Young Master Sheng stood in the shop, fair-faced and refined in his blue silk padded robe.
Ji Yaoting, uncomfortable with Young Master Sheng potentially spotting them sitting outside, also squeezed into the carriage to look: “What can you see this way?”
What else could she do—go into the shop and chat with Young Master Sheng? She wasn’t in the mood for a pleasant conversation with him. Ji Yingying pursed her lips: “I don’t know, let me watch a while longer.”
Several young ladies were selecting wooden combs in the shop. Young Master Sheng smiled as he patiently showed them the combs and explained their features.
After watching for the time it takes to burn an incense stick, Ji Yaoting yawned: “I still don’t know what you’re trying to see.”
Perhaps because she didn’t love him, Ji Yingying saw another side of Young Master Sheng with clear, calm eyes. She murmured: “The old shopkeeper and assistants are resting nearby. These are young ladies of marriageable age. Why doesn’t he let the old shopkeeper and others attend to them?”
Already jealous? Ji Yaoting gave his sister an amused look: “Young Master Sheng looks refined and is polite and patient. Young ladies can’t help but buy when faced with such a young master of the shop.”
After speaking, he began to sense something amiss. Just to sell a few combs, should Young Master Sheng disregard propriety like this? Though he hadn’t done anything improper, it still left an uncomfortable feeling.
In the shop, Young Master Sheng was carefully placing a comb in a young lady’s hair bun, personally holding up a mirror for her to admire it. Even across the street, they could hear the young ladies’ clear laughter. Soon after, the young ladies left with their boxed combs, chatting and laughing. Young Master Sheng smiled as he saw them to the door. As he turned back, two middle-aged women entered, and this time the old shopkeeper went to greet them. Young Master Sheng lifted the door curtain and returned to the back courtyard.
Ji Yaoting’s expression changed. What did it mean that he only attended to young ladies?
Ji Yingying gently lowered the curtain: “Brother, I’ve seen enough.”
The thought of her future husband flattering and amusing young ladies just to sell a comb made her feel as queasy as eating a jar of red-braised pork knuckles in the height of summer.
Ji Yingying had always thought she could settle. Marry a man and seriously make a life together. Seeing this scene, she truly feared that after marrying Young Master Sheng, she wouldn’t be able to contain her temper and would quarrel with him.
Ji Yaoting felt deeply frustrated. After such careful selection, they’d chosen Young Master Sheng for his matching social status, suitable age, and decent appearance. But just having the right external conditions didn’t make someone good. He lifted the carriage curtain and got out, ordering Ji Fu to leave with a stern face.
Just as the carriage started moving, they encountered familiar faces.
Sang Fourteen rode his horse like a defeated rooster, while Yang Jingyuan sat stiffly on his mount. A carriage drove alongside them, approaching Ji’s family’s mule cart.
The street was narrow, so Ji Fu pulled to the side to let the carriage pass. Sang Fourteen spotted Ji Yaoting sitting on the shaft and immediately perked up, poking Yang Jingyuan with his whip: “It’s Young Master Ji.”
Yang Jingyuan was delighted and called out loudly: “Young Master Ji! I’ve been looking for you about something!”
As he was about to go over, Sang Fourteen panicked and grabbed his hand, whispering: “Third Young Master Yang, if you dare abandon me, our brotherhood is finished!”
Yang Jingyuan glanced at the slowly moving carriage and said in a mosquito-like voice: “You didn’t mention Fifth Lady Niu would be going out too.”
Sang Fourteen was speechless, shaking his head like a rattling drum: “I don’t care, you have to accompany me today no matter what.”
“Seventh Lady Niu won’t eat you! Have some backbone!” Yang Jingyuan said disdainfully before jumping off his horse with a face full of smiles.
Hearing Yang Jingyuan’s voice, Ji Yingying inexplicably thought of him delivering the message last night and instructed Ji Yaoting through the curtain: “Brother, don’t tell them I’m here.”
Why? Ji Yaoting immediately remembered the grudge between the Zhao and Yang families—better to avoid trouble. If his sister didn’t want to talk with Third Young Master Yang, so be it. Second Young Master Zhao already resented the Ji family; further association with the Yang family would make life difficult in Sandaoyan. But Yang Jingyuan had ridden out to find his sister during the brocade competition; he should thank him for that. Thinking this, he also got down from the cart.
