Dad, open the door. I'll bring your mistress back for you.

"Sixth brother, are you hiding something from me?" Shen Chuning asked suspiciously.

"Ahem... ahem... Xiaojiu, you think too highly of me. Even if something happens, how could I possibly hide it from you?"

Shen Chuning thought about it carefully and felt that what Shen Chengliu said made sense.

In the afternoon, Shen Chengliu took Shen Chuning to buy jewelry and clothes, then jewelry, then rouge, then snacks, and even a set of the four treasures of the study. If the carriage was not too full, Shen Chengliu could have continued taking Shen Chuning shopping.

As it was getting dark, the Shen family sent people to urge them several times, and Shen Chengliu reluctantly took Shen Chuning back.

"Sixth brother, tell me, what are you hiding from me?" Shen Chuning really couldn't ignore Shen Chengliu's guilty and compassionate eyes.

Shen Chengliu was furious and asked, "Xiaojiu, why don't you believe me?"

Shen Chuning tilted her head and threatened, "If you don't tell me, I'll tell Second Aunt that you broke her favorite vase."

Shen Chengliu gritted his teeth and ignored Shen Chuning.

"Then I'll tell grandma that you secretly caught the koi from Songhetang and roasted them for food." Shen Chuning continued after seeing Shen Chengliu like this.

Shen Chengliu clenched his fists, trying his best to suppress his emotions that were about to explode.

"Then I'll tell Fifth Brother that when you write to Sister Su, you should use Fifth Brother's name."

Before Shen Chuning could finish her words, Shen Chengliu covered her mouth with his hand and said, "Little ancestor, are you trying to kill me?"

Shen Chuning used both hands to pry Shen Chengliu's hands apart, "Then tell me, what are you hiding from me?"

"No." Shen Chengliu turned his head away and didn't look into Shen Chuning's eyes again.

Shen Chuning tugged at the corner of Shen Chengliu's clothes and called softly, "Sixth Brother."

Shen Chengliu touched the top of Shen Chuning's head and said, "Xiaojiu, do you want to be adopted into the second house?"

"My father is dead?" Shen Chuning asked in surprise.

"Cough... cough cough..." Shen Chengliu choked on his own saliva, "No... cough cough... no."

"How could I be adopted if my father is still alive?" Shen Chuning suddenly thought of something and asked, "Are there any clues in tracking my father?"

"Yes... a little bit. Uncle San has been going to Ganhua Hutong in South City a lot lately."

"Ganhua Hutong?"

Shen Chuning asked aloud, thinking she finally knew where the mother and daughter lived. Then she heard Shen Chengliu continue, "There's a gambling house in Ganhua Hutong. Uncle San must have been gambling away all his money. If this goes on, what will happen if he loses all the money in the Third House? Xiaojiu, do you want to be adopted into the Second House? The Second House has plenty of money, even if it doesn't have anything else to say."

Shen Chuning felt a breath stuck in her chest, unable to move up or down.

"Thank you, Sixth Brother. You have worked hard." Shen Chuning said thank you, but she was thinking that she should not have looked for Shen Chengliu in the first place.

After dinner at Songhe Hall, Shen Chuning had just returned to Ningfengzhai when Cuiwei came out with a stack of drawings.

"Miss, we've reached an agreement with Wanbaoxuan. We're paying five taels of silver per month and ten blueprints. We've already signed the contract with the government. They must be in a hurry to use the money, so they gave us fifty blueprints at once. I took the initiative and gave you fifteen taels of silver. They said they'll give you the remaining ten taels after you review them and agree."

Shen Chuning took the stack of drawings and flipped through them. "You did a great job."

She only picked out a few pictures that she was not satisfied with and said, "Ask her to redraw these pictures."

Cuiwei took the blueprint and said, "I will go to Wanbaoxuan tomorrow to report."

Shen Chuning picked up the teacup on the table and took a sip. "Have you visited the farm to see the two maids given by Second Aunt?"

Cuiwei put the blueprints into the box and said, "I've seen them. They both look hardworking and smart, but their looks are a bit ordinary."

Shen Chuning understood. These two maids were originally provided by the Yun family to serve the five sixth brothers in their rooms. They definitely could not look like vixen.

"It doesn't matter if they're average looking, as long as they're honest and loyal. Tomorrow, when you go out, stop by the pawnbrokers and have a pawnbroker guard the area near Ganhua Hutong. If anyone wants a maid, send them over. Give the pawnbrokers some goodies and make a fake indenture."

Although Shen Chengliu said that Mr. Shen San went to Ganhua Hutong to go to the gambling house, Shen Chuning knew her father in two lifetimes, so it is very likely that Shen Jingwan and her mother lived in Ganhua Hutong.

Cuiwei asked doubtfully, "Miss, how did you know that someone in Ganhua Hutong wanted a maid?"

"Cuiwei, let me ask you, if someone who can't endure hardship becomes rich, what's the first thing they'll do?"

Cuiwei thought for a moment and replied, "Buy a maid to serve me?"

Shen Chuning smiled and didn't say whether Cuiwei's answer was right or wrong.

As soon as Cuiwei walked out the door, Shen Chengwu rushed over.

"Fifth brother, we were having dinner at Songhe Hall just now. Why didn't you come?"

"Something delayed me." Shen Chengwu told Birui, "You go out first. I have something to say to your young lady."

Birui looked at Shen Chuning, waiting for her instructions.

Shen Chuning nodded to Birui. Birui walked out and helped Shen Chuning and Shen Chengwu close the door.

"Fifth brother, what's wrong?" Shen Chuning asked in confusion.

Shen Chengwu picked up the teacup on the table and took a sip. "Your guess about Third Uncle is correct."

"The woman I met at Wanbaoxuan is my father's mistress?" Shen Chuning asked carefully.

Shen Chengwu nodded. "You should know that he's in Ganhua Hutong in South City, right?"

Shen Chuning was puzzled. "Sixth Brother said that my father has been going to Ganhua Hutong a lot recently, but he also said that there is a gambling house in Ganhua Hutong and my father went there to gamble."

Shen Chengwu sighed helplessly, "I know you're usually close to your sixth brother, but can you please not leave important matters to him? Your sixth brother covered himself with a rag and followed Third Uncle, even driving the Shen Mansion's carriage. If I hadn't led him in the direction of the gambling house, would he have investigated Third Uncle first, or would Third Uncle have discovered him first?"

Shen Chuning opened her mouth in surprise, "I heard you say Sixth Brother isn't very smart."

"There is one more thing that Fifth Brother thinks I should tell you." Shen Chengwu suddenly became serious.

Shen Chuning put down the teacup and sat up straight. "What's the matter?"

"The deed to the yard where the mother and daughter lived was in my grandmother's name."