Angel Investor

The illness was slowly recuperating, and after several days of careful rest, Jiang Wanzhi finally recovered about 70-80% of her strength. Her complexion became rosy again, and her bright eyes regained their former sparkle. In fact, after figuring out some things, they appeared even clearer and more lucid.

The weather was fine that day, and she was directing Chuntao and Qiuju to carry the bedding from the house to the yard to air it out, carrying out a vigorous "ultraviolet disinfection and sterilization" campaign, which she called "sun-drying away bad luck and welcoming a new life!"

While patting the brocade quilt, Chun Tao said with a smile, "Miss, you've become even more interesting since you fell ill. But seeing that you're in such good spirits, we're all relieved."

Qiuju smiled and said, "Yes, it really scared us a few days ago."

Jiang Wanzhi stretched, feeling the warmth of the sunlight on her body. She took a deep breath of the air, which was filled with the fragrance of flowers and sunshine, and felt completely relaxed.

Although those unpleasant rumors about Prince Heng and Princess Beiyuan still occasionally make her tongue tingle like she accidentally ate a peppercorn, they no longer cause her heart to clench.

In her own words, "I've rebooted! All the past bugs have been fixed. This is now version 2.0!"

She even began to seriously plan her path to becoming an "independent woman." With the knowledge of a time traveler, she would invent things, sell face masks and skincare products, open a specialty shop, sell milk tea, juice, and desserts, achieve financial freedom, and then, regardless of whether it was King Heng or King Zhao, she could live a carefree and comfortable life.

Of course, having a partner like King Zhao who is good-looking, has a good personality, and can understand her "secret language" would also seem like a good choice.

Just as they were making plans, the gatekeeper came to report that His Highness Prince Zhao had arrived again, bringing some snacks with him.

Jiang Wanzhi's eyes lit up, and she immediately ordered, "Please invite Your Highness to sit in the flower hall for a moment. I'll be right there." She returned to her room, tidied her hair slightly in front of the mirror, picked out an elegant jade hairpin to wear, and nodded in satisfaction at her good complexion in the mirror.

Yes, when meeting investors, image management is very important!

Upon entering the flower hall, Zongzheng Zhaoran stood with his hands behind his back, admiring a traditional Chinese ink painting of orchids hanging on the wall.

He was dressed in a light blue casual outfit today, which made him look even more elegant and handsome. When he heard footsteps, he turned around and saw the radiant Jiang Wanzhi. His eyes instantly lit up with undisguised amazement and joy.

"It seems Wan Zhi is truly well; she looks radiant." His voice was gentle, tinged with a smile.

"Thanks to Your Highness, and the medicinal herbs and tonics you sent, my broken system is finally almost repaired." Jiang Wanzhi walked over with a smile and naturally sat down on the chair next to him, her gaze falling on the exquisite food box he had brought. "What good things has Your Highness brought to 'feed' me this time?"

Zongzheng Zhaoran was amused by her "feeding" analogy. He opened the food box, which contained several uniquely shaped and fragrant pastries. "These are some new pastries from 'Guixiangzhai'. I thought you had been eating a light diet while you were sick, and now that you're better, you can have a change of pace, so I brought some for you to try."

"Gui Xiang Zhai?!" Jiang Wanzhi's eyes lit up. This was the most famous pastry shop in the capital, with limited supplies and very difficult to buy! "Your Highness, you've really hit the nail on the head when it comes to my 'pain points'! I've been craving their pastries for so long!"

Without any hesitation, she picked up a piece of almond Buddha's Hand pastry, took a small bite, and found it crisp, sweet, and satisfied, squinting her eyes.

Zongzheng Zhaoran watched her enjoy herself without any affectation, and his heart softened. He liked seeing her so vibrant and genuine, so different from the aristocratic ladies who always put on airs in front of him.

He also picked up a piece of mung bean cake and ate it slowly, asking casually, "Wanzhi seems to be in a good mood, is something interesting happening?"

