A glimpse of the seven
Wang Xiaoyao was happily braiding her hair, but seeing her master and future brother-in-law's long face, she was still a little intimidated. Her sister, of course, had her own ways of coaxing people, so she could only push over a wheelchair that she had scavenged from the ladies of the pavilion in a fawning manner.
Wang Pan'er helped Mu Chuan into a padded wheelchair, then, holding the handles, led him out of the room and into the courtyard to bask in the sun: "Xiao Yao is very thoughtful, she even made this good thing, now you don't have to stay in bed growing mushrooms anymore."
News of the master's visit to the estate yesterday had already spread among the young ladies. As Wang Pan'er pushed Mu Chuan out in his cart, the young ladies, like the Calabash Brothers rescuing their grandfather, came one after another with lame excuses to greet her.
Upon seeing the young master, who was dressed in a bright red gauze dress, making him look more beautiful than a flower, the girls' faces were radiant with color.
They held back their laughter and hid their curiosity. After exchanging greetings, they ran off in the same direction, then huddled together chattering away, each one radiating energy.
Wang Pan'er summoned the steward and instructed him, "Make sure he doesn't spread anything that shouldn't be said."
Before the butler could report back, Su Lingzhao arrived again.
Every day, I time it precisely until almost noon.
The Su family is wealthy and powerful; they don't care if he's short of food or clothing, so he just comes here to freeload every day.
Wang Pan'er summoned a young woman and asked her to take good care of Mu Chuan before getting up to deal with Su Lingzhao.
However, Su Lingzhao would bring some good things every day. Today it was mugwort, Siwu soup, red dates, longan, and raw beef.
"These are all things that nourish blood and strengthen qi." Su Lingzhao carried them into the house in large and small bags. "The best beef I've ever eaten was at a medicinal cuisine restaurant. I was too embarrassed to let the chef at home show off his skills, so I could only choose some top-quality shuttlecocks and ribs."
Wang Pan'er instructed the maid to take the beef to the kitchen to be cooked, and then asked with a smile, "This beef is so tender, why don't you wait until it's ready in the kitchen and have a meal with us, Young Master Su?"
She would ask this question so politely every day, and Su Lingzhao would answer it so bluntly every day. Then they would sit at the dinner table and flatter each other in a purely businesslike manner, without any emotion, just pure technique.
Su Lingzhao usually spent his days seeking pleasure with women, and those girls could only take him along for entertainment in exchange for some tips. With the title of the young master of the Su family hanging on his head, everyone was too busy flattering him to realize the bitterness and resentment in his heart.
Wang Pan'er used her influence to flatter Su Lingzhao and guide his thinking. Su Lingzhao was completely unaware of this and thought that he had suddenly seen the light. He was excited and thought that he could achieve great things.
To say he wasn't smart would be an understatement. It was just that coming from a merchant family and having been exposed to a wide range of knowledge from a young age, he wasn't obviously stupid. However, it seemed someone had given him some guidance; he was very wary. Wang Pan'er tested him twice, but he always managed to back down before she could even speak.
Once is never enough, twice is never enough. Fearing that this would arouse his suspicion, Wang Pan'er gave up trying to extract clues from him.
After seeing Su Lingzhao off, Wang Pan'er turned her neck, rubbed her scalp, and walked towards the side room.
Mu Chuan had stopped sunbathing. He stopped under the corridor and watched Wang Pan'er walk over absentmindedly. He snorted twice with a displeased expression.
Seeing his expression, as if someone owed him millions, Wang Pan'er asked, "Haven't you eaten?"
"Oh, you still remember there's an injured person in the inner courtyard." Mu Chuan tugged at his sleeve, inadvertently revealing his right hand, which was bandaged. "You were just kissing me, and then you turned around and had lunch with other men. I don't know what you were unhappy about, but you completely forgot about me."
Wang Pan'er asked the woman beside him, "Didn't you serve him his meal?"
"Speak..." The young woman had just begun to speak when Mu Chuan turned and glared at her. She awkwardly opened her mouth slightly and looked at Wang Pan'er.
Wang Pan'er understood immediately: "Bring lunch to the east wing."
The young woman moved quickly, placing seven or eight bowls and plates on the table, all steaming hot, and even carefully lighting a small candle under the soup bowl.
Wang Pan'er set out the bowl and chopsticks for Mu Chuan, gesturing for him to eat quickly. Mu Chuan didn't touch the chopsticks, but simply placed his right hand on Wang Pan'er's arm.
"What's wrong? Not to your liking?"
Mu Chuan's expression froze: "I must have been throwing my eyelashes at a blind man."
Then he could only withdraw his hand, awkwardly and laboriously propping up his chopsticks. He tried two or three times, but couldn't even pick up any rice: "You've all eaten your fill, and you still come to keep me company. It's really hard on you."
Given Mu Chuan's slightly awkward personality, he probably felt it was a bit embarrassing for someone his age to still need to be fed. But, to be honest, it was quite amusing.
Wang Pan'er changed the spoon: "If your hand is injured, just say so if you want me to feed you. There's nothing shameful about it."
She teased Mu Chuan, holding the food to his mouth, and then quickly moved the spoon away as soon as he opened his mouth: "Say 'I'll feed you' and I'll feed you."
Mu Chuan puffed out his cheeks, lowered his brows, and after a long while reluctantly gave in: "Feed me."
Such a cute girl is bound to be kissed to death.
Wang Pan'er put down the rice spoon, wrapped her arms around Mu Chuan's neck, gave him three affectionate kisses, and then sat down again to start feeding him.
Once his temper was appeased, Mu Chuan stopped acting up and began to eat slowly and carefully, enjoying the meal.
He was injured, so the dishes he prepared were very light, and he also brewed a pot of honeysuckle tea as instructed by Tao Shuo.
After the meal, the young lady cleared away the plates, and Mu Chuan held his teacup, sipping his tea slowly.
Mu Chuan's right hand was bandaged and slightly cooler than her left. Wang Pan'er took her right hand, placed it between her own palms, and asked, "Did you find anything when you went to Da'an Town?"
Mu Chuan replied, "We hadn't made any progress in Jinzhou Prefecture. We happened to see many bronze statues and ornaments that came out of Da'an Town. We couldn't quite put our finger on it, but something just felt off. We figured it would only take a day to get there, so we set off."
Wang Pan'er sighed, "This clue was really well hidden. If we had been more patient, without the interception by Da'an Town, we really wouldn't have been able to clearly point the finger at the copper mine."
"Yes, and the fact that someone is watching your estate means that the Chamber of Commerce already knows that we know each other."
Wang Pan'er's eyes darted around: "Since you know, then let's just put it on the table. You are a handsome and noble young master, and I am an ordinary-looking daughter of a farmer and merchant. I will put on a show for them about unrequited love."
Mu Chuan didn't like hearing Wang Pan'er's comparison of the two of them, so he pulled his right hand out of Wang Pan'er's hand: "You mean we don't look like a good match?"
"No, no, not at all." Wang Pan'er fawned as she pulled Mu Chuan's hand back. "The two of us are a perfect match, a match made in heaven, the best couple in the world. We'll get married as soon as the case is over!"
"Cough! Cough!" Wang Pan'er's words were startling, and Mu Chuan choked on his tea, taking a long time to recover. "How could a girl like you..."
Wang Pan'er said with dissatisfaction: "What's wrong with being a girl? A young master like you, loved by everyone and admired by all, must have many girls he likes. I have to keep him by my side as soon as possible to feel at ease, lest someone snatch him away and I have nowhere to cry then."
Sunlight streamed onto the table, casting the honeysuckle tea in the cup half in the shade and half in the sunlight. Mu Chuan looked out the window at the boundless sky and curled the corners of his lips into a smile: "Seriously?"
Wang Pan'er patted Mu Chuan's hand with certainty: "Otherwise what!"
She was serious about wanting to marry Mu Chuan, and she was also serious about running the branch business well.
Just then, Manager Yao sent a letter through someone, inviting Wang Pan'er to visit Da'an Town again to discuss the specifics.
After resting in Muchuan for two or three days and finally being able to eat on her own, Wang Pan'er no longer postponed her trip to Da'an Town. She packed some snacks for the road and set off immediately.
She had just reached the door when she saw Su Lingzhao walking into the manor carrying a lotus leaf bag.
He visited every day, never overstepping his bounds by going into the inner courtyard. He would simply sit in the living room, waiting for Wang Pan'er to come out. The other servants were already used to this and no one stopped him.
Seeing Wang Pan'er come out in a donkey cart today, I curiously went up to her and asked, "Miss Wang, are you going out today?"
"Yes, I went to Da'an Town a few days ago and proposed to a familiar shopkeeper that we open a shop together. The shopkeeper sent me a letter saying that there are still some specific matters to discuss."
"What a coincidence!" Su Lingzhao gestured for Wang Pan'er to put the donkey back in the donkey shed. "My father asked me to visit shops in various towns to gain experience. Miss Wang, why don't you get in my carriage and we go together?"
Wang Pan'er smiled and said, "I'd rather obey than be overly respectful."
Manager Yao was very efficient. When he brought Wang Pan'er to the new shop, it was already spotless.
The tables, chairs, and other furnishings for the shop haven't been finished yet, but the signboard has been made and is standing upright on one side of the main entrance.
Wang Pan'er tilted her head to look.
In the very center are the five large characters “Shanhe Medicinal Cuisine Restaurant”, and in the lower right corner are the smaller characters “Daan Town Branch”, which are very clear and easy to read.
Manager Yao whispered, "I deliberately didn't bring the signboard inside."
That's why they say old ginger is spicier. Right now, the reputation of the medicinal cuisine restaurant is at its peak. He puts the signboard up at the entrance, and people who are curious will, like her, crane their necks and read it carefully word by word.
Sure enough, some pedestrians have already stopped and are discussing it.
"Shanhe Medicinal Cuisine Restaurant? The really popular one in Jinzhou Prefecture?"
"Yes, I heard that the owner came from Da'an Town, and this is the first branch he opened back in Da'an Town."
"It's that girl who sold medicinal herbs at the market last year."
"Her braised food is really delicious. No wonder she was able to open a branch again in just one year. That's amazing."
Upon hearing this, Wang Pan'er smiled slyly and gave Manager Yao a thumbs up.
Boss Yao patted his belly, then led Wang Pan'er and Su Lingzhao into the shop and introduced them to the layout and divisions of the shop.
A seasoned shopkeeper wouldn't make mistakes on such trivial matters. Wang Pan'er nodded repeatedly, then asked, "These are all fine. Shopkeeper Yao specifically asked me to come here, so there must still be some problems that can't be solved, right?"
"Yes." Manager Yao said frankly, "There are two problems right now that need to be solved to keep customers satisfied. One is the delivery of the seasoning packets. The menu changes every solar term, so it needs to be very timely. Any delay will cause problems. The other is the doctor in charge. Although we have a partnership with Huirentang, he is not one of our own, so it is not easy to manage him."
Wang Pan'er had indeed overlooked the first point, but she already had a plan for the second: "I'll think of a way to deal with the recipes and ingredient packets. As for the doctor, Manager Yao, there's no need to worry. Doctor Tao Shuo has already brought his apprentices, and we will assign them to practice medicine at the clinic. Having the Hui Ren Tang doctor oversee things is a temporary expedient."
Shopkeeper Yao breathed a sigh of relief: "That's good, that's good. If you say so, I can finally put my mind at ease."
With the shop matter resolved, Manager Yao beamed and prepared a delicious meal for Wang Pan'er. He gestured for Wang Pan'er and Su Lingzhao to sit down, then winked and whispered to Wang Pan'er, "Young friend, you've found a new lover?"
A sudden "beep" went off in Wang Pan'er's mind, alarm bells blaring. She glanced at Su Lingzhao out of the corner of her eye and, sure enough, noticed that his eyes seemed slightly widened. She frantically waved her hands at the shopkeeper, saying, "I'm not exactly his lover. I'm plain-looking, and I've tried everything to get him to agree to be my husband."
Manager Yao guessed that she was afraid her new boyfriend would be jealous, so he gave her a knowing look and then told the waiter to serve Su Lingzhao: "Since you came with young friend Wang, you are also my honored guest."
After the meal, I said goodbye to Manager Yao and got into Su Lingzhao's carriage. As expected, Su Lingzhao asked a question.
He folded his clothes and asked, "Who is the lover that Manager Yao mentioned?"
Wang Pan'er had planned to pull the whole story and bluff Su Lingzhao, but this wasn't the time. She hadn't come up with a perfect excuse yet, so she could only smile awkwardly and grab at any available pretext, exclaiming, "Well, I was selling medicinal herbs at a stall in Da'an Town, and I happened to need a helper. I met a young man selling himself to bury his father, and I thought he was quite handsome, so I bought him. But after going to Jinzhou Prefecture, he saw a bigger world, met new influential people, and started to get restless, complaining that I was plain-looking. In the end, I wasn't careful, and he got away."
Su Lingzhao clearly didn't believe it completely, and glanced at Wang Pan'er: "Really?"
Wang Pan'er made up a story off the top of her head: "Just talking about him makes me angry. Young Master Su, your family is powerful and influential, with a wide network of connections. I'll draw a portrait of you later. If you run into someone like him, bring him to my estate, and I'll make him pay!"
As soon as the word "good-looking" was uttered, Wang Pan'er slammed her hand heavily on the wooden table. Su Lingzhao, caught off guard, was startled by her sudden action.
It's a bit embarrassing.
Su Lingzhao cleared her throat and sat up straight again: "Does Miss Wang like men like him?"
Of course I like it!
Wang Pan'er shouted in her mind.
Her expression remained unchanged, but she still frowned: "He's restless; no matter how much I like him, I can't give him a proper title."
"Miss Wang is a law-abiding citizen; she shouldn't be associated with those of lowly status. But then again, what kind of man does Miss Wang like?"
Su Lingzhao naturally wouldn't believe any of the differences between him and Mu Chuan. If you wanted Su Lingzhao to think that you had feelings for him, it would be best to pick out the similarities between the two and give Su Lingzhao the illusion that she preferred his type.
Wang Pan'er pondered for a while and said, "Fair-skinned, slender, young, and someone who shares my views. As for money, I have enough to live on myself, so it doesn't matter. But if she's good-looking and can also protect my little shop, she would be the perfect candidate."
As Su Lingzhao listened, he nodded, identifying himself with the description. He resembled his mother, handsome and fair-skinned, thin and youthful. Wang Pan'er didn't care about money, so his purse wasn't much of a bargaining chip. But he was the young president of the Liuyun Chamber of Commerce, so protecting her mere medicinal restaurant was no problem for him.
Su Lingzhao rubbed his cuffs, and the more he thought about it, the more he felt that he was the perfect candidate that Wang Pan'er had mentioned.
Even if she doesn't like him now, she must have some feelings for him, making it much easier to cultivate a relationship. Which woman who had dealings with him in the past wouldn't be captivated by his charm?
Having received a satisfactory answer, Su Lingzhao was overjoyed, chatting and laughing all the way, and took good care of Wang Pan'er as she returned to the estate.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com