Chapter 338 – Was She Playing Hard To Get?
Chapter 338 Was She Playing Hard to Get?
There was a lad servant at the door. He was lean and looked smart.
Seeing Yu Dong, he immediately asked with a smile, “Excuse me. Is the one inside the room Fourth Lady of Vice Minister Qu’s Mansion?”
Yu Dong looked up and down at the lad servant but found nothing unusual, so he asked, “What’s the matter?”
Qu Moying came here with a veiled hat just now. Who could recognize her so quickly? Was there someone keeping an eye on her?
Yu Dong was a little uneasy. He looked at the lad servant vigilantly and asked, “Who is your Master?”
The lad servant answered with a smile, “My master is Lord Wei. He is currently in a private room on the side. He just saw Fourth Lady Qu and wanted to ask her for help.”
Hearing “Lord Wei”, Qu Moying narrowed her eyes. She didn’t think she was familiar with Lord Wei.
Qu Moying said, “Let him in.”
Yu Dong moved aside, and the lad servant walked in and bowed to Qu Moying.
“What can I do for your Lord?” After the lad servant bowed, Qu Moying asked doubtfully. She had not seen Lord Wei many times, and the experience of meeting him each time was not pleasant. She didn’t expect that he would ask her for help. She thought they were not that close.
The lad servant answered, “Our Lord thought the five-color brocade here is good. He wanted to pick a few pieces for Consort Jing, but he didn’t know which color was appropriate for Her Grace. Coincidentally, he saw you here and wanted to ask you to help with the color. In addition to the cloth, he also wanted to ask you to choose some small items for Her Grace.”
Was Pei Qingmin going to send his mother Consort Jing presents?
Qu Moying pondered for a moment and smiled. “Go back and report to your Lord. This shop is mine. I will pick a few pieces of cloth and send them to your Lord later, but I’d better not go over myself.”
Although men and women didn’t have to keep a strict distance from each other tonight, Qu Moying felt that it was better to be cautious so as to avoid unnecessary trouble.
The lad servant said hesitantly, “But our Lord said that it would be best for you to personally go over…”
Qu Moying smiled and said slowly, “Report to your Lord that it’s inconvenient for me to go over because it’s late at night. When I meet him in the future, I will apologize to him.”
She spoke unhurriedly and clearly.
On such a festival and at such a time, a man and a woman were easy to be mistaken for a couple if they walked together. Qu Moying did not want people to misunderstand the relation between her and Pei Qingmin. Although there seemed to be no one now, and it was impossible for people to notice her, it was very easy for a royal family member like Pei Qingmin to be targeted.
Pei Qingmin was not Pei Yuanjun.
Thinking of this, she rejected it without hesitation.
Seeing that Qu Moying was so decisive, the lad servant knew that he could not force her. He nodded and left. Yu Dong also walked out of the room. After seeing the lad servant enter a private room, he went to look for Aunt Yang. Aunt Yang asked someone to send some cloth and small items over. Qu Moying picked a few out of them in her private room and asked someone to send them to the private room on the side.
Pei Qingmin sat inside a private room with a light robe that made him look elegant and gentle. But he looked a little sick and weak. After listening to the lad servant, he raised his eyes slightly and asked, “Did she really say that?”
Hearing Pei Qingmin’s question, the lad servant hurriedly nodded. “Yes, Fourth Lady Qu said that she would ask someone to send over the stuff she picked.”
Pei Qingmin tapped on the table and said indifferently, “Alright then. Pack up all the things she sends over later!”
Since this shop belonged to Qu Moying, it was normal for him to accept some small gifts from her.
When Pei Qingmin walked to Yue’s Clothing Pavilion, he was blocked by the crowd, so he chose to enter the shop, walk upstairs, and sit in the private room to pick something that could be taken back. Unexpectedly, he saw Qu Moying come up, so he let his lad servant ask her.
Since everything was settled, Pei Qingmin did not stay any longer. It was too noisy here. He only sat for a while and felt dizzy. He thought it was better to go back home and have a rest.
Coming out of the private room, Pei Qingmin looked up at the decorations here and secretly nodded. Compared with ordinary shops, this shop was much more elegant, especially the private rooms upstairs.
The private rooms were next to the street. Customers could enjoy the view, pick goods, and also chat in the private rooms.
The tea was good, and the pastries were also good.
There were some display counters in the shop. They were not lined up in a row but placed randomly so that the goods could be seen from different angles. Customers could take a look and walk around casually. The shop assistants would accompany them and introduce the goods to them, which could also make the customers feel much respected.
Unlike the shop assistants on the first floor, the shop assistants upstairs were all women, who could know noble ladies’ likings better and get to them easier.
He didn’t expect Qu Moying to be quite clever. Judging from what he saw, she was not completely useless.
Pei Qingmin nodded secretly, went downstairs, and left.
Hearing that Pei Qingmin had left, Qu Moying heaved a sigh of relief. She was afraid that he would find trouble with her.
But Yu Dong was indignant. “Lady, Lord Wei is after all a prince. How could he be so petty? You sent the things to him, and he really accepted them without paying a single cent!”
“It’s good that he accepted them and left. I’m afraid he is not so simple.” Qu Moying smiled and shook her head. She sincerely thought it was good to send him away by giving something to him.
None of the princes were easy to deal with.
She had nothing to do with Lord Wei in her previous life and this life, and she didn’t intend to have anything to do with him in the future. It was good to send him away at the cost of some cloth and small items.
A problem that could be solved with money was not a big problem.
Since Qu Moying didn’t mind the loss, Yu Dong could do nothing about it although he was angry.
Seeing Qu Moying’s pale and tired face, Yu Dong hurriedly restrained his emotions and asked, “Lady, are you tired?”
“I’m not very tired. I just feel uncomfortable.” Qu Moying frowned and said, feeling a little dizzy.
“Lady, you have not fully recovered from the collision last time, and you must have felt tired on your way here.” Yu Dong thought of this at this time.
Qu Moying nodded and said, “Let’s go!” She did not feel anything when she was in high spirits just now. Now that she relaxed, she felt very uncomfortable. It was getting late, and she should go back.
Without saying goodbye to Aunt Yang, Qu Moying brought Yu Dong downstairs. Yu Dong looked outside and became a little worried. It would be a long distance to get back to Qu Mansion, and he was afraid that Qu Moying couldn’t hold on any longer.
Yu Dong looked around and said, “Lady, I will go find a carriage.”
Qu Moying shook her head and said, “There are many people here. It is unlikely that a carriage will come here. Let’s walk first.”
Yu Dong looked around and saw that there really wasn’t a single carriage, so he had no choice but to agree and follow Qu Moying out.
This place was still a long distance away from Qu Mansion, and the place where the carriage had been parked was not close to here. Yu Dong was worried that Qu Moying would not be able to hold on, so he walked while seeing if there was a carriage coming. It would be good if others could give them a ride.
However, there really wasn’t a single carriage along the way. There were quite a few people, but they were all walking. There were a lot of people coming out tonight, so it wasn’t very convenient for a carriage to get on the streets.
Pei Qingmin did not walk very fast. His carriage was parked in the alley outside the street. He was not in good health, and with so many people around, he walked even slower.
After walking for a short while, he suddenly saw Qu Moying and Yu Dong walking from behind. They seemed to be chasing him. He couldn’t help but curve up his thin lips. “Does she come to me because Uncle Yun doesn’t want her?”
“As expected, she is playing hard to get with me. She pretended to be elegant just now, but she said those words just to get close to me.”
He stood still and waited for Qu Moying to come over. Since she wanted to act and he was not busy, he didn’t mind spending some time with her. He wanted to see her exposing her greedy and vain nature.
Qu Moying didn’t wear the veiled hat because she was uncomfortable. Yu Dong didn’t notice this because he was anxious.
Under the light of the street, Qu Moying’s face was as pale as snow. What was even paler was her lips, which were completely different from her usual beautiful and moist lips. Pei Qingmin’s gaze fell on her lips. He frowned and subconsciously reached out to stop Qu Moying when she came over.
Qu Moying only wanted to return to the mansion as soon as possible, but someone stopped her. She raised her head and looked at the one who was facing her. For a moment, she could not recognize him. She closed her eyes and opened them again to see that the person facing her was Pei Qingmin. She bowed sideways. “Greetings, Lord Wei.”
“Why are you coming to me?” Pei Qingmin asked. His gaze was still fixed on Qu Moying’s pale lips. He knew that such a pale color was a sign of her discomfort.
Pei Qingmin looked at Qu Moying with ridicule and coldness in his eyes. “She feels so uncomfortable, yet she still tried to catch up with me, just for my wealth and fame?”
“She could even risk her life for wealth.”
“Your Highness, pardon me, what?” Qu Moying did not understand his words. She was not feeling well, and her reaction was not as fast as usual. She only felt dizzy and uncomfortable.
“Since I just accepted your gifts, I should naturally repay you. If you have time tomorrow, come to my mansion to get it.” The corners of Pei Qingmin’s lips curled up, and the irony in his words became even more obvious.
The lad servant behind him raised his head in surprise. He stole a glance at Pei Qingmin. He had never seen his master take the initiative to invite a young lady to his mansion. What did he mean?
Previously, Consort Jing had said that if Pei Qingmin had taken a fancy to someone, he could invite the lady to the mansion to have a chat. Consort Jing had been waiting for him to get married for a long time, but he always said that his health condition was not good and the marriage wouldn’t last long because of his weak body. Therefore, Consort Jing slowly gave up.
Did he mean anything else by inviting her to his mansion? Or did he invite her because he liked her?
Qu Moying still did not understand his words, so she only replied according to the literal meaning of his words, “The gifts for you are nothing. I don’t dare to ask for your return.”