Jiang Wanzhi swallowed her snack, patted the crumbs off her hands, and said with a hint of smugness, "I guess so! I've figured some things out, and life feels so much clearer now. I used to feel like I was trapped in certain rules and regulations, but now..." She winked mischievously, "I've decided to break out of that 'competitive' race and carve out my own 'blue ocean'!"

Although Zongzheng Zhaoran found the terms "involution" and "blue ocean" novel, he was able to grasp their essence by considering her context and expression. He was deeply moved and felt that the woman before him was extraordinary.

He put down his teacup, looking intently at her with a teasing yet encouraging gaze: "Oh? I wonder how the Prime Minister's daughter plans to open up a 'blue ocean'? I'm quite interested to hear it."

This was exactly what Jiang Wanzhi wanted to hear. She immediately began enthusiastically outlining her "business plan," proposing to open a "female-oriented" leisure space combining tea, desserts, and reading, even mentioning the possibility of using the modern "blind box" concept for marketing activities…

She spoke with great enthusiasm, occasionally throwing in a few modern terms. Zongzheng Zhaoran listened very attentively, not interrupting her, but instead raising some incisive questions from time to time, or giving some very constructive opinions from the perspective of current policies and market demands.

He was knowledgeable and quick-witted, and many of his ideas even surprised Jiang Wanzhi, a time traveler.

"Your Highness! You're absolutely my 'god teammate'!" Jiang Wanzhi exclaimed excitedly, almost slamming her hand on the table. "There are some issues I hadn't even thought about that deeply, but your guidance has made everything clear!"

"A superb teammate?" Zongzheng Zhaoran raised an eyebrow at this novel compliment, his smile deepening. "To receive such praise from Wanzhi is an honor for me."

He accepted the title very naturally, and even found it a thousand times more pleasant than those empty flatteries.

“Of course!” Jiang Wanzhi nodded vigorously. To better illustrate her grand plan, she subconsciously leaned forward and gestured with her fingers on the coffee table between them. “Your Highness, look, my ‘Leisure Pavilion’ will have an open-plan tea area on the first floor, specializing in various innovative flavors of fruit and flower tea and milk tea! Oh, milk tea is made by boiling milk, tea leaves, and sugar together, and then adding some tapioca pearls… uh, you know, those chewy little glutinous rice balls, guaranteed to be delicious! The second floor will be set up as elegant seating areas and a reading area, collecting storybooks, travelogues, and even local chronicles, so that guests can enjoy snacks while reading and savor a slow-paced life…”

She was so engrossed in her speech that she didn't realize she had crossed the center line of the coffee table and was almost right in front of Zongzheng Zhaoran while "drawing blueprints." A faint, sweet fragrance emanated from her, mixed with the sweet aroma of the pastries from earlier, lingering subtly around Zongzheng Zhaoran's nose.

Zongzheng Zhaoran didn't back down; instead, he leaned forward slightly in cooperation, his gaze following her fingertips as he listened intently. He could clearly see her long eyelashes trembling slightly with excitement, and her lips opening and closing, gleaming with a healthy sheen. His heart skipped a few beats without him even realizing it.

“…and more,” Jiang Wanzhi said, getting more and more excited, completely entering “entrepreneurial” mode. She looked up and met Zong Zheng Zhaoran’s smiling eyes, which were very close to hers.

Their eyes met suddenly, so close that they could see their tiny reflections in each other's eyes.

Jiang Wanzhi belatedly realized she had been too close, and her face flushed red instantly. She quickly shrank back like a startled rabbit, sat up straight, her eyes darting around, and feigned a cough: "Ahem, well... that's roughly the idea. Your Highness, what do you think of its feasibility?"

She picked up the slightly cooled teacup, took a tactical sip of water, and concealed her embarrassment.

Zongzheng Zhaoran took in all her little actions and found them incredibly cute. He smiled inwardly and leaned back in his chair, resuming his gentle and approachable demeanor, though the smile in his eyes deepened.

“The idea is excellent, and the name ‘Leisure Pavilion’ is elegant and fitting.” He affirmed first, then changed the subject with a hint of mockery, “However, the ‘pearl’ that Wan Zhi just mentioned… could it be a pearl shed by the merfolk of the East Sea? If we were to use it in our drinks, the cost would probably be quite high.”

