Chapter 242 - 239: The Matchmaking List

Chapter 242: Chapter 239: The Matchmaking List

"When I was spending time with Ping’an, I realized he was both good-natured and intelligent, with a rare kind of perceptiveness. I’ve lacked a close family bond for the past thirty years, and he isn’t like my three cousins. Aunt Zhou, to be honest, I never expected things to go this far. Back then, I only thought I’d give him a little guidance, and that would be it. Perhaps it’s fate—my connection with Ping’an and with the Ping Family. So I started thinking, ’If he were my own beloved younger brother, what would I do?’"

Seeing Mrs. Ping listening so intently, Li Xiu said with a hint of resignation, "Ping’an has a quality that makes you trust him and want to protect him. So I thought, ’If this were my own brother, I wouldn’t—and I wouldn’t want to—train him to be a politician. I want the Ping Family’s Ping’an to live a life full of flesh and blood, full of passion; to be free, unrestrained, and bold. I want the Ping Family’s Ping’an to live with flair in this world, and also leave a legacy for the ages!’"

"Thank you. Thank you, Li Xiu. You’ve taught Ping’an so well. Elder Ping also told me that from now on, he won’t interfere in your affairs. He just wants to watch two young tigers emerge from the forest and, through their own abilities, become the king of kings!" After hearing Li Xiu’s words, Mrs. Ping felt shocked, moved, and a little relieved—relieved about the decision she had made all those years ago.

Looking at Mrs. Ping, Li Xiu said, a little embarrassed, "Aunt Zhou, let’s change the subject. Ping’an needs to marry a girl who is intelligent, well-mannered, and has a pure and kind nature. I’ve already investigated everyone on the list. Aunt Zhou, honestly, only three or four of them are decent. But this is about Ping’an finding a wife, someone to spend the rest of his life with, so he has to be the one who is satisfied. Otherwise, they won’t be able to make it work. That rascal has such a strong sense of responsibility; once he marries, it’s for life. We can’t let him live a miserable life. So, let’s have him look at these four, and we’ll see what he thinks."

Glancing at Mrs. Ping, Li Xiu added in a low voice, "If he doesn’t like any of them, we’ll just keep looking. We can talk about it again the next time he comes back. After all, this is a matter of his entire life, Aunt Zhou. Don’t you agree?"

Mrs. Ping glanced at Li Xiu with a smile and said, "Elder Ping should really see you like this. He’s always saying *I* spoil Ping’an, but from what I see, you and Zhou Lian are the ones who spoil him the most now!"

"That’s not true. In fact, Bao’er just tricked Ping’an today! And that kid... he gets tricked by his sister every single time, yet he never learns his lesson!" Seeing the amusement in Mrs. Ping’s eyes, Li Xiu changed the subject in embarrassment.

Deciding not to tease him further, Mrs. Ping asked curiously, "Oh? How did she trick him? You’ve taught that boy to be as clever as a monkey these days."

Li Xiu smiled and slowly recounted how Zhou Lian had tricked and playfully threatened Ping’an that morning. Mrs. Ping couldn’t stop smiling. ’It’s a good thing someone can still get the better of that boy,’ she thought, then asked, "What does his sister want him to do?"

"Matchmaking. A matchmaking session he’ll go to willingly, so he doesn’t deliberately sabotage it," Li Xiu said with a slight smile. "When Ping’an came back this time, Bao’er wanted to come discuss the matter of his marriage with you. But she’s been swamped at school with exams and the upcoming break and couldn’t find the time. So she decided to trick him first thing this morning. Ping’an takes his promises very seriously; he’ll definitely do what he agreed to. But for now, he still doesn’t know what his sister wants him to do. He only promised to listen to whatever she says for one whole day."

Mrs. Ping burst into loud laughter. Thinking about how Li Xiu and Zhou Lian both guided and doted on Ping’an, she felt a wave of profound relief. Meeting them had been a stroke of luck for Ping’an, and for the Ping Family as well. Otherwise, the Pings might truly have been, as Li Xiu implied, without a successor. But what she was most thankful for was that Li Xiu was teaching Ping’an as a brother, not grooming him to be a politician!

