Shi Fa Ke deeply regretted going out today. She should have carefully checked the almanac before leaving. Right now she just wanted a hole to appear in front of her so she could crawl into it.

“At that time, I asked you what exactly you wanted to do.” He Kexian lowered his eyes, admiring her ashamed and flustered appearance while speaking leisurely.

“…What did I say?” Yes, she also wanted to know what exactly she had been thinking at the time!

“You said, my father told me that when you see a beauty you fancy, you must be quick to bring her home, or she’ll become someone else’s wife.” He Kexian used a flat voice to discuss this very shameful topic, “Then you said, Beauty, I’m very taken with you, come home with me.”

“…” Let her die.

“You also said that things like men and women maintaining proper distance weren’t something to worry about, since I had ruined your reputation, I would naturally marry you.”

“…” Shi Fa Ke was dying of shame and anger.

“I was very angry and seriously told you that if anyone was marrying anyone, it would be me marrying you – you could only marry me.” He Kexian looked at her and spoke slowly.

Shi Fa Ke instinctively stepped back, suddenly feeling something wasn’t quite right.

“You said,” He Kexian curved his lips slightly, “Alright then.”

Shi Fa Ke’s eyes widened with a startled expression.

He Kexian laughed, his eyes and brows full of mirth, “Now tell me, was I wrong not to sell wine to you?”

“You weren’t wrong, you were right!” Shi Fa Ke quickly took a serious stance, saying decisively, “Absolutely right!”

He Kexian laughed so hard he was bent over. If he had known her reaction would be this entertaining, he should have told her about this incident long ago instead of keeping it bottled up in his heart for so long… Men really should be thick-skinned.

Behind the counter nearby, Golden Full House’s manager Shen Qing had been secretly watching a certain corner.

Hmm, that Hejia boy had been chatting with the Shi family girl for quite a while… and seemed very happy.

What were they talking about?

Tsk tsk, the He boy was laughing so happily, and the Shi girl’s face was all red from his teasing! This didn’t look good.

Shen Qing stroked his little beard and pretended to casually approach that corner… Just as he was about to find an excuse to interrupt them, he suddenly heard the Shi girl ask the He boy a question.

“Big Brother He, do you know Yun Ge?” Shi Fa Ke was eager to change the subject, and suddenly she remembered Zhu Keji’s words.

Lu Chi went to the prefectural capital for a girl named Yun Ge at Fengyue House.

He Kexian was stunned because he hadn’t expected Shi Fa Ke to ask about a courtesan from a brothel, so he couldn’t immediately understand, “Which Yun Ge?”

“There’s a Fengyue House in the prefectural capital… do you know it?” Shi Fa Ke asked tentatively.

Of course He Kexian knew it. He was a merchant and naturally needed to entertain clients – he had been to Fengyue House too, but he was very proper and never touched those girls.

However… how would Shi Fa Ke, a young lady, bring up Fengyue House and know about Yun Ge?

“Why are you suddenly asking about this? Who told you?” He Kexian frowned.

“Well… just curious. Do you know, Big Brother He?” Shi Fa Ke’s eyes flickered as she asked again.

He Kexian looked at her silently for a while. For some reason, he suddenly remembered how she had cried her heart out for that stinking scholar that day, and how she had flown kites with that stinking scholar!

Just thinking about it made his anger flare up, but… that stinking scholar seemed to have recently taken leave to go to the prefectural capital?

He Kexian suddenly had a flash of inspiration. He narrowed his eyes and said, “Yun Ge is the courtesan of Fengyue House. There’s no young master in the prefectural capital who doesn’t know her. When I went to the prefectural capital on business before, I heard people mention that her beauty is not of this world, her singing voice surpasses heavenly music…”

Seeing Shi Fa Ke purse her lips tightly with anger flashing in her eyes, He Kexian knew he had guessed correctly.

Indeed, it was because of that stinking scholar.

“I’ve heard this Miss Yun Ge is not only talented and beautiful but also very aloof and proud. Once a young master spent a fortune on her but couldn’t even earn a smile from Yun Ge… Therefore, this Miss Yun Ge is quite popular among scholars, and there are many poems and paintings about her circulating in the streets.” He Kexian smiled and added another knife thrust.

Sure enough, Shi Fa Ke’s expression became even more unsightly.

Shen Qing, who was eavesdropping nearby, cursed the boy for being wickedly scheming.

He also knew about Lu Chi going to the prefectural capital, because Lu Chi had come to see him before leaving. Thinking of this, Shen Qing felt somewhat disheartened – Lu Chi’s visit that time… was again because of his wife and daughter.

He never would have expected Qi Niang to be so ambitious as to want to marry Tong Yun to Lu Chi.

You couldn’t say she wasn’t clever – she had managed to deceive him flawlessly for so many years.

But you couldn’t say she was clever either – she clearly knew how much the Lu father and son detested her after all she had done… yet she still harbored plans to marry her daughter into the Lu family… it was incomprehensibly foolish.

Shen Qing shook his head, pushing aside the heavy melancholy in his heart. Lu Chi had also mentioned Yun Ge to him, but how had it reached the ears of the Shi girl… and now with the He boy adding fuel to the fire, this was bad.

He beckoned, and a clever shop assistant immediately came over and leaned in.

Shen Qing whispered some instructions in his ear. The assistant nodded and discreetly glanced toward that corner before hurrying off.

Here, He Kexian was just about to add more fuel to the fire when suddenly a smiling shop assistant ran over.

