"Honored guest, please, come in!"
Hearing the shop assistant's voice, Madam Shen set down the book she was holding and looked up at the newcomer.
Upon seeing him, a spark of pleasant surprise lit up her eyes, and her smile turned noticeably warmer. "Oh! Little Pei! Have you come to pick up your bracelet today?" she said, walking forward. As she spoke, she didn't forget to signal the assistant with a glance.
Pei Zongxuan replied, "Yes, I happened to be passing by today, so I thought I would stop in and see how the jade bracelet restoration turned out."
Madam Shen beamed. "It was only finished yesterday. I was just saying we were waiting for you to come and see if you were satisfied with it."
Upstairs, Shen Mingzhu, who was busy reviewing accounts in the private room, was called out by the assistant. She walked to the jujube-wood railing and looked down to see Madam Shen chatting cheerfully with a young gentleman dressed in a moon-blue long robe.
The man’s robe was embroidered with subtle cloud patterns in fine dark blue silk—understated yet noble. His black waist belt was made of supple material with a soft, restrained sheen, adorned with a piece of exquisitely carved mutton-fat jade. Even at a glance, it was clear that he was someone of significant wealth and status.
Shen Mingzhu furrowed her brows. She felt the back of this figure looked somewhat familiar. She beckoned to the assistant nearby and asked, "Who is the person talking with Mother?"
"He's the one who came to our shop to have something repaired a few days ago. His surname is Pei. Because he brought in a shattered bracelet, everyone made a deep impression of him." It was rare for people to come in for bracelet repairs.
Shen Mingzhu nodded. Just as she was about to speak, she locked eyes with Madam Shen, who was looking up. "Mingzhu! Come over here for a moment!"
Seeing her mother's beaming smile, Shen Mingzhu understood. This must be the handsome young man her mother hadn't been able to stop talking about.
When she walked closer and saw the man's face, Shen Mingzhu was astonished. He wore a black jade crown, the dark gemstones upon it emitting a cold, sharp light that echoed the depths of his eyes. His sword-like brows slanted toward his temples, framing eyes that were deep and piercing. Beneath a high-bridged nose, his thin lips were slightly curled upward, carrying a subtle, enigmatic smile.
No wonder his back was familiar. She recognized him.
Pei Zongxuan. The Heir of Prince Yong.
In her previous life, she had scrambled everywhere for the case involving the Jian'an Marquis Manor, but the wealthy and powerful had all turned her away. No one wanted to get involved in such an old, thankless mess. When she was at her wit's end, she met Pei Zongxuan. He told her he could help. At that time, Shen Mingzhu hadn't even known who he was.
And he had truly helped her. In less than ten days, the Jian'an Marquis Manor was cleanly exonerated from the case. On the day the family was released from prison, Xiao Yi had uncharacteristically stepped into her courtyard and remarked, "You really have some skills, being able to persuade the Heir of Prince Yong to reopen the case for your manor." Only then did Shen Mingzhu realize he was Pei Zongxuan, the Heir of Prince Yong.
Shen Mingzhu was momentarily dazed.
Madam Shen nudged her arm. "What are you staring at? You entertain Little Pei; I'll go get his things."
Shen Mingzhu felt embarrassed. *She's even calling him 'Little Pei' now—do you even know who he is?*
Shen Mingzhu smiled apologetically at Pei Zongxuan. "If you don't mind, please sit and rest for a moment."
"Does Miss Shen know me?" Pei Zongxuan asked. He was certain that, a moment ago, the look in her eyes had been like that of seeing an old acquaintance.
Shen Mingzhu dismissed it casually. "Perhaps I have seen you before, Young Master Pei."
Pei Zongxuan only lowered his gaze and smiled. The atmosphere grew increasingly awkward.
When Madam Shen returned, this was the scene that greeted her: a stunning beauty and a handsome gentleman sitting in silence. *Oh my! With such a perfect opportunity, what is Mingzhu doing?* Madam Shen inwardly slapped her thigh in frustration, terrified that her prospective son-in-law might fly away if she wasn't careful.
"Little Pei, do have some more hot tea. This is new tea brought by a friend of your Uncle Shen's just the other day. Quickly, try it and tell me what you think!"
