Qi Yue sat in the carriage watching the street scenes recede one by one outside.

Chang Yuncheng glanced at her, then reached out to lift the carriage curtain.

“Go to West Street,” he said.

A’Ru responded with a “yes,” and the coachman heard as well, cracking his whip to change direction.

Qi Yue simply closed her eyes to rest.

Chang Yuncheng didn’t speak again either. The bustling noise from the street passed through the carriage body into the small compartment, making it seem even more… lonely.

“Lord, Young Madam, we’ve arrived,” A’Ru said softly from outside.

The carriage slowly came to a stop.

The curtain was lifted, and Chang Yuncheng gathered his robes and stepped down.

“I’ll go back first, and the carriage can come pick you up later,” Qi Yue said.

Chang Yuncheng smiled slightly.

“No,” he said.

Qi Yue’s brows furrowed again.

“Chang Yuncheng, can we not be so awkward?” She leaned forward, lowering her voice. “You respect me, I respect you – can’t we coexist peacefully without interfering with each other?”

“We can,” Chang Yuncheng nodded.

“Then I’ll go back first, and the carriage will come pick you up later,” Qi Yue said with a smile.

“No,” Chang Yuncheng said straightforwardly.

Qi Yue stretched out her hand, barely managing to restrain herself from grabbing his collar.

“So you insist on making me walk back by myself?” she said through gritted teeth.

“You can follow me. I’ll buy some things, then we’ll go back,” Chang Yuncheng said calmly. “It’ll be quick.”

Qi Yue looked at him and straightened up.

“Then hurry up,” she said.

Chang Yuncheng smiled at her and turned around.

A’Ru was about to lower the curtain when he turned back.

“Oh, would you like to come down and look around?” he asked.

Qi Yue pursed her lips and thought for a moment.

Sitting here was indeed a bit stuffy…

Qi Yue stood up, and A’Ru quickly reached out to help her. Watching her lower her head to step down from the carriage, Chang Yuncheng, who had turned around, quietly breathed a sigh of relief, then immediately put on a stern expression and walked away first.

This was Qi Yue’s first time strolling through an ancient street. This street should be similar to a modern commercial street, with shops lined up, crowds of people, shouts, laughter, bargaining voices, and the sounds of strings and bamboo music drifting from wine shops and teahouses, all mixing together in a steamy rush.

Several elderly women walked past carrying rice wine and meat.

“Is it almost New Year?” Qi Yue heard them mention the year in their chatter and couldn’t help but be stunned.

“Yes, today is already the tenth day of the twelfth lunar month,” A’Ru said.

“When I arrived, it was…” Qi Yue couldn’t help but say.

A’Ru glanced ahead, where Chang Yuncheng was standing in front of a corner shop, with a clerk enthusiastically trying to sell him something.

“It was April,” she then quietly finished Qi Yue’s sentence.

Qi Yue put her hands in her sleeves and slowly walked forward.

“More than half a year has passed,” she murmured with a sigh.

A’Ru looked somewhat worried. Seeing a general store nearby with various ornaments hanging, she quickly tugged at Qi Yue’s sleeve.

“Young Madam, look at this butterfly pendant…” she said, pointing.

Qi Yue was indeed attracted and looked up to see it was a butterfly made of woven rope, with knots of various sizes hanging down, very exquisite.

Seeing their dress and appearance, the sharp-eyed clerk immediately enthusiastically took it down and handed it over.

“How much is this?” Qi Yue asked.

“Not expensive, not expensive. It really matches your outfit, young lady. It would look wonderful when worn, just eight wen…” he said.

How much was eight wen? Qi Yue had no concept and looked at A’Ru.

Before A’Ru could speak, a hand reached over from behind.

“We’ll take it,” Chang Yuncheng said.

The servant behind him immediately handed over the money.

The clerk loudly expressed his thanks.

“We haven’t bargained yet,” Qi Yue said, glancing at him.

“What’s there to bargain about?” Chang Yuncheng said, tossing the pendant to A’Ru.

A’Ru quickly caught it.

“Why not eat meat broth…” Qi Yue snorted.

“I wouldn’t dare assume that,” Chang Yuncheng said.

There were many people on the street, and despite the servants’ protection, they couldn’t avoid being jostled, so the two unconsciously walked together.

Chang Yuncheng slowed his pace.

“You’re silly. When buying things, you don’t bargain – that person will call you a fool,” Qi Yue snorted.

Chang Yuncheng chuckled.

“If he calls me a fool, does that make me a fool?” he said.

Qi Yue turned to look at him.

When this woman couldn’t out-argue him, she would have this expression. Chang Yuncheng’s lips curved slightly, and he looked straight ahead without looking at her.

“Whatever you’re buying, hurry up,” Qi Yue said irritably, walking ahead first.

A’Ru quickly followed.

Chang Yuncheng’s smile spread, then he quickly put it away and hurried a few steps to catch up with her.

“Cheese? There’s cheese here?”

“What’s this? Let me try it…”

Before long, Qi Yue’s mouth was full of food, both hands were occupied, her expression relaxed, and her brows and eyes carried smiles.

“This is rice brocade cake…” Chang Yuncheng took it from a servant and handed it to Qi Yue.

Qi Yue quickly gave the fish bag in her right hand to A’Ru and reached out to take the fresh one, biting into it quite inelegantly.

“Mm, mm, not bad,” she nodded repeatedly, full of smiles.

She really could eat… I heard she could also cook good food?

Chang Yuncheng watched her.

“Hey, what exactly are you buying?” Qi Yue suddenly remembered after eating half the cake, looking at Chang Yuncheng questioningly.

