Quick Transmigration: Why did you provoke him? He's love-struck!

Chapter 315 Towards the Golden Palace (19)

As expected, Meng Zhenyue did not dodge, but leaned forward and stretched out her arms, subconsciously trying to catch Yan Zhen.

Yan Zhen "fell" into Meng Zhenyue's arms, leaning back and his veil fell off his head.

The two women stared at each other, wide-eyed.

Upon closer inspection of Meng Zhenyue, Yan Zhen noticed that although her features were plain, her skin was excellent, with almost no visible pores on her face.

Her eyes were bright and clear, and with just a touch of makeup, she appeared virtuous and gentle, the kind of honest girl who was easy to get along with and had a good temper.

In a few brief moments, Yan Zhen pretended to come to his senses and quickly stood up straight: "Sorry, are you alright?"

Meng Zhenyue shook her head: "No, what about you?"

"I'm fine too." Yan Zhen looked shaken. "Luckily you caught me, otherwise I would have been even more injured."

Because of her words, Meng Zhenyue looked at Yan Zhen's legs.

Following her gaze, Yan Zhen offered an explanation: "He fell off the carriage shaft and broke his bones."

Meng Zhenyue's delicate brows furrowed slightly: "It takes a hundred days to recover from a broken bone, you must be careful, don't..."

She stopped speaking here, looking down at her legs.

Yan Zhen feigned ignorance: "You're injured too?"

Meng Zhenyue smiled wryly and said, "It's a problem I had in my mother's womb."

As she spoke, she took two steps forward.

Yan Zhen feigned surprise, then quickly composed himself and asked, "Is Madam waiting for someone?"

Meng Zhenyue nodded.

Yan Zhen said, "There are private rooms on the third floor. Since we're just killing time anyway, why don't you come up with me for a cup of tea?"

Meng Zhenyue hesitated and said, "You work at this gold shop..."

Yan Zhen smiled and said, "Shopkeeper."

The two went up to a private room on the third floor, where a waiter brewed some fine Xue Shan Mao Jian tea and served several exquisite snacks.

Yan Zhen placed the teacup in front of Meng Zhenyue: "Try it. It's Xueshan Maojian tea sent from Tianzhou. It's a new tea from this season."

Meng Zhenyue picked up the cup, took a sip, and her eyes lit up slightly: "Good tea."

Yan Zhen wanted to befriend Meng Zhenyue and secretly tried to figure out what topics she was interested in. The two got along very well and within half an hour, they felt like they had known each other for a long time.

Upon learning that Yan Zhen had brought his family from Yinzhou to take the exam and that he wanted to settle down in the capital, Meng Zhenyue brought up Xie Zhao.

“My husband works as a compiler in the Hanlin Academy. Once your family member passes the imperial examination, he might become my husband’s colleague.”

Yan Zhen smiled and said, "Thank you for your kind words, madam. I don't know your husband's name, but if my husband is indeed on the list, I will definitely send someone to your house to announce the good news."

"My husband's name is Xie Zhao."

Yan Zhen thought for a moment and asked, "Is it the top scorer in the imperial examination six years ago?"

Meng Zhenyue nodded.

Yan Zhen flattered, "I heard that the top scholar six years ago was handsome and dashing, like Pan An. Countless noble ladies in the capital wanted to marry him. You are so lucky, my lady."

Meng Zhenyue's expression froze slightly, and her smile became somewhat forced.

She didn't intend to continue the conversation and instead started talking to Yan Zhen about other things.

The second floor at this time.

After much deliberation, Xie Wanfang chose a gold bracelet.

The gold bracelet was so beautifully patterned that Xie Wanfang couldn't bear to take it off once she put it on.

However, the bracelet cost sixty-eight taels, exceeding Meng Zhenyue's budget.

Cheng Qingshuang was mindful that Xie Wanfang had said something harsh that displeased Meng Zhenyue earlier, and did not want to do anything to upset her again today. So she advised Xie Wanfang, "Fang'er, this bracelet is too expensive. Choose another one."

Xie Wanfang clutched the bracelet: "No, I want this one."

