Dabao laughed, saying, "No, I was worried you miscalculated. All this, and it's only twenty-odd taels? Your prices here are truly honest." "Young Master, this is already discounted.

The original price was over forty taels. Second Young Master instructed that this young lady receive a fifty percent discount on all future purchases here, which is why it's so inexpensive," the shop assistant replied with a smile. Lin He smiled faintly, thanked the assistant, and led Dabao away.

As soon as Lin He heard the price quoted by the assistant, she knew it had been discounted. Although the items weren't numerous, both their weight and quality were significantly better than the last time she purchased, and the price was only slightly higher than before. Lin He had assumed Wen Ningmo had given the instruction and hadn't suspected Wen Ningxuan.

Dabao muttered as they left, "He'er, are you very familiar with the Second Young Master? Why did the assistant say the half-price applied because you came, when I was here last time too?" Lin He truly didn't know how to answer this question. Whether she and Wen Ningxuan could be considered familiar was debatable.

To say no, they had indeed interacted several times; but to say yes, the total number of sentences they had exchanged wouldn't reach a few dozen. Dabao, watching Lin He drift off, nudged her. "He'er, I'm asking you." "Oh, no.

We came together last time. These ornaments and things are usually bought by young ladies, so they must have mentioned me," Lin He fabricated an explanation casually. Dabao considered Lin He's explanation reasonable and nodded, walking with her toward the family's pastry shop.

Lin He figured since there was nothing pressing at home, she might as well stay in town for a few days. However, since the ointment workshop needed supervision, she sent Ziqing back with the carriage alone, keeping Ziyu with her in town. Not long after Dabao and Lin He left the silver shop, Wen Ningxuan arrived.

Having studied in the capital for several years, Wen Ningxuan held little interest in officialdom and had returned to the town. Shopkeeper Wen mentioned that since he was of age, he couldn't remain idle indefinitely, so he allocated two shops for him to manage. One was this silver establishment, and the other was a 'Cai Die Xuan' he was to establish and run entirely on his own effort; whether it profited or failed, the family would not interfere, provided he remitted a certain sum monthly until the principal was repaid, at which point the shop would be his.

Wen Ningxuan toured the establishment, a routine inspection with nothing out of the ordinary. The assistant who had just handled the jewelry sale saw the Second Young Master arrive and called out, "Second Young Master." Wen Ningxuan nodded and said, "Some stock is depleted; go retrieve more to replenish it." "Oh, those items? Young Master's friends just purchased them.

I hadn't managed to fetch the replacement stock yet. I'll go now," the assistant replied offhandedly. "My friends?

Who?" Wen Ningxuan inquired. "The young lady who came to buy jewelry last time, the one the Young Master called He'er, accompanied by a young master—likely her elder brother," the assistant reported. Wen Ningxuan dismissed the assistant to attend to his task and sat down for a moment.

Seemingly remembering something, he went out again. Wen Ningxuan walked toward Lin He's family's pastry shop. Upon reaching the storefront, he saw only Dabao and a few assistants inside.

Wen Ningxuan appeared somewhat disappointed and was about to turn away when Dabao exclaimed, "Second Young Master, you've arrived! Come in and sit. We were just at your silver shop buying things." Wen Ningxuan turned back, pausing.

He nodded. He had originally intended to check if Lin He was at the shop; seeing she wasn't, he planned to leave. Dabao called out, stopping him.

Being naturally reserved, he remained silent, while Dabao warmly stepped out. "Second Young Master, please sit in the rear courtyard. He'er is preparing some new pastries.

You can take some back for Xiao Mo later; he adores He'er's pastries." Wen Ningxuan hadn't intended to enter, but upon hearing Dabao's words, he nodded and walked into the back of the shop. Dabao escorted him in, asked him to sit, mentioned Lin He would bring the pastries out shortly, and then returned to the main shop area. When Lin He emerged from the kitchen, she found Wen Ningxuan sitting alone by the stone table she favored most.

Lin He paused, then walked over and called out, "Second Young Master." Wen Ningxuan stared at Lin He without speaking. Lin He stood there, unsure why he was seated there so suddenly, too hesitant to ask, and suspecting he wouldn't answer even if she did. Lin He didn't dwell on it, moving to a rocking chair Li Shu had constructed for her—a chair modeled after the rattan chairs from her previous life, charming in appearance and very comfortable, where she often rested in the backyard when free.

"Did you make this chair?" Wen Ningxuan suddenly asked, his gaze fixed on Lin He. "I don't make chairs. I drew the design, and the carpenter back home constructed it," Lin He replied with a faint smile.

"Where did you see a chair like this for sale?" "I conceived it myself." "Make one for me. I will collect it here in a few days." "No one in my family knows how to make it; it requires the carpenter. I don't know when it will be ready.

If you wish, you'll have to wait; I'll have someone notify you when it's done." "I will come here in three days to collect it. If it's not ready, I'll take this chair," Wen Ningxuan stated, displaying a rare streak of playful stubbornness. Lin He couldn't quite fathom it, but although she didn't know Wen Ningxuan particularly well, she sensed his mood seemed unusually good today, and he had spoken more than usual.

Thinking so, Lin He deliberately probed, "Second Young Master, are you always like this, never giving people a chance to refuse? I plan to stay here for a few more days before returning home; only then can I arrange for someone to make the chair for you." "Then we will discuss it when you return. It's my birthday in a few days," Wen Ningxuan abruptly added.

"Oh. Then, advance Happy Birthday to Second Young Master," Lin He murmured, belatedly reacting. Wen Ningxuan stared at Lin He, his eyes unmoving, giving Lin He the distinct impression that she had said something wrong, yet she was certain she hadn't.

Wishing him a happy birthday when it was approaching was entirely normal. Feeling she might go mad under his steady gaze, Lin He finally asked, "Second Young Master, is something amiss?" "Xiao Mo mentioned that you gifted him something called a cake for his birthday last year," Wen Ningxuan stated. "And so...?" Lin He questioned.

"Make one for me too, but not the same design. Also, give me a birthday gift—one you made by hand, different from anything you've given our family before. I will come to collect it the day after tomorrow." With that, Wen Ningxuan left without waiting for Lin He's reply.

Now Lin He felt truly flustered. Had Wen Ningxuan specifically come just to demand a birthday gift? Demanding a gift was one thing, but with so many specific requirements—this young master was truly difficult to please.

And he had simply left without offering any chance to refuse. Last year, for Wen Ningmo's birthday, Lin He had impulsively baked a small cake as a gift. However, Wen Ningxuan had been away from home last year; logically, he shouldn't even know such a thing as a cake existed.

But Lin He knew instinctively that Wen Ningmo was undoubtedly the source of the information.