Shen Dingzhu looked at Mr. Shi helplessly with a pair of dark eyes.
"Uncle Ren, didn't we agree not to mention this matter? I have a husband, and what's more, by saying this, you want me to destroy a harmonious and beautiful family?"
Mr. Shi waved his hands hurriedly: "I don't mean that, I just feel sorry for you, but it's okay. As long as I'm here, no one can bully you. Good boy, no matter what your past is, if you settle down in Chengzhou, I will definitely support you, and until the day I die, the entire shop will be handed over to you."
Shen Dingzhu smiled, like a delicate flower and a bright moon, dazzling and stunning.
"Uncle Ren, look at you. You drank a little too much. You always talk about life and death. It seems that I can't let you drink more. If you give me your shop, what will happen to your daughter?"
Mr. Shi's eyes turned gloomy and he sighed heavily.
"They haven't come back for ten years, and all the letters and money I sent have been returned. Do I have to wait for them to come home in my lifetime? I'm afraid I have long forgotten my father."
When Shen Dingzhu saw this, she realized that she had said the wrong thing, so she talked about other happy things to divert her attention.
The two looked like a father and daughter, talking to each other, when Xu Huaisong came back from the door, holding a water bag in his hand.
Mr. Shi looked drunk again. He shook his head and said that he was not a good drinker.
"Xu Dadong, I'm very drunk. Ah Zhu will go back to close the shop alone in a while. Could you please give her a ride for me?"
Xu Huaisong's eyes were dark and calm, and his tone was even more steady: "You don't need to tell me, Shopkeeper Shi, I have the same plan."
After that, he handed the water bag to Shen Dingzhu. Seeing that she was still licking her lips, Xu Huaisong lowered his eyes and said calmly: "Drink this. I just asked the restaurant kitchen to boil the sugar water. A little sugar will not make you feel greasy."
Shen Dingzhu was surprised. She knew that Xu Huaisong had always been meticulous, but she didn't expect him to be so meticulous.
She thanked her profusely, but she was really thirsty, so she took it directly without refusing.
The warm sweet water falls down the throat, refreshing and sweet.
After dinner, they sent Mr. Shi back to his house first. Only then did Xu Huaisong find out that Shen Dingzhu lived in the Shi family.
Shen Dingzhu went to close the shop, and Xu Huaisong said: "I want to buy some pen and ink. Can you please accompany me again? It won't take too long."
"Okay." Shen Dingzhu thought for a while and nodded in agreement.
The weather was gloomy in the afternoon, and the Wenfang Sibao store selling pens was on the corner of the street. Shen Dingzhu accompanied him and walked there.
Xu Huaisong has a dignified and dignified aura, as jade-like as a pine, as noble as a noble son. In addition, he is tall and tall. Walking beside Shen Dingzhu, he frequently attracts the attention of many people.
As soon as Shen Dingzhu entered the shop, the shopkeeper greeted her: "Ah! Isn't this the Xi Tzu from the Shi family? What do you want to buy?"
The shopkeeper Qing Qin came closer, and before she even got close, she saw a handsome man with a gentle and aloof expression standing next to her.
Xu Huaisong's servants were all outside, and the shopkeeper subconsciously took a second look.
Shen Dingzhu looked calm: "The gentleman next to me wants to buy some good pen and ink. You can bring some for him to see."
The shopkeeper came to his senses and said, "Okay, okay."
He turned to pick the wolf hair, and Shen Dingzhu said subconsciously: "Let's take a look at the Taihu pen."
Xu Huaisong was beside her and glanced at her calmly.
It turns out that Shen Dingzhu still remembered that he only liked to use Taihu pens.
The two bought things from the calligraphy and painting shop and left, then went to several other shops.
Finally, on the carriage back to the Shi family, Shen Dingzhu was already a little drowsy.
Xu Huaisong next to her handed over some clothes he had just bought.
When he was in the shop, he said he bought it for his cousins in the clan, but now he said, "It's for you."
Shen Dingzhu opened his eyes and frowned in confusion.
Xu Huaisong said: "Your clothes are too thin. New Year's Eve is coming soon. These new clothes should be regarded as my congratulatory gifts to you."
