33 Caress
◎The warmth of the palm◎
Shu Yao felt that the atmosphere around her was not right, so she quickly left the room.
Seeing her hurriedly fleeing back, Shen Jingan couldn't help but curl his lips into a smile.
Shen Qianxiao saw it and said with a slightly sour tone: "The prince has fallen in love with Miss Shu."
Chen Jing'an didn't refute, and teased: "Is Qian Xiao jealous?"
She curled her lips: "How dare I be jealous of the prince."
Shen Jing'an took out a high-quality peach blossom hairpin from his arms and handed it to her. Only then did Shen Qianxiao smile a little.
…
Today, Shu Yao left Zuixiangfang early. She tiptoed to the door and looked around, but did not see Chen Jing'an's carriage. She breathed a sigh of relief, walked out the door and disappeared into the crowd on the long street.
I earned three taels of silver today and was thinking of buying some winter clothes for myself and Ji Shijing.
So he walked into a clothing store.
The Yilan Shop is bustling with activity. Perhaps it's the New Year, and everyone wants to make a new set of clothes or two.
Several people who looked like tailors were measuring the customers' bodies with rulers, and occasionally writing something on the fabrics, looking very busy.
There were so many people in this store that Shu Yao was about to take her foot back to go to another store.
A perceptive waiter nearby immediately stepped forward and asked enthusiastically, "What kind of clothes do you want, young lady? Our tailor can make any style. Please come in, young lady."
Shu Yao was too embarrassed to go out again, so she followed the clerk's guidance to the fabric area, where the clerk asked her to choose the fabric first.
"Don't you have any winter clothes ready?" she asked.
The guy scratched his head and said, "Yes, there are some, but the style may not be what you like, girl."
"Can I take a look then?"
"Please wait a moment, young lady."
The clerk took out four or five ready-made winter clothes from the warehouse. When Shu Yao saw them clearly, she almost blacked out. She finally understood what the clerk had said at the beginning.
The winter clothes he took out were either bright red or bright green, each embroidered with several lotus-like patterns, which looked both ostentatious and tacky.
She waved her hand, indicating she didn't want any of it. The waiter had already guessed what she was doing. He smiled and said, "Then go pick out some fabrics yourself first, girl."
Shu Yao nodded and looked at the pile of cloth in front of her. She took a fancy to a piece of royal blue silk and couldn't help but touch it. It had a silky texture and was very soft. She retracted her hand, thinking that the price of this cloth must be quite expensive.
She continued to look behind her and suddenly saw a crescent-colored piece of silk in the corner. She reached out and took out the silk. The surface of the fabric was smooth and flawless, and it shimmered with water, just like flowing lake water. She thought it would feel very cool to the touch, but when she touched it, the fabric was not cool at all, and even had a little warmth.
She was a little shocked, but the more she looked at it, the more she liked it, and thought it would look great on Ji Shijing.
Just as she was thinking, a tailor came over from nowhere, a measuring tape on his shoulder. Seeing Shu Yao was very satisfied with the crescent-colored silk in her hand, he smiled and said, "You have good taste, young lady. This batch of fabric has just been brought back from the Western Regions. It is the finest silk brocade. It is said that it will even generate heat when worn."
Shu Yao touched the fabric in her hand. She didn't know if it was a psychological effect, but she really felt it getting hotter and hotter. "Are you serious?"
The tailor patted his chest and assured: "I have worked in this shop for decades. If I tell a lie, girl, just come to me."
Shu Yao pursed her lips, feeling very fond of it, so she asked, "How much is this material?"
The tailor said, "That depends on how much the girl wants. Will she wear it herself or will she be measured by someone else?"
"Measure for others."
"What's that person's figure like?"
Shu Yao glanced at the crowd, pointed at a tall and thin young man not far away and said, "Similar to him."
The tailor understood and held up two fingers, his mustache trembling as he opened and closed his mouth: "Two taels of silver."
Shu Yao touched the three taels of silver in her pocket and asked tentatively, "Can you give me a little less?"