“Miss Shi.” The assistant was all smiles, “Your jewelry is packed.”

Shi Fa Ke nodded. She was no longer in the mood to help He Kexian pick jewelry. She reached out to take the jewelry box, “Big Brother He, I’ll head home first then.”

He Kexian narrowed his eyes, looking at the very timely assistant.

The assistant smiled broadly.

All for Second Young Master!

Shi Fa Ke returned home in a huff and plopped down in the courtyard. The more she thought about it, the angrier she became, not even noticing that the two sisters-in-law who claimed they needed to go home early hadn’t returned.

Of course, there was no meat stewing on the stove, and the cook hadn’t taken leave either.

When He Ketian and Jiao Jiao returned laden with purchases, they were startled by Shi Fa Ke sitting in the courtyard contemplating life.

“A… A’Ke? Why did you come back so early?” He Ketian asked stammering.

Useless foolish brother! She had gone to such trouble to coax A’Ke out, yet he let her come back so quickly!

“Why are you just getting back?” Only now did Shi Fa Ke notice something was wrong and asked instead of answering.

“Cough… we were halfway there when we remembered there probably wasn’t any meat stewing at home today – I remembered wrong.” He Ketian’s mouth twitched as she struggled to make her story coherent, cursing her foolish brother again in her heart before squeezing out a smile, “A’Ke, look what we picked out for you – a piece of fabric in such a beautiful color. It’ll be perfect for making you an autumn dress.”

She very naturally changed the subject, leaving Jiao Jiao in awe.

Since Shi Fa Ke didn’t know her third sister-in-law was plotting to set her up with her brother, she didn’t think much of it and was pulled by the two sisters-in-law to inventory their spoils.

That night, Shi Fa Ke tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep. Zhu Keji and He Kexian’s words kept spinning in her mind. The more she thought, the more agitated she became. Was that person giving up on himself? With the autumn examinations so close, he was actually learning to frequent brothels and had become infatuated with a courtesan – what was he thinking?!

Thinking like this, she seemed to drift off to sleep in a daze.

Then she had a dream that Lu Chi had finally gotten married.

It was their wedding night. The bright red wedding candles burned quietly, the flames occasionally flickering, making the groom’s jade-like face appear even more impossibly beautiful.

His gaze was tender as his well-proportioned, slender hand picked up the ceremonial rod to gently lift the bride’s red veil.

“A’Ke…” he whispered softly.

Shi Fa Ke’s eyes flew open, her face completely flushed. Outside, dawn was already breaking. She stared in a daze for a long time before suddenly covering her face. Heavens! What kind of dream was that?!

She had actually dreamed of marrying Lu Chi! Was she insane?!

Just then, someone knocked at the door.

“A’Ke, want to play mahjong? Mother is home today – we need a fourth.” Outside the door, Jiao Jiao said cheerfully.

Today Tao Shi was resting, and with everyone finally present, Jiao Jiao’s eyes lit up as she suggested playing mahjong. Her hands had been itching to play for a long time.

Since they needed a fourth, Jiao Jiao volunteered to call her sister-in-law to join.

Thus, Shi Fa Ke was conscripted.

Jiao Jiao was an expert at mahjong, and Tao Shi also knew how to play. Only He Ketian, who had always considered herself a proper lady in her boudoir, and Shi Fa Ke, whose lifelong hobby was matchmaking, didn’t really know how.

But one wanted to please her mother-in-law and expressed willingness to learn, so the other had to reluctantly join in.

The result… Shi Fa Ke, who had been reluctantly conscripted and claimed to know nothing about mahjong, had amazingly good luck and soon won a pile of money.

It was truly an unstoppable flow of wealth.

“It seems A’Ke has transferred all her talent from Go to mahjong.” He Ketian couldn’t help but say, half sighing and half teasing.

Shi Fa Ke snorted lightly and continued playing ruthlessly.

“A’Ke, you’re actually pretending to be a pig to eat the tiger!” Jiao Jiao, who had initially boasted of being an expert, lost another round and wailed.

Shi Fa Ke grinned and continued her massacre.

Even Tao Shi… was having trouble with her daughter’s relentless momentum.

Just as everyone was being beaten senseless by Shi Fa Ke, someone suddenly knocked at the door.

He Ketian perked up, “A’Ke, someone seems to be knocking.”

“Mm.” Shi Fa Ke, who was deeply immersed in mahjong and finding it quite enjoyable, responded casually without any intention of leaving her seat.

“Come, come, I’ll play this round for you while you go see who’s at the door.” Jiao Jiao hurriedly stepped forward and squeezed out her sister-in-law.

Shi Fa Ke was inexplicably pushed aside. Looking back, she saw the three women had already started playing, completely absorbed as if no one was paying her any attention. How could three people play? Hadn’t they said they needed a fourth and pulled her in to make up the numbers… So now she was being excluded?

Because her luck was too good?

The excluded Shi Fa Ke pouted as she went to open the door.

Seeing Shi Fa Ke finally leave, He Ketian patted her chest and sighed in relief, giving her eldest sister-in-law an appreciative look, “Eldest sister-in-law is so clever. If we had continued playing with A’Ke, I would have lost all my dowry…”

Tao Shi nodded, also feeling relieved.

Her daughter’s luck was really too good! She was about to lose this month’s salary!

This Scholar Lu’s timing was excellent.

Thus, Scholar Lu unknowingly and inexplicably won the favor of his future mother-in-law.