Chapter 255 Old Friends
"Miss, are you planning to tell him your identity?"
Shen Yuanzhu nodded: "Now, there's no need to hide it anymore."
She turned to the shop assistant and said, "I'll go with you."
The two went downstairs one after the other, and Shen Yuanzhu saw Xie Xuchuan standing in the hall, his posture straight and his face solemn.
In the past, what always caught people's eye about Xie Xuchuan was his youthful vigor.
His family's pampering and his wealthy background gave him an air of innocence and pride in his eyes.
Now, Xie Xuchuan's eyes are calm and still, with a kind of tranquility after experiencing many trials.
His back was straighter than ever before, but the pride and innocence in his eyes had been shattered into dust, not a trace of them remaining.
Upon seeing her old friend again, Shen Yuanzhu felt only a sense of unfamiliarity.
"Xie Xuchuan..."
She interrupted Xie Xuchuan's thoughts, and Xie Xuchuan turned around, slightly taken aback when he realized it was Chen Yuanzhu.
After a long while, he finally managed a slight smile: "Madam Xie."
Hearing this address from his mouth, even Shen Yuanzhu was momentarily distracted.
"Yes, thank you, young master."
Seeing that he was no longer dwelling on the past and had finally let go, Shen Yuanzhu couldn't help but be happy for him.
She gained something from her trip to the capital.
The insurmountable obstacles of the past were all smoothed out by the fear of being inexplicably raided or killed in the capital.
All the childhood memories, grudges, and affections between Xie Xuchuan and Xie Xuchuan became insignificant.
"I heard from Luo Qing that you want to buy a loom?"
"..."
Xie Xuchuan was somewhat surprised, and it took him a while to react: "This Xiecuifang, is it your shop?"
"Yes, it was left to me by my mother."
Xie Xuchuan opened his mouth, but it felt as if something invisible was blocking it.
It blocked his lungs, causing him pain as if thousands of tiny needles were growing inside.
Many things flashed through his mind, such as the Xie family's farming and weaving pictures, Shen Yuanzhu's questions back then, the brocade from the Prince's Mansion that was exactly the same as the Xie family's, and all the naive and foolish things he had done.
After a long, long time, so long that Shen Yuanzhu thought Xie Xuchuan was about to question her in anguish and burst into tears, he finally said with red eyes, "Very impressive, just as impressive as my grandmother."
Suppressing the bitterness welling up in his heart, Xie Xuchuan said, "Yes, you know the situation of the Xie family. I want to revive the family business, so I want to buy two looms."
"Top-notch embroiderers are hard to find, but there are always ordinary embroiderers. With looms and manpower, they can always make a comeback in time."
Shen Yuanzhu said, "That's true."
"so……"
Xie Xuchuan looked up, his eyes gentle and calm: "Master Shen, do you have any plans to sell? The price is negotiable. As you know, it's not easy to find a brothel machine of the size the Xie family needs. If you're willing to part with it, I can offer 30% more silver than the market price."
"Can."
Shen Yuanzhu readily agreed: "I will sell you a flower-making machine and send a craftsman who makes flower-making machines to your place for six months."
"During this period, you will pay his wages, but I don't care how much you can learn from him."
Upon hearing this, Xie Xuchuan's eyes lit up with joy.
But what follows is a bitter and gloomy experience, like a storm raging in the sea.
The suppressed emotions, as if sprinkled with sweet dew by a willow branch, surged and grew wildly.
He lowered his eyes, his hands, hidden in his sleeves, clenched into tight fists...
"Thank you...Mr. Shen."
Xie Xuchuan's voice was hoarse, and he used all his strength to say those words.
"You're welcome."
It wasn't for him.
"You can contact Luo Qing about this..."
After traveling for a long time, she was a little tired. After letting Luo Qing know that she was safe, she just wanted to go home and rest.
However, Xie Xuchuan didn't seem to have any intention of leaving.
He looked at Shen Yuanzhu and asked softly, "I heard that your scale-patterned dyeing caught the eye of an imperial eunuch at the dyeing competition, and you went to the capital with the manager of Jixia Manor and Brother Yanhuai."
"So, have you been selected as a royal merchant?"
"No, the materials aren't as good as those from other merchants, so they were rejected in the initial screening."
"That's a pity... but there will always be other opportunities in the future."
Suddenly, the scene of Ruan Fulan being dragged away in front of her flashed into Shen Yuanzhu's mind.
She paused slightly, then shook her head: "I won't choose the imperial merchant again."
Why?
Shen Yuanzhu paused for a moment before speaking: "Danger."
Seemingly surprised by this answer, Xie Xuchuan paused for a moment, then seemed to understand but not quite.
"It turns out that my grandmother's life's ambition was like this. It's truly...unexpected."
After saying this, the two fell silent.
Shen Yuanzhu looked out wearily and suddenly noticed a familiar figure in front of her.
"Jiang Wansu is waiting for you. Go now, it's getting cold today."
"Um……"
Xie Xuchuan turned around and looked at Jiang Wansu, who was still there, and suddenly said, "The two of us... are doing quite well now."
"..."
Shen Yuanzhu glanced at him and thought he was really strange.
No one asked him why he suddenly blurted out this question. Was he trying to prove that he was absolutely right to break off the engagement that day?
Too lazy to pay him any attention, Shen Yuanzhu turned her head away and remained silent.
Xie Xuchuan stared blankly at Jiang Wansu's figure, then murmured, "She and I are doing well. We... are doing well."
I don't know if I'm talking to myself or to someone else.
After muttering a few words, Xie Xuchuan straightened his back and walked towards Jiang Wansu.
When he went out, Xie Qi was on his way to Xiecuifang to pick up Yuanzhu and take her home.
When Xie Xuchuan came out of the shop, he paused twice.
A moment later, Wei Hu saw Xie Qi take three steps at a time and step directly into the shop.
As Shen Yuanzhu was walking out, the two almost bumped into each other.
"What are you doing in such a hurry?"
Xie Qi said, "I just saw Xie Xuchuan."
Shen Yuanzhu smiled, her eyes sparkling with laughter. "What, haven't you seen enough?"
"You know that's not what I meant."
"So what do you mean?"
Shen Yuanzhu looked at him with a smile: "What, are you afraid I'll run away with him?"
"..."
Xie Qi snorted coldly: "I'm afraid he still won't give up."
"What nonsense are you talking about? He and Jiang Wansu are very close. They're inseparable when they go out to discuss business, and they're probably even more 'affectionate' than we are."
The phrase "deeply in love" was bitten hard by Chen Yuanzhu.
Ever since Xie Qi asked her if she was unaware of her love for him, and she said that if she could successfully return to Suzhou, she would tell him, this person has been pestering her endlessly.
I have to ask this hundreds of times every day...
Shen Yuanzhu's eyes held a hint of mockery, while Xie Qi gave an awkward smile.
Only he knew that Xie Xuchuan and Jiang Wansu could never be "deeply in love".
Thinking of Ling'er's words about seeing Cui Yulin that day, Xie Qi became doubtful, unsure whether it was true or a mistake.
After a while, he took Shen Yuanzhu's hand and said in a coquettish tone, "You still haven't told me what he came here for."
"He wants to buy a loom."
"You sold it to him?"
"Yes, not only did we sell it, we also sent a master craftsman to the Xie family for six months."
Upon hearing this, Xie Qi suddenly felt a pang of envy: "Giving away a loom and a master craftsman, Xie Xuchuan is truly blessed."
The sour tone in her words made Shen Yuanzhu wrinkle her nose involuntarily.
She clicked her tongue twice, then poked Xie Qi's shoulder with her hand: "Who do you take me for?"
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