Cat's Whiskers

That night, the entire Ning family gathered together. They were there to discuss Ning Qian’s marriage. Upon learning that Yu Ziqi had come to propose, Ning Qian’s eldest brother, Ning Guowen, was the first to object. His reasoning was simple: although Yu Ziqi had some reputation in Huizhou, no one could truly speak to his character. How could he trust Ning Qian to marry someone they barely knew? It was simply too unsettling.

In truth, he harbored other unspoken concerns. Ning Qian had been through such a scandal, yet Yu Ziqi chose this very moment to propose—could there really be nothing suspicious about his motives?

Ning Qian’s father, Ning Qian, was equally reluctant. She was his only precious daughter; how could he feel at ease letting her marry now, with her circumstances so precarious? If she were to marry and Yu Ziqi treated her poorly, he would feel guilty for a lifetime.

“Qianqian, I don’t think this is right either. You’re my only daughter, and I don’t want you to live unhappily,” Ruan Qi, her mother, also voiced her opposition. For her, her daughter’s happiness was paramount.

One by one, the rest of the family began to voice their objections as well. The whole affair was too peculiar; none of them wanted Ning Qian to risk herself.

But Ning Qian herself did not see it the same way. She had no desire to spend her life as a spinster. If she could choose, she would rather marry—even becoming a widow would be preferable to the fate of an old maid. Of course, she did not mean to curse Yu Ziqi; she was merely considering possibilities. There was, after all, another possible outcome: she could become a cast-off wife. But Ning Qian was determined never to let that happen; if Yu Ziqi ever showed the slightest inclination, she would be the first to send him away.

Despite these thoughts, no one truly knew what would happen. From Shuni, Ning Qian had learned a little about Yu Ziqi. As the third young master of the Yu family, he could have any woman he wanted—why would he choose her, a woman whose reputation had been ruined? Was it really because of their brief encounter in the past?

That hardly made sense; after all, he was the one who had saved her. If anyone owed a debt of gratitude, it should have been her seeking him out, offering herself as repayment. Why was everything now reversed?

With so many anxieties swirling in her mind, Ning Qian remained silent. Seeing her so quiet, Ning Qian assumed she agreed with everyone’s decision. His expression relaxed, and he waved his hand. “Enough, this marriage is off.”

Ning Qian lifted her head slightly and glanced at everyone, but only managed a bitter smile. Perhaps it was best to think it over carefully.

The next morning, Shuni was sent out at Ning Qian’s request to gather information. After all, to know oneself and one’s enemy is the way to win every battle.

Shuni spent the entire day out and didn’t return until evening. The moment she arrived, she rushed straight into Ning Qian’s room. “Miss...” she panted, out of breath, as she nearly collapsed before Ning Qian.

Ning Qian raised her brows slightly. Ruan Qin, sitting nearby, shot Shuni a glare. “You little rascal, after one trip out, you’ve forgotten all your manners?”

Shuni trembled, immediately straightened up and bowed properly, then stood at attention, still gasping for air but otherwise composed.

Only then did Ning Qian put down the book in her hands, relaxing as she leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes. She said nothing, and Shuni dared not speak without permission. Just as Shuni thought Ning Qian was about to fall asleep, Ning Qian suddenly spoke. “What did you find out?”

Shuni heaved a sigh of relief. “Miss, you have no idea—this Young Master Yu is quite the talk of the town. I only wandered about a bit and already picked up all sorts of news.”

Ning Qian’s eyes snapped open, fixing Shuni with a reproachful look. It was clear to her that the girl had taken the opportunity to sneak off and play.

Feeling Ning Qian’s icy stare, Shuni hurriedly covered her mouth. She was anxious—how had she let that slip? Now she was in trouble.

Sure enough, before Ning Qian could say anything, Ruan Qin began to scold her. “You wicked girl, I knew you wouldn’t behave. No dinner for you tonight. Go to your room and reflect on your actions.”

“I understand.” Shuni knew Ruan Qin was going easy on her.

“Enough. Tell me what you learned.” That was all Ning Qian cared about at the moment.

Shuni’s spirits lifted. “Miss, you have no idea. That Young Master Yu is quite remarkable. He studied with a renowned sage from a young age and only returned at fifteen. Then he learned the ways of business from Master Yu himself, and by twenty, he was already taking over much of the family business. Now, at twenty-five, he reportedly manages more than a fifth of the Yu family’s affairs.”

Ning Qian sat up in surprise. “Shuni, are you sure? He really controls over a fifth of the Yu family’s business?”

Shuni nodded vigorously. “Absolutely. Everyone knows it. And, Miss, he’s a proper gentleman—never goes near any brothels or such places.”

Resting her chin on her hand, Ning Qian fell into deep thought. As far as she knew, Master Yu had three sons and two daughters. How was it that Yu Ziqi wielded such influence? Wasn’t that strange? Could it be that the other two sons were utter fools? Moreover, with the power Yu Ziqi held, if he wished to secure his place in the family, surely he should marry someone whose status would bring him advantages. Despite her own respectable background, after everything that had happened, for him to still want to marry her—something about it didn’t add up.

“Miss? Miss, why aren’t you saying anything?” Shuni was puzzled, having talked herself hoarse without a reply.

“Shuni, did you find out what Yu Ziqi’s relationship with his brothers is like?”

“Miss, I was going to tell you even if you didn’t ask. It’s strange—usually with these wealthy families, you hear of brothers fighting over the inheritance, but Young Master Yu gets along extremely well with both his older and younger brothers. When I heard it, I thought it must be fake.”

Ning Qian was secretly alarmed. Even simple-minded Shuni sensed something was off—how could she not also see the hidden dangers? Yet, the problem remained: even knowing this, she might have no choice but to step right into the lion’s den. To knowingly march into danger—this was her situation now. Poor thing, she really had no desire to spend her life branded an old maid.

“Did you find out anything else?” she asked.

“I did learn a bit about Master Yu as well. He’s already so old, yet two years ago he took another concubine. Altogether, he now has one wife and five concubines—not to mention other chambermaids and such. Miss, it’s a good thing Young Master Yu isn’t like his father. Otherwise, if you married into that, you’d be in for trouble.”

“That is odd. Why would he want to marry me, then? Wait—could it be he’s... gay?” Ning Qian covered her mouth, her eyes wide with surprise.