Aldridge County was one of the most famous commercial regions in the entire Pradi Empire—and even all of Europe. Its main city, Aldridge City, was hailed as the Capital of Commerce, rivaling the imperial capital in prosperity, if not surpassing it.
Though it was a landlocked region, its development was no less impressive than that of the large coastal port cities. People from all over flocked here seeking business opportunities and fortunes. To merchants, this was practically sacred ground—and that glory had been painstakingly built up over generations by the Aldridge family.
The Sardinson group rested for a day, and the following day, they were invited to tour this bustling commercial capital.
Under Salina's subtle coaxing, Adonis invited Dolores out for a private outing. The two didn't even bring any servants and went in disguise—essentially, a proper date. As for Elina and Prince Andrew, they had already been in Aldridge for a while. Elina, a native of the city, had long grown indifferent to its charms and had no desire to go shopping in the cold. Prince Andrew had already seen the city and only wanted to spend time with his wife, so they both remained at the castle.
In the end, only Salina took Felix and Wei Wei to tour the city.
Aldridge was noticeably colder than Sardinson. By November, snow had already begun to fall. Though it was usually just light snowfall—melting by day and returning at night—it was still bitterly cold outside.
Though Wei Wei wasn't as sensitive to cold as before, the lingering memory of her past intolerance made her especially cautious. She dressed in full winter gear: a double-layered, thick underskirt, a pure cashmere outer skirt, and cashmere leggings beneath. Over her skirt, she wore a heavy black cloak that reached down to her feet, revealing only the tops of her ankle boots. The boots, mid-heeled and lined with thick fleece, were warm, waterproof, and slip-resistant. Her hands were covered in leather gloves, and once her hood was up, not an inch of her body—save her face—was exposed.
She also carried an umbrella in case of snow.
Salina, too, was dressed no less thoroughly—the standard attire for women going out during this season.
She took them to the busiest part of Aldridge City, where rows of shops lined both sides of the streets. Even in winter, business was booming, and crowds flowed in and out constantly. You could find just about anything here.
They had come by carriage, and along the way, Salina introduced the shops on either side to Wei Wei. Whenever she came across one she was familiar with, she'd recommend it, and if Wei Wei showed interest, they'd have the carriage stop so they could go in and take a look.
As always, a woman's shopping enthusiasm knew no season.
After visiting the first store, the two women abandoned the carriage altogether and opted to walk, browsing shop after shop on foot. Before they realized it, the carriage trailing them—and even its roof—was piled high with their purchases.
Felix, tagging along as the lone male, was already exhausted just watching them shop. Meanwhile, the two ladies remained full of energy, showing no signs of fatigue as they happily moved on to the next store.
Eventually, they arrived at a prime corner location on the street—an impressive, sizable storefront with its doors shut.
In front of it stood a short, chubby man dressed as a servant, clearly having waited for some time. Upon seeing them, he stepped forward and greeted Salina with a bow.
"Good afternoon, Countess."
Salina, seeing him, suddenly remembered they had official business to attend to today. She gestured toward the unopened store and said to Wei Wei and Felix, "That's the shop Adonis found for you. Go take a look. If it doesn't suit you, we can keep looking."
Of course, it suited them.
Wei Wei and Felix had already seen firsthand just how busy and prosperous this street was. Located at the crossroads of two major streets, the storefront was clearly in high demand. If not for Adonis' help, there's no way a pair of strangers to Aldridge would have had the opportunity to even consider such a place—it would've been snapped up long ago.
The servant stepped up and opened the door. Wei Wei and Felix entered to inspect the property.
Because the store was on a corner, it had entrances on two sides facing the street. The interior was larger than its neighbors, spanning two floors. A staircase near the back wall led to the second floor, which had the same spacious layout as the first. Several large windows ensured excellent natural lighting.
Toward the rear of the first floor was another door, which led through two empty rooms—one large, one small—and out to the back entrance. The rear door was locked, so they couldn't see where it led.
Wei Wei walked around the space and found it very promising. "What was this place originally?" she asked.
Salina, unsure herself, paused to recall. "I think it used to be a restaurant."
The servant quickly added, "Yes, Madam, it was indeed a restaurant. But the business failed, and it's been closed for quite some time. Because the space is so large, most small merchants don't need something this big, and the original owner was asking a high price, so it's been sitting empty."
What he didn't mention was that Adonis had personally purchased this property from the original owner with the intent of opening his shop here. All the previous restaurant furnishings had been cleared out, and he was just about to begin renovations when he heard that Felix was looking for a shop in Aldridge. Adonis halted the renovation plans so Felix could inspect it first. If his future brother-in-law liked it, Adonis would find another place for his own business.
Though the servant kept quiet about this, Felix could tell. The store had been prepped—some remnants in the corners and half-finished renovations gave it away.
But regardless of whether he noticed or not, since Adonis was willing to give it up, Felix had no reason to refuse.
"Is the shop for sale?" he asked. Renting would mean dealing with the original landlord, so of course he preferred to buy it outright.
The servant, following instructions, nodded eagerly. "Yes, yes, it's for sale. Two floors, a total area of six hundred square meters, including the back courtyard and the well. The price is two hundred and fifty thousand gold coins."
That price was even higher than the house Felix had bought in the capital. But this was a commercial property in a prime location, and Felix had done his homework—properties on this street weren't cheap. Two hundred fifty thousand gold for six hundred square meters was fair. If Adonis hadn't been the owner, others might not have been willing to sell at all.
"How much did Adonis pay for it?" Felix suddenly asked.
"Three hundred thou—" The servant blurted it out and immediately realized his mistake. He shut his mouth quickly, glancing nervously at Felix, then lowering his head in silence.
Wei Wei heard it too and raised her eyebrows. Well, well, our dear brother-in-law's not bad at all.
She glanced at Salina. The latter's expression didn't change, but she had heard it too.
Salina met her gaze and simply smiled, saying nothing.
But in her heart, she was pleased. Her Adonis was even trying to win favor with his future brother-in-law—clearly, he truly cared about his fiancée.
That was good. Though Salina had always hoped to see Adonis married, after witnessing Elina being forced into an unwanted union, she now wished for Adonis to marry purely for love.
Felix said, "Three hundred thousand, huh?"
The servant, feeling guilty and dreading his master's reaction later, could only nod sheepishly.
"Then we'll buy it at that price," Felix said. "We're not looking to take advantage of him."
He appreciated Adonis' gesture, but he would still pay the full amount—after all, money wasn't an issue for them.
Since he was firm on this, Salina had no objection. "So, this is the one?"
"Yes, it's perfect. Thank you, Countess."
"No need to thank me."
Seeing that they'd made their decision, the servant produced the pre-drafted transfer contract. However, it still listed the price as two hundred fifty thousand. Felix refused to sign at that price, insisting on amending the contract.
They weren't in a rush—they'd just sign the final agreement with Adonis in person later.
Having finished their inspection, Felix turned to the two ladies. "Shall we keep shopping?"
The elegant ladies of different generations exchanged a glance and smiled. "Of course."
They were only halfway through—there were still plenty of stores they hadn't visited yet.
Felix had no choice but to dutifully continue playing the roles of both wallet and porter.
Normally, he considered himself fit and well-trained—he never slacked on physical conditioning, even during his busiest times. But today, he seriously questioned his stamina. How could these two women, in heels no less, walk around all afternoon without a hint of fatigue, while he—a grown man—was already sore and aching?
The world had flipped upside down.
As winter approached, the sun set early. By around four or five in the afternoon, the sky was already darkening. The two still-eager ladies finally linked arms and prepared to return.
As they stepped out of the last shop, snow had begun to fall without them even noticing.
Tiny flakes landed on their hands, immediately melting into water. It looked more like sleet than snow.
"Good thing I brought an umbrella," Wei Wei said with a smile, undoing the fastener on the umbrella she'd been carrying all along.
"I've been meaning to ask you—what is that?" Salina had originally assumed Wei Wei was carrying some oddly shaped walking stick. In winter, with slippery roads, many people carried sticks for stability, much like the walking canes favored by later-era gentlemen. They were also common for hiking.
"This? It's an umbrella."
Wei Wei lifted the black umbrella and pressed the release button. With a pop, the canopy opened.
Its metal frame, though hollowed out for lightness, was still heavier than modern stainless-steel umbrellas. But it was sturdy enough to double as a walking stick without worry. The black fabric of the canopy was shaped like a blooming flower, trimmed with double layers of red lace—elegant and mysterious.
The fabric wasn't naturally waterproof, but Wei Wei had treated it with wax, enough to keep out light rain or snow. It wouldn't withstand a downpour, but that wasn't its main purpose anyway—it was a parasol.
As for a proper rain umbrella, the traditional oil-paper umbrellas of the East were excellent. She had access to bamboo but hadn't yet figured out how to make oil paper. Still, she rarely needed to go out in the rain, so she could take her time developing it.
But this kind of parasol—so beloved by European noblewomen—was a must-have. After all, what were pretty puffed skirts and elegant fans without a matching parasol?