Not following the expected path? Reborn and unexpectedly married to a demon.

Chu Luo had the courage, but she underestimated the centuries-old prejudice against social classes.

She went to find Chen Shu, and in front of him, she removed the disguise from her face, revealing her exceptionally beautiful face. She had even dressed up specially before going.

A woman dresses up for the man she loves. She was afraid she wasn't convincing enough, so she wanted Chen Shu to see her at her most beautiful, hoping he would like her even more.

She can't interfere too much with the Chen family's affairs; it mainly depends on Chen Shu.

When Chen Shu saw her beautiful appearance, he wasn't too surprised. In his heart, Chu Luo had always shone brightly, whether it was her previous appearance or her current incomparable beauty, she was always good to him.

Seeing that he didn't react much, Chu Luo began to doubt herself, "Do I look bad like this?"

Chen Shu then had no choice but to explain, "You're beautiful. You've always been beautiful. A woman's beauty isn't just about her appearance; it's also about her bone structure and inner qualities. You were beautiful before."

Chu Luo felt inexplicably happier. Her face was six or seven points more beautiful than when she was in Guanyu, but he was not too moved by this. Instead, he looked at her face with a little worry.

"What's wrong?" Chu Luo asked him.

“She looked better before. Sometimes, it’s not a good thing for a woman to be too outstanding in appearance. It might bring trouble.” Chen Shu’s words were similar to those of Chu Luo’s mother, and his eyes were full of sincerity and worry.

Chu Luo felt a pang of sorrow in her heart; what he said was indeed true.

"Chen Shu, do you love me?" Chu Luo hesitated for a long time before finally mustering up the courage to ask him. She would never have asked this question before, but it was Chen Shu. Only if he loved her would their hearts be in the same place.

When Chen Shu heard this, he was stunned and stood there. Chu Luo thought he hadn't heard her, so she raised her voice slightly and asked him.

He heard Chu Luo ask the question clearly the first time, but he was shocked that Chu Luo was so bold as to ask it.

When Chu Luo asked the question a second time, he pondered how to answer, but after thinking for a long time, he still couldn't come up with an answer. His face turned red, his heart raced, and he hurriedly said goodbye, telling Chu Luo that he couldn't give her an answer right now.

Chu Luo felt embarrassed and more disappointed by his reaction. She could clearly feel that he liked her, but why wouldn't he give her an answer? She had already asked the question first, and she didn't know how much courage it took for her to ask it.

This was the first time Chen Shu had faced such a situation, and answering whether he liked it or not was not difficult, even though he hadn't really taken the question seriously before.

The difficult question is how he should tell her, and what will happen after he does. If he simply tells her his feelings without any real commitment, and they end up not being able to be together, wouldn't that tarnish Chu Luo's reputation and make her wait in vain?

He had heard about Chu Luo's current situation to some extent. Giving her false hope would only harm her. The reason he was so unsure was that he knew very well how much resistance his parents were facing.

After returning home, he thought it over and over again before going to see his father, but he didn't get straight to the point.

Chen Shu said to his father, "Father, I encountered Madam Tang's carriage on my way back from outside."

There are quite a few families with the surname Tang in Jiangzhou, but Chen's father did not ask which Mrs. Tang it was. When he heard this, he paused in drinking tea, but then resumed his normal actions.

Chen Shu, of course, noticed this and continued, "Madam Tang looked at me affectionately and said I had grown taller, and that I had the appearance of an old friend."

Mr. Chen asked, "Is she alright?"

Chen Shu shook his head. "It's not good. I came back to recuperate."

Upon hearing this, Mr. Chen sighed almost imperceptibly and said, "You can go visit her when you have time. She even carried you to see a doctor when you were sick as a child. There's still some affection left."

Chen Shu nodded in agreement and asked, "Father, would you like to go see Aunt Tang?"

Chen's father shook his head, and Chen Shu asked again, "Father, have you ever regretted not marrying the person you love?"

Mr. Chen was stunned, his face displeased. "How dare you, a junior, meddle in the affairs of your elders? Who told you that?"

“When I was little, my parents weren’t very close to my mother. To put it nicely, they treated each other with respect; to put it bluntly, they were polite but distant. I always thought my father was just like that by nature, until I saw the way he looked at Aunt Tang, which was completely different from how he looked at my mother.”

"Not only that, you were also exceptionally kind to Aunt Tang's children. This is what they mean by 'love me, love my dog.' Later, I learned from my mother that you and Aunt Tang were originally lovers, but at that time, her father wouldn't let her marry you, and Grandma also hoped that you would marry someone from a wealthy family."

"Due to reality and family background, you both married other people. But I know you've always had Aunt Tang in your heart. Aunt Tang has been very good to me too. She once went to great lengths to find someone to treat my illness. It's because of this love for her that you've extended your affection to her."

After listening quietly, Mr. Chen understood perfectly. He paused for a moment and then asked, "The past is the past, why are you bringing it up again?"

Chen Shu immediately knelt down and said, "Son knows that Father has always had regrets in his heart. You also said that you strive to move up the social ladder so that one day I would be forced to marry someone I don't love because of my family background, just like you."

Mr. Chen understood what he meant and squinted, saying, "So?"

Chen Shu straightened his back and looked at his father, saying, "Just like you did, I have met someone I love. I have thought it over carefully and want to spend my life with her. She is intelligent and kind, and she can also encourage me to study hard. I humbly request your permission, Father."

Chen Shu kowtowed repeatedly, his heart filled with even greater sincerity.

"So that's why you brought up old stories. You were waiting for me here. You've gone around in circles. I really underestimated your intelligence. I guess that girl's family background isn't very good."

Chen's father, having spent many years in officialdom, was no pushover.

"It is somewhat problematic, but she cannot decide which family she marries into. Apart from her family background, she is no less than so-called ladies of noble families, and may even be far superior to them. She has the courage and insight that those ladies of noble families lack. Father, you can get to know her and consider her for yourself."

Chen Shu recounted Chu Luo's virtues, hoping his father would give him and Chu Luo a chance.

After thinking for a moment, Mr. Chen asked, "Who is she? What is her background?"

"She is Chu Luo, the second daughter of the Chu family, merchants from Jiangzhou."

Chen Shu said the name with some trepidation.

Upon hearing this, Chen's father immediately pulled him down, smashed the teacup, and roared, "You scoundrel! Have you been bewitched by that vixen? A merchant's daughter, born of a concubine, how dare you say you love her?"

Chen Shu looked up and said, "Father, is family background really that important? Are we going to live our whole lives with this kind of identity? You and Aunt Tang have regretted it your whole lives. Haven't you suffered enough? Why do you want me to suffer the pain of losing a loved one as well?"

"A woman's family background and social standing reveal her upbringing. A merchant's daughter is generally illiterate and lacks social skills. How can she manage the family business and be a respectful wife to a well-read man like you? More importantly, how can a concubine's daughter, with her petty and seductive manner, raise good descendants?"

Mr. Chen was so angry that his beard flew wildly.