Сhаpter 21: Whiсh Маn Did Shеn Мingshu Buy It For?
Uроn hearing this, thе shopkеереr immеdiаtelу undеrstооd—this gentlemаn was here for Мiss Shеn.
His еуеs dаrtеd arоund а fеw times, but he hеsitаted, nоt daring to spеak.
“I…”
Нe had just begun tо spеak whеn his wоrds were аbruptly cut оff аs Нu Qing suddеnly prеssеd dоwn hаrd on his shouldеr, giving it a fоrceful shоve.
Thе shopkеeper winсеd in рain, brеаking out in a cоld sweаt, аnd dared nоt conсeаl аnуthing further.
“I’ll sрeak! I’ll sрeak! Shе bоught а lot of fabric. Miss Shen pickеd it оut at a glancе, didn’t еven ask the рriсe, and bought it directly.”
“Just fabric?” Xiao Zheng raised an eyebrow. “What kind of fabric?”
The shopkeeper wiped the sweat from his forehead and replied cautiously, “What Miss Shen picked were all the finest fabrics from our Jinchun Shop. The colors are subdued and elegant, mostly… mostly styles for men.”
As soon as he finished speaking, the temperature inside the carriage seemed to drop abruptly.
Xiao Zheng’s expression darkened instantly, and an aura of displeasure radiated from him.
“For a man?”
He was inwardly furious. “Which man did Shen Mingshu buy it for?”
The shopkeeper didn’t dare to answer, his face pale with fear as he repeatedly kowtowed.
Seeing the atmosphere grow unbearably tense, Hu Qing quickly spoke up cautiously, “Young Master, perhaps she bought it for you?”
Xiao Zheng was still frowning coldly, but upon hearing this, he suddenly turned his head.
Noticing a slight shift in his expression, Hu Qing hurriedly added, “Do you remember? That year you were stationed at the border, Miss Shen often made winter clothes and sent them to you.”
“I remember, during the coldest part of that winter, the fox fur robe you wore was a gift from her. You wore it for a long time.”
Hu Qing smiled confidently. “This time must be the same.”
Xiao Zheng raised an eyebrow.
Indeed, who else could she possibly know?
Since childhood, the boys around her had always kept their distance. The only one she was ever close to was him.
If she were making clothes, who else could they be for if not him?
Xiao Zheng’s expression finally softened, and he curled his lips into a smile. “She does have a heart.”
Late at night in the Shen residence.
The dim, flickering lamplight cast shifting shadows across half of the young woman’s face.
Shen Mingshu sat at the desk, holding a brush as its tip lightly traced over the sketch, outlining the collar design.
“Creak—”
The door opened softly as Xiao Tang pushed it open and entered.
“Miss,” she whispered, “I’ve found out.”
She took a piece of paper from her sleeve and carefully handed it over.
On the paper were the measurements of a man, meticulously detailed down to shoulder width, sleeve length, and waist size.
Shen Mingshu carefully memorized each number on the paper, her voice sweet and gentle. “Good, we’ll make it according to this.”
After speaking, she dipped her brush in ink and made a slight adjustment to the shoulder line on the new sketch.
Xiao Tang brought the fabric and placed it on the table but didn’t walk away. Instead, she stood quietly nearby, watching Shen Mingshu sketch drafts and measure the fabric on the desk.
Inwardly, she couldn’t help but sigh softly.
A young lady like her, who had been pampered and sheltered since childhood, shouldn’t have had to touch needlework at all. Yet for Xiao Zheng, she had stubbornly learned how to make clothes.
Xiao Tang still remembered those first few nights when the young lady sat under the lamplight, sewing sachets stitch by stitch. Because of the cold, her hands had swollen badly, and her fingertips were pricked by the needles, leaving tiny beads of blood.
After that, she had made countless things for Xiao Zheng.
But fortunately, the young lady had finally come to her senses.
Xiao Zheng didn’t deserve her kindness.
In the lecture hall of Yinhua Terrace at Chengwen Academy.
The female students sat upright in their seats, listening attentively as the instructor taught a chapter from the “Book of Documents.”Shen Mingshu sat by the window. The day was hot, and the cicadas were chirping noisily. Having stayed up late sewing clothes the previous night, she couldn’t help but yawn.
The teacher’s gaze suddenly swept over her. “Miss Shen, which passage was I just explaining?”
Startled at being called upon, Shen Mingshu quickly stood up. She mentally reviewed what the teacher had just taught and replied slowly, “The teacher was explaining this passage: ‘Respect virtue and protect the people, meaning that those who govern should transform others through virtue…’”
The teacher, who had initially been annoyed, felt his anger subside slightly upon hearing her reasonably accurate response. “Hmm, your interpretation is acceptable. Be more attentive in class next time.”
After the lesson ended, the students filed out one by one.
Jiang Yuan walked over to Shen Mingshu’s side. “Why have you been yawning so much lately? Are you feeling unwell?”
Shen Mingshu shook her head and said softly, “It’s nothing, I just haven’t been sleeping well these past few nights.”
For the past three days, she had returned home after school and shut herself in her room to work on the clothes.
Every time she fell asleep, she would have nightmares—dreaming that Prince Xuan wanted to kill her—and would spend the entire night tossing and turning.
Fortunately, the progress on the clothes was good.
She was already skilled at sewing, having made countless outfits for Xiao Zheng before. Moreover, with Xiao Tang and Chun Xing helping with cutting and selecting fabrics, she saved a lot of effort.
In three days, she had already completed two pieces, with three more left to finish.
Once all five were done, she could personally deliver them to Jiang Xun.
Seeing the faint dark circles under Shen Mingshu’s eyes, Jiang Yuan frowned with concern.
“It’s not a solution for you to keep sleeping poorly like this. I’ll have someone send you some calming tea later—it’s a recipe from the Imperial Hospital. I also had trouble sleeping recently, and it worked quite well for me. Drink a bowl before bed, and you’ll sleep soundly through the night.”
Shen Mingshu immediately replied sweetly, “Thank you, Sister Jiang Yuan! You’re truly the best! The kindest, most wonderful sister ever!”
Jiang Yuan tapped her forehead lightly and said helplessly, “You and your sweet talk.”
Zhuque Street was bustling with activity, the cries of vendors rising and falling in succession.
Amid the bustling crowd, Xiao Zheng and Lin Qingyan walked side by side.
Lin Qingyan noticed a newly opened tailor shop by the street. “Xiao Lang, that tailor shop seems to have just opened. The styles look quite unique. You haven’t added any new clothes lately—why not go in and pick a couple?”
Hearing this, Xiao Zheng glanced at the shop and shook his head. “No need.”
As he spoke, the corner of his mouth lifted almost imperceptibly.
Why would he need to buy clothes? He was about to have new clothes to wear soon.
And what’s more, they would be made by Shen Mingshu herself.