Chapter 22 She's looking for you. The Empress has her eye on you...
Upon hearing this, Fu Yun's heart skipped a beat. Just as she was about to look up for a closer look, she only saw the lingering shadow of the woman in red disappearing around the corner of the street.
Fu Yun withdrew her gaze, glancing at the passing crowd. Finding nothing unusual, she didn't think much of it: "She's already gone; I didn't see clearly."
He dusted himself off and casually added, "It doesn't matter if we know each other or not. We earn money honestly with our own labor and don't bother anyone. No one can cause trouble, and I will never back down."
Lu Zhisheng nodded, not delving into the matter further. Looking at the wealthy and powerful people walking on the street, he sighed with emotion: "Yes, we are self-sufficient, and there is no reason for us to be bullied."
Fu Yun knew what Lu Zhisheng meant, and gently patted his shoulder: "When soldiers come, we'll block them; when water comes, we'll dam it. Don't worry, I've got you covered."
Lu Zhisheng felt much more at ease and replied with a smile, "I believe in Young Master Su."
After more than half a month of getting to know him, he admired Young Master Su even more. Although Young Master Su looked gentle and refined, he was an extremely strong person at heart.
Perhaps no man in this world could do what he did: disregard all gossip and rumors, and resolutely carry out what he wanted to do.
"Young gentlemen, could you please give me a lotus leaf cup?"
During their conversation, a slightly hoarse female voice suddenly rang out.
Fu Yun looked up at the speaker, a young woman dressed in gray linen clothes. Beside her stood a thin young man with regular features, but his complexion was not good, and his eyes showed signs of fatigue, as if he were a sickly patient.
Lu Zhisheng glanced at the young woman and her male companion, noticing that their hands were empty, indicating they were not customers who had purchased tea.
"Sorry, we cannot offer free lotus leaf cups. You will need to purchase tea to receive another cup free."
The woman sighed, turned to the man beside her, and said in a low voice, "The shopkeeper said they can't give it away for free. Let's go back. You haven't recovered yet, and it wouldn't be good if you caught a cold if you stayed out too long."
The young man's gaze dimmed as he stared longingly at the lotus leaf cup in the winnowing basket. He could only slowly turn around and walk forward, turning back every few steps.
Seeing his expression, Fu Yun couldn't help but feel a little strange: "Xiao Ba, is there something different about this lotus leaf cup?"
What you are experiencing now is outside the scope of the original story; you'll have to ask them yourself for details.
“Alright!” Fu Yun called out, “Wait a minute.”
The young woman and the man stopped and turned to look.
Fu Yun asked, "Why did you want a lotus leaf cup instead of milk tea?"
The young man glanced at the young woman, then timidly lowered his head, not daring to answer directly.
The young woman turned around and explained helplessly, "He has loved lotus flowers since he was a child and often makes small handicrafts with lotus leaves, but most of them cannot be stored for long. Seeing that the cups you made are well-made, have novel designs, and look durable, he wanted to take them home to collect and study."
"Since he likes this cup so much, why don't you buy him a cup of tea?"
A woman in blue, who was registering, spoke with a hint of disdain.
He was clearly in a bad mood because he had just been delayed.
"She can't bear to part with it. Just look at her clothes, you can tell she's broke and penniless. How could she afford this kind of tea?"
The young woman in the gray linen dress immediately turned pale, but said nothing.
She took her husband's hand and prepared to leave.
Lu Zhisheng continued with the registration process and stopped paying attention to the couple.
Fu Jun took a few steps forward, separating himself from the crowd, and said after some thought, "It's not impossible to give it to them."
The woman in gray paused, clearly waiting for what was to come.
The young man turned his head directly, his eyes filled with hope.
Fu Yun: "However, I have one small condition."
The woman in gray turned around and stared intently at Fu Yun: "What are your conditions?"
Fu Yun asked, "How familiar is he with the craftsmanship of lotus leaves? Can he draw?"
A hint of doubt flashed in the gray-clad woman's eyes, but she still answered truthfully: "Ordinary items are nothing to me."
"Very good." Fu Yun was satisfied and revealed her plan: "I want to make a deal with you."
The woman in gray asked, puzzled, "A transaction? What kind of transaction?"
Fu Jun picked up a lotus leaf cup from the winnowing basket: "The lotus leaf cups I'm using now are very ordinary ones. I'd like to paint a fixed pattern on them as my unique logo. Of course, I'll be paid, and the fee will be calculated per cup. What do you think?"
Upon hearing this, the woman in gray hesitated, as if considering whether to accept the call or not.
The young man stared intently at the lotus leaf cup in Fu Yun's hand and said softly, "My lady, please agree to this young master's request!"
The woman in gray shook her head, looking troubled. "Your child has just been born, and you're still weak. How can you find the time to paint?"
After a pause, she added, "You just need to take care of the family and the children. Providing for the family is our job as women."
The man in gray withdrew his gaze in disappointment and ultimately remained silent.
Fu Yun was used to this kind of thing and said bluntly, "Judging from your living conditions, you must not be doing very well. You're already struggling financially, and having a child will only increase your expenses. Are you sure you want to give up this opportunity to earn money?"
