Since she left the capital, he had never sent her a single letter. She only learned about him through others: his promotions, his demotions, his assignment to the army as an insignificant clerk, and now his favor with a general...
These things all seemed so distant to her.
Jiang Huaiyu was silent for a moment, then smiled bitterly and shook his head gently, "He is busy with official business and probably cannot get away."
"ah?"
Upon hearing this, Cao Shuwan was speechless for a moment, and hurriedly comforted him, "It's alright, boss. As an official, Brother Bai naturally has many important matters to attend to, so it's understandable that he can't come back. Don't worry, I will always be by your side."
As soon as he finished speaking, a slight noise came from the courtyard.
Cao Shuwan walked to the door and looked outside. She saw someone turning over the soil in the garden. After seeing the person's face clearly, she exclaimed in surprise, "Hey, is that Brother Li Kui?"
"Didn't he go to Suzhou with Young Master Ling? What's he doing here? Could it be that Young Master Ling has returned as well?"
Jiang Huaiyu smiled and explained, "That's right. As you know, Wusu City experienced a period of chaos a few days ago. Young Master Ling was worried about my safety, so he rushed back."
"This is naturally a wonderful thing."
Cao Shuwan nodded slightly, then asked curiously, "Oh dear, I didn't notice when I came in. What could have caused Brother Li Kui to renovate your garden so thoroughly?"
She hadn't noticed it before, but upon closer inspection, she saw that the once charming garden in the southeast corner of the house had been devastated, turned into a mess, with all traces of the lush flowers and plants gone, leaving only bare soil.
Jiang Huaiyu smiled slightly and replied, "Actually, it's like this: I always felt that the fragrance of those flowers and trees was a bit unpleasant, so I planned to replace them with some new varieties. It just so happens that Li Kui is quite proficient in gardening, so I asked him to help me tidy up the garden."
"So that's how it is."
Although Cao Shuwan showed a hint of regret on her face, she did not delve into it, because she had heard her mother mention that pregnant women are particularly sensitive to smells, and if they feel uncomfortable, there is indeed no need to keep the original flowers and trees.
After a while, Yingxiang came in carrying a steaming bowl of fruit and flower drink.
Cao Shuwan smiled and said, "There's quite a lot of fruit and flower drinks here. Since Young Master Ling is here too, why don't we have Yingxiang send him a bowl as well?"
Jiang Huaiyu replied, "Young Master Ling has gone out on business. When he returns, have Yingxiang heat up a bowl for him."
"Then let's leave it at that."
As the two were enjoying their fruit and flower drinks, Cao Shuwan suddenly spoke up: "By the way, boss, I have something to discuss with you. I wonder if it's feasible?"
"What is so important?"
Cao Shuwan put down her bowl and looked at her with a determined gaze: "Two new shops have opened in Wanfu County, and their demand for goods is gradually increasing. Moreover, business in Wusu is booming, and several types of rouge are in short supply. Therefore, I was thinking, could we expand our workshop to meet the growing demand?"
After hearing this, Jiang Huaiyu did not rush to answer, but pondered for a moment.
Although she was in the distant city of Wusu, she gradually withdrew from daily management as the workshops and shops began to operate smoothly. Cao Shuwan was in charge of the workshops, Manager Cheng was in charge of Han Yi Fang, and Deng Shen was also willing to handle various affairs on her behalf.
Therefore, apart from carefully reviewing the accounts at the end of the month, she has almost completely let go of everything. Especially during these days of constant turmoil in the city, she has devoted all her energy to resting and preparing for childbirth, and will not step out of the house unless necessary.
However, this does not mean that she has become lax in her business affairs.
She pondered for a moment, a gentle smile appearing on her lips, and asked, "Miss Cao, seeing our business flourishing day by day, expanding the workshop has become inevitable. Since you've made this suggestion, you must already have a detailed plan in mind. How about we put you in charge this time?"
In the past, limited funds, coupled with Bai Jinxiao's lack of experience as a newcomer to the industry, kept the workshop small in scale. Now, Han Yi Fang has expanded to three shops and will continue to expand in the future, making the workshop's production capacity somewhat strained.
She had already given this issue considerable thought.
She had originally planned to deal with it after the baby was born, but since Cao Shuwan had brought up the issue, she decided to take this opportunity to test Cao Shuwan once again.
Cao Shuwan was taken aback for a moment, then asked doubtfully, "Am I really capable of doing this?"
In the early days of the workshop, apart from preparing the necessary equipment, Bai Jinxiao handled all other affairs. She made this suggestion because Jiang Huaiyu was in Wusu, and she spoke her mind without thinking. She wasn't sure if she could complete the task successfully on her own.
Why not?
Jiang Huaiyu's eyes were full of encouragement. "Think back to who you were in the past, and then compare it to who you are now. You should believe that you have that ability."
Cao Shuwan's transformation can be described as earth-shattering.
Both her outward appearance and inner temperament have undergone tremendous changes. Now, even without makeup, she can confidently stand tall and calmly face the gaze of others.
A complex mix of emotions welled up in Cao Shuwan's heart, and she pondered for a long time.
Since the employer trusts her so much, continuing to make excuses would make her seem petty. Furthermore, considering the employer is currently six months pregnant, it's not advisable for her to overwork herself.
She hesitated for a moment, then finally nodded firmly and said softly, "Then I'll give it a try."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Huaiyu smiled gently and encouraged him, "Go ahead and try with confidence. I'll support you no matter what difficulties you encounter."
Cao Shuwan resolutely accepted the task, secretly determined to do her utmost to live up to her employer's expectations. Perhaps because she had something on her mind, she didn't linger and, with a face full of determination and anticipation, embarked on her journey to her destination.
...
Recently, Wusu City has not been disturbed by "thieves," but the officials and constables of the government office have been busy all the time.
Gong Tao has already appeared. The officials searched the city day after day, centered on Jiang Huaiyu's residence, but after searching the entire city for days, they still could not find any trace of him.
The experienced foreman couldn't help but feel a sense of doubt.
Was Gong Tao really injured?
"There is no doubt that I made that cut myself. The wound was on my abdomen. There is absolutely no mistake."
The person who answered was none other than one of the four thieves who had broken into Jiang Huaiyu's house earlier.
The squad leader's eyes flickered, then he suddenly remembered something. "By the way, I previously instructed you to keep a close eye on that Jiang woman. Has anything unusual happened?"
A constable in black robes quickly replied, "Boss, everything is normal."
(End of this chapter)
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