Chapter 59: The Jin Family Banquet
Yu Wan sat down next to her, smiled and nodded, "She is indeed very outstanding, I like her quite a bit."
Upon hearing this, Zhu Zhifeng's face fell. "So you really hate people like me?"
Yu Wan was a little confused by the question: "Of course not, why would you think that?"
Zhu Zhifeng sighed, "To tell you the truth, I really want to rent a shop in your food court, but please don't tell anyone, especially my parents. They already don't agree with me staying in Sui County, and if they know I'm doing business like you, I'm afraid they'll misunderstand and think you tricked me. You know, my mother is the kind of person who likes to overthink things."
Yu Wan's thoughts returned to that New Year's Eve.
It turns out that more than half a year has passed.
Time flies.
The magistrate's wife had been prejudiced against her, but it wasn't important to her.
She never cared what others thought. Why bother worrying about what others were thinking when she could live a good life?
Zhu Zhifeng felt somewhat embarrassed when she saw that she didn't say anything.
"I'm sorry, I've always considered you my best friend, so I spoke without thinking. My mother always praises you as a rare woman in this world, a hundred or a thousand times better than most men. She's also happy for my father, saying that without you, he probably wouldn't have such a strong sense of satisfaction in his career. If he leaves this world and Sui County is still the same as before, or even destroyed, he will die with regrets."
Yu Wan smiled and said, "Lord Zhu has great ambitions, and that's why he gave me the opportunity to develop. I'm very grateful for his support, and of course, I also thank you and Young Master Jin. I have many people to thank along the way; each of you has had a greater or lesser influence on me. But, you want to open a shop?"
Zhu Zhifeng nodded emphatically.
"Yes! I want to open a shop! I want to have my own business, not necessarily a big one like yours, just a small storefront where I can keep myself busy with things I enjoy every day. I hate my current life. From childhood to adulthood, I've been doing nothing every day. My mother taught me this and that since I was little, but in the end, it was all for me to get married and become a better wife, a better daughter-in-law, and a better mother. She thinks that all women's ultimate destiny is to get married. I'm not saying I'll never get married, but besides that, I want to become a better version of myself first, like you!"
Yu Wan listened quietly as she talked about her dreams and the life she longed for. After chatting like this, a satisfied smile appeared on Zhu Zhifeng's face.
"So what industry do you want to work in?"
Zhu Zhifeng blushed, a rare sight for her, and carefully observed her expression, afraid that her words were too superficial.
"I want to open a rouge shop! Although there are many such shops, I think girls love beauty, and there's nothing wrong with loving beauty. I also enjoy researching these things myself. As long as my products are good enough, I'm not afraid of competing with my peers."
As she spoke, her confidence faltered, and she stared directly at Yu Wan, asking weakly,
Do you think this is feasible?
After a moment of contemplation, Yu Wan offered more specific suggestions.
“Selling only rouge isn’t competitive enough. As you know, some rouge shop owners in the food court source their products from all over the country. They have supply channels and value their brand. Brands like Xiangbaozhai, which are very well-known, are highly sought after. So I suggest you expand your shop’s business scope, such as skin care, facial threading, and makeup design. However, I’m not very familiar with the specifics of these operations, so you might need to do some research. I can provide you with a shop.”
Zhu Zhifeng jumped up excitedly, grabbed her hand, and danced with joy.
"Do you really think I can do it? You support me? That's great! Thank you, Awan!"
Yu Wan smiled and said, "Actually, some of the things I just mentioned may already exist in major places, especially in Jiangnan and the prosperous capital. The reason I went out this time was to see more of the world and learn more. Since you have things you want to do, I also suggest you see more and broaden your horizons, which will benefit us. So don't be so gloomy all the time and always looking forward to going home."
Zhu Zhifeng felt a little embarrassed. She had been thinking about getting home the whole way and had no interest in appreciating the scenery. Apart from eating, she didn't care much about anything else.
"I understand! We'll go shopping tomorrow! I'll listen to you and study hard. Maybe I can even meet some connections that we can collaborate with later!"
She has finally resolved a major concern, relieved of her burden, and is now more motivated for the future.
Only then did she realize that they were the only two people strolling in the garden.
"Huh? Where are Young Master He and that guy surnamed Xue? They're not with us."
Yu Wan smiled helplessly, "Who knows?"
The two men left as soon as they arrived, and no one knows what they did there; moreover, they didn't leave together.
Although they didn't seem to have arranged to go out together, she had a feeling that He Suzhi had probably gone to chase after Xue Xiujun.
As dusk fell, the two returned one after the other.
Yu Wan glanced at them and continued discussing the plans for tomorrow's outing with Zhu Zhifeng.
Feeling a little guilty under that gaze, Xue Xiujun sidled up to He Jing and whispered,
"Something's off with the landlady; her eyes are so strange."
He Jing glanced at him coldly but did not answer.
He sensed it too, and felt inexplicably uneasy.
Seeing that he remained silent, Xue Xiujun asked again.
"You went out too? Aren't you afraid someone will take advantage of you instead of staying at the house with the landlady? You weren't following me, were you?"
He Jing remained silent and did not give him a glance, his gaze towards Yu Wan carrying a more complex expression.
The girl ignored them, focusing intently on talking to Zhu Zhifeng.
