Happy times always pass so quickly. In the blink of an eye, the sun had drawn close to the western hills.

After her afternoon rest, Feng Jiu’er had just finished Jian Yi’s treatment when Xiao Yingtao’s voice sounded from outside.

“Feng Jiu’er, it’s me — is it convenient to come in?”

“Come in.” Feng Jiu’er closed her needle case and glanced toward the door.

Xiao Yingtao pushed the door open with a face full of excitement and walked inside.

“Feng Jiu’er, the clothes are here! The first batch you said you’d need for tonight — the shop owner had them finished early, cleaned, and sent over.”

“Moving that fast — who knows what the quality will be like.” Feng Jiu’er rose to her feet.

She glanced down at the person resting on the bed and said quietly, “Rest for a bit — I’ll bring your clothes to you shortly.”

She wasn’t entirely sure what the shop’s idea of “cleaned” actually meant, but clothes delivered to the Ninth Prince’s manor would surely be acceptably clean.

“I’m not sure either — the shop owner brought them up in person, so I came straight to find you.”

Xiao Yingtao was bubbling with excitement herself. She had chosen her favorite color, intending to wear it to the lantern festival that evening.

Tonight’s lantern festival was something everyone had been looking forward to, and she was certainly no exception.

“Let’s go, Feng Jiu’er — I can barely wait any longer.”

Feng Jiu’er bent down to tuck Jian Yi’s blanket in, then turned around and began tidying the things on the table.

“If you can’t wait, go ahead without me.” She didn’t even glance at Xiao Yingtao.

“I most certainly will not! I’ll wait for you — just hurry up.” Xiao Yingtao replied lightly.

Feng Jiu’er paid her no further attention and continued organizing.

There wasn’t much to tidy — it would only take a moment.

Xiao Yingtao was truly at the end of her patience. The moment Feng Jiu’er set the small medicine box away, she went over, took Feng Jiu’er by the hand, and tugged her toward the door.

“Quickly.”

Feng Jiu’er had no choice but to give in. Though she couldn’t very well make a fuss with a girl barely in her teens — even if she herself was only in her teens as well.

The shop owner had brought the new clothes directly to Feng Jiu’er’s room — Mu Mu’s arrangement.

Feng Jiu’er’s room was spacious, situated right next to Jian Yi’s.

When the two women entered, the shop owner was still there. His assistants had already lifted the clothes from the wooden boxes and laid them out across the table that Qiao Mu had ordered prepared.

“Miss Feng Jiu’er.” Seeing Feng Jiu’er, the shop owner smiled and gave a clasped-hands bow.

“The first batch of garments is ready. I brought them over at once — please inspect them.”

Feng Jiu’er walked in and studied the garments laid out on the table carefully for a moment.

She turned to meet the shop owner’s gaze and gave a nod.

“They look very fine. You’re busy, shop owner — please don’t let us keep you. We’ll try them on and see if they fit.”

“Very well.” The shop owner gave a nod, turned to look at his assistants, and waved his hand. “Let’s go.”

“Yes, sir.” The assistants nodded and turned to Feng Jiu’er as one. “Miss Feng Jiu’er, we’ll take our leave.”

“Mm.” Feng Jiu’er gave a nod.

As the shop owner led his staff out, Feng Jiu’er walked over to close the door — just as Qiao Mu came in.

The two of them entered together to find that Xiao Yingtao had already picked up her own outfit and was fussing over it happily.

“How is it? You both think this one of mine looks decent, don’t you?”

“It’s quite nice.” Feng Jiu’er gave a faint smile and made her way to the table.

Several men’s robes were laid out together, and at a glance she immediately spotted what she was looking for.

This was, in a sense, the first matching couple’s outfit she and Ninth Imperial Uncle would ever share — she just wasn’t sure whether that particular man would find it distasteful.

Feng Jiu’er looked at the robe she had picked up, and her mood was good.

