Carefree Farