Li Yuntai had been lost in thought when Wang Qingchen’s sudden appearance startled him back to reality. “You scared me half to death!”

“What are you thinking about, spacing out like this so early in the morning?” Wang Qingchen asked.

Li Yuntai hesitated for a moment, then shook his head. “Nothing, perhaps I just didn’t sleep well last night.”

Though Li Yuntai dismissed it lightly, Wang Qingchen didn’t believe him. Li Yuntai clearly had something weighing on his mind. However, since Li Yuntai refused to elaborate, Wang Qingchen felt it inappropriate to press further; after all, everyone was entitled to some privacy.

So, Wang Qingchen dropped the subject, saying understandingly, “Is that so? I was wondering why you seemed so listless this morning.”

With that, Wang Qingchen returned to his seat and began reading. Seeing Wang Qingchen let the matter drop so easily, Li Yuntai felt a pang of regret. He had actually wanted someone to confide in, but clearly, Wang Qingchen wasn't the right person, which was why he hadn't spoken. Now that Wang Qingchen had been politely sent away, Li Yuntai felt that as good friends, sharing wouldn't hurt. But Wang Qingchen was clearly absorbed back in his book, making it awkward for Li Yuntai to bring it up again.

Wang Qingchen, now deep into his reading, was oblivious to Li Yuntai’s inner turmoil. After that brief interruption, his focus had entirely returned to the pages. This left Li Yuntai feeling thoroughly vexed—did people just give up asking about private matters so easily? So quickly dismissed?

Li Yuntai barely registered what the Master was teaching that morning. His mind was preoccupied with his mother’s words from the previous day.

“Yuntai, you’re not a child anymore. Your mother is thinking of arranging your marriage. Although it would be better to finalize things after you pass the Xiucai examination, this match the matchmaker presented is truly excellent. Your father and I are both very pleased, so we thought we’d settle it for you first. What do you think?” his mother had asked.

“Mother, I—I’m so young!” Li Yuntai stammered.

Li Yuntai’s mother chuckled. “Oh, you’re not young, not young at all. All the other village boys your age were engaged long ago, some even younger than you when they were betrothed.”

Li Yuntai felt a flush of awkwardness at his mother’s words, lowering his head in silence. For him, someone with no prior experience in such matters, he genuinely didn't know how to handle this. His original plan was to achieve renown first, then marry a gentle and capable wife. Now, his parents had already found a candidate for his future spouse, and he had no idea what this person looked like or what her temperament might be. But since his mother had gone this far, it felt improper to refuse outright; after all, matters of marriage were traditionally subject to parental decree and the words of the matchmaker.

Seeing Li Yuntai remain silent, his mother took it as tacit agreement and beamed. “Then it’s settled!”

With that, Li Yuntai’s mother left his room, leaving him feeling restless. He then thought he should find someone to talk to, but when Wang Qingchen had inquired, he reasoned that Wang Qingchen was too young and likely wouldn't grasp his current feelings, so he kept silent. Yet, once Wang Qingchen stopped asking, he regretted it—having someone listen to his concerns was better than bottling them up. But just as quickly, Wang Qingchen was back to his book, making it impossible for Li Yuntai to reopen the conversation.

Now that both Wang Qingchen and Li Yuntai were staying in town, they didn't eat lunch at the academy but returned home.

At lunch, Li Yuntai’s parents noticed his distraction. They exchanged a look, both concluding it stemmed from the marriage discussion from the day before. Seeing their son this way, perhaps he had unspoken feelings about it?

So, Li Yuntai’s mother spoke first. “Yuntai, tell your parents, do you have any thoughts about your own marriage?”

Li Yuntai, who had been eating, stopped mid-scoop and quickly replied, “No, Mother, it’s just so sudden. I didn’t expect to be engaged so quickly.”

Hearing this, Li Yuntai’s father chuckled. “There’s nothing strange about it. Your father was the same way. When your grandmother told me about my engagement, I actually cut my hand while working as a carpenter. I know how you feel, son, I’ve been there. Rest assured, the person we chose for you is definitely a good one—not only is she beautiful, but she’s also virtuous. Besides, do you think your parents would harm you?”

Li Yuntai listened to his father’s praises with a hint of helplessness, thinking these were probably just exaggerated claims from the matchmaker. How easily could one truly assess a lady in such a short time? Whether she was virtuous or not was impossible to determine quickly. Still, though he didn't fully believe it, Li Yuntai kept his doubts to himself.

