In Zhao Luoning and Ji Shisu's room, the two were lying with their necks intertwined, sleeping soundly.
But Sima Yi, who had been sent back to his room, couldn't fall asleep.
It had truly been an eventful night.
Actually, Sima Yi had always been aware of his own feelings.
Although his initial flutter of the heart had been because of Zhao Luoyu.
But whether it was by accident or by chance, the one who had left a specific impression on Sima Yi was Zhao Luoning.
So, the moment he realized he had loved the wrong person.
Sima Yi immediately understood.
Loved the wrong person, so be it. It was just a mistake.
Precisely because of this, Sima Yi had agreed to Zhao Luoning's invitation to drink.
The so - called "truth comes out after drinking" was just to soothe Ji Shisu's heart.
Sima Yi was very clear that in this lifetime, it was impossible for him and Zhao Luoning.
When he saw Zhao Luoning's lovely children, he had made up his mind to let go of her.
Let the couple live with this little misunderstanding.
Anyway, he was destined not to be with either of the Zhao sisters, Zhao Luoyu and Zhao Luoning, in this lifetime.
So, rather than that, he might as well let them feel more at ease.
When Sima Yi came back this time, he had harbored a bit of a wild hope.
If Zhao Luoning and Ji Shisu had a bad relationship as a couple, if Ji Shisu treated Zhao Luoning badly, he would take Zhao Luoning away and live a carefree life.
After all, a woman like Zhao Luoning was not suited to be confined in a courtyard, dealing with all those trivial matters.
But after seeing the layout of the Bai Mansion and Zhao Luoning's current life.
He knew that his plan had gone awry.
Well, Zhao Luoning had always been smart. How could the person she chose be bad?
However, it was really not an easy thing to let go of a fixation that had lasted for so many years.
Forget it. It was better to leave early and not make a fool of himself here.
Sima Yi hardly slept all night and got up early the next morning.
At this time, Ji Shisu and Zhao Luoning were still asleep, but the servants of the Bai Mansion were already up, bustling about with sweeping and tidying.
The drawback of having such a large mansion was that it took half a day just to clean it every day.
Just when the masters were still in bed, a guest unexpectedly came.
A... young lady, wearing a dark blue riding suit and riding a maroon horse, came early in the morning and banged on the gate of the Bai Mansion at the foot of the mountain.
There was something familiar about her figure.
Sima Yi was sitting on the roof, watching clearly as the young lady knocked on the door, as Yu Chi opened it, and as the young lady pushed Yu Chi aside and climbed up the mountain on her own.
Sima Yi frowned. Could this young lady be here to cause trouble?
So, while the woman was still huffing and puffing her way up the stairs, Sima Yi leaped down and landed firmly in front of her.
The woman let out a scream. Suddenly seeing something in front of her, she almost fell.
After she realized that there was a person standing in front of her, she wiped the sweat off her forehead and was about to scold the person.
When their eyes met, both of them were startled.
"It's you?"
"It's you!"
The person who came was none other than Miss Shu Danyao of the Shu family.
This young lady was well - known for her feistiness in the neighboring areas, and she had remained unmarried up to now.
Fortunately, now the Shu family was headed by her elder brother, Shu Danqing, who had married a dead woman.
Shu Danqing was an open - minded person. He didn't dislike his sister for not getting married. Instead, he thought that his sister was rather choosy and had the bearing of a refined scholar.
The brother and sister made quite a pair, which really annoyed the elders of the Shu family.
Later, seeing that her parents were always troubled by her, Shu Danyao simply moved out and bought a courtyard of her own. After passing the appropriate age for marriage proposals, she decided not to consider marriage anymore and instead devoted herself to helping her elder brother manage the business. Gradually, she became a good assistant to Shu Danqing.
This time, she rushed up to the Bai Mansion angrily, also because of the family business.
That Zhao Luojing was so annoying. He had done such a good job in business that he left no room for others. A partner of theirs had now defected to cooperate with the Yujing Silk and Satin Shop.
It was really infuriating.
That was why, after hearing that Zhao Luojing had come to the Bai Mansion, she rushed over quickly to ask.
Shu Danyao was a straightforward person. Seeing Sima Yi frowning deeply.
"You still haven't been caught by the court?!"
Sima Yi wasn't afraid at all. He said cheerfully, "What? Does Miss Shu want to report me to get the reward?"
Shu Danyao waved her hand and said, "I won't take such ill - gotten gains. What's mine, I won't give up a single bit; what's not mine, I won't take a single cent."
Shu Danyao and Sima Yi were old acquaintances. Sima Yi decided to meddle in this matter. He asked,
"It seems that Miss Shu has something to say. What's wrong? Has the Zhao family offended you?"
"Offended, seriously offended!"
Shu Danyao put her hands on her hips and spoke in a rapid - fire manner, like a hot pepper, really pungent.
Sima Yi watched her leisurely. Suddenly, he thought this young lady was quite interesting.
When he had met her at the Ji Mansion before, she had seemed gentle and elegant, no different from those girls who were eager to get close to him.
Now it seemed that this should be her true nature.
Had she been acting in front of him back then?
This young lady had quite good acting skills.
Shu Danyao rushed in angrily, and the news quickly reached Zhao Luoning's ears.
Hearing that Shu Danyao was looking for Zhao Luojing, she quickly dug Zhao Luoyu, who was still sleeping soundly, out of bed.
Zhao Luoyu was still groggy from sleep. When Zhao Luoning asked about the Shu family, she replied casually, "Has the Shu family come so soon?"
Hearing this, Zhao Luoning knew.
It must be her younger sister who had done something outrageous again and offended the Shu family.
She didn't even give Zhao Luoyu a chance to go back to sleep. She dragged Zhao Luoyu up and ordered someone to help her wash and change clothes.
Zhao Luoyu dressed in men's clothing. At this time, Shu Danyao had bypassed Sima Yi, the roadblock, and came all the way up to seek an explanation.
Zhao Luoyu, dressed as a man, felt really troubled when she saw Shu Danyao.
"Miss Shu, you keep coming to me. People who don't know might think you've taken a fancy to me."
Zhao Luoning gave Zhao Luoyu a fierce glare.
Zhao Luoyu always loved to crack such jokes. If the young lady really got the wrong idea, she wondered how Zhao Luoyu would handle it.
Zhao Luoyu looked innocent when she was glared at. She spread her hands and said, "Elder sister, I really have no other way. I didn't snatch the Shu family's business. That Boss Song heard that our Yujing Silk and Satin Shop had sparrow brocade and came to us on his own to ask for cooperation. I really didn't know he was a customer of the Shu family before I signed the contract. Otherwise, I would have informed the Shu family anyway."
Zhao Luoning believed her younger sister.
Although Zhao Luoyu seemed a bit unreliable and occasionally played some harmless pranks, she wouldn't do, and didn't even disdain to do, things like malicious competition.
Hearing this, Shu Danyao was also stunned.
"Sparrow brocade?"
"Yes, sparrow brocade, a new kind of silk developed by our silk and satin shop."
Hearing this, Shu Danyao lowered her head in shame.