Did the third place winner regret it today?

Chapter 35

All these flashed through Shen Ti's mind. When she looked up again, the lonely and timid girl had let go of her reserve and walked down the stairs quickly. She came to him, grabbed the corner of his clothes, and looked at his face greedily: "Shen Lang!"

"Shen Lang!" Feng Luoyi grabbed his clothes tightly and choked with sobs, "Shen Lang! You - are finally back!"
She held onto him like a drowning person holding onto a piece of driftwood. She had been unable to sleep or eat these days, fearing that the Shen family would punish her when he was away.
I will never be able to return to the capital again in my life.
"I'm so scared when you're not here."

Shen Ti had always been polite to her, but this was the first time they were so close. She even grabbed his clothes.
But the girl choked up and told her about her fear. Shen Ti finally didn't have the heart to pull back the corner of her clothes, and told her softly: "Don't be afraid, I'm back."
He said, "Please stop crying. I will tell you in detail what will happen in the future."
Feng Luoyi felt disappointed and could only let him go with tears in her eyes. She gently wiped away her tears and lowered her head: "I am rude, Shen Lang, let's go in and talk."
Shen Ti followed Feng Luoyi into the main hall.

The main hall is also called the Ming room, which is the room with the door in the middle of the main house. Feng Luoyi now lives in a very small courtyard. There are only three main rooms, the Ming room is in the middle, and there is one room on each side. One is for sleeping, and the other is for living.
Shen Ti had never entered the side rooms, not even the one used for living and receiving guests.
During the few times he came, if the matter was minor and the conversation was short, he would talk to her in the courtyard. If the matter was serious and the conversation was long, he would go into the main room to talk.

At most, it can reach the main room.
This was Shen Ti's bottom line. The original rule of the world was that engaged young men and women should not meet each other before marriage. Only some enlightened parents would let their daughters out when the man came to visit during the New Year, so that the young people could see each other from a distance across the courtyard, pond, and flower garden.
Shen Ti had only met Feng Luoyi once from a distance during their marriage before, and then he went away to study and never saw her again until the Feng family fell into decline.

Now, Feng Luoyi's status is different. In theory, the two of them are no longer bound by these rules. In fact, Shen Ti does have to come to Feng Luoyi to discuss things because of their affairs.
But Shen Ti always abides by the rules and does not overstep the boundaries.
When he was young, Yin Shi could tell that he was this kind of person. When he grew up, he was still this kind of person.

Shen Ti and Feng Luoyi sat down.
The maid served tea, winked at Feng Luoyi, and as she walked out, she closed the door as if by accident, leaving it ajar.
Shen Ti noticed this and frowned slightly.

"Shen Lang, you..." Feng Luoyi raised his head, "Your marriage has been arranged, right?"
Her eyes were full of tears, and her face was fair and beautiful. Perhaps she had been too worried during the time when Shen Ti was away, and she looked noticeably thinner.
She was already weak and vulnerable, and now she looked even more pitiful.

Shen Ti felt a lot of compassion in her heart, so she ignored the maid's little trick and sat upright to talk business with Feng Luoyi.
"It's been engaged." He said, "It's my fourth cousin from my third uncle's family. She's a few months older than me."
Feng Luoyi lowered her eyes and said softly, "It must be the one among the sisters who is well-read and has a kind heart that was chosen to match you."

Shen Ti thought about it. He had also learned about the daily life of his uncle's sisters in Huaixi. The so-called family education is to learn a few words, touch the piano and hold a pen. If the teacher does not strictly supervise and the students do not practice diligently, what can they learn?
"Not really." Shen Ti said, "There is really no one with a talent for studying in my maternal family. My cousins ​​only managed to become scholars. My sisters... just learned a few words and are not blind."

Feng Luoyi actually knew that Shen Ti's maternal family was just a country gentry, and his cousins ​​were all little girls from small rural areas who had never seen the world. But Shen Ti's personal confirmation still made her feel more relieved.
She held back tears and said, "I'm sorry for putting you through this for me."

Feeling wronged?
Shen Ti thought of Yin Shi's fair and rosy face and bright eyes, looking straight at him and ruthlessly exposing his hypocrisy, as well as his bold proposal.
Shen Ti actually didn't feel wronged.
In his eyes, the woman's family background, her father-in-law's ability are all external things. A gentleman cultivates his heart and his behavior, cultivates virtue and practices the way, and relies on himself in life and career.
People who place their hopes on external things are doing so because they are not genuine inside and have a weak foundation.

"There is no grievance, don't think too much." Shen Ti said, "Although I don't have much contact with my cousin, I think she is upright and honest, and she is a sensible person. I have also explained our affairs to her. She is very open-minded and can accept everything about you and me. She will definitely be a virtuous wife in the future."
"My father and mother have already made it up. I will get married at the beginning of next year. I will first bring my cousin into the family, and then I will give you a legitimate status."
"Just be at ease. Worrying can make you sad. I see that you have lost a lot of weight since I left. You should take good care of your health."

Feng Luoyi was gently wiping her tears with the corner of her sleeve and was secretly shocked when she heard this.
The future husband has already had a concubine that he must take before he gets married. Even if the other party is of low status, no woman can be without resentment.
This woman's performance could make Shen Ti praise her as "upright, honest, wise, and open-minded". She must be a very scheming person.
Her already bleak future was cast into another shadow.
"She is so nice." Feng Luoyi's voice was so light that it seemed to float. "Then I feel relieved."

