GTB Chapter 15

Chapter 15: Lust at First Sight/Love at First Sight

Chapter 15: Lust at First Sight/Love at First Sight

In the Seven Prince’s residence, within an octagonal pavilion in a garden, Yu Qin gently plucked the strings of her *qin*, the melodious and graceful music drifting in the air.

Her thoughts wandered with the music, as she had been in the Seven Prince’s residence for seven or eight days, yet she had not seen the prince.

Without seeing him, she couldn’t be sure why she had been redeemed and brought to the residence, and she dared not rashly contact Gu Changxuan. Everything in this residence was extremely unfamiliar to her, and she had to be cautious.

It seemed she could only wait for the blessing ceremony at Ning Yin Temple in half a month.

She remembered the scene of their meeting at Ning Yin Temple last year. It was where they first met and also their last appointment before they parted.

“Seventh Brother, after lunch, shall we go to Mo Feng Pavilion this afternoon?” At the entrance of the Seven Prince’s residence, the voice of the Eighth Prince, Shí Yuanchen, came from inside a luxurious carriage.

The coachman opened the carriage door, and Shí Yan, dressed in an ink-blue brocade robe with dark embroidery, stepped out of the carriage. Shí Yuanchen, who had jumped down after him, said, “Seventh Brother, did you hear what I said?”

Shí Yan strode into the residence, impatiently saying, “Didn’t you go there yesterday afternoon? Going again? Since when have you become so fond of appreciating literature and ink?”

As he spoke, he glanced at Shí Yuanchen beside him, his eyes probing, “That’s not right, you seem to have been running to Mo Feng Pavilion frequently these past few days. Tell me! Why? Could it be that you’ve taken a fancy to one of the musicians there?”

“Of course not, I just… I just want to see if I can run into someone.”

After Shí Yuanchen said that, he met Shí Yan’s puzzled gaze as he turned his head, and continued, “It’s that young master in disguise from last time, no, it’s a young lady. I fell in love with her at first sight.”

Shí Yan chuckled, not expecting that his daily visits to Mo Feng Pavilion were for this reason.

Shí Yuanchen was immediately dissatisfied upon hearing the chuckle, “Seventh Brother, don’t be disrespectful! The most beautiful love in the world is undoubtedly love at first sight, the most unforgettable.”

Shí Yan, hearing his words, directly sneered, “If I don’t laugh at you, who else would I laugh at? It was only one meeting, maybe while you’re here being all unforgettable, she’s already got a husband and a houseful of kids.”

Shí Yuanchen was thoroughly stimulated by this sentence. Although he felt it was definitely impossible, it still hit him hard.

“Who said that? Don’t guess randomly if you didn’t see it. She’s obviously a young lady, how could she be married? Besides, which married woman would still dress up as a man and go out to play?”

Shí Yan completely ignored his wounded heart, continuing to provoke him, “Which decent family’s daughter would dress up as a man and run around alone?”

His eighth brother’s only use was to withstand teasing; otherwise, he would have kicked him back to the palace long ago.

Upon hearing this, Shí Yuanchen tried his best to explain, “You don’t understand, she’s good-looking, she must be dressing up as a man to avoid attracting attention, how could she not be a decent family’s daughter?”

Shí Yan: “Is that so? Then I see that you’re acting out of lust.”

Hearing Shí Yan’s words, Shí Yuanchen retorted, “I’ve already said, I was in love at first sight. Besides, even if I’m acting out of lust, as long as it lasts long enough, it’s love.” After he finished speaking, he snorted, “Besides, who doesn’t love beauty?”

Shí Yan walked at a steady pace, his tone indifferent as he said, “Beauty fades, it’s just fleeting clouds.”

Shí Yuanchen wanted to retort, but he couldn’t find the words, and as usual, he ended up shutting his mouth again.

He secretly decided in his heart that he must read more books when he got back, otherwise he wouldn’t even be able to argue, no, debate, he wouldn’t be able to debate at all.

