nashuaworldcup Chapter 174 Shopping
Chapter 174 Shopping
On the other side, He Yanxi stood quietly, his gaze following the two figures as they walked away until they disappeared from sight. He let out a long sigh of relief, as if a heavy burden had been lifted, and turned to look at Qin Yaoyao beside him, a look of relief on his face. He said, "Those two annoying guys are finally gone."
Qin Yaoyao tilted her head slightly, her watery eyes gazing at He Yanxi. The corners of her rosy lips curved upwards, outlining a beautiful arc. She asked softly, "Brother Xi, are you angry?" Her voice was like a nightingale's song, clear and melodious, making one's heart flutter.
Upon hearing this, He Yanxi's lips curled into a barely perceptible smile, and he replied softly, "No, I just wanted some peace and quiet. Alright, let's not talk about these unpleasant things anymore, let's go inside quickly." With that, he reached out and gently patted Qin Yaoyao's shoulder.
Qin Yaoyao nodded knowingly, gently raised her jade-like arm, took He Yanxi's arm, and replied with a charming smile, "Okay!" Her flower-like smile was particularly moving in the afterglow of the setting sun.
After speaking, the two walked hand in hand, stepping lightly into the mansion. Once inside, time flew by, and night fell in the blink of an eye, the lanterns lit. Qin Yaoyao enjoyed a sumptuous dinner at the Zhenbei Prince's mansion. During the meal, she and He Yanxi chatted and laughed, the atmosphere harmonious and warm.
Even after dinner was over, Qin Yaoyao was still reluctant to leave. So, she stayed in the room with He Yanxi, whispering sweet nothings to each other for a while. It wasn't until night fell that He Yanxi reluctantly saw Qin Yaoyao off from the Prince of Zhenbei's mansion and escorted her back to the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion.
Meanwhile, on Fan Junyu's side, ever since leaving the restaurant with He Mingning, he had been strolling leisurely, leading He Mingning slowly through the bustling street. He Mingning was graceful and elegant, and she walked side by side with Fan Junyu, so close that they could almost feel each other's breath.
At this moment, He Mingning and Fan Junyu looked like a match made in heaven, attracting the attention of many passersby. They walked on the bustling street, surrounded by the noise of people and the cries of vendors, but none of this could disturb their immersion in their own world.
With a smile, Fan Junyu pointed gently ahead with his slender finger, then turned his gaze to He Mingning beside him and said in an extremely gentle voice, "Ningning, look at that jewelry shop over there. The designs are so exquisite! Come on, I'll take you there to have a good look." He Mingning nodded slightly, a beautiful smile blooming on her face like a peach blossom, and replied softly, "Okay." So, Fan Junyu happily led He Mingning quickly toward the shop called Jinyuxuan.
He Mingning stood gracefully in front of Jin Yu Xuan, her beautiful eyes fixed on the shop's elegantly written name. After a brief pause, she turned to Fan Junyu beside her and said sweetly, "Jin Yu Xuan... I've heard so much about this shop. It's the most luxurious and expensive jewelry store in the entire capital. Why don't we go look somewhere else?" With that, He Mingning reached out to grab Fan Junyu's sleeve, trying to pull him away.
Fan Junyu reacted quickly, grabbing He Mingning's slender wrist tightly. A look of confusion and doubt crossed his face as he anxiously asked, "Oh dear, Ningning, what's wrong? Don't you like the things here?" He Mingning gently shook her head, her long, glossy black hair swaying slightly. Seeing her denial, Fan Junyu pressed on, "If you don't dislike it, why are you in such a hurry to go elsewhere?" He Mingning looked up, her large, watery eyes fixed intently on Fan Junyu, and slowly explained, "Because everything here is too expensive. We don't need to spend so much money here."
Fan Junyu's lips curled slightly, a faint smile as gentle as a spring breeze caressing his face. He softly comforted her, "So, does the princess think my pockets are empty and I can't afford these things at all?" Before he finished speaking, He Mingning couldn't help but chuckle. Her beautiful eyes sparkled, and she gave Fan Junyu a playful glare before quickly waving her hands and explaining, "Oh dear, no way! I absolutely didn't mean that!" A barely perceptible blush rose to her cheeks as she spoke.
Seeing this, Fan Junyu's smile widened, his upturned lips seeming to hold endless tenderness and doting affection. He gazed at the shy and adorable He Mingning before him and said slowly, "In that case, let's hurry inside and have a look around!" With that, he naturally took He Mingning's soft, boneless hand and slowly stepped into the shop.
As soon as the two stepped into the shop, a shop assistant dressed in blue quickly approached them. Upon seeing Fan Junyu and He Mingning, the man stopped abruptly, bowed deeply, and greeted Fan Junyu with a fawning smile, saying obsequiously, "Oh my, Lord Fan, you've finally arrived! Please come in, please come in! I'll show you around and see if there's anything here that might catch your eye." Fan Junyu smiled and nodded slightly, replying, "Hmm, thank you. But there's no need for that. You can go about your business. We'll just wander around and take a look."
Upon hearing this, the waiter immediately nodded respectfully and replied, "Alright, Lord Fan. Then I won't disturb your enjoyment any longer. If you need anything, just call me, and I'll be right there to serve you." After saying this, he bowed to Fan Junyu and He Mingning again before turning and walking away.
After the waiter left, Fan Junyu turned to look at He Mingning beside him, his eyes full of concern and expectation. He asked in a soft voice, "How is it, Ningning? Go and see if there's anything that catches your eye or that you like."
