“Um, A’ke…” He Ketian glanced at her sister-in-law and suddenly spoke up.

“Hmm?” Shi Fa Ke looked at her, thinking she wanted to put in a good word for that Miss Shen.

But He Ketian said with a serious expression, “Don’t pay her any mind. Even if her mother sends you an invitation later, don’t bother with it. There’s no reason to force someone to act as a matchmaker.”

Shi Fa Ke’s heart warmed, and she nodded.

He Ketian was thinking to herself that Scholar Lu clearly had his eye on her sister-in-law… If her sister-in-law was willing to act as matchmaker for Shen Tongyun, that would be different, but seeing how her sister-in-law clearly didn’t want to, how could she possibly help Shen Tongyun pressure her?

After all, everyone knows to distinguish between close and distant relationships.

“Forget about her. Come help me organize my dowry. That dowry list is giving me a headache just looking at it.” He Ketian spoke these enviable words in a most delicate manner.

A dowry list so long it gave one a headache! This was what countless young ladies dreamed of!

Shi Fa Ke had thought she was already mentally prepared for He Ketian’s dowry, but when she saw that lengthy dowry list, she was still shocked by the He family’s wealth and gained new understanding of how much Uncle He and Aunt He doted on their daughter.

Such a long dowry list would indeed give one a headache from organizing it!

Shi Fa Ke had no choice but to help organize it. As they worked, Shi Fa Ke suddenly paused, “Eh?”

“What’s wrong? Is there something improper?” He Ketian looked over.

“No, why is Shengxing Restaurant on your dowry list?” Shi Fa Ke asked with a puzzled expression.

“Oh, that’s what my brother gave me.” He Ketian rubbed her somewhat sore shoulders and couldn’t help laughing, “He’s just stubborn on the outside but soft-hearted within. He said earlier that he wouldn’t care about me anymore, but then he quietly gave me Shengxing Restaurant.”

Shengxing Restaurant was a golden goose, probably second only to Jinman Tower.

“You mean… Shengxing Restaurant originally belonged to Big Brother He?” Shi Fa Ke looked up at He Ketian.

“Yes, didn’t you know?” He Ketian looked surprised.

Shi Fa Ke gritted her teeth. Yes, she didn’t know!

So now she had finally caught the culprit who refused to sell plum wine to her!

At the He residence, He Kexian, who was busy with accounting, suddenly sneezed loudly.

Then he sat in a daze for quite a while.

The sisters-in-law worked busily for an entire day, exhausted and dizzy, before finally finishing organizing He Ketian’s dowry.

He Ketian was so tired she completely forgot about being shy, until the Shi family members returned home in the evening and she suddenly remembered this incident. But seeing everyone acting normally without showing any unusual behavior, He Ketian put her somewhat anxious heart back at ease.

Of course, the Shi family members were well aware of Third Brother Shi’s childish behavior, but fearing the new daughter-in-law would be embarrassed, they could only hide their silent laughter.

After the evening meal, Big Brother Shi called Shi Fa Ke aside, saying that the county magistrate’s wife had invited her to visit their home tomorrow.

“Is it to arrange a match for Miss Zhou?” Shi Fa Ke asked, since she had no particular relationship with the county magistrate’s wife, and apart from matchmaking, there couldn’t be any other reason to seek her out.

Sure enough, Big Brother Shi nodded.

Shi Fa Ke agreed, then remembered the uninvited guest from earlier that day, thinking somewhat strangely… Could it be that the county magistrate’s wife had also taken a fancy to Second Brother Lu? Though she had previously wanted to match that plump and jade-like Miss Zhou with Second Brother Lu, since Miss Zhou very much fit Second Brother Lu’s requirements.

She was a young lady who looked very blessed indeed.

Moreover, County Magistrate Zhou was reportedly very fond of scholars and was determined to find a scholar for his daughter. If Second Brother Lu’s reputation hadn’t been ruined at that time, County Magistrate Zhou wouldn’t have flatly refused the marriage proposal, and perhaps this match would have already been made.

“What are you thinking about so wildly?” Big Brother Shi suddenly laughed.

“Hmm? Am I being so obvious about my wild thoughts?” Shi Fa Ke asked blankly.

Yes, she had that dreamy look about her.

Big Brother Shi shook his head and said, “The county magistrate has taken a fancy to Scholar Li from Muye Lane.”

