Jiujin was driving the horse carriage, slowly moving on the pale-gray streets of the town. The ’clip-clop’ of the horse’s hooves hitting against the stone-paved road resonated in his heart, causing it to pound in sync with each ’clip-clop’. Occasionally, he looked back at the carriage, wanting to say something to the person inside, but fearing that a wrong word might upset her, he chose to remain silent, continuing on the journey quietly.
"Jiujin, are you off to buy vegetables this early?"
An old man taking a stroll enthusiastically greeted Jiujin.
Jiujin, recollecting himself from confused emotions, respectfully replied to the greeting, "Uncle Liu, good morning. I am on my way to check on the Nursing Home."
Uncle Liu immediately gave his approval upon hearing this, "Jiujin, you have a generous heart! Not only are you skillful but also kind. No wonder Old Master An wants to accept you as a son-in-law!"
Upon hearing this, Jiujin quickly turned to look at the carriage behind him anxiously replying, "Uncle Liu, please don’t tease me. Eldest Master An was merely joking about it, nothing substantial!"
Uncle Liu laughed heartily, "How can you just dismiss it as a joke? I’ve heard that Eldest Master An has already sought Matchmaker Hu in town, and soon, she will be visiting your home to discuss this matter. You must be pleased! After all, who doesn’t know that the Fifth Miss of An Family’s main house is stunning and virtuous? I heard that even County Magistrate Li proposed a marriage to Miss An for his son, but Eldest Master An didn’t agree!"
Eldest Master An wanted to accept Jiujin as son-in-law!
After hearing this news, Cai Wei felt genuinely happy for Jiujin.
The An Family that Uncle Liu referred to was indeed the wealthiest family in Qingyun Town. The Nursing Home she was currently residing was being managed by Old Madam An. Therefore, she was quite familiar with the An Family.
Old Master An, formally known as An Qixiang, was the most famous doctor in town. The largest clinic in town, Bao An Hall, was his business. Additionally, he owned two herbal medicine shops in town and was immensely respected for his excellent medical skills and noble medical ethics. Surely, a family of such dignity would raise well-educated daughters. This time, Jiujin truly was lucky!
After parting ways with Uncle Liu, Cai Wei peeked out of the carriage, teasing Jiujin playfully, "Brother Jiujin, you’re indeed fortunate to have caught the favor of Eldest Master An. If I were a man, I’d be jealous of you!"
Jiujin, blushing, replied, "Wei’er, don’t join in their nonsense. There’s no such thing. It’s just some silly gossip."
Cai Wei, laughing, said, "No wind, no waves. Since this rumor has spread outside, it must not be far from the truth. You should get ready for it!"
Hearing this, Jiujin looked somewhat displeased. Lowering his head, he flicked the horse’s rump with his whip and said in a low tone, "Wei’er, stop kidding around. Whether it’s true or false, I don’t want to marry Miss An. Let’s not talk about this anymore!"
Seeing Jiujin’s morose state, Cai Wei closed her mouth, let the carriage’s curtain down, and sat back inside.
This silly boy, not grabbing hold of such a good fate, insists on putting all his eggs in one basket. It seems she needed to give him some guidance!
When the carriage reached a dim sum shop, Cai Wei asked Jiujin to stop. She decided to buy some pastries to bring along.
The dim sum shops in town were rather shabby, only selling common, cheap pastries like Osmanthus Cake, Rice Noodles, Winter Melon Strips, and Furnace Fruits. You couldn’t find high-end pastries like Crispy rolls, Peanut Milk Cake, and Aiwowo here.
Cai Wei chose for a while, purchasing a few Jin of Osmanthus Cake, a few Jin of sugar-coated Ginger Rice Noodles, and a few Jin of soft Thousand Layer Cake...
There are many people in the Nursing Home, each with their own preferences. She bought a variety, so each person could choose according to their preference.