Chapter 30: Planned Marriage
Translator: DavidT Editor: celllll
"For the whole of today, where exactly did you run off too? Instead of studying hard, why did you run off elsewhere?" Chu Ting’er held onto the feather duster with one hand, looking imposing and intimidating.
"Ehhh… Your child went out to play for a while only, then came straight home." Scratching his scalp, Ling Tian put on a mask of innocence.
"Oh? Hahaha, playing a while refers to the whole day? And to think you still dare to say that you came straight home?" Chu Ting’er spoke, not knowing to laugh or to be angry. Seeing how his son wore a face of nonchalance, it pissed her off, but at the same time made her want to burst out into a smile.
She stretched out her hand to pinch his smooth cheeks, and with that pinch, she fondly pulled him into her chest. "Go and groom yourself properly, and don’t go out tomorrow, your wife will be visiting."
"My wife?" Even with memories of two lives, Ling Tian still felt his brain crash. Where had this wife come from? In my two lives, I’ve always been a pure and untainted little chick!
Nodding her head with certainty, she took the chance to pinch Ling Tian’s face once again, "Yes, your wife, hahaha… My Tian’er is already so big, how could he do without a wife?"
"..." Ling Tian was at a loss for words. If he did not remember his appearance wrongly, right now he should still be having the body of a five-year-old child. Could it be that early marriages and early childbearing in the ancient times were actually at such a state?
Under Chu Ting’er’s explanation did Ling Tian finally understand. Turns out that when he was still in his mother’s stomach, Grandfather Ling had gone to meet up with the greatest financial magnate, the Xiao family head, and proposed a marriage with his daughter-in-law’s child. Both sides agreed that if both were males, then they would be sworn brothers; if they were both females, they would be sisters; and if it was a male and a female, then they would be a couple.
Ling Tian suffered from a burst of depression! This system of feudalism could really cause the death of someone; what age was this, that a five year old child could have already completed his lifelong milestone of being married…..
Ling Tian was certainly unhappy about this; he thought of actually pursuing someone to be his future wife. This could be due to the fact that even in his previous life, he had never tasted the feeling of being in love. In his heart, Ling Tian felt that love was full of mysteriousness, and was something he was looking forward to.
Furthermore, in the depths of Ling Tian’s heart, he was in conflict with the sort of political and beneficial marriages formed between families so as to boost both families’ alliances. He also detested the fact that the family would sacrifice their descendants to carry out such a method.
It was indeed true that in this world, only the strong would be respected. However, this definitely did not include love. One could even say that power and might could get you any woman’s body, but not her heart and love! And what Ling Tian wanted was a lover, not a wife-in-name or a tool for venting his lust, no matter if she was as beautiful as an immortal.
"Mother, I do not wish to have a wife. Please help me to reject the marriage!" Ling Tian held on to Chu Ting’er’s arm, shaking it left and right, as he put on an attitude like a child throwing a tantrum. Blegh! Ling Tian vomited a little mentally, but he had no choice. Since this mother was not receptive to both hard and soft methods, the only way to deal with this problem was to use this move; Ling Tian had to act like he was immature.
"This won’t do!" Chu Ting’er put on a fierce face, being resolute and not giving any ground to him. "Your grandfather specially secured this marriage for you, how could it be poor? The other party must be a little beauty!"
Ling Tian furrowed his brows in reluctance and unwillingness, saying, "No matter how pretty she is, she definitely cannot compare to mother. Mother is the prettiest!" He ruthlessly boot-licked his mother, since such words were welcome in the ears of most women. Let alone being said by their own child, which contained only the most sincere admiration from someone whom she had weaned as well as a sense of dependence.
Indeed, Chu Ting’er immediately became more cheerful upon hearing that. With her face blossoming, she fiercely kissed Ling Tian’s face while saying, "So nice of you, Tian’er."
After being affectionate for a while, Chu Ting’er finally said, "Oh right, Tian’er, after you went out today, Mister Qin wasn’t too happy about it and his face was quite ugly to behold. You have to be careful this time and be a good boy, else if your teacher beats you, I won’t be bothered about it."
Ling Tian smiled to himself; the reason Mister Qin was in low spirits was probably because of himself, but not like what his mother had described. Instead, it was because that old man was sure of himself, and yet had unknowingly been brought for a ride by a child merely five years of age. It would be surprising if he did not feel any indignation towards the matter.
"I’ll go take a look." Ling Tian turned his body to leave. "By the way, mother, I brought back a little beggar from outside today. Let him follow me from now on." Before Chu Ting’er had the chance to reply, his shadow could not be seen already.
Chu Ting’er could only let out a curse, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. This little fellow, how was this considered a request? It was more like merely informing her.
As for why Ling Tian did this, Chu Ting’er also understood. He was saying that he wanted the little beggar as his own personal attendant, and that they had better not employ him to do other tasks. Forget it, let him do as he pleases, Chu Ting’er thought to herself, as she called over a serving maid and gave her a few instructions.
Mister Qin had a face full of black lines as he sat alone in the study room, still feeling gloomy about the fact that he got taken advantage of in the morning. As he sulked, he realized that Ling Tian was behaving furtively at the doorstep, and could not help but scold, "Since you’ve come back, why don’t you come in? What are you looking at?!"
Sniggering to himself, Ling Tian walked to stand in front of Mister Qin.
With a "hmph" sound, Mister Qin turned his head the other way. Toward this student of his, he had a love-hate relationship; any word he spoke once would be captured and understood by Ling Tian who could furthermore provide his own viewpoint to that matter, often allowing Mister Qin to receive some enlightenment. Mister Qin dared to conclude that Ling Tian could definitely inherit his legacy in future, promoting his studies and name to all under the heavens.
However, what made him helpless was the fact that this student was… just too smart… And it was obvious that he had not put in all his brainpower into his studies. All his previous methods to coerce little children could not be used against him. Even to the point that giving him encouragement would result in him arguing back an entire chapter in return, and it would flow out in a torrent, with every word polished like a pearl. This usually made Mister Qin enthralled as he realized that words could be used in such a way. In the end he would snap out of his trance, not knowing then who was the actual teacher and who the student was between the two of them.
Sneaking a glance at Mister Qin’s facial expression, Ling Tian could naturally tell that his mood was not good, thus he decided to stretch his tongue and say, "Sir, this student has a matter which needs your help to clear my confusion." As he spoke, his expression and tone were all prim and proper.
As Mister Qin heard this, his heart was filled with satisfaction, quickly turning his head back, "Hahahaha, good student, come say out any doubts you have, teacher here will say all that he knows, without withholding any information!" Hmph hmph, you little rascal, after all, the stuff that you know in this world is actually very little!
With a groan, Ling Tian made a sour face as he said, "Just now mother told me that my pre-arranged fiancé is about to arrive."
Mister Qin was stunned! Only after quite a while did he come to his senses and furiously asked, "This is the question you wanted to consult your teacher with?" After his anger subsided somewhat, he realized that this was actually quite amusing; a wimpy kid merely a few years of age was already having a fiancé.
Ling Tian sighed in an exaggerated manner before continuing, "How is that so? If I could settle this small problem easily, why would I bother great teacher?" Mister Qin nodded his head slightly at this, appearing satisfied. However, Ling Tian actually continued, "Besides, Mister is completely unable to be of help as well."
Mister Qin immediately flared up in a rage, "Bullshit! What kind of nonsense are you spouting!"