Meng Ruyi watched Zhang Yunyun buying things left and right. She couldn't help thinking that there was such a cute little lamb in the world.
She bought whatever she saw. Song Huaizhi also cooperated by keeping the total price of all the items at exactly ten taels of silver, not a single copper coin more or less. When it seemed about right, Song Huaizhi nodded slightly at Meng Ruyi, signaling that they could stop.
Meng Ruyi suppressed the smile in her heart and pretended to be sad. She lowered her eyelids and said dejectedly to Song Huaizhi, "Forget it, Brother Song. Let's go home and rest for a while."
Song Huaizhi saw that her face remained calm, but the smile in her eyes was about to overflow. He knew that she could hardly hold it in any longer, so he replied, "Let's go. We'll talk about it next time."
"Humph!"
Zhang Yunyun looked extremely proud. Watching the backs of the two leaving, she couldn't help frowning and said, "Why are they leaving already!"
It had been such a short time! Why did they leave so soon?
Zhang Yunyun sighed. Just then, the waiter walked up to her and said, "Ten taels of silver, miss. You can settle the bill over there."
"Thank you for your patronage. The shopkeeper said to give you a small gift."
The waiter beamed and pointed enthusiastically to the side.
"What!" Zhang Yunyun never expected that just buying some random things would cost so much! The waiter then pointed at each item and named their prices one by one. Only then did Zhang Yunyun realize how many things she had bought.
The smile on the girl's face disappeared instantly. She hesitated for a moment.
Seeing this, the waiter quickly stepped forward with a smile and handed her a small trinket, saying, "Thank you for your patronage, miss. This is a little gift for you."
Zhang Yunyun felt embarrassed. Gritting her teeth, she took out her savings and paid the bill. Her heart ached as if it were bleeding.
Although she had spent a lot of money, she was sure that this time she had made Meng Ruyi swallow her anger. It was worth it!
On the way home, Zhang Yunyun kept giving herself mental pep talks. After thinking for a long time, she finally let out a sigh of relief.
It wasn't too much of a loss... right?
On the other hand, Meng Ruyi laughed all the way. She could hardly catch her breath, and there was a faint glimmer of tears in her eyes.
[Hahaha, I died laughing. I knew something was up as soon as Song Huaizhi opened his mouth.]
[The first battle of the villain alliance! Hahahahahahaha. This is a real villain! Even a passing girl would be fleeced.]
[I'm dying of laughter. From Zhang Yunyun's perspective, she kept muttering to herself, giving herself mental pep talks.]
When Meng Ruyi read this, she found it even funnier. She couldn't stop laughing at all. She even wanted to follow Zhang Yunyun right now to see what kind of expression she had.
Song Huaizhi had been rather calm at first, but seeing Meng Ruyi laughing so hard, he couldn't help the corners of his mouth curving up, and a faint smile appeared in his eyes.
"Happy now?" Song Huaizhi asked softly.
"Happy..." Meng Ruyi suddenly felt that it was a bit unkind of them to take advantage of others like this. So she cleared her throat and said, "It's okay."
Song Huaizhi glanced at her. The smile in his peach blossom eyes was rippling, revealing a rare look of youthful pride.
"Let's go." Seeing that the hat on Meng Ruyi's cloak was not pulled up, Song Huaizhi casually pulled it up for her and then retied the loose strings.
The two walked home slowly. Along the way, as the time was about right, the last rays of the setting sun were swallowed up by the twilight, casting a hazy, dim golden glow everywhere.
Meng Ruyi had been under a lot of pressure from Song Huaizhi these days. It was rare for her to stroll so leisurely. Her mind couldn't help but start to wander. After hesitating for a long time, she still couldn't bring herself to ask the question.
Song Huaizhi saw the hesitation on her face and asked without turning his head, "Come on, what do you want to ask me?"
Meng Ruyi had been hesitating. Hearing his voice, she was startled. She paused for a moment and then continued, "When did you open your shop, Brother Song?"
The speed was so fast! How could he open a shop out of nowhere, and it even seemed to be doing quite well!
"I opened it just three or five days ago." Song Huaizhi also walked forward slowly, shoulder to shoulder with Meng Ruyi. A rare look of leisure appeared on his face. "Uncle said that there were a few shops idle, so he asked me if I wanted to give it a try. I thought about it and took three of them."
Ah! It seemed that he had more than one shop!
Meng Ruyi was shocked. Even though she tried hard to suppress her expression, she still couldn't help showing a look of surprise.
Song Huaizhi was in a great mood when he saw this. A faint smile played on his lips. He casually untied a brocade pouch from his waist and said, "Here. I was going to look for something in the shop to give you. Now it seems that I can only give you this for now."
Meng Ruyi was surprised. She looked at him and saw the young man in front of her holding a brocade pouch in his hand with a calm expression. Meng Ruyi took it. She first felt that there was something inside. When she opened it, she found that it was osmanthus candy.
"This is delicious too!" The taste was different from the kind she usually liked, but it was sweeter and more fragrant.
The osmanthus flavor spread in her mouth. Meng Ruyi felt as if she was now a huge osmanthus tree, and even her words carried the fragrance of osmanthus. So, for some reason, her mood became better and better.
Wait!
The afterglow of the setting sun was fading. Meng Ruyi hadn't really looked at the brocade pouch clearly just now. It was only when she ate a piece of candy that she took a closer look.
It was Sichuan embroidery! Moreover, the stitches looked fine and dense. It was embroidered with fish playing among lotus flowers, looking vivid and elegant. It was even better embroidered than the handkerchief Meng Ruyi had given to Song Huaizhi.
"Sichuan embroidery!" Meng Ruyi almost shrieked. She said in disbelief, "Brother Song, you use this to hold candy?"
Shouldn't this be carefully put away or locked in a cabinet and taken out occasionally to look at?
Song Huaizhi smiled. "What else? Things are meant to be used. If you just put them away, they're just lifeless objects."
Meng Ruyi was extremely shocked. It was as if she was watching a beggar suddenly take out a stack of land deeds in the capital and tell her that they were all his.
When did Song Huaizhi become so rich! Although the principle was right, how many people would be willing to use it like this?
"Use it." Seeing the expression on her face, Song Huaizhi found it inexplicably funny. He said to her, "When it's gone, I'll give you another one."
"Okay, okay, okay!" Meng Ruyi was quite accepting of the fact that Song Huaizhi had suddenly become rich. A faint sense of crisis also arose in her heart.
Her little partner was growing up too fast. She also had to work harder.
Meng Ruyi ate another piece of candy and then carefully hung the brocade pouch on her waist. She couldn't help touching it every few steps, walking with a light step.
When they were almost home, Meng Ruyi unexpectedly saw a familiar figure. She subconsciously stopped and turned to Song Huaizhi, whispering, "How about we go around through the back door?"
Song Huaizhi gave her a half - smiling look.
Before Song Huaizhi could say anything, the person quickly ran over and shouted at Meng Ruyi, "Sister Ruyi!"
Meng Ruyi covered her face.