Shen Ti thought about it and decided not to tell Feng Luoyi about the agreement between Yin Shi and him.
If a minister does not keep his word, he will lose his life; if a ruler does not keep his word, he will lose his country.
If he told Feng Luoyi, Feng Luoyi would most likely tell the maid who depended on her for life. The maid had a lot of small thoughts. Women were locked up in the back house, with limited vision, and sometimes they would ruin big things for small things.
It would be best if this matter was kept between him and Cousin Yin, without letting any third person know about it. This way, they could live in peace until they were married.
By that time, the big thing will have been decided, and it won’t be too late to tell Feng Luoyi.

"Yes, don't worry." Shen Ti told her, "I have already gone to the Hanlin Academy to take up my post today. This matter has been settled. From now on, I will focus on my career. You should take care of your health."
"Next year, you will have a legitimate status, and you won't have to be afraid for the rest of your life. Leave everything to me."

"But now that everything has been settled, I will focus on my career from tomorrow on, and you and I should also start to avoid suspicion. From now on, I will not come here anymore. If you have any problems, just ask the maid to find Changchuan. It doesn't matter what it is, clothes, tea, food, firewood and charcoal, but if anyone dares to treat you badly, ask the maid to report me."
"Remember, I'm here in this mansion and I will never let you suffer any injustice." After saying this, Shen Ti felt an indescribable sense of relief in his heart.
This matter - Feng Luoyi's future, has finally been arranged clearly.
People in the world say that career is a big deal, while women are a small matter. Shen Ti cannot agree with this. How can it be a small matter? If you treat her with contempt, she will waste her life.

My mother once sighed that a woman's life is like a flower; although it is beautiful when in full bloom, it withers too easily.
My mother's biological mother was also said to be a beauty, but she passed away early. My mother had to endure and suppress many grievances at the hands of her stepmother.
When her mother talked about these things in the past, she seemed to speak nonchalantly, as if “it’s all in the past”, but Shen Ti could still sense those suppressed emotions.

But men are not women after all, and sometimes their feelings about the same thing can even be diametrically opposed.
Yu Shenti felt that the major matter had been settled and explained clearly, and everyone could feel at ease.
Yu Fengluoyi, however, had a completely different feeling.

She felt very clearly that after engaging this cousin, her importance in Shen Ti's heart seemed to have decreased.
In the past, she and Kekao were all in his heart.
But now, he expressed a lot of praise for that "cousin" in his words, and when he said "not wronged", it was obviously very natural, and he really didn't feel that he had compromised.

He was a newly crowned top scholar, talented and handsome. How could he so easily marry a country girl?
That cousin, although she has no talent for poetry or literature, must be very beautiful.

Feng Luoyi thought back to what he had just said and asked, "This cousin is older than you, why hasn't she arranged a marriage yet?"
There was no need to hide this from her. Shen Ti said, "My cousin is also very pitiful. She lost her biological mother at a young age and was raised by her stepmother. Later..."
He then told Feng Luoyi how Yin Shi had delayed the flowering period and why he was still unengaged at the age of seventeen.

The more Feng Luoyi listened, the more his heart sank.
Her intuition was right. In Shen Ti's heart, she clearly felt pity for her illegitimate cousin who had lost her mother when she was young.
In the past, Shen Ti's mercy was all given to her.
She now relies entirely on Shen Ti's mercy, but he has given his mercy to someone else, and that person is her future mistress.
Feng Luoyi felt extremely upset.

His parents also made concessions and compromises, and he also made an agreement with his future wife. Shen Ti then explained everything he needed to say to Feng Luoyi. He felt that all the pressure he had been carrying for more than a year was gone, and he felt indescribably relieved.
He stood up and said, "It's settled now. Don't worry too much. Take a good rest and take care of yourself."
By next year, everything will be settled.
Very good.
He said, "I'm going back."

What could Feng Luoyi say but: "Okay."
Stand up and see him off.
After walking two steps behind Shen Ti, he looked up at him——
He has a tall and straight figure, and in his official robe he looks as graceful as a green bamboo.
Her future depended on him.

That glance flashed through Teruka's mind before she left.
Last night she cried until her pillow was wet, Zhaoxiang came to sleep with her and gave her some advice: [Get a husband to have a baby.]
[The masters always favor the eldest son. When you have an eldest son, he will think about it again. This should be the legitimate eldest son, but now he has become a concubine's son. How can he not feel distressed? In the backyard, whoever the masters favor will have a better life. ]
[Even if she is the legal wife, so what? You have an eldest son, so you will definitely be superior to her. By then, even Lord Shen and Madam Shen will have to respect you for the sake of their eldest grandson.]

Last night, she scolded Zhaoxiang: [How could I do such a thing? How could I be such a person?]
But today, he clearly felt that his weight in Shen Ti's heart had decreased, and that his mercy was being shared with his future wife. A strong sense of crisis came over him.

Seeing Shen Ti raising her hand to push open the half-open door, Feng Luoyi knew this was her last chance.
He said that it was settled and he would focus on his career from now on.
In his eyes, her affairs were "settled". It seemed that there was nothing to worry about anymore. And in the future, he would become more and more at ease with this "settled" state, and his pity for her would gradually fade and become ordinary.

This is your last chance.
Shen Ti raised her hand and was about to push open the half-open door, but suddenly her body shook and Feng Luoyi hugged her tightly from behind.
Shen Ti turned around in surprise.

"Shen Lang..." The girl buried her face in his vest in shame, her voice trembling, "I, I'm still so scared..."
"C-Can you stay?"
"Shen Lang, please...give me a child."

(End of this chapter)