Chapter 985 Princess Fuyun Notices Something is Wrong (2)
In his most difficult days, having a little companion by his side must have meant a great deal to him, right? Perhaps that young girl played with him, gradually cheering him up, or cried with him, so he wasn’t alone anymore, or laughed with him and made him feel less isolated... Growing up as childhood friends, even if it wasn’t love, it would still be a moving kinship.
Xiaoqi had a fondness for the woman named Fangcao, and his love, likely borne of time spent together, probably had a mix of familial affection as well. Such feelings are the most resilient; how could a few obstructive words from his mother make him give up easily?
Unlike Old Lady Cui, Cui Qingrou often visited Cui Pingan at the estate during her separation. That was when she had encountered Fangcao on many occasions, hence understanding her temperament and character quite well. She found her to be a simple and kind-hearted girl, which is why she wasn’t so opposed to her growing close to her nephew.
However, the disparity in their social status was too great. To take Fangcao as a concubine would be acceptable, but as a principal wife, it would not look good, especially for families like theirs. It was tolerable for a wife’s family to be somewhat lower in status, but at the very least, she should be literate and familiar with the rites to properly host and send off guests, so as not to tarnish the Cui family’s reputation.
Fangcao, brought up in the countryside, though educated in reading by Xiaoqi, still wasn’t up to the Cui family’s standard, and her naïve nature wasn’t well-suited for life in a large family. Marrying Xiaoqi, she might not necessarily find happiness. After a while, anyone would tire of such a life!
After hearing Mo Yan’s words, Old Lady Cui’s tears flowed again. She held onto her grandson’s still somewhat hot hand and murmured, "My child, for a girl, you’ve brought yourself to this state. If you have any grievances, take them out on your grandmother, but why mistreat your own body? By tormenting your grandmother like this, are you trying to coerce her into agreeing to your marriage? If you care for her so much, how can your grandmother agree unless you wake up?"