Let Me Explain, Fairy
Chapter 869 - 545: Chance Encounter_2

Chapter 869: Chapter 545: Chance Encounter_2

"I remember that clothing shop called Hongchang seems to have quite good materials."

Bai Muxi’s bright eyes glittered knowingly at the thought of what the clothes she was buying were for, yet without any shyness, Lolo spoke openly:

"Young Master seems quite familiar with this market street?"

"I used to come here often."

Xu Yuan didn’t deny it and, with a smile, pointed to several nearby shops with elegant antique decorations, saying, "The plaques on these shops were sold to them by me in the past."

"Plaques?"

At this, Bai Muxi glanced up.

The characters on the plaques were bold and energetic, with an indescribable presence.

"These characters are so powerful... did you write them?" Bai Muxi asked knowingly.

Xu Yuan shook his head and chuckled:

"My handwriting isn’t worth much—it was my father’s."

Bai Muxi gave a slight smile, her voice clear and pleasant:

"I imagine it must have exchanged for quite a bit of silver."

"Certainly."

The smile on Xu Yuan’s face was content, as he proudly said, "My father’s calligraphy is a rare find, and now, the genuine pieces circulating in the Dayan market were all sold by me back then."

Upon hearing this, Bai Muxi covered her red lips lightly and laughed coyly:

"Young Master actually engaged in such absurd affairs... truly an amusing person."

Xu Yuan shook his head and said leisurely:

"It was quite interesting back then, but now, I don’t even pay attention to that little bit of silver anymore."

Back then, wandering through the Hook Bar, buying ornaments, a ten thousand silver was already enough for a long time, but this kind of personal expense really couldn’t even compare to the slightest fraction of military and national affairs.

Talking and laughing with Bai Muxi, the two of them soon arrived at the doorstep of the clothing shop known as Hongchang. Before they even entered, two beautiful hostesses greeted them with a bow, their voices respectful:

"Are you esteemed guests here to buy ceremonial gowns, or to order patterned garments?"

"...."

Hearing these two unfamiliar terms, Bai Muxi subconsciously turned her gaze towards Xu Yuan.

Xu Yuan first responded, "Let’s go in and see first," before explaining to Xiao Bai:

"Ceremonial gowns are for everyday wear, while patterned garments are specially tailored for cultivators."

With that, they stepped into the antique building, and immediately, a refined fragrance filled the air.

The layout on the first floor resembled the clothing stores from Xu Yuan’s previous life, with an array of women’s clothes neatly organized and hung in their respective sections.

There were pleated skirts, luxurious attires, palace costumes, and even cheongsams, as well as some midriff-baring red outfits from the Western Region.

Some were boldly revealing, while others were stingily conservative.

A glance revealed a dazzling array of choices.

Hongchang was considered a century-old establishment, specializing in selling a variety of women’s clothing. Xu Yuan had been here a few times before, so he was quite familiar with the rules inside.

Hongchang spanned three floors; the first and second floors displayed ready-to-wear items, while the third floor was for custom tailoring by the shopkeeper.

Without lingering on the first floor, Xu Yuan led Bai Muxi straight to the second floor of the antique building. As they stepped onto the second floor, Bai Muxi’s delicate eyes widened slightly.

This was her first time going out shopping and her first glimpse of the splendor of Dayan through its garments.

Compared to the myriad of clothes on the first floor, the second floor was much more simple, but this simplicity was built upon lavish extravagance.

In the large and serene space, a total of twenty-seven garments were suspended, each floating in its own enigmatic glass cabinet, like individual exhibits of art.

The garments on the second floor of Hongchang were unique in the world.

Although it was a marketing ploy, the clothing designed by the shopkeeper was indeed beautiful, and the materials were top-notch.

Watching Xiao Bai’s Mrs. Liu entering the Grand View Garden demeanor, Xu Yuan found it somewhat amusing. He raised his hand and lightly pinched her soft waist as a reminder:

"You pick one yourself. If you fancy any, let the hostesses wrap it up. If nothing catches your eye, we’ll continue to the next shop."

Bai Muxi hesitated for a moment before asking with a hint of uncertainty:

"Young Master...aren’t you going to pick one yourself?"

This trip to buy clothes was indeed for her, but it was for the Young Master’s use.

Xu Yuan glanced at her, smiled slightly,

"This kind of thing, I think it’s more surprising if the woman prepares it proactively."

"...Huh?"

Having heard this, Bai Muxi purposely let a trace of confusion show in her bright eyes, then swayed towards the crystal cabinets filled with garments, picking out clothes for herself.

While walking, she was silently calculating in her heart.

First, buy a conservative dress in front of the young master, then sneak out after returning to the mansion to buy one the young master might like...

Watching Xiao Bai choose clothes, Xu Yuan also casually took a chair out from the Sumeru Ring and sat down.

The beautiful receptionist standing beside Xu Yuan was taken aback when she saw this, not understanding where the client had produced the chair from. She instinctively opened her mouth to suggest something but eventually swallowed her words.

To maintain its own dignity, Hongchang had not prepared resting couches for customers, but since a customer brought his own chair... It didn’t seem right to ask him to get up, did it?

For a moment, the only sound on the second floor was Xiao Bai’s rustling footsteps as she walked back and forth.

After pacing past a dozen crystal cabinets, just as Bai Muxi was about to raise her hand to point at a black dress edged with red and embroidered with white silk patterns, her beautiful eyes suddenly looked towards the staircase leading up to the third floor.

"Tap..."

"Tap..."

"Tap..."

Next instant, three sets of footsteps descended.

Raising an eyebrow, Xu Yuan belatedly turned his head to look.

At first glance,

He saw an old acquaintance.

The shopkeeper of Hongchang, a mature woman who still exuded charm.

In his memory, this woman had always adhered to a "buy or leave" philosophy, treating customers with a mostly sour face.

Of course,

If you were to hold a knife to her throat, she would perform a sliding kneel for you.

As he thought back on the amusing events when he first taught this woman a lesson, Xu Yuan suddenly realized, to his surprise, that this charming matron was all smiles, leading two people behind her.

It seems the two behind her held quite high status.

Xu Yuan thought to himself but didn’t pay much attention, continuing to cross his legs and wait for Xiao Bai to pick clothes.

Di’an City, being the heart of Dayan, had too many nobles who could make this familiar woman kneel.

"Tap..."

"Tap..."

Accompanied by the descending footsteps, the lower bodies of the two people behind the familiar woman soon entered Xu Yuan’s view; it was a man and a woman.

The man was in a fitted outfit, looking quite burly.

The woman, dressed in a palace gown of sky blue and pale blue, exuded a watery tenderness.

They seemed to be a perfect match.

However, when the chest emblems of the two came into view, Xu Yuan’s brows involuntarily raised.

Not because of the woman but because of the man.

He saw a clan emblem on the man’s outfit.

Marquis of Wucheng’s Mansion.

And then, the calm and commanding voice of the man came through,

"Zhi Yun, in a few days I might head north to find Father and Qingyan. Consider this Tian Qing Immortal Dress a birthday gift for you..."

His words halted halfway.

The man’s heroic gaze swept across the second floor, onto Xu Yuan and Bai Muxi.

After pausing a moment on Bai Muxi, it settled on Xu Yuan.

Their gazes met.

Xu Yuan leaned back in the wooden chair, legs still crossed with no intention of lowering them, propping his chin, staring at the three people descending from above, his gaze pensive.

He really did have old acquaintances all over Di’an City.