In Shen Qing's memory, the original owner of this body did not have much contact with Cheng Zhiwen. At most, she would occasionally visit Cheng's house and catch a glimpse of her from afar.
Cheng Zhiwen went to the United States at the age of sixteen and stayed there for many years. When he returned, the original owner of the body had already died, and Shen Qing was the one who kept in touch with him.
So Shen Qing was really curious why he was so certain that she wasn't the original owner of this body.
Could it be that something happened between him and the original owner of this body that she doesn't know about?
Just then, Shen Qing was suddenly pushed hard against the wall, her arms twisted behind her back and tightly restrained.
Cheng Zhiwen pressed down on her body.
Shen Qing twisted her body and shouted, "Let me go!"
"You won't talk, huh?" Cheng Zhiwen pressed her wrist even tighter, his whole body pressed against her back. "Very well, I'll send you to the Jiangzhou County government office tomorrow, then we'll see if you'll talk!"
Upon hearing the words "Jiangzhou County Government Office," Shen Qing felt a physical fear and his body trembled.
She cannot be arrested and taken to the Jiangzhou County government office. The county magistrate and Master Zhao are already eager for her to die. If she goes there now, the only outcome will be a false confession and a wrongful death!
She had to live; she couldn't go to the Jiangzhou County government office!
Driven by his will to survive, Shen Qingsheng mustered unprecedented strength, twisted his body, and turned around to face Cheng Zhiwen.
His face suddenly loomed large in front of her, and the faint smell of alcohol from his breath sprayed onto her face, into her nasal cavity and brain.
Suddenly, on impulse, she broke free of her hands, cupped his cheeks, and kissed him deeply.
He stared at her in astonishment, his eyes wide with surprise.
She didn't care, she captured his lips with hers, stuck out her tongue, and then closed her eyes... It was a little soft, a little chewy, like jelly, or like mochi...
An unfamiliar force wrapped around Shen Qing's waist. Cheng Zhiwen gripped her waist, tightening his grip... and his breathing grew heavier and heavier...
Shen Qing felt a sudden alarm bell ring in her heart, a bad premonition. Fearing that he might accidentally go too far, she quickly separated their lips.
She held him close, and while he was still dazed, she whispered a promise in his ear: "If you help me import baking soda, once the rayon is made, I'll tell you who I am..."
Shen Qing ran back to her room as if fleeing.
He closed the door tightly before letting out a long sigh of relief.
That was a risky move, but if she hadn't done that, Cheng Zhiwen would probably have dragged her to the Jiangzhou County government office immediately.
She can never go to that awful place again!
She'd rather be with Cheng Zhiwen than go to that godforsaken place!
Tonight's argument made her realize even more clearly that Cheng Zhiwen's willingness to contact her was primarily to explore the relationship between the original owner of this body and her.
Aside from that, she was certain that Cheng Zhiwen didn't want to talk to her, let alone help her.
Therefore, she needs to make a second plan regarding importing baking soda.
The next day, Shen Qing went to Huangpu Beach early in the morning and finally saw a pointed building with a large clock hanging on it in the distance.
She glanced at the iconic large clock and jogged over to it.
If I'm not mistaken, this is Shanghai Customs.
There are always foreign firms near the customs house, and these firms have foreign compradors who specialize in helping people import and export goods.
Shen Qing quickly found a foreign firm that looked quite large next to the customs house.
She stepped up the stairs, and just then a young man in an apricot-colored suit and a matching top hat came out. She quickly went up to him and asked with a smile, "Hello, can you import things from the United States?"
The other person stopped and looked her up and down.
Perhaps seeing her old-fashioned Qing Dynasty dress, which didn't seem like someone who frequented the bustling streets of Shanghai, he sneered, "What do you want to buy from America?"
"One hundred pounds of baking soda."
"Sea freight and commissions are very expensive. How much money do you have?"
Knowing that wealth should not be flaunted, Shen Qing was cautious and did not answer immediately.
Seeing that she didn't say anything, the man chuckled and said sarcastically, "You filthy beggar! Go beg for food!"
Shen Qing's nerves skipped a beat: "What did you say?"
"You're calling me a stinking beggar!" After cursing, the other person even spat at her.
A white liquid flew over, and Shen Qing instinctively flinched, causing the saliva to fall to the ground.
Enraged, she stepped forward to argue with him: "I only asked you a question, did you have to spit on me?"
This is the first time I've ever been spat on since I came here.
Shen Qing was disgusted and very angry!
The man grinned and cursed, "If you don't have any money, why are you asking? You won't buy anything anyway!"
He raised his hand after speaking, but before the slap could land, it was restrained in mid-air.
Shen Qing looked at the person who had come.
It's Cheng Zhiwen!
"Cheng Cheng Cheng..." The man's wrist was bent backward by him, and he cried loudly, unable to speak clearly.
With a flick of his wrist, Cheng Zhiwen sent the man flying into the foreign firm's main entrance.
Shen Qingsong breathed a sigh of relief and pressed his hand to his chest, feeling a lingering sense of fear.
The moment she saw Cheng Zhiwen, she knew she was safe.
This sense of security came suddenly, yet it felt so certain.
Although Cheng Zhiwen privately harbored various suspicions about her and threatened to arrest her and report her to the authorities, he would always protect her in front of outsiders.
Thinking of this, Shen Qing stopped giving him the cold shoulder and looked at him normally: "What a coincidence?"
As she spoke, her gaze swept over his lips, and she recalled their kiss last night. Instantly, a warm feeling surged from the soles of her feet to her head, and her entire face burned.
She coughed lightly, her gaze drifting awkwardly away, not daring to look him in the eye.
But then he said, "I can help you import baking soda, and it will be delivered to Jiangzhou in a month and a half at the latest."
A surge of joy filled her heart, and she looked up at him: "Can it be any faster? A month?"
I'll try my best.
She knew that the baking soda issue was resolved, and her anxiety immediately subsided.
"But you must remember what you said."
She knew exactly what he was referring to, and readily agreed, "Of course!"
If rayon can truly be made, resolving all her crises in ancient times, then telling him the truth might be worth considering.
Not far away, Old Xu's horse-drawn carriage slowly approached.
"Get in the car!" Cheng Zhiwen stepped forward first. "I'll go back to Jiangzhou with you."
Upon hearing this, Shen Qing felt a chill run down her spine.
I have to share a room with this person again... Annoying!
Shen Qing didn't know why Cheng Zhiwen insisted on going back to Jiangzhou with her. Was he really that free?
When they arrived in Jiangzhou, he asked to see the place where the raw materials for refining rayon were extracted, so Shen Qing had no choice but to take him to the Gao family's kesi workshop.
The Gao family has not been able to pay wages for a long time. The master craftsmen of the kesi workshop have all been dismissed and sent back, leaving only a large empty room and some kesi tools.
“When the cellulose is extracted, we will need a spinning machine,” Shen Qing said as he walked between two rows of abandoned kesi looms, his hands behind his back. “Traditional hand weaving is too slow and expensive.”
Cheng Zhiwen stood inside the door, looking at her sharply: "You're planning to import a spinning machine?"
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