The next day when Shi Fa Ke woke up, the bruising on her foot looked even more frightening – dark blue and purple. Though she could still hop around on one foot yesterday, today it hurt so much she couldn’t even get out of bed. She had no choice but to rest quietly at home for several days.

By the time she could walk again, several days had already passed.

When she got up this morning, she was once again the only idle person left at home.

After breakfast, she added some feed for Gou Sheng. Just as she was preparing to return to her room to embroider out of boredom, she suddenly heard someone knocking at the door.

Opening the door, she was met with a face so beautiful it was pleasing to behold. Shi Fa Ke was somewhat delighted. “Young Master Lu?!”

The delight on Shi Fa Ke’s face was completely genuine, innocent and enthusiastic to the point of being overwhelming. Lu Chi coughed lightly and cupped his hands. “Miss Shi, I apologize for the intrusion.”

“Please come in quickly.” Shi Fa Ke hurriedly stepped aside to invite him in.

Upon entering and looking around, Lu Chi felt somewhat uncomfortable. “Are you alone at home?”

“Yes, I’m the only idle person here.” Shi Fa Ke said with a smile.

“Your mother isn’t home?” Standing in the Shi family courtyard, Lu Chi suddenly felt something was improper.

A man and woman alone together…

“My mother? She’s an official matchmaker – she went to the government office on business.” Shi Fa Ke explained, then very consciously added, “My big brother is a constable, so he also went to the government office. My father and second brother went to work at the shop, and my third brother left to travel for his studies.”

Hearing her recount her family’s situation so thoroughly and clearly, Lu Chi was momentarily speechless. This young woman truly had no sense of caution toward him at all. What if he were a bad person? She just brazenly invited him into her home and then revealed all her family’s affairs completely.

“Have you found a place to stay?” After explaining her family’s situation, Shi Fa Ke turned to caring about his circumstances.

Lu Chi smiled slightly. “Thank you for your concern, Miss. I have found one.”

“That’s good, that’s good.” Shi Fa Ke nodded. Unconsciously touching the bracelet on her wrist, she remembered what Father had said that day and couldn’t help but probe, “Do you still remember that evening when you first came to town, we heard those lively sounds on the road? I heard that was the He family throwing an embroidered ball to choose a husband, and later it seems a scholar caught the ball.”

Lu Chi touched his nose. “You heard about it too? Actually, that’s precisely why I’ve come today.”

“Oh?” Shi Fa Ke’s eyes lit up, her face showing eager anticipation as she looked at him.

Lu Chi felt like laughing. This young woman really couldn’t hide her thoughts at all. From her expression, she seemed to already know his purpose, but seeing those bright, expectant eyes, he couldn’t help teasing her. “The one who caught the He family’s embroidered ball that day was indeed myself. But having just arrived in Tongluo Town with neither relatives nor friends, remembering that I had met Miss Shi once and that you were so warmhearted, I came to seek your help…”

Shi Fa Ke’s eyes grew even brighter, sparkling like little stars.

“The proper way of marriage requires a go-between. I wish to find a matchmaker to help me propose to the He family. I wonder if Miss Shi has any good recommendations?”

Shi Fa Ke’s eager expression suddenly froze on her face. She said with a blank stare, “…Recommendations?”

Lu Chi nodded seriously.

Shi Fa Ke held it in, but ultimately couldn’t restrain herself and fired off like a string of firecrackers, “I am a matchmaker! And my mother is an official matchmaker, my grandmother was also an official matchmaker – I come from a matchmaking family!”

Lu Chi was amused by the phrase “matchmaking family” and finally couldn’t help laughing out loud. “Yes, yes, yes, then I’ll trouble you, Miss.”

Not expecting him to be so agreeable and agree immediately, Shi Fa Ke’s anger instantly turned to joy. She patted her chest with great force, guaranteeing, “Don’t worry, this matter is on me! I’ll definitely handle it perfectly for you – just prepare to be a groom!”

The force was so great that Lu Chi felt pain for her.

Looking at the bright eyes of the young woman before him, Lu Chi felt quite conflicted, as if returning to that evening when this young woman stood at the door enthusiastically waving her little hand and calling, “Young Master Lu, remember to come find me when you want to arrange a marriage!”

It was truly a destined encounter…

However, compared to being subject to an arranged marriage by his somewhat unreliable father, Lu Chi felt that perhaps that inexplicably thrown embroidered ball that hit his head that evening was heavenly providence. At the time, he had caught a distant glimpse of Miss He. Though he was too far away to see her features clearly, she appeared to be a dignified and beautiful young woman.

It was just that this time he had hastily fled… er, hastily left home, bringing nothing with him. His entire possessions amounted to less than twenty taels of silver, which was quite embarrassing. Wedding arrangements were complicated affairs – hiring a matchmaker cost money, betrothal gifts cost money, and wedding banquets also cost money. Since he sincerely wanted to marry the young woman, he naturally couldn’t slight her.

