When Shi Fa Ke knocked on the gate of Lu Chi’s courtyard, Lu Chi was in the yard airing books. Seeing Shi Fa Ke arrive carrying a large food box, Lu Chi was somewhat surprised.

“…What’s all this?”

Shi Fa Ke put on a sweet smile, “I saw the weather was nice today, so I came to ask you to go on a spring outing together.”

Lu Chi raised an eyebrow, “Didn’t you say yesterday that you’d be very busy today?”

Shi Fa Ke’s mouth twitched slightly, nearly unable to maintain that sweet smile, “So will you go or not?”

Lu Chi immediately smiled with his eyes crinkling, very unprincipled, “Where to?”

“I know a place. It was originally a flower field, but later was abandoned. Without anyone tending it, it instead developed the unusual sight of a hundred flowers blooming. Every year around this time, people go there to admire the flowers, and gradually it became a good place for spring outings,” Shi Fa Ke said, becoming somewhat excited herself as she spoke.

Lu Chi was also very interested.

Ready to go at once, Lu Chi changed his clothes and brought out his donkey cart. Taking Shi Fa Ke with him, they set off enthusiastically.

This season was perfect for spring outings. Shi Fa Ke and Lu Chi rode the donkey cart out of town, with quite a few pedestrians along the way.

After leaving town, the donkey cart gradually slowed down. There was a river on one side of the road, with many weeping willows planted along the riverbank. The willow branches swayed gently in the wind, a sight that made one feel happy, and even the surrounding air seemed much fresher.

Going further, flower fragrance gradually wafted on the wind, making one feel refreshed and happy. Shi Fa Ke glanced at Lu Chi, who was driving the cart up front, plotting in her mind, when she noticed there were quite a few pedestrians around… Looking more carefully, goodness! They were all young ladies and young wives, each stealing glances, and some bold ones looked ready to come up and strike up a conversation.

…So their interest was not in the wine but in the drinker.

Looking at Lu Chi again, today probably because he was going out for a spring outing, he had specially changed into a reddish-brown spring shirt, which made him look even more like jade and as beautiful as spring dawn.

“This gentleman looks rather unfamiliar,” someone indeed came to strike up a conversation, just as she was thinking.

The woman who spoke was very beautiful, dressed as a married woman. As soon as she stuck her head out from the carriage, Shi Fa Ke recognized her – Jiao Jiao from the Jiao family. Although called Jiao Jiao, she wasn’t favored at home. Her younger brother who had passed the student examination was the family’s precious treasure.

The Jiao family wasn’t wealthy. To support her brother’s studies, two years ago they married her off to the owner of Duan’s Clothing Shop as a second wife. That Boss Duan was five years older than Jiao Jiao’s own father, and had a violent temperament. It was said his first wife had been tormented to death by him, and there was also a teenage simpleton son at home. Therefore, although the Duan family was considered wealthy, no good family’s daughter was willing to marry him. The Jiao family, already stretched thin from supporting their son’s studies, and with Jiao Jiao being beautiful and charming, had ideas.

In the end, Boss Duan spent a hundred taels to marry Jiao Jiao from the Jiao family.

At the time, the more conscientious matchmakers in town wouldn’t take this job. The matter even reached Shi Fa Ke’s mother, but finally Boss Duan threw money around and hired Matchmaker Li from Furong Lane to arrange the marriage.

Many people whispered behind their backs, secretly cursing the Jiao family for being biased and pushing their own daughter into a fire pit for their son’s sake.

But it was Jiao Jiao’s luck. Less than half a year after marriage, Boss Duan went out drinking and somehow ended up falling headfirst into the river and never came back up. Boss Duan had no other relatives besides Jiao Jiao and that simpleton son, and the simpleton son, though over ten years old, could only giggle foolishly. So Jiao Jiao suddenly transformed from an oppressed second wife into the owner of Duan’s Clothing Shop.

Later some incidents occurred. The Jiao family came to Jiao Jiao wanting to remarry her, probably with designs on Duan’s Clothing Shop, but were driven away by Jiao Jiao. Jiao Jiao spent a large sum to hire two bodyguards who followed her around, and whenever they saw Jiao family members coming to the door, they showed no mercy at all, leaving the Jiao family to watch helplessly as such a big piece of fat meat was right there, but they had no way to take a bite.

Her parents and brother were so angry they spread rumors about her everywhere, saying she was unfilial and unbrotherly, not worthy of being human. But Jiao Jiao was completely indifferent, claiming she was now not only a Jiao family daughter but also a Duan family daughter-in-law, and she had to guard the family property for the Duan family, not letting it fall into the hands of villains. This made Mother Jiao so angry she spat blood on the spot.

There are always many troubles at a widow’s door, especially with Jiao Jiao being so beautiful, and with the Jiao family spreading rumors everywhere, Jiao Jiao had a very bad reputation in Tongluo Town. But Shi Fa Ke didn’t have any bad feelings toward her. Could it be that allowing her parents to sell her once, and then selling her a second time would count as being filial?

At this moment, since Lu Chi hadn’t responded, Jiao Jiao had already directed her carriage to move forward, traveling parallel to their donkey cart, “Young master, why don’t you speak?”

The road wasn’t particularly wide, so this blocked other people’s way. Lu Chi glanced over, smiled faintly, “There are so many strangers in this world, naturally they look unfamiliar when we don’t know each other.” With that, he flicked his whip and urged the donkey cart faster, pulling ahead of the carriage.

Having cold water thrown on her, Jiao Jiao wasn’t embarrassed or annoyed. She had the carriage driver catch up again, flirting, “Meeting is fate itself. Once strangers, twice acquainted. Why must you keep people at a thousand li distance?”

“Madam, please conduct yourself with dignity,” Lu Chi, though appearing gentle-tempered, actually wasn’t good-natured at all. After several rounds, his expression had become somewhat gloomy.

“Don’t be afraid, young master, I’m a widow,” Jiao Jiao giggled, speaking coquettishly, “Young master, are you married?”

There was some laughter around them, along with contemptuous looks, but Jiao Jiao paid no attention at all.

She didn’t care, but Lu Chi’s face had become rather dark.

“Madam Duan…” Shi Fa Ke, who had been completely ignored, spoke up to remind her.

“Oh, little matchmaker, what are you doing here?” Jiao Jiao seemed to notice her for the first time, then had a sudden realization, “Is this the man you’ve taken a fancy to?”

Shi Fa Ke knew she had always been unrestrained in her speech and wasn’t angry, “Don’t follow us anymore, you’re blocking other people’s way.”

“Alright, although this gentleman is very much to my liking, I, Jiao Jiao, have always been loyal. Since he’s the man the little matchmaker has taken a fancy to, I won’t compete with you,” Jiao Jiao said very magnanimously.