Xie Lang had completely lost interest in choosing hairpins after such a commotion. After leaving, he thought for a moment, then detoured to a pastry shop. He hesitated at the door for a while. Would it be too perfunctory to just bring some snacks back?
Xie Lang rarely hesitated, but finally stepped inside. He bought a bit of everything before going out. Looking at the bustling street, he finally handed the snacks in his hand to the guard and continued shopping.
"Master."
The guard, who had been stuffed with things, finally couldn't help but speak up. He said to Xie Lang, "There are too many. I really don't have any more hands to hold them."
Only then did Xie Lang suddenly come to his senses. Seeing that the guard's hands were full of things, he was silent for a long time before saying, "Okay."
As he walked, he kept buying. He seemed to be about to carry the whole street back. The two guards behind him were holding all kinds of snacks, and Xie Lang also had a handful. Finally, he said with a bit of regret, "Let's go. Hurry back."
Some things taste better when they're hot.
"You..."
Shen Mingzhu didn't expect Xie Lang to come back just over an hour after he went out. So there was a bit of surprise in her eyes. She asked, "Why did you come back so soon? Is there nothing wrong?"
Wasn't Xie Lang extremely busy a few days ago?
"Nothing. Hurry out and have a look. I've brought you some things."
Shen Mingzhu could hear the excitement in Xie Lang's tone. So she couldn't help but raise her eyebrows slightly and stood up, asking, "What things?"
Seeing Shen Mingzhu standing up, the smile in Xie Lang's eyes deepened. He said, "You definitely won't guess."
Shen Mingzhu followed behind him. When she went out, she saw that the small table in the yard was piled up with all kinds of food. There was everything, just like... just like he had brought back everything from a street.
Shen Mingzhu couldn't tell what she was feeling. When she turned her head and saw Xie Lang staring at her expectantly, she found that she couldn't suppress the smile on her lips at all. She nodded and said, "It's really a surprise. I really didn't expect it."
How did Xie Lang come up with this idea?
Shen Mingzhu took a step forward, reached out and tucked the stray hair beside Xie Lang's ear behind it, waiting for his inner voice.
[Buying just one is too... Anyway, I'm not that stingy. Of course, I have to buy a bit of everything.]
Hearing Xie Lang's proud tone, Shen Mingzhu couldn't help but chuckle.
"Try it." Seeing Shen Mingzhu smiling, the corners of Xie Lang's mouth also gradually turned up. Finally, he pointed to those things and said, "I picked out the things you can eat."
In Xie Lang's expectation, Shen Mingzhu took the chopsticks handed by the servant beside her, picked up a piece of food and put it in front of Xie Lang's mouth. She asked, "Is it delicious?"
Xie Lang was stunned at first, then took a bite. He chewed it and said, "It's delicious. It's very sweet."
Shen Mingzhu looked at the obviously savory pastry and fell silent. She thought she had misread, so she picked up a piece and took a bite. The savory taste filled her mouth, and she continued to purse her lips, not knowing what to say.
Seeing that Shen Mingzhu didn't even change her chopsticks and just picked up food with the chopsticks she had used to feed him, Xie Lang's heart skipped a beat. He felt his ears gradually turning red and was speechless for a moment.
He took a slight breath and kept silent secretly. He took the chopsticks that Chuntao stuffed into his hand and then said to Shen Mingzhu, "Sit down and eat slowly."
"Why did you come back so soon after you went out?"
Shen Mingzhu thought that Xie Lang didn't even go to check his shops. She intuitively felt that something might have happened. According to the usual practice, when Xie Lang went out, even if there was nothing wrong, he would go around his shops instead of coming back so early.
Sure enough, the next moment, Xie Lang's expression froze slightly. Looking at Shen Mingzhu, he said, "I did encounter a small problem, but it's already been dealt with."
Shen Mingzhu's hand holding the chopsticks paused slightly. Then she looked at Xie Lang and casually asked, "What's the matter?"
Xie Lang's tone was relaxed when he spoke, but his expression was a bit dull, and a flash of coldness passed through his eyes.
"How should I put it?"
Xie Lang sighed. Seeing the curiosity in Shen Mingzhu's eyes, he told her about the encounter with the Qu sisters. However, he just concealed that the Mr. Wen they mentioned was the business - related Mr. Wen instead of Mr. Wen Song that Shen Mingzhu knew.
He didn't know that Shen Mingzhu was fully aware of both of his identities.
After listening, Shen Mingzhu rarely showed a look of not knowing what to say on her face. Her eyes looking at the person in front of her were filled with a bit of sympathy.
"You..."
As Shen Mingzhu spoke, there was full of sympathy in her eyes. She reached out and patted Xie Lang's shoulder, saying, "If there's anything I can help with, just tell Chuntao."
[I'm so angry! Why is this happening! Are they crazy?]
Shen Mingzhu was silent for a moment. Seeing the indignation in Xie Lang's eyes, she couldn't help but laugh again. "I'll find a way. I'll send someone to keep an eye on it later."
"My husband, Xie Lang, will definitely not be bullied like this."
After hearing Shen Mingzhu's words, Xie Lang didn't know whether to be sad or happy for a moment. But he was pleased by the words "my husband, Xie Lang" from the person in front of him. So there was full of smiles in his eyes.
...
Qu Yunhua hadn't come to her senses when she saw her younger sister kneeling in front of her, wiping her tears and sobbing softly.
"Cry, cry, cry!" Qu Yunhua was impatient. Looking at her, she whispered angrily, "You're crying away all our good fortune."
Hearing this, Qu Yunli stiffened all over. For a moment, she was speechless. She lowered her head and sobbed softly, trembling all over, but didn't dare to say anything.
There was a knock on the door.
Qu Yunhua frowned. Then she saw her husband open the door and come in. There was a faint smile on his face. He said, "The maid just said you were back. I thought I'd come and discuss something with you."
Qu Yunhua didn't dare to argue with her husband at all. Hearing this, she smiled slightly and stood up, asking, "What do you want to say, husband?"
Qu Yunli had already stood up. She lowered her head and didn't dare to let the person in front of her see the tears in her eyes.
Qu Yunhua's husband was stunned at first, then continued, "Well... You've seen Yu'er's behavior these days. Although her background is a bit humble, she's a really nice person."
Qu Yunhua felt extremely embarrassed. Hearing her husband mention this unknown woman he had brought back from somewhere, her heart sank. She asked, "What do you mean, husband?"
The man smiled and said, "I know you're kind - hearted, so I dared to discuss this with you."
Qu Yunhua's expression froze.
"I want to promote her to a concubine. It can at least give her a status. Then it will be great if you two get along harmoniously." The man said, looking at Qu Yunhua tentatively, "It's just that mother doesn't quite agree. So I thought I'd come to you and ask you to persuade her."
Qu Yunhua could no longer hide the distorted expression on her face. With tears in her eyes, she looked at the man.
The man turned his head away awkwardly, then continued, "What do you think? I've always known you're different from other women, right?"
Qu Yunhua took a deep breath, and a bold idea popped into her mind.