Seeing Li Yuntai’s unimpressed expression, his father immediately said, “Hey, don’t be so skeptical. Do you even know which family’s daughter we arranged this with?”

Li Yuntai obviously didn't and shook his head.

Li Yuntai’s father cleared his throat. “Let me tell you—it’s the daughter of Tutor Wu from our town! That Tutor Wu’s wife is a legitimate lady from an official family; can a daughter raised by her be anything less? His daughter excels in every way!”

Li Yuntai was surprised by this revelation. He hadn't expected his parents to arrange such a connection. A flicker of suspicion crossed his mind: how did his parents even get acquainted with Tutor Wu’s family, let alone convince them to marry their daughter to him? Tutor Wu had held an official post before, but after serving only a couple of years, Li Yuntai’s own father passed away, prompting Wu to return home for the mourning period. When the mourning ended, his previous position had naturally been taken. Furthermore, Tutor Wu had little luck regaining official status afterward, so he decided to focus on cultivating his son. His son had already passed the Xiucai exam and was waiting for the Autumn Provincial Examination (Qiūwéi).

Li Yuntai asked, puzzled, “Father, Mother, how did you get to know the Wu family?”

Upon this, Li Yuntai’s parents grew slightly embarrassed. “Actually, it wasn't us getting to know them; they actively sought out a matchmaker and came to our door first. I thought this match was rare, so I wanted to secure it quickly.”

Li Yuntai finally nodded. So that was how it was. No wonder his parents considered it a good match! Indeed, if the Wu family had no ulterior motives, this was a fortunate match for him. However, what baffled him now was that given his family's status, or even his own standing, he seemed utterly inadequate compared to the Wu family. Why would they proactively seek to marry their daughter to him?

Li Yuntai felt it necessary to investigate this matter thoroughly. He worried that perhaps the Wu daughter had some defect that necessitated marrying someone with no background or foundation like himself—that would be undesirable, as no one wanted to be made a fool of.

Thus, Li Yuntai resolved to investigate the Wu family’s recent affairs, to see if they harbored any hidden agenda.

Li Yuntai’s sudden burst of determination, a stark contrast to his earlier absentmindedness, made Wang Qingchen suspicious. These drastic shifts in mood seemed rather abnormal. Driven by concern, Wang Qingchen once again inquired about Li Yuntai’s situation.

This time, Li Yuntai didn't hold back and explained everything. He welcomed another person to help him think through the dilemma.

Wang Qingchen’s first reaction upon hearing that Li Yuntai was to be engaged was, Heavens, how old is this boy already, looking for a wife? But moments later, he chuckled self-deprecatingly. He really was being naive; given his own situation, he should be used to this. Weren’t Wang Qingyun and Wang Qinghua in the same boat? Then Wang Qingchen somehow found himself contemplating that perhaps he, too, would face this one day. Yet, the thought of marrying someone while inhabiting the body of a teenager felt intensely awkward. Although his own mental age was certainly sufficient, the idea of marrying someone who was also just a teenager in this lifetime made Wang Qingchen shudder.

But this wasn't the time to dwell on his own discomfort; the priority was helping Li Yuntai. After all, Li Yuntai’s concerns were not without merit. Logically, the Wu family’s status was quite high compared to common folk like them. For such an esteemed family to marry their daughter to someone with Li Yuntai’s meager background was inherently strange.

Since Li Yuntai decided to gather intelligence on the Wu family first, Wang Qingchen was naturally eager to assist! Not only did Wang Qingchen ask his elder brother, Wang Qinghua, to keep an eye out for relevant news, but he also personally approached Steward Xu, requesting his assistance in looking into the matter.

Steward Xu was delighted to have an opportunity to repay Wang Qingchen’s past favors, knowing that in return, Wang Qingchen would help them with their horticulture in the future. With this thought, Steward Xu happily dispatched his subordinates to inquire about the Wu family.

After gathering information from multiple sources, the conclusion was that the Wu family had engaged in no suspicious activities, nor did they seem to harbor any plots. The reasons for seeking a match with the Li family were twofold: firstly, Li Yuntai was now a Tongsheng (scholar), and the Wu family held high hopes for his future success in the civil service examinations. Secondly, the daughter they were proposing was their youngest, who had been doted on by the entire family. The Wu family naturally did not wish to marry her off to a powerful noble household where she might suffer mistreatment, making it difficult for them to intervene if needed. Li Yuntai’s circumstances perfectly aligned with the Wu family’s requirements for their daughter’s future husband, leading to this development.