The sickly one in F4 was the group's darling.

Wen Jingyao held a stack of fabric samples and design drafts in his hands, a professional smile on his face, but his heart was still uneasy. He had been outside in the cold wind for a while, which had finally cleared the mind of the secrets of the wealthy families he had overheard.

"Young Master, this is Designer Wen, who came here specifically to make custom-made everyday clothes for you."

"Hello, Mr. Wen." Bai Ci stood up and nodded politely.

Wen Jingyao finally got a close look at the rumored young master of the Bai family. He was slender, with fair skin and clean, gentle features. He showed none of the arrogance and domineering nature often seen in young masters from wealthy families.

He finally understood why the three young masters of the Bai family cared so much about this younger brother.

"Greetings, young master. Let's take your basic measurements first, and then you can choose your preferred fabric and style..."

Wen Jingyao led Bai Ci to the full-length mirror, squatted down to measure Bai Ci's trouser length, and stretched the measuring tape from the waistline to the ankle with professional and efficient movements.

Bai Ci stood up straight obediently, her arms slightly outstretched, letting the designer arrange her as he pleased.

He subconsciously turned his head to look at the sofa. Uncle Chen had left early, and Bai Jiheng was chatting with Bai Luochen in a low voice. They were too far apart to hear what they were saying.

Bai Ci withdrew her gaze and suddenly remembered something.

Last night he cried so much that his older brother's handkerchief was all wrinkled, and he said he wanted to buy him a new one. His older brother said it wasn't necessary, but he just couldn't let it go.

The problem is that he knows nothing about fabrics; he doesn't even know what kind of material that handkerchief is made of.

"Mr. Wen," Bai Ci said softly.

Wen Jingyao looked up: "What are your orders, young master?"

"I have a question for you: what kind of material are men's handkerchiefs usually made of?"

Wen Jingyao was slightly taken aback, not expecting the young master to suddenly ask about handkerchiefs, but with his many years of experience in the industry, he immediately gave a clear and organized explanation.

"It depends on the specific use and quality level. For everyday carry-on items, the most common materials are pure cotton, linen, and silk. Pure cotton absorbs water well, linen is crisp, and silk has a delicate luster but is fragile. If it's for a formal occasion to wear with a suit, silk or high-count cotton is usually chosen, emphasizing the texture."

Bai Ci listened attentively and then asked, "What if it's... a high-end handkerchief that's quite expensive?"

"For high-end models, they are usually made of hand-rolled silk or imported long-staple cotton. Some top brands also offer custom embroidery, such as embroidering a family crest or initials on a corner of the handkerchief. That's even more exquisite, and the price is hard to say. One handkerchief could cost tens of thousands of yuan. It depends on the brand and craftsmanship."

Thousands.

Bai Ci remained silent for a moment.

"What's wrong, young master? Are you looking to order a few handkerchiefs? I can arrange that for you at the same time."

"No, I was just asking. Thank you, Mr. Wen." Bai Ci raised her head, a faint, almost imperceptible smile flashing in her light brown eyes.

He had just quickly done some mental calculations.

Just now, Third Brother privately complained about him, so giving him hush money is perfectly reasonable. Last night, he cried in front of Third Brother, crumpling Big Brother's handkerchief, and Third Brother watched the spectacle from the sidelines, so Third Brother also bears some responsibility.

Bai Ci thought it made a lot of sense.

After measuring the trouser length, Wen Jingyao stood up and went behind Bai Ci to measure her shoulder width. Bai Ci stood obediently, glancing again at the sofa.

Bai Jiheng happened to be looking at him as well.

Their eyes met, and Bai Jiheng raised an eyebrow, wearing his usual carefree and unrestrained smile, as if asking: Why are you looking at me?

Bai Ci didn't look away; instead, she smiled at him with her eyebrows curving upwards, revealing a well-behaved, harmless, and gentle smile.

Bai Jiheng was stunned for a moment, and inexplicably felt a chill down his back.

Before he could figure out what was hidden in that smile, Bai Ci had already looked away and continued to stand obediently while the designer took her measurements, as if that glance had just been a casual sweep.

Bai Jiheng picked up the empty teacup and brought it to his lips, only to realize that there was no tea left in the cup, so he had to put it down in a huff.

