I Thought the Youngest Daughter of the Sichuan Tang Family Was Hated - Chapter 41

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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“P-please calm down!”
Without thinking, I turned to face them and cried out.
Their expressions, especially my older brothers’, were far too fierce.
I had a strong instinct that if I hadn’t stopped them, they would have lunged at Do-hwi immediately.
‘Goodness, I never expected even Dang Lim and Dang Eum to make such faces, let alone the others.’
As I barely managed to calm my racing heart, my older brothers looked at me with strange eyes.
“Yeon-ah…!”
“Are you taking that bastard’s—no, the young master’s side right now?”
Their expressions seemed deeply wounded.
“Your heart has already turned toward him?!”
Dang Lim clenched his fists and glared at Namgoong Do-hwi as if he could kill him with his eyes.
“Young… sigh…”
Father started to say something but then pressed his lips firmly shut.
His tense neck muscles and angular jaw seemed to show that he was barely restraining his anger.
“How envious!”
What on earth was that supposed to mean!
I spun around sharply.
The voice had come from far away, not from my immediate surroundings.
I could see young noble ladies who had been watching the performance whispering while glaring at me.
“How dare you toward our young master…!”
“How annoying…”
I was so dumbfounded that words wouldn’t come out.
‘Hey, did I seduce him?! I wouldn’t take him even if you gave him to me!’
I barely managed to hold back what I wanted to say when Father walked over to my side.
“Is it sincere, young master?”
At Father’s question, Dang Mu-seon turned his head with a murderous expression.
“Sincere?! What, are you going to arrange a marriage right now?!”
“That would hardly be the case.”
Father answered calmly.
“My, it seems my son is not satisfied.”
To make matters worse, Namgoong Sae-ryun also joined the conversation.
As he left his seat and came over here, the Performance Venue had already descended into chaos.
‘No. Everyone, please restrain yourselves…!’
It seemed only I was feeling this unbearable tension.
Unable to do anything either way, I looked up at Namgoong Sae-ryun.
He smiled benevolently and met my eyes.
“Tell me, does the young lady share such thoughts?”
“…Pardon?”
At Namgoong Sae-ryun’s question, everyone’s gaze focused on me.
As if they had realized that what mattered most was not anything else, but my own will.
“Yeon-ah, looks aren’t everything!”
Dang Mu-seon issued a stern warning.
“My dear child, your father wants your happiness. I’ll give you whatever you desire, but….”
Meanwhile, Father admonished me with affection yet unmistakable resolve.
“This seems premature.”
Everyone assumed I would accept Namgoong Do-hwi’s proposal.
I suppose I should react like girls my age would.
After all, Namgoong Do-hwi is a handsome young nobleman.
But….
“Look at that smile.”
I glanced back at Namgoong Do-hwi. He was still smiling at me.
“Your face must be aching from grinning so much, isn’t it?”
My eyes narrowed involuntarily.
His relationship with Father, his secretive nature about everything.
I’m sorry, but right now it all seems suspicious.
This proposal must have some ulterior motive behind it.
And besides….
“Why would I marry someone who dislikes me?”
“I don’t want to.”
I spoke without hesitation.
“What is marriage? Does it mean living apart from Father?”
Then I wrapped my arms around Father’s waist and buried my head timidly against him, as if terrified.
“I don’t like that. I’m scared….”
At that, my family members rushed around me.
“No, that won’t happen. Yeon-ah, there’s nothing to fear.”
“…There should be nothing in this world that you dislike.”
“I’ll always be by your side. Don’t be afraid.”
I accepted their caresses while pretending to hold back tears.
“Besides, I remember clearly.”
The girl betrothed to Namgoong Do-hwi.
She fled in the dead of night.
Not just once, but twice.
Why? Because he showed her no attention whatsoever.
To what extent….
“Oh, right…. Jeong-hun’s daughter returned to her family home? Yes, how sad.”
“It was Seo-hun, not Jeong-hun.”
“Ah.”
He couldn’t even remember their names properly.
I have no intention of marrying such an indifferent husband and being humiliated!
While everyone was busy consoling me, Father spoke kindly to Namgoong Do-hwi.
“Thank you for your courage. However, it seems marriage is still unfamiliar to Yeon-ah, so let us proceed with a formal proposal once more time has passed.”
At that, Do-hwi blinked and looked up at Father.
Dang Mu-seon added a few more words to Do-hwi, who appeared somewhat taken aback.
“There is no guarantee she will accept, boy.”
“…Yes, sir. Household Head.”
Do-hwi clenched his fists and bowed his head deeply.
“Haha. My son, your heart must ache.”
Namgoong Sae-ryun spoke in a teasing tone and patted Do-hwi’s shoulder.
