Shang Ruyi said, "If I don’t make a bigger fuss, how will the people at home believe I’m truly injured?"
Tushere was taken aback, "Miss, are you doing this for show?"
Shang Ruyi silently nodded.
Tushere said, "Last night, I was still wondering. The Duke has already proposed that Miss handle the affairs of the mansion, but Miss refuses. I thought Miss was truly injured and couldn’t, but now it seems Miss refused on purpose."
Shang Ruyi nodded again.
Tushere was even more astonished, "Why? Since Miss’s injury isn’t serious, why use it as an excuse to decline?"
Seeing her anxious expression, Shang Ruyi instead laughed and said, "You are thinking quite far for me, but alas, not far enough—the authority of managing the house, I cannot take."
Shang Ruyi’s eyes flickered. Although she was in the narrow carriage, her gaze seemed to have already fallen countless miles away: "It’s not yet my time to take it."
The carriage swayed and clattered along the road, producing a monotonous yet heavy sound.
Finally, the carriage stopped at the entrance of a clinic.
Tushere helped Shang Ruyi out of the carriage to see an old doctor about her injury. After examining, the old doctor said there was no harm to the bone and advised her to rest for a while. Yet, Tushere insisted on getting a few prescriptions, only then did they head back.
They had just walked for a while when lively hawking voices sounded outside.
Shang Ruyi lifted the curtain to look outside; the street was filled with small shops selling snacks, the air with sweet aromas enticing passersby to linger, children laughing and darting about, creating a lively scene.
Tushere suddenly pointed to a shop ahead and said, "Miss, the box of treats Huang Gongyi sent you seems to be from that shop."
Shang Ruyi looked; it was indeed the Wan Family Fruit Shop.
She thought for a moment and said, "Why not buy some to bring home and share? I saw everyone ate quite a lot last night."
Thus, the two got off the carriage and entered the Wan Family Fruit Shop.
This shop was quite spacious, with shelves filled with various colorful and patterned fruits and treats that made anyone who saw them filled with joy.
The shopkeeper saw the guests entering and promptly greeted, "Madam, what would you like to have a look at?"
Shang Ruyi said, "Shopkeeper, get me a few boxes of fruits."
The shopkeeper smiled, "Okay, what flavors does Madam prefer?"
Shang Ruyi thought for a moment and said, "I want one box with all your various fruits; another box with more hawthorns, poria, and honey; another with beautiful colors, nicely arranged; another with treats liked by children; and two more boxes, with mixed flavors and a bit of everything."
The shopkeeper said with a smile, "Madam is indeed a meticulous person."
With that, he cheerfully went off to prepare.
While waiting for the items, Shang Ruyi stood within the shop and looked around.
As she was surveying, suddenly she saw a gentleman in blue passing by the shop’s entrance.
He was walking quickly, so much so that Shang Ruyi didn’t even have time to see his face clearly. She only felt that his demeanor was upright and charming, with a graceful elegance, even though casually walking with hands behind his back, he gave a sense of worldly independence, capturing her gaze.
As he walked past, Shang Ruyi immediately noticed. In his hands behind his back, his flowing sleeves revealed a pair of fair hands, and one finger was hooked on a small jade pendant!