No

Hearing Uncle Li's words, Qiao Qingsheng immediately turned around and politely bowed to the blue-robed man who slowly walked in: "Boss Shi."

Mu An Ning also turned around and was stunned for a moment when he saw the tall and handsome man.

She had not paid much attention to Qiao Qingsheng's mention of "Boss Shi" before, but she had never expected that it was really Shi Jiangli, and that the bookshop belonged to him.

Shi Jiangli saw the girl was in a daze, and a smile appeared on his lips, but he was not surprised at all, and said in a gentle voice: "We meet again."

Mu An Ning couldn't help but smile.

They had just separated for an hour, so such a coincidence was indeed rare.

Qiao Qingsheng showed a look of surprise: "Boss Shi actually knows Miss An Ning?"

Boss Shi was elusive, and even though he often came to the bookstore, he seldom saw him. Unexpectedly, Miss An Ning got to know him only half a month after moving in.

Shi Jiangli twirled the ring on his finger unconsciously, as if thinking of something interesting. After a while, he smiled and said, "We just met today." His silver-gray eyes stared straight at Mu An Ning, with a hint of ambiguity: "But we hit it off at first sight. It's a pity that we met too late."

Mu An Ning looked back, but when she heard those bold words, the tips of her ears turned slightly red.

Although the people of Da Chu are open-minded, no one has ever spoken such bluntly to her.

Qiao Qingsheng widened his eyes slightly, looked left and right, as if he understood something.

Shi Jiangli took in the girl's reaction and turned to Qiao Qingsheng and said, "Brother Qiao, what good works have you brought today?"

Qiao Qingsheng remembered the purpose of his visit and immediately spread the two calligraphy and paintings in his hand on the empty table and unfolded them one by one.

The first painting is set in a deep valley, with a tall bamboo standing alone, its leaves swaying in the wind. The distant mountains are verdant, and the bamboo is slender, as if you are in the mountains. Each bamboo leaf is vivid, as if you can hear the subtle sound of the wind blowing through it. There is also a line of poetry that fits the scene.

The second painting shows something completely different. In the faint ink, a little girl is holding a kite, as if she is about to fly it, and behind her sits a boy who is slightly older than her, holding a pen in his hand and painting with a smile on his face.

Mu An Ning lowered her eyes slightly and carefully observed the moving painting.

If I am right, the painting should depict these two brothers and sisters.

Shi Jiangli glanced at the painting in front of him and nodded with satisfaction: "Good painting! Brother Qiao never disappoints me as always."

Qiao Qingsheng thanked him for the compliment, but then he frowned and touched the first painting with his long fingers: "It's a pity that the green bamboo is a little smudged."

Qiao Qingsheng looked at that place, as if he remembered something, and apologized: "It was my mistake. It happened to be raining when I painted it, so the edges were blurred by the moisture." He said, and hurriedly added: "If Mr. Shi thinks this painting is not good, it's okay."

He stroked that spot with his distinctly jointed fingers, and after a while he smiled and said, "It's okay. Now that I see it this way, I think this is more like the finishing touch."

Mu An Ning looked at Qiao Qingsheng, who had a guilty look on his face, and suggested in a gentle voice: "Brother Qiao, why don't you try the soot ink that is dark but moist, does not get sticky when you lick the pen, and does not smudge when applied to paper."

Qiao Qingsheng had studied for so many years but this was the first time he had heard of such a thing. He was instantly filled with shame and secretly memorized Na Mo's name in his heart.

Shi Jiangli seemed to be interested and looked at Mu Anning intently: "Young lady, you know this?"

Mu An Ning nodded gently and said calmly: "I read about it in a book when I was a child, so I wrote it down." She smiled and recalled the past: "I tried it once when it was raining, and it really didn't make me dizzy."

Shi Jiangli showed an admiring look on his face and said with a smile: "Young lady, you really surprise me."

Mu An Ning smiled slightly and did not answer.

Shi Jiangli put away the two paintings and handed them to Uncle Li: "Brother Qiao, just wait for good news. How about the 20:80 split?"

After seeing Qiao Qingsheng's agreement, Shi Jiangli suddenly looked disappointed: "It's just that I have something else to do right now, so I can't accompany you two."

Qiao Qingsheng nodded in understanding, not surprised by his hasty coming and going.

Shi Jiangli walked out, and when he passed by Mu An Ning, he suddenly smiled in a way that made people misunderstand: "See you again if we are lucky, An Ning."

He didn't call her girl, but An Ning.

Mu An Ning pursed her lips and looked at his back as he walked away.

After exchanging greetings with Uncle Li, the two of them left the bookstore.

Qiao Qingsheng hesitated for a moment, then suddenly said, "Boss Shi must be a good man." He paused, then said what was in his mind, "But the girl still needs to be careful."

He was just an acquaintance with Boss Shi and was not overly familiar with him.

Mu An Ning was stunned for a moment, then realized what he meant and explained stutteringly, "Brother Qiao misunderstood... Boss Shi and I just met by chance."

Baoqin, who was standing behind him, burst out laughing when she saw her young lady's shy look.

She actually felt that Boss Shi, whom she had only met twice, was much more pleasing to the eye than Prince Gu.

Mu An Ning glanced at Baoqin, and Qiao Qingsheng chuckled and shook his head.

He had seen the interaction between the two just now. Although he didn't know what Miss An Ning meant, as a man, he could sense that the boss must be interested in her.