He Mingning nodded slightly and softly replied, "Okay." However, at that moment, she couldn't help but ponder inwardly. Every item displayed here was exorbitantly priced, enough to make one gasp. How could Fan Junyu, with his meager monthly salary, afford such expenses? Thinking of this, He Mingning shook her head slightly and sighed inwardly. But soon, she made up her mind: Well, when she saw something she truly desired, she would simply pay for it herself. After this thought, He Mingning's anxious heart finally settled down, and she stopped worrying about it, instead focusing wholeheartedly on the dazzling array of goods before her.
He Mingning moved with graceful steps, slowly strolling towards the area selling hairpins. Suddenly, her gaze was drawn to an exquisite jade hairpin. The jade was warm and delicate, crystal clear, and even more exquisite were the meticulously carved plum blossom patterns on it. The plum blossoms, some in bud, some in full bloom, each with a different posture, were lifelike, as if they were truly blooming proudly on the branches—a breathtaking sight. He Mingning was momentarily captivated, and couldn't help but reach out and gently stroke the jade hairpin, feeling its smoothness and coolness. After a while, she came to her senses and turned to the shop assistant beside her, asking, "How much is this hairpin?"
The waiter, who had been busy attending to other customers, immediately greeted He Mingning with a beaming smile upon hearing her question. He first carefully examined He Mingning, a hint of amazement flashing in his eyes, before replying with a smile, "Oh my, this young lady has such excellent taste! This jade hairpin is a new arrival in our shop; we're the only place in the entire capital that has it! And look at it, this hairpin on your head is a perfect match, like a match made in heaven!"
Fan Junyu gazed at the hairpin in He Mingning's hand and asked softly, "Do you like it?" He Mingning smiled sweetly, nodded slightly, and said in a coquettish voice, "Why did you come here? I just saw you chatting and laughing with someone over there! When did you get here?" Fan Junyu's lips curled up slightly, and he replied gently, "I just saw a colleague, but we're just casual acquaintances. We chatted for a few words, and then I came here." He Mingning gave a soft "oh," and Fan Junyu's gaze fell on the hairpin in He Mingning's hand. He took it and turned to the waiter to ask, "How much is this hairpin?" As he approached, He Mingning's heart pounded. She knew that this hairpin was quite expensive and was afraid that Fan Junyu would be unable to afford it and would be in an awkward situation. Therefore, she took advantage of his conversation with someone to inquire about the price of the hairpin, but she did not expect him to return so quickly.
However, she was completely unaware of what was happening behind her. Fan Junyu's gaze, like a blazing flame, had been fixed on her every move. Just as she bent down to pick up the exquisite hairpin from the ground, Fan Junyu's deep and sharp eyes had already taken everything in. He hurriedly bowed to the people beside him in farewell, then strode off without hesitation, heading straight towards her.
Upon seeing this, the waiter was slightly taken aback at first. But after recognizing the person, his face immediately lit up with a fawning smile, and he bowed and scraped, saying, "So it's you, young master, who has graced us with your presence! I was so blind to your beauty and didn't recognize you as such! Please forgive me, young master and madam." Hearing this, He Mingning blushed and was about to explain when Fan Junyu interrupted her.
Fan Junyu's lips curved into a slight smile, as radiant and captivating as a spring flower in bloom. He then continued with interest, "Oh? Since you're so eloquent, sir, how much is this hairpin worth?" The waiter, secretly delighted, quickly stepped forward, his face beaming, and replied, "Oh my, sir, you have excellent taste! This hairpin is of the finest quality in both material and craftsmanship, perfectly complementing the beautiful lady beside you—a match made in heaven! And its price is quite reasonable; it's only three thousand taels of silver!" Upon hearing this price, He Mingning felt as if her heart had been plunged into a turbulent sea, instantly overwhelmed by a stormy tempest. She couldn't help but think to herself, "Just as I expected!" At that moment, Fan Junyu nodded without hesitation, "Very well, I'll take this hairpin." He reached for his purse, ready to pay.
However, just as Fan Junyu was about to hand the money to the waiter, He Mingning suddenly grabbed his hand tightly as if she had been electrocuted. Then, as if she had taken something scalding hot and untouchable, she quickly shoved it back into the waiter's hand. At the same time, He Mingning said apologetically to the waiter, "I'm so sorry, we don't want this hairpin."
Seeing this, Fan Junyu turned around and stared at He Mingning with suspicion. He lowered his voice and asked softly, "Why do you suddenly not want it anymore? Weren't you just now so happy and reluctant to part with it?" He Mingning shook his head gently, looking like a candle swaying in a storm, and replied weakly, "I... I don't like it anymore."
Upon hearing this, Fan Junyu's doubts grew even stronger, as if a playful kitten was constantly scratching at his heart, making him unbearably itchy. So he impatiently pressed on, "You don't like it anymore? But just now you seemed to really like this hairpin! How could your attitude change so drastically in the blink of an eye? What's the reason?"
Just then, the waiter, who had been silently observing from the side, finally couldn't suppress his intense curiosity and doubt. He couldn't hold back any longer and hurriedly interjected, "Oh dear! This beautiful young lady, you weren't like that at all just now! I saw it with my own eyes. When you first saw this hairpin, your bright eyes instantly lit up like flames! You couldn't hide your joy at all! How come you suddenly changed your mind and said you don't like it? Is there something about this hairpin that you don't like? If so, please tell me frankly, and I will do my best to meet your requirements!"
He Mingning's gaze seemed to be drawn in by an invisible magnet, fixed firmly on the exquisite hairpin, unable to look away for a long time. A barely perceptible hint of reluctance flickered deep in her eyes, but only for a moment before she bit her lip hard and replied with unusual firmness, "Actually, at first glance, I did think this hairpin was quite exquisite and pleasing. However, looking at it again now, I feel it's nothing special! Most of that initial liking has faded, so let's move on to another place and maybe find some more interesting and fun things!"