Shen Dingzhu didn't want it, but before she could refuse, Xu Huaisong said: "You have to work hard tomorrow to accompany me on a few trips. This is one of the rewards you deserve, and I will give you more money then." .”
"In that case, thank you very much, Mr. Xu." Shen Dingzhu finally accepted.
There was a long silence between the two. It was so quiet that they could only hear the sound of the carriage's wheels grinding against the snow.
At this moment, Xu Huaisong said: "I didn't marry Mrs. Wang, she found someone else to marry."
After hearing this, Shen Dingzhu blurted out: "What a pity!"
Xu Huaisong was amused by her tone and gave a rare chuckle: "What's the pity? Freedom to marry is entirely voluntary."
"Because Mrs. Xu is really kind and cares about you sincerely. If there are no misunderstandings and entanglements between husband and wife, and they can meet a true lover, life will definitely get better and better."
Xu Huaisong's smile faded, his eyes gradually faded, and he finally said: "It's good to be alone, and live your life for yourself, not for anyone else."
Shen Dingzhu didn't speak again.
The next few days.
Xu Huaisong came to pick up Shen Dingzhu in the morning, took her to have lunch, and then sent her back to Shi's house. At night, he arranged for a servant to deliver food.
Occasionally, Shen Dingzhu would accompany him to meet several wealthy businessmen from local business houses.
Several of them had heard of Shen Dingzhu's reputation, and they couldn't help but wonder when they saw her with the Xu family, their chief patron.
That day, Mrs. Yuan, the wife of a wealthy businessman, came to the shop to find Shen Dingzhu. She placed an order with her and asked her to help repair four paintings called "Scenery of Four Seasons."
It was a painting of the four seasons of Chengzhou painted by masters of calligraphy and painting a hundred years ago. However, due to the passage of time, the painting has faded.
Mrs. Yuan hopes to add color without destroying the structure of the ancient painting. This delicate work can only be done by Shen Dingzhu, and only she can do it beautifully.
"Azhu, I'm going to send this painting to the capital. You have to help me. I won't miss the money." Mrs. Yuan came in and smiled at Shen Dingzhu.
Shen Dingzhu looked at these four paintings and asked, "How long do you want to take them?"
Mrs. Yuan smiled and couldn't help but glance at Xu Huaisong, who was sitting next to him drinking tea and waiting for Shen Dingzhu.
She said distractedly: "It's best to do it on the seventh or eighth day, and it shouldn't be too long. It's always good to give it out before New Year's Eve. After the Chinese New Year, we have to do favors."
Shen Dingzhu frowned slightly. Seven or eight days were too rushed, and now she had to accompany Xu Huaisong to look at calligraphy and paintings during the day.
If it was normal, she would be okay, but now she is about to be seven months pregnant, always feeling tired and her energy is not as good as before.
Shen Dingzhu thought about how to refuse. Mr. Shi was not here today, so she had to think carefully about how to refuse Mrs. Yuan.
Mrs. Yuan's husband was a well-established local wealthy businessman. In the early years of a disaster in Chengzhou, he took the lead in donating five thousand taels of silver to the court for disaster relief. He was a man who had been rewarded by the imperial decree.
Therefore, it offended Mrs. Yuan and brought trouble to Mr. Shi.
Shen Dingzhu was thinking about it, but at some point, Xu Huaisong was already standing beside her. He only glanced at the "Four Seasons".
He said, "It's fake. There's no need to make it up. It's a joke to send it out to experts."
Mrs. Yuan was concentrating on admiring his handsome appearance. When she heard what he said, her expression suddenly changed.
"False? Don't talk nonsense. This was given to my master by the county governor a few years ago. We have kept it sealed in the library for safekeeping. How could it be fake? And you didn't even look at it. How do you know it? is fake?"
"It's really with me." Xu Huaisong's concise words completely blocked all Mrs. Yuan's complaints.
Her tone was choked: "Huh?"
Shen Dingzhu was afraid that she would be angry, so he pulled her aside and explained a few words about Xu Huaisong's origin in a low voice. Mrs. Yuan's eyes widened immediately.
It took her a while to react, and she looked at Shen Dingzhu and then at Xu Huaisong.
"Ouch! Azhu, you have such a powerful husband-in-law, why did you hide it and why did you just stay here with Mr. Shi?"