"Huh?" Jiang Wanzhi was taken aback at first, then realized that he was teasing her, and couldn't help but burst out laughing. The embarrassment she had just felt vanished instantly.

"Your Highness! You're so good at getting to the point! It's not those pearls! It's made from tapioca flour, a kind of food that's chewy and smooth. I'll make it for you to try later, and you'll see!"

She smiled, her eyes crinkling, and subconsciously reached out to gently pat Zongzheng Zhaoran's arm, which was resting on the coffee table. The gesture was natural and intimate, carrying a hint of coquettishness, as if to say, "Don't tease me."

The touch was very light, and it was brief. But Zongzheng Zhaoran felt as if his arm had been gently brushed by a feather, leaving a slightly tingling, itchy sensation that spread all the way to his heart.

He glanced down at his arm, then looked up at Jiang Wanzhi, who was smiling without any guard up. His Adam's apple bobbed slightly, and his voice unconsciously lowered, carrying a hint of hoarseness: "Alright, then this king... will wait and see."

The atmosphere became somewhat subtle at this moment. Sunlight streamed through the window, casting warm dappled patterns between the two, and tiny, ambiguous dust particles seemed to dance gently in the air.

Jiang Wanzhi realized that her actions just now seemed too casual, and her cheeks were a little hot. She quickly changed the subject: "By the way, Your Highness, you are very knowledgeable. Where do you think would be a suitable location for my 'Leisure Pavilion'? It should be quiet and elegant, but not too remote. The flow of customers is very important."

Zongzheng Zhaoran suppressed the pounding in his heart, pondered for a moment, and carefully analyzed: "If we're talking about tranquility and elegance combined with a steady flow of customers, the Liuguang Lake in the west of the city is a good choice. Many literati and scholars gather there, the environment is serene, and the lakeside scenery is beautiful. However, the rent for the shops will probably be quite high."

He paused, then looked at her. "Or, there are some quiet alleys near the East Market. They may not be as elegant as the lakeside, but they are easily accessible, making it more convenient for the female relatives of high-ranking officials and nobles to travel."

As he spoke, he naturally picked up the teapot and poured her a cup of hot tea. As he handed it to her, his fingertips inadvertently brushed against Jiang Wanzhi's hand that was taking the cup.

This touch was clearer than before. His fingertips were slightly cool, with a smooth, jade-like feel, while Jiang Wanzhi's hands were warm from holding the hot cup. The brief encounter between the cool and warm sensations made them both pause slightly.

Jiang Wanzhi felt as if she had been electrocuted; her hand twitched almost imperceptibly, and her heart inexplicably raced.

She secretly glanced at Zongzheng Zhaoran and saw that he looked normal, as if he had only bumped into it by accident. He was focused on putting the teapot back in its place, his profile was beautiful and his expression was serious.

“I think the area near Dongshi might be better,” Jiang Wanzhi tried to make her voice sound normal. “My target customers are young ladies and wives from various families. They mostly go to Dongshi when they go out, so it would be more convenient for them to come here on their way.” As she spoke, she unconsciously rubbed the back of her hand that he had just touched.

“That makes sense.” Zongzheng Zhaoran nodded in agreement. “If we determine the general area, I may send someone to inquire if there are any suitable shops for rent.” With these words, he had already put his roles as an “angel investor” and “strategic advisor” into practice.

"Really? That's wonderful!" Jiang Wanzhi exclaimed in surprise, her eyes sparkling as she looked at him. "Your Highness, you are truly my lucky star!"

Overjoyed, she almost reached out to pat him again, but thankfully she stopped in time and simply clasped her hands together in gratitude.

Looking at her hesitant expression, Zongzheng Zhaoran finally couldn't help but chuckle. The laughter, which resonated from his chest, was pleasantly magnetic: "I am also delighted to be able to help Wanzhi."

The sunlight gradually softened, elongating their shadows, which intertwined on the floor of the flower hall. The aroma of tea and pastries, along with the unspoken understanding and quietly growing feelings, wove together a warm and heartwarming afternoon.