Chapter 419: Chapter 395, Acidic_1
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On the eighth day of September, after Yan Wenqi and the other four had rested for two days, the old Lady Yan ordered Daohua and Yan Wenxiu to take them for a stroll in the city.
Early in the morning, after breakfast, the group set out from their estate.
In the carriage, Daohua saw Yan Yunxi flipping through her veil hat and laughed, “Wearing this is a bit inconvenient.”
Yan Yunxi paused, then said, “I don’t find it inconvenient, but I hadn’t worn one before, so I took a few extra looks at it.”
Mostly because the gauze used on the veil hat was something she had never seen; it was light, thin, smooth, and attractive.
Such fine material just to make a hat veil, what a waste.
Yan Yunyan laughed, “I think it looks quite nice wearing this. When I went to visit my brother at Fengbai Prefecture, I saw some girls wearing them. I made one for myself when I got back home, but I never had the chance to wear it.”
In their hometown, even when going to the county town market, one rarely saw girls wearing veil hats. Everyone was busy making a living, and who had extra money for such things?
Daohua laughed, “Then today, while we are out shopping, you’ll have the chance to wear it.”
Afterward, the group went straight to the busiest street. Yan Wenxiu and a few others mainly browsed book and painting stores, while Daohua and the other two had a more varied shopping experience. If they saw something delicious, they would eat; they entered jewelry and fabric stores too, and even if they didn’t buy anything, they were happy.
Watching the three girls excitedly run to the next jewelry store, Yan Wenxiu shook his head with a chuckle, “Next time we go out, we can’t bring them along. We’ve spent half the day catering to them.”
After saying this, he looked at the sky.
“It’s almost noon now. There’s a restaurant up ahead, the food there is quite tasty. Once the three sisters come out, let’s go eat there.”
Yan Wenqi hesitated, “Isn’t eating out too extravagant?”
Yan Wenxiu smiled, “It’s fine, let the eldest sister treat. That girl is a little rich lady. Her brothers and sisters have come to visit—it wouldn’t be right if she didn’t play the host, would it?”
Thinking of Daohua’s generous nature, Yan Wenqi and the others didn’t say much more. They also couldn’t say much since they should accede to their host’s preferences.
At noon, Daohua ordered a table full of dishes at the restaurant and even requested a pot of wine. To avoid waste, the group spent more than an hour eating until every dish was clean before leaving the restaurant.
Daohua, Yan Yunxi, and Yan Yunyan were all overstuffed. After leaving the restaurant, they did not take the carriage but instead walked along the streets with Yan Wenxiu and the others.
Along the way, they saw a vendor selling candied haws; Daohua immediately pulled Yan Yunxi and the other girl to run over.
“Big brother, do you want some?”
Yan Wenxiu helplessly replied, “Didn’t you overeat?”
Daohua retorted, “That’s exactly why I want some candied haws.” She then turned to the vendor, “Boss, give each of us a stick. We all need to digest a bit.”
Soon, each person in Daohua’s group had a stick of candied haws in hand.
Looking at the candied haws in his hand, Yan Wenxiu was somewhat amused and exasperated, “Eating on the street is quite unrefined.”
Daohua brushed off his remark, “Don’t listen to my big brother. We have our veil hats to hide behind, so nobody can see us.”
Hearing this, Yan Yunxi and Yan Yunyan exchanged smiles and began eating their candied haws as well.
As the group continued their walkabout, they found themselves at Xiao Yeyang’s glass store without realizing.
Just then, a carriage happened to pass by and stopped right in front of the Glass Store.
As Daohua was hesitating whether to take Yan Wenqi and the others into the shop, her eyes suddenly narrowed.
What had she seen?
The person alighting from the carriage was, indeed, Xiao Yeyang, and following him was a girl with a veil hat!
Almost instantaneously, Daohua began to feel uncomfortable inside.
Xiao Yeyang was actually sharing a carriage with another girl!!!
“Brother, up ahead is the Glass Store opened by Xiao Yeyang. You haven’t visited yet, right? Since we’re here, let’s go in and take a look,” she said.
Without waiting for Yan Wenxiu’s response, she walked towards the shop on her own accord.
Seeing this, Yan Wenxiu and the others quickly followed suit.
…
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“Welcome to our store, we have a new batch of glass ornaments. Ladies and gentlemen, please feel free to browse.”
