The Foolish General's Mute Spouse - Chapter 59

59: Can’t Look for Free, I’ll Pay

These words carried quite a deterrent effect, and Qi Ren immediately didn’t dare to go too far, though he still stood by his side like a door god.

Master Zhou clicked his tongue and chuckled, squinting his eyes: “Ah, young people! Always so jealous and possessive! No matter, no matter—my wife and I were the same when we were young!”

Fu Yu’an’s ears turned slightly red as he pursed his lips into a faint smile and didn’t respond.

He should’ve known better than to bring Qi Ren along—what a nuisance!

“But my orders are already booked until after the New Year, and I’m not sure if I’ll have time… Ah, but since we’re friends and you’ve always taken care of this old man’s business, I’ll make an exception for you!” Master Zhou laughed heartily.

Fu Yu’an reached out to Qi Ren, who promptly pulled out the money pouch from his pocket and handed it to him.

Fu Yu’an passed the money to Master Zhou with a smile: “This is the deposit. Once it’s done, I’ll give you another sum!”

He held up two fingers and waved them.

Master Zhou: “Twenty taels? But this…”

Fu Yu’an, flush with wealth: “Two hundred taels.”

Master Zhou stroked his beard in satisfaction and burst into laughter.

“Deal! The one who pays is the boss! I’ll draft a design for you right away. Please, have a seat and wait!” he said cheerfully. “Xiao Zhao! Serve tea!”

For a moment, Qi Ren was at a loss for words.

Truly, money could make the devil turn the millstone.

Xiao Zhao brought over two more chairs—one for Fu Yu’an and one for Master Zhou.

Qi Ren placed his own right next to Fu Yu’an’s and patted the chair, urging him to sit quickly.

Master Zhou carried a candleholder to the large stone table and began sketching the design.

As he drew, he chatted idly with the two of them.

Master Zhou: “Ah, even Xiao Zhu is getting married, yet my apprentices are still single! Who knows when they’ll find wives!”

Fu Yu’an: “Take it slow. Matters of fate can’t be rushed.”

Master Zhou: “True, true. Oh, by the way, how old is that girl Xiao Zhu this year?”

Fu Yu’an thought for a moment and replied: “After the New Year, she’ll be twenty-two.”

“And the groom?”

Qi Ren: “…He was born in the Year of the Tiger.”

Master Zhou: “…”

Fu Yu’an smiled: “Then he’s probably a year older than Xiao Zhu. She was born in the Year of the Ox!”

“Close enough, close enough.” Qi Ren brushed it off with a dry laugh.

Half an hour later, Master Zhou finally finished several draft designs and showed them to the two. They ultimately settled on a gold-inlaid-jade style.

Master Zhou repeatedly praised it, saying this was exactly the one he was most satisfied with.

All three were pleased. Seeing that the pendant matter was settled, Qi Ren brought up the ring again.

Master Zhou gave him a cold look: “What ring? Can’t you just buy one from a jewelry store?”

Qi Ren said: “No, no. It’s that kind… silver, very thin, worn on the middle finger or something. A few Western envoys came by before and mentioned that only married couples wear this kind of thing.”

Westerners were entirely outside Master Zhou’s expertise. Confused, he pointed at the table and told Qi Ren to draw it himself.

Qi Ren, frustrated that he couldn’t explain, let out an annoyed “aiya” and went over to sketch it himself.

It was just two circles.

Fu Yu’an bit his lip, walked over, and took the brush: “I think I’ve seen it before—it’s called a ‘wedding ring,’ right? Not a thumb ring, but a finger ring. It’s something only married couples wear.”

“Right, right, right!” Qi Ren chimed in. “Can it be done? It looks pretty simple to me!”

Master Zhou scowled and scolded him, “You don’t know sh1t!”

Qi Ren: “You—!”

Fu Yu’an sketched a rough design on paper and handed it to Master Zhou.

Only then did Master Zhou’s expression clear with sudden understanding. He flicked the paper with his finger and declared, “It can be done! Come, let’s measure the dimensions.”

Qi Ren eagerly grabbed Fu Yu’an’s hand and thrust it toward Master Zhou, as if afraid the man would change his mind.

Fu Yu’an flushed slightly, his fingers curling and then relaxing.