At this moment, Jin Yifei arrived in a flurry of activity. He had changed into a set of clothes made of more luxurious materials than his usual attire, which made him appear even more aristocratic.
"The banquet is ready. Please follow me."
Besides him, Zhu Zhifeng was the only person present who was related to the Jin family, and she was the most nervous.
Her face tightened, and she grabbed Yu Wan's arm as if she were clutching a lifeline.
Seeing this, Jin Yifei laughed and said, "Cousin, you don't need to be so afraid. Do you think your grandparents and uncles and aunts would eat you? Don't treat yourself like a guest; this is your home."
Zhu Zhifeng's face was pale. "Cousin, give me a hint. What did Grandmother and the others say? Did they say they would keep me here even if they had to tie me up? Can I not go see them? Just tell them I'm not feeling well."
Jin Yifei advised, "If you say that, they will be even more inclined to keep you here. When you were little, they doted on you. If they see you are sick, they will not let you leave this house."
Upon hearing this, Zhu Zhifeng had no choice but to follow suit.
After calming her down, Jin Yifei turned his gaze to Yu Wan's face. Seeing that she was composed and not at all uncomfortable, he was filled with admiration.
"Young Master He, Young Master Xue, please do as well."
He Jing didn't say anything and followed closely behind Yu Wan.
Instead, Xue Xiujun couldn't help but speak up, expressing his dissatisfaction with Jin Yifei's attitude.
"I thought you'd forgotten about the two of us grown men."
Jin Yifei smiled apologetically, "I'm sorry, my apologies."
Xue Xiujun did not investigate further and instead turned his attention to Zhu Zhifeng.
"I understand you. Anyone who has such a troublesome sister would have a really tough time."
Zhu Zhifeng was already on edge, and upon hearing his words, she immediately exploded.
"Hey Xue! I didn't do anything to you, don't come looking for a fight!"
Xue Xiujun smiled mockingly, "Yes, yes, you are a young lady. I dare not offend you, but you have been clinging to the landlady the whole way, like a three-year-old child, afraid of this and that. It is truly an eye-opener. I think you should stay at your grandmother's house, so as not to be deceived when you go out."
Zhu Zhifeng released Yu Wan's arm, put her hands on her hips, walked up to Xue Xiujun, and glared at him fiercely.
"Say that again? Do you believe I'll break your dog teeth? I've put up with you for far too long."
Xue Xiujun made a face at her, "Come and hit me if you dare. Catch me and hit me however you want."
Zhu Zhifeng did indeed chase after them.
Xue Xiujun ran and stopped, deliberately giving her a chance to catch up, but not letting her touch the hem of his clothes, which made her very angry.
"Damn it! Xue Xiujun, I'm going to kill you!"
The two of them started fooling around and soon ran a long way.
Yu Wan and the other two walked slowly behind, watching the two of them playfully bickering, and none of them thought of stopping them.
They all knew that Xue Xiujun was deliberately trying to make Zhu Zhifeng relax, but whether this method would work was debatable.
The three walked side by side, with Yu Wan in the middle. A moment of silence fell, creating a slightly awkward atmosphere.
Jin Yifei took the initiative to speak, "We've had a long and tiring journey since we came from Sui County. Let's rest at home for the next few days. Once we've rested, I'll take you out for a stroll, how about that?"
Yu Wan thought about Zhu Zhifeng's ambitions and guessed that she would never stay obediently in the house. Moreover, Yu Wan herself did not like staying at home. After finally coming to the prosperous Jiangnan region, what was the point of staying in a secluded mansion?
"I've already made plans with A-Feng to go shopping tomorrow. If you have something to do, you don't need to come along."
He Jing smiled when he heard her firm refusal, but his smile froze when he heard Yu Wan's next words.
Yu Wan said, "He Suzhi, you and Xue Xiujun don't need to come with us. We're just going shopping to look at the little things that women like. We're not interested in these things, so you won't have to suffer."
Just as He Jing was about to speak, Jin Yifei interrupted him.
“How can that be? Although my cousin came here when she was a child, she is not very familiar with this place. What if something happens if only the two of you go out to play? I promised you that I would make sure you have a great time on this trip. Besides, when you come to my hometown, I will definitely do my best to be a good host.”
Yu Wan felt it inappropriate to refuse, so she accepted, saying, "Thank you very much."
She turned to the other person and said, "You don't need to come with us tomorrow. It's a rare treat to get out here and not have to work at the restaurant. You and Xue Xiujun can do whatever you want. It's a rare chance to relax. If you don't have enough money, just ask me for more."
He Jing glanced at Jin Yifei with dissatisfaction, then continued to follow him sullenly.
Jin Yifei's expression also showed a hint of sadness and envy; Yu Wan's attitude towards the two of them was always somewhat different.
The Jin family banquet was a grand affair, with over a hundred people in attendance. In addition to members of the Jin family, people who had business dealings with the Jin family and were close to them also came.
Of course, this was not to welcome Yu Wan and others, nor was it the Jin family's favoritism towards Zhu Zhifeng; rather, it was a business exchange event.
Upon arrival, Zhu Zhifeng was invited to dine at the same table as her maternal grandmother, and sat next to her for the entire evening.
Grandma Jin held her hand, wiping away tears from time to time, and said some everyday things.
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