Poor Lady

"Ping'er, where did this bowl of crystal lotus seed soup come from?" Qi Surong called Ping'er and pointed to the cup on the table.

Ping'er said: "Could it be that the lady prepared it for the young lady? I didn't see it when the slave servant came to clean up the room in the morning."

It is indeed possible that Qi's mother used to make lotus seed soup for her. Qi Surong looked at the transparent lotus seed soup, and couldn't help but take a sip, a coolness penetrated her heart, and the heat disappeared.

"Well, the taste is really good." Qi Surong took a few more sips with satisfaction, and said casually, "Ping'er, the two bottles of ointment last time worked well, where did you buy them?"

"To remove the ointment? What to remove the ointment? The slaves don't know." Ping'er looked puzzled.

Qi Surong paused, turned and walked towards the cabinet, took out two small porcelain vases from the drawer, and handed them to Ping'er: "Didn't you give this to me?"

Ping'er shook her head: "No, this slave has never seen these two bottles."

Qi Surong frowned. Only Ping'er knew about her injury. It was impossible for her mother to secretly prepare ointment for her without saying a word. Then who sent the ointment? And this cup of lotus seed soup, probably not what she had guessed before, it was prepared by her mother.

While eating, Qi Surong talked side by side about lotus seed soup.

Qi's mother said: "If you are really greedy, then ask someone to buy some ingredients, and mother will make it for you."

"No, my daughter is just talking about it casually. Let's wait until the family is more comfortable." Sure enough, it wasn't her mother. Looking around, everyone on the table looked as usual, obviously it had nothing to do with them.

Could it be that someone is trying to trick her in secret? Qi Surong's face changed slightly, and then he denied the guess. Whether it's the ointment from before or the lotus seed soup I just drank, there is no problem. This person should have good intentions.

So, who will it be?

Qi Surong pondered this question until after the meal. This person seems to be very aware of her every move, wouldn't she be spying on her often?

Qi Surong couldn't help looking out the window, only to see an empty yard and mottled tree shadows.

In her memory, there was only one person who would do such a thing. He looks indifferent, but has a soft heart. It's a pity that she didn't know how to cherish it before, and she was prejudiced from the beginning, so that in the end she almost turned against each other.

Counting the time, there is still a month or two to meet him, it shouldn't be him...

Qi Surong shook his head and decided to stop thinking about it for now. Tomorrow will be the opening day of Yunrong Xiu Zhuang, and there are still a lot of things to take care of.

Neither she nor her mother were suitable to come forward, so she could only arrange for two maids to take care of the shop. But after all, the maid couldn't hold the scene, so Qi Surong thought about it again and again and decided to invite Qin Xiang, his father's concubine, to participate in the management. This woman has followed Qi's family since the accident in her last life. He has been sharing weal and woe with the Qi family until he was driven away by his father who changed his personality.

Qin Xiang was the only woman in her father's concubines who did not have any ill feelings in Qi Surong. She had more than one lifetime experience, which was enough to let her know who she was.

Qi Surong originally wanted to find an opportunity to send all her father's concubines away, but now that she thinks about it carefully, as long as they don't cause trouble, the Qi family can't tolerate them. No matter how disgusted she was, these concubines were also their father's women. Even if it is to be sent away, it should be decided by the father. Aside from their identities, it is invaluable to be able to share the pain.

For Qi Surong's request, Qin Xiang agreed happily, even a little flattered. With Miss Qi's character, it's hard to believe that she would hand over such an important matter to a concubine.

Qi Surong said: "Qin Xiang, I handed over the management of the store to you, not to recognize your status in Qi's family. I hope you can seize this opportunity, get rid of the low status, and set up another female household in the future."

"What?" Qin Xiang was slightly taken aback.

Qi Surong looked at her seriously, and continued: "I don't care how much you have feelings for my father, but my father definitely doesn't love you. He likes beauty, but he is very heavyweight. In his heart, you are just a pastime. , only my mother is his wife. You are not even qualified to bear children for him, are you really willing to follow my father for a lifetime without children?"

Qin Xiang's face showed a bit of bitterness, but he had no words.

Qi Surong said again: "Women's fate is often out of their own hands, but if you can have another better way of living, why not try it?"

"You want me to leave your father?"

Qi Surong smiled and said calmly, "Yes."

Qin Xiang didn't expect her to answer so succinctly. After thinking for a while, he asked, "What if I don't want to leave?"

"Anyone who is loyal to the Qi family will not be treated badly by the Qi family. It is your own choice if you don't want to leave, and I will not embarrass you. If you change your mind, you can always find another way out. The premise is that you cannot Do anything that damages the Qi family's reputation and interests."

"Is this true?"

"As soon as a word is spoken, it is difficult for a horse to chase."

"Okay, I understand." Qin Xiang said cautiously, "Don't worry, I will definitely take care of Yunrong Xiuzhuang."

"Wait and see."

On the opening day, Yunrong Xiuzhuang was decorated with lanterns and firecrackers, making it very lively.

The shop was rented in the name of a merchant, so most people thought that the owner behind the scenes was the merchant.

Qi Surong, wearing a gauze hat, sat in the teahouse opposite Yunrong Xiu Zhuang, watching the opening ceremony.

Qin Xiang used to be a singer, long-sleeved and good at dancing.

The opening process went very smoothly. Qi Surong felt relieved and said to Ping'er, "Okay, let's go back."

