Second Flame Of Romance

Chapter 8 - Hated her heart for inviting abuse

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FIRST CHAPTER OF DOUBLE RELEASE!

WT 8 - Hated her heart for inviting abuse
 
Wan Ting's gaze became complicated as she stared at Huang Qian. "I'm that well known?" When she chased after Long Shan, she had never cared about others and had never felt ashamed over her passion. 
 
But after her heart finally gave up on him, she suddenly felt discomfited over her past actions. 
 
"Are you still…"
 
Wan Ting shook her head fiercely. "No."
 
Huang Qian was obviously relieved that her new friend was not pining over the rebelled Second Prince that was not even from the royal blood. "Do you want me to introduce someone to you? What type of men do you prefer?"
 
Wan Ting originally wanted to say she had no plans to marry as of yet, but a part of her heart took over her mouth without permission. "Someone like Prince Heng."
 
Fortunately, Huang Qian did not think too much of it. She nodded appreciatively. "You got a great taste. Prince Heng is the top three most eligible husband material! Unfortunately, it would be very hard to find a similar man as him. Our generation's good men were all either married or hard to deal with. It is even harder to secure the main wife seat of a good but married man. But do you know what's the worst?"
 
"What?" Wan Ting played along when Huang Qian was waiting for her reaction.
 
"First love!" Huang Qian's grip on her chopstick nearly broke them into half. That was how much she despised the issue. "Prince Heng could have married a beautiful and talented wife, but his heart is firmly captured by the Empress Dowager. Her Majesty is a beauty that is very rarely seen, but she should have let go of his heart! Wan Ting? Are you feeling unwell?"
 
"Maybe I have eaten too much," Wan Ting made an excuse, aware that her face had lost much of its color. 
 
Even when she had always known about it, her heart still hurts when she heard that Prince Heng loved the Empress Dowager. Many said that Prince Heng and Empress Dowager would never get together. However, it was a different matter if Prince Heng's heart was always in his first love's hand. 
 
Wan Ting knew that Prince Heng had no concubines in his manor and also no other relatives other than the current 21st Emperor. It was impossible for him not to be lonely in his large manor, but he still did not pick a wife, choosing to faithfully wait for the impossible. 
 
At this time, Wan Ting truly hated her heart for inviting abuse. Why would she fall for men that could never love her back?
 
That was why Wan Ting was determined to avoid as much contact as possible from Prince Heng when she vaguely detected the change of her heart. This new feeling of hers must be pulled out of its roots and buried in an empty land without fertile soil and water. She does not want to hurt herself for a man that loves another anymore.
 
"The truth is, I'm not planning to look for marriage now. I intend to give my all in my work to earn money for my family."
 
But the pain Wan Ting tried to hide could not be concealed from Huang Qian's sharp eyes. Her worry for the older lady grew with a sense of forbidding. 
 
A seed of doubt on Wan Ting's new love was planted in Huang Qian's mind. 

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It was the last day of the month when Wan Ting received her first salary. 
 
Although she had made pills to be sold before, those monies were kept as her extra savings or immediately used to buy new clothes. This was the first time her hard earned money was used for their household expenses. 
 
When Huang Qian invited Wan Ting out for shopping, she declined to save money.
 
Huang Qian was understanding and amended her offer. "How about a meal then? My treat!"
 
It was quickly decided just like that. However, Huang Qian had another reason for the meal, which was to interrogate Wan Ting.
 
"I heard you are the only child in the family?" Huang Qian probed. 
 
"Yes."
 
"I have three younger brothers. My family doesn't mind whoever I will marry, as long as I'm happy with it." More like her family have given up trying to find a very good looking guy to stop Huang Qian's eyes from straying from the marriage! "What about you? You will have to pick a good man to marry into your house."
 
"Marry… into my house?" Wan Ting was surprised. 
 
"You are the only child and surely your father would want a son to inherit his name? Just like Madam Ping and General Tang!"
 
Wan Ting had naturally heard about Madam Ping and General Tang's tale. It was one filled with revenge for being slighted by her fiancé, before it bloomed into a new romance!
 
"Madam Ping is someone worthy of General Tang. Her actions are praiseworthy and not one that will end up in regrets," Wan Ting praised generously.
 
In the beginning, there were bets going on that Madam Ping would regret her decision to have General Tang, the Second Prince's trusted comrade, as her husband. But as days and weeks went on, everyone was forced to watch the show of a husband obeying his wife!
 
Madam Ping's decision was also vicious, to tear apart two good friend's feelings and trust between them! But it was also because of General Tang's marriage to Madam Ping that he was not dragged into prosecution among the revealed Second Prince's forces.
 
"Compared to marrying into your husband's family, it is better to have a husband marry into your household. You will have more power and your husband would not dare seek concubines." Huang Qian grinned.
 
Wan Ting hesitated. It was indeed beneficial, but she had never thought to marry for now. "This…" 
 
"Pardon me for being blunt, but Wan Ting, your current age and appearance is still acceptable in the market. There will not be any less good husband for you to pick. And you are also financially independent. There is no shortage to be seen on you."
 
Seeing Wan Ting having a conflicted look, Huang Qian eased up. "Just think over it slowly. There's no rush, but your parents need you, their only child, to take care of them when they get older."
 
It was Huang Qian's final words that made the decision for Wan Ting.
 
Their conversation quickly reached Prince Heng's ears from the guard that was tasked to look over Miss Wan. The brush halted for a moment before resuming writing and fortunately did not smear the letter. 
 
Prince Heng had never thought Miss Wan's new friend would be bold with her ideals, but it was actually a thoughtful idea tailored for Miss Wan's situation. 
 
"Continue watching." Prince Heng ordered. Since Miss Wan was still undecided, he will leave it be. If she decided to pick a husband to enter her household, he does have someone in mind.
 
Arranging the documents on the shelf was Liu Bing, who felt a deep, thoughtful gaze on his back from his teacher. "Teacher?"
 
Prince Heng retrieved his gaze. "Be more careful with the books."
 
However, Wan Ting made her decision very quickly. After telling Madam Wan about her decision, it was quickly accepted. Mister Wan secretly felt relief that the two elderly would have young people take care of them and having their family name continue on.
 
Madam Wan moved quickly, asked around for a potential son-in-law for her daughter, but it was hard to pick a good one that was willing to marry into his wife's family. Also, in other's eyes, Mister Wan’s family was considered declined after he quit being an official. Madam Wan refused to lower down the standard and things became stagnant.
 
"Mom, there is no need to rush on this matter. There will surely be one that's suitable for me to appear. We just have to be patient."
 
When Madam Wan told her husband what her daughter said before they went to bed, she could not hold back her tears. 
 
"She never told me to be patient before, always telling me to hurry up. Our daughter… was forced to grow up. I failed to protect her!"
 
Mister Wan patted his wife's back with solemn eyes. "We can only see this as a lesson for us all. It is also good that our daughter's thinking becomes mature."
 
As a father, he would certainly wish for his daughter to remain innocent and lively as long as possible. But she was now past the age of adulthood and it was for her own good that she was able to grow up properly. 
 
"...I will be going to the temple tomorrow morning," Madam Wan decided, wiping her tears away from her red eyes. "I will ask for our daughter's marriage fortune and pray for our family."
 
Mister Wan nodded and did not stop his wife. "Pray for Prince Heng and the Third Prince too. They are our family's saviour and we should wish them well."