Qi Jiao originally thought that Pei Xia was going to buy clothes and she would just accompany him as a shopper.
Who would have thought that Pei Xia gently pushed her and said to the female shopkeeper in an apricot - yellow dress, "Excuse me, shopkeeper. Please pick out two sets of high - quality ready - made clothes for my... wife."
After saying the word "wife", he even dared not look into Qi Jiao's eyes.
Would she dislike it?
Qi Jiao suddenly looked up at Pei Xia. Her lips twitched, and the next moment she burst into laughter. Wasn't she Pei Xia's nominal wife now?
The female shopkeeper was in her thirties with a bright red beauty mark on the corner of her mouth. She exuded a charming elegance when she talked and laughed.
"Come, come. Let me help you choose clothes. Does the young lady have any favorite patterns or fabrics?"
She warmly welcomed Qi Jiao into the female customer area and lowered the curtain, blocking Pei Xia's almost relieved look.
She didn't refute.
Qi Jiao knew her own figure and style very well. After trying on just a few sets, she picked out a set that fit well and suited her taste - actually, it was the one that felt not too expensive.
The shopkeeper kindly found a corset for Qi Jiao to change into and paired it with a pair of embroidered shoes.
"The young lady is naturally beautiful. No wonder your husband dotes on you so much," the shopkeeper teased in a moderate voice. Presumably Pei Xia outside heard it all. Qi Jiao blushed and said, "You're joking."
After Qi Jiao tried on the clothes, she was about to change back into her original outfit.
Who knew that the shopkeeper had already asked the female clerk to wrap up her original clothes.
"Just wear this set. Go out and let your husband have a look. Such a beautiful young lady should wear new clothes every day."
Hearing this, Qi Jiao lowered her eyelashes, half - shyly lifted the curtain and walked out.
There stood the beauty in a cherry - red gauze dress, a lotus - green pleated skirt on the lower body, and a pair of soft - soled embroidered shoes with ruyi patterns on her feet. Her clear almond eyes were slightly raised, her nose was straight and delicate, and her red lips and white teeth were charming. Leaving aside her hairstyle, she seemed to have stepped out of a painting of a beautiful lady.
Pei Xia stared fixedly at Qi Jiao. After a long while, he lifted his lips into a smile and said, "You're extremely beautiful."
Qi Jiao blushed and subconsciously averted her gaze. "Thank you, shopkeeper, for helping me dress up."
Seeing the silent communication between the young couple, the shopkeeper thought how wonderful youth was. She smiled at Pei Xia and said, "The young lady is amiable. The gentleman is really blessed."
Pei Xia bowed his hands to the shopkeeper. His eyes fell on Jiao Niang's figure, and a dimple appeared at the corner of his mouth.
Pei Xia asked Qi Jiao to pick out two sets of clothes.
But Qi Jiao insisted that she only wanted one set.
She appreciated Pei Xia's kindness, but it was better to save money at this time.
Pei Xia didn't argue. He bought two bolts of brightly - colored fine cloth, thinking of taking them home and asking Tang Guiniang to make two more sets of clothes for Qi Jiao.
He was thoughtful and filial, so he naturally didn't forget his mother and sister. He also bought a bolt of light - pink ten - pattern brocade and a bolt of royal - blue cloud - patterned cloth.
Finally, he picked out a pair of boots for Pei Li. That boy wore out shoes very quickly.
After shopping in the clothing store, the money they earned from selling fish in the morning was almost gone. And this was after the shopkeeper gave them a discount.
After saying goodbye to the kind and generous shopkeeper, the two of them walked out of the store carrying big and small packages.
Qi Jiao glanced at him. "You've bought things for all of us. What about you?"
Pei Xia said indifferently, "I'm out on the sea all day. It's a waste to wear new clothes. As long as I have enough clothes to wear, that's fine."
Pei Xia was wearing a half - worn black robe, and the cuffs were frayed and turning white.
It was really thanks to his good looks. If someone else wore this outfit, Qi Jiao wouldn't even give them a second look.
She remembered Pei Xia in the bright red wedding robe that night. His features were so sharp and unforgettable.
