Chapter 8 – A Little Game Between Lovers

“Pfft! Alright, no need to be like that. I didn’t mean to question you.” Su Mingyue tugged at his sleeve quietly. “Where are you going next?”

“Home.”

“Oh.” Su Mingyue’s little face drooped with disappointment.

“Sir, your hairpin is wrapped.” The shop assistant came in with terrible timing. “That’ll be two taels of silver.”

“Hairpin?” Su Mingyue looked puzzled. “Shen-lang, who’s that for?”

Shen Xiuyan froze. The timing of this assistant’s entrance couldn’t have been worse. The more he didn’t want Su Mingyue to find out, the more obvious it became.

But after what just happened earlier, he absolutely couldn’t give her such a cheap thing, so he mumbled guiltily, “It’s for my mother…”

Shen Xiuyan’s eyes were shifty, his tone lacking confidence—just like her father when he was trying to hide something.

Su Mingyue took a step forward and reached for the box. “Let me see if it’s pretty.”

“Don’t…” Shen Xiuyan wasn’t fast enough to stop her—she had already opened it.

Su Mingyue stared at the fashionably designed hairpin in the box, and her temper flared instantly.

Oh, very good, Shen Xiuyan!

Daring to lie to her! This was clearly meant for a young girl! And he used his mother as an excuse!!!

Let’s see how she tears apart this two-faced scumbag!

Su Mingyue put her hands on her hips and interrogated, “Say it! Who’s the little vixen you’re giving this to?!”

Whoever dared to steal her man—if she didn’t get this off her chest, she wasn’t worthy of her Su family name.

Shen Xiuyan gave her puppy eyes and meekly said, “I-it’s for you, little vixen…”

Ugh, his beloved’s angry face was a little scary.

But also kind of cute… why?

Shen Xiuyan, you’re hopeless…

“What?” Su Mingyue first didn’t believe him, then was shocked, and then seemed to understand something.

While she was silent, Shen Xiuyan clenched his jaw and said it all in one breath, “I just picked up the money for transcribing books and thought I’d buy you a gift. Then that whole thing happened, and I didn’t expect this hairpin to be so… inappropriate. Just wait—I’ll get you a bigger, better one soon.”

Please don’t dislike me for being poor!!!

A million get-rich-quick schemes flashed through his mind—he just hadn’t executed them yet. But the money would come!!!

Su Mingyue looked at him, half laughing, half touched.

She was still standing there with hands on her hips in a questioning pose—great, now he’d seen her fierce look…

No, she had to fix this quickly.

Thinking of how her father’s concubine always acted coy and delicate, she quickly tried to mimic her. “Shen-lang, I’m not usually this fierce, really. I just got a little anxious just now. You have to believe me.”

Shen Xiuyan nodded. “I believe you. You have to believe me too!”

“I believe you, of course I do.” She held out her hand. “Now hand over the hairpin.”

But Shen Xiuyan didn’t give it to her—instead, he tucked it behind him. “Let’s not. Just wait a bit—no more than three months. I’ll definitely get you a bigger, better one.”

Su Mingyue gave him a radiant smile. “Dummy, I was just messing with those fools earlier. I’m super frugal—why would I buy such expensive jewelry? This two-tael one is perfect. I love it.”

“Really?” Shen Xiuyan’s eyes lit up.

He knew it—his future wife was easy to please after all!

“Really!” Su Mingyue nodded firmly.

“Alright then, come here. I’ll put it on you.” Shen Xiuyan walked over happily and gently inserted the hairpin into her bun.

“Does it look good?” Su Mingyue spun around, her smile blooming like a flower.

Her eyes curved into crescents as she beamed, the bright red hairpin shimmering against the moonlight-like gauze of her dress, making her porcelain skin look all the more radiant.

“Gorgeous…”

Shen Xiuyan was nearly blinded by her beauty and blurted it out without thinking.

Su Mingyue was very pleased with his reaction and was basking in his admiration when a voice suddenly called out.

“Miss Su, your jewelry has all been packed. That’ll be three hundred ninety taels. Would you like to put it on account or pay in full?”

Su Mingyue: “……”

Shen Xiuyan: “……”

The innocent shopkeeper who had just entered: “…….”

What was going on? The moment he stepped in, he felt two scorching gazes pierce through him, as if trying to burn a hole right through his body.

He shrank his neck unconsciously.

Why did it feel like Miss Su looked like she wanted to eat him alive…

He sneaked a glance at the assistant standing nearby, only to see the guy desperately winking at him, which only confused him more…

In order not to offend the biggest customer of the Jin Pavilion, he tucked his tail between his legs and quietly stood beside the assistant, wisely keeping his mouth shut.

Shen Xiuyan sighed inwardly. He knew it—Su Mingyue had been lying to him…

Thinking about it, with the Su Family’s wealth, how could two taels of silver be “just right”? Maybe she had never worn anything worth only two taels since the day she was born.

She really went out of her way, saying all that for his sake…

He had truly wronged her.

He took back what he’d said—his future wife was not easy to please. Shen Xiuyan, keep working hard…

When Su Mingyue saw how pitiful Shen Xiuyan looked, even his “dog ears” seemed to droop, she quickly doubled down on her fibs, feeling guilty, “It’s not for me, it’s for my dad to give to his concubine. I mean, I am a little envious, but you have to believe me—I really am super frugal and responsible!!!”

Sorry, Dad, I have to use your name for this one.

Shen Xiuyan: “Really?”

“Truer than pure gold!”

If Cuicui hadn’t turned her head away in a clear “I can’t watch this” expression, Shen Xiuyan might’ve believed her…

But Cuicui’s face at that moment told him: it was all Su Mingyue’s nonsense.

“Alright, I believe you,” Shen Xiuyan said earnestly. “Mingyue, you don’t need to envy her. I’ll buy you something even better in the future.”

Su Mingyue beamed, “Okay! I’ll be waiting!”

Shen Xiuyan clenched his fist, “You’ll see—I’ll make it happen soon!!!”

The assistant, who had watched the whole drama unfold, couldn’t hold it in anymore. What did he ever do? He was just trying to sell something, and now he felt like he’d been force-fed a huge bowl of dog food…

Hmph~ tui!