Chapter 230: Chapter 230: Must You Marry the One Who Saves You from Drowning? (Part 1)

“She’s awake, she’s awake.”

“Just spit out the water, and it’s fine. Thank goodness, thank goodness, she’s alright.”

“Miss Lin wasn’t watching where she was walking, how did she end up falling into the pond? She almost dragged Miss Shi down with her.”

“Miss Shi is quite foolish too. You can’t swim, what were you thinking jumping in to save someone? If it weren’t for Scholar Ying and Scholar Qin passing by, both of you could have died!”

“You’ve survived, but you ought to think about what to do next now. Being held by a man like that, there has to be an explanation,” someone added.

“What else can you do? Isn’t this perfect? An unmarried man and woman, both talented and beautiful; it’s a perfect match, isn’t it? They’re quite the pair.”

As soon as these words were spoken, some people started to join in the teasing.

But someone else whispered, “But I heard Miss Lin likes Scholar Ying, and it was Scholar Qin who saved her.”

“Aren’t they both scholars? Scholar Qin is also a fine-looking man. And given what happened, can they really switch? What would happen to Miss Shi? Besides, isn’t Scholar Qin Miss Shi’s cousin? The Court said earlier that cousins should not marry because their children are more likely to be malformed. So, it’s best to leave it as is.”

Shi Wen lowered her head, still wrapped in the dry clothes Ying Bairong had taken off before diving in to save her. After bringing her ashore, he had draped the coat over her. She gently lifted her eyes to glance at Ying Bairong, who was standing not far away, still dripping wet and wringing out his clothes.

Beside Ying Bairong was her cousin Qin Cheng, also wringing out his clothes. He was in such a rush to get into the water that he hadn’t managed to take off his coat.

So now Lin Chen still looked soaked through, without any dry clothes to wear.

The clothes weren’t exactly thin in this season, so nothing much could be seen.

She looked over at Lin Chen, meeting his eyes, and gave a slight apologetic look before lowering her head.

“Chenchen, I was really too anxious just now, seeing you flailing around like that scared me, so I jumped in without thinking,” she said.

To those listening, it seemed like Shi Wen was just worried about her friend.

Ah Chen, however, understood there was another meaning, as the whole falling into the water incident had been planned. The mastermind was Shi Wen, who was a good friend of the commissioner, knowing that the commissioner had a liking for Ying Bairong. The commissioner’s family had sent a matchmaker, but it hadn’t worked out. She’s quite bold and later went directly to Ying Bairong, who still refused citing his dedication to serious studies.

Bold as it was, it might just be something for people to talk about and nothing more. Don’t think that just because this is a historical setting, that women expressing fondness for accomplished men is uncommon.

After the rejection, the commissioner was very disheartened, giving up on it, but remained somewhat downcast every day.

Seeing her friend like that, Shi Wen came up with a plan. She suggested falling into the water so Ying Bairong would have to save her, and eventually have to marry her. The plan was rather mean and wicked, but the commissioner wasn’t clever, even somewhat foolish, and fell right into Shi Wen’s provocation.

She didn’t realize that Shi Wen also had feelings for Ying Bairong.

By suggesting this plan, Shi Wen intended to climb over the commissioner, and also let her cousin take advantage of the situation. Her cousin Qin Cheng was a scholar, not as handsome or talented as Ying Bairong, but he did earn the title of scholar and wasn’t bad-looking; though he was at the bottom of the scholars’ list. If the family had no issues, they could secure a good marriage, but there were problems at home.

The grandfather had died early; the grandmother and father were both bedridden. It was known to everyone that investing in such a scholar was a loss, and even moderately well-off families wouldn’t marry their daughters to him.

It wasn’t that he couldn’t marry, but the Qin Family wouldn’t accept just anyone; even if status wasn’t high, at least a bit of silver would be nice.

The commissioner’s father owned a pork shop, and his wife had passed away, with no thought of remarrying, leaving only one daughter. Judging by her everyday adornments, they clearly had money. Not to mention, marrying into that family would mean plenty of meat to eat.

So Shi Wen and her cousin plotted, she to gain a reputation marrying Ying Bairong, and her cousin Qin Cheng to marry the commissioner, which was quite successful later on.

The commissioner didn’t know how it ended for them; she died quite young.

The commissioner had two wishes: not to marry Qin Cheng, and to be filial to her father.

People around were still discussing when from afar, a loud voice called out, “Chenchen!”

It was the commissioner’s father Lin Daming. He arrived looking frantic and worried, and seeing Ah Chen sitting on the ground safe and sound, he finally breathed a sigh of relief. Seeing her drenched, he quickly took off his coat and wrapped it around her, patting her shoulder gently.

“Don’t be scared, Daddy’s here.”

“Let’s get you home to Daddy quickly. You’re all wet, you could catch a chill if you stay like this.”

He glanced around and his gaze fell on Qin Cheng and Ying Bairong. He recognized them and clasped his hands in thanks, “Were you the scholars who saved my daughter Chenchen?”

He was considering how to thank them; he definitely had to send them some meat and maybe some silver too.

Before they could respond, others began to speak, and Lin Daming quickly understood what had happened and was about to speak when two more voices came from afar—it was Shi Wen’s parents.

Shi’s mother was holding Shi Wen, wiping away tears, and quickly noticed the coat on Shi Wen. Her face changed, “Wenwen, why are you wearing a man’s coat?”

“If this gets out, how will you marry in the future?” Shi’s mother cried in distress. “In the future, who would dare to want you? My daughter, are you supposed to go to a nunnery?”

Lin Daming frowned, wanting to say something, but it was another family’s matter, it wasn’t right to interfere.

He quietly told Ah Chen, “It’s not a big deal, Chenchen, don’t worry. Even if no one wants to marry you, Daddy will support you for your whole life. Besides, not everyone cares about this sort of thing.”

He almost wanted to curse, “making a big fuss over nothing.”

It’s just a coat, it’s not like they landed in bed together. What’s there to it?

The Shi Family lived next door, and they usually got along fine, so saying such a thing wouldn’t be diplomatic.

“Miss Lin, I’m willing to take responsibility,” Qin Cheng stepped forward and said to Lin Daming, “Uncle Lin, today seeing Miss Lin fall into the water, I couldn’t help but jump in to save her. I apologize for my rudeness, but I am willing to marry her. I haven’t yet taken a wife, and I would treat her well in the future. I wouldn’t hold this incident against her, I am completely willing.”

Lin Daming wasn’t happy at all; he couldn’t care less about those things.

But what would Chenchen think?

And besides, Chenchen seemed to have her heart set on Scholar Ying. If Scholar Ying had been the one to save her—no, even if he had, that wouldn’t be good either. He had already rejected the family, there might be resentment in his heart.

“Chenchen, what do you think?”

Ah Chen clutched her coat, speaking with a hint of stubbornness, “I won’t marry him!”

“It wasn’t Scholar Ying,” she added, “I thought it would be Scholar Ying rescuing me.” She then looked at Shi Wen and demanded, “Didn’t you promise that if I jumped in, Scholar Ying would save me? Wenwen, why did you jump in too?”

The words fell, and the entire crowd fell silent.

Lin Daming hissed. Daughter, is that something you should say out loud?

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep