Just as they reached their front door, the neighboring house’s door suddenly opened, revealing a gossipy face. The old lady came out with an invitation card, speaking through her toothless, somewhat whistling mouth: “A Ke, you’re back! This is an invitation from Madam Shen of Jin Man Lou. Since no one was home at your house, I kept it for you.”
“Thank you, Granny Li.” Shi Fa Ke reached out to take it.
But the old lady didn’t let go, winking at her. “Is Madam Shen asking you to arrange a match? For their young lady? Which family are they interested in?”
This old lady was as gossipy as ever.
“…Granny Li, these matters concern a young lady’s reputation. It’s not appropriate to discuss them casually,” Shi Fa Ke said somewhat helplessly.
The old lady released her grip with some disappointment, but then her eyes suddenly lit up again as she grabbed Shi Fa Ke’s hand. “A Ke, that young master came looking for you several more times after that, but why didn’t you let him in each time? That young master is so handsome, how could you bear to turn him away? Speaking of which, is that young master the Scholar Lu who redeemed the courtesan…”
Shi Fa Ke didn’t listen to what the old lady was gossiping about afterward. She only caught the first part—Lu Chi had come looking for her several more times afterward, and each time he wasn’t allowed in?
When had this happened? How did she not know?
Shi Fa Ke immediately looked at her two sisters-in-law, only to find one looking at the ground and the other at the sky—no one would meet her eyes…
Well, now she knew.
Shi Fa Ke finally managed to say goodbye to the gossipy Granny Li and walked through the front door.
He Ke Tian and Jiao Jiao looked at each other—well, now that things were exposed, what should they do?
“I was doing this for A Ke’s good. Even if Mother finds out, she’ll definitely understand me…” He Ke Tian cleared her throat and said righteously.
“Yes, Scholar Lu’s reputation is ruined now, and he’s infatuated with brothel prostitutes. He’s truly not a good match,” Jiao Jiao said. Although she knew this sister-in-law had personal motives, this time their positions aligned.
Shi Fa Ke couldn’t care less about her two sisters-in-law who had inexplicably formed an alliance. She went straight to her room and pulled out Zhu Yan Yan’s letter, reading it back and forth several times, then unconsciously glanced at the wooden box on her dressing table. Inside were a heavy gold ruyi, a brilliantly glowing jeweled ruyi hairpin, and a five-hundred-tael silver note.
These were the meeting gifts from Uncle Lu, Aunt Lu, and Elder Brother Lu. Setting aside Elder Brother Lu’s practical silver note, the gold ruyi and jeweled ruyi hairpin… she should have realized earlier.
No, at the time Third Brother had hit the nail on the head: “Which matchmaker have you ever seen receive meeting gifts? Those are called matchmaking gratitude gifts. As a matchmaker, what about you is worth such an expensive price? These meeting gifts—could it be they’ve taken a fancy to you as a daughter-in-law for their family?”
But at the time, she would rather guess that Elder Brother Lu had taken a fancy to her… she never guessed it was that Second Brother Lu.
Thinking about it, Shi Fa Ke found it somewhat amusing, and also felt a bit sorry for that Second Brother Lu.
At the time, he must have been very angry.
Shi Fa Ke couldn’t sit still. She suddenly wanted very much to see Lu Chi, so she directly tucked Zhu Yan Yan’s letter into her bosom and walked out, only to encounter her two sisters-in-law who had just entered.
“A Ke, didn’t you say you were tired? Where are you going?” He Ke Tian asked.
“I have some business to attend to.”
“You’re not going to look for Scholar Lu, are you?” He Ke Tian looked suspicious and tried to persuade her earnestly: “His reputation is ruined. No young lady would be willing to marry him. Give up the idea of arranging matches for him.”
No, she absolutely couldn’t let A Ke have any more contact with Scholar Lu.
“Yes, I won’t arrange matches for him anymore,” Shi Fa Ke said expressionlessly.
“Really?” He Ke Tian looked skeptically at her sister-in-law.
She knew Shi Fa Ke’s personality very well—would she really give up so easily?
“Yes, really.”
After Shi Fa Ke finished speaking, she left without looking back.
Behind her, He Ke Tian frowned and muttered, “Why do I feel something’s not quite right… what exactly is the problem?”
Shi Fa Ke went directly to Willow Leaf Lane.
At this moment, Lu Chi was at home. Because his reputation was ruined, the academy had already dismissed him.
Right now, Lu Chi was sitting dejectedly in the courtyard, staring into space. Before leaving Fei Qiong Stockade, he had made bold declarations that this time he would definitely marry A Ke back home. Who knew that just helping Ming Chang Qiao redeem someone… that woman had caused him a heap of trouble!
That woman had actually gone to the Shi family to arrange a match! How could she do such a thing! It was truly repaying kindness with malice!
Not only had he been dismissed by the academy, but worse still, he couldn’t even enter the Shi family’s front gate! The Shi family guarded against him like guarding against a thief. He was seriously considering the possibility of climbing over the wall at night… but with his current completely ruined reputation, marrying A Ke was out of the question. If he went to propose marriage, he would definitely be beaten out by the Shi family father and sons with big sticks. Now waiting for him, there was probably only the path of bride kidnapping.
Just thinking about it was so despairing…
Just as Lu Chi’s thoughts began racing down the path of bride kidnapping and he was figuring out one hundred and eight methods of bride kidnapping, someone knocked at the door outside.
Lu Chi couldn’t even be bothered to move.
The only person who would come knocking at his door now was his annoying student Zhu Ke Ji… Old Master Zhu firmly believed he had great talent and refused to abandon him even in this critical moment, insisting on playing the role of providing help in times of need, which left him quite helpless.
He was just a piece of trash now—don’t bother with him!
Life without being able to marry A Ke was so despairing…
The person outside knocked for a long time, seeming to realize there was no response, and gave up.
Lu Chi continued sitting motionless in a daze.
“Lu Chi!” Suddenly, an angry voice rang out.
A Ke’s voice?
Lu Chi blinked sluggishly, looking at the young lady who had climbed to the top of the wall… could it be that he missed A Ke so much that he was having hallucinations?
“You scoundrel! Why won’t you open the door!” Shi Fa Ke shouted angrily.
This scoundrel was clearly home but wouldn’t open the door, causing her to be stuck on the wall in a difficult position! She was caught between advancing and retreating, unable to get down!
Lu Chi immediately stood up. A Ke?