Since agreeing to marry Ning Shuang, he had reduced his social engagements as much as possible, spending his free time with Ning Shuang to search for a residence to buy in preparation for their wedding.

　　When it came to Si Si,Xiaofu Ji tried his best to avoid her and keep his distance.

　　After searching for a long time, Ji finally found a house liked and bought it. He happily wrote to his family, inviting them to live in the capital and informing them of his desire to marry Ning Shuang as soon as possible.

　　After receiving the letter, Ji's parents were very happy, but also somewhat reluctant to leave their old home. They were getting on in years and didn't like living in unfamiliar places. Moreover, in Jiangnan they had their life's work—the Ji Family Brocade Shop. It would be such a pity to lose such a large family business. After Ji's repeated persuasion, they finally painfully transferred the Ji Family Brocade Shop to a Mr. Sun and decided to move the entire family to Chang'an. After all, they were getting old, and their only son Xiaofu Ji was working in the capital, rarely having the opportunity to return home. Moving to Chang'an was the best solution.

　　"Xiaofu, come home early tonight, let's celebrate," Ning Shuang said with a smile.

　　"Alright, Shuang, I'll come back early," Xiaofu Ji replied, kissing Ning Shuang's forehead.

　　That day, Ji was as usual, rushing home anxiously after finishing his official duties.

　　"Brother, wait!" Hua Rong called out from behind Ji.

　　"what is it?" Ji asked.

　　"Brother, today I've specially prepared wine and dishes, please join us for a gathering," Hua Rong said with a laugh.

　　"Brother, today I promised Ning Shuang I would return early. Let's get together another day!" Ji declined.

　　"Brother, I've already prepared the wine and dishes, just waiting for you. How can you turn me down from a thousand miles away?" Hua Rong said.

　　"Brother, regarding Miss Ning Shuang, I'll have someone go back and tell her that you're with me today and will return a bit later. She'll understand," Hua Rong continued, and forcefully held onto Ji Xiaofu, not letting him leave. Then he immediately sent someone to notify Ning Shuang.

　　"Brother, I... I..." Ji wanted to say something, but Hua Rong and the others held onto him tightly, and he couldn't leave. Moreover, Hua Rong had already sent someone to notify Ning Shuang, and the messenger had already left on horseback. Seeing Hua Rong's insistence, Ji thought he might really have something important, so he reluctantly stayed.

　　Hua Rong didn't take Xiaofu Ji home, but instead went to a nearby restaurant. Hua Rong had already ordered wine and dishes, and the table was full of people, with only Ji missing.

　　All the people at the table were various dashing young gentlemen from the capital. Ji knew them, but wasn't close to them.

　　Hua Rong was fun-loving and basically had connections with all the celebrities and wealthy young men in the capital, whether they were learned scholars or uneducated.

　　Ji loved making friends, but he was somewhat different from Hua Rong. Hua Rong was erudite and talented, valued friendship and loyalty, and had many friends, but was also romantic and passionate—a famous talent and playboy in the capital.

　　He had many male friends, and even more female friends, often incurring romantic debts. Many beauties shed tears of longing for him, but that's a story for later.

　　Ji appeared more gentlemanly. He made many friends, but his words and actions were more steady. He had many friends, but few who truly understood him and could be considered confidants. He was more smooth and experienced. He generally wouldn't easily joke with girls; in front of them, he was very gentle.

　　"Man, it's been a long time since we brothers gathered. Today let's have a good time together. I'll toast you first!" Hua Rong was the first to propose a toast.

　　"Yes, Brother, you've rarely come out with us recently. Today we must have fun," the young gentlemen chimed in.

　　Ji was erudite and talented, handled matters steadily, and was good at socializing, quickly gaining everyone's approval. Today, seeing his arrival, the young gentlemen were very happy and all offered him drinks. Many of them still admired him. Everyone drank, ate, and chatted together, mostly about everyday matters. After drinking for a while, Ji became slightly drunk.

　　"Everyone, how about we play something different today?" Hua Rong, seeing Ji was slightly drunk, suggested.

　　"Good, everything follows Rong's arrangements!" everyone agreed.

　　Hua Rong clapped his hands, and suddenly many girls rushed in from outside. They were dressed up beautifully, surrounding the various young gentlemen and playing and laughing with them. Today, all the young gentlemen present were used to being wild and unrestrained, so they naturally enjoyed such treatment.

　　"What are you doing?" Xiaofu Ji asked in surprise.

　　"Let me go," Ji said. Two girls beside him held him tightly, and he couldn't shake them off.

　　"Bro, why so serious? Just play with them for a while!" Hua Rong said with a proud laugh.

　　"You... you..." Ji knew Hua Rong was doing this on purpose and was very angry, but at this time he was also slightly drunk and was being held tightly by several girls, unable to leave.

　　"Yes,Brother, why acting like a woman? As you're here, just have a good time!" the young gentlemen agreed.

　　"Brother, just play for a while. Later I'll have someone send you back.as the little brother, I apologize to you first!" Hua Rong, knowing Ji was angry, actively apologized.

　　Ji Xiaofu was extremely helpless with what Hua Rong had done—he couldn't be angry, but he couldn't not be angry either. Ji knew Hua Rong was a romantic and dashing person, but usually handled matters with good judgment. How could he have imagined that today Hua Rong would set him up? Just as Ji was at a loss, there was a loud noise from outside, followed by a "bang" as the door was kicked open.

