A gentle male voice came from across the room, "Please conduct yourself with some dignity, Madam. I've already told you before, I'm engaged. I will never agree to become your concubine."
"You're lying! You've been saying that for two years, but I haven't seen you get married. You're obviously brushing me off. And even if you are engaged, why hasn't she come to marry you after all this time? Maybe she doesn't like you. Otherwise, why would she delay so long and not take you home? You're better off with me. At least I truly care about you. I only have one official husband now, and there are no other men in my house. If you marry me, I'll even give you children." The woman spoke stubbornly.
"We haven't married yet because she's still young. Please give up on this. I don't know how you found out I was eating here today, but please don't do this again. It's not good for either of us." The man's voice was gentle, but his words were firm.
Madam Fan had always been admired and praised since childhood. She had never been treated this coldly, so she became angry out of shame and shouted, "Remember what you said today. You'll regret it. Don't come begging me later." Then she pushed the door open and ran out.
As Yaelle opened the door and hadn't closed it yet, the two of them locked eyes. The woman glared at her and snapped, "What are you looking at? Look again and I'll gouge out your eyes."
Yaelle hadn't planned to say anything, but this woman was just too arrogant. So she replied, "You're shameless enough to seduce someone else's fiancé in public, yet you're scared of being seen? I thought you didn't know what shame was."
Madam Fan had already been humiliated today, and now someone clueless bumped into her again. Furious, she shouted, "You filthy brat! What nonsense are you talking about? What's it got to do with you? Mind your own business."
"Who are you calling a filthy brat?"
"I'm calling you one."
"Oh, so you admit that you're the filthy brat?"
Madam Fan finally realized she had been insulted instead. She reached out to hit Yaelle, but before her hand could get close, Yaelle caught it swiftly. "A real lady speaks, not fights. Why are you raising your hand? I was just eating next door and happened to hear your conversation. I didn't plan to get involved. But you provoked me first. Haven't you heard the saying that the one who starts it is the shameless one?" She flung Madam Fan's hand away and said, "Also, the person you were flirting with is my fiancé. Tell me, don't I have every right to get involved?"
Madam Fan felt overwhelmed with a mix of emotions. Her face turned red and pale with anger and embarrassment. She knew she was in the wrong. She glared at Yaelle one last time and ran away.
After she left, Yaelle finally looked at the man across from her. In the original host's memory, her fiancé was described as a handsome young man. But seeing him in person now made him feel much more vivid and real than the memory.
The man was about 183 centimeters tall. He had a pair of striking phoenix-shaped eyes that seemed able to see right through people. His nose was high and wide, and his slightly raised eyebrows gave him a confident and resolute appearance. He wore a light blue robe with green bamboo embroidered at the hem, making him look gentle and scholarly. His outfit showed his respect for tradition and his own unique taste and style. From a distance, he looked like a refined gentleman who had walked out of an ancient painting.
This young man was pretty impressive. If he were living in modern times, he'd outshine a lot of those popular pretty boys. Now the only question was what he thought about this engagement. If he really felt this way, maybe it wouldn't be so bad after all.
The two stared at each other through the corridor without saying a word. Finally, Maxim broke the silence and bowed to her. "Yaelle, long time no see. How have you been?" His tone was lighter than before, sounding almost cheerful, his voice so pleasant it was like a melody.
Yaelle returned the bow. "I'm doing well, Brother Maxim. Come in, please. I want to talk to you." She stepped into the room first and asked Attendant Sean and the others to guard the door.
Maxim felt nervous. He thought Yaelle might have misunderstood him and thought he was not loyal, flirting outside. He hurried to explain, "I just came here to eat today. I don't know how she found out I was here and barged in."
"Don't be so nervous. Sit down and talk," Yaelle said with a slight smile. It felt like the roles were reversed. He looked like a nervous bride waiting to be questioned, making her feel like she was catching a cheating husband.
"I think some things she said made sense. I know I have kept you waiting for a long time. I want to know what you think. If you are in a hurry, you can consider others. If there's someone suitable, that's fine too."
Maxim was shocked. "Yaelle, did I do something wrong? Or do you like someone else? I really have nothing with Madam Fan. We only met a few times, and she always bothered me."
"No, no, I just want to know your true feelings. It's not about anyone else. Do you really want to marry me, or is it just because of our parents?" Yaelle quickly said.
"Yaelle, we have been engaged for so long. Don't you understand my meaning? I really want to marry you," he said shyly. "It's just because I like you, not for any other reason."
Ah—
That hit her like a ball in the stomach. She was shy now. The young man was handsome and liked her. Marrying him would not be a loss.
Also, she remembered that if a man broke off an engagement, it would harm his reputation, and it would be hard to find a good match later. Before, she only wanted to hear his opinion. If he didn't want to wait or found someone else, she wouldn't want to hold him back.
She was not very fond of arranged marriages without feelings. Forced marriages wouldn't bring happiness. Now that she knew he had feelings for her and she didn't dislike him, she would give it a try. After all, it wasn't her loss.
"I understand, Brother Maxim. I will arrange the wedding as soon as possible," Yaelle said with a smile.
Maxim was dazzled by her bright smile. He felt something warm overflow inside and smiled back.
Actually, Maxim's family was better off than Yaelle's. His father was the county magistrate of Qingyun City, a fifth-rank official. Only the county governor ranked above him, making him one of the top people here.
Maxim was ambitious. At eighteen, he had already passed the provincial exam and would soon go to the capital for the final exam. If not for their mothers being friends, this marriage might not have happened.
Though social classes were not obvious in this era and merchants had some status, officials still ranked higher. His mother's other two husbands ran a silk shop and were escort captains, so their family conditions were decent.