Chapter 45 A Couple with Perfect Understanding and Sweet Love

Madam Luo sat down at the table with her two daughters, glancing intently at the counter. She saw the landlady and the shopkeeper whispering to each other for a long time by the counter.

The two, sometimes turbulent and sometimes gloomy, finally made peace with a high five. Presumably, the first business deal proposed by the landlady today had been settled. Seeing that their first income was secured, the mother and her two children finally felt at ease.

“Mother, now that the contract has been signed, you can relax and continue making hairpins here. If customers come to order fresh flower hairpins, if you see someone wearing gold and silver, recommend that they consider making a flower crown... In your spare time, you can also make some silk hairpins, and my sister and I will go to the street to sell them.”

The older sister was decisive and efficient. She led her younger sister with one hand and carried a bamboo basket with the other. When she spoke angrily to her frail and helpless mother, it was as if she were coaxing a child.

Li Yang couldn't help but think of her own mother. She was just as frail when she saw her father; she couldn't even lift a needle, a sight that made one's teeth ache. However, this Madam Luo seemed utterly indecisive, only knowing how to stare blankly at her daughter. She approached the three with a beaming smile, "Madam Luo, your sister is quite decisive; you are truly blessed."

Then she turned to the two children and said, "There's only one thing: you can no longer call me 'my benefactor' or 'my wife.' I'm a few years older now, so you can call me 'elder sister.'"

The younger sister, Laiyi, readily called her "elder sister," but Youfeng refused to accept it no matter what. In the end, they compromised and she was allowed to call Liyang "master."

After talking for a while, Li Yang learned that when this Lady Luo was young, she fell in love with a fair-skinned scholar in town. The man was called Zhang Lang, and soon the two started living together and had a daughter named Youfeng.

With a child, life had hope. Madam Luo sold a few acres of her family's meager land to raise money for Zhang Lang's tuition... She worked day and night, and the nights were tough. Not long after her younger sister Laiyi was born, she finally sent her husband on his way to the capital to take the imperial examination, and the family's life had a greater hope.

Seeing Luo Niangzi's tender expression when she mentioned her lover, Li Yang didn't say anything. However, her elder sister, Youfeng, said bitterly, "Mother, what are you still hoping for? That man is a heartless bastard. He deceived you with a few sweet words, swindled you out of your land, and made you toil day and night to raise money for him. You followed him without any status or recognition, ruining your health. Why aren't you thinking straight? Years have passed; if he wanted to come back, he would have already. He must have found a better opportunity outside and doesn't want us anymore..."

Madam Luo: "Don't talk nonsense, that's your father."

"Mother!" Youfeng couldn't stand her mother's behavior and stamped her feet angrily, her eyes reddening with suppressed rage.

Seeing the mother and her two daughters arguing over family matters, Li Yang was about to get up when Luo Niangzi quickly wiped away her tears and changed the subject, "Master, no matter what, it's truly a blessing for us mother and daughters to have met you. You have done us a great favor..." She choked up for a moment, then continued, "These two children have suffered so much, they've had to suffer with me, forced to sell things on the street at such a young age. It's all my fault..."

Li Yang stared at her for a moment, then finally couldn't bear it and said, "Madam Luo, what you're saying makes no sense."

Lady Luo paused in wiping away her tears, looking at her blankly. Li Yang continued, "You are not a useless person. You have raised a scholar. The provincial examination, the municipal examination, the imperial examination—each one of them costs a fortune."

But you gave all the money in your household to that Zhang Lang and raised these two sisters. How can you be considered a useless person? You Feng and Lai Yi are so sensible and have been raised exceptionally well by you. You clearly do everything exceptionally well; how can you be a useless person?

My mother always said that only when a mother is doing well can her daughters do well. If you can't stand on your own two feet, how can you teach your daughters to do the same? Do you really want Youfeng and Laiyi to end up like that, burning themselves out like candles for a man?

"Madam Luo, you are not just a wife of the Zhang family, not just Fengniang, and not just a daughter of the Luo family. You have your own name. What is it?"

"Your own name?" Madam Luo was stunned, then stammered, "Luo, Luo Yinhua."

"Yes, that's right." Li Yang laughed. "You have a name, Luo Yinhua. You raised a scholar and two daughters. You also got a long-term contract in my shop because of your excellent skills. You can adorn hairpins, embroider, and cook. You are very capable."

Just stay here and do your job in peace. Only when you are doing well can you attract good fortune and prosperity.

Li Yang talked a lot, but Luo Niangzi was still in a daze and didn't come back to her senses for a long time. Seeing this, she smiled, said a few words to You Feng, and then left.

Youfeng stood to the side, holding her younger sister's hand, her face already streaked with tears. "Mother, did you hear that? Just stay here and do your job well. Things will get better from now on."

Little Deer was wiping the flower stand nearby. Watching the young mistress leave, and seeing the mother and her two children crying their eyes out, she pouted and went to the backyard. She couldn't understand why the three of them were crying. With a father going to the capital for the imperial examinations, they might all become daughters of officials. She really didn't know what they were crying about.

Madam Luo murmured, "Luo Yinhua, Feng'er, Xiaoyi, Mother has a name, Mother's name is Luo Yinhua..."

The air is thick and dense, the stone steps under the corridor are covered with moss, and the water is slippery and green.

After listening to Li Yang recount the events of the day, Chen Junbo washed his hands and returned to the table, spreading out the jujube cakes he had brought back in front of her. "It's still early for dinner, so let's eat something hot first. The banquet hall provides a daily ration of jujube cakes."

