Somewhat clumsily, Shen Mingzhu inserted the jade hairpin into Xie Lang's hair. She withdrew her hand and took a few more looks, then reached out to adjust the position of the hairpin. Turning to the shopkeeper beside her, she said, "Bring me the bronze mirror." Xie Lang stood there completely stunned, staring blankly at Shen Mingzhu with a hint of bewilderment in his eyes.
The flabbergasted shopkeeper fetched the bronze mirror and respectfully held it up with both hands in front of Xie Lang, not daring to look him in the eye.
"How do I look?" Shen Mingzhu asked Xie Lang. "Do you like it?"
Xie Lang stared blankly at the person in the mirror. After a long while, he finally replied, "I like it."
Shen Mingzhu glanced at him and noticed that the shopkeeper's hands were shaking and the mirror was tilted. Frowning, she straightened the mirror and asked, "Do you want to take another look?"
This is so perfunctory. He didn't even look properly. Shen Mingzhu shot him a look, with a hint of displeasure in her eyes.
Only then did Xie Lang suddenly come to his senses. He said to Shen Mingzhu, "How could I not like it? As long as it's from Your Highness, I like anything."
As he spoke, Xie Lang noticed that the mirror hadn't been held straight just now. He coldly glanced at the shopkeeper before smiling at Shen Mingzhu.
"You're such a smooth talker," Shen Mingzhu said as she withdrew her gaze from several small wooden boxes beside her. Looking at Xie Lang, she continued, "I wonder where you learned all these nice words from."
Hearing this, Xie Lang looked at Shen Mingzhu, a cynical smile curving his lips. He said, "Do I need to learn this? Just seeing the princess makes all the nice words in my heart want to come out."
The shopkeeper thought to himself, "If I hear my master flattering someone else like this, will I still have a way out?"
Shen Mingzhu thought, "Xie Lang sure knows how to talk. He may think I don't know that he calls me by my name in his heart and scolds me all the time!"
Rolling her eyes at Xie Lang in annoyance, Shen Mingzhu didn't realize that the corners of her mouth were slightly curving into a faint smile. Her gaze towards Xie Lang was filled with an unconscious smile.
Shen Mingzhu thought, no wonder her aunt liked to summon a bunch of male concubines to talk to. If she could listen to such sweet words every day, her mood would surely improve.
So Shen Mingzhu waved her hand boldly, pointed at the things she had taken a fancy to, and then pointed at the hairpin in Xie Lang's hair. She said, "Wrap them all up and send them to the Xie Mansion."
After saying that, Shen Mingzhu saw Xie Lang still standing there, with her reflection in his eyes. She couldn't help but smile and said, "Does the son-in-law have anything else he fancies?"
As she spoke, Shen Mingzhu leaned close to Xie Lang's ear and said, "Since you've been so sweet-tongued and sensible today, just say what you want."
Unexpectedly, Xie Lang took a step back, picked up Shen Mingzhu's right hand, and examined it for a while. Under Shen Mingzhu's suspicious gaze, he said slowly, "Really? Your Highness has such beautiful hands. It's just a pity that they lack a nice bracelet."
"Bring out your signature warm jade bracelet."
[Humph, wasn't it agreed that I would pay the bill? Is Shen Mingzhu trying to make me live off her?]
[In your dreams! Who would live off you?]
After saying that, he put down Shen Mingzhu's hand, leaned close to her ear, and whispered in a low voice, "Your Highness is also very sweet-tongued today. It's really rare."
Shen Mingzhu looked at Xie Lang's eyes and thought that the person in front of her might not be quite right in the head.
She could tell that Xie Lang was like a fighting cock, always trying to outdo her.
He didn't want to live off her? Well, then he could just spend a fortune.
Thinking this way, Shen Mingzhu looked at Xie Lang with great satisfaction and said, "Since that's the case, then I won't be polite."
"Thanks to the son-in-law today, I can take a look at the shop's treasure."
