Lu Yinghuai pondered this problem all night but couldn't come up with a good idea. At daybreak, he went to the paper shop to meet Wen Siqing, lest he have something else to do or be invited by someone else, and Yunling would have made a wasted trip, which would not be acceptable.
After leaving the paper shop, Lu Yinghuai went to Shengfu Restaurant and reserved a private room with Manager Zhou before returning to Lu Family Business to work.
Yunling also got up early, for no other reason than to ask Zhang for some paper money.
Zhang was incredibly generous with money when it came to Yunling; she wouldn't say a word even if Yunling took it all.
Zhang stepped onto the bed, then reached down to the cabinet at the top and took out a small box. When Zhang was first pregnant with four coins, she was terrified and spent the whole night thinking before deciding to hide the box there.
But now, as the number of coins she has accumulated has increased, she has become somewhat indifferent. She even feels that her hiding place is too well-hidden, and even she sometimes finds it troublesome to retrieve them, let alone petty thieves.
"Ling-jie, how many do you want?"
"Why doesn't Mother ask me what I need the money for?"
Zhang simply took all the small boxes downstairs and placed them on the bed for Yunling to choose from.
"What's the use of asking? Your mother can't help you."
Yunling kicked off her shoes and sat cross-legged on the bed. She took out a piece of paper from the box and brought it to her nose to smell it. The scent was simply too tempting; no one in the world could resist it.
"No, Mother can actually be of help."
"real?"
Zhang excitedly sat cross-legged beside Yunling, and also took out a piece of paper from the box and folded it back and forth.
"Tell me quickly what your mother can do."
"Hmm... Mother, I want to ask you, if a man looks at you the first time you meet, what would that mean?"
"Isn't that your father?"
"Father?"
The mere mention of Yun Shenghua brought a happy smile to Zhang's face.
"When your father and I first met, he was so shy. He would glance at me and then look down. I don't know how long it took before he dared to look at me a second time."
Yunling thought her mother was good in every way, except that whenever the topic of sons came up, she would always think of her father. The two of them were so inseparable, like sticky rice dumplings, that they always managed to steer the conversation off-topic.
"Mom, can you be serious for once?"
“Where am I being improper? Your father looked at me the first time we met, and now we're married and have you two, right? That means it's interesting.”
"interesting……"
She only meant to tease Yun Ruoxia, but when Lu Yinghuai and even Zhang Shi found out, they all thought the same thing. They just didn't know what Wen Siqing really meant.
Yunling counted the coins, took out twenty from the box, and stopped. She thought that, given Yun Ruoxia's personality, once she learned that the shop was originally bought for 1,500 strings of cash, she wouldn't let the price exceed 2,000 strings of cash in this negotiation.
So twenty coins would be just right.
After Yunling came out of Zhang's room, she pulled Yun Ruoxia out of bed. After Yun Ruoxia washed up, they went to Shengfu Restaurant together.
Because Lu Yinghuai had already told Manager Zhou about his appointment with Yunling, Manager Zhou invited Yunling to sit down in a private room upstairs as soon as she entered. After a short while, Lu Yinghuai and Wen Siqing walked in.
Upon seeing Yun Ling dressed as a woman, Wen Siqing took a half-step back in surprise and bowed, saying:
"So, sir, you are actually a young lady disguised as a man. My apologies."
“Brother Wen, there’s no need to be so polite. It’s not easy for a woman to do business, especially when she’s traveling alone to the dangerous place of Qingcheng. It would be more convenient for her to wear men’s clothes.”
Yunling could, of course, see that his "surprise" just now was somewhat deliberate. She had deliberately not changed into men's clothes, simply because she often traveled around the city and would see him again sooner or later. Besides, the recent fashion show was the talk of the town.
Everyone knew that the owner of "Zhaoyeqing" was a young woman. Given this person's intelligence and wit, he would naturally be able to figure out her identity as a woman, so there was no need to hide it any further, lest he be accused of being a sheep in sheep's clothing.
It was quite a coincidence that Wen Siqing happened to pass by Shengfu Restaurant that day and saw Yunling surrounded by young ladies. He was surprised to find that the capable young man was actually a woman.
However, he always had a principle in his actions: he would never ask questions if others didn't want him to. If he did happen to encounter such a situation, he would be surprised and then move on from it.
It seems that this young master Lu doesn't have homosexual tendencies, but rather that he's interested in this person. However, no matter how interested he is, he won't compromise on the shop's business.
If you have money to be made, you're a complete scoundrel.
"I can understand and I greatly admire your abilities, young lady."
"Please sit down, Brother Wen, there's no need to be so polite. I asked the young master to invite you here today because I have a favor to ask. I wonder if you have a shop near Qinglan Music Hall in Pingli Lane?"
"Indeed, young lady, are you inquiring about my rental arrangements?"
"It's not just about leasing; I want to buy it. I wonder what the price would be?"
"five,"
"Sister Ling".
Before Wen Siqing could finish saying "five thousand copper coins," the door was flung open, and Yun Ruoxia entered carrying roasted chestnuts.
"These chestnuts were just roasted, they smell amazing."
Wen Siqing hadn't expected Yun Ruoxia to come out with him. He quickly rubbed his hands, brushed his hair, and hurriedly straightened his clothes before sitting up straight, secretly waiting for his first greeting to Yun Ruoxia.
His little actions were all noticed by Yunling and Lu Yinghuai. After exchanging a glance, Yunling smiled and said:
"Aunt, this is Brother Wen. Brother Wen, this is my aunt, the second young lady of our Yun family."
Wen Siqing immediately turned to the side, cupped his hands in greeting to Yun Ruoxia, and said, "Greetings, Second Madam Yun."
When Yun Ruoxia saw that this guy was greeting her, she knew she had something to ask of him today, so she naturally had to be nicer to him and curtsied back.
"Now that everyone is here, let's discuss this after we finish our meal. I'll go and inform Manager Zhou. Please make yourselves at home."
After Lu Yinghuai left, Yun Ruoxia emptied chestnuts from the bag, picked one up, peeled it, and asked Wen Siqing:
"Judging from your age, the young master must be about two years old by now."
"Second Madam, you are mistaken. I am not married, nor have I been engaged."
Yun Ruoxia nodded and continued to ask:
"Don't your parents urge you to get married? Or is it because you have an older brother who isn't married yet, so you have to wait?"
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