Just as they turned around, Gu Jinyun brought the servant to the door of Xiuzhuang, looked up at the plaque, stopped for a moment on the word "Yunrong", and then walked into the shop.

As soon as he stepped in, Qi Surong walked out of the teahouse, and the two passed by by mistake.

"Su Rong, today is a good start, Xiuzhuang has made a big business." In the evening, Qin Xiang returned home and said with a slightly excited expression.

"Big business?" Qi Surong was a little strange. Before Xiuzhuang's reputation was spread, what kind of big business could he receive? On the opening day, all the top products have discounts, at most, some more trinkets are sold.

Qin Xiang smiled and said, "There is a young man who bought all the silk flowers and embroidered handkerchiefs in the store in one go."

"What?" Qi Surong was slightly surprised. The silk flower has the lowest cost and the largest quantity, while the embroidered handkerchief is the most expensive item. If you buy all of them, it will cost you about a hundred taels to say the least.

"Did you write down that person's name?" she asked.

Qin Xiang shook his head and said regretfully: "He was taciturn. From entering the store to the completion of the transaction, he only said three sentences in total, 'I want to buy all the silk flowers and embroidered handkerchiefs in the store', 'How much', 'Six sons, pay', Then I left, and I didn't even get a chance to talk."

Six sons? Qi Surong's heart trembled, and he asked, "How does he look?"

Qin Xiang thought for a while and replied, "About twenty-one or two years old, tall, with a grim face and a little terrifying eyes, ah, yes, there is a red mole on his right earlobe."

It's him! It was Gu Jinyun, the husband of her last life, the person she used to love most and the person she least wanted to see now.

Qi Surong clutched her chest, emotions of excitement, joy, pain, and remorse poured in one after another.

"Surong, what's the matter? Do you know him?"

"No, I don't know." Qi Surong closed her eyes, the fingers in her sleeves trembled slightly. If possible, she hoped that she would never know him in her life. She didn't want to experience the pain in the past, nor did she want him and his family to experience it again. Yes, just don't know it.

Qin Xiang glanced at her strangely, then took out the account book and said, "This is today's transaction account, you can check it."

Qi Surong glanced at random and said to her, "It's enough to check the accounts once a month. You don't have to report to me every day."

"Okay." Qin Xiang was not hypocritical and put away the ledger.

Qi Su tolerated it for a while, and finally asked again: "Did the young man you mentioned earlier bought so many things as soon as he entered the store?"

"That's not true. He also strolled around the store, focusing on several more exquisite accessories. I thought he would buy those accessories, but he bought silk flowers and embroidered handkerchiefs."

Because silk flowers and embroidered handkerchiefs make her the most money!

At this moment, Qi Surong is almost certain that Gu Jinyun has seen her and is still paying attention to her secretly. Helping her in such an obscure way is really his usual way of doing things. Qi Surong was secretly amusing, her heart was both sweet and bitter. It seems that the two bottles of ointment and the cup of lotus seed soup were also sent by him.

He is very familiar with breaking into private houses, even if she is his fiancee, she can't come and go at will, right?

Qi Surong began to quickly recall whether she had done anything humiliating recently, such as forcibly bathing her brother, swiping a brush on the table while wearing a bellyband, lying on the couch to mix fragrance and color... Uh, won't they all be seen, right?

Qi Surong suddenly felt that her manners were ruined... However, when and where did he meet her?

Confused and sleepless all night, Qi Surong had to get up early. Today is the Queen's birthday banquet, and she must go to Song Mansion to comb her hair for Aunt Qiao.

Her tailor-made services for Zhuang Qiao'e, including dresses, shoes, jewelry, spices, makeup, etc., need her to help her make up.

Another point that she didn't tell Aunt Qiao was that her embroidery threads were all dyed with special spices. The pattern embroidered with this kind of embroidery thread will have a faint fragrance, which is not interesting.

After finishing Zhuang Qiao'e's makeup, Qi Surong helped her get on the carriage and watched her go away.

"Miss, if there is nothing wrong with Qi's family, you should dress up beautifully now and go to the palace to attend the birthday banquet." Ping'er said with some resentment

Qi Surong smiled: "Have I not attended the banquets in the palace? I'm tired of it."

"Tired of it? The servants don't believe it." Ping'er said proudly, "Which banquet was the young lady not in a dazzling crown, and the stars were all over the moon? Others can't compare with the young lady at all."

Qi Surong restrained her smile, yes, what she once enjoyed the most was the feeling of being aloof and being sought after by others. I don't know how to be humble, I don't know how to be tactful, and I don't know how to be kind to others, so I offend too many people.

Most of the suffering she suffered in the last life was her own fault.

"Okay, why do you mention it in the past? Even if you and I are wearing sackcloth and linen, I can still live happily." Qi Surong greeted the sun with a relieved smile.

"Is it not worth the servant girl for the young lady?" Ping'er muttered.

"Let's go, go home, we still have a lot of work to do." Qi Surong thought about it and said, "I did a big business yesterday, I'm going to buy some good food today and have a good meal at home."

"Miss, are you going to buy groceries?" Ping'er looked surprised.

"Yes."

"No, just let Ping'er go. How can Miss go to that kind of place? It's too dirty."

"Okay, long-winded." Qi Surong ignored her and walked straight to the market.

dirty? How could she still be afraid of getting dirty?

The dirtiest thing in the world is the human heart, and the most beautiful thing is the human heart.