Ye Caiping said, "What are you talking about? I invited you here not to add to the atmosphere, but to let you see our furniture."
Shen Zhiyan smiled and said, "Oh, so you mean you want to share your work with me?"
"Hmm?" Ye Caiping paused for a moment, then smiled and said, "Yes! Come in quickly."
Shen Manman had already been pulled in by Jin'er and Huan'er.
The two walked inside while talking.
Ye Caiping said, "Do you know anyone from the Marquis of Weiyong's family? They're from our southern region."
Shen Zhiyan fanned her as they walked, because the August weather was hot and humid: "I don't know you."
"I understand." The invisible man, Duanwu, stepped out from behind Shen Zhiyan.
Ye Caiping: "Speak quickly."
"The Marquis of Weiyong's family has been demoted to the fifth rank. The family is surnamed Li. They fell into decline more than 20 years ago and moved back to their ancestral home in Nanzhou. They bought a small two-courtyard house in the prefectural city."
"The current Earl is over eighty years old, and the title will be passed down after his generation. He only has one son, but he is lazy and good-for-nothing, lying at home all day and not doing any work."
“My grandson is a gambler. He gambled away all the family’s land. The family is dirt poor and now they live on the old man’s monthly salary of 15 taels of silver. They live one day at a time.”
"If the old lord passes away one day, the title of Marquis of Weiyong will be gone, not to mention any nobility or anything like that. At that time, he will be worse off than an ordinary commoner."
When Ye Caiping heard the word "gambling," she understood.
It can only be said that God favors Li Jiaojiao.
It must have been when Li Jiaojiao was winning money everywhere that she met the old man's grandson at the gambling table.
If there's anything valuable left in this Earl's Mansion, it's nothing more than the nominal noble title and the quota for the provincial examination that comes with it.
Li Jiaojiao wanted this spot, and she must have spent a lot of money to get Li Ziming to become the old man's adopted son in order to get this spot.
Ye Caiping guessed correctly; Li Jiaojiao had bought this spot for 50 taels of silver.
The purpose was to allow Li Ziming to participate in the provincial examination and win first place in the exam.
Shen Zhiyan said, "Why are you asking this?"
"It's nothing, I just suddenly heard about this person, so I was asking."
The two had already entered the shop, and Ye Caiping happily showed him the furniture, saying, "Look, do you like these pieces?"
Shen Zhiyan squinted: "There are so many people, I can't see anything."
Ye Caiping retorted angrily, "Are you blind?"
Shen Zhiyan chuckled: "I'm just teasing you, it's very pretty."
Shen Zhiyan looked at the dazzling array of furniture in the room. Each piece was novel and unique, with elegant and smooth lines and exquisite patterns.
His eyes brightened slightly, tinged with an admiring smile: "You designed all of these?"
"Yes." He looked proud.
Shen Zhiyan praised them without reservation: "They are all very beautiful."
Ye Caiping was finally satisfied: "That's right! Take a look at your home and see if there's anything you need to replace? I'll give it to you."
"Really?" Shen Zhiyan looked him over. "Then I'll change them all. I'll take your new style, but I don't like the wood here. I prefer rosewood."
Rosewood? Ye Caiping gasped, "You mean how many rooms do you mean by replacing them all?"
“All the rooms and living rooms of the house.”
Ye Caiping's face froze. This room full of sandalwood must have cost tens of thousands of taels of silver.
Shen Zhiyan smiled and said, "Don't worry, I'll provide the wood myself."
"Oh... well..." Ye Caiping felt embarrassed and wanted to say no, but she had promised to give someone a gift, so how could she ask them to provide the materials?
But she couldn't afford the tens of thousands of taels of timber...
He's usually quite casual, spending 10 coins a fish basket as he pleases, so why is he so particular about using a piece of wood?
A miscalculation!
Ye Caiping said, "Then we'll take the measurements later, you can bring the timber over, and I'll pay for the labor."
"OK."
"Look, let's walk around a few more times, and you can see what style you want."
The two strolled around the store, but it was crowded, and the weather was hot and humid in early August, making it quite uncomfortable.
As they walked, Shen Zhiyan fanned Ye Caiping the entire way.
"It's Mr. Shen!" Grandma Ye and Grandpa Ye greeted the two of them with smiles and stepped forward.
"Hello, Uncle Ye and Aunt Ye." Shen Zhiyan nodded and greeted them.
"Everything is fine, everything is fine."
The elderly couple smiled broadly, and Old Man Ye asked nervously, "Sir, is there any furniture you like?"
Shen Zhiyan said, "Thank you, Madam Ye has already delivered it. Oh..."
He suddenly looked at Old Man Ye's waist.
The elderly couple dressed up specially today, wearing silk clothes bought by Ye Caiping. They looked like wealthy people, but they still felt a bit constrained.
Old Man Ye was dressed in a brown, diagonally-buttoned robe with a white jade safety buckle hanging from his waist, adorned with dark green tassels. The outfit looked strangely familiar.
"This jade was a housewarming gift from Mr. Shen, and my son gave it to this old man." Seeing him looking at his jade, Old Man Ye asked nervously, "Could it be for Xuan'er?"
They said they were going to pick jade.
Shen Zhiyan paused for a moment, then quickly smiled and said, "No. Uncle Ye wears it very well."
Old Man Ye beamed, "Yes?"
Then Shen Zhiyan took off a white jade thumb ring from her hand and handed it to him: "It looks even better with this."
"This..." Old Man Ye was flattered and puzzled: "Why did you suddenly send something to this old man, sir?"
Shen Zhiyan said, "Today is the grand opening of your store. I was a bit presumptuous and forgot to prepare a gift. This thumb ring is just a congratulatory gift. I hope Uncle Ye, Aunt Ye, and Madam Ye won't mind."
As he spoke, he glanced at Ye Caiping.
Ye Caiping tucked a stray hair behind her ear, lowered her head, and smiled, "Thank you, my dad likes it very much."
"Um."
Later, during the Dragon Boat Festival, she quietly tucked a small box into her sleeve.
Old Man Ye took the ring and slipped it onto his wrist: "Haha, then I won't be polite, thank you Mr. Shen. Does it look good?"
Shen Zhiyan smiled: "It looks good."
Grandma Ye: "Look at your smug look, you really don't know how to be polite. Mr. Shen, my apologies."
Old Man Ye happily twirled the thumb ring. It was really beautiful, just a bit too big.
Hmm, why does it look like it's a pair with the jade pendant at her waist?
Grandma Ye said, "Also... well, Xuan'er will be taking the provincial examination the day after tomorrow. Does the teacher say he'll pass?"
Shen Zhiyan: "Don't worry, we'll definitely pass."
"I'm relieved to hear Mr. Shen's words." Old Mrs. Ye breathed a sigh of relief.
Ye Caiping led Shen Zhiyan around a few more times, and then caught up with the frolicking Shen Manman.
Shen Manman said, "Daddy, all these furniture styles are so beautiful, why don't we change the furniture?"
Ye Caiping said, "It has been decided to change."
Shen Manman: "Then Aunt Ye, remember to make Daddy's bed bigger—um—"
Shen Zhiyan pressed his folding fan against her small mouth: "Shut up!"
Ye Caiping's lips twitched slightly.
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