Fatty Tang still couldn't shake off his suspicion as the well-built figure rose from the table and casually strolled toward them. Though this person wasn't particularly tall, their sturdy frame carried an undeniable weight.
Every step was steady, every movement unhurried.
Then, to everyone's astonishment, the figure stopped, smiled broadly, and cupped their fists in greeting with a composure that could rival any seasoned expert.
"You must be Jun Family's Third Young Master?" The voice boomed like a temple bell, like a bold, firm, and utterly unladylike. "And this person with you must be my future husband, Tang Yuan. This young woman is Sun Xiao Mei."
The words landed like a hammer.
Tang Yuan was stunned. His bulging eyes threatened to fall out of their sockets, his jaw swung loose like an unhinged door, and his mind went blank.
'This 'man'… is actually a 'woman'?!'
Thick, slanted brows crowned large, round eyes, features that might've been tolerable on a delicate face. But paired with that expansive forehead, the impression was catastrophic.
To make matters worse, she had tied her hair into a man's topknot, giving her the appearance of a martial warrior who had mistakenly wandered into a bridal meeting.
No rouge, no powder, no jewelry adorned her. Her posture was straighter than a spear, her expression firmer than granite, and her voice rang louder than the clash of cymbals.
Jun Mo Xie, despite his unfathomable calm, almost choked on his own breath. His sharp eyes flicked down once, and he sighed inwardly. 'Her ass really isn't small. Grandpa Tang was right after all. Truly Fatty's type. These two are a match made in heaven... a natural pair!'
Suppressing the laughter clawing at his throat, the Young Master Jun could only awkwardly cup his fists in return, leaning toward Fatty to whisper a mock congratulation in a low tone.
"Congratulations, Fatty. Truly… a perfect match."
"Ohhh… hey… hey…"
Fatty Tang looked like he'd been struck by lightning. His tiny beady eyes suddenly bulged wide as ox-eyes, his mouth stretched so far it nearly touched his ears, and thick strands of drool began trickling down his chin.
"Kha… kha… kha…"
The sound that came from his throat was ghastly, like someone strangling a rooster with their bare hands. His fat quivered, his eyes rolled upward, and for a brief moment it seemed as though he'd hung himself upon an invisible beam.
The next instant, his knees buckled, and his massive body collapsed like a felled tree.
Bang!
The floorboards groaned under his weight as he went down.
This was the end result of years of anticipation and countless fantasies, all shattered in a single instant. Tang Yuan had always imagined his fiancée as a radiant beauty, a goddess fit to bless his bedchamber. But the reality standing before him… the chasm between dream and truth was too vast, too cruel. His heart couldn't bear the blow, and his mind reeled, his stomach churned, and his body surrendered before he fainted.
Sun Xiao Mei, however, remained unperturbed. Her wide smile never faltered. Looking down at the fallen Fatty, she gave a short, self-mocking laugh. A fleeting shadow of sorrow crossed her eyes, so quick it could be missed, but she concealed it beneath her bold exterior.
"Apparently, this young woman has given my honored fiancé quite a scare," She said evenly, her voice still carrying that resounding timbre. Then, sizing up Tang Yuan's enormous frame with the calm scrutiny of a general inspecting his troops, she added bluntly, "My future husband is… very fat. He must lose weight."
She turned her attention back to Jun Mo Xie, cupped her fists once more with flawless martial etiquette, and said, "Third Young Master Jun, please, be seated."
Jun Mo Xie had seen through the truth much earlier than Fatty. Yet his first impression of Sun Xiao Mei was complicated. Boldness, honesty, and strength she had in abundance. But refinement, grace, and delicacy, virtues expected of a noble bride, were nowhere to be seen.
Fatty Tang, for all his shamelessness, was still the sole heir of the Tang Family. By tradition, his wife was meant to embody virtue, grace, and restraint.
Sun Xiao Mei's overbearing presence clashed violently with every expectation.
'Her appearance, her manner, her voice… everything would be considered a flaw by most men,' Jun Mo Xie mused. 'Yet somehow, every one of those flaws seems overshadowed by her sheer boldness. A strange woman indeed.'
Jun Mo Xie, despite his usual disdain for most people, had already begun to form a faintly favorable impression of Sun Xiao Mei.
Though their meeting had only just begun, there was an undeniable sincerity flickering in his eyes, a shade of admiration that he himself didn't bother to conceal.
Truthfully, there was nothing to fuss about regarding this woman, apart from her unusually tall frame and sturdy build.
In short, she could only be described as: 'A woman who was born a match for men.'
Even a casual sentence from her, even a simple gesture, carried with it a kind of decisiveness and steadiness that most men couldn't hope to imitate. Her manner was upright, her temperament bold, her attitude heroic. Had she been born a man, Sun Xiao Mei would undoubtedly have been lauded as a figure with a Heroic Personality, someone whose very name would shake the city with awe and respect.
But she was born a woman, and this irony alone condemned her life to tragedy.
Because, in this world, most men judged women with their eyes first and their hearts last.
Her imposing build and unfeminine bearing meant that no matter how intelligent, good-natured, or capable she was, the vast majority would never look past the surface.
They would laugh, sneer, avoid her, or, at best, treat her with polite indifference.
A woman's inner grace, no matter how radiant, simply couldn't outweigh the value of beauty in the eyes of men.
Jun Mo Xie, however, was not like most men. He didn't mock her, nor did he belittle her presence. In his eyes, there was a spark of genuine respect, though, it must be admitted, he had the luxury of this respect only because he was utterly unrelated to the matter.
If Minister Sun were to suddenly announce, 'Since you think so highly of my daughter, why not take her as your wife?...'
Then this Young Master Jun would immediately vanish faster than smoke in the wind! He would flee the city, flee the province, flee for an entire lifetime, never daring to turn back, never daring to face Sun Xiao Mei again.
Recognition of her worth was one thing, but binding himself to such a reality was a cruel joke Heaven would never make him the butt of.
While Jun Mo Xie wrestled with these private thoughts, a clear and melodious voice chimed in, as refreshing as spring water.
"Elder Brother Mo Xie," Dugu Xiao Yi's eyes curved into a bright smile as she stroked the soft fur of Little White, her tone brimming with warmth. "Sister Sun's appearance may not stand out... but she is truly good-natured, kindhearted, and clever. I have been close friends with her for years, and I can assure you... she is a remarkable person! She's straightforward, she doesn't cling to petty matters, and she always speaks her mind. I am very fond of her!"
Her words carried the earnestness of someone speaking from the heart, each syllable filled with affection and sincerity.
Jun Mo Xie blinked, then laughed softly. With a clap of his hands, he declared with uncharacteristic frankness, "You're absolutely right!"
His eyes glinted mischievously, but beneath that glint, the admiration was genuine.
--- ✦ ✦ ✦ ---
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