Even Xia Xiaolan hadn’t figured out the scheme yet, so Gu Siyan and Cheng Min understood even less.

Yuan Han had good looks, very masculine – judging by his face alone, he definitely had the appearance of someone who would play a good guy in movies.

The innocent Gu Siyan was still confused:

“He doesn’t look that bad…”

Xia Xiaolan didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, “Who told you to judge people’s character by their looks?”

Gu Siyan said sheepishly: “Sister Xiaolan, you’re both good-looking and kind.”

Xia Xiaolan acknowledged being good-looking, but being kind depended on who you asked. She thought Gu Zhengqing was righteous, and Gu Siyan had been raised somewhat naively – her innocence showed she lived a happy life, though perhaps she was too sheltered.

Looking at little You, who wasn’t much older than Gu Siyan but had entered society too early, she was full of wariness.

“Silly girl, whether someone is good or bad isn’t written on their face. The better-looking someone is, the more cautious you should be. Such people can easily lower your guard, and when they deceive you, it’s ruthless! I don’t deceive you because there’s no point, but others might find deceiving you worthwhile if they want something from you.”

Gu Siyan was speechless.

Cheng Min, being a bit older, thought carefully before speaking:

“Sister Xiaolan means we shouldn’t let appearances influence our first impressions? Instead of looking at whether someone is handsome or speaks well, we should look at their actions?”

Xia Xiaolan gave Cheng Min an approving look, which encouraged her.

“For example, this Yuan that Sister Zhou Yi found – if he were a good person, he would have told Sister Zhou Yi about his wife from the start, and she would naturally have stayed away. Even without mentioning that, when Sister Zhou Yi went to find him, he should have sent her back or told Uncle and Aunt about her whereabouts, not hidden her away.”

To like a woman and hide her away, wait until she’s pregnant, and then propose to her family?

And even make her kneel while pregnant.

This Yuan Han wasn’t a good person at all – he had poor character!

“If even you can see this clearly, but Zhou Yi can’t, don’t you think she’s confused?”

After Cheng Min’s analysis, Gu Siyan’s face was full of indignation as she looked at the stationery store across the street, ready to take action.

“Why are you so anxious? Do you think you can beat him up? Even if you could win, it wouldn’t solve anything. If Zhou Yi found out, whose side do you think she’d take?”

Gu Siyan was so angry she wanted to cry, “Sister Zhou Yi would side with this deceiver!”

How hateful – this deceiver would complain to Sister Zhou Yi about being beaten by Zhou’s family relatives, and Zhou Yi wouldn’t come to beat her up, but would feel even more sympathy for this deceiver.

Gu Siyan deflated, losing her appetite for the braised meat.

Xia Xiaolan had them wait patiently for another half hour until Yuan Han came out of the stationery shop a second time.

This time, Yuan Han was smiling – whatever he sold in the store, he must have gotten his desired price.

His previously bulging backpack had flattened – apparently, he had taken money and left items behind.

The three of them kept their heads down until Yuan Han was far away, and then Xia Xiaolan asked for the bill.

She walked to the stationery shop across the street, with her two young followers close behind.

“What would you three like to buy? Feel free to look around, choose anything!”

The shopkeeper was a thin middle-aged man with keen eyes that could size up customers at a glance, understanding their background clearly. He knew his regular customers and didn’t serve strangers. Those who were nervous and looking around were usually there to sell things, while those who were calm and unhurried were usually his buyers.

Buyers also came in two types: those buying stationery, and those buying real valuable goods.

These three young women were strange – one was calm, two were nervous. The shopkeeper found it interesting.

Of course, none looked poor.

Poor people would keep their heads down even when buying paper and pens, as if the money in their pockets was stolen, lacking confidence in their purchases.

Xia Xiaolan looked around the shop, which was neat and displayed paper, pens, and paintings.

She was looking at items but not at prices.

“I’m not buying anything, I just want to know what that gentleman who was just here sold – what did he sell?”

The shopkeeper smiled, “Listen to yourself – how can I tell others about business matters?”

Xia Xiaolan chuckled, “Then shall I file a police report and come back with officers? I wonder what to report – how about saying my home was robbed and I saw the thief come to this shop to sell stolen goods?”

As soon as Xia Xiaolan finished speaking, dogs started barking in the backyard, followed by someone training them.

Gu Siyan and Cheng Min sensed the unusual atmosphere, their palms sweating.

Xia Xiaolan remained calm.

“I just want to know what items were sold. Since they’re already sold, I won’t try to get them back.”

After a long stare-down, the shopkeeper muttered “bad luck” and yielded first.

He went to the backyard and returned with a pile of items:

“Look here, and I didn’t shortchange him on the price!”

Two scroll paintings, several ancient books, and some stone seals, some yellow, some red.

Could these items help Yuan Han gather enough money for the wedding?

Xia Xiaolan knew nothing about antiques and paintings. She asked the shopkeeper to unroll the two paintings, noted their appearance and signatures, and left it at that.

“These must all be valuable items, and you’ll make a good profit this time. Sorry to trouble you! I spoke harshly earlier out of urgency, please don’t take offense! Could you recommend a good set of scholar’s four treasures? I’d like to buy them as a gift for an elder.”

Was she just looking at the items?

The shopkeeper was also confused by Xia Xiaolan but felt annoyed. He recommended an expensive set – an inkstone, a set of brushes, two ink sticks, and paper. Just these items cost Xia Xiaolan 960 yuan, and she paid without haggling, took the items, and left.

Gu Siyan was intimidated by the atmosphere and wanted to speak but didn’t dare.

After Xia Xiaolan left with the two girls, someone came out from the backyard, “Master Ding, should I…”

The middle-aged man waved his hand.

“They’re not here to cause us trouble, probably because of that man from earlier. We should take fewer unfamiliar customers like this in the future. Fortunately, the items are genuinely good – we can make a good profit when we find suitable buyers. I’ll find someone to sell them quickly.”

He wondered if that girl knew anything, just glancing at them and saying they were good items.

Although he felt uncomfortable selling the scholar’s set, he hadn’t overcharged too much – they could both consider the matter settled.

…

“Sister Xiaolan, that shopkeeper was so fierce, why did you buy his things!”

And so expensive too!

Gu Siyan didn’t understand.

Xia Xiaolan waved the scholar’s set, “When you trouble others, you need to give both sides a way to save face. Though the money’s spent, the items have value. I see Grandfather Zhou practicing calligraphy, so I can give this set to him as a gift.”

She didn’t know how Yuan Han found this place, but it was heavily guarded. These antique dealers had complex backgrounds, and Xia Xiaolan didn’t want to make unnecessary enemies.

Regardless of how much money Yuan Han got for those items, the shopkeeper surely made a good profit.

These items – did they belong to the Yuan family?

Selling even family heirlooms – if Zhou Yi knew about this, she might be moved again. Xia Xiaolan felt something wasn’t right.