Zhou Tong went to see Shang Danlan with his head hung low, he still couldn't quite accept that his future wife would be Shang Danlan.

  Shang Danlan saw his expression and couldn't help but curl her lip, no longer looking at him, focusing solely on responding to Old Lady Zhou.

  Old Zhou is a keen observer of human nature, how could he not see through it? With a smile on his face, he seemed completely unconcerned.

  In this world, there are those who fall in love at first sight like her son and daughter-in-law. There are also those who develop feelings over time and those who are mismatched. Anyway, his family is not in a hurry, so let's just wait and see.

  Zhou Tong saw that Shang Danlan was ignoring him, and a surge of anger rose in his heart. Taking advantage of the fact that his grandmother and Xiaofang were walking ahead, he whispered sarcastically, "What's wrong, can't get married out so you're aiming for my family?"

  "Ha! So you also know that your family is just a backup choice for me after I couldn't marry out."

  Zhou Tong scowled and glared at him, saying: "Don't talk as if you're in high demand, my father is the Governor of Suzhou."

  "Yes, but it can only be a choice after I fail to get married."

  Zhou Tong was annoyed, "Can't you have a different excuse?"

  Shang Danlan stopped in her tracks, turned around and faced him: "Your family is not bad, your grandmother is kind, your mother is also gentle, and Zhou's reputation in Suzhou is very good, unfortunately..."

  Zhou Tong didn't expect her to praise him, so he replied blankly: "What a pity?"

  "It's a pity that you are the only son of the Zhou family, narrow-minded, rough and rude, I really don't like you."

  Zhou Tong's face turned bright red, and he trembled with rage as he pointed at her: "You... you scolded me!"

  Shang Danlan snorted with laughter, "Still stupid!"

  Zhou Tong's eyes widened in surprise, while Shang Danlan let out a hum and turned around with her head held high, walking away.

  Zhou's eyes were wide open and red from anger as he stared at her back.

  Mrs. Zhou was taken aback and remembered it in her heart, then smiled at Xiaofang and said: "You're pregnant now, you have to be more careful..."

  Mrs. Zhou and Miss Fang chatted happily, while the two children behind them occasionally exchanged cold glances, their faces filled with sneers. Without Mrs. Zhou's reminder, Miss Fang knew that this marriage was probably not going to work out.

  It wasn't until late in the afternoon that they bid each other farewell.

  Xiao Fang helped Xiao Guzi onto the carriage, and as soon as they were on board, she couldn't help but sigh. "You two aren't studying together at the Lu family's house? Why do you look like sworn enemies?"

  "Isn't he an enemy?" Shang Danlan also knew that this marriage was not going to work out, so she didn't avoid saying: "We had just started school when he brought people to dig a hole on the road, causing our horse carriage to fall in. At that time, we were hit quite hard."

  "That's just mischief, kids are like that. Go ask your older brother what kind of bad things he did when he was younger."

  "But he still has a narrow mind, we've all forgotten about it, but he's still remembering." Shang Danlan rolled her eyes and said: "A grown man with such a small heart, what if I have an argument with him in the future? Won't he remember it for a lifetime?"

  Xiao Fang was speechless.

  "It's all over for this marriage anyway, so don't worry about it anymore, sister-in-law."

  Xiao Fang sighed and slumped his shoulders, saying: "Then let's look again." But he had to trouble Lin Auntie again.

  Lin Qingwan didn't think it was much trouble, anyway she just gave them a hint, and if they were interested they would explore further in private, if not then it's as if nothing had been said.

  So when Shang Mingyuan came to the door again, she took out two papers and said: "The Lu family also has two suitable young men, who were mentioned by Mrs. Lu the other day, do you want to take a look?"

  "Lu's family?"

  Lin Qingwan nodded, "Although it's a side branch, the family background is not bad either, and the prestige in the clan is not small. If you're interested, I can ask Madame Lu to test the waters. If they're also interested, they'll naturally come find you."

  It's all about probing each other until both parties reach a mutual understanding.

  Shang Ming nodded and ran to take a sneak peek at the two young men, then chose one. Just as Lin Qingwen was about to invite Shi Hui and fifteen others to watch the lanterns, Old Lady Zhou sent an invitation to the Shang family to visit Old Lady Shang.

  Shang Mingyuan was startled and quickly informed Lin Qingwan, but before the news had spread to the Zhou family's side, it had already been hinted at on the Lu family's side, which would be detrimental to Shang Danlan's reputation.

  Lin Qingwan blinked in confusion, "Didn't they say that Danlan and Zhou Tong had a falling out? Is this matter not over yet?"

  Lin Yuhbin, who was on the side, knew some of the truth and nodded repeatedly: "Yes, Second Aunt seems to have scolded him quite badly. He's so petty-minded, this marriage is definitely not going to happen."

  Lin Qingwan raised an eyebrow, "It seems that the person in charge of the Zhou family is quite satisfied with your second sister."

  The Zhou family was naturally dominated by Old Lady Zhou and Governor Zhou, while the affairs of the inner courtyard had always been listened to by Governor Zhou from Old Lady Zhou.

  Mrs. Zhou had been somewhat curious since discovering Shang Danlan's hidden properties, in her impression, Shang Danlan should be a loving and caring little girl who would take care of people.

  That day, she was so sharp-tongued and quick-witted in her rebuke of her grandson, it really was beyond her expectations.

  Mrs. Zhou couldn't help but order someone to go and ask about her, although it's hard to get news from inside the house, there are always some clues that can be found.

  But how much one can know depends on whether the person who gets these clues will think about them, and Old Lady Zhou is obviously a very clever person.