All this way he had been following her, seemingly without anything specific he was looking for?

It was somewhat like accompanying her shopping…

This thought flashed through her mind, and Qi Yue felt disgusted with herself, quickly shaking her head to dismiss it.

Chang Yuncheng was somewhat flustered by the question. He unconsciously looked up and around.

“Oh, that,” he said, pointing with his hand.

Qi Yue looked over and saw it was a shop selling the four treasures of the study.

“Can’t tell, you’re quite the scholarly general,” she said, with some impatience. “Go quickly, I’m still waiting to go back.”

Chang Yuncheng’s face immediately fell.

This damn woman…

He turned and strode inside.

“Young master, what would you like?” the clerk greeted enthusiastically.

Chang Yuncheng entered, but kept glancing outside from the corner of his eye. Seeing that woman had already turned her attention away, looking at something across the street…

“Young master?” the clerk asked again, somewhat puzzled as he examined this strange customer who entered but didn’t look at the goods, only outside…

Chang Yuncheng withdrew his gaze, randomly swept his eyes over the counter, and pointed at an ink stone.

“How much is this?” he asked.

“Young master has good taste, this is newly arrived Pangu ink…” the clerk began his enthusiastic introduction.

Chang Yuncheng didn’t listen to a word. His gaze turned to the door again – that woman wasn’t satisfied with just looking, she had taken that maid to another stall…

Didn’t she want to come in and see what he was buying at all? Didn’t she care or pay attention at all?

Chang Yuncheng unconsciously used force with his hand…

“Hey, hey, young master, be careful, don’t drop it…” the clerk raised his voice, finally seeing the customer’s attention fall on him. He quickly seized the opportunity to put on an enthusiastic smile. “What do you think of this?”

Chang Yuncheng looked down at his hand, somehow holding an ink stone.

“What is this?” he frowned and asked.

The clerk looked astonished – so he had wasted his breath earlier…

“This is…” customers were the source of food and clothing, must be served respectfully. He swallowed and started over.

After finally finishing his spiel, he looked up to see this gentleman looking outside again.

What was so interesting outside? The clerk couldn’t help but follow his gaze.

Oh my, whose young lady was that? Wearing a bright red robe with embroidered peonies and crossed collar, draped in a phoenix feather lotus-colored cloak, with a matching hairstyle, wearing only a string of pearl flowers, holding up a carved hollow incense ball, blooming with a brilliant smile.

The young clerk couldn’t help but stare too.

Chang Yuncheng turned and saw this, immediately slamming the ink stone heavily on the counter.

“How much?” he demanded sharply.

The young clerk was startled, thinking the gentleman didn’t want it, but unexpectedly he asked this question. He hurriedly stated the price. Chang Yuncheng waved his hand and walked out himself, while the servant behind immediately paid and took the item.

“Let’s go,” Chang Yuncheng said, striding past the chatting master and servant.

Qi Yue tossed the copper ball in her hand and followed.

All the way until they got out of the carriage, she never asked Chang Yuncheng what he had bought.

“I’m tired,” Qi Yue said to A’Ru as she got out of the carriage.

A’Ru nodded.

“So am I. This is good – we can go back and sleep, and after this afternoon and evening we’ll recover.”

The two walked away talking.

Chang Yuncheng stood to the side, watching Qi Yue who seemed to have forgotten there was another person who had gone out with her. He sighed and followed.

After walking just a few steps, they saw a maid running over hurriedly.

“Lord, Young Madam, something terrible has happened,” she said anxiously. “Madam wants to return to Shanning.”

What was so terrible about this? Qi Yue didn’t understand. Besides, what was Shanning?

But Chang Yuncheng’s expression had already changed, and he hurried past her toward Rong’an Courtyard.

“Shanning is Madam’s maiden home,” A’Ru quickly explained to Qi Yue in a low voice.

Qi Yue said “oh” and yawned.

“Going back to her maiden home – that’s nice. What’s so terrible about that?” she said.

A’Ru smiled.

The maids had all followed Chang Yuncheng, and there was no one else here.

“How can one casually return to one’s maiden home? Without the maiden family sending an invitation, going back on one’s own is… that’s absolutely forbidden,” she said.

There was such a rule? Qi Yue said “oh.”

“Really lacking in freedom,” she muttered and said nothing more.

“Young Madam, shouldn’t we go have a look?” A’Ru had to ask proactively.

“Us?” Qi Yue laughed. “Let’s not go add fuel to the fire.”

At this point her eyes lit up – she had important matters of her own.

“Let’s go find the Marquis,” she said with a humming laugh.

“Young Madam, you shouldn’t go. This is so inappropriate. The Marquis doing this is actually already admitting fault. Let’s just let this matter rest…” A’Ru quickly advised.

This child still thought she just wanted an explanation. Qi Yue looked at her with a smile and said nothing more.

But when she asked about the Marquis, she learned he had actually gone out.

This man… actually hiding… really amazing…

A dignified marquis could actually do such a thing…

Qi Yue was somewhat speechless. Really no way to deal with this…

“Can he hide for a lifetime?” Qi Yue shook her head. She had no choice but to return to the courtyard. “Come on, let’s go sleep.”

While she went back to sleep in frustration, Chang Yuncheng had already knelt down to block Madam Xie’s path.

“Mother, what’s wrong? Where did your son do wrong? Tell me, and I’ll change,” he said urgently.

Madam Xie looked down at him from above.

“Fine, tell me – do you listen to me, or do you listen to that woman?” she asked slowly.