Seven days later, Shen Qing carried a suitcase and walked out of the Gao family home alone.
Cheng Zhiwen's carriage was already waiting outside.
She was going to Shanghai with Cheng Zhiwen to meet with foreign businessmen.
She was going to Shanghai and might do something outrageous, so she didn't let Chunju come with her.
Shen Qing crouched down and entered the carriage.
Cheng Zhiwen was already sitting inside, resting with her head tilted back and eyes closed.
Shen Qing sat down opposite him and greeted him with a smile: "Good morning, Boss Cheng."
He lifted his eyelids, glanced at her, stared at her for a long time, and said, "Aren't you only interested in needlework? Why do you suddenly want to do business?"
Shen Qing adjusted herself into a comfortable sitting position: "When my husband was alive, he loved me very much. Now that he's gone, I have to support his career so that he can rest in peace... After all, I belonged to him in life and in death."
She didn't want to tell the original owner of this "former" fact that the Gao family was now in ruins.
This was to save face for the original owner and also to tell him that she was deeply in love with her deceased "husband" and would never bother him.
Cheng Zhiwen remained silent and closed her eyes again.
Seeing his discomfiture, Shen Qing chuckled inwardly and deliberately asked, "And what about you? You're not young anymore, are you? Since breaking off our engagement, haven't you met a woman you like?"
His thick eyebrows immediately furrowed, forming a deep frown.
The more he acted this way, the more Shen Qing wanted to provoke him: "Haven't you found anyone you like? Do you think only a princess is good enough for you?"
He finally spoke, a slight smile playing on his lips: "There are too many girls I admire; it's hard to choose just now."
Shen Qing gave a forced smile: "Really? You met a girl in a place like Lechun Pavilion? Boss Cheng, you're such a philanthropist! We're counting on you to take care of all the reformed girls!"
Her words were laced with sarcasm, implying that Cheng Zhiwen was indulging in sensual pleasures
However, Cheng Zhiwen was not to be trifled with either. Although she appeared indifferent, her words were just as venomous as Cheng Zhiwen's.
"The girl I met at Lechun Pavilion, isn't that you? So, you don't want to be Young Master Gao's ghost anymore, but want to be my concubine, Cheng?"
Shen Qing sneered, turned her face away with a light hum, and said, "Don't you even know if you're worthy?"
Realizing she couldn't gain any advantage over him verbally, she stopped arguing and instead pulled back the curtain to look out the window.
She didn't provoke Cheng Zhiwen, and Cheng Zhiwen ignored her completely, resting with her eyes closed the whole time. It wasn't until they entered the Astor House Hotel that Cheng Zhiwen told her to put down her luggage and go to the banquet hall on the first floor, where the foreign businessmen had already arrived.
Time was of the essence, so Shen Qing quickly grabbed his suitcase and went into the room, having no time to admire the hotel that still stands on Huangpu Road a century later.
She quickly removed her conservative late Qing dynasty-style gown and updo, changed into a light gold ribboned dress and a fur shawl, looked at herself in the mirror for a moment, and then, quite satisfied, picked up her suitcase and left the room.
When they arrived at the banquet hall, Cheng Zhiwen was already there, drinking and chatting with several white men.
He glanced back casually and saw her standing at the entrance of the banquet hall. His gaze lingered on her with unfamiliarity for a moment before he put down his wine glass, stood up, and walked towards her.
His expression was one of surprise: "Shen Qing?"
Shen Qing scoffed: "Don't you recognize me?"
He looked her up and down and said, "The dress is very beautiful."
Shen Qing turned around in front of him: "This has the same texture as the sample I brought today. What do you think?"
The skirt, made of pure silk, shimmered brilliantly as she turned, amidst the dazzling lights of the banquet hall.
Cheng Zhiwen was momentarily lost in thought.
Shen Qing steadied himself and said, "Let's go."
He then came to his senses and gentlemanly bent his arms.
Shen Qing naturally took his arm, and they entered the banquet hall with smiles on their faces.
Cheng Zhiwen introduced her to everyone in English: "This is Ms. Shen, the owner of Jiangzhou Silk Trading Company. She brought a batch of silk of excellent quality to show everyone."
Several foreign businessmen laughed maliciously, their eyes boldly fixed on her shapely figure.
Someone took the opportunity to test the waters:
"Mr. Cheng, is this beautiful lady your companion?"
"If this beautiful lady is single, then I'll have to ask her out to spend this wonderful evening together..."
These words made Shen Qing uncomfortable.
In order to sell the silk, she had no choice but to endure it.
“This beautiful lady is indeed my companion,” Cheng Zhiwen said in English. “She is with me all the time.”
He was telling these people that Shen Qing had a man by her side, and they shouldn't make any moves on her.
Shen Qing knew that he was protecting her safety, and a warm feeling flowed through her heart.
When those people saw that she and Cheng Zhiwen were "a couple," they stopped staring at her so brazenly and started talking about business in a serious manner.
She pretended not to understand and asked Cheng Zhiwen, "What did you just say to them?"
Cheng Zhiwen paused for a moment before saying, "I said your silk is of superior quality."
To lie with a straight face.
Shen Qing suppressed a laugh, not exposing him, and casually picked up a napkin, folded it in half, and placed it on her lap.
Cheng Zhiwen looked at it, said nothing, and put her napkin away.
After several appetizers, the main course, steak, was served.
Shen Qing knew there would be a tough battle to come, so as soon as the meat arrived, he swiftly and decisively cut the steak to fill his stomach.
Cheng Zhiwen looked over several times, her expression slightly surprised.
He told the foreign merchants that the silk Shen Qing brought today was more delicate and beautiful than that of Wang's Silk Shop.
One foreign businessman joked, "The things from this country are so beautiful, subtle, and inexhaustible. We should treat you as our country's factory."
The others burst into laughter.
This attitude coincides with certain moments in history.
Shen Qing's heart was churning. She forced herself to stand up, lifted her skirt with one hand, and showed it to everyone.
The light gold silk dress, like a second skin, hugged her exquisite figure perfectly; its sheen shimmered like the sun-drenched sea in the morning.
Everyone stared in astonishment, their pupils filled with a fine, scattered light.
Cheng Zhiwen introduced in English: "This is a dress made by Boss Shen using her silk, and the fabric she wants to recommend to everyone is of the same excellent quality."
Shen Qing sat down again and whispered in his ear, "Go and book a new room, then bring all these people up with you."
He was slightly surprised and turned to look at her: "What's the room for?"
She couldn't explain too much: "You'll find out in a bit."
He remained silent, his hands resting on the edge of the table. He frowned and thought for a few seconds before pulling her up and leading her out of the banquet hall.
"Inviting them to the room is too dangerous; I don't approve!" Cheng Zhiwen said firmly.
Shen Qing pulled his fur shawl tighter around his shoulders, crossed his arms, and nodded: "I know, but there's no other way."
Cheng Zhiwen's expression changed drastically.
Shen Qing felt that he had misunderstood, probably thinking that she wanted to use her body to make a deal.
She pulled her shawl tighter around her shoulders and coughed uncomfortably. "I don't want to sell my silks cheaply like the Wang family did. I have to find another way."
After saying that, he nodded his chin toward the registration desk not far away: "Go ahead, I will definitely thank you properly after it's done."
Cheng Zhiwen didn't move, looking at her with a face full of suspicion.
"Ever since you showed up at the banquet hall tonight, I've found you very strange. What exactly are you trying to do?"
Upon hearing this, Shen Qing closed her eyes, took a step closer to him, and placed her hand on his waist.
His body instinctively lurched forward, but Shen Qing had already grabbed the bulging protrusion.
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