Relieved to see that these two children of similar age were getting along well at their initial meeting, Xin He felt more at ease. The selection of Xiao Chaihuo as Xiao Bei’s scholar companion was not made haphazardly.
Xiao Bei took after Ji Dong in temperament, decent and obedient, with no cunning in her mind. As a sincere character, Xin he took great comfort in this, but she was also concerned that her too pure nature may lead to her being bullied unconsciously.
Xiao Chaihuo was different, he was an extremely calculative and resourceful person. Being at Xiao Bei’s side, at least he would not let her be taken advantage of for no reason.
Her only initial worry was that their personalities may not get along, as Xiao Chaihuo was somewhat of a gloomy character and Xiao Bei didn’t like speaking to strangers. However, she was surprised that Xiao Bei was very pleased upon meeting him for the first time, which alleviated her worries.
Xin He said with a smile, "Alright, Xiao Bei you start writing, Xiao Chaihuo follow me outside."
"Yes." Xiao Chaihuo followed.
Once they were in the small pavilion on the side, Xin He started asking the important questions: "You went to Hua Man Lou, did you find anything?"
She had a hunch that he must have found something since he returned so soon.
Xiao Chaihuo responded seriously, "I infiltrated Hua Man Lou and examined it thoroughly. Indeed, it is in a state of disrepair. There’s hardly any regulation. Many girls have been dug away by other families, only the ones who value the past remain. However, I heard that the owner of Hua Man Lou also feels that the business can’t go on and is thinking about directly dealing with Hua Man Lou."
Xin He tapped her chin and lightly cocked the corner of her mouth: "Hmm, that’s a good opportunity."
Doing business requires both the means and luck. It’s an ability if you can get both.
"I also heard that the owner has already contacted several buyers. It’s not about transferring Hua Man Lou, but directly selling the land."
Xin He wondered: "Isn’t the land of Hua Man Lou located on Hua Street? Why not transfer the business directly instead of selling the land? After all, this land on Hua Street can only be used to open a Flower House?"
Xiao Chaihuo said: "Probably because the reputation of Hua Man Lou has been so tarnished, the next owner wouldn’t want to use it."
Xin He gave a nod of understanding, and was relieved in her heart. As long as the owner of Hua Man Lou didn’t mind giving up the name, it would be fine.
Xin He said with a smile: "You did a good job with this matter, here, this is for you."
As she spoke, Xin He casually picked up a piece of green bean cake from the plate next to her and handed it to Xiao Chaihuo.
Xiao Chaihuo was stunned: "What?"
Xin He chuckled: "Alright, alright, this whole plate is yours, take it and eat. Xiao Bei loves this the most. I guess all children like these things."
"Thank you, madam," Xiao Chaihuo said respectfully.
Xin He said with a smile: "From now on, you will be with Xiao Bei. As you saw just now, she is good-natured, but you cannot bully her because of it. In your daily life, you will be her companion while serving as her scholar. It’s a good thing that you get to study with her every day as well. As long as you behave, there’s nothing you can’t do."
Xiao Chaihuo’s eyes lit up: "I understand!"
Xin He sighed softly and then said: "I know you are young and have lots of thoughts. If you think you are useless and fear being discarded by me, you should stop worrying. You know, the only people I will abandon are those who betray me."
Xin He’s last sentence carried a hint of menace.
Xiao Chaihuo hesitated for a moment, then said seriously: "I won’t!"
Xin He laughed: "If that’s the case, then you can relax a little, there’s no need to be so tense all the time, I don’t eat people."
Xiao Chaihuo pursed his lips, and then said: "But I still want to help you, madam. You saved me, so it’s right for me to repay you. Besides, I think you’re a person capable of accomplishing great things. Working for you, I can learn a lot!"
Xin He was slightly surprised. When she asked Xiao Bei earlier whether to choose business or studying, Xiao Bei had difficulty in choosing. Yet this child appeared to have a clear goal. However, she wondered if what he really wanted to learn was the way of business or her methods.
Xin He gave a smile: "Okay."
She had always liked ambitious people.
—
Xiao Chaihuo had gathered many details from his previous explorations, and Xin He now had a considerable understanding of Hua Man Lou. She thought about making a formal visit to see if she could finalise this covert deal.
The lights of Hua Street were bright at night, and while it couldn’t compare to the liveliness of the Hua Street in the capital, it wasn’t far off. Xin He, dressed in men’s clothing, handled everything with ease, waving her fan as she walked down Hua Street. She smiled at the girls who were throwing handkerchiefs and casting flirtatious glances at her.
Marquis Mu Houchu followed behind her, watching her act as a seasoned patron. His face couldn’t help but darken, and he felt quite helpless. Marrying such a restless young woman, he didn’t know if this was a blessing or a curse from his past life.
"Hey, you need to hurry up. If you lag behind, those girls might think you’re interested and they’ll crowd around you. Once they’re hugging you and trying to take you into the Flower House, it’ll be hard for you to refuse, won’t it?" Xin He, looking very experienced, simply pulled Marquis Mu to walk faster.
Marquis Mu exerted a bit of force, pulling Xin He into his arms and said in a cool voice, "It seems you’re very experienced, are you getting addicted?"
Xin He quickly struggled free from his arms, looked around to make sure no one was staring at them strangely, before hurriedly placating this easily angered man: "What addiction could I possibly have? To such a place, I’m not even willing to come here! Isn’t this all for business purposes!"
Marquis Mu snorted and continued walking, "I don’t know who it was who told me last time in the capital that she would never set foot on Hua Street again."
Xin He laughed awkwardly: "When was that? I can’t remember."
Marquis Mu pinched her cheek, his lips curling up in a sarcastic smile. Yet, his eyes gave away his helplessness, "Ji Xinhe, what am I to do with you?"
No matter how much he disagrees, what could he do? It was not possible to clip her wings, he would eventually have to give in.
As they were talking, they arrived at the entrance of Hua Man Lou. Indeed, the business was quite inferior compared to the other Flower Houses. There were hardly any customers at the doorstep and even the girls soliciting customers were listlessly doing so. Their depressed state clearly indicated that the faded business had disheartened them.
Xin He walked in swinging her fan, with Marquis Mu following her with confidence.
The girls were clearly taken aback. These two were unfamiliar faces, but they looked extraordinary. More importantly, based on how they were dressed, they were definitely from a wealthy family.
Why would people like these specifically pick their Flower House?
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
