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While the palace was buzzing with discussions of Lu Tingchen and Chu Jiu\'s marriage, Lin Qingyuan, on the other hand, was fraught with worry.

Two days had passed since the Emperor set the deadline. After today, she would be three days closer to it, but she was still at a loss for what to do.

"Miss, the weather\'s really nice today. Let\'s go out for a walk," Bai He suggested enthusiastically as she entered the room.

"Where to?" Lin Qingyuan was lukewarm to the idea.

"Since you can\'t come up with anything in the mansion, why don\'t you go out and smell the flowers for a bit? Who knows—maybe it\'ll give you an idea." Knowing what was on her mistress\'s mind, Bai He made the offer.

"You\'ve got a point." After a moment\'s consideration, Lin Qingyuan got up. "Let\'s go out for a walk, then."

No sooner had she stepped out of her room than she saw her parents approaching her with her little brother.

"Yuan\'er, are you going out?" Madam Lin walked up to Lin Qingyuan with her son in her arms.

Lin Qingyuan stroked her brother\'s chubby cheek and replied, "Yes, I\'m just going for a walk. I\'ll be back soon."

"Can\'t you be more serious for just one moment?" Exasperated, Minister Lin rebuked her with a frown.

He already knew that the Emperor had intended to grant Long Xuan his daughter\'s hand in marriage but the suggestion was rejected by her.

He felt like tearing his hair out.

Long Xuan was a promising young man. He had recently been entrusted by the Emperor with several important tasks, not to mention he was the Emperor\'s own nephew. There was a myriad of people falling over themselves trying to marry their daughters off to him, but Lin Qingyuan scorned the young man, much to Minister Lin\'s frustration.

He had almost passed out from anger after hearing the news.

He knew his daughter\'s character better than anyone else.

The Emperor had only offered to betroth her to Long Xuan because of her friendship with the Empress.

Who did this girl think she was, turning her nose up at Long Xuan?

Lin Qingyuan could tell what her father meant from the dark look on his face.

She felt a deep sense of helplessness from being wronged.

"Father, can you stop snapping at me? Long Xuan\'s not interested in me either. I can\'t just throw myself at him shamelessly, can I?"

"Why not?" Her lack of aspiration infuriated Minister Lin. "Once you turn seventeen next year, you\'ll become an old maid, and it\'ll be even harder for you to get married."

Flustered by his bluntness, Lin Qingyuan retorted, "Then I\'ll just stay single. There\'s nothing bad about being an old maid forever."

"Nonsense! It\'s only natural for a young lady to marry," Minister Lin fumed.

Lin Qingyuan hurriedly hid herself behind Madam Lin. Peeking at her father\'s livid expression, she quickly corrected herself, "I know it\'s bad for a young lady not to marry—that\'s why I\'m taking action."

"What action?" Minister Lin blinked in astonishment.

"I can\'t find a good husband if I stay at home all day, so I plan to go out and encounter one on the streets." After explaining swiftly, Lin Qingyuan grabbed a dumbfounded Bai He and dashed outside.

When Minister Lin recovered his senses, he almost threw his shoe after her in a fit of rage.

"You useless brat! You\'ll be the death of me!"

Madam Lin was content now that she had been granted a son. She was no longer as strict with her daughter as she used to be, and she was much more carefree than her perturbed husband.

"Never mind. Just let her go."

Minister Lin was speechless for a moment before whirling on her and jabbing an accusatory finger in her face. "It\'s all your fault for letting her have her way all the time! I finally understand the saying, \'a doting mother spoils the child\'!" With that, he stormed off with a flick of his sleeves.

Madam Lin shrugged nonchalantly, cradling her son to her chest. She had her own opinions, too.

Marriage was not something that could be forced.

Since their daughter was still reluctant to wed, they could let her stay with them for a few more years. If she could not find a good husband in the future, they could always get an adopted son-in-law.

Madam Lin only had a son and a daughter, anyway—which was too few children for her liking.

It was a good thing that her daughter did not want to marry.

She supported it with all her heart!