"you……"
Cao Ruwan stared blankly at Wu Yan, her face gradually turning red to the roots of her neck. She stammered for a long time but couldn't utter another word.
On such a day, Cao Ruwan, who had officially become the legitimate daughter of the Cao family, would naturally go out shopping to buy some cosmetics. It was perfectly normal for her to come and check out this new place, especially since it happened to be opening soon.
The shop mainly displays novel and exquisite hairpins and jewelry; no woman could resist such crystal-clear and delicate little ornaments.
Cao Ruwan took a fancy to a small cherry earring, and coincidentally, Wu Yan also took a fancy to the same one.
"Hey buddy, wrap this up for me."
At this time, Wu Yan was at the height of his talent and high spirits. He had not yet experienced the setback of being rejected by the princess, so he naturally showed no respect to a girl like Cao Ruwan from a humble family.
To be fair, if Wu Yan didn't have any assets, how could he have attracted so many women to secretly admire him? On the contrary, he was indifferent to ordinary women, which made people think that he was virtuous and a top choice for marriage among aristocratic families.
At this time, Wu Yan had passed the palace examination and become a second-class Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations), and was preparing for the Shujishi (a junior official in the Hanlin Academy) examination. He remembered that in his previous life, he had passed it.
“Young master, your taste is indeed excellent. I guarantee that this pair of earrings is the only one of its kind in the entire capital. Look at the color and the craftsmanship; we in the Cui Kingdom do not have this kind of skill. However, our shop follows the principle of first come, first served, and a gentleman does not take what others like. Therefore, please ask this young lady for her consent first.”
When Xiang Wan spoke, it seemed she didn't take the other person's status seriously at all.
Just as the servant beside Wu Yan was about to reprimand her, he raised his hand to stop him. He glanced at Xiang Wan, smiled slightly, and said, "You squire, you're not afraid that if she can't afford it, I'll smash up your shop in a fit of anger?"
“Young master is too kind. Even if a deal falls through, we can still be on good terms. Besides, judging from your complexion, you must have some good news to share recently, which makes me feel very happy. So, I’m going to make a suggestion, and I hope you will understand.”
"Heh, you're quite the smooth talker, buddy." After saying that, Wu Yan turned around and cupped his hands to Cao Ruwan, saying, "Miss, please forgive my rudeness just now. I bought these earrings as a gift, please part with them."
"But, I...I..." Cao Ruwan stammered, so nervous that she didn't know where to put her hands.
"If Miss has anything else she fancyes, I can pay for it. Would that be alright?"
Seeing Wu Yan's pleading expression, Cao Ruwan quickly waved her hand and said, "No...no need. We both took a liking to it at the same time. Young Master and I have similar tastes. If you like it, please feel free to do so."
Cao Ruwan gradually regained her senses, but the blush on her face had not completely faded. Her shy and embarrassed expression, coupled with her delicate temperament, truly caught Wu Yan's eye.
Having grown accustomed to the poise and elegance of young ladies from aristocratic families, Wu Yan couldn't help but glance at Cao Ruwan a few more times upon catching a glimpse of something different.
Xiang Wan observed all of this and subtly created an opportunity for them, saying, "You two are a handsome young man and a beautiful young woman, and it's quite a coincidence that you both like the same piece of jewelry. Young master, would you like to take it now, or have the shop assistant deliver it to your residence later?"
"I need it now, please wrap it up and give it to me."
"Okay, please wait a moment."
Xiang Wan lifted the curtain behind the counter with her things to find a box to put them in. Over there, Wu Yan and Cao Ruwan exchanged a few words, and as soon as Xiang Wan came out, Wu Yan left.
Seeing Cao Ruwan's stunned expression, Xiang Wan seemed to be talking to herself: "Wu Yan, the third young master of the Wu family, I didn't expect him to be so handsome in person. He has a good eye for choosing earrings. I wonder which girl will be so lucky to receive a gift from him."
Cao Ruwan's face immediately paled, and she became somewhat absent-minded when looking at other things.
Xiang Wan let her wander around the store and started serving other customers.
Most of the people who came into the shop were ladies and young women. Many of them had witnessed what had just happened and teased Xiang Wan, saying, "You, buddy, even dare to joke about Young Master Wu Yan. You probably haven't heard that Young Master Wu is about to become the Third Prince's son-in-law."
"Indeed, the Third Prince's beloved daughter, Princess Jinyi, is quite famous in our capital," someone interjected.
"What a pity, someone like Young Master Wu, what will become of him in the future..."
"What's the pity? He'll be the prince's son-in-law in the future. What can't he have? Besides, maybe Young Master Wu can even train Princess Jinyi."
"Hey, you'd better keep quiet, or you'll get yourself into trouble."
Cao Ruwan listened silently to the gossip, her face growing paler and paler. Before long, she left with her maid.
"Look, another heartbroken person."
"What's so strange about that? They're not engaged yet. If they were engaged and someone else stole their fiancé, that would be incredibly shameful."
"Hehe, that's right."
After chatting for a while, everyone bought some things and then dispersed.
The morning's sales were quite good. Lunch was to be eaten in the backyard, but unfortunately, Xiang Wan hadn't had a chance to eat before being called back by Bizhu, Ji Meiniang's maid.
"What kind of behavior is it for a young woman like you to show your face in public like this?"
Ji Meiniang was still worried about Xiang Wan going out to do business, even if it was done in a different way, she was afraid that she would suffer losses.
Xiang Wan reassured her, "Mother, this is only the first day. I won't feel at ease if I don't keep an eye on things. Once business gets better, I can relax and be a hands-off manager. Don't worry."
"Silly daughter, it's not that I'm worried about you, it's that I'm worried about that Indian guy. He's getting old, he's neither married nor has a family, and he spends all his time with you. What kind of behavior is that?"
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