I see…

Shi Fa Ke’s mood became somewhat complicated for a moment, though she couldn’t say whether it was disappointment or something else…

But that Scholar Li from Muye Lane was actually half an acquaintance. She had once gone to propose marriage on behalf of Second Brother Lu, having taken a fancy to Scholar Li’s sister, only to be politely shown the door by Mrs. Li with tea.

Thinking about it this way, reviewing those days of matchmaking for Second Brother Lu… she suddenly realized she seemed to have hit quite a few walls.

Shi Fa Ke felt somewhat melancholic for a moment.

As she was feeling melancholic, Shi Fa Ke suddenly glanced at her eldest brother and realized that while she had been worrying about Second Brother Lu all this time, her own eldest and second brothers were also getting on in years, yet Third Brother had beaten them to it…

“Big Brother, do you have your eye on anyone?” Thinking of this, Shi Fa Ke asked.

“What?” Big Brother Shi was stunned, then his ears turned red, and he scratched his head somewhat uncomfortably, “Why are you suddenly asking about this?”

Eh? His ears turned red?

There seems to be a situation here.

Shi Fa Ke’s eyes sparkled. She had only asked casually, not expecting to hit the mark like a blind cat catching a dead mouse. She smiled cheerfully and said with great enthusiasm, “Third Brother is already married, you and Second Brother need to hurry up too. Big Brother, who do you fancy? Tell me, and I’ll help you go propose marriage.”

“No… no one.” Big Brother Shi waved his hands frantically.

Big Brother was different from Second and Third Brother – he was a rare honest man in the family. Honest people can’t lie, and his completely red ears had already thoroughly betrayed him.

“When men come of age they should marry, when women come of age they should wed. Big Brother, what are you being shy about?”

“It’s getting late, and I have to go to the yamen tomorrow… I’m going to sleep now. You should also sleep early.” Big Brother Shi’s eyes flickered evasively, and after speaking, he turned and ran.

As if there were dogs chasing him.

…What a strange comparison. Shi Fa Ke twitched her lips and stopped trying to chase after him, instead standing in place looking thoughtful.

Who had Big Brother taken a fancy to?

Why wouldn’t he say?

Was there some unspeakable difficulty?

The next day, Third Brother Shi took He Ketian to the He family for the return visit.

Shi Fa Ke went to County Magistrate Zhou’s home to visit the magistrate’s wife. Indeed, the magistrate’s wife had her eye on Scholar Li from Muye Lane.

Big Brother had already filled her in on this marriage proposal early on, so Shi Fa Ke was prepared and readily agreed, feeling very excited and ready to do great things. Although her previous success with Zhu Yanyan and Big Brother Lu’s marriage had made her famous, and later arranging He Ketian and Third Brother’s marriage had impressed everyone, in truth the deciding factors for both marriages weren’t in her hands. She still didn’t even know why He Ketian had suddenly changed her mind and agreed to marry Third Brother!

So this time, she absolutely had to show her real skills and truly act as a proper matchmaker.

Coming out of County Magistrate Zhou’s home, Shi Fa Ke went directly to the Li family in Muye Lane for a visit.

Seeing Shi Fa Ke at her door, the gentle and kind-looking Mrs. Li was very enthusiastic. Although people with unmarried daughters and sons generally wouldn’t offend matchmakers these days, Mrs. Li was particularly warm today.

When she had visited last time, while Mrs. Li had been warm, she hadn’t been this eager.

After all, reputation precedes the person.

Having successfully arranged two marriages in a row, Shi Fa Ke was now considered a skilled matchmaker.

Shi Fa Ke followed custom by first praising Scholar Li as young and promising with a bright future, praising him until Mrs. Li couldn’t stop smiling. Then she took a sip of tea to moisten her throat and explained her purpose: “County Magistrate Zhou has a young lady who is plump and jade-like, very blessed in appearance, and moreover she’s well-read, reasonable, and has a very gentle and kind temperament. What do you think, Mrs. Li?”

Mrs. Li’s eyes lit up, and she smiled, “To be honest with you, Miss Shi, I’ve had the fortune to see that Miss Zhou once, and I was extremely fond of her.”

Good, there’s hope.

“That’s wonderful! County Magistrate Zhou is also very fond of scholars, and to tell you the truth, this marriage was County Magistrate Zhou’s own choice.”

Mrs. Li nodded repeatedly, the joy in her eyes barely containable.