A Maid's Survival Story in a Noble Family Mansion? Rich Landlords Are More Appealing.

How could Wang Yanning not understand the meaning behind her words? His joy grew even stronger.

He quickly replied, "To be honest, Miss Wanxing, the date that Brother Lin and the others have arranged is a month from now. If the journey from Ruyang to Kaifeng goes smoothly, it will take about six or seven days on foot."

He calculated, his eyes growing brighter, his voice filled with cautious anticipation, "If this month is used for the initial discussions of the six rites and the minor engagement ceremony, it should... be enough time? In that case, we..."

He paused, his cheeks slightly flushed, but his gaze remained intense as he looked at her. "Then we can rightfully set off together, and when we reach Kaifeng, we can look after each other."

He spoke subtly, but the light in his eyes clearly said: This is simply a godsend opportunity, to solemnly establish our relationship and travel together. Could there be a more perfect arrangement?

Listening to his excited words, Chen Wanxing realized that this man, who had been so excited that he was incoherent just moments before, was now planning things out quite quickly and thoroughly, even stubbornly changing his form of address.

She didn't answer immediately, but picked up her teacup, took a slow sip, and lingered for a moment on his expectant face.

Wang Yanning felt a little nervous under her gaze, her fingers curled up, but she deliberately straightened her back, waiting for her response.

After a moment, Chen Wanxing put down her teacup, a indulgent smile playing on her lips, and nodded gently: "A month's allowance for the engagement ceremony sounds quite generous. However..."

Her tone was slightly solemn, "We must first inform the elders in the family and follow proper etiquette; we cannot be hasty."

"Of course!" Wang Yanning replied immediately, her voice trembling slightly with excitement, her eyes shining even brighter.

"I will go back tomorrow, no, later, to explain to my father and Aunt Cui that I will definitely ask for a proper matchmaker and follow all the proper etiquette."

He could hardly sit still; his eagerness to get everything done even outweighed his shyness about changing how he addressed him.

Seeing his eagerness to get started, Chen Wanxing finally couldn't help but chuckle softly, a knowing and gentle teasing in her voice:

"Alright, there's no rush," she said gently. "You've just gotten back, and there must be things to take care of at home. Besides..."

She looked at him calmly. "Shouldn't I at least be allowed to go home and tell them about the engagement?"

Wang Yanning's heart softened at her smile and words, and he immediately realized that he had indeed been too hasty. He smiled sheepishly and nodded vigorously.

"Miss Wanxing is right, I was too impatient."

But the joy in her eyes and brows was impossible to suppress, and the way she called out "Miss Wanxing" became even more natural, even though the blush on her ears never faded.

The two chatted in hushed tones for a while longer, as the setting sun gradually dipped westward, bathing everything in the courtyard in a warm, golden glow.

Chen Wanxing estimated that it was getting late, so he got up to say goodbye.

Wang Yanning quickly stood up and saw her to the courtyard gate. The late spring breeze carried a warm feeling, and the two stood by the gate, both reluctant to part ways.

"Shall I visit your home again in a couple of days?"

Wang Yanning looked at her and asked softly, his eyes filled with undisguised affection.

Chen Wanxing raised her eyes and looked into his bright eyes, where her own reflection was clearly visible.

Her gaze was calm and gentle, the corners of her lips slightly upturned, and she nodded lightly: "Mm."

Wang Yanning watched her turn around, her slender figure gradually blending into the warm twilight at the end of the alley until she could no longer be seen, before reluctantly withdrawing his gaze.

He turned and went back to the courtyard, closed the door, leaned against the door panel, raised his hand and gently pressed his still slightly burning ears, but couldn't help but smile.

He succeeded.

He told her about the engagement, and she accepted. The sweetness of this realization almost overwhelmed him.

He looked up at the sky, which was dyed in magnificent colors by the sunset, and felt his heart beating steadily and fast, filled with unprecedented strength and hope.

The surging joy in my heart did not subside with the parting; instead, it transformed into an even more urgent and real driving force.

He didn't want to wait a moment longer.

Wang Yanning deftly tidied up the tea set she had just used, brushed away the crumbs of pastries on the stone table, and carefully inspected the courtyard once more.

After finishing all this, he didn't waste any time. He locked the courtyard gate and hurriedly headed towards Ping'an Town.

He wanted to see his father and Aunt Cui immediately to finalize the arrangements for this momentous occasion and its aftermath.

The carriage rumbled along in the twilight, but Wang Yanning's thoughts raced even faster than the wheels.

Let Aunt Cui handle the engagement arrangements, choose a suitable matchmaker, and deal with some other necessary formalities...

As he thought about it, he smiled again, the curve of his lips particularly noticeable in the dim night.

Meanwhile, at the Chen family's dinner table in Xiahe Village, the atmosphere was subtly different.

The conversation eventually veered towards the lively celebration in Bai Ri Ping An Town.

Uncle Chen leaned back in his chair, tapping his knees absently with his hand: "Tsk, that kid from the Wang family, I heard he ranked pretty high. The Wang family's ancestral graves must have really been blessed."

As he spoke, his eyes involuntarily glanced at Chen Wanxing, who was sitting next to Grandma Chen. The feeling that had been building up inside him since noon, a mixture of shock and inexplicable bitterness, began to churn again.

This afternoon, when Chen Wanxing told them that the young master Wang she knew in the county was Wang Yanning, the newly appointed scholar from the Wang family in Ping'an Town, Uncle Chen's first reaction was disbelief.

Immediately following was a strong feeling of being outdone and stifled.

Although the matter between Qiuju and the Wang family never came to a conclusion, he always held onto some lingering thoughts in his heart.

Who would have thought that by now they would realize that the Wang family's eyes were not on their Qiuju at all, but on this eldest niece.

This disparity left Uncle Chen feeling quite uneasy.

On the one hand, reason told him that Wanxing was his niece, and they were all family. If she could marry into a good family, it would certainly be a good thing for the Chen family.

On the other hand, the selfish thought of "why didn't good things fall on my daughter's head" made his tone when talking about the Wang family carry a complexity that he himself was unaware of.

Aunt Chen was feeling a little uneasy. Ever since Chen Wanxing came back, she had been reminding herself not to compare herself to others, but seeing the ever-widening gap between them, she couldn't help but feel envious.

My sister-in-law is really lucky.

Uncle Chen didn't think too much about it, and echoed his second brother's words with a sigh: "That's right, with the scholar here, the Wang family was already well-off, and now they're even more..."

However, Mr. Chen was somewhat anxious at this moment. He knew that his daughter was getting close to that young master Wang, and he tacitly allowed the young people to get to know each other.

But now that this young master Wang has suddenly become a well-known young scholar, his status has changed.

As a father, he inevitably had to think more deeply. Now that her status had changed, could her character remain the same? Would he think that a peasant girl was not good enough for a scholar's family?

"No matter how glamorous other people's lives are, that's their own destiny. We should just live our own lives well."