Daohua nodded to the shop assistant and then started looking around the store. Very soon, she saw Xiao Yeyang by one of the display cases.
The young lady accompanying him had already lifted her veil, and Daohua recognized her—it was Jiang Wanying, who was known to have a childhood sweetheart relationship with Xiao Yeyang.
“Hmph!”
Shortly after Yan Wenxiu and the others arrived, they heard Daohua’s indignant snort.
…
“Brother Yang, this glass rabbit is so exquisitely made. Do you think my mother will like it if I take it home for her?”
Jiang Wanying was excitedly looking at the glass ornaments. “What should I do, Brother Yang? I like all of them. I want to take them all home.”
Xiao Yeyang, hiding his impatience, said indifferently, “It’s your birthday, I’ll give you a piece of glass. As for the rest, if you want them, you just need to bring enough silver.”
Jiang Wanying pouted, putting down the ornament, and looked at Xiao Yeyang with longing in her eyes. “Brother Yang, can’t you give me a few more pieces of glass?”
Xiao Yeyang remained unmoved. “Cousin Wanying, I’m running a business. If everyone were like you, I’d end up without a thread on my back.”
Daohua liked silver, and he was counting on selling more glass, then using those silver notes to make her happy.
Jiang Wanying said, “But… but my father said the Glass Factory makes a lot of money, and you’ve even sold glass to the south.”
At those words, a cold look flashed in Xiao Yeyang’s eyes.
The Jiang Family was indeed watching him!
“The Glass Factory is not managed by your father; he doesn’t know the specifics.” With that said, he called over the butler and told him, “If Miss Jiang buys any glass later, one piece is to be free of charge for her.”
Sensing Xiao Yeyang’s reaction, Jiang Wanying felt very displeased.
Mother wasn’t wrong, after coming to Zhongzhou, Brother Yang really has become stingy.
Xiao Yeyang was just gesturing for the butler to go when he suddenly caught sight of Yan Wenxiu and the others at the entrance of the store. Seeing one of the girls wearing a veiled hat, his eyes lit up, and he strode directly towards them.
“Wenxiu, when did you get back?”
Yan Wenqi and the others were marveling at the shop’s various exquisite glass pieces when they suddenly heard someone calling Yan Wenxiu. They turned around and saw an elegant gentleman dressed in brocade approaching them.
Yan Wenxiu immediately went up to greet him: “Little Prince!”
Hearing the title, Yan Wenqi and the others felt a jolt in their hearts.
Little Prince…
The gentleman in front of them was a prince?
At this moment, Xiao Yeyang had already approached them, glanced at Daohua, then smiled and said to Yan Wenxiu, “You’re back, and you didn’t even send someone to let me know?”
Yan Wenxiu smiled and replied, “I thought about sending someone to the barracks, but mother and grandmother said there was no need. They said that in a couple of days, everyone would meet.”
Xiao Yeyang chuckled, then quickly glanced at Daohua and said, “That’s true. Recently, we have often followed Wentao and Wenkai to your house for meals.”
Before he had finished speaking, Jiang Wanying approached and greeted Yan Wenxiu with grace, “Wanying has seen Yan Da Gongzi (Eldest Master Yan).”
Yan Wenxiu immediately returned the greeting, “Miss Jiang is well.” Turning his head, he looked towards Daohua, who stood aside.
Daohua, having no choice, lifted her veil and walked over, curtseying. “Miss Jiang.”
Looking at Daohua, who appeared even more ethereal with her white veil, Jiang Wanying’s smile stiffened a bit, and she returned the greeting, “Miss Yan is also here.”
Daohua swiftly glanced at Xiao Yeyang beside her and laughed, “Our clan’s brothers and sisters are here, and my brother and I are just accompanying them shopping. Miss Jiang, when did you arrive in Ningmen Prefecture? With the Little Prince personally escorting you, you must have already toured the entire city, haven’t you?”
This remark made Xiao Yeyang, who was still secretly delighted at the chance meeting with Daohua, suddenly tense, his hands restlessly rubbing together.
Then, he heard Daohua continue.
“Did we come at an inconvenient time? I just saw you and the Little Prince choosing glass. We haven’t disturbed you, have we? If so, I’m really sorry. Why don’t you two continue looking? We came in just to have a casual look around.”