not being able to control her heart, this time of entanglement and suffering really was enough to make people manic!

“Ah Jian,” Lian Fang Zhou said, viciously beating back the voice in her heart and clearing her mind: “I have something… I have something I want to ask your help for…”

Hearing this, Ah Jian gave her a strange look before smiling and asking: “Is it something so embarrassing? I wonder what would make you look like this?”

She laughed and then sighed: “My cousin sent someone to say that Xiuyuan has been finished and I am invited to go and take a look. I will leave tomorrow. I… I think…”

Now that the words were on her lips, she felt too embarrassed to say them.

If everything hadn’t come to the surface during the incident with Su Xin’er, then Cui Shao Xi would have been the one to come and report.

However, the one who came to tell her was not Cui Shao Xi but Li Ma, Fang Qing’s servant.

When Lian Fang Zhou had saw that it was Li Ma, her heart had loosened, thinking that Cui Shao Xi had finally let go. But before Li Ma had left, she had spoken a few words in a half-open, half-hidden manner. Only then did Lian Fang Zhou know that Cui Shao Xi had originally planned to come but Fang Qing had argued that since the message was short, it was better for Li Ma to go and thus he was forced to stay.

Thinking about it, Lian Fang Zhou would eventually have to meet him, one way or another. So why would Fang Qing insist that Li Ma be the one to speak to her? This clearly showed that she did not want to give him the opportunity to speak with Lian Fang Zhou alone.

Earlier, Fang Qing had openly revealed Lian Fang Zhou’s intentions to Cui Shao Xi through Su Jing He but apparently Cui Shao Xi still refused to give up, though he hadn’t said so out loud. How could Fang Qing let him get what he wanted?

Although Madam Cui had agreed that Cui Shao Xi’s marriage would be his own decision, there were still limitations! At the very least, it was absolutely impossible for Lian Fang Zhou to marry into the Cui family!

Once Madam Cui became irritated, Lian Fang Zhou’s entire family would suffer.

Not to mention, the Old Master and Old Madam of the Su family! If it wasn’t for Cui Shao Xi’s affairs with Fang Qing and Su Jing He, they also wouldn’t be able to handle it. So Fang Qing had no choice but to ask Li Ma to bring news to Lian Fang Zhou. It was best to give her some time to think of a way to make him give up.

At this point, things were still relatively calm and the Cui family had not been stirred up.

Fang Qing was worried that if they learned about the matter, the Cui family might try something. It was best to deal with it early.

Hearing this, Lian Fang Zhou felt very helpless. Towards such a person with such a family background, she’d had no thoughts towards from the beginning. The difference between clouds and mud, she was very clear on!

What’s more, who know what Su Xin’er would try in the future. Just thinking about it, Lian Fang Zhou was immediately scared.

However, what she could do since he refused to give up on his feelings? No one else could help her with this matter, only she could solve it.

Lian Fang Zhou had thought and thought about it… and then an idea hit her. However, her heart was tangled with guilt and she felt very sorry towards Ah Jian, she was always troubling him with everything…

It was rare for Ah Jian to see her opening and closing her mouth without saying another and the longer she hesitated, the more curious be became. After waiting for a long while, he saw that she was still not speaking, and couldn’t stand it anymore. Finally, he asked softly: “Fang Zhou, what is it? What makes you so embarrassed? Just say it, you don’t have to be so nervous!”

She raised her head and glanced at him, cheeks hot, before finally plucking up the courage to say: “Ah Jian, I, I want you to go to Shuangliu County to accompany me in a play!”

Acting? Ah Jian’s eyes went wide and he frowned slightly. This… this seemed to be something he was really not good at!

Now that the words were out, Lian Fang Zhou felt relieved. “I need you to act out a play with me. We will pretend to be an soon-to-be engaged couple… Young Master Cui, he is really… I am forced to use this method, I’m very helpless. After thinking about it, this is the only way to end this matter! I know… I know I am really wronging you but I can’t think of anyone who is more suitable…”

Sighing, she looked up at him.

Ah Jian was stunned. Of all the things she might have said, he hadn’t expected her to bring up this matter so suddenly. However, thinking back to the trouble with Su Xin’er and Cui Shao Xi, he couldn’t help but feel sorry for her.

She was completely innocent but in this world, if you wanted people’s forgiveness and sympathy, what mattered was their perception.

Once the Cui family found about it, they wouldn’t care that she was innocent.

Luckily, Su Xin’er hadn’t needed to call the Cui family on that day but if Lian Fang Zhou had been weaker, she would have been humiliated and ridiculed!

“Do you feel wronged?” Ah Jian asked suddenly.

“Huh?” Lian Fang Zhou stared at him in surprise, feeling stupid.

Ah Jian explained: “If you don’t feel wronged, how can I be wronged? You… if you want to do this, I will cooperate with you.”

Looking at him, Lian Fang Zhou couldn’t say whether her heart was feeling joy or loss. The unpleasant taste spread silently.

Finally, she laughed and nodded: “I am not wronged! I just want to live peacefully. I want my brothers and sister to live well, make lots of money, and be happy in the future. I don’t need to look to others and be controlled by them. I won’t be hungry or cold! In the future, I will buy a large manor, plant flowers and gardens, and go to enjoy the world. With a life like that, I will be satisfied! Therefore, I am not wronged.”

Therefore, you must be thorough when acting this play! Treat it like it’s real! You don’t need to work about my reputation!

Lian Fang Zhou wanted to say this last part out loud but after struggling for a moment, she couldn’t get the words out.