The Exiled Life of the Noble Girl

Chapter 34

Mr. Jin took in all the little expressions on her face. In his opinion, both were good kids, and it wouldn't be bad if they got together. But for some reason Old Lady Wang had offended the young girl, making it difficult for Liu Yizhu to even see her now.

He sighed, his gaze passing through the bookshelves to fall upon a corner.

Li Mingwei borrowed Mr. Jin's book basket to gather up her papers and books so she could go home. Mr. Jin lightly stopped her.

"Do you have other business, Sir?"

Seeing Mr. Jin's hesitant manner, Li Mingwei's curiosity was piqued. "Please go ahead and say whatever you need to say, Sir. No need to stand on ceremony with me."

"Well, it's about that Liu Yizhu kid..."

"Ah, if it's about him then forget it," Li Mingwei interrupted Mr. Jin, blocking his words. She picked up her little book basket, "I need to go home for dinner."

"You child!" Mr. Jin grabbed her sleeve and pulled out a chair for her, "Sit down properly and listen to what I have to say."

"Oh goodness!" Li Mingwei covered her ears and shook her head, "I don't want to listen, I don't want to listen."

"Whether you want to listen or not, you must listen." Mr. Jin was unusually insistent today. He brought over a small stool and sat down opposite Li Mingwei. Li Mingwei slumped over the desk in resignation, propping up her chin as she looked at him.

"Liu Yizhu is a rare outstanding young man. What's the point of rejecting him like this? I thought you two suited each other well, which is why I wanted to mention this."

A hint of helplessness appeared in Li Mingwei's smile. "Mr Jin, do you think there's anyone else in Qingshi Town who agrees with your opinion?"

"I don't know about others, but Liu Yizhu definitely thinks the same as me."

"Well I don't."

"What's wrong with Liu Yizhu that you look down on him so?"

"It's not about looking down on him or not." Marriage was never just about liking or not liking someone. For prominent official families, the key consideration was whether the marriage could benefit the family - bringing interests and advantages.

In a small town like Qingshi, there were no powerful families or interests to speak of. But it still involved two families at the minimum. Aside from whether she liked Liu Yizhu or not, the Liu family line passed through a single heir. She couldn't have children, and marrying into that family would cut off their line. She didn't want to be the culprit behind their family dying out.

"Then what is the issue?"

"Oh, there's no point telling you. As someone who's never married, you wouldn't understand."

Li Mingwei had heard from Wang Chunhua before that Mr. Jin had lived alone ever since his parents passed away.

Mr Jin had to laugh at that. Despite never marrying, he had reached a considerable age and experienced many things in life. Yet today he was being told by a young lady that he wouldn't understand.

He smiled. "While it's true I've never married, I did like a girl when I was younger. So I wouldn't say I'm completely ignorant about these things."

Li Mingwei's curiosity was piqued again. "Then why didn't you marry her?"

"At that time, I was focused on studying and wanted to earn a government position first before marrying her. But unfortunately, fate was unkind. I kept failing the exams. She wasn't young anymore and couldn't wait for me, so she married someone else instead."

"Was it because your family was too poor or hers too wealthy?"

Mr. Jin was taken aback for a moment. He shook his head, "While my family wasn't rich, we were able to get by. Her circumstances were similar to mine."

In other words, it had been a suitable match.

"So when it comes down to it, you just didn't want to marry her that much. Was it so difficult to propose marriage and worship at the ancestral altar? Her family wasn't out of your reach, and your family could afford the bride price. It was clearly something easy to achieve, yet you didn't do it. And now you still feel that it was her who couldn't wait."

Li Mingwei felt somewhat indignant. The alcohol she had consumed was making her words more heated.

"You're right, she shouldn't have waited for me."

In the end, he never did make it to an official position. He could only huddle in this impoverished small town, barely scraping by through teaching. Marrying her would only have meant letting her suffer alongside him.

"Mr Jin, you really are so strange."

"What's so strange?"

"You met the conditions to marry her yet refused to do so. You don't seem to have liked her that much. But in the end, you remained unmarried all your life because of her. I really don't get it."

The human heart. It really was so complicated.

"Have you never heard the saying that people only learn to cherish things after they've lost them?"

When she was still around, everything had felt natural. Only when she disappeared did he realize how much he couldn't live without her already. But by then, regret was meaningless as no one would continue waiting unmoving for him.

For the rest of your life, all that remains is regret.

"Sigh."

Seeing her distressed manner, Mr Jin's tone took a turn. "So you need to treasure those around you now. Don't be like me, full of lifelong regrets because I missed my chance."

Li Mingwei rolled her eyes.

"Sir, I truly don't harbor such feelings for him."

Seeing her sincerity, Mr Jin's hand stroking his beard froze. "What kind of man do you like then? I could help look around for you."

"I don't like anyone right now. I just want to earn money."

Er, Mr Jin felt helpless and changed his line of questioning. "What kind of man was your ex-husband?"

Murong Yu?

Li Mingwei pondered for a bit before selecting the most accurate descriptor. "A hypocrite. All smiles to your face but stabbing you in the back. His speed of switching faces - it's a true waste he didn't join an opera troupe instead."

"Then why did you marry him?"

"How would I have known before marrying him? He was so handsome, just the kind of guy all the young ladies would fall for. His family background was great, and he always acted with such perfect courtesy and grace. By all accounts, he looked to be an ideal husband."

"I understand that in your hearts, you all probably feel I'm the one unfit for Liu Yizhu instead of the other way round. But you don't know - the man I married previously was so, so much better than him."

It was just that in his eyes, power was more important.

The reason for her divorce - Mr Jin had probably heard about it already as well. He hesitated before asking, "Do you still resent him?"

"I did a little in the beginning. I married him when I was sixteen. Being betrayed after three years of feelings would make anyone sad. After finishing the divorce decree, we ceased to have any relation to each other. How can there be resentment or lack thereof towards a stranger?"

Mr Jin nodded in approval. "You're quite open-minded about it."

Li Mingwei spread her hands. "People can't hang themselves on a single tree branch forever right? I'm just nineteen this year and will be twenty next year. Even if I just live until sixty, I still have ample time left to live freely."

"Mm." Mr Jin's words carried meaning. "Just the right time to try hanging on another tree branch to see if it suits you or not."

Li Mingwei's little face collapsed. Mr Jin really was so annoying!

She leapt up and ran off. "I'm leaving, humph!"

"Hahahahaha!"

The cheerful laughter from behind made her mood even more gloomy. Mumbling under her breath a couple times, she charged into the wind and snow.