The tailor smiled and said, "Why don't you make another dress, young lady? You can save fifty cents on two dresses."
Shu Yao picked up a piece of moon-yellow cloth nearby. This piece of cloth was of lower quality than the previous one and felt rougher.
The tailor took out a tape measure and measured Shu Yao's figure, then recorded it on the cloth with a lime marker. When he was done, he said to her, "This piece of cloth is fifty cents, plus the piece of fine silk brocade in front... Miss, just give me two taels."
After a pause, he continued, "Miss, please go to the counter to pay the deposit, and you can pick up the clothes in five days."
Shu Yao moved to the counter and lined up. The line was very long and she was at the end. Next to her was the place where they could choose the materials.
She was thinking about how to spend the first year in the book when she heard Ji Zhao's voice unexpectedly. She looked at him cautiously out of the corner of her eye.
Ji Zhao was choosing materials with a man. They both looked like they had just come in, and the snow on their clothes had not melted yet.
Shu Yao quickly turned her head away, fearing that Ji Zhao would recognize her.
But who is the man next to Ji Zhao?
Fortunately, there are many people here, and if the two of them didn't look carefully, they wouldn't notice her at all.
Ji Zhao spoke loudly, and her conversation with the man came into Shu Yao's ears in such a careless manner.
Ji Zhao said, "Yonglang, my mother didn't mean it that day. If you can pass the imperial examination, my parents will definitely agree to our marriage."
Shu Yao: There are melons.
Ge Yong hugged Ji Zhao and said sweetly, "How could I be angry with my mother-in-law? Zhao'er, if I pass the exam next year, I will definitely marry you in a grand sedan chair."
Ji Zhao leaned in his arms, deeply moved.
Ge Yong suddenly looked embarrassed, touched the fine fabric in front of him, and sighed.
Ji Zhao asked hurriedly.
Ge Yong then spoke: "Zhao'er, you know, my family is poor, and my parents have never worn such good material, I..." He stopped talking halfway and observed Ji Zhao's expression.
Ji Zhao was anxious and asked quickly, "Yonglang, tell me quickly, what happened?"
Ge Yong seemed to be unable to speak, and he stammered for a long time before saying, "I am penniless and really can't afford such good material."
Ji Zhao thought it was something else, she took off the gold hairpin on her head and said: "It's okay, I paid for Yonglang, and it can be regarded as a filial piety to my future parents-in-law."
The corners of Ge Yong's mouth trembled. He obviously wanted to laugh but couldn't. He was a little embarrassed: "Zhao'er, how can I spend your money?"
Ji Zhao seemed to have thought of something, and his face suddenly turned red: "I am already yours, what does this money mean to me?"
Ge Yong gently embraced her: "That's a good trick."
The two of them chattered on and on about a lot of boring things.
Shu Yao got goosebumps all over her body when she heard this.
After choosing the fabrics, the two came over to line up to pay. There were only three people between Shu Yao and them. When it was almost her turn, she heard the voices of the two people behind her.
Ge Yong: "Zhao'er, are those two still staying at your house?"
Ji Zhao said with disgust, "Yes, but grandma didn't tell the servants to bring them food and clothes these days. They must have starved to death or frozen to death by now."
After thinking for a moment, she added, "They're both unlucky. I'm afraid they'll bring trouble to the Ji Mansion if they live there."
Shu Yao was furious when she heard this.
Ge Yong's eyes rolled around twice, then he held Ji Zhao's hand and said, "So, all the money in the Ji Mansion belongs to... my father-in-law?"
Ji Zhao nodded as a matter of course: "That's for sure."
Ge Yong became even more flattering to her.
Shu Yao said "tsk tsk" twice in her heart, thinking of the Phoenix man below.
After paying and coming out, she saw some children playing with slingshots on the street. An idea suddenly came to her mind.
She will take revenge and never let herself be wronged.
So she bought two candied haws and exchanged them for a slingshot. She picked up the loose stones on the ground and hid in the corner, ready to shoot.