Yang Jingyuan was desperate to escape accompanying the Niu sisters shopping. After exchanging greetings and hearing Ji Yaoting’s thanks, he quickly lowered his voice: “If you want to thank me, quickly say you need to discuss something with me.”
Huh? Ji Yaoting didn’t react immediately.
At this moment, the carriage stopped by the roadside, and maids helped the Niu sisters alight. Seventh Lady Niu recognized Young Master Ji and quietly told her sister. Fifth Lady Niu smiled faintly and walked over slowly: “You’re Second Miss Ji’s brother? How is she?”
Fifth Lady Niu wore a veiled hat, with a long veil hanging to her chest. Though it covered her face, it didn’t diminish her graceful bearing.
Having such a refined and noble young lady suddenly greeted him, Ji Yaoting felt very uncomfortable. Was she here because of his sister? In his shock, he momentarily forgot others didn’t know his sister was in the cart, and tensed up, afraid Fifth Lady Niu would cause trouble: “Thank you for your concern, my sister… is well.”
Seeing him stand straight blocking the cart, though his eyes couldn’t help glancing back, Fifth Lady Niu smiled: “If Second Miss is here, why not come out to meet us?”
Before there was any movement from the cart, Ji Yaoting had already instinctively spread his arms: “My sister isn’t here.”
Oh my, what a foolish display! Sang Fourteen watched clearly from the side, covering his face with his hand, at a loss for words.
Yang Jingyuan, seeing this, knew Ji Yingying was likely in the cart and was also dumbfounded.
Seventh Lady Niu walked directly to the cart and called out happily: “Second Miss Ji, you are here? Why don’t you come out?”
Of all the people outside the cart, there wasn’t one Ji Yingying wanted to see. A quick idea flashed through her mind, and she deliberately coughed a few times, then spoke in a nasal voice: “I’ve caught a cold and the physician said I shouldn’t be in the wind. Second Miss, I pay my respects from here.”
“Yes, my sister has fallen ill somehow. We just saw the physician. She can’t receive visitors. Mother is waiting at home, so we’ll take our leave first.” Ji Yaoting wasn’t completely hopeless after all, using his sister’s words as an excuse while making a deep bow before jumping back onto the shaft.
Ji Fu seized the opportunity, cracking his whip to drive the mule cart slowly away.
“Second Miss Ji, when you’re better, I’ll send an invitation for you to visit!” Seventh Lady Niu called out to the cart, taking no offense.
Such timid, lowborn behavior! Fifth Lady Niu smiled faintly and took her sister’s arm: “Is this the woodwork shop you mentioned?”
Seventh Lady Niu’s attention was diverted once again, and she said enthusiastically: “Yes, this is the shop that sells clear mirrors. The combs are beautiful too… Brother Fourteen, help me choose a set of combs!”
Sang Fourteen tightly gripped Yang Jingyuan’s arm as he responded, pleading quietly: “Third Young Master, don’t leave.”
Yang Jingyuan watched the departing mule cart, his mind echoing with Ji Yingying’s nasally voice, his heart boiling with turmoil. Why hadn’t he woken her last night? She must have caught a cold while sleeping on the ground. He wondered what the physician had said if it was serious. The more he thought, the more guilty and worried he became, unable to stay a moment longer. He placated Sang Fourteen: “Fine, I won’t leave. Let go of me—what kind of sight is it for grown men to be pulling at each other?”
As soon as Sang Fourteen loosened his grip, Yang Jingyuan bounded away like a rabbit, smoothly mounting his horse and galloping several zhang away in an instant. Sang Fourteen trembled with anger, pointing at his retreating figure with a shaking arm: “Some brother you are…”
“Sang Fourteen!”
A sharp female cry came from behind. Sang Fourteen jumped, turning with a face full of fawning smiles, his legs shaking as he shuffled over: “Young Miss, I’m here.”
Fifth Lady Niu stood in the doorway, her long veil gently quivering—it was impossible to tell if it was stirred by the wind or by anger.