Seeing that she was absent - minded, Pei Xia suddenly took the package from Qi Jiao's hand. "What are you thinking about?"
Qi Jiao's hand was empty. Meeting Pei Xia's black pupils, she felt quite embarrassed as if her thoughts had been seen through.
She forced a smile and said, "I'm thinking about what to eat for the next meal."
Pei Xia found it funny and said softly, "Since you're hungry, let's go back now."
Just as they were talking, they suddenly heard a few voices arguing.
"I saw the begonia pearl hairpin first. Don't even think about it!"
"Boss, I'll take all these new - style ones."
"Who do you think you are? You're not even qualified to compete with me! I'm from the Guo Mansion!"
...
The cold sneers of a young woman came clearly from the pearl - hairpin shop on the other side of the street.
Qi Jiao looked in the direction of the sound. Just then, the young woman turned her head, which made Qi Jiao startled.
That person was none other than her good niece, Qi Fu.
Qi Fu felt the gazes outside. Her voice paused, and unexpectedly she saw Qi Jiao and Pei Xia standing side by side.
Seeing Qi Jiao staring directly at her, Qi Fu turned her head away guiltily.
What bad luck. Nothing good ever happened when she went out.
Qi Fu just wanted to avoid them at the moment. She even left behind her favorite pearl hairpins, turned around and walked out of the shop, quickly striding in the opposite direction from Qi Jiao and the others.
She left behind a teary - eyed little girl and a rather speechless boss of the pearl - hairpin shop.
Pei Xia also saw Qi Fu. His face darkened.
He had met Qi Fu twice when they were engaged. Both times their family members were present. He had a good impression of Qi Fu then. He never thought that although she looked like a decent person, she did such despicable things.
It's easy to know a person's face but hard to know their heart. Now when he saw Qi Fu, he only felt disgusted and filled with hatred.
Jiao Niang was Qi Fu's aunt. She was sold by her parents when she was young and had suffered for many years.
After she came back, she was sold by the Qi family for the second time and was seriously injured. Qi Fu repaid Jiao Niang's kindness with enmity and tried to harm his family.
Pei Xia remembered this well.
Seeing that Qi Jiao was still staring blankly at Qi Fu's back, Pei Xia felt pity for a moment. He thought that Qi Jiao was mourning the complete disappearance of their aunt - niece relationship.
Little did he know that Qi Jiao was just thinking whether Qi Fu had smoothly become the concubine of the third young master of the Guo family?
Judging from her tone, she seemed quite confident.
The two still took the mule cart back the same way.
However, they stopped at the town's medical clinic on the way back.
Pei Xia paid the coachman a few copper coins and asked him to wait for a while. Then he accompanied Qi Jiao in to change the dressing.
Doctor Gong examined Qi Jiao's wound. Although it hadn't fully healed, fortunately it hadn't inflamed and was recovering well.
After changing the dressing, he prescribed two more doses of medicine for her.
Qi Jiao also felt that the wound on her head didn't hurt as much as before. Besides getting enough sleep and eating well, it was also because Doctor Gong's medicine was working.
So she took the medicine package and stood up to thank him.
Doctor Gong knew almost everything about what had happened to Qi Jiao. After all, he was the one who treated her on the day of the accident.
In just a few days, Qi Jiao had changed completely.
She was no longer as listless as that day. There was color on her face, and she looked much more energetic. Doctor Gong couldn't help but sigh again that the Pei family was really kind - hearted.
Looking at the concern in Pei Xia's eyes, he let out a soft laugh. Maybe a wrong marriage wasn't necessarily a bad thing.
It was already evening when they returned to Baiyun Village.
Tang Guiniang had been standing at the door looking out several times. Finally, she saw the figures of the two.
There were bolts of cloth and sundries piled on the flat - bed cart. Qi Jiao and Pei Xia were walking back side by side. They chatted and smiled at each other from time to time. They seemed to be an extremely well - matched couple.
Tang Guiniang was overjoyed. As expected, young people needed to spend more time together. As they got along, everything would fall into place.