He turned to look at Bai Luochen: "Didn't you think Bai Ci's gaze towards me was a little strange just now?"

Bai Luochen looked down at the journal in his hand: "What's wrong? Did you do something wrong?"

"What could I possibly have done wrong?" Bai Jiheng said matter-of-factly. "I just told Wen Jingyao a few things about his clothing requirements; it's nothing shameful. At most, I mentioned 'frail and sickly' earlier, but we already confronted each other about that, didn't we? I even gave him candy! That matter is over!"

Bai Luochen glanced at him briefly from above the journal for a few seconds before looking down at the pages again.

"Then what are you feeling guilty about?"

Bai Jiheng was once again rendered speechless.

After taking the measurements, Wen Jingyao laid out the fabric samples on the coffee table, allowing Bai Ci to choose the colors and materials.

Bai Jiheng came over at some point, leaning against the sofa armrest, occasionally interjecting with criticism: "This color is too dark, it doesn't suit you." "That fabric is not dirt-resistant and is difficult to care for." "This one is loose-fitting, making you look even thinner."

Bai Ci was getting dizzy from his nagging, and finally shoved the fabric sample into Bai Jiheng's hand: "Third Brother, you can choose, but I have a small request."

"What small request?" Bai Jiheng's nerves tensed instantly, feeling that this little guy was plotting something again.

"That night, I cried so much that I crumpled my eldest brother's handkerchief. My third brother was right there and saw it all."

"Um."

Bai Jiheng recalled the scene from that night: Bai Ci was standing at the door of the room, tears streaming down his face. Bai Yanzhi took a handkerchief out of his pocket and stuffed it into Bai Ci's hand. After he finished crying, he said, "The handkerchief is wrinkled. I'll pay you back for it tomorrow." Bai Yanzhi said, "No need to pay me back. You can keep it."

At this moment, Bai Ci, standing opposite him, was looking at him with a pair of clear eyes that seemed to say, "Third Brother, you're so good to me, you definitely won't refuse me."

Bai Jiheng's internal alarm bells rang, and he instinctively cut off his words: "Didn't you say you were going to compensate my brother? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"It's true that I should pay for it." Bai Ci nodded, her tone extremely serious, "But my brother said I don't need to pay for it."

"Isn't that perfect? ​​If even Big Brother doesn't mind, why are you making a fuss?"

"But the handkerchief was indeed crumpled by me." Bai Ci spoke softly, each word hitting Bai Jiheng's sore spot. "I just asked Mr. Wen, and a single top-quality custom-made handkerchief costs tens of thousands. Third Brother is knowledgeable, he must know the custom-made workshop that Big Brother usually uses, and—"

"And what?"

"That handkerchief was ruined when I was crying in front of my third brother."

Bai Jiheng's lips twitched violently.

"So what?" He crossed his arms, trying to maintain an "it's none of my business" attitude.

"Third Brother bears some responsibility," Bai Ci said matter-of-factly. "You have to help me with the preparations."

"Incidentally? Where did you learn such a word?" Bai Jiheng almost choked on his breath.

"Third Brother taught me that." Bai Ci blinked innocently. "You said last time that whoever causes trouble is responsible. That night I cried, and it was your words that made me cry even harder, so you naturally have to share half the blame for this."

"What does your crying have to do with me? It's not like I made you sad!"

"You said it was just a small matter, but that made me cry even harder." Bai Ci's voice was soft, but her words were clear, directly hitting the facts that Bai Jiheng could not refute.

Just as Bai Jiheng was about to speak in defense, the scene from that day clearly flashed through his mind. He had indeed offered words of comfort, which only made Bai Ci's tears fall even more fiercely.

"I was just trying to comfort you."

"That's why Third Brother is the best to me." Bai Ci continued smoothly, her sincerity so genuine that there wasn't a single flaw. "Help me order a new one to compensate Big Brother. We'll split it in half. I'll pay for it, and Third Brother will help with the purchasing."

Bai Jiheng's temples throbbed, and his fingertips felt slightly tight.

He raised his finger and pointed at Bai Ci, then at himself, turning it over and over but unable to find a single word to refute it.