When Ji Zhao and Ge Yong came out hand in hand, Shu Yao drew her bow and took aim. A round stone flew out with a "swish" and hit Ji Zhao's calf. The whole movement was smooth and flowing.
Ji Zhao cried out in pain and couldn't help but bend down.
Ge Yong asked with concern: "What happened to Zhao'er?"
She rubbed her calf and looked up. At a glance, she saw children playing with slingshots not far away. She pointed at them and said, "Brother Yong, they must have hit me with the slingshot."
"Naughty kids." Ge Yong rolled up his sleeves and made a gesture to go up and scare the group of kids.
But the kids were not pushovers either. When they saw Ge Yong coming towards them with a bad look on his face, they all picked up their slingshots and started shooting randomly.
Ge Yong was caught off guard and "ate" many stones, and didn't dare to take another step forward.
The kids made faces at him, then patted their butts and ran away.
Ge Yong spat on the ground and only dared to swear: "You bunch of bastards, don't let me see you again, or I will beat you up every time I see you.
Shu Yao hid in the corner, laughing so hard that her stomach hurt.
She didn't come out until the two of them walked away.
When she returned to the side door of Ji's house, she was surprised to find Ji Shijing waiting for her on the other side of the wall. She smiled brightly: "A Jing."
She handed him the newly bought rice and cooking oil.
Ji Shijing took it and put it on the ground. His expression was indifferent and his voice was cold: "Give me your hand."
Shu Yao did as she was told.
Ji Shijing's thin hands held her tightly, their palms touching. He rubbed them silently, the warmth lingering. He pursed his lips, a thought crossing his mind: "There's a dent in the wall next to your feet. Use it for leverage."
Shu Yao lowered her head, exerted force with her feet, and with the help of Ji Shijing, she easily turned over.
After landing safely, she picked up the rice and cooking oil on the ground and looked at him: "Ah Jing, how did you know there was a depression there?"
Ji Shijing glanced at her without answering. He raised his foot and walked forward quickly. After a few steps, he seemed to think of something and came back to take the rice and cooking oil from Shu Yao's shoulders.
Shu Yao looked at his back and smiled unconsciously. It turned out that her love for this child was not in vain.
As the Chinese New Year approaches, the business at Zui Xiang Fang has slowed down a lot. The men are all at home with their wives and children, so they don't have time to go out and have fun.
Shu Yao had a rare moment of free time, and was staring blankly outside when she saw Chen Jing'an walking in covered in snow.
She sees him every time she comes these days.
Sometimes he would smile at her from the third-floor window, and sometimes he would run to the backyard to watch her put makeup on people, watching for the entire afternoon.
Shu Yao felt a little uncomfortable and reminded Chen Jing'an several times, both explicitly and implicitly, but Chen Jing'an seemed not to understand and still came over every day.
After a long time, Shu Yao was too lazy to care about him.
Shen Qianxiao stood in the corridor of the backyard and looked over here. A woman passing by her noticed her gaze and gloated: "Qianxiao, this prince comes to visit Miss Shu every day. I guess he has fallen in love with Miss Shu."
"Don't be too sad. Every man is fickle." She said with a chuckle.
"Shut up, the prince's thoughts are not something you and I can guess." Shen Qianxiao looked at her with a smile, but his tone was extremely cold.
The woman shrugged nonchalantly, waved her sleeves, and walked away lightly.
Shen Qianxiao retracted his gaze and turned away, looking uneasy.
…
As the New Year draws closer, Shu Yao's small treasury slowly expands.
The mansion was particularly lively that day.
Shu Yao was still in her dream when she heard someone banging on the door. She shouted angrily, "Who is it?"
"Today is the old lady's birthday. Miss Shu, please get up early and go to serve her." said Nanny Wang.
What birthday?
The old lady’s birthday.
She sat up with a somersault, rubbed her messy hair, and gradually regained consciousness.
The old lady wanted her to serve on her birthday? She always felt that it was not a good thing.
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