Qiao Qingsheng did not meddle in other people's business any more. Instead, he looked up at the bright sun and invited her warmly, "Miss An Ning, you and your servant may as well go to my house for lunch."

Mu An Ning thought about it for a moment, then nodded happily in agreement.

Coincidentally, she didn't want to go back so early.

...don't want to see that person.

*

Arriving at Fang's house, Qiao Qingsheng looked around but didn't see Fang Ziweng, so he went to the kitchen and asked the woman who had just finished her work, "Aunt, where is Ziweng?"

I just agreed with Miss An Ning on the way that she could try to teach him today.

Aunt Fang wiped her hands, brought the dish to the table, and said with a helpless smile: "The teacher is on leave today, so this kid must have gone somewhere again."

Immediately, she noticed the elegant girl behind Qiao Qingsheng, and hurriedly asked the master and servant to sit down. She turned around and asked, "Child, why didn't you tell me earlier that Miss An Ning would be our guest?"

After that, she looked at the three dishes on the table and said angrily, "I still have to go buy some more ingredients."

Mu An Ning quickly pulled her back and said with a smile, "My daughter came to visit unexpectedly today. I am sorry to bother you. Madam Fang, please don't bother."

Aunt Fang looked at her obedient appearance and felt pity for her: "Then Miss An Ning, please eat more and don't be polite."

Mu An Ning smiled and nodded, and finally ate until she was 90% full.

Aunt Fang’s cooking skills are really good. She can make ordinary dishes look delicious and tasty with a unique flavor.

After the meal, Aunt Fang brought a small plate of snacks from the kitchen and said cordially, "Miss An Ning, here are some sweet-scented osmanthus cakes."

Mu An Ning was slightly startled when she smelled the sweet osmanthus fragrance, but she smiled and shook her head: "Auntie Fang, you guys eat it." She was afraid that Auntie Fang would misunderstand, so she continued to explain: "I don't know why, but since I ate this sweet osmanthus cake, I would feel drowsy."

She sighed.

Although she couldn't eat osmanthus cake, Gu Huaizhi liked it very much, so although she didn't like sweet things, she was actually quite good at making snacks.

When Aunt Fang heard this, her eyes flickered and she felt puzzled.

She vaguely remembered that her sister-in-law, Qiao Qingsheng's deceased mother, was also like this.

As she was thinking, Qiao Qingsheng said directly: "I originally thought that only my mother was so strange, but I didn't expect Miss An Ning to be the same."

Mu An Ning chuckled and didn't think much about it, while Aunt Fang stared at the girl's smiling face and had a vague feeling in her heart.

The woman walked slowly behind the girl and helped her to drive away the mosquitoes. She looked at the back of her neck casually and showed disappointment.

Nothing.

However, the next moment, the girl felt an itch on the back of her neck. When she gently scratched it, her collar slid down slightly, revealing the light pink patterns on her fair skin.

That is...

Aunt Fang was startled and froze in place with tears in her eyes.

It's really her.

*

late at night.

Gu Ji hurriedly pushed the door open without even saying hello: "Master, Master, something bad has happened!"

Gu Huaizhi, who was also awake and sitting at the desk playing with his folding fan, raised his eyes lazily: "What's the matter? You look so irritable."

He was feeling upset. Today, when Mu An Ning came back, she clearly saw him but pretended not to see him and went straight back to the house.

Gu Ji said hurriedly, showing him the letter: "A letter from the palace, the prince has been poisoned."

Gu Huaizhi paused, frowned, and doubted his ears: "What?"

It's only been a day, and the people who threaten him are so impatient to take action?

He originally thought that his father was a great general who had fought on the battlefield. Although he was old and had old injuries, there was no way he could be assassinated so easily.

At worst, he can just rush back to Beijing tomorrow, which is just within the three-day limit, and nothing should happen to him.

Thinking of this, he stood up suddenly, told Gu Ji to pack up the few clothes he had, and set off immediately.

He thought about it and decided to tell the girl. After all, she had let him live with her for so long, and he didn't blame her for ignoring him for the past two days.

But when he walked to the door and looked at the faint firelight in the house, he hesitated for a moment.

What will he say later?

She likes him so much, what should she do if she can't bear to let him go?

How about bringing her back to the capital as well?

In the room, Gu Ji packed his bags, but found that Gu Huaizhi had disappeared.

After looking around, he only thought of one possibility, so he walked straight to Miss Mu's yard and indeed saw the young master.

Gu Ji appeared silently behind Gu Huaizhi and called out, "Young Master."

This sound frightened Gu Huaizhi greatly. He stretched out his hand to knock on the door but immediately retracted it. His face was filled with anger and he kicked him: "Bah."

Gu Ji had a tearful face and said softly, "I want to say something. I can leave now." He looked at the closed door and asked knowingly, "Have you finished talking to Miss Mu?"

He had just observed for a while and saw that the young man was pacing back and forth without knocking on the door. His slowness was making people anxious.

"I...I..." Gu Huaizhi suddenly stuttered and said angrily, "Who said I was going to look for her?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the lights inside suddenly went out, as if it was a deliberate trick by God.

Gu Ji shrugged and looked at Gu Huaizhi, whose face turned dark, as if telling him, you see, hesitation will lead to defeat.

Gu Huaizhi glared at Gu Ji and walked away.

He doesn't want to see her.