"Me?"
"Yeah. You're my legal wife. Don't you count as a member of my inner household?"
Zhao Luoning waved her hands repeatedly. "I can't do it."
"Why?"
Zhao Luoning almost blurted out, "You're already my younger sister's husband."
Instead, she changed her words and said, "You already have children with someone else. I can't interfere in your relationship. People will hate me for that."
Actually, Zhao Luoning's excuse was rather lame. In those days, which family didn't have concubines and children of different status?
But Ji Shisu took it seriously.
He looked at her intently. "Is that the only reason?"
Zhao Luoning nodded. "Isn't this reason good enough?"
It was an established fact that Ji Shisu had children, not only Ji Jianhui but also Ji Jianxue.
These children were irrefutable evidence.
She didn't believe that Ji Shisu could just erase their existence.
Ji Shisu smiled and tucked the quilt around her gently. He only left two words: "Wait for me."
Zhao Luoning didn't think much about it.
She silently retorted in her heart.
Wait for you? No way!
I'll leave right away once I find out Caixue's background!
Most of the people who came to Nuanyu Zhai were men, especially those from outside. Although Ji Shisu had sealed off the inner courtyard to prevent outsiders from entering, Zhao Luoning knew that she couldn't stay here for long.
In the afternoon, her fever subsided a bit, so she got dressed and got up.
Ji Shisu wasn't in the shop. He had gone out to purchase goods. Only the shopkeeper was busy in the front hall.
There weren't many customers buying jade at this time. After the shopkeeper finished attending to the guests, he saw Zhao Luoning come out and quickly stepped forward respectfully to greet her.
"Second Young Mistress."
Zhao Luoning nodded and scanned the shop with her eyes.
The Nuanyu Zhai of the Ji family was truly extraordinary. Every jade article inside was crystal - clear and of high quality.
Of course, the most valuable thing in the Ji family's Nuanyu Zhai wasn't these jade articles, but the information network that Ji Shisu had built over the years, which spread both at home and abroad.
Wherever the Ji family's jade articles went, the Ji family's information could be sold.
All these were hard - won by Ji Shisu through his dangerous experiences, and they were wealth that Zhao Luoning couldn't earn no matter how talented she was.
Since there were few customers at the moment, the shopkeeper focused on attending to Zhao Luoning.
He invited Zhao Luoning to sit in the VIP seat. Just as he was about to ask the assistant to take out all the best jade articles in the shop for Zhao Luoning to choose from, Zhao Luoning refused.
"Shopkeeper, you're being too kind. I'm here today to ask you for a favor."
Zhao Luoning smiled and spoke politely.
"I've often heard the Second Master mention you. He said that you're quite accomplished in the antique world. I have an item. Could you please help me appraise it?"
During the conversation, Zhao Luoning took out the Buddhist bead. The shopkeeper boasted about his long - term experience and seniority in the jade business while taking the Buddhist bead and examining it carefully.
He turned the Buddhist bead over and over, then held it up and scrutinized its texture against the light. Then he let out exclamations of admiration.
"It's truly a wonderful item. I've been in this business for so many years, but I've never come across such a good Buddhist bead string. May I ask where you got this Buddhist bead string, Second Young Mistress?"
Zhao Luoning smiled and replied half - jokingly.
"I bought it from a stranger many years ago. Why do you ask, shopkeeper?"
The old shopkeeper played with the Buddhist bead string and didn't want to let it go.
"The person who sold this Buddhist bead string to you is a person of great significance."
A person of great significance?
It meant that Caixue's identity was extremely noble, and she was by no means a simple abandoned girl?
Seeing that there was a clue, Zhao Luoning quickly asked, "Why do you say so, shopkeeper? That person was in rags and looked haggard. There was not a bit of wealth about him."
The shopkeeper held the Buddhist bead with a white cloth and respectfully returned it to Zhao Luoning.
"Second Young Mistress, this Buddhist bead is not something that an ordinary family can use. If this Buddhist bead string is not a tribute, then it must be the property of a royal family member from a foreign country. Second Young Mistress, you'd better put this item away. If the government finds out that you're using royal items, it may bring you trouble."
Royal family member?
How did Caixue get involved with the royal family? Was it Caixue who had the noble identity, or was it Aunt Luo who abandoned Caixue?
Zhao Luoning was confused. Since Caixue's background was so noble, why hadn't anyone come to look for her after all these years?
After putting away the Buddhist bead, Zhao Luoning thought of another thing.
She felt in her sleeve. There was a jade pendant lying there.
It was the one that the man had stuffed into her when she was violated that night.
Zhao Luoning didn't really want to recall the memory of that night, but she had always carried this jade pendant with her.
She wanted to find that man and avenge the violation, but she was also afraid to face that man. So she carried this jade pendant but had never shown it to anyone.
Now, Zhao Luoning was hesitating.
The shopkeeper was well - informed. This was a rare opportunity to find out the identity of that man.
But was she really ready to face it?
After struggling for a long time, Zhao Luoning finally summoned up the courage to say, "Shopkeeper, I..."
Before she could finish her words, she was interrupted.
"Luoning, why did you get up?"
It was Ji Shisu who had returned from purchasing goods outside.
Actually, Ji Shisu had been back for a while. He saw Zhao Luoning chatting with the shopkeeper and thought she was choosing jade articles. He thought that as long as Zhao Luoning liked them, he could even give her the whole shop. So he didn't interrupt.
It was not until he heard the words "royal items" that he knew something was wrong.
He quickly lifted the curtain and came in to interrupt their conversation.
Seeing Ji Shisu come, the shopkeeper wisely stepped back.
When Zhao Luoning saw Ji Shisu, the memories of the morning came flooding back.
Her face instantly turned red.
Fortunately, she was wearing a veil, or she would have been extremely embarrassed.
Zhao Luoning tried hard to calm her pounding heart and asked seriously, "Why did you hide from me the fact that Caixue might be from the royal family?"
Zhao Luoning knew that with Ji Shisu's ability, he couldn't have failed to find out the clues that she could easily ask about.
Ji Shisu smiled bitterly in his heart: "What else could it be? I just don't want you to leave me so soon."
Of course, he wouldn't tell Zhao Luoning this reason. So he just made up an excuse casually.
"You can't just claim such an identity casually. I naturally have to make sure it's correct before I tell you. It takes time to confirm the identity of a lost royal heir. This is not as simple as an ordinary family looking for their daughter."
Zhao Luoning nodded upon hearing this.
What Ji Shisu said made sense. She couldn't be sure that Caixue was from the royal family now. She still needed Ji Shisu to investigate and verify.
"Then you must tell me as soon as you have any news. Don't hide it from me."
"Why do you always think I'll hide things from you?"
"How would I know? I just feel that you don't really want me to find out Caixue's background."
"Your intuition is right."
"Ah?"