After being reborn as a man, the woman improved her family's fortunes through education.

Chapter 677 Taking Advantage of the Situation

Lian Qiao gently tugged at Ouyang Yan's sleeve, "Miss has been chatting with men too much today."

Even if this "male outsider" is a prince, it won't work. Besides, didn't Miss say before that she had no feelings for the Fifth Prince?

The young lady had avoided the Fifth Prince's visits to the Ouyang family many times before.

And considering the previous seemingly coincidental encounters, she didn't believe that the young lady hadn't noticed anything suspicious.

Oh dear, what's going on these days? Has she changed her personality?

Suddenly I have a crush on the Fifth Prince?

Lian Qiao was puzzled; the Fifth Prince hadn't changed at all.

Oh, no, it's just that his style of dress has changed. It's no longer the royal and wealthy style, but a refined and noble young master style.

This is somewhat similar to the young master of the Jiang family back then; that's the kind of young lady likes.

Could it be that the Fifth Prince... is imitating Lord Jiang's style of dress?

Uh! That can't be right~

Oh dear, does that mean the Fifth Prince already knows what Miss is thinking?

Oh my god! How can she possibly remind her young mistress?!

Then, Ouyang Yan felt a sudden weight on her sleeve.

"Hmm? What's wrong, Lianqiao?"

"Miss, if we don't come to the teahouse soon, we might miss the storyteller's performance today!"

Lianqiao is quick-witted; she used something the young lady was most interested in to remind her that it was getting late and she shouldn't continue chatting, which was definitely the right thing to do.

Just as Lian Qiao had predicted, Ouyang Yan exclaimed, "Oh no! We're doomed! We'll miss the beginning! Hurry, hurry!"

The Fifth Prince certainly knew Ouyang Yan's preferences, and it was because of this knowledge that he came to the teahouse today to try his luck.

Today's storyteller is indeed going to tell a story from a very popular novel, but he has absolutely no interest in the Fifth Prince's dialogues or anything like that.

Just then, his trusted eunuch rushed over to report that a letter from the south had arrived, which is why he left the teahouse midway and did not continue waiting for the "chance encounter".

I never expected that the flowers I planted with care would not bloom, while the willows I planted unintentionally would thrive.

Just as he was about to leave, Ouyang Yan, who had just arrived at the teahouse, caught up with him and called him back.

This further confirmed something for him, something that really infuriated him...

"Um, excuse me, Your Highness, Fifth Prince, I must take my leave now."

"Understood. The storyteller at this teahouse is indeed quite skilled. Miss Ouyang, please go quickly. I have some matters to attend to at my residence, so I won't have the chance to hear the latest storytelling this time. Sigh~"

The Fifth Prince feigned regret, but actually wanted Ouyang Yan to know that he and she shared common interests.

Ouyang Yan's eyes lit up, clearly delighted to have met someone like her.

"It turns out that the Fifth Prince also likes this storybook. It doesn't matter if we can't hear it today. Based on my experience, the storyteller will tell this storybook at least ten times."

There will be other opportunities, no need to rush.

"I see. Miss Ouyang is indeed very knowledgeable."

"No, no, it's just based on my experience. I'm in a hurry, maybe we can listen to an audiobook together next time!"

"Okay, let's listen to audiobooks together sometime!"

The two parted ways outside the teahouse, and Lian Qiao finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Miss, are you really going to arrange to listen to a story together with the Fifth Prince? He's a man, after all."

"You silly girl, that's just a polite remark. If there's a chance to listen to audiobooks together, then there's no need to listen to audiobooks together if there isn't."

Besides, where would a prince find so much free time to go shopping or listen to audiobooks like we do?

"It's all just polite talk. Even the Fifth Prince himself didn't take it seriously, but you, little girl, actually did?"

Lian Qiao nodded, then she was relieved.

"Oh, it was just a polite remark. I misunderstood."

Sigh~ I hope it's just polite talk. The royal family is no good place. If Miss steps into it, she'll be stuck there for life.

Along with those who served them, they also devoted their entire lives to it. The rules of a prince's residence are definitely much more numerous than those of ordinary officials' families.

Although the Ouyang family had strict rules, the masters were all very kind, so they still felt a strong sense of belonging.

If one were to become a servant in a prince's residence, it would be a completely different story. Just thinking about it makes one feel utterly hopeless and hopeless.

Lian Qiao's mind wandered to all sorts of tragic scenarios for the future until she entered the teahouse, the waiter served her tea, and a gavel snapped her out of her reverie.

"Ouch!"

"You silly girl, when did you become afraid of the sound of the gavel?"

"No, no, I was just thinking about something else and didn't realize it."

"Alright, alright, you seem distracted. Stop standing and get yourself a chair. This lecture is going to take a long time, why tire yourself out?"

Ouyang Yan has always been very kind to her own people. When there are no elders or outsiders around, even a personal maid like Lian Qiao can sit down.

"Hehe, thank you, Miss."

"Okay, let's start, stop talking~"

Lian Qiao quickly covered her mouth, even though she knew they were in a private room and wouldn't disturb others.

Ouyang Yan was seated in one of the best private rooms in the teahouse. There were only three such good seats in total, and she always chose the one right in the middle.

The Fifth Prince was also sitting in her room just now, after all, this room is the most expensive. So-called powerful and wealthy people naturally choose the most expensive room.

The storyteller was telling a captivating tale, which was quite novel and interesting, especially to the people of the Great Zhou who had rarely heard such exotic stories.

Nowadays, people are not bombarded by mobile phones and various explosive, fragmented information, so even a slightly interesting story can deeply attract people.

A story of this caliber, if it were published on some free novel reading apps in later generations, would probably only have a readership of no more than three thousand.

An author might write hundreds of thousands of words and end up not even getting a perfect attendance bonus, earning at most a few dozen yuan in royalties.

However, if the same quality storybook were placed in this era, even a rich and beautiful woman from a prominent family like Ouyang Yan would enjoy listening to it, let alone ordinary people.

The spiritual lives of ordinary people became even more impoverished, while the powerful and wealthy could still enjoy watching operas, inviting opera troupes to their mansions when they had nothing to do, and some families even maintained their own opera troupes.

People had limited money, and even those with a little spare cash couldn't afford to support a theatrical troupe. Therefore, the more affordable teahouses became the first choice for satisfying their spiritual needs.

Sitting in the lobby, you can enjoy a cup of tea and listen to the entire performance; whether or not to tip is entirely up to you.

The cheapest tea in the teahouse costs no more than five or ten coins, and people with a little savings are willing to spend that money to listen to storytelling for half an hour to an hour.

After all, if you go to a bookstore to buy books yourself, firstly you need to be literate, and secondly, the price of one book is enough for you to drink tea in a teahouse for several months.

People are quite shrewd; which one offers better value for money? It's as clear as day.