Ji Shisu was about to ask further when Zhao Luoning's voice came from behind.
"Second Master, it's getting late."
Actually, Zhao Luoning didn't catch what Ji Shisu and Zhao Luochun were whispering about. She just didn't want the two of them to get too close.
After all, her elder brother was an unpredictable factor. One never knew what he might do.
After watching their carriage leave, Ji Shisu and Zhao Luoning walked back side by side.
Yu Chi and Cai Xue were very sensible and kept a distance of about five steps, following them closely.
Suddenly, Ji Shisu asked, "Zhao Luoning, don't you trust me at all?"
Zhao Luoning turned to look at him. "Why do you say so, Second Master?"
"You took Father - in - law and Elder Brother to see the Old Madam and announced my promise to you in front of both families. Isn't it because you're afraid I'll make empty promises and not keep them?"
Zhao Luoning understood and smiled. "Oh, Second Master, you've misunderstood me. I don't mean to distrust you. I just don't want to face such situations again in the future. So, we should make things clear to the elders, right?"
Facing such a Zhao Luoning, Ji Shisu was quite helpless. "Zhao Luoning, you really aren't afraid of anything."
"What should I be afraid of? I'm not the one who did something wrong." Since Ji Shisu had helped her today, Zhao Luoning, being a rather loyal person, said, "Don't worry. Before our deal is completed, I'll still be a good Second Young Mistress and won't cause you any trouble."
Mentioning the deal, Ji Shisu suddenly remembered the man he had left forgotten in Cihua Courtyard.
That middle - aged man was the person in charge of his national intelligence network. To show his sincerity, he had specially fetched that man. Firstly, he wanted Zhao Luoning to tell the man Cai Xue's information so that they could start the search. Secondly, he wanted Zhao Luoning to see his determination to fulfill his promise.
But now, Ji Shisu didn't dare to let Zhao Luoning face that man directly.
It was obvious that once Zhao Luoning found out Cai Xue's background, she would leave.
He wasn't mentally prepared for her to leave yet.
Let him be a bit selfish.
Ji Shisu thought for a while and said, "There have been too many things these days. After I'm done with all this, you can tell me more about Cai Xue's background. I'll see if there are any breakthroughs we can follow up on."
Zhao Luoning also knew about the matter of Nuanyu Studio. She had waited so long, so she wasn't in a hurry. She nodded.
Ji Shisu stopped when he escorted Zhao Luoning to the entrance of Furong Courtyard.
"I won't go in. You have a good rest. I'll come to pick you up for the tea - tasting banquet tomorrow."
"You're going to the tea - tasting banquet?" Zhao Luoning was very surprised.
The head of the Ji family going to the tea - tasting banquet was a great honor for the Zhao family.
Zhao Luoning thought he was just trying to make amends because of today's incident, so she comforted him, "Don't worry. As long as you promise to go to the tea - tasting banquet, my father will feel your sincerity and won't blame you anymore."
Ji Shisu gave a bitter smile. Going to the tea - tasting banquet was a decision he had made long ago.
But at the moment, he didn't want to explain more.
Zhao Luoning entered Furong Courtyard with Cai Xue, while Ji Shisu walked out with Yu Chi. The two parted ways at the entrance.
Looking at Ji Shisu, who was showing obvious signs of fatigue, Yu Chi asked, "Sir, do you want to go to Miss Luqu's room to rest?"
To outsiders, it seemed that Ji Shisu doted on Luqu and went to Luqu's residence every day. But actually, Yu Chi knew very well that Luqu's residence was just a place for the sir to stay overnight.
The sir rarely shared a room with Luqu. Usually, the sir slept in the main bedroom and Miss Luqu slept in the side room.
Miss Luqu was good at massage. Moreover, she was intelligent and reasonable. Unlike the other concubines, she never pestered the sir. Whenever the sir encountered any troubles, he would go to Luqu's residence, chat with her, and let her give him a massage. He could always rest well.
So, seeing Ji Shisu exhausted both physically and mentally, Yu Chi made this suggestion.
Unexpectedly, Ji Shisu shook his head, which was out of character.
"Go back to Fengti Xuan."
"Sir, this is..."
"I just realized my mistake today." In the past, the whole world told him that he could have multiple wives and concubines. Women were just appendages, relying on men to survive.
He used to think that as long as he wasn't like those business friends who treated women like trash and discarded them casually, as long as everything was consensual and he took responsibility for them, he was right.
It wasn't until he met Zhao Luoning.
Zhao Luoning didn't rely on him. She even looked down on him.
Because of Zhao Luoning, he realized for the first time that women didn't rely on men to survive. His previous idea that taking responsibility for women by providing them with gold, silver, food, and clothing was good for them was really naively ridiculous.
Yu Chi asked, "Sir, are you going to be chaste for the Second Young Mistress?"
Ji Shisu gave a bitter smile. "Not really."
Only when one falls in love does one know that being chaste is not passive but active.
He had completely lost interest in others.
However, Yu Chi always liked to poke at Ji Shisu's sore spots. He asked slyly, "Then what about that virgin from Tianxiang Tower? Are you not going to look for her anymore, sir?"
Ji Shisu said, "… Keep looking. I hurt her. After we find her, don't disturb her life. See what she needs and try our best to compensate her."
That night, Ji Shisu accompanied a client to Tianxiang Tower to do business. The client said there was something interesting for Ji Shisu to try. Ji Shisu couldn't decline, so he reluctantly took a sip.
Unexpectedly, that thing was an aphrodisiac.
Ji Shisu had a rule. Although he was promiscuous, he would never casually touch women outside.
So Yu Chi asked the madam to find a virgin.
But no one expected that the virgin the madam found wasn't a brothel girl but a girl who had been forcibly sold there. She disappeared early the next morning.
After knowing this, Ji Shisu felt even more remorseful. Moreover, that night, he didn't know if it was the effect of the drug or because that virgin was really too attractive. That night had left a deep impression on him.
So he had been looking for her. On the one hand, he liked her. On the other hand, he wanted to compensate her.
But now the situation was different.
Even if that woman was really found, Ji Shisu could make a definite decision.
The woman he liked was Zhao Luoning.
The woman who never gave him a good look but made him miss her all the time.
Seeing Ji Shisu so determined and not just talking, Yu Chi was really shocked.
Even when the sir was obsessed with that virgin from Tianxiang Tower, he hadn't reached such a state.
It seemed that the Second Young Mistress really had the sir wrapped around her little finger.
Yu Chi carefully reminded him, "Sir, the Second Young Mistress made such a fuss today. It's obvious that she doesn't want to live in peace."
"I know."
"I think the Second Young Mistress has offended the Old Madam and the Madam. I'm afraid in the future..."
"It doesn't matter. I'll protect her."
"Then... what if the Second Young Mistress really leaves one day, what will you do?"
Ji Shisu had offended everyone in the family who could be offended for Zhao Luoning's sake.
"If she really leaves, I'll go with her."
"What?! Second Master, you're going to abandon the huge Ji family fortune?!"
Even if Ji Shisu didn't want it, the entire Ji family wouldn't agree!