Just as the two passed a rockery, they heard the faint sound of a *qin*. Shí Yuanchen stopped in his tracks, “Seventh Brother, who’s playing the *qin*?”

Shí Yan’s eyes paused for a moment, and then he realized that it was the musician he had brought back.

And Shí Yuanchen also immediately thought of it; after all, besides the girl Seventh Brother brought back, there didn’t seem to be anyone else.

“This music sounds like thoughts carried by the wind, a feeling that lingers in my heart! Could it be that you’ve been neglecting her!”

A hint of triumph flashed in Shí Yuanchen’s eyes, thinking of getting back at him.

Yu Qin had spotted the two from afar. While continuing to play without any change in expression, she sized up the two figures getting closer and closer.

The amazement in her eyes grew stronger and stronger. She seemed to be able to tell at a glance that the one wearing the ink-blue brocade robe was the Seventh Prince, with a noble appearance she had never seen before.

She quickly retracted her gaze, slowly played the last note, then gracefully stood up, walked over, and bowed, saying:

“Greetings, Seventh Prince.”

After Yu Qin straightened up, she looked at Shí Yuanchen, who was dressed in noble attire. She didn’t recognize this person, but assumed that his status must also be extraordinary, so she gave him a slight bow before looking at Shí Yan again.

The man before her was even more stunning and incomparably noble up close, as if even a corner of his robe revealed laziness and extravagance, like the peak of a snow mountain, making people dare not easily approach.

She only glanced twice before hurriedly averting her gaze, bowing again, “Thank you, Seventh Prince, for redeeming Yu Qin.”

Shí Yan casually sized up the person in front of him, then opened his mouth and replied, “It was just a matter of convenience. Just stay here in peace. If you need anything, go to the butler of the residence.” After he finished speaking, he continued to walk forward.

The two behind him were stunned. Shí Yuanchen quickly lifted his foot and chased after him. He really didn’t expect that this girl had been in the residence for some time, but the two of them clearly met for the first time.

He really couldn’t understand why his seventh brother had brought her back. Could it be that it was really for him to listen to her play the *qin*?

Yu Qin looked in the direction where the two had left, her gaze resting on the ink-blue figure, unable to regain her senses for a long time.

After ten days, a pastry shop called Jade Shop opened.

The novel layout and the buy-one-get-one-free opening discount, as well as the fact that it was a shop where you could try for free, attracted a lot of customers coming in and out early in the morning.

Ji Shutíng and Jiang Jiuchu also came early to support their shop. The two stood at the door, watching people come out with Jade Shop pastries in their hands, both feeling an inexplicable sense of accomplishment.

The maids Lüluo and Xiangcao were also amazed, not expecting their young ladies to be so capable that they could make the shop so popular.

Jiang Jiuchu and Ji Shutíng smiled at each other and walked in. There were many customers in the shop, and many people were trying the pastries.

Shopkeeper Li was also very good at handling affairs, arranging everything properly. Even for a very small number of poor people who only ate and didn’t buy, he still treated them well and didn’t show any sarcasm.

The little boy saw Ji Shutíng and Jiang Jiuchu come in, and immediately ran forward happily, seeming to be much more cheerful and no longer as timid as before.

“Pretty sisters.”

“Xiao Bao, don’t disturb the sisters, let them buy pastries.” Just as Xiao Bao ran to the two of them, he was quickly pulled back by Shopkeeper Li, who hurried over.

“Please come inside, ladies. Our shop is offering a buy-one-get-one-free discount today for the opening.”

Shopkeeper Li said this because he had been told not to reveal the identities of the two owners in the shop.

“It’s okay, children don’t understand these things.”

Jiang Jiuchu naturally knew what Shopkeeper Li meant. She touched the little boy’s head and instructed, “Be good and don’t run outside the shop. There are many people today. If you get lost, you won’t be able to see your father.”

Xiao Bao nodded heavily, and then enthusiastically helped Ji Shutíng and Jiang Jiuchu choose a few pastries that he thought were the most delicious.

After the two had chosen, they walked upstairs.