Chapter 71 Am I your fiancé?

Xie Yanzhi looked down and saw the purse containing the silver lock.

He remembered that he had just put it in the drawer under his desk, but somehow it landed on the carpet without making a sound.

Although the engagement wasn't real, the purse and silver lock were keepsakes left to him by his mother.

He picked up the purse again and put it inside.

This time he paid attention, and his purse didn't fall out again.

After returning to Qianyue Residence, Shen Qingnian also began to take stock of her belongings.

When she came from Jiangnan, she only had two sets of clothes, but when she left, she had many more things.

Shen Qingnian sat on the edge of the bed, looking at the items piled on it.

That string of red rose-scented beads was also made by my mother.

She planned to give it to her aunt when she left, to thank her for taking care of her all these days.

And this silver hairpin, it's a bit worn, but it's been with her for several years.

My mother said that this was left by my maternal grandmother, so it must be treasured.

Suddenly, Shen Qingnian thought of something. She searched through the pile of things and frowned: "Where did it go?"

She remembered that her mother had given her a silver lock, which she always kept in her red purse. She had seen it before, so why couldn't she find it now?

Ling'er saw Shen Qingnian rummaging around, her brows furrowed, as if some important item was missing.

She walked over quietly and asked, "Miss, what's wrong?"

"Ling'er, have you seen my red purse? It contains a silver lock."

Ling'er had seen that purse before. It was given to her by the madam herself on the day they escaped, and it was said to be her engagement token.

The bright red satin purse gleamed with a subtle sheen, and its design featured a twin lotus flower.

"That purse, Miss, you put it on your waist when you went out."

Ling'er spoke with certainty.

Upon hearing Ling'er's words, Shen Qingnian looked at the sachet containing the travel permit on the bed.

She finally remembered.

The sachet containing the travel guide and the bag containing the silver lock were both red, and she mistakenly took the wrong one.

Shen Qingnian looked at her waist; there was nothing there.

That's when she realized she had lost her purse!

"Ling'er, let's go out and look for it together."

She had only gone to Guanlan Residence, and it's very likely she got lost on that bamboo path.

In front of Guanlan Residence, Yuan Qingling pushed aside bamboo stalks one by one, but couldn't find the purse anywhere.

I couldn't help but feel a little frustrated.

"water chestnut!"

Yuan Qing suddenly called out to Ling'er.

He had just returned from his errand when he ran into Ling'er bending over in the bamboo grove, as if she were looking for something.

"Ah!" Ling'er was startled. Just now, her young mistress had said not to let anyone know they were looking for that purse, and then Yuan Qing suddenly appeared, startling her.

"What are you doing? Why are you so scared?" Yuan Qing asked, arms crossed.

When Ling'er saw it was Yuan Qing, she pouted and said, "Why do you walk so quietly? You scared me to death."

As she spoke, she looked around and whispered, "Miss's purse is missing, we're looking for it."

Yuan Qing finally understood why she was acting so furtively.

A woman's purse and handkerchief are personal items, and if a man accidentally picks them up, it's hard to explain what might happen.

Yuan Qing saw that Ling'er's hair was soaked with sweat from searching, and smiled indulgently, saying, "I'll help you look."

"What kind of purse is it?" Yuan Qing asked.

“A red purse.”

Red should be easy to find in this bamboo forest.

But the three of them searched for a long time and still couldn't find it.

What if someone picks it up? Shen Qingnian couldn't help but feel a little worried.

Yuan Qing thought for a moment. This road was remote and no one usually came here.

He suddenly said, "Could it be that it was left in Master's study?"

"I was just about to go to the study, I can ask Master if he has seen it."

Shen Qingnian had considered this possibility, but it was their engagement gift, and if possible, she didn't want him to see or know about the purse.

Anyway, she'll be going to Guanlanju again later, so she'll sneak in and look for it then.

Shen Qingnian said to Yuan Qing, "No need. If it's left in the study, the young master will tell me."

Yuan Qing thought about it and agreed. If Master saw Qing's things, he would definitely tell her.

Shen Qingnian led Ling'er toward Qianyue Residence.

Not finding the purse, Shen Qingnian frowned and said to Ling'er, "Let's pretend the purse was never lost."

Even if this road is remote, people will still pass by. If someone with ulterior motives finds out that it was her lost purse, it will be considered a secret transaction, and she will have no way to defend herself.

Ling'er nodded: "Yes, Miss."

Meanwhile, Yuan Qing returned to Guanlan Residence. Xie Yanzhi was sitting at his desk, propping his head up with his hand. When Yuan Qing came in, he said, "Why did it take you so long to come back?"

"I saw Qing and Lingjiao on the way and helped them with a little something."

Xie Yanzhi looked up: "What kind of help?"

"Miss Qing lost her purse, and she and Lingjiao are looking for it in the bamboo grove."

"Did you find it?" Xie Yanzhi asked again.

Upon hearing Xie Yanzhi's question, Yuan Qing thought that the master probably hadn't seen Miss Qing's purse either.

"We couldn't find it, and Miss Qing didn't seem very happy when she went back."

As Yuan Qing spoke, he glanced around the study, but there was nothing there. It seemed that he really wasn't at Guanlan Residence.

"How much is a purse worth? It's gone, so what? What's there to be upset about?" Xie Yanzhi said indifferently.

Yuan Qing smacked his lips, but didn't voice his thoughts.

Thankfully, Miss Qing didn't hear what the master said!

A woman's purse should not be carelessly lost.

Besides, who knows, that purse might be very important to Miss Qing? My personality isn't exactly endearing.

Yuan Qing silently shook his head.

"Sir, if there's nothing else, I'll take my leave now."

"Hmm." Xie Yanzhi stroked the jade thumb ring on his hand.

Yuan Qing lifted his foot and walked towards the door, only to hear Xie Yanzhi's cold voice again: "Come back!"

Yuan Qing quickly turned around and asked respectfully, "Master, what are your orders?"

Xie Yanzhi took a red purse from a drawer under his desk and threw it on the table: "Give this to Shen Qingnian!"

When Yuan Qing looked at it, he realized that what Qing had lost was just a red purse.

It really is here with me!

"Alright!" Yuan Qing replied, quickly delivering the purse to Qian Yue Residence.

Shen Qingnian took it and saw that Xie Yanzhi had found it.

"Miss, I didn't expect it was the young master who found your purse."

"Does the eldest young master know that this is your engagement token?"

“He probably doesn’t know.” Shen Qingnian had just finished speaking when Xie Yanzhi walked in.

"What engagement token?"

Xie Yanzhi took the purse and looked at it. It was clearly a purse that Hua Momo had given him.

Could he be Shen Qingnian's fiancé, whose name she doesn't even know?

Is it really such a coincidence?

"Give it back! This purse was given to me by my mother!" Shen Qingnian tried to snatch it back.

"What a coincidence, this purse was also given to me by my mother." Xie Yanzhi held up the purse, preventing Shen Qingnian from taking it.

Shen Qingnian looked puzzled, not understanding what Xie Yanzhi was talking about.

"Today, when I went to her place, she gave me this purse, saying it was a betrothal gift from my mother to both families when we got engaged."

Seeing the surprise on Shen Qingnian's face, he leaned close to her ear and said, "Shen Qingnian, could I be your fiancé?"