Chapter 965: The Peasant Girl’s Splendid Manor
Chapter 965: Revealing the Cause of Trouble (2)
Da Ni-er thought Mo Yan had seen through something and shook her head in slight panic. “N-no, there's nothing. What could I be hiding? You're just overthinking things, girl.”
Seeing her reaction only made Mo Yan more certain that Sister Da Ni-er was keeping something in her heart. But since she clearly didn’t want to talk about it, Mo Yan didn’t press—she just looked at her seriously and said, “Sister Da Ni-er, we’re blood relatives. Our bond is naturally closer than others. If something’s bothering you, you can tell me. Even if I can’t help you fix it, just saying it out loud might make you feel a little better.”
A wave of emotion surged in Da Ni-er’s heart, and she had to force herself not to spill her secret. “Yan girl, I really am fine. But there is something… I’d like to trouble you with a favor.”
As she spoke, a trace of faint worry crossed Da Ni-er’s face—it was clear this matter was troubling her greatly.
Mo Yan immediately said, “Sister Da Ni-er, whatever it is, just tell me. If I can help, I definitely will.”
Da Ni-er seemed a little embarrassed and hesitated for a moment before saying, “My mother’s worried about my marriage and hired three matchmakers to look for suitable families. But Yan girl, I’m not ready to get married yet. Could you talk to my mother and ask her not to worry about this anymore?”
There was already someone in her heart. She knew it was just wishful thinking, yet she couldn’t help it. She knew that person lived with her cousin, and she found herself constantly looking for excuses to visit—just hoping to catch a glimpse of him.
She couldn’t convince herself to get married to someone else while harboring feelings for another. It just wouldn’t be fair. Maybe one day, when she could completely let go, she’d follow her mother’s wishes and marry a man from a suitable family and live a quiet, steady life. But right now—she really couldn’t.
Mo Yan hadn’t expected this to be the issue, and for a moment, didn’t dare to agree too readily. Seeing the pleading look on Da Ni-er’s face, she asked seriously, “Sister Da Ni-er, can you tell me why? Is it really just because you’re not ready to marry?”
It wasn’t unreasonable for Mo Yan to question it. Da Ni-er was already nineteen—at that age, it was rare for a woman to remain unmarried. In the past, the Wu family hadn’t been well off, and with them not separated from the old Mo family, families with better means had overlooked her. But now the Wu family earned thirty to forty taels of silver a month—several hundred taels a year—which put them on par with many modestly wealthy households in town.
Though her age was a little older, it wasn’t to the point where finding a good match would be difficult. The matchmakers Wu shi hired came by often, which showed there were plenty of suitable matches. With the Wu family's current situation, it was no longer others choosing Da Ni-er—it was her turn to choose.
But if this kept being delayed, and Da Ni-er passed twenty, even with the Wu family's wealth, it might be hard to find someone truly ideal. Even if some men didn’t mind her age, their family background might not match the Wu family’s. And who knew if they were only interested in her family’s money?
Mo Yan understood this logic, and she didn’t believe Da Ni-er didn’t as well.
Of course Da Ni-er understood. And Wu shi, as her mother, understood it even better. That’s why she’d gone ahead and hired three matchmakers to help find a match—hoping to settle the matter this year so Da Ni-er could marry in the spring. That way, it wouldn’t overlap with Tie Tou’s wedding, and both events could proceed without clashing.
Hearing Mo Yan’s question, Da Ni-er held back the ache in her heart, and with some emotional strain, said, “Yan girl, I really don’t want to just marry like this. My mother always listens to you. If you could speak to her for me, I know she’d consider it. I’m begging you.”
(End of Chapter)
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