Is he her brother? Or her man?

Madam Zhao spent a short while keeping an eye on the carpentry workshop ahead before returning to start preparing the meal.

Since the little girl was staying here, she still needed to be properly nourished.

Looking at her frail little frame, she actually seemed even thinner now than she had after the previous bouts of extra nourishment. Therefore, while the day was still early, Madam Zhao set about stewing pig trotters.

…………

After Jiang Chengyan brought Bai Yan out of the pleasure house, he first took her to change back into women's attire to prevent Madam Zhao from noticing anything unusual upon their return home, and only then did he bring her back. As they happened to pass through the county's most bustling street, seeing that Bai Yan seemed too tired to walk further, Jiang Chengyan had no choice but to buy the little girl some children's toys—things like a rattle-drum and a small hand-fan.

At this moment, Shen Dongliang was standing on the second floor of a restaurant, looking down. He certainly never expected to catch sight of the little girl.

He saw the young girl dressed in plain, unadorned clothes, holding the hand of a tall man while happily hopping along with a rattle-drum clutched in her grip.

Yu Ruixiang, Wang Zi'an, and their group of idle companions noticed Shen Dongliang staring intently in a certain direction below. Following his gaze, the young men naturally spotted the skipping little girl at a single glance.

"Brother Dongliang, is that the girl you've set your sights on?"

"Eldest Young Master certainly has good taste."

The few of them exchanged comments back and forth, yet all were well aware that the young girl was clearly holding hands with a man, suggesting she was already taken.

Shen Dongliang's expression turned rather unsightly, especially upon catching sight of Jiang Chengyan.

The little girl seemed exceptionally reliant on him, and very obedient as well.

"Brother Dongliang, come here." Wang Zi'an, who was a few months younger than the rest of the group, suddenly beckoned to Shen Dongliang.

Shen Dongliang had no desire to entertain him; right now, his belly was full of simmering anger toward Jiang Chengyan.

"I say, Brother, just look at how you were even sending bank drafts to people. Come over here and let me show you something." Once Wang Zi'an said this, Shen Dongliang frowned before finally pacing slowly over to his side.

"Is that man her brother? Or her husband?" Wang Zi'an asked Shen Dongliang.

Shen Dongliang did not reply, offering only a cold, indifferent glance.

The meaning behind that look was self-evident.

"Alright, let's talk business. Look at how well she's being provided for, and then take a look at yourself, Eldest Brother," Wang Zi'an chattered on. "Look at that jade bracelet on her wrist. I can't quite identify the grade of the jade, but the quality looks exceptional."

"And look at what she's wearing on her head—all the latest styles."

"Oh, and her shoes. Those shoes have been in huge demand lately. My mother couldn't manage to buy a pair, so she had them custom-made. They actually sew pearls onto the shoes. Word is they're an ordinary family? In that case, who knows if the pearls are real, but the design is certainly lovely."

"Just look at how well groomed she is. To take a step back, even ten thousand steps, if this girl were truly to follow you, Brother, would you be capable of dressing her up with such refined care?"

Wang Zi'an's soul-searching question left Shen Dongliang genuinely utterly speechless.

Searching his conscience, he had neither interest in nor understanding of women's adornments.

Hearing Wang Zi'an chatter on at such length, he finally seemed to understand a little.

"Brother, if you don't even understand these things, how on earth do you expect to win her over?" Wang Zi'an mustered the rare boldness to pat Shen Dongliang's arm.

Shen Dongliang remained silent, but a plan was already taking shape in his mind.

………………

Because Bai Yan disliked eating pork and would suffer an allergic reaction from it, though Madam Zhao had added some secret ingredient to the trotter soup, after drinking a few sips, she showed no allergic reactions whatsoever.

Therefore, once the meal was finished, she squatted down in the courtyard holding a small trowel, intending to dig into the soil and plant the fruit pits she had just finished nibbling.

At that exact moment, Bai Yan heard a sudden thud, and watched as two large golden hairpins came flying in over the wall, landing precisely right in front of her.