Shen Mingzhu looked at her mother in surprise. *Aren't you being a bit too enthusiastic?*
Madam Shen shot her a look: *What do you know?*
Pei Zongxuan replied, "Many thanks... Auntie."
"Oh! Don't be so polite!" Madam Shen beamed with exceeding warmth.
Shen Mingzhu frowned as she observed Pei Zongxuan. *Truly, one dares to speak and the other dares to answer.*
Pei Zongxuan took a delicate sip of the steaming tea. "The flavor of this new tea is indeed excellent. Thank you for your hospitality, Auntie."
Madam Shen was overjoyed. "I'm glad you like it!"
Shen Mingzhu turned to the brocade box in Madam Shen's hand and prompted, "Is Young Master Pei's jade bracelet finished?"
"It is. Little Pei, have a look and see how it is. If you aren't satisfied, I'll have your Uncle Shen redo it."
Pei Zongxuan smiled. "I trust Uncle Shen's craftsmanship." He had seen other gold and jade items restored in the shop, which showed no trace of repair and even boasted a certain aesthetic perfection; thus, he had absolute faith in her father's skills. Even so, he opened the brocade box to inspect it.
Inside lay the exquisite gold-filigree inlaid jade bracelet. It was impossible to tell it had ever been broken. The gold filigree did not merely cover the original shape; instead, it held the fractures in place with hollowed-out, petal-shaped gold, carved with such masterful precision that the bracelet seemed as if it had always been that way.
Pei Zongxuan was extremely satisfied. "I have troubled Uncle Shen."
Having retrieved his item, Pei Zongxuan made to stand up and leave. But seeing the relieved expression on Shen Mingzhu’s face, he sat back down.
Shen Mingzhu: "?"
The smile on Madam Shen's face deepened. "Little Pei, how old are you this year? Do you have a young lady you're fond of yet?..."
Shen Mingzhu tugged at her mother's sleeve from the side. *Are you really treating him like a future son-in-law?*
Madam Shen replied with a look: *What do you know? If we don't act quickly with such a handsome young man, who knows which family will snatch him up?*
Shen Mingzhu: *What if his character is poor?*
Madam Shen: *Little Pei has been to our shop several times; I can tell if his character is upright or not.*
Shen Mingzhu: *What if... fine, as long as you're happy.* Facing her mother’s threatening gaze, Shen Mingzhu decided to let it be.
"I am twenty-two this year, and I have no young lady in mind," Pei Zongxuan said, looking at Shen Mingzhu.
Shen Mingzhu: *Why are you looking at me?*
Pei Zongxuan withdrew his gaze and continued answering the mother's questions. "As for my family..."
*No, are you actually starting a formal introduction? Who wants to hear this?* Shen Mingzhu turned her head and saw Madam Shen watching Pei Zongxuan with a beaming face, listening intently and nodding from time to time.
"Our family is somewhat well-known locally..."
*Heh.* Shen Mingzhu nearly laughed out loud. The Heir of Prince Yong was being modest. As royals, their family was much more than "somewhat well-known."
"Regarding family assets, we have several thousand acres of fertile land on the outskirts of the city..."
There was a royal hunting ground on the outskirts, which had been allocated to Prince Yong a few years ago. However, Prince Yong had used the land to grow rice, so it did indeed count as several thousand acres of fertile fields.
"In the city, we have several shops: a silk store, an apothecary... we have many merchants who trade with us daily."
Shen Mingzhu gave him a sidelong glance: *Surely you don't need to introduce yourself in such detail?*
Pei Zongxuan's expression remained earnest, his voice continuing, "The residence, while not excessively luxurious, is spacious and comfortable, with a well-laid-out floor plan..."
*Wait, why are you even introducing your house?!?*
"We have a private school within the estate, and the children of the family receive a fine education from a young age..."
The more Madam Shen listened, the wider her smile grew. They were a perfect match! A match made in heaven for her Mingzhu! A talented man and a beautiful woman!
After a moment of thought, Pei Zongxuan added, "My father is diligent and devotes his full effort to family affairs; my mother is gentle and virtuous, managing the household with care. Our family atmosphere is upright, and we live in peace and harmony. If there is anything else you would like to ask, Auntie, I will certainly tell you everything."
"Good, good, good! Excellent!" Madam Shen looked at Pei Zongxuan as a mother-in-law looks at a son-in-law: the more she saw, the more she cherished him.