"But this costs sixty-eight taels, and that woman said she'd only give fifty taels..."

“It’s only eighteen taels over, and she’ll give in after a little persuasion.” Xie Wanfang said dismissively, “It’s always been like this. If you call her ‘Mom’ a few times, she’ll still buy it even if it’s over budget. It’s because she can’t have children. If it weren’t for me and my brother, Dad would have divorced this barren hen long ago.”

Cheng Qingshuang recalled Meng Zhenyue's appearance, as if she had been wronged but dared not be angry or speak out, and then she thought about it and realized it made sense.

Meng Zhenyue is three years older than Xie Zhao, is lame, and cannot have children, but her own son is a top scholar!

Marrying her would be such a disservice.

What's wrong with her paying a little more?

Thinking of this, Cheng Qingshuang straightened her back and said to the shopkeeper, "We'll take this bracelet."

After the shop assistant wrapped up the bracelet, the grandfather and grandson turned back, only to find that Meng Zhenyue was not there, and there was only a maid waiting on the second floor.

Cheng Qingshuang asked, "Where did Xiaoyue go?"

The maid said, "The female manager of Jin Yu Lou invited you to a private room on the third floor."

Upon hearing that Meng Zhenyue knew the manager of Jinyulou, Cheng Qingshuang and Xie Wanfang exchanged a glance, their eyes lighting up.

Xie Wanfang quickly asked, "Is Mother friends with the manager of Jinyulou?"

The maidservant, who usually served Meng Zhenyue, was extremely annoyed by the greedy grandmother and granddaughter. She could tell what they were thinking just by looking at their expressions.

She suppressed her impatience and said, "No, the manager of Jinyulou almost fell, and you helped her up before she invited you to sit on the third floor."

Xie Wanfang immediately said, "Mother saved the life of the manager of Jinyulou, so shouldn't they give us some reward?"

Maid: "..."

After Xie Wanfang finished speaking, she grabbed Cheng Qingshuang and hurried upstairs: "Grandmother, let's go upstairs and take a look."

Upon reaching the third floor, the doors to all the private rooms were tightly closed. In one of the rooms, Meng Zhenyue's other maid and the head housekeeper stood on either side of the door.

Xie Wanfang strode towards the private room, making a move to go in.

The executive officer blocked her way, saying, "Miss, this private room is taken. If you want to see the fine jewelry, you can go to the private room over there."

He pointed in a random direction.

Xie Wanfang said, "I'm here to find my mother; she's inside."

The butler feigned ignorance: "Who is your mother?"

"Madam Meng." Xie Wanfang reached out to push the door open again.

The butler stopped her a second time: "Miss, inside are my manager and her distinguished guest. If you go in rashly, you will disturb them."

"Your manager's honored guest is my mother!" Xie Wanfang's mind was filled with thoughts of using the life-saving grace to get a piece or two of goldware from the manager of Jinyulou, and preferably the jade ruyi on the second floor. She became increasingly impatient with the steward's obstruction. "Get out of the way, I want to go in!"

The commotion outside reached the private room, and Yan Zhen and Meng Zhenyue both heard it.

Meng Zhenyue frowned as soon as she heard Xie Wanfang's voice, worried that she would make a fool of herself in front of Yan Zhen. She stood up and said to Yan Zhen, "Thank you for your hospitality, Madam Cao. I should go back now."

Yan Zhen took out a jade bracelet from the cabinet behind him, pulled Meng Zhenyue's hand, and slipped it onto her wrist without saying a word.

Meng Zhenyue was taken aback.

The jewelry on the second floor was already very valuable, so the price on the third floor was self-evident; it was simply not something she could afford.

Yan Zhen said, "I am new here and don't have many friends in the capital. I feel like I've known Lady Meng for a long time. This is a gift for our first meeting. Please come to Jinlou more often when you have time."

Meng Zhenyue shook her head, making a gesture to take off the jade bracelet: "No..."

Yan Zhen pressed her hand down and made a shushing gesture.

He then pulled her sleeve down to cover the bracelet and whispered, "Don't let anyone outside hear."

Meng Zhenyue was taken aback.