　　"Who is it?" everyone asked in unison.

　　Everyone looked up and saw a beautiful woman in a jade green gauze dress come into view. She had a slender figure and fair skin, appearing to be a gentle lady from her appearance. But her eyebrows were furrowed, extremely angry, and her right hand was holding a sword.

　　"Si Si." Everyone saw it was Sisi Qin and were scared like mice seeing a cat. With a "whoosh" sound, they all fled.

　　" Xiaofu Ji, you dare come drink wine with harlots! I'm going to kill you!" Sisi Qin, seeing Ji, without asking questions, directly raised her sword to attack.

　　Seeing that, Ji quickly dodged.He ran in front,Sisi chased behind. She was furious, chasing Ji while smashing the restaurant. She was the prime minister's daughter, so the restaurant owner naturally didn't dare stop her and had to let her smash things.

　　Xiaofu Ji was exhausted and panting. He had just stopped to rest when he turned around and saw Sisi Qin chasing after him. Si Si was a lady from a good family, but who knew she had such good stamina and ran so fast, almost catching up to Ji.

　　Just at the critical moment, Hua Rong suddenly ran out from the side and hugged Si Si.

　　"Si Si, what are you doing? Stop!" Hua Rong said.

　　"Let me go, I have something to ask him," Si Si answered angrily.

　　"Si Si, if you want to ask, ask me! This matter has nothing to do with Brother," Hua Rong answered.

　　Hua Rong calmed Si Si's emotions, took the sword from her hand, and the three found a place to talk calmly. Hua Rong told Si Si the whole story, and Si Si also knew she had wronged Xiaofu Ji. Ji was smart; during this time he had been avoiding Sisi Qin, and now that things were clear, he quickly left.

　　"Stop, Ji, do you like me or not?" Si Si pursued.

　　Si Si was an open-minded girl. Since meeting Xiaofu Ji at Hua Rong's house that time, she had become infatuated with him.

　　Si Si had a generous and straightforward personality, often going out with Hua Rong and others, and had good relationships with all the brothers. Everyone seemed to treat her like a man.

　　At first, Ji was somewhat uncomfortable, but gradually he didn't pay much attention to these things.

　　Si Si was clever and alert, warm and generous, and also beautiful. Ji had good feelings for her and liked being with her.

　　As the saying goes, "The falling flower has intention, but the flowing water is heartless." Ji's initial actions were indeed unintentional, but in Si Si's heart, this only increased her infatuation with him.

　　At that time, Ji had just arrived in the capital and was almost always hanging out with Hua Rong and others, with many opportunities to meet Si Si, Ru Ru, and others. Gradually, Si Si fell helplessly in love with Ji.

　　Si Si was, after all, a girl, so of course she couldn't directly confess, only expressing her love indirectly.

　　Xiaofu Ji was smart and certainly understood Si Si's feelings.

　　He already had Ning Shuang, and he didn't want to hurt Si Si, so he pretended to be deaf and dumb, deliberately avoiding Si Si. As long as Si Si didn't break through that layer of relationship, he would continue pretending.

　　Later, Si Si met Ning Shuang. Although it was their first meeting, with women's intuition, they both understood each other's feelings, but everyone was unwilling to speak it out, and even more unwilling to think that way. Ji was afraid of hurting two girls, so he avoided Si Si, only wanting to quickly marry Ning Shuang to end this dispute.

　　"Brother, stop hiding. Just tell Si Si!" Hua Rong said.

　　"She's not your sister, right?" Si Si cried.

　　Xiaofu Ji looked up at Qin Sisi, who was already crying uncontrollably. Her outer strength couldn't hide her inner fragility. She liked Ji, and during this time Ji always avoided her, which was torture for her. Actually, when she met Ning Shuang that day, she had guessed something, but like Ning Shuang, she was unwilling to think that way. Si Si was an open-minded girl who only wanted to openly fight for her love, but Ji always avoided her.

　　During this time, she had been suffering greatly. On one hand, she hated Ji 's avoidance, and on the other hand, she was afraid of hearing an answer that would disappoint her.

　　"Xiaofu, you do like me, right?"

　　Sisi Qin had just asked the previous question, but quickly regretted it because she was too afraid, too afraid of hearing a disappointing answer. She would even rather Ji lie to her, tell her that Ning Shuang was his sister, or perhaps say that Ji liked her, so she would at least have a glimmer of hope.

　　"Si Si, I'm sorry..." Ji looked at Sisi Qin, his heart in great pain.

　　He originally thought he could face Si Si calmly and speak his mind. But for some reason, when the words reached his lips, he couldn't say them. Perhaps, as Ning Shuang worried, his feelings for Si Si weren't just brotherly love—he had good feelings for Si Si. Or perhaps, Si Si's tears had pierced him, and he couldn't bear it. Even he himself was confused. Before, he could avoid Si Si, fulfill his promise to Ning Shuang, and not think about emotional issues, but now he couldn't avoid it.

　　"I hate you..." Si Si ran away crying.

　　"Si Si... Si Si..." Hua Rong worriedly chased after her.

　　Ji stood there, his heart extremely conflicted. He didn't want to hurt Ning Shuang and Si Si, but now he had already hurt these two women who loved him, trapped in the fog of love and unable to extricate himself.