Ji Huai and Zhao Qingyue came out of the shop half an hour later.
She held several boxes in her hands and looked at them as she walked.
Ji Huai saw her smiling face and crooked eyes, and couldn't help but said warmly: "It's not a gorgeous and expensive little thing, so you are so happy?"
"My husband helped me choose it. Although it's not expensive, it's full of love. Isn't it nice to look at?" She raised her head and looked at him, looking at him with bright black eyes, full of agility and charm.
Not only did he help her choose, but he also personally helped her try on several styles, which were naturally different.
With a smile on his face, Ji Huai reached out to hold her hand again, walked forward and said, "If you like it, I'll find something more exquisite for you another day."
"How can a girl not like these exquisite jewelry?" Zhao Qingyue said, and distributed the items he just bought, "My husband chose it for me, and I have to keep every item. The tassel hairpin and bracelet are just like this." Give it to your cousin."
"If you like, you can keep them all." He didn't care, and took her around another corner, heading towards the carriage.
"That's not okay."
…
Before the two of them reached each other, Qiulan trotted over and said with red eyes and choked with sobs: "Where have you been? We went back and forth many times to look for you and the Marquis, but we didn't see you or the Marquis. I'm so worried!" "
Zhao Qingyue looked at her look and took another look, trying not to laugh.
In the past, when she would sneak out to play, Qiulan would cover for her. Every time she came back, she would look like this, and her acting skills could be fake.
Du Xiang looked at Ji Huai, his face full of worry, and he breathed a sigh of relief: "It's good that my cousin is fine."
"What can happen? It's just a wandering around. I entered a shop and stayed there for a long time." Ji Huai disagreed and said to the boy, "Bring the horse here and go back."
"yes."
…
Ji Huai got on the horse, Zhao Qingyue stepped on the stool and got into the carriage. As if she didn't notice Du Xiang's aggrieved look, she gave the box to her with a warm face: "We picked out a few pieces of jewelry just now. I think this hairpin and The bracelet is suitable for my cousin, see if you like it."
Du Xiang's eyes fell on the box. How good could the things from the small shop be
In the past, she was born in a poor family and had never seen any good things. But after coming to the Hou Mansion, the old lady also stuffed her with a lot of good things. When she saw such shabby things, she just thought that Zhao Qingyue was giving her something. Embarrassing.
And she had to greet it with a smile and reach out to take it: "Thank you, cousin."
Zhao Qingyue seemed to know what she was thinking, and said with a smile: "Although the things in this shop are not expensive, I told your cousin that they are a bit interesting."
Du Xiang lowered his head and looked at it, forcing a smile and nodding: "My cousin certainly has excellent taste."
"As long as you like it." Zhao Qingyue really took her compliment seriously, and took out a few of the things she bought to look at, looking curious.
Du Xiang touched the box, looked at the hairpin inside, considered it for a while, and finally looked at her exit: "Did my cousin and cousin go to choose these jewelry together?"
"Yeah." Zhao Qingyue nodded.
Du Xiang's thoughts changed in her eyes. If her cousin chose him, she would naturally treat him differently. Before she could be happy for a while, Zhao Qingyue said again: "But I chose that hairpin and bracelet for you, and the Marquis doesn't know what you like. I think you are quiet and quiet, so you should like this. "
Before he finished speaking, Du Xiang's expression became more calm, "... um."
Zhao Qingyue just pretended that she didn't notice anything unusual about her, turned aside and opened the curtain, and handed each of the maids outside a small bag: "I just bought a few gadgets for you, whoever sees them will be rewarded."
"Thank you, Madam."
"Thank you ma'am."
…
The little maids' excited voices came, and they all opened the red jewelry bags to take a look.
To them, these small objects are exquisite jewelry. Several people were chattering and thanked Zhao Qingyue again.
"I don't take any credit for the money paid by the Marquis." Zhao Qingyue looked at the tall figure in front of her and said.
"Thank you, Lord Marquis." Qiulan took the lead.
Ji Huai rode on his horse and responded casually without saying much, but he felt he was in a good mood.
Arrive at the Hou Mansion.
Zhao Qingyue opened the curtain, Ji Huai dismounted, walked to the carriage again and reached out to lead her down. Before entering the house, she turned to Du Xiang and said, "My cousin is also tired tonight and needs to go to bed early."
Du Xiang: "Well, my cousin and cousin-in-law should also go to bed early."
Ji Huai nodded and then left with Zhao Qingyue.
Du Xiang looked at the backs of the two people as they left, and saw that the maid had a happy face, tightly holding the handkerchief in her sleeves, staring at the two people, and gritted her teeth.
She felt that her cousin was getting closer and closer to her before, but now he is getting further and further away, clearly just one step away.
Everyone seemed happy at this lantern festival, but who knew her loneliness
The next day.
During breakfast, the old lady asked Du Xiang specifically: "Girl Xiang, is the lantern festival fun?"
"Well, it looks good." Du Xiang nodded lightly.
Zhao Qingyue also said softly: "It looks much better than the previous two years. The people on the street are also much more lively. The shops on the street are also different from before. They sell all kinds of small items."
The old lady nodded: "She didn't cause you any trouble, did she?"
She asked Ji Huai to take care of Du Xiang. The cousins took care of each other. If a relationship between a man and a woman came about, everything would go smoothly.
Du Xiang was silent, eating silently with his eyes lowered. Something didn't feel right at first glance.
