Chapter 52: Chapter 52: Want to Be the Young Lady
Leading the group was Pei Yuan, followed by several young gentlemen from noble families.
However, Miss Qian’s gaze swept over the leader and landed directly on the man behind him.
The man was extraordinarily handsome, so much so that wherever he went, it seemed as if he shone with starlight, making everyone else appear dim in comparison, so that in the eyes of onlookers, he was the only one who mattered.
Miss Qian’s heart began to throb intensely; the matchmaker had only praised Mr. Pei as being unparalleled in the world, which she initially didn’t believe, but now upon seeing this person, she realized the matchmaker wasn’t exaggerating.
Mrs. Pei smiled and said to those around her, "Go and invite Mr. Pei here."
There were quite a few distinguished guests watching the play today, with men and women seated separately.
A servant was sent off as instructed, while Miss Qian waited with anticipation from the side, already convinced that the man was Mr. Pei. Therefore, when the servant went downstairs and spoke to the first person, Miss Qian was stunned.
Pei Yuan soon came over to greet Mrs. Pei and took a quick look at the families being considered for marriage today. However, he felt nothing and quickly moved on to the section reserved for men.
The stage was at the center of the first floor, allowing people from all sides to watch the play and see those seated on the other sides.
Liu Ying, the niece of Consort Liu, was also on the second floor, looking down at the men below through a beaded curtain.
Although the play at Sunset Building was splendid, the young ladies who came were usually not there for the performance but rather to look at the men.
Especially those young ladies from good families, who needed to start searching for a suitable husband early. It would be quite embarrassing to reach marriageable age without being engaged or married.
In the Capital City, there weren’t many excellent unmarried men from reputable families. There were plenty of libertine ones, but no young lady wanted to marry someone like that.
Today, there were an unusual number of noble sons watching the play, and it wasn’t clear from where the news had spread, but hearing that the Pei Family would be at Sunset Building today, many noble families followed suit.
Since they came for the Pei Family, naturally, the men of the Pei Family received the most attention.
"Miss, we’ve found out that the handsome man is indeed Heir Pei, Pei Ji’an."
The maids had been very busy today, bustling around to gather information.
Upon hearing this, Liu Ying looked in that direction again, and even through the curtain, her heart began to race uncontrollably.
"Mother, I heard Mrs. Pei is also here. Should we go and greet her?" Liu Ying cuddled up to her mother’s arms, acting playfully.
How could Mrs. Liu not understand her daughter’s intentions?
Logically, young ladies began looking for someone to marry early, but her spoiled daughter set the bar so high that she found no one suitable, delaying until now. She was already at the age of twenty.
If it were any other family’s daughter, they would be anxious, but the Liu children had the luxury of time. Marriage was a major event that concerned lifelong happiness, and they must find the best match for their daughter.
"Since you want to go, we will go and pay our respects."
Liu Ying shyly replied, "Mother, you’re teasing me~"
Mrs. Liu quickly corrected herself, "It’s my mistake; it is I who want to meet Old Madam Pei."
Only then was Liu Ying satisfied.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Qian was still chatting with Mrs. Pei.
As they chatted, they couldn’t help but speak about matters concerning their own families.
Mrs. Qian praised the Pei sons as being outstanding, making others envious.
Mrs. Pei humbly replied, "That’s just what people say outside; actually, in our Pei Family, only the eldest grandson is worry-free. As for the other two, particularly my second grandson, he seems good on the surface but can be quite a headache."
Though she spoke words of complaint, her tone could not hide the doting affection she held.
Mrs. Qian laughed, "The Heir is meant for great things, naturally having many troubles to deal with. It’s only reasonable for you to be concerned."
Mrs. Pei immediately said, "That’s true, indeed. Look, he is sitting right behind my eldest grandson. He may appear aloof and distant, but at home, he’s exceptionally respectful and polite to his elders."
Mrs. Qian looked in the direction Mrs. Pei pointed, and indeed, both Pei brothers were outstanding. However, in terms of appearance and demeanor alone, Heir Pei was slightly superior to Mr. Pei, especially since he had been to the battlefield and seen the world, giving him an even more extraordinary aura.
The two chatted about other topics, and Mrs. Qian, not wanting to impose on Mrs. Pei any longer, returned with her daughter to their own compartment, which was also an elegant private room.
Once there was no one else around, Miss Qian said to her mother, "Mother, I don’t want to marry Mr. Pei anymore; I want to marry the Heir."
Her daughter’s sudden words startled Mrs. Qian; she quickly glanced around and, finding no one nearby, frowned, "What nonsense are you talking about? You’ve met the person, and the conversation was going well; how can you change your mind so suddenly?"
Miss Qian frowned and said, "But I’ve taken a liking to the Heir, and I don’t want to marry Mr. Pei! Besides, Mr. Pei has a son, and if I marry him, I’ll have to become a stepmother. Can you bear to see your daughter suffer such a grievance? If I marry the Heir, it would be different; I could become the Young Lady, and have no stepchildren to raise. Wouldn’t that be nice?"
Mrs. Qian felt her daughter was being a bit arrogant. Both of the Pei brothers were so exceptional; how could they choose at their whim?
However, her daughter wasn’t entirely unreasonable. If Mr. Pei were unmarried initially, it wouldn’t be as much of an issue, but he had a son, and her daughter was so young that becoming a stepmother would indeed be a grievance.
After thinking it over, Mrs. Qian sighed and said, "Stop thinking about it; we have an agreement with Mr. Pei now. Although it’s a shame he has a son, apart from that, his situation is much better than any we’ve seen before. We can’t be too greedy."
Mrs. Qian had reached an age where she could see things more broadly. Miss Qian, still youthful and hot-headed, was not in the same place, unable to heed her mother’s reasoning.
"I don’t care; I just don’t want to be a stepmother. I want to be the Young Lady. Mother, how do you know it won’t work if you don’t try? You saw how much Mrs. Pei liked me earlier. Since it’s all about becoming her granddaughter-in-law, what difference does it make if I marry the eldest or the second grandson?"
Mrs. Qian was momentarily swayed by her daughter’s twisted reasoning. Which mother doesn’t wish for her daughter to marry the best?
When the Pei Family initially mentioned the marriage proposal, Mrs. Qian hesitated, reluctant to let her daughter become a stepmother. But considering family interests, with the Pei Family being so prosperous and influential, aligning with them could only offer benefits. So she agreed.
Now, since Mrs. Pei liked her daughter, perhaps they could try discussing it. Mrs. Pei cherished the Heir so much; she might be even more inclined to see him marry sooner.
The Pei Family was still unaware of the Qian Family’s plans. Just then, someone reported that Madam Liu wished to meet, and although Mrs. Pei found it unexpected, there was no reason to refuse the meeting.