Chapter 621: Do You Want to Compete With Me?
Chapter 621: Chapter 621: Do You Want to Compete With Me?
The Shopkeeper saw that the two seemed to have some bad blood between them and was about to step forward to explain.
"Mrs. Zhao, you see, this is..."
However, before he could finish, Ren Er’s maid rudely shoved him aside.
The maid said condescendingly, "Our lady is speaking. This has nothing to do with you."
The Shopkeeper looked troubled. He glanced at the calm and composed Shen Ningning. Zhao Lei was notoriously difficult to get along with in the city, and offending the Zhao family would mean trouble.
So, he thought of seeking help from the president of the merchant’s association and shot a look at a female clerk standing by the door, signaling for her to go and pass on a message.
Meanwhile, Shen Ningning heard Ren Er’s question and smiled.
"It’s true, I don’t have the silver to buy it."
Ren Er raised an eyebrow, her expression saying, ’I knew it.’
She looked at the Shopkeeper. "Shopkeeper, I won’t hide it from you. This is my older sister from my maiden family. She only recently returned home from out of town. Her husband is a good-for-nothing, so the two of them are living quite frugally now."
"I saw her come out of one of the private rooms in the back just now. Don’t think that just because she carries the Ren Mansion’s name, she has the silver to give you." As she spoke, Ren Er’s eyes shifted, and she gave a snide, mocking laugh.
She looked at Shen Ningning and asked, "Big Sister, why don’t you let me pay for you? What has caught your eye? I can gift you a hairpin, or perhaps a clasp."
Shen Ningning crossed her arms. "I wasn’t interested in anything, but after hearing you talk, I’ve suddenly taken an interest in the thousand gold silk. Shopkeeper, go ahead and wrap up that bolt of satin for me."
Ren Er’s expression changed. "The thousand gold silk? Are you confused, or do you really not know how much that costs?"
She walked closer to Shen Ningning and lowered her voice, her gaze like a venomous, jealous snake. "That’s more money than your husband could make in three years of teaching."
Shen Ningning just smiled unhurriedly. "You don’t need to worry about that for me. As long as I want something, there’s nothing I can’t get. Not just the thousand gold silk here—I’ll take all the thousand gold silk in the entire city."
"You—" Ren Er’s eyes were practically spitting fire. "You want to compete with me?"
Shen Ningning was noncommittal. "I’m actually a very easygoing person. But if someone blatantly looks for trouble with me, I won’t be polite."
Just as Ren Er was about to explode with anger, her husband Zhao Lei’s voice came from behind her, dripping with impatience. "Are you done yet? Hurry up and come home once you’re finished. I have things to do!"
Ren Er’s furious expression instantly melted into one of sorrow and grievance.
She ran back to Zhao Lei’s side and linked her arm with his. "Husband, I was planning to leave right after buying it, but look! I ran into Big Sister. I was thinking of gifting her a hairpin, but not only did she refuse, she’s trying to snatch the thousand gold silk that I had my eye on for so long."
The thousand gold silk was expensive to produce; a single bolt cost five thousand taels of silver. Even for a wealthy and extravagant businessman like Zhao Lei, coming up with that much cash at once was a bit difficult.
Most of his silver was tied up in merchandise turnover.
Ren Er had been pestering him about it for days. And now, having finally gotten his approval, she had eagerly rushed over to buy it.
When Zhao Lei heard someone was trying to take it, his expression turned hostile. But when he looked at Shen Ningning, he realized it was his sister-in-law.
Shen Ningning was wearing a simple, clean blue dress. Though the fabric was plain, her jet-black hair was like satin, her fair skin had a rosy-white glow, and her bright eyes held a hint of defiance.
This kind of unintentional, alluring charm was what made Zhao Lei’s heart itch the most.
He had noticed Ren Liuyue’s beauty the last time he was at the Ren Family’s home.
"So it’s you, Big Sister," Zhao Lei said with a smile, rubbing his hands together as he took two steps forward. "This is just a big misunderstanding. We’re all family here, why be so hostile? You like this fabric too?"
Seeing Zhao Lei’s attitude, Ren Er gritted her teeth in anger. "Husband! Where would she get the silver to compete? You know what her husband is like; there’s no way he has this much money. She must be flaunting the Ren Mansion’s name all over town."
After all, their father was the governor. Which merchant in the city wouldn’t show him some courtesy?
Zhao Lei turned his head and scolded Ren Er. "What are you shouting about? How can you talk about your own sister like that in front of outsiders? If Father-in-law finds out, he’ll be displeased too!"
Ren Er bit her lower lip, forcing down the complaints rising in her throat. Her venomous gaze swept repeatedly over Shen Ningning’s face.
Zhao Lei stepped forward, rubbing his hands and smiling. "Big Sister, you like this thousand gold silk? How about I buy it and gift it to you? Otherwise, if Father-in-law finds out you spent so much silver, he won’t be happy. But it’s different if it comes from me. I’ve been meaning to give you two a welcome gift anyway, so I can use this thousand gold silk as a favor."
"Furong Building is right across the street. I’ll book a private room on the second floor in a bit, and we can all have a meal together and have a nice chat."
When Ren Er heard this, she was about to go mad with rage.
’He wants to buy silk for Ren Liuyue and treat her to a meal? As if she’s worthy!’
As Zhao Lei moved closer to Shen Ningning to speak, he exuded an unpleasant odor, though it was hard to identify what it was.
Shen Ningning took half a step back and refused coldly, "No, thank you. I’m not interested. I can buy the fabric myself. I don’t need to borrow anyone’s name to do it."
Ren Er couldn’t hold back again. She furrowed her delicate brows. "You’re lying! Where would you get that much silver?"
"I gave it to her." A cool voice came from the entrance. Everyone turned to see Mo Lingwei’s tall figure walking in, holding a folding fan, as handsome and refined as jade.
There was another person following him. Zhao Lei recognized him at once and was secretly surprised. ’Why did Mr. Cui Sr., the president of the merchant’s association, come with him? Do they know each other?’
Meanwhile, Ren Er had already let out a derisive laugh. "Brother-in-law, if you really don’t know the value of things, you should have asked the price beforehand. With your teaching salary, you couldn’t afford this even if you didn’t eat or drink for three years!"
Mo Lingwei walked to Shen Ningning’s side and looked at her with concern. After confirming that she hadn’t been wronged, he turned his cold, harsh black eyes on Ren Er and Zhao Lei.
"Who told you that teaching is all I do?"
His question stunned Ren Er and the others.
Mo Lingwei looked at the Shopkeeper. "Tell them, have I paid the silver or not?"
The Shopkeeper, who had been forced to stand in a corner, finally had a chance to squeeze his way to the front of the crowd.
He cupped his hands and said with an obsequious smile, "He’s paid! He’s paid! The gentleman paid a total of two thousand taels of gold and told his wife to pick whatever she liked. We showed the lady all the best goods in the shop just now, but she only took a liking to that bolt of thousand gold silk."
"Two thousand taels!?" Ren Er and Zhao Lei exclaimed at the same time, staring at Mo Lingwei in disbelief.
Mo Lingwei wrapped an arm around Shen Ningning’s waist and said coolly, "Since my wife likes it, what are you waiting for, Shopkeeper? It naturally goes to the highest bidder."
He lifted his eyes and gave a provocative, scornful smile as he looked at Zhao Lei. "Manager Zhao, do you want to compete with me?"
In that instant, Zhao Lei finally realized that the "Fang Huan" before him had been holding back. Now, his aura was like a giant boulder pressing down on their heads—dark, heavy, and radiating an intense, sharp edge.