"What trouble can it cause?" Ji Huai gave Zhao Qingyue a crystal dumpling. "The security in the capital is also very good, and the streets are very lively."
"Yes, Mr. Hou and I also discovered a small shop. The gadgets there were also very exquisite. Mr. Hou also thought the gadgets there were good and bought some for his cousin." Zhao Qingyue also answered.
When the conversation was brought to Ji Huai, the old lady was speechless. She was just a concubine with a pitiful dowry and had never taken care of the family in the Hou Mansion. Song Yi was also from a famous family, so she was suppressed to death. She rarely saw good things and she didn't have enough confidence. She was afraid that others would look down on her. .
Du Xiang looked at the dignified and virtuous Zhao Qingyue and closed his mouth.
After the meal, the old lady asked a few questions casually. She never dared to say that she disliked the small items that Zhao Qingyue and Mr. Hou bought together. She could only say that she liked them.
"Right now, it seems that your cousin-in-law is easy to get along with, and she does things appropriately, so I feel relieved." The old lady rarely praised Zhao Qingyue, and added a few more words, "In the future, if Mr. Hou accepts you, she will probably not If you are in trouble, just live your life peacefully and try to have more children by your side. When the Marquis gets promoted, you will follow the rising tide."
Du Xiang didn't reply for a while. After a while, he looked at the old lady and choked with tears: "I don't know what is good, but grandma is definitely doing it for my own good, and I will be obedient."
"Please please your cousin sister-in-law more. You should always give her some snacks." The old lady taught her.
Du Xiang looked confused.
"I've also mentioned it to your cousin. Naturally, we can't mention it frequently now. You have to take care of it yourself." There was a hint in the old lady's words.
Hearing this, Du Xiang was a little at a loss. When she left the old lady's yard, her eyes darkened and her hands tightened.
She naturally has to rely on herself. As long as she is pregnant with a child, the eldest son will come from her belly. Although he is not a legitimate son, it is still different after all.
This day.
Zhao Qingyue was looking at the account book when Qiulan hurriedly walked in and said, "Miss, Du Xiang started acting like a monster again."
After hearing this, Zhao Qingyue put down the brush in her hand and looked up at her.
"She has been staying in the pavilion in the garden of the study for the past two days. In my opinion, she is just waiting for the Marquis to create opportunities for herself." Qiulan said while scolding, "In the past, I only heard about ambitious people. The maid knows how to use some tricks, but who would have thought that this cousin is also vying to be my concubine."
"Master Hou is also busy today?" Zhao Qingyue continued to pick up the brush, dipped it in some ink, and continued to do the accounting.
The Hou family has a big business and complicated accounts. Not long after she first entered the house, Song Yi passed away, leaving another fortune, which she had to take care of.
"If the Marquis is not busy, the old lady may drag him to talk about my cousin again, but even if he is busy, he still has to go back to the study. I hope that the Marquis will come back at night. I really don't believe that the cousin can stay. By night. It’s better to ask your concubine to marry her." Qiulan said angrily.
"What good marriage can I promise?" Zhao Qingyue closed the account book, "An orphan girl has no power, no dowry, a small family, and no great wisdom. The Marquis has not been promoted in the court now, so Xu She is too arrogant to accept the marriage. Instead, she slapped the old lady in the face. "
Qiulan also remained silent.
The old lady came from a humble background, so she was very proud of herself and decided not to allow such a thing to happen.
Zhao Qingyue held up the tea cup, took a sip of tea, and then said slowly: "I just ate too many cakes, and I want to eat."
Qiulan immediately became energetic and said with a smile: "I will get you a cloak."
Let her young lady go meet her cousin and see how pretentious she is!
Zhao Qingyue walked to the garden without haste, Qiulan's chirping voice could be heard in her ears: "I recently heard that my cousin is not as considerate as before, and many servants in the house are talking about her behind her back."
"What are you talking about?" Zhao Qingyue asked.
Qiulan: "She is also very temperamental. Xiaoxiang who served her was reprimanded several times. It is said that she was not very happy when she came back from the lantern festival. She also chose the right clothes and jewelry."
"She is the granddaughter of the old lady, so her status is naturally noble." Zhao Qingyue said this, and there was no emotion in her words.
"Old Madam..." Midway through her words, Qiulan saw her young lady's expression, raised her hand to cover her mouth, and wisely did not continue.
The old lady doesn't have many good things, her life is very tight. Du Xiang relies on the government's relief, and his food and clothing expenses are almost as much as those of the Hou family. What should he choose
That is to say, the Hou Mansion is rich and doesn't care about these things. Otherwise, how would she be able to choose
"You, don't let anyone catch you." Zhao Qingyue laughed and scolded her again.
Qiulan knew her mistake. Before she could speak, she looked up and saw a figure: "Master Hou?"
Zhao Qingyue also looked over, but Ji Huai went straight to the study without seeing them.
"Let's catch up quickly, and we can't let my cousin take advantage of the opportunity!" Qiulan urged Zhao Qingyue, looking extremely anxious.
Zhao Qingyue laughed, but the smile faded a little.
When they arrived in the back garden, they saw Ji Huai and Du Xiang in the courtyard at a glance. She was playing the piano, and the sweet sound of the piano kept coming. He stood beside her, standing tall and tall with his hands behind his back.
Qiulan's eyes widened: "Miss, look!"
Zhao Qingyue narrowed her eyes and regained her composure in an instant, and said: "You little girl, you are so startled, what are you doing? Where did you learn the rules?"
Qiulan suddenly wilted.