Chapter 243 How could it be him?
I went out for a walk, but unexpectedly ended up back in the studio.
Seeing that Lu Chuyao showed no sign of leaving, Jiang Ruzhen tentatively asked, "Auntie, how about I make a face mask and apply it to you first, so you can try it out?"
"Sure, thank you for your help, Xiao Jiang." Lu Chuyao still looked at her with a smile.
Jiang Ruzhen resignedly turned around and went inside, where she prepared a face mask that she usually used for moisturizing and whitening.
Then I took Lu Chuyao to wash her face, let her lie on the rocking chair, and applied a face mask to her.
After washing her face twenty minutes later, Lu Chuyao indeed felt that her complexion was a bit whiter and smoother.
Looking at the prescription written down by Jiang Ruzhen, all of them were Chinese medicinal herbs, including Atractylodes macrocephala, Angelica dahurica, Bletilla striata, Ampelopsis japonica, Poria cocos, Paeonia lactiflora, and pearl powder.
This recipe alone could sell for tens of thousands of yuan, but Jiang Ruzhen just casually handed it over to her.
Lu Chuyao was deeply moved.
"Auntie, I'm slow at designing clothes, so I'm afraid you'll have to wait about two weeks to pick them up. Is that alright?" Jiang Ruzhen asked while packing her things.
“Okay, it’s settled then. How much do you charge for making a set of clothes by hand?” Lu Chuyao asked curiously.
“Auntie, we have a special connection. This gift is for you, and it’s free,” Jiang Ruzhen said with a smile.
"Oh? That won't do. How can I feel at ease if I don't charge?"
"If you really feel bad about it, please treat me to a meal."
Jiang Ruzhen felt that Lu Chuyao had helped her a lot. Today, he bought so many jade jewelry and so many clothes from her. It was really nothing for her to repay him.
But Lu Chuyao wasn't willing to let Jiang Ruzhen suffer a loss. "Alright, come home with me now. I have a cook at home, how about I treat you to a Cantonese meal?"
"Huh? Now?"
Before Jiang Ruzhen could refuse, Lu Chuyao took her hand and led her out the door.
Jiang Ruzhen knew that Lu Chuyao had bought a courtyard nearby, but she didn't expect it to be so close, right next to her studio in a three-courtyard house.
When she first moved here, she was thinking about when she would have the chance to buy the three-courtyard house next door and live there.
Unexpectedly, we came in for a visit today.
The first thing that catches the eye is the ancient and dignified gate with its blue bricks and gray tiles.
The stone lions on either side of the gate stand majestically, guarding this peaceful place as if whispering tales of the past.
Pushing open the heavy golden gate, a faint woody fragrance wafts out, the scent of time, instantly transporting you back to an era of leisurely contemplation of nature.
Passing through the hanging flower gate, the first courtyard is spacious and bright, making it an ideal place to welcome guests and for daily rest.
The courtyard is paved with bluestone slabs, and the sides are planted with evergreen pines and cypresses and seasonal flowers, which are both vibrant and elegant.
In the afternoon, sunlight filters through the gaps in the leaves, casting dappled shadows on the ground, making one want to stop and enjoy this rare tranquility and leisure.
Passing through the hanging flower gate, you arrive at the second courtyard, which is the core area of family life.
The main house faces south and has excellent natural light. In the living room, a set of exquisite tea utensils is neatly arranged, as if ready to welcome an in-depth dialogue about tea culture.
Further in, there is the third courtyard, which is more private and serves as the owner's private space for rest and meditation.
A small artificial hill and pond, with the sound of flowing water and fish swimming leisurely, adds a touch of liveliness and vitality to this little courtyard.
On a summer evening, sitting by the pond, listening to the cicadas chirping and the frogs croaking, watching the sunset, all the troubles of life seem to drift away with the gentle breeze to the ends of the earth.
Jiang Ruzhen thought that as a guest, she could only go to the first courtyard, but Lu Chuyao seemed to know her thoughts and took her to visit the entire courtyard.
Finally, she was invited to rest in the private third courtyard. Looking at the tranquil and elegant lifestyle around her, she gradually became more comfortable and chatted with Lu Chuyao over tea.
From the arrangement of the courtyard to the selection of furniture, and then to the planting of flowers and trees and the development of the building, Jiang Ruzhen spoke eloquently, with her own unique insights and attitudes.
Lu Chuyao listened very attentively, and her impression of Jiang Ruzhen rose rapidly.
Just as the two were having a pleasant conversation, a cheerful male voice rang out from outside.
"Grandma, we have a guest? Uncle Chang said she's very beautiful! Where is she? Let me see her quickly."
No sooner had the words been spoken than the person outside strode in with long legs.
Jiang Ruzhen looked up and immediately froze on the spot. The boy opposite her was also stunned for a moment, then broke into a big smile.
"It's you, beautiful girl! What a coincidence!"
How could it be him?
Jiang Ruzhen was filled with doubt, because the man who came was the same boy who looked a lot like Lu Mingzheng that she had met when she went to the dance hall with Sister Tang and her older brother in Hangzhou some time ago.
Why is he in Beijing? And what is his relationship with the woman beside him?
"Hello, pretty girl, my name is Lu Xingchen, what's your name?"
Lu Xingchen sat down next to Jiang Ruzhen with a generous air, smiling brightly at her.
“My name is Jiang Ruzhen, but I’m not your younger sister. I’m probably two cycles older than you,” Jiang Ruzhen replied earnestly.
"Pretty girl, is your method of rejecting men's advances really that novel?" Lu Xingchen made no attempt to hide his attraction.
Jiang Ruzhen, however, gave an awkward laugh upon hearing his words and turned to look at Lu Chuyao beside her.
Lu Chuyao snapped out of her shock and widened her eyes, asking gossipy, "Da Sun, do you know Xiao Jiang?"
"Grandma, she's the fairy-like girl I told you about meeting at the dance hall in Hangzhou."
"Oh, it's her!"
Lu Chuyao nodded repeatedly, recalling that when they lived in Hangzhou, this grandson of hers was always running around outside, claiming that he wanted to experience the nightlife culture of the motherland.
Basically, they just felt bored at home and wanted to go out and have some fun.
Who would have thought that on the first day he came back, he excitedly grabbed her and said that he had met a fairy-like girl at the dance hall. She was so beautiful and exactly his type.
He even said he wanted to pursue her, but he was worried that the fairy-like girl seemed to have a boyfriend, so he didn't know what to do.
After several days of searching at the dance hall without finding him, he gave up hope, only to unexpectedly run into him here.
Is this what they mean by a predestined marriage across a thousand miles?
In a flash, Lu Chuyao made a decision: she was determined to help her eldest grandson win over Jiang Ruzhen.
Such an excellent granddaughter-in-law will surely raise her grandson to be even more outstanding.
Her gaze toward Jiang Ruzhen became more kind and direct, causing Jiang Ruzhen to instinctively back away.
Why does it feel like this grandfather and grandson have some "malicious intentions" towards her?
"Dinner is served, Miss."
Just as Jiang Ruzhen was about to find an excuse to escape, a neatly dressed elderly woman came over from the restaurant and invited Lu Chuyao and the others to come and have a meal.
Lu Chuyao nodded upon hearing this, and naturally stood up, taking Jiang Ruzhen's hand and walking forward, "Since we're all so familiar with each other, let's eat together."
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