Shen Dingzhu's charming face became anxious: "Mrs. Yuan, he is not my husband, I..."
Mrs. Yuan's servants were all poking their heads at the door. Everyone always had various suspicions about this beautiful Xi Shi. She was usually protected like a golden pimple by Mr. Shi, and no one was allowed to talk to her.
At this moment, when she heard that her husband-in-law was this wealthy man who had recently come to the city, she suddenly understood and felt that this should be the case.
A beauty should be worthy of someone of such noble status. Otherwise, how could ordinary people protect the beauty of this Shi Shi Azhu?
Xu Huaisong's figure turned slightly, blocking Shen Dingzhu behind him, while he negotiated with Mrs. Yuan.
"If you want this painting, I can arrange for a servant to deliver it from home. The price is negotiable, but don't bother A-Zhu these days. She won't be available for the time being."
Mrs. Yuan laughed heartily, her eyes clearly misunderstanding: "I understand, I understand, Ah Zhu, you are really lucky. I have long seen that you are extraordinary, so I will come to see you again after the new year."
She just left.
Shen Dingzhu looked at Xu Huaisong with dark eyes, who still looked calm and said: "Let her come after me. These days, I need you more for my affairs."
Another five or six days have passed, and there are only four days until New Year's Eve.
The city was decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations, and children started setting off firecrackers in advance to welcome the New Year.
Xu Jingxi was invited by Mr. Shi to go to Shi's house to have New Year's Eve dinner with them on New Year's Eve.
At the door of the medicine shop in the city, a carriage covered with brown cloth was parked today.
Two cold-faced guards in brocade clothes dismounted and walked into the medicine shop.
At this time, the old doctor at the medicine shop was discussing Shen Dingzhu with his son Yang Da.
"I think that's Ah Zhu's husband. Otherwise, why would he be so nice to her?"
"Hey! The child in my belly is also his?" Yang Da said bitterly, "This big boss is so blessed that he doesn't know how to be blessed. If I have such a beautiful wife who is willing to bear children for me, how can I Maybe let her wander out there alone.”
The old doctor jumped up and hit his son on the head with a medical book: "Every day, I just think about beauties and useless things."
The two guards at the door looked at each other, and one of them stepped forward and placed a piece of silver on the table.
He said coldly: "Prescribe medicine."
The old doctor calmed down his expression and came quickly.
Yang Dayan watched as the other guard returned to the carriage, bowed and said something. His cold eyes looked towards the shop from time to time, and he kept nodding his head in a very respectful manner.
Yang Da was very confused.
Why do they seem to have so many big shots coming to their small Rongan City recently?
The old doctor was prescribing medicine, and Yang Da went to the backyard to grind medicine.
After a while, when he heard his father's cry from ahead, Yang Da hurriedly threw away the pestle and ran back to the medicine hall.
"Dad!" As soon as Yang Daye entered, he found that the door of the shop had been closed by two guards.
His father passed out in front of a tall man.
Yang Da was startled. Looking up from the bottom, he saw a corner of the man's purple gold robe embroidered with running beasts and auspicious clouds. Going up further, a jade belt was wrapped around his waist, and the inlaid gemstones shone darkly.
The whole medicine hall was dark, except for the scarlet sparks rising under the stove where the medicine was being burned, just like the deep and piercing eyes under the man's sharp eyebrows!
The aura all over his body was strong, as if it was hotter than the sparks under the medicine stove, like a red-hot blade.
"Who are you?" Yang Da panicked, frightened by the man's aura and stuttered.
The man's thin lips parted slightly and his voice was cold: "Who is the husband of the A-Zhu you are talking about?"
Yang Da didn't know why he asked this: "Yes, he is a foreigner. From what they said, he seems to be a wealthy businessman from Beiliang. We don't know anything else. We are not familiar with him!"
Xiao Langyan closed his eyes, and a sneer escaped from the corners of his lips.
"A wealthy businessman from Beiliang? Very good." He turned around and kicked over the medicine stove, making Yang Da scream in fright.
The door was opened, and the cold wind blew in, lifting up the purple and gold robe, and flew away.
Dark clouds were like thunder, and soon spread over the entire Rongan City.