Master Zhou pulled over a soft measuring tape, clicking his tongue. “You two are quite close, aren’t you?”

“Of course!” Qi Ren’s pride practically radiated off him.

After a good deal of effort, the measurements were finally taken. Master Zhou said, “I wasn’t going to make it for you, but for His Highness’s sake, I’ll let you have this one favor! Once the pendant and the longevity lock are finished, I’ll send someone to deliver them to your residence.”

Fu Yu’an thanked him repeatedly before bidding farewell and leaving.

The moment they stepped outside, a biting wind slapped them in the face. Qi Ren helped Fu Yu’an into the carriage, and only then did the chill ease slightly.

The driver cracked his whip, and the carriage swayed as it set off toward the general’s manor.

Inside the carriage, Qi Ren suddenly recalled Master Zhou’s remark about how Xiao Zhu had always been the one to run errands outside the palace for Fu Yu’an in the past. A faint sense of unease prickled at him.

He thought of that girl from five years ago—the one holding the illustrated book with an art style that seemed similar to Fu Yu’an’s. And if he calculated the age…

No, no, no. Fu Yu’an’s art style had changed so much over the years. How could it be such a coincidence?

Besides, that girl looked nothing like Xiao Zhu, right?

It couldn’t be such a fluke. It just couldn’t.

Restless, he shifted in his seat, wishing he could sprout wings and fly home immediately to check whether Fu Yu’an’s box of books contained the one he had seen back then.

Fu Yu’an gave him a strange look, observing his fidgeting discomfort, and handed him the warming hand stove. “Are you cold?”

“Huh?” Qi Ren looked up, his expression tense. “No, I’m fine. You keep it.”

Fu Yu’an nodded and withdrew his hand.

This damned weather—it always turned especially frigid at night.

Qi Ren asked, “Five years ago—no, six years ago, did you have a palace maid named ‘Xiao Yu’?”

Fu Yu’an froze for a moment, instinctively denying it. He barely had Xiao Zhu as his only servant—how could there have been any other maids willing to approach an unlucky, neglected prince like him?

Qi Ren was half-doubtful. “Really? Think carefully.”

“Really not.” There was no need to think about such a question. “I only ever had Xiao Zhu attending to me. There was no ‘Xiao Yu’!”

Qi Ren hissed through his teeth, though it was unclear whether he believed it or not.

He turned away, staring at the carriage roof, lost in thought.

They walked in silence all the way until they reached the main gate. It wasn’t until Fu Yu’an was set down by him that he suddenly remembered—”Xiao Yu” was the pseudonym he had used once and then discarded long ago!

How could he still remember it?!

Fu Yu’an froze for a moment, unable to make sense of it. He looked up at him in a daze.

Qi Ren found it amusing and kissed him before setting him on the ground. He adjusted his cloak and said in a low voice, “Staring like that? It’s not like you’ve never seen me before. Who are you trying to seduce with that flustered look of yours? Hmm?”

Fu Yu’an snapped back to his senses and hurriedly pushed him away, quickly walking toward Guhe Pavilion on his own.

Qi Ren didn’t chase after him. He waited until Fu Yu’an had entered the house before unhurriedly making his way to the storeroom. Lighting a lamp, he began rummaging through the boxes at the bottom for the illustrated books.

Before he could find them, the door was suddenly pushed open from the outside. Fu Yu’an stood there holding the night pearl that “shone as brightly as moonlight” glaring at him. “What are you digging through my boxes for?! Go wash up and sleep!”

Qi Ren immediately stood up obediently, blew out the lamp, and followed him out.

“Why so shy? It’s not like I haven’t seen them before!” he said with a laugh.

Fu Yu’an shot him a glare. “What? You look at them often?”

Qi Ren nodded. “Yeah, I read them when I’m bored. Next time, I’ll buy some from the bookstore—how about that? I’ll pay for them instead of reading for free!”

Fu Yu’an was so angry he couldn’t even retort. All he could do was mutter a dry “shameless” before fleeing in embarrassment.

He knew he was the one who drew those risqué illustrated books, but the two of them had always tacitly avoided bringing it up. Now that Qi Ren had mentioned it so bluntly, Fu Yu’an had no idea where to hide his face!