The thought of playing matchmaker perked Ji Shihan up.
All the way on the street, she kept thinking about it.
How could she make her second brother notice his wife without makeup while ensuring his wife wouldn't be repulsed?
The carriage jolted along.
Maybe because she was in a good mood, Ji Shihan managed to endure the bumps. She lifted the curtain, looking around and asking Zhao Luoning a few questions from time to time. Zhao Luoning patiently answered them all.
It wasn't until the coachman announced their arrival that they got off the carriage.
What the coachman meant by "arrival" was the inn that Zhao Luoning had ordered to be prepared earlier.
The waiter rushed up to them. Just as he was about to lead them to the private room upstairs, his eyes fell on Ji Shihan.
She was truly a beauty.
The waiter was a rough - hewn man. Although he didn't know how to describe the beauty in front of him, he knew that Ji Shihan's beauty was second to none among all the young women he had seen in his years as a waiter.
"Bold!"
Seeing the waiter being completely captivated, Hongshao quickly scolded him.
A burst of laughter erupted from the crowd. Although it was aimed at the waiter who was distracted by beauty, it still made Ji Shihan, who rarely went out, blush.
Zhao Luoning noticed Ji Shihan's embarrassment and quickly comforted her.
"I've reserved a private room. Let's go upstairs."
Then, with authority, she ordered the waiter.
"Hurry up and lead us to the private room."
At this moment, a voice interrupted, just loud enough for Zhao Luoning and the others to hear.
"With jade - like bones and snow - white skin, the grace of autumn water and the heart of a poem."
Zhao Luoning turned around and saw that an old acquaintance had come to their rescue.
"I hope I'm not being too presumptuous, ladies."
"Brother Ning, you're being too polite."
Zhao Luoning smiled, knowing that Ning Huainan was trying to ease the awkward atmosphere. If they were to blame someone, it should be the waiter.
Seeing Zhao Luoning greeting the newcomer familiarly, Ji Shihan let down her guard and boldly sized him up.
This look was a revelation. She ended up following in the waiter's footsteps.
Ji Shihan rarely interacted with strange men, but that didn't mean she was a girl who would act like a fangirl at the sight of a man.
Not to mention that her second brother, Ji Shisu, was extremely handsome, unmatched in the world.
Even her third brother and fourth brother were both handsome and imposing.
So even though Ji Shihan rarely left the mansion, she wouldn't be stunned at the sight of a man.
However, Ning Huainan was an exception.
He was dressed in a pale - green silk robe, his hair tied up with a bamboo hairpin, and there was a faint scent of ink on him.
Not only was his appearance no less impressive than the Ji family's young masters, but his eloquent compliment and extraordinary conversation just now also showed his profound knowledge.
This time, Ji Shihan didn't have a bad impression of Ning Huainan for being presumptuous. Instead, her heart skipped a beat at their first meeting, and she even had trouble standing steadily and breathing.
If it weren't for Hongshao's silent reminder, Ji Shihan might have behaved even more rudely.
"Shihan, are you feeling unwell?"
Seeing Ji Shihan blushing, Zhao Luoning thought her old illness had relapsed and reached out to support her.
The innkeeper knew that these people were of high status, so he stepped in to smooth things over.
"The inn has failed to serve you well. The private room you reserved has been cleaned. I'll lead you up now."
At Zhao Luoning's invitation, Ning Huainan also went up to the private room.
The private room was much quieter, and the three of them could finally talk in peace.
After Zhao Luoning introduced them, Ji Shihan learned that the man who had captured her heart was Ning Huainan, the eldest son of the Ning family.
Although the Ning family had moved out a long time ago and was gradually forgotten, Ji Shihan had seen a lot of them when she was a child with her eldest brother. She knew that the Ning family and the Ji family had always been important business partners.
So she still had some impression of the Ning family.
Now that she knew Ning Huainan was the eldest son of this scholarly family, her admiration for him grew a little more.
"Brother Ning, why are you alone? It's not like my second brother not to follow you."
Ning Huainan smiled and gently waved the folding fan in his hand, looking calm and composed.
"As for him, he has a date with a beauty. How could he remember me, his elder brother?"
"A date with a beauty?"
Zhao Luoning knew that Ning Huaizhi was a restless person, but she never expected that he would move so fast within just a few months of his return.
Ning Huainan then realized that he almost let the cat out of the bag and quickly covered it up.
"He said he had a date with a beauty. Who knows if this 'beauty' is just one of his cronies? His words are half - true and half - false. Don't take them all seriously."
Zhao Luoning didn't think much about it. As the sky was getting darker and the street was getting lively, she thought it was time for the prayer and bid farewell to Ning Huainan. Then she took Ji Shihan and left the inn.
One purpose was to pray, and the other was to show her around.
After all, the private room was reserved by Zhao Luoning. Ning Huainan was concerned about her reputation, so when she left, he also went downstairs. He found a quiet table and prepared to drink tea alone and wait for Ning Huaizhi.
Ning Huainan watched Zhao Luoning leave the inn.
Unexpectedly, just as Zhao Luoning left, a man left the inn in a hurry without even finishing his tea, following her.
All of the man's actions were noticed by Ning Huainan.
Worried about Zhao Luoning's safety, Ning Huainan threw a silver ingot on the table and followed them out of the inn.
Flower Brocade Street
Zhao Luoning accompanied Ji Shihan as they strolled and chatted.
"Shihan, my cousin was so rude just now. Don't take it to heart."
"Come to think of it, I met Young Master Ning when I was a child. I just didn't expect you two to be cousins."
Zhao Luoning's smile was hidden behind her veil, so Ji Shihan didn't see it.
Zhao Luoning intended to test Ji Shihan. She had noticed something was off about Ji Shihan at the inn.
Ji Shihan's little girlish feelings were delicate. A wrong move might "startle the snake".
Immersed in her own thoughts, Ji Shihan didn't say much. But when they passed a jewelry stall, she was attracted by the delicate jewelry and couldn't help but stop for a few more steps.
Ji Shihan took a fancy to a magnolia wooden hairpin at a glance. Although it wasn't made of gold or jade, the carving was delicate and meticulous, showing great effort.
She held it in her hand and looked at it for a long time, but finally put it down reluctantly.
"Shihan, why don't you buy it? You seem to like that hairpin very much."
Zhao Luoning said and was about to ask Caixue to pay the money and ask the boss to wrap up the magnolia hairpin.
Ji Shihan looked at Zhao Luoning in shock.
"Sister - in - law, aren't you嫌弃 this is a street - side item and not suitable for formal occasions?"
Zhao Luoning smiled. She didn't understand why Ji Shihan would think like this and casually replied.
"The craftsmanship is exquisite. It's much more beautiful than the gold and jade jewelry sold in the shops. I never think there's anything wrong with street - side items. They're cheap and nice, much more cost - effective than those in the shops."
After the boss wrapped up the hairpin and handed it to Ji Shihan, Ji Shihan took it, her eyes turning red.
Zhao Luoning was startled. She didn't expect a hairpin to make Ji Shihan like this.
"Shihan, what's wrong with you?"