Chapter 2 — I Am No Longer His Burden, But He Refuses To Let Go

The voice was very quiet.

"Do not have."

"You and Van Chu have never mentioned marriage."

"Besides... I don't want to marry you either."

My mother's hand that was gently patting my back suddenly stopped. He lifted my face. When he saw my red eyes, the suspicion in his eyes immediately turned into worry. The person's face changed slightly. He quickly took a handkerchief to wipe my tears.

“Is that kid bullying you?”

“Let mother go to the Van family to ask about his crime.”

I quickly grabbed his hand and shook my head.

“It has nothing to do with Van Chu.”

“It's just that I had a nightmare this afternoon.”

“When I woke up, I missed my parents very much.”

“I just want to be with you two a little more.”

Hearing that, the mother immediately burst into laughter, both reluctantly and lovingly.

“This idiot.”

“There is no daughter in this world who can stay with her parents forever.”

"You're such a good child, are you still worried about not being able to find a good husband?"

"Even if you don't marry A Chu, in the future someone else will come to your door to ask for your hand in marriage."

“Let's just choose slowly, okay?”

At that moment, the room door was pushed open. His father walked in wearing official clothes from outside. While taking off his outer robe, he casually continued his mother's words:

"That's right. If you don't want to marry Van Chu, there is no shortage of talented young men in the court. Later, father will personally choose and bring each of them to you to see."

I gently raised my eyes to look at my father. Between his eyebrows, there was still a trace of anger that had not yet dissipated, as if he was suppressing something in his heart. But as soon as he met my eyes, he forced a smile, trying to appear calm as usual. Mother stood up and went to get civilian clothes for father to change into. I understood, quietly left the room, and closed the door. It's just that after stepping out, I still stood still in the hallway, not in a hurry to leave. My parents have never mentioned my marriage before. People always say that it's not bad for a daughter to stay with her parents for a few more years, they just wish I could stay in the palace a little longer. Yet today, she proactively mentioned choosing another husband. In the room, the soft chatter of parents echoed through the door.

"I'm comforting her, why are you upset? Haven't you always praised that kid from the Van family before? He's intelligent and treats Sister Sister very well."

Mother asked softly. Immediately afterward, his father's voice came, carrying some barely concealed anger:

"Why are you still talking about him? Don't you know what he's been doing these past few days?"

"It hasn't been long since the flower lantern ceremony has passed. He already has his eyes on another girl, and is determined to ask Lord Van to come and marry him. Does he still remember who our daughter is?"

Inside was suddenly silent. I slightly lowered my eyes, turned and left the hallway. It turns out that when I was no longer in the middle, Van Chu was able to fall in love with another person so quickly. It turns out that sixteen years of growing up together... Indeed, you never loved me. At dusk, mother came to my hospital. His eyes were slightly red, as if he had just cried. He reluctantly smiled, sitting next to me quietly listening to me play the guitar. One song after another. The sound of the guitar echoed in the sunset, as if trying to cover up emotions that were difficult to put into words. After a while, the mother carefully asked:

“Sister Sister, I really am Don't like Van Chu?"

I nodded:

“I really don't like it. In my heart, he is just a friend from childhood."

Hearing that, the mother seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. However, the rim of the human eye turned a little redder. He turned away, quietly used a handkerchief to wipe the corners of his eyes, then turned back to look at me, tried to hold back his tears and said:

"If that's the case... can mother take care of a few predestined relationships for me?"

“In the past, because the two families had been close for a long time, no one was in a hurry. Now, if I want to choose a good person for my child, I naturally have to put more effort into it."

I was originally going to refuse. I want to say that in this life, I never want to get married. But looking at her mother's red eyes, those words were still unspeakable in the end. I just nodded silently. Mother smiled, gently stroked my hair, then stood up and left. At noon the next day, someone brought me a stack of portrait paintings. Mothers have always been gentle and docile. In front of his father, he never raised his voice once. But today, every time I look at a painting, I sigh softly. One sound after another.