The two of them walked away without hesitation. I could see him whispering something to Do-hwi.
Unfortunately, I could not hear it well.
“Yeon-ah. Keep away from men, stay close to women. Men! Women! Yes? Ah, except for this older brother. Understood? Why aren’t you answering!”
It was because Dang Lim had been chanting instructions in my ear to keep away from men and stay close to women.
***
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After that commotion, I had to receive sex education surrounded by my family in the Guest Hall.
It was nothing grandiose—they simply explained the process of how men and women grow up, marry, and live together.
“Then, will I also marry?”
“…Yes.”
Father answered reluctantly, as if the words tasted bitter on his tongue.
‘If I say I don’t want to, he’ll cling to me for life.’
Worried I might end up alone, I deliberately smiled shyly.
“So I’ll live with someone I love. Hehe, how thrilling.”
“Later. Much later, I say!”
Dang Mu-seon’s eyes reddened in exasperation as he scolded me.
“Yes. Later!”
“Sigh… This makes me so anxious!”
As I answered brightly, Dang Mu-seon fanned himself vigorously in the late autumn breeze, clearly flustered.
After the education ended, Father, Dang Mu-seon, and Dang Eum left first.
Dang Lim and Gwi-heon stayed behind briefly, grabbed me, and poured out words of caution.
“Cover your face when you go out! No, wait—why should you! I need to make sure every man who sees you goes blind…!”
“Haha. How fierce.”
Even as Lim ranted like this, Gwi-heon simply smiled good-naturedly without stopping him.
Finally, unable to bear it any longer, Nanny intervened.
“Young lady must be tired. Please leave now, young masters.”
“Is that so…?”
“Perhaps. I should get up then.”
As Gwi-heon stood, Lim followed suit and rose.
Looking at it, Gwi-heon certainly listens well to Nanny’s words.
“Lock the doors properly. Understood!”
Lim left a final warning and exited the room, with Gwi-heon following behind.
“Do you prefer the young master of the Namgoong Clan, or do you prefer your older brother?”
Gui-heon asked as he was closing the door.
I jumped at his words and answered.
“O-of course it’s my older brother!”
“Hehe, is that so?”
Satisfied with my answer, Gui-heon said nothing more and disappeared.
“Phew….”
My mind felt as though a storm had swept through it.
‘A marriage proposal… of all things….’
What shocked me most was that it came from Namgoong Do-hwi.
Though I had refused, both Do-hwi and his father kept asking me to reconsider.
“And the expression on that boy’s face….”
He wore a smile, but his eyes held a desperation that could not be more evident.
‘…In truth, he would be an excellent match.’
It wasn’t weakness of heart—it was simply the truth.
A man who liked me, possessed a good temperament, was strong, and stood to become the next patriarch of an influential family was rare indeed.
My previous life’s marriages had been political arrangements, but this time Do-hwi had proposed first, so perhaps this could be different.
Moreover, if the Dang Household became bound to the Namgoong Clan through marriage, it would resolve our isolation.
So what was the problem?
‘He actually dislikes me.’
He dislikes me.
Yet he wants to form a betrothal with me.
“What is this…?”
“Miss.”
My Nanny, who had been watching me with concern, approached and sat beside me.
She offered me a cup of steaming tea as she spoke.
“You must be confused, now that you understand what marriage truly means.”
“Mm….”
My Nanny’s eyes filled with pity.
“If your mother were still alive, she would have guided you well through this.”
My Nanny, who had been murmuring, caught herself and covered her mouth.
“I apologize, Miss. It was just a sorrowful thought….”
I shook my head.
“It’s alright.”
I knew how close my Nanny had been to my Mother.
When Mother passed, she must have grieved far more than I, who understood nothing at the time.
“Miss, why don’t we set aside marriage matters for now and take a stroll together?”
“Yes, I’d love that.”
My mind had been cluttered anyway, so it was a welcome suggestion.
“But Nanny, are you fully recovered? Will walking around be alright for you?”
Though I had grown capable enough to keep up with the outings, I couldn’t help but feel a lingering worry.
“Of course! I’m in perfect health!”
Nanny exaggerated her response, shrugging her shoulders dramatically.
“Hehe. That’s funny.”
I brought both hands together in front of my face and laughed, and Nanny, unable to contain herself, pulled me into her embrace.
“How can you be so adorable, young miss?”
“Because Nanny finds me adorable!”
I hugged her back, rubbing my cheek eagerly against her chest.
Nanny’s low, warm laughter resonated from deep within her chest.
“Shall we go tomorrow? What do you think?”
“I’d love to!”
Yes. I’ve been living far too seriously lately.
Since I’ll be heading home soon, I should enjoy myself while I can!

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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