NOVEL NEXT Chapter 172: Only You Can Save Yourself
Chapter 172
"The female lead has completely forgotten everything her parents arranged for her - sending her cars, giving her a house, providing her with a privileged life since childhood. In the end, they raised a daughter obsessed with love, who forgets her parents' kindness over a bowl of porridge. If I were her mother, I'd strangle such an idiot."
The livestream chat fell into an unusual silence. The concepts they had encountered today completely overturned their pre-existing notions.
The more they learned about the future, the more astonished they became.
Some future ideologies seemed to have already silently seeped into their bones and blood.
Through one livestream after another, these ideas gradually sprouted and grew, waiting for the day they would fully blossom and shatter their long-held beliefs.
They should have been preventing the spread of such ideas, but their subconscious was telling them that these terrifying concepts were exactly what they needed.
-
Meanwhile, in ancient times, at Zhang Manor.
Miss Zhang returned home in a daze, only to be greeted by her parents' cold faces and anger.
Father Zhang's face was stern and unsmiling, his official's dignity and authority on full display.
He immediately launched into a severe interrogation: "Did you go see that penniless scholar again?"
"Since you're so eager to get married, so impatient, then your father will marry you off early! I've already arranged a marriage for you."
"From today onwards, you'll stay at home, focus on sewing your wedding clothes, and wait to be married off."
Miss Zhang, already feeling guilty, hadn't even found an excuse to explain herself.
Upon hearing this, she was terrified and protested: "Father, I won't marry!"
Father Zhang: "You'll marry whether you want to or not."
Father Zhang looked at the maid beside Miss Zhang and roared, "What are you staring at? Take the young miss back to her room. If she dares to step out of her room, you'll be punished yourself."
"Father! I won't marry. In this life, I'll only marry Young Mr. Li."
"Is a match between equal families more important than your daughter's happiness? Do you really have to sacrifice your daughter's happiness and make her marry a man she doesn't love?!"
Miss Zhang firmly declared her romantic ideals.
She cried, hoping to awaken her parents' love for her through familial affection.
When she was little, her parents loved her so much. Whatever she asked for, they would find it for her, no matter what it was.
But why, when it came to the big issue of marriage, did her parents suddenly show such a mercenary face, eager to marry her off to form an alliance with a noble family?
"Bang." The door was locked by the servants.
Her mother's voice came from outside, the cold and mercenary tone making Miss Zhang feel as if she'd fallen into an icy pit.
"You might as well give up on this idea. Don't make your father angry."
"This is all the fault of that cunning poor scholar. If it weren't for that poor scholar taking advantage of your youth and inexperience to seduce you, how could you be so disobedient?"
No.
It's not like that.
It's not like that at all!
Miss Zhang ran to the door and knocked, defending her beloved: "Mother! Young Mr. Li is talented and knowledgeable. He will surely achieve success in the imperial examinations one day."
"I won't let you slander Young Mr. Li. He is an honorable man, not what you think he is."
"I'm the one who likes him, I took the initiative. He didn't deceive me."
Hearing these shameless words, Mother Zhang trembled with anger.
She had lived for so many years.
How could she not see what that poor scholar's intentions were?
How could she not see that it was her own daughter who was foolish, deceived without even knowing it!
Mother Zhang clutched her chest, heartbroken, and said, "Your father and I are doing this for your own good. We know exactly what kind of person that Young Mr. Li is."
"Forget it, forget it. You won't listen no matter what we say. Just stay in your room and wait to get married."
"Once you're married, you'll get over this nonsense."
The sound of Mother Zhang's footsteps gradually faded away.
"Xiaoxi."
The maid Xiaoxi responded from outside, "Young Miss, what is it?"
"Xiaoxi, can you help me send a message to Young Mr. Li? Tell him I'll wait for him!"
Xiaoxi looked frightened and walked to the door, whispering, "Young Miss, the master just ordered me to watch you at all times."
"If the master sees me leaving the manor, he'll break my legs."
Miss Zhang sat down in her chair, despairing.
Thinking that she and Young Mr. Li would never be together, that her parents were heartlessly separating them, that her parents no longer loved her, she suddenly burst into tears.
"Wuu wuu wuu... If only I were a man, then Father wouldn't send me off for a political marriage."
"Oh heavens, let me be reborn as a man in my next life. Being a woman is too miserable."
"Ding!"
"Connection established!"
The sudden appearance of the cold voice startled Miss Zhang. Then, when she saw the virtual screen appearing before her, her mouth fell open in surprise.
This... this is the goddess's livestream?
How did the goddess's livestream appear in her room?
Gu Sang had already returned home. When she saw that she was connected to a beautiful young woman crying her eyes out, she couldn't help but feel sympathetic.
She softened her voice and said:
"Is there anything I can help you with? Don't worry, no one else can hear our conversation."
Judging by the woman's elaborate dress, she was clearly from an official's family.
Perhaps she had some difficulty she couldn't speak of, which was why she was crying so bitterly.
Gu Sang was afraid she might have some reservations, so she explained further.
However, the young woman's next words nearly fried Gu Sang's CPU.
The young miss said hopefully: "Goddess, I want you to help me elope with my beloved."
Gu Sang: "?? What, elope?"
Oh my god!
That's going too far??
Miss Zhang wore a pitiful expression: "Goddess, I envy the freedom of marriage you have where you come from. Parents don't interfere with who their children love."
"Here, we follow our parents' orders and the matchmaker's words. Daughters are just sacrifices used by fathers to form alliances with noble families."
Sacrifices?
Indeed, many families in ancient times were like this, but traditions that had lasted for thousands of years couldn't be changed. Arranged marriages had become a necessity.
But eloping? That was even more shocking than seeking a high-status marriage.
Gu Sang didn't immediately offer her opinion. Instead, she sat up straight and gently advised the young woman:
"Don't be sad for now. I don't know your situation yet, so I can't give you blind advice. I need to ask about the specific reasons first."
"But what I can advise you is this: never elope with a man!"
"Even if your parents don't love you, you shouldn't pin all your hopes on a man."
"Mountains may fall, people may leave. No one will be anyone's eternal support."
"Moreover, a man who truly loves you, cherishes you, and holds you dear to his heart would never utter such absurd words as asking you to elope, let alone agree to it."
Gu Sang offered her advice with heartfelt concern. For a woman to place her entire future in the hands of a man she elopes with—well, it might not spell complete disaster, but it comes perilously close.
A young woman can certainly escape the constraints of her original family, but she should never seek to escape because of a man.
Nor should she hope that marriage will be her salvation.
This kind of thinking is flawed from the very beginning, because in this world, there is only one person who can unconditionally save you, and that is yourself.