The woman in gray frowned, her gaze fixed on Fu Yun, her eyes unfathomable.
Fu Yun patiently persuaded, "When husband and wife are of one mind, their strength can break metal. Actually, there's no need for a family to be fixed on who earns money and who supports the family. Look at me, don't I also come out to earn money to supplement the family income? If both of you work together, you can not only increase your income but also live a comfortable life. Why not give it a try? Besides, I can also contract out the production of my lotus leaf cups to you. You can earn a good amount of money from home without leaving the house. Why not? Don't you think so?"
Upon hearing this, the young man's eyes lit up with renewed hope, as if he had been encouraged. For the first time, he spoke softly, pleading for himself: "My lady, I think this young master is absolutely right. It must be so hard for you to support such a large family. The children haven't had a proper meal in days. Let's think about the children! If we take on this business, we can both catch our breath, wouldn't that be better?"
He glanced at Fu Yun and said solemnly, "Don't worry, I only work from home and won't do anything to embarrass you."
Seeing her husband's pleading eyes, the woman in gray finally softened: "Alright! If it doesn't work out, we won't do it."
The young man beamed with joy: "Thank you for your kindness, my lady."
Fu Yun secretly breathed a sigh of relief: It seems that men and women are the same throughout history and across the world. Given an opportunity, no one wants to refuse the chance to prove themselves.
He handed the lotus leaf cup to the young man: "As agreed, this is a free gift for you. Give me your address, and I'll have someone deliver the agreement to you tonight. Once you sign it, it can be made."
"An agreement?" The woman in gray didn't quite understand the meaning behind his words and immediately became a little wary.
"Ahem!" Fu Yun cleared her throat and explained, "It's our cooperation agreement."
The woman in gray then understood and was relieved: "Alright, then thank you, young man."
Fu Yun smiled slightly, a smile as gentle as a spring breeze.
He habitually extended his hand to the young man: "Then I wish us a pleasant cooperation."
The woman in gray paused, momentarily lost in thought, and remained silent for a long while.
The young man didn't understand what Fu Yun meant by reaching out her hand. He looked at the woman beside him and found her lost in thought, seemingly preoccupied with something.
He waved his hand in front of her eyes, then tugged at her sleeve: "My lady, what's wrong?"
The woman in gray finally came to her senses, a hint of embarrassment on her face. Without lingering any longer, she grabbed her husband and left.
Fu Yun clenched her fist, feeling somewhat embarrassed. After glancing around, she casually withdrew her hand.
[Mr. Fu, just a friendly reminder, you should try to smile at women less often in the future! Otherwise, it might seem like you're trying to seduce someone's wife.]
Fu Yun: "..." Is it my fault?
Why can't I just cry instead of laughing? Or do I have to keep a straight face to fit the domineering CEO persona from before?
Not all those in positions of power are so aloof; at least, aside from being serious during work hours, they are generally approachable in everyday life.
Besides, if you really act like that arrogant person you used to be, this country will teach you a lesson in no time.
Okay, I was being naive. You're the boss, whatever you say is right.
Fu Jun didn't bother to respond.
[Oh, by the way, what are your plans next? According to the original timeline, you've already married General Qian and started cultivating your own power and followers.]
Before Fu Yun could respond, Xiao Ba launched into a long speech: "Although the plot has already veered off course, the Su family head won't let this go so easily. Furthermore, the Empress has her eye on you and may already be suspicious of your identity. You'd better be prepared."
Fu Yun's heart skipped a beat: "Zhilan? She's left the palace again?"
[Ji Shun dedicated his life to the country and its people, and was probably the most concerned and empathetic monarch in history. Therefore, it was common for him to travel incognito.]
When Fu Yun thought of the ruthless methods she used to kill the original owner, she knew that Zhi Lan was the kind of woman who was decisive and upright.
He sighed, "I understand, I'll be careful."
By the time Fu Jun was about to return to Lu Zhisheng's side, he was already surrounded by a number of guests.
I don't know what they're discussing, but they're chattering away quite a bit.
Fu Yun got closer and heard what they were talking about. It turned out that these onlookers were asking where Lu Zhisheng lived and whether he was already engaged.
Some even directly teased Lu Zhisheng, telling him to stop setting up his stall, come home with them, and become their husband.
Lu Zhisheng's face was completely red, and she was so embarrassed that she wanted to disappear into the ground. She kept glancing at Fu Jun, as if waiting for him to come and save the day.
Fu Yun was both amused and exasperated, feeling helpless and heartbroken: she really couldn't escape being asked if she was married as soon as she stepped out the door.
He now realized that most of the customers who came to register weren't really after the extra cup of tea for tomorrow, but rather there to watch the show and get some amusement from the two of them.
Those customers who buy milk tea for the people around them find it difficult to get close to Lu Zhisheng.
Fu Yun rubbed his forehead and broke the awkward atmosphere by speaking up: "Everyone, we are just a small business. Please cooperate and give up your seats to customers who need them."
A note from the author:
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