The carriage finally came to a stop. Su Qianqian was roughly pulled out of the carriage and, flustered, stood still. In front of her stood the handsome man, looking down at her from the stairs with a slight, enigmatic smile on his lips. His gaze was penetrating, like an X-ray, as if he could see through her from the inside out.
Su Qianqian swallowed hard, quickly glancing around. The tall courtyard walls, intricately carved doors and windows, stone lions at the gate—it was clear this place was not a common household. This grand place must be some noble mansion, perhaps even a prince's residence. The man before her was probably a high-ranking official from ancient times!
She decided to be polite, suppressing her frustration and forcing a smile, trying to sound "submissive": "Hello, I think you might have mistaken me for someone else. I really don't know you."
The man raised an eyebrow, finally speaking: "Where are you from? Your clothing is so… strange."
Su Qianqian froze for a moment: "I… I'm clearly wearing ancient clothes!" Looking down, she realized her situation was worse than she had imagined. One of her sneakers was muddy, and her long skirt had been torn in a large section, exposing her leggings. She looked utterly disheveled.
She immediately felt mocked, her face burning with embarrassment, but she had to hold her ground. "I was perfectly fine before, it's because you dragged me here that I ended up like this!" She tried to sound indignant.
The man, however, wasn't convinced. He sneered and said, "I spotted you from the crowd. Now tell me, who are you really? Why else would I have brought you here?"
Su Qianqian's mind raced, realizing that it wasn't a mistake after all—it was because she stood out too much! But then she thought, that didn't make sense. She was just wearing a traditional dress—how could that be considered strange?
"I… I'm just wearing ancient clothes!" she couldn't help but argue.
The man's gaze darkened suddenly. "Ancient clothes?" His voice turned cold, as if she had just revealed a tremendous secret.
Su Qianqian instantly realized she had spoken too quickly, and cold sweat broke out on her forehead. Oh no, how could she fix this?
He stood still, his expression slightly changing as if he were contemplating something. After a moment of silence, he suddenly turned to his servant and quietly ordered, "Take her to the guest room. Make sure she's properly settled. Ask the maid to check if there's anything suitable for her to wear."
The servant, without giving her a chance to protest, politely but firmly escorted Su Qianqian to the guest room. She was confused—what was going on? One moment, he was vigilant, and now he was offering her hospitality? Was he planning to have her for dinner?
She was led into a beautifully furnished and cozy room. The carved redwood furniture, soft pink gauzy curtains gently swaying in the breeze, and the sound of birds chirping from outside the window—it was more luxurious than her own little inn, making Su Qianqian feel out of place.
Soon, several maids entered with a few dresses. The lead maid, beaming, said, "Miss, these are our young lady's clothes. Please see which one you like."
Su Qianqian looked at the extravagant gowns, thinking to herself, These are all 'noblewoman exclusive' styles from the ancient times! She picked one up, feeling its light, soft fabric. "Does your young lady not want these?" she muttered.
The maids froze for a moment, then covered their mouths and giggled. "Yes, these are all unworn by the young lady. The fabric is Shu brocade."
Su Qianqian raised an eyebrow. She didn't say anything but couldn't help but think, No wonder they're from a prince's house—real wealth and taste.
After changing into the dress, she looked at herself in the mirror and felt like she had walked into the wrong set. Her hair was styled in a simple bun, and she wore a light purple embroidered gown, the sleeves adorned with delicate silver thread. She looked somewhat like an "ancient beauty," though when she looked down and saw only one sneaker, she couldn't help but sigh—This look is a disaster!