After having lunch with Mrs. Ping, Li Xiu left. Watching his retreating figure, Mrs. Ping fell deep into thought. She remained that way until Elder Ping returned in the afternoon. Seeing his wife sitting motionless on the sofa, he asked curiously, "What’s the matter, my dear?"

Hearing Elder Ping’s voice, Mrs. Ping snapped out of her reverie. She glanced at the time, realizing she had been lost in thought the entire afternoon. Looking at Elder Ping with some embarrassment, she said, "Oh, it’s nothing. Li Xiu came over this morning to discuss Ping’an. Let’s eat first. I’ll tell you all about it after dinner!"

Elder Ping nodded knowingly. He figured Li Xiu must have come to discuss Ping’an’s marriage with his wife. He just couldn’t imagine what that boy Li Xiu had said to affect her so deeply, enough to make the woman known as the "Iron Lady" sigh in reflection for a whole afternoon.

After dinner, the two of them went to the study. Mrs. Ping slowly recounted to Elder Ping what Li Xiu had said that morning. Elder Ping watched his wife, his expression unreadable, and asked softly, "So, what are your thoughts, my dear?"

"I’m not going to worry about it anymore," Mrs. Ping said with a sigh. "The younger generation will make their own way. Their world is no longer the world we knew. But when Li Xiu said he had no intention of training a politician, I felt relieved. Besides, he and his wife dote on Ping’an no less than we do. I’m so thankful I entrusted Ping’an to him back then. Otherwise... I can’t even bear to imagine what Ping’an would be like today!"

Elder Ping looked at his wife and smiled. "So you’re finally at ease. From a young age, Li Xiu learned the free-spirited romanticism of the Wei and Jin era from Yun Qi. You were simply overthinking it. In chaotic times, that boy would undoubtedly be a great lord capable of pacifying the realm. In an era of peace, he’d be a brilliant ruler of both virtue and talent. But his heart just isn’t in it. Ah, he’s truly a hero whose ambition is eclipsed by his love."

Reflecting on Elder Ping’s words, Mrs. Ping also smiled. "Yes, a hero whose ambition is eclipsed by his love. That Zhou Lian truly is his beautiful downfall. But, looking at Li Xiu now, perhaps this is the very life he always wanted."

The very "hero whose ambition was eclipsed by his love," Li Xiu, was at that moment leaning back on the bed with Zhou Lian in his arms, discussing the ball that was happening in a few days. He said gently, "Bao’er, you can’t wear yourself out that day. That brat is really hopeless. Can’t he go out and find a wife for himself? He has everyone running around and worrying about him!"

Zhou Lian shot Li Xiu a sidelong glance and said irritably, "Oh, give me a break. You’re the one who spoils Ping’an the most, and now you’re complaining? If he really did bring home an unsuitable wife, you’d be the one worrying your head off. By the way, for you to be this invested in Ping’an... it’s not like you. Spill it. What’s the real reason?"

Li Xiu looked down at Zhou Lian’s eager expression, sighed, and pressed a hand to his forehead. "In my past life," he said, somewhat sheepishly, "I met him once."

Zhou Lian looked at Li Xiu with a half-smile, surprised. ’In their past life, they had also lived in the Capital City, but they were just ordinary people,’ she thought. ’How could they possibly have had a connection to Ping’an of the Ping Family?’

"It was that one time... remember when you went out to buy something for our grandson and got hit by a car? Later, I found out you were going to be fine, but every time I visited you in the hospital, you treated me like I was invisible. One day, I left the hospital feeling terrible, and instead of going home, I just wandered the streets aimlessly. Somehow, I ended up at a lake in a park. Ping’an saw me and thought I was considering doing something foolish. He grabbed me and spent the whole afternoon trying to talk me out of it. He wasn’t doing well back then, either. Elder Ping had passed away, the Ping Family’s influence had plummeted, and he was being severely suppressed. And so, the two of us, two old strangers, just sat there and talked for a whole afternoon."