Li Yang had already taken a bite and mumbled, "Manager Zhou really knows how to do business."

Mentioning Manager Zhou, she quickly swallowed the pastry in her mouth. "By the way, I only found out from Manager Zhou when I went to the banquet hall that day that it was Sister Ziyan who went to him to get my contract and brought it back to you."

Upon hearing this, Chen Junbo's brow twitched, and he picked up a pastry and hummed in agreement.

"If Ziyan hadn't gone, what were you planning to do?" Li Yang raised an eyebrow at him, clearly indicating that this topic was going to stick.

Hearing her question, Chen Junbo put down the pastry in his hand. "I didn't originally intend to reason with my mother. She doesn't always act perfectly. An equal exchange is all that's needed. However, with this contract, we have a better chance of winning."

"Equivalent exchange?" Li Yang was dumbfounded. Was this how mothers and sons negotiated things?

He nodded slightly and said, "This is the simplest way. Most things in the world can be explained by this principle. As long as you know what the other party wants, you will have a chance of winning."

Intrigued by this, Li Yang blinked and asked loudly, "Really?"

Chen Junbo glanced at her sideways and said helplessly, "Not entirely. This method just won't work for you."

Hearing him mock him, Li Yang shot him a sharp look and said, "Didn't you ever think of going to the banquet hall to find the manager?"

"No."

Chen Junbo's answer was very straightforward, which piqued her curiosity. "Why is that?"

"I trust your character; you would never do such a sordid thing." This half-truth earned him a flirtatious wink from the young lady. Young Master Chen smiled but remained silent, the rest of his words escaping his throat as he swallowed: "Besides, I'm richer, more handsome, and younger than him. I don't have time to waste my energy arguing with him."

Early that morning, Zhong Qian sent someone to Kangshan Street to deliver a message, saying that the costumes and flower crown designs for the Hualang had been finalized and that Li Yang was invited to make a decision.

Seeing how quickly Zhong Qian had handled the matter he had just been given yesterday, Li Yang couldn't help but smile. "This Manager Zhong is quite interesting. He seems so smooth and shrewd on the surface, I thought he was unreliable. But when it really comes down to it, it takes a lot of persuasion to convince him. It's just that once he agrees, he gets things done so efficiently."

Seeing that she still had a smile in her eyes as she spoke, Chen Junbo frowned and asked, "What is it that you dare to refuse even him?"

Li Yang's heart skipped a beat. Even someone as shrewd as Zhong Qian couldn't accept the idea of ​​a flower seller. This young master Chen was always so rigid... She rolled her eyes and said, "Actually, it's nothing. I met a pair of sisters selling flower hairpins on the street. I thought it was interesting, so I invited their mother to come to the shop to sit and help them put on flower crowns."

"Your idea is quite good." The two had just finished breakfast when Chen Junbai took a set of gray outer clothes to change. He still had to go to the workshop in Ganquan County today, and gray was more resistant to dirt.

His voice came through the embroidered screen, “This manager is far too dull. He even refused to sit in the office and split the accounts. Or is it because he thinks you are too young and is not convinced? If that’s the case, this person cannot be kept. I will have Bi Fang find you another manager later.”

Hearing the hint of dissatisfaction with Zhong Qian in Chen Junbai's words, Li Yang clicked her tongue in surprise. However, she did not want to tell him about the flower seller incident, so she quickly defended him, saying, "No, no, Manager Zhong treats me with great respect. It's not like what you said. There's no need to replace him."

Hearing her insistence on keeping him, Chen Junbai said nothing. After the two of them had finished getting ready, they squeezed into a carriage and first sent Liyang to the flower bureau before heading to the Ganquan County workshop.

Now that the two are of one mind, they only regret that there are not twenty hours in a day. Even for the short time it takes to go out to the flower shop, the young couple has to squeeze into a carriage.

The two of them were very much in love, but poor Bi Fang and Xiao Lu had to be very 'shrewd' and hire another carriage to travel.

So every morning, the steward would first arrange a small carriage to take Miss Liu to the flower shop before she went to work. A quarter of an hour later, the carved carriage arranged by Young Master Chen would take Young Madam Liu to the flower shop.

The gatekeepers, cleaners, and flower arrangers in the Chen residence watched with a sigh: not only was the young mistress favored by the young master, but even the maidservant beside her was pampered by the young master's steward. Tsk tsk tsk, it's like an old house on fire, and two of them at once.

"Go on with your work, I'll make you wontons when we get back tonight." East Street was bustling with people. After Li Yang helped him out of the car, the man wouldn't let go until she felt embarrassed by the stares. Only then did she break free from Chen Junbo's arms around her waist and repeatedly make gestures to shoo him away.

Seeing that she was shy but still spoke softly, the man was in a good mood and chuckled softly as his Adam's apple bobbed.

Zhong Qian bowed and leaned against the counter until Young Master Chen's carriage had gone quite a distance before catching up and saying, "Young Madam."

"Huh!" Li Yang was startled by his sudden voice. "Manager Zhong, why are you walking so quietly?" As he spoke, he brushed the backs of his hands across his burning cheeks, fanning himself as he quickly stepped inside.

The shopkeeper followed behind her, glancing at her, then covered his mouth and chuckled. He quickly caught up, saying, "Young Madam, Young Madam, you've come to the wrong place. The embroiderer is over here."