As she spoke, the shopkeeper placed a locked box on the table, took out the key from his waist, and opened it. Then he said to Xie Lang, "Son-in-law, please."
After saying that, the shopkeeper hurriedly retreated to the side, unable to bear to look at the bracelet any longer. This was the shop's treasure. He had been hoping to sell it for a sky-high price, but unexpectedly, his master was using it to please someone.
The shopkeeper was so heartbroken that he was on the verge of tears. His eyes were filled with a glimmer of tears as he looked at the bracelet.
"Try it on?" Xie Lang took Shen Mingzhu's hand and put the bracelet on. Finding that it fit perfectly, he said in satisfaction, "Good. Wrap it up."
"Please trouble the shopkeeper to send all these things, along with the ones just now, to the Xie Mansion. Settle the bill with my servant."
"Of course, of course," the shopkeeper said. Seeing that Xie Lang was finally about to leave, he wiped the cold sweat off his forehead and quickly told the servants to start packing up these things.
After saying that, Xie Lang said to Shen Mingzhu, "Where does Your Highness want to go next?"
Shen Mingzhu looked at Xie Lang silently. After a long time, she tentatively asked, "I wonder when the son-in-law became so rich?"
Hearing this, Xie Lang remained calm. He said to Shen Mingzhu, "These are naturally the things my mother left for her daughter-in-law. Of course, they should be spent on Your Highness now."
Shen Mingzhu found that she couldn't refute Xie Lang's excuse. So she glanced at him and said, "Let's go. Just take a stroll."
When they got out on the street, Shen Mingzhu didn't know where to go for a moment.
She couldn't really take Xie Lang to the brothel for young men and then ask him to buy the place, could she?
Although Shen Mingzhu had a somewhat reckless attitude, if she really did that, her reputation would probably be ruined all the way to the border.
Sighing, Xie Lang looked at Shen Mingzhu a few times and asked, "Does Your Highness want to go around with me?"
Hearing this, Shen Mingzhu was taken aback. She asked, "Where are you going?"
Xie Lang smiled, and his familiar flirtatious look appeared on his face again. He said to Shen Mingzhu, "Naturally, I'm taking Your Highness to have some fun."
Chun Tao, who was standing beside them, thought, "Help! Where is the son-in-law taking the princess?"
Shen Mingzhu looked at Xie Lang and said, "Let's go."
When they arrived at the place, Shen Mingzhu felt that Xie Lang was just leading her around for fun.
He said it was for fun, but which normal person would think of shadow puppetry when they heard those two words?
Shen Mingzhu was being led by Xie Lang by the sleeve and standing among a bunch of children. She felt that she had lost all her face in this lifetime. Her ears were red, and she was so embarrassed by the curious looks of the children beside her that she wanted to run away and leave Xie Lang behind.
[Hahaha, didn't you expect this? How about it, Shen Mingzhu? Surprised? Unexpected?]
[This is one of my favorite things. You're lucky!]
When Shen Mingzhu heard this thought, she was stunned. She never expected that Xie Lang was really trying to make her happy and didn't mean to tease her at all.
"Big sister, do you adults also like watching shadow puppetry?" a little girl with a round face asked Shen Mingzhu. She was curious to see two out-of-place adults standing in the middle.
"Like... I guess so," Shen Mingzhu replied.
This little girl was so cute, with a round face, fair and tender skin, and a lovely personality. Her eyes were clear and open when she looked at people.
Shen Mingzhu found it hard to say no to her.
After saying that, the little girl's eyes lit up. She took out a few candies and placed them in her palm. She said, "You really have good taste. Unlike my parents, they don't watch this."
"Here, I'll give them to you, big sister."
Shen Mingzhu had never received a gift from a child before. She was stunned when she saw this.
Xie Lang, who was standing beside them, was completely ignored. Feeling unhappy, he leaned close to Shen Mingzhu's ear and said, "How about it? I still have good taste, don't I?"
[Humph, this little girl really has no taste.]
Shen Mingzhu thought, "I don't want to talk. It feels like my IQ will be lowered if I open my mouth."