  Mrs. Zhou was still in a daze when she had almost figured out Shang Danlan's past ten or so years.

  When she was born, her father had already died. Her mother, due to the title being taken by the second wife, became a nun and even Shang Mingyuan was "ill" and could only go to his aunt's house for recuperation. However, this little girl was able to grow up safely in the Shang family's backyard.

  Even if there is a second house in the Shang family that doesn't value her because she's a girl, it also has to do with her luck and the credit of her wet nurse.

  Growing up in such an environment, she was neither overbearing nor weak, but rather the dominant one among her three sisters, which shows her ability.

  As for her character, Old Lady Zhou smiled and from what I saw last time in the garden with her two sisters, it won't be too bad.

  At her age, she still looks like a confident and transparent little girl in her teens.

  She can see through Shang Danlan and also understand her grandson.

  Even in her heart, her grandson was perfect, but she couldn't deny that he had many bad habits.

  What Shang Danlan said was just one of them, apart from that, he was also too straightforward and rude. In the end, it was because they had spoiled him too much, which made him develop this kind of personality with little heart.

  His father is cunning and can endure, so it's no wonder that he has a foolish wife like his mother, but at least the old lady in the back house can still hold on, how much longer can she live?

  If we don't find a capable and wise daughter-in-law for our grandson, when she dies, the back house of the Zhou family will be in chaos.

  If she stretched her leg again and left them behind, Mrs. Zhou knew in her heart that they would come to no good.

  Her grandson easily offends people, her daughter-in-law can't even mediate, and she's afraid that if her son offends someone, he won't even know about it. So they still need to find a capable granddaughter-in-law.

  If it was because of giving Lin Qingwan face that they first met with the Xiao Fang family, then now visiting them at home is completely because of Shang Danlan.

  Mrs. Zhou said she liked Shang Danlan very much and wanted to get in touch with her more deeply.

  Zhou was gasping for air, and didn't dare mention that Shang Danlan had scolded him last time. He could only flush red in the face and say: "I don't want to go to the Shang's."

  Old Lady Zhou smiled and said, "I didn't let you go, I'll go with your mother, you just help at home to set up the flower shed nicely. Tomorrow is the 15th, last year was a series of happy events, everyone will definitely celebrate well. Our Zhou family doesn't aim to be the first, but the flower shed can't be too bad either."

  "Grandma, what exactly did you see in her?" Zhou Tong stomped his foot impatiently.

  "I admire her intelligence, broad-mindedness, and ability to be flexible."

  "Entirely, right on target with the scolding words, Zhou Tong couldn't help but roll his eyes and say: 'She's not as good as you said, I think her heart is also very small.'"

  "Ah, you underestimate her. She's clever because she can take care of herself when she's alone, and still help her brother when he returns; she has a broad mind because no matter what the situation is with her elders, she always puts her two sisters first in terms of affection and care; she knows how to yield and compromise, showing respect to her uncle and aunt first, but if they're being unreasonable, she can also stand up for her brother and argue back. Isn't she quite formidable?"

  Mrs. Zhou had found out about these things over the past two days and hadn't kept them from Zhou Tong, so Zhou Tong also knew that Shang Danlan's situation in the Shang family wasn't very good; otherwise, she wouldn't still be unmarried at almost eighteen years old.

  Zhou Tong lowered his eyes and didn't say anything.

  Mrs. Zhou sighed and stroked his back, saying: "Child, grandma is worried about you, so I want to find a clever wife for you. You have a stubborn temper, which is good for studying, but it's not a good habit in other things."

  Zhou Tong is the kind of person who, once he's made up his mind, can't be persuaded otherwise even if eight oxen were to pull him back. He's improved a bit over the past two years, but that's also because Old Lady Zhou and Prefect Zhou have put in great effort to correct him.

  In the future they may not have the energy for this anymore, and it's impossible to rely on Madame Zhou, she can only find a daughter-in-law who can restrain him.

  Zhou Tong pursed his lips, wanting to retort, but seeing his grandmother's head full of white hair and her face filled with loving concern as she looked at him, he swallowed the words that had reached the tip of his tongue.

  Forget it, grandma is also for his own good, can't let her worry again, and even the Spring Festival was not spent well.

  Mrs. Zhou watched him leave with his head hung low, and sighed: "Fortunately, he is still filial, otherwise I really want to put this child back into his mother's womb."

  The old lady's maid almost burst out laughing, "Old lady, you can't let the young master hear this, or he'll get all worked up again."

  Mrs. Zhou sighed with a headache: "How did he inherit his grandfather's temperament, when his father looks like me and his mother is also a gentle person..."

  Even if he inherited his mother's temperament, it would be better than having the same stinky disease as his grandfather.

  "There are also places like Lao Ye's," the old lady said with a smile, "For example, filial piety. I think it would be hard to find someone as filial as Young Master in this entire city."

  Mrs. Zhou couldn't help but admit the truth of this statement, no matter how much she disliked her grandson.

  Zhou Tong may not know that his grandmother was actually displeased with him. At this time, after two consecutive sneezes, he gritted his teeth and said: "It must be her secretly scolding me!"

  Shang Danlan hadn't even had time to scold him yet, when her three sisters found an excuse and went with Shang Mingjie to play at the Lin family's villa. At this moment, the five of them were gathered together making lanterns.

  Shang Dan Ju had ground the ink to perfection and took a deep breath, saying: "It must be done in one stroke, at that time our lamp will not only be the king of lamps but also absolutely cannot be too inferior."

  "Less talk and more work," Shang Dan Zhu pointed at Lin Yu Bin and said, "Look, even Lin Biao Jie has started drawing. You're still talking, when will you finish writing the lantern riddles?"