Zheng Qian sat at the lower seat, facing Prince Ancheng, Xiao Mingyu.
The prince lifted his teacup and took a sip. His fingers were long and elegant, with clearly defined knuckles.
After sipping, he finally asked, "Miss, how did you come to know that the owner of Zhai Yu Xuan is me?"
Zheng Qian glanced at her elder brother.
His expression remained unchanged, his gaze deep, unreadable.
"Surely, your brother did not tell you, right?" Xiao Mingyu continued.
Zheng Qian was reluctant to reveal that she had overheard a conversation. Eavesdropping was hardly something to boast of, and she had been so far away that the information she obtained seemed implausible.
If she admitted it, she would have to lie about how she gained the knowledge.
She didn't want to lie, but she also didn't want to reveal the truth.
So she chose a neutral, half-truth answer: "It was you who told me yourself, Your Highness."
Technically, he had spoken the words aloud.
"I?" Xiao Mingyu looked slightly surprised. "I don't recall ever telling you that…"
Zheng Qian smiled at him. Her eyes flickered with a trace of meaning. "Your Highness, why not try to remember?"
Xiao Mingyu paused, still unable to recall. That day, he had indeed discussed it with Zheng Chi, and the young lady had passed nearby, lingering slightly by the artificial rockery. He had noticed, but even with exceptional hearing, she was far too distant to pick up their conversation.
Where else could she have possibly heard it?
"Miss, please do enlighten me—I truly cannot remember," Xiao Mingyu said with a polite smile.
Zheng Qian's lips curved slightly, a teasing smile: "I want to keep a bit of mystery. Think a little more—don't rush."
Usually, such teasing would annoy others.
Xiao Mingyu, however, favored straightforward personalities. Yet Zheng Qian's subtle playfulness struck a curious chord within him, and he felt a flicker of interest.
"Very well, I shall think on it," he said, smiling. "Thank you for your time today."
Zheng Qian replied lightly that it was nothing.
Her playful withholding wasn't just to hide that she had eavesdropped—it was also to pique Xiao Mingyu's interest in her. This way, when she sold him other inventions, he wouldn't forget her or reject her new ideas.
Her goal was simple: leverage his vast commercial network to amass wealth in this ancient era. Wherever she went, she needed money.
Her little act of half-truths had achieved its purpose. Seeing neither Zheng Chi nor Xiao Mingyu speaking further, she should have taken her leave.
But she wanted to leave a deeper impression on Xiao Mingyu.
After all, she was not conventionally beautiful, and a wealthy, charming prince like Xiao Mingyu would have little reason to remember her, even if her abacus made him rich.
With so many business ventures, he would soon forget her unless she made an effort.
Next time, she planned to negotiate directly with Xiao Mingyu, instead of going through his shopkeepers.
"How have you been recently, brother?" Zheng Qian's eyes subtly shifted to her elder brother.
Zheng Chi's brows twitched. His gaze landed coldly on her, impatience evident.
"Fine," he said hoarsely. His words were clipped and rigid. "If nothing else, you may leave."
"Brother, isn't it hard for siblings to have a proper conversation? Why must you send me away the moment I arrive?" Zheng Qian smiled lightly.
Zheng Chi's brows furrowed even tighter. Impatience threatened to burst from him. "I have a guest."
"Prince Ancheng is your close friend, often visiting. No need for such formalities," Zheng Qian replied with a smile.
Zheng Chi remained silent.
He hadn't seen his sister in eight years. Usually, she only flattered their father and grandmother. Now that she knew of his connection to Prince Ancheng, she tried to cozy up.
A chill ran through his gaze. Even the young ladies in the Marquis' residence could be unbearable.
Suppressing a cold laugh, he took a few sips of tea, ignoring Zheng Qian entirely.
Prince Ancheng, meanwhile, quietly sipped his tea, seemingly unbothered by the tension.
In such awkward circumstances, most young ladies would leave of their own accord.
Not Zheng Qian.
She picked up her tea, sipped leisurely, her posture relaxed. Her cat rested on her lap, its gem-like heterochromatic eyes surveying everyone in the room.
Xiao Mingyu had heard she was unremarkable in talent and appearance, but not that she was shameless.
The abacus she had sold was clever, though clearly not of her own invention.
If it were, she would already be famous.
Xiao Mingyu didn't care about a person's morality—so long as she could earn him money, he would cooperate.
He quietly observed her, a faint smile on his face.
Breaking the silence, Zheng Qian asked, "Brother, how is your left leg now?"
"My left leg is gone," Zheng Chi replied coldly.
"Make a fake one, then," Zheng Qian said lightly.
Xiao Mingyu blinked.
Honestly, he had never heard of anyone creating a fake limb. Even if possible, Zheng Chi's leg had been amputated at the thigh—how would joints function? A crutch would be simpler.
"Are you teasing me, sister?" Zheng Chi asked, but without anger.
"No. Didn't you hear? Recently I healed Fifth Brother's knife wound. He was bleeding heavily. Brother, if you want a fake leg to stand, you can come to me."
In her medicinal space, Zheng Qian could summon a prosthetic made of advanced metal from the space age. Lightweight, flexible at the joints, soft at the sockets—safe for the amputated limb. One could run a marathon with it.
Of course, she had to be cautious in this era. Unlike the abacus, the metal prosthetic far exceeded the production capabilities of the current time. The butterfly effect could be unpredictable.
Unlike medicine, which could be absorbed by the body, the metal prosthetic always existed physically.
Seeing Zheng Chi's expression remain cold and stern, she lifted her cat and stood. "I shall take my leave. Brother, think it over; Your Highness, I bid farewell."
Xiao Mingyu politely rose and saw her out.
Once she left, he asked Zheng Chi, "Your sister knows medicine? That's impressive."
Zheng Chi sighed, as if expelling all his pent-up frustration: "She is insincere, always trying to please, and speaks nonsense."
"She's not that bad. Her abacus is truly useful," Xiao Mingyu replied with a smile.
"Who knows where she got it? I don't believe she created it herself. Such complex abacuses require decades of study," Zheng Chi said coldly.
He had no goodwill toward this younger sister.
Xiao Mingyu nodded slightly, agreeing with Zheng Chi's skepticism. Yet how she learned he owned Zhai Yu Xuan puzzled him.
Zheng Chi would never reveal it.
Then, how had she discovered it?
Ordinary Miss Zheng, usually forgettable, now piqued the young prince's curiosity.