Fortunately, when he left home he had brought a jade bracelet. The bracelet was given to him by his mother, who said it was to be given to his future daughter-in-law. Now with urgent circumstances, he thought his mother wouldn’t object to him pawning the bracelet to fund the wedding.

Lu Chi felt quite at peace with this reasoning.

Shi Fa Ke asked for Lu Chi’s birth date and time, then confidently took the calling card to the He family’s door.

Regarding this match, Shi Fa Ke was completely confident, which was why she dared to pat her chest and guarantee success – because Miss He Ketian of the He family had an unusual relationship with her. They were close friends who had grown up together since childhood.

However, since she was visiting in her capacity as a matchmaker this time, Shi Fa Ke didn’t go directly to find He Ketian. Instead, she specifically presented her calling card and waited in the main hall.

The He family was extremely wealthy, with a grand mansion of three courtyards and numerous servants, incomparable to ordinary wealthy households. As soon as she sat down, clever maids brought tea.

Since Shi Fa Ke often visited the He family, most of these maids were familiar with her, so they smiled and asked, “Miss Shi, why aren’t you going to the back courtyard to find our young miss?”

Shi Fa Ke winked at her and said seriously, “I’m not here to play with your young miss this time – I have business.”

Just as they were chatting and laughing, someone arrived.

It wasn’t anyone else, but Tongluo Town’s greatest beauty and young master of the He family’s cake shop – He Kexian.

Of course, calling him “Tongluo Town’s greatest beauty” and such… that was only said privately. They wouldn’t dare say it to his face, since that face more beautiful than his sister He Ketian’s was a sore spot for the siblings – one poke and it hit the mark.

He Kexian and He Ketian were twins. He Kexian was born first and thus became the older brother. Though they were twins, they actually didn’t look alike at all, as if they had been born the wrong gender… As the older brother, He Kexian’s looks took after their mother and he was born a beauty, while sister Ketian’s looks took after their father…

The He family had built their fortune on wedding cake shops. Early on, because customers always complained that their wedding cakes were all sweet, their father, to emphasize that their cakes weren’t only sweet, named the twins Kexian (Can Be Salty) and Ketian (Can Be Sweet) respectively. This was quite creative indeed.

At this moment, He Kexian wore bamboo-moon colored short clothes, lean and upright, with slight perspiration on his fair and beautiful face. From his appearance, he should have just come from the training ground. The He family kept their own group of bodyguards, and as the young master, He Kexian loved mingling with those bodyguards and had learned quite a bit of martial arts. Just a few days ago, an outsider had mistaken him for a beauty in male disguise and made improper advances, so he broke the man’s arm and threw him out of Tongluo Town.

As you can see, beauties can be fierce.

“If it isn’t Miss Shi – what a rare guest. What wind has blown you here?” He Kexian looked her up and down and said with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

Shi Fa Ke’s mouth twitched. “Big Brother He, who offended you again?”

So sarcastic.

He Kexian took the cloth handed to him by a nearby maid and casually wiped his face and hands. “I heard you caused a great disturbance at Zhu Yizhi’s wedding and went to steal the bride? How impressive.”

As he spoke, he couldn’t help glancing at her.

This stupid girl, blind in both eyes and heart, had liked pestering that bookworm Zhu Yizhi since childhood. With great difficulty that bookworm finally got married, and this stupid girl still dared to cause a scene trying to steal the bride. Just thinking about it made He Kexian’s teeth itch with anger.

“No, no, no, it wasn’t stealing the bride! Wasn’t it that Zhu Yizhi had previously agreed that if he got married he’d have me be his matchmaker? But then he went back on his word and found someone else. I was angry for a moment and went to confront him about it. How could it be stealing the bride… This is a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding!” Shi Fa Ke felt a headache coming on and quickly explained. This was truly “good news doesn’t travel far, but bad news spreads a thousand li”…

“Really a misunderstanding?” He Kexian raised an eyebrow, but his expression softened considerably.

“Really a misunderstanding!” Shi Fa Ke said emphatically.

“Mm, good that it’s a misunderstanding.” He Kexian sat down across from her and also picked up a teacup, using the lid to skim off the foam before taking a light sip. “What made you think of looking for me today?”

This heartless stupid girl rarely took the initiative to find him. Usually when she came over, she would slip directly into the back courtyard to find Ketian. Today she was actually sitting obediently in the main hall and had even presented a calling card. What trick was she playing now?

Shi Fa Ke sat up straight, composed her attitude, put on her professional smile, and said solemnly, “Big Brother He, I’ve been entrusted by Young Master Lu to come propose marriage.”

With a “pft” sound, He Kexian spat out all the tea in his mouth. “What did you say?”