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She glanced at Xun Qingqing, who was holding a prize and smiling proudly.

She snorted, "Since the young master doesn’t care so much about appearances, why not marry Xun Qingqing?

Only by marrying her will I believe that the young master truly doesn’t care about appearances but values the inner self. "

Upon hearing this, Xun Qingqing first looked at Jun Wuxian. Cao Yanran said this to make Jun Wuxian uncomfortable. She feared making him uncomfortable and was also worried that because of this, they might not even remain friends in the future.

When she turned to Cao Yanran, she said coldly, "Jun Wuxian and I are good friends. Why would friends care about appearances? Miss Cao is so coercive and malicious in her intentions, even the top scholar would dare to marry her."

Cao Yanran was already furious, and Xun Qingqing’s words were like pouring oil on the fire, igniting her rage even more.

"Xun Qingqing, what do you mean by that? You’re disfigured and no one wants you, is that why you’re slandering me? Look all around the Capital, which noble family’s son would be willing to marry a monster like you?"

Ever since her disfigurement, Xun Qingqing knew that no man would be willing to marry a disfigured woman, and she had long been prepared to remain unmarried.

Nevertheless, when Cao Yanran said those words, she still felt saddened.

It wasn’t because there was no one willing to marry her.

But because...

Jun Wuxian watched Cao Yanran with a detached gaze, as she called Xun Qingqing a monster. Although Xun Qingqing had scars on her face, she had nothing in common with a monster.

"I will marry her, no need for you to worry," he declared.

As these words came out, everyone around was stunned.

Cao Yanran looked at Jun Wuxian in surprise, questioning whether her ears were deceiving her. Xun Qingqing was disfigured, and he was still willing to marry her?

Du Zhiheng also showed a look of surprise. As a man, he understood men too well—who would be willing to marry a monster?

Xun Qingqing was more shocked than anyone else. Jun Wuxian actually said he would marry her? But he himself had said that he would not marry a monster.

She stared at Jun Wuxian unblinkingly, but his unflappable expression gave nothing away—was it a joke or was he serious?

However, she quickly realized that Jun Wuxian probably didn’t want her to be bullied because of her appearance.

It is said that only when a handsome man and a beautiful woman are paired is it a perfect match. Now that Jun Wuxian was not disgusted by Xun Qingqing’s appearance and was willing to propose, some were envious and others were jealous.

Cao Yanran was dragged away by Du Zhiheng. Instead of fighting over superiority or risking further embarrassment, it was better to leave.

Seeing that Jun Wuxian was accompanying his sister, Xun Changfeng decided not to disturb them. He bought some snacks to eat on the side, intending to report back after finishing them.

But then he heard Jun Wuxian’s bold claim that he wanted to marry his sister, first in shock, then in delight.

His sister finally had someone who was willing to marry her, and the man was the one she fancied.

Xun Changfeng wolfed down the snacks in his hand and rushed home without stopping to bring the good news.

The lady of the general’s house was leisurely drinking tea in the living room when she saw her youngest son running in with great urgency. She scolded him quietly, "How old are you now? Shouldn’t you act with more dignity?"

Xun Changfeng had run all the way back, parched with thirst. He poured himself a cup of tea from the teapot and gulped down several mouthfuls before catching his breath and saying, "Mother, it’s a matter of great importance. Even if I wanted to be composed, I couldn’t."

"What has happened?" The lady of the general’s house thought of her daughter, and her expression immediately tensed with worry. "Don’t tell me something happened to Qingqing? How can you call yourself a brother if you can’t even protect your own sister?"

Xun Changfeng reassured her, "Sister is fine, Mother can rest assured."

Once she heard that her daughter was not in trouble, the lady picked up her cup and continued to drink her tea leisurely. "Then what is it?"

Xun Changfeng smiled and said, "Someone wants to marry Sister."

The matter of her daughter’s marriage was currently the lady’s greatest concern, and she feared her daughter being wronged if married off to another family. Hearing this news, she perked up immediately.

"Really? Which family’s son?"

His mother’s reaction was within Xun Changfeng’s expectations, and he played coy, "Mother, guess who it is?"

The lady of the general’s house was anxious, and yet her son was playing guessing games. She picked up a nearby fan and swung it at her son’s forehead. "If I knew, would I still need to ask you?"

Xun Changfeng was sipping his tea when he got thwacked, deciding not to tease her any longer, "It’s Jun Wuxian."

The lady of the general’s house brightened up at the mention of Jun Wuxian. She had a rather favorable opinion of him as a son-in-law; he was talented and good-looking, had a fine character, and most importantly, her daughter liked him.

"Didn’t Jun Wuxian leave? Has he come back?"

Xun Changfeng hastened to drink several sips of tea, "I saw him on the street tonight, and right now he’s with Sister."

Upon hearing that, a smile appeared in the lady’s eyes, "That’s good news. Jun Wuxian is quite a catch, with good character to boot. I’ll be at peace if Qingqing can marry him."

Xun Changfeng drank two cups of tea in a row before finally settling down to leisurely sip on the third cup.

*

The street was still bustling with life.

It had been too crowded earlier for Xun Qingqing to ask, but now that people had dispersed, she couldn’t help but speak up, "Your timing is quite coincidental. It’s just in time for the Double Seventh Festival. I thought I wouldn’t see you for another half a year."

Jun Wuxian looked down at Xun Qingqing. Not having seen her for over a month, he noticed that she seemed thinner, and her eyes appeared larger than before.

"I haven’t experienced the Double Seventh Festival in Daxia, so I came to see," Jun Wuxian glanced over the bustling street, almost overcrowded with people. "It’s very lively," he remarked.

Xun Qingqing said, "Of course, on the Double Seventh Festival, even those who are busy with chores find time to come and seek blessings."

Jun Wuxian looked at Xun Qingqing. He had announced in front of so many people that he would marry her, yet she had no reaction at all. The streets, busy with people coming and going, were not a suitable place for a heartfelt conversation.

He withdrew his gaze, "What do you plan to do next?"

Xun Qingqing, holding two Blessing Flower Lanterns, raised them excitedly, "Let’s go release the lanterns together. They say it’s very effective in granting blessings."

"Alright," Jun Wuxian agreed.

There is a distinction between flower lanterns and river lanterns—they are released in different places.

To release flower lanterns for blessings, they would go to the area near Yuelao Temple.

By the time Xun Qingqing and Jun Wuxian arrived, many young men and women had already started releasing flower lanterns on the riverbank.