Chapter 14: Calling Sheng Zexi Home for a Matchmaking Meeting

At that moment, he seemed to remember something and glanced at his stepdaughter, Fang Manping.

“Manping, didn’t you mention a while ago that your performing arts troupe wanted to go to the Northwest Military District to put on a Spring Festival show?”

“Yes.” Fang Manping immediately perked up, already guessing what he was getting at.

“How about this—tomorrow I’ll approve it for your troupe. When you go, try to get that boy Zexi to come home for me. Just tell him I have some of his mother’s things to give him.”

Fang Wanrong’s heart skipped a beat. “Husband, what are you planning?”

Sheng Xinhao didn’t intend to hide anything from his gentle and kind wife. “I’ve talked it over with Old Li. We’re thinking of having Zexi and Old Li’s youngest daughter meet during the New Year.”

If he told Sheng Zexi directly to come home for a matchmaking meeting, the boy probably wouldn’t come.

So Sheng Xinhao could only use another excuse.

Fang Wanrong felt a wave of panic. The “Old Li” her husband mentioned—could it be Commander Li’s family? That youngest daughter must be Li Shuyao?

No, she absolutely couldn’t let Sheng Zexi marry Li Shuyao.

Never mind that Li Shuyao herself worked in the performing arts troupe and was now its star, with good looks and a pleasant personality. The key was that her father was Commander Li, and her brother, Li Tingxuan, had already become a regiment commander at a young age with a bright future ahead. Over the years, she had finally managed to isolate Sheng Zexi, leaving him almost friendless and alone. How could she let him gain such a powerful family by marriage, with Li Tingxuan as his brother-in-law?

Fang Wanrong couldn’t help but resent Sheng Xinhao.

He was always saying how filial Ayu was, but she’d never seen him leave anything good for Ayu. She’d mentioned wanting Ayu to join the army to benefit from his connections, but he refused.

He always called Sheng Zexi a troublemaker and scolded him for being unfilial.

But in the end, he was still looking out for him, finding him a wife with such a strong background.

It was only her years of practiced self-control that kept Fang Wanrong from losing her composure.

Fang Manping hadn’t expected that her stepfather’s preferred daughter-in-law was Li Shuyao, and she couldn’t help but feel a surge of joy.

Li Shuyao had always liked Sheng Zexi and often asked her for news about him. In truth, Fang Manping didn’t really want to do this, but she liked Li Tingxuan—tall, handsome, and dazzling—he had long since taken root in her heart.

If she could help Li Shuyao and Sheng Zexi get together, would Li Shuyao help her and Li Tingxuan as well?

Fang Wanrong glanced at her daughter. She knew about the situation between her daughter, Li Shuyao, and Li Tingxuan.

If her daughter could marry Li Tingxuan, she would be more than happy, but she absolutely could not let Li Shuyao marry Sheng Zexi.

Even if it wouldn’t be easy, she couldn’t let her husband see her true feelings.

So she feigned ignorance and said gently to Sheng Xinhao, “So you’ve set your sights on Commander Li’s youngest daughter. Then why are you asking me to look for someone?”

Sheng Xinhao, unaware of Fang Wanrong’s thoughts, replied, “That boy never listens. I’m worried he won’t appreciate what’s good for him and might not like her. The more girls you find, the more choices he’ll have.”

“Just keep looking on your end.”

“All right, I’ll keep an eye out.”

Before, Fang Wanrong hadn’t paid much attention to finding a match for Sheng Zexi, but now she had to take it seriously.

She needed to carefully select candidates—she’d rather have Sheng Zexi marry someone she picked herself than let him gain the powerful support of the Li family.

As for Fang Manping, once she entered her room, Fang Wanrong followed her in.

Once the door was closed, Fang Manping couldn’t hold back any longer.

“Mom, since Uncle already wants Sheng Zexi and Li Shuyao to be together, why not just let them?” Fang Manping tugged at Fang Wanrong’s hand, shaking it.

“No way!” Fang Wanrong slapped her daughter’s hand away and glared at her. “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re up to. You’re hoping that by helping Li Shuyao marry Sheng Zexi, she’ll help you get together with Li Tingxuan, right?”

“Mom wants you to be with the Li family’s eldest son too, but Li Shuyao absolutely cannot marry Sheng Zexi. You should know, if Sheng Zexi marries Li Shuyao and gains the Li family’s support, your uncle will only value him more. Then what will your brother have left in this family?”

Fang Manping fell silent, lowering her gaze as she understood once again.

Her mother did love her, but compared to her son, she didn’t really count for much.

“Pingping, if your brother does well, you’ll have someone to rely on in the future. I hope you understand how much this means to me.”

Fang Wanrong thought, if only Sheng Zexi could never come back, or even die on the battlefield, how wonderful that would be.

Then everything in the Sheng family would belong to her son.

“Daughter, do you really like the Li family’s eldest son that much?”

“Yes, Mom, I like Li Tingxuan. I really want to marry him.”

Fang Manping was 23 this year. She’d been only 11 when she followed her mother into the Sheng family, and at 16, Li Tingxuan had saved her by chance.

From that moment on, Fang Manping had fallen for Li Tingxuan, unable to extricate herself.

Her looks didn’t take after her mother, but her biological father—at best, she was delicately pretty.

But Fang Manping just liked someone as handsome as Li Tingxuan, and she’d never forgotten that moment he saved her.

Fang Wanrong sighed, wanting to say something, but in the end, said nothing.

She had always doted on her daughter, even if not as much as her son. If she could, she wanted to give her the best.

“Mom, Li Shuyao will be going to the Northwest Military District this time too.”

“I won’t do anything extra. If they end up together this time, I won’t stand in the way. If not, I won’t help Li Shuyao anymore.”

“Mom, just indulge me this once, please? I’ll be good to you too.”

Fang Manping snuggled into Fang Wanrong’s arms, full of longing.

In the end, Fang Wanrong softened and nodded in agreement.

Sheng Zexi had no idea his father was already plotting his marriage, nor that the Li Shuyao who missed him so dearly was about to come looking for him in the Northwest.

He had already gone with the matchmaker to the Gu family to set the dates for the engagement and wedding banquet.

The engagement and betrothal would be in three days, and the wedding banquet in fifteen days—half a month later.

It was also agreed that his maternal grandparents would attend both important occasions.

When the Gu family heard that Sheng Zexi’s grandparents would be coming, Old Gu and Yao Chunhua were delighted. After all, it showed how much the groom’s side valued their family and Ningning.

Knowing that Sheng Zexi’s family consisted of his biological father and stepmother, and that their relationship was poor, they didn’t insist on having his relatives attend.

After Sheng Zexi and the matchmaker came and went, the villagers were all curious, and Yao Chunhua didn’t hide anything.

Soon, everyone in Huaishu Village knew that Gu Jianing was getting engaged and married to an army officer from the Northwest named Sheng Zexi.

Meanwhile, Wen Zhuqing, still aching all over from her recent beating, nearly spilled her fish soup when she heard the news."