Chapter 1139 - 1141 Little Dengdeng Causes Trouble_1
Bai Ruozhu wondered to herself, how could he even be teaching me how to wear it? Isn’t it just a brooch?
She glanced at the man, who appeared to be in his mid to late twenties, tall and slim, seemingly a bit frail, but those glaze-colored eyes were exceptionally dazzling, adding an unrestrained flair to him.
"The Shop has a special rule, if the customer knows how to wear this item, then there’s no need for money; it will be given to the customer for free," said the man with the glaze-colored eyes.
Bai Ruozhu nodded to him and performed a formal greeting, "You must be the owner of this place, right?"
The man with glaze-colored eyes nodded, "I am Ao Qi, and indeed I own this little shop."
"Thank you for the reminder, Mr. Ao, but may I ask why your shop has such a rule? Is it to test the customer’s discernment?" Bai Ruozhu asked with some curiosity.
Ao Qi smiled, his glaze-colored eyes particularly bright, as if they were the most exquisite gemstones. Upon closer inspection, his hair wasn’t black like that of the people from Danliang Country; instead, it was a dark brown.
"This I can only tell to the person who obtains the item. If Madam wears it correctly, it means you are destined for it, and I am willing to disclose the truth," Ao Qi said.
Bai Ruozhu, having no other choice, took out the brooch, noting that the pin at the back was meticulously crafted, something quite rare for that time. She carefully unlocked the pin and attached it to a spot slightly below her left shoulder, according to the standard of the British aristocracy.
A look of surprise crossed Ao Qi’s face, "Madam, this item belongs to you."
Only then did Bai Ruozhu understand—it wasn’t whether someone could unfasten the pin at the back, but where the customer would choose to wear the brooch.
At this time, people did not have the custom of wearing brooches, especially not the people of Danliang Country. If a typical woman got a brooch, opening the pin wasn’t difficult, but most would wear it on their head or belt.
In an instant, Bai Ruozhu turned anxiously to look at Ao Qi, thinking that he couldn’t possibly be a fellow transmigrator who had come through time and was looking for another transmigrator, could he? One Tang Feng was enough of a surprise, and if transmigrators were everywhere, would it affect her brother’s future development?
"What’s the matter? Aren’t you going to ask me why I gave it to you for free?" Ao Qi’s eyes carried a narrow slyness.
Bai Ruozhu came back to her senses and hurriedly said, "I am eager to hear the details."
Looking at Bai Ruozhu, Ao Qi’s face softened, his gaze drifting off into the distance, as if recalling something beautiful.
"This brooch was left by my grandmother, who said the brooch was something she was fortunate to have obtained back in the day, so she also hoped that after her passing, the brooch would find another destined owner. The condition was that it should go to someone who knew how to wear it," Ao Qi explained.
A storm stirred in Bai Ruozhu’s heart—could Ao Qi’s grandmother have also been a transmigrator? Or had she learned the method of wearing it from a transmigrator?
These questions couldn’t be openly asked, and since the person in question had passed away, what difference would asking make? She swallowed her queries, bowed to Ao Qi, and said, "Thank you for your generous gift, Mr. Ao."
Ao Qi returned the courtesy modestly, "I am simply following the instructions of my elders and deserve no thanks. This item is destined for you, so please treasure it well."
Bai Ruozhu nodded and thanked the shop again before she took Little Dengdeng’s hand and left.
"Our lady is truly amazing; she got a piece of jewelry without spending any money," Muyu said with a chuckle as soon as they stepped outside. "I wouldn’t have thought to wear it that way."
These words reminded Bai Ruozhu, so she reached out to remove the brooch and carefully put it back into its case.
They all wandered around, and Bai Ruozhu made some unusual purchases, quite satisfied with her haul. She had Muyu carry everything, and he pretended to complain in a goofy way, "Why not have Chenfeng carry it? Or at least bring a maid."
Bai Ruozhu rolled her eyes at him. "You don’t want to do a bit of work? Bringing a maid, who would also be a lady, would you guys have the heart to watch a young girl exert herself?"
Hearing this, Little Dengdeng mumbled, "I’ll do it, I’ll do it," and reached out to help Muyu with the items. Touched, Muyu stared at Little Dengdeng and said, "The young master is the one who cares about others. Don’t worry—I can carry it. Let’s not tire out the young master."
Bai Ruozhu couldn’t help but laugh. Her Dengdeng was still a little sweetie, it was just too bad he was barely stable on his feet, how could he carry anything?
As they chatted, the group arrived at a sundries shop. It was called a sundries shop, but that wasn’t quite accurate, since it was basically a jumble of everything and quite messy. The shop wasn’t big and stretched out into the alley. Inside, a middle-aged man lazed about; with his relaxed demeanor, he was likely the owner.
"Guests, come take a look, my shop has all sorts of things. Finding something here means a great bargain, and I promise fair prices for both the young and the old!" The owner stood up and beckoned to Bai Ruozhu and her party with a sycophantic smile.
Before Bai Ruozhu could say anything, Dengdeng, seemingly attracted to something, tugged Bai Ruozhu toward the shop.
"This young master has a great eye—pick whatever you like. I’ll give an adorable baby like you a 20% discount!" The owner said heartily.
Bai Ruozhu thought the owner was quite smooth-talking. Upon a careful look, she noticed his high cheekbones and, although his hair was tied up, the frizzy curls that stuck out were typical of someone from Gaoli Country.
"Thank you, owner, I’ll just have a look around by myself," Bai Ruozhu said and began to explore the shop. The owner, showing good sense, did not hover or chatter incessantly.
Suddenly, Dengdeng broke free from Bai Ruozhu’s hand and ran towards a metal vase. Bai Ruozhu didn’t have time to chase after him when she heard a loud bang—the metal vase had been knocked over by Dengdeng.
Fortunately, it wasn’t porcelain, and Bai Ruozhu breathed a sigh of relief. She quickly took a couple of steps forward to grab Dengdeng’s little hand and said, "You can’t run around like that. It’s not good if you break other people’s things."
After she finished speaking, she went to pick up Dengdeng. But Dengdeng, at that moment, was feeling the freedom of being able to walk on his own and refused to let her hold him, crying loudly.
Bai Ruozhu felt helpless and had to put him down, then went to set the vase upright before turning around to take his little hand and intending to leave.
"Ah, madam, normally, I wouldn’t fuss over whatever a child touches, but everything here is an antique treasure that can’t withstand being dropped," the owner interjected. "This vase has been knocked over by you, how can I sell it now? I’d feel bad demanding payment, unless you buy the vase."
Before Bai Ruozhu could speak, Muyu squeezed in. He put down the items he was carrying, glaring at the owner and said, "Your items are undamaged, and you still want us to pay you? Owner, that’s not how you do business!"
Bai Ruozhu held Muyu back and asked, "How much for the vase? If the owner’s price is fair, I’ll buy it." Ultimately, it was Dengdeng’s fault, but since he didn’t understand, his parents ought to take responsibility.