No wonder Ye Luosha had chosen this shop. The craftsmanship here could hold its own against the finest garments Ninth Imperial Uncle usually wore.

“Feng Jiu’er, who is this outfit for?” Qiao Mu came to stand before her and lifted the robe from her hands.

“The design is remarkably original, and the combination is perfect — but whether it’s for Ninth Prince, Mu Mu, or even Jian Yi, none of them seem like the type to have ever worn something this elaborate.”

“Is it really that elaborate?” Feng Jiu’er glanced at Qiao Mu, her brow creasing slightly.

Xiao Yingtao set her own outfit down and hurried over as well.

She pulled at the robe in Qiao Mu’s hands and examined it for a moment. “Elaborate… not exactly.”

“It’s just that Ninth Prince, Mu Mu, and Jian Yi all tend to wear the same plain colors day in and day out. This outfit has a few more colors by comparison.”

“Still, the way they’re put together really is very beautiful.” She lifted her gaze to Feng Jiu’er, her voice continuing, “Feng Jiu’er, who did you have this made for?”

Feng Jiu’er glanced between the two women, gave a faint smile, and took the robe back.

“Who do you think this outfit would suit best?”

“Well, I’d say…”

“She’s definitely going to say Xing Zizhou.” Before Xiao Yingtao could finish, Qiao Mu spoke quietly.

“Qiao Mu.” Xiao Yingtao raised her eyes and glared at her.

“Am I wrong?” Qiao Mu glanced at her and turned back to look at the garments on the table.

“Either way, among the men in our courtyard, Xing Zizhou is the one who dresses with a bit more flair.”

Her gaze landed on a garment that looked vaguely familiar, and Qiao Mu reached over and picked it up.

“There’s a smaller one here too?”

The two outfits weren’t an exact color match, but laid beside the other garments, it was easy to see at once that they had been designed by the same hand — and the resemblance between them was unmistakable.

When Feng Jiu’er turned around, she saw that Qiao Mu was holding her own outfit.

“That’s mine.” She curved her lips faintly, walked over to stand before Qiao Mu, and placed the two outfits side by side. “Do they look alike?”

She had wanted so very much to have a matching couple’s set with Ninth Imperial Uncle. But she had worried it would be too conspicuous.

So during the design stage, she had made quite a number of deliberate changes — and yet, to her surprise, Qiao Mu had spotted it so easily.

“You mean — this one is for Ninth Prince?” Qiao Mu tugged at the robe in Feng Jiu’er’s hands, her eyes going wide.

“That’s right.” Feng Jiu’er gave a nod. “Is there a problem?”

Qiao Mu blinked, and exclaimed, “Are you sure Ninth Prince will actually wear something like this?”

“Is there a problem?” Feng Jiu’er raised an eyebrow. “Didn’t you just say the outfit looked very nice?”

Truth be told, she wasn’t entirely sure he would be willing to wear it either. She had thought of it in the moment and boldly gone ahead — and if he chose not to wear it, she would still wear hers.

“The clothes are very nice, no question about that — but Ninth Prince wearing something like this…” Qiao Mu gave a faint sigh and shook her head slowly.

“Though, when have you ever designed an outfit that Ninth Prince refused to wear?”

“Right. The clothes are exceptional, and the man himself is devastatingly handsome — I’m already a little eager to see tonight’s completely new-looking Ninth Prince, even if he ends up being even more irresistible.”

Seeing the gleam in Qiao Mu’s eyes, Feng Jiu’er gave her a light push.

“Hey — he’s not your man, so don’t let your imagination run away with you!”

If Qiao Mu fell for Ninth Imperial Uncle all over again, Feng Jiu’er genuinely wouldn’t know what to do.

Two sisters in love with the same person — no matter how you looked at it, that was not going to be a good situation.

“I can’t even imagine it?” Qiao Mu stared at Feng Jiu’er, her brow drawing together slightly.

“No.” Feng Jiu’er shook her head with complete seriousness. “Anyone else is fine — but not you and Xiao Yingtao!”