Busy days always fly by.

Before we knew it, it was the eighth day of the fifth lunar month, which is June 16th in the Gregorian calendar. It was an auspicious day, suitable for all activities.

The rouge shop finally opened for business.

Early in the morning, just as dawn was breaking, Lin Yun got up early.

She changed into a brand-new lotus-colored embroidered dress, and a delicate silver hairpin adorned her hair, making her look radiant.

She stood in front of the bronze mirror, carefully checked her makeup, and nodded in satisfaction after confirming that everything was correct.

"Miss, you look beautiful today!" Xiao Tao said with a smile as she walked in carrying a cup of hot tea.

Lin Yun took the tea, took a small sip, and smiled, "Today is a big day, we all need to be energetic."

Bright red lanterns were already hanging at the entrance of the shop, and brand-new couplets were pasted on the lintel.

The inscription above reads, "Rouge adds color to spring, and powder and rouge bring fragrance to guests' door," while the horizontal inscription reads, "Splendid Splendor."

Manager Chen directed his staff to set up the firecrackers, waiting for the auspicious time to light them in celebration.

Just as Chenshi (7-9 AM) arrived, Lin Yun gave the order, and the sound of firecrackers crackled and popped throughout the street, attracting many passersby to stop and watch.

Amidst the swirling smoke, the shop's plaque, "Yunxiang Pavilion," gleamed in the sunlight.

"Yunxiang Pavilion is now open! Free makeup trials are available. Ladies and gentlemen are welcome to come and experience our services!"

Li Shun stood at the entrance, shouting loudly. He held a stack of flyers in his hand and distributed them to the onlookers.

Since the flyers had already spread throughout the city a few days earlier, many wealthy wives and young ladies had learned of the news in advance and rushed over to join in the fun.

Before long, a long queue formed in front of the shop.

Among the crowd, Lin Yun also saw many familiar faces—it turned out that the old members of the clothing store had also come to support the business.

"Miss Lin, congratulations on your opening!" A splendidly dressed lady walked forward with a smile; she was the wife of Liu, a wealthy merchant family in the city.

Lin Yun quickly went to greet her and bowed: "Madam Liu, it is an honor to have you here! Please come in and experience our makeup trial service."

Madam Liu nodded and entered the shop with her maid.

Inside the shop, the makeup testing area was already set up, with light gauze curtains fluttering in the breeze, comfortable chairs placed in front of bronze mirrors, and several embroiderers smiling as they waited for customers.

Liu Qing strode forward, led Madam Liu to sit down, and said softly, "Madam, which makeup style would you like to try?"

We have peach blossom makeup, hibiscus makeup, and our newly launched sunset makeup – all of which are currently very popular.

Madam Liu looked at the samples with interest and pointed to the sunset makeup: "Let's take this one. I heard it's very popular in the capital."

Liu Qing responded and skillfully began applying makeup to Madam Liu.

First, apply skincare products to Madam Liu, then apply blush, eyeshadow, and draw her eyebrows, and finally apply lipstick.

After the treatment, Madam Liu's face was completely transformed in no time. The gold powder adorning the corners of her eyes sparkled in the sunlight, making her appear elegant and noble.

"Oh my, this makeup is so beautiful!" Madam Liu looked at herself in the bronze mirror from left to right, beaming with satisfaction.

Lin Yun stepped forward at the opportune moment and said with a smile, "If Madam likes it, you can take a set of our rouge back with you. The formula is exclusive to our shop and cannot be bought anywhere else."

Mrs. Liu readily nodded: "Okay, then we'll have one!"

Following Mrs. Liu's lead, other customers also entered the store to try on makeup.

The shop was immediately bustling with activity, the embroiderers were so busy they barely had time to breathe, but each of them had a smile on their face.

Lin Yun moved through the crowd, recommending suitable products to customers from time to time, and occasionally demonstrating makeup techniques herself.

Just as everything was proceeding in an orderly manner, a commotion suddenly broke out outside the shop.

Several thug-like men pushed through the queue and swaggered over. The leader was Sun Dayong, a thug hired by Chen Yu.

"Oh, a newly opened shop? Didn't you even say hello to us?" the thug said sarcastically, his eyes filled with hostility.

Upon seeing this, the people in line quickly stepped back, afraid of getting into trouble.

Lin Yun frowned and was about to step forward when she saw that Wang Defa had already been standing at the door.

His burly body stood like a wall, blocking the path of the thugs.

"Gentlemen, if you're here to show your support, you're welcome; if you're here to cause trouble, please have some self-respect."

Wang Defa's voice was deep and powerful, and a hint of coldness flashed in his eyes.

Sun Dayong was stunned by his imposing manner and was speechless for a moment, but he quickly regained his composure and said, "Who do you think you are? How dare you stop us?"

Wang Defa sneered and raised his hand to make a gesture.

The next moment, several plainclothes guards from the Sticky Rod Office quietly appeared from the crowd and surrounded the thugs.

Upon seeing this, the thugs' expressions changed drastically. Before they could react, they were dragged away by the guards without even a chance to struggle.

The whole process was so fast it was dazzling; the onlookers didn't even see what happened before the thugs vanished without a trace.

Order was quickly restored in front of the shop, as if the incident had never happened.

Lin Yun breathed a sigh of relief and gave Wang Defa a grateful look.

Wang Defa nodded slightly, then stepped aside and continued to remain hidden in the crowd, guarding the area.

This minor incident did not affect the shop's business. On the contrary, the scene just now made more people realize the powerful background of "Yunxiang Pavilion" and dare not act rashly.

Customers felt more at ease entering the store, and the business flourished.

Even in the afternoon, the shop was still bustling with customers.

Lin Yun was so busy that she didn't even have time for lunch, only managing to sip some water in between meals. Xiao Tao said with concern, "Miss, please take a rest, don't overwork yourself."

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