As Qian Daoliu pondered, a fair hand suddenly caught his sleeve.
"Grandpa."
Qian Renxue stopped walking.
Her gaze fell on a roadside stall.
The stall was small, with all kinds of jewelry laid out on it.
Among them, a golden hair ornament shimmered in the sunlight.
The hair ornament was made entirely of gold.
A transparent gem was set in its center, with six tiny wings carved around it.
Qian Renxue walked over to the stall and picked up the hair ornament.
The more she looked at the Six-Winged Angel design, the more she liked it.
She turned to Qian Daoliu, anticipation in her eyes.
"Grandpa, I want this."
Seeing her like this, Qian Daoliu felt a little helpless.
In the Pope's Hall, Qian Renxue had always been sensible and strong.
But after leaving Spirit Hall, she had finally shown some of the liveliness a girl her age should have.
It was only an ordinary piece of jewelry.
As long as she liked it, he could simply buy it.
Qian Daoliu looked at the stallholder.
"How much?"
The stallholder hurriedly held out both hands.
"Ten Gold Soul Coins."
That price already far exceeded the hair ornament's actual value.
But Qian Daoliu had no interest in haggling.
Just as he was about to take out the Gold Soul Coins, a voice suddenly came from beside him.
"I'll take that."
Qian Daoliu glanced sideways.
Two strikingly beautiful young women stood nearby.
The one in front wore a pale green dress.
She had fair skin, delicate features, and long, smooth hair that fell down her back.
Her eyes were bright and lively.
But her slightly raised chin and the way she spoke both revealed the arrogance born of years of being spoiled.
The other wore close-fitting black clothes.
Her expression was cool, her long black hair fell over her shoulders, and her figure was slender and well-proportioned.
Compared with her companion, she seemed particularly quiet.
Her eyes, especially, remained wary throughout.
One glance was enough for Qian Daoliu to guess their identities.
A pale green dress.
Young.
And so willful.
Presumably, she was the daughter of Ning Fengzhi, Sect Master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
Ning Rongrong.
As for the young woman in black beside her, she was most likely Zhu Zhuqing.
Qian Daoliu had no interest in why these two had appeared together in Heaven Dou City.
Qian Renxue had taken a fancy to the hair ornament first.
That was enough.
"First come, first served."
Qian Daoliu withdrew his gaze.
"Someone has already claimed this hair ornament."
Ning Rongrong walked up to the stall.
She looked Qian Renxue over a few times before her gaze returned to the hair ornament.
Originally, she had merely thought it looked rather nice.
But once Qian Renxue held it in her hand, she insisted on having it.
"She hasn't paid yet."
"If she hasn't paid, it doesn't belong to her."
Ning Rongrong looked at the stallholder.
"He said ten Gold Soul Coins just now, right?"
"I'll offer twenty."
The stallholder looked troubled.
On one side was the customer who had arrived first.
On the other was someone offering twice the price outright.
Naturally, anyone doing business wanted to earn more.
But with Qian Daoliu standing before him, he did not dare go back on his word lightly.
Qian Renxue put down the hair ornament.
"Grandpa, why don't we forget it?"
She really did like it.
But she did not want to cause trouble over a piece of jewelry.
Qian Daoliu shook his head.
"You don't need to give up something you like to someone else."
Ning Rongrong frowned at those words.
"That's easy for you to say."
"Keep raising the price if you can."
Qian Daoliu took a golden card from his Storage Soul Tool and casually placed it on the stall.
"Three thousand Gold Soul Coins."
The stallholder froze.
Someone had actually offered three thousand for a hair ornament worth only ten Gold Soul Coins.
As he stared at the golden card, even his breathing quickened.
Ning Rongrong was stunned for a moment as well.
She had not expected Qian Daoliu to raise the price so drastically in one go.
Three thousand Gold Soul Coins were, of course, nothing to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
But she had not brought anywhere near that much money when she went out today.
Ning Rongrong rummaged through her Storage Soul Tool.
Only a few hundred Gold Soul Coins remained inside.
Ning Rongrong pressed her lips together.
If she kept bidding and then could not produce the money, she would only embarrass herself further.
The stallholder had already swiftly accepted the golden card.
He carefully wiped the hair ornament clean, then offered it to Qian Renxue with both hands.
"Honored customer, this piece of jewelry is yours."
Qian Renxue took the hair ornament.
Looking at the transparent gem in its center, she broke into a happy smile.
"Thank you, Grandpa."
Spending three thousand Gold Soul Coins on an ordinary hair ornament was a poor bargain no matter how one looked at it.
But money meant nothing to Qian Daoliu.
As long as Qian Renxue liked it, it was worth that price.
Ning Rongrong stood there, growing angrier the more she thought about it.
As the little princess of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, she had grown up with those around her readily bringing her anything she wanted.
Yet today, someone had bought something right before her eyes with Gold Soul Coins.
What she found even harder to accept was that he had never once taken her seriously.
Seeing that the matter was settled, Qian Daoliu prepared to leave with Qian Renxue.
The two had only just turned around when Ning Rongrong caught up.
"Wait."
Qian Daoliu stopped.
"What else is there?"
The displeasure on Ning Rongrong's face had vanished.
She blinked and gave them an especially friendly smile.
"That was just a little misunderstanding."
"Heaven Dou City is so big. For us to meet here must mean fate brought us together."
"Why don't I treat you both to a meal?"
"We can clear the air about that unpleasantness, and put this behind us."
Qian Daoliu looked at her.
On the surface, Ning Rongrong was offering an olive branch, but the cunning in her eyes did not escape his notice.
The little princess of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect clearly had no intention of letting the matter rest.
The invitation was a sham.
Finding a way to seize the hair ornament was her real aim.
Qian Renxue had noticed the problem too.
"Grandpa, there's no need for us to bother with her."
But Qian Daoliu changed his original decision.
"No hurry."
"Since someone's treating us, let's go have a look."
Ning Rongrong's temperament really did need someone to discipline her.
Ning Fengzhi could not bear to do it.
Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo spoiled her to the heavens even more.
Since she had crossed his path today, he did not mind teaching her some manners on behalf of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
A glimmer of triumph flashed in Ning Rongrong's eyes.
"There's a restaurant just ahead."
"Follow me."
Zhu Zhuqing glanced at her.
"Rongrong, let it go."
"There's no need for us to keep arguing over a piece of jewelry."
Ning Rongrong waved a hand.
"I already said I'm just treating them to a meal."
"You don't need to worry."
Zhu Zhuqing did not try to persuade her further.
The four soon entered a restaurant by the street.
Ning Rongrong was clearly a frequent visitor.
Upon seeing her, the proprietor immediately came forward to greet her in person.
"Miss Ning, will you be going to the second floor as usual today?"
Ning Rongrong nodded.
"Prepare a private room for me."
The proprietor soon led everyone upstairs.
The private room was tastefully furnished.
It had everything from a folding screen and an incense burner to valuable calligraphy and paintings.
The window faced the bustling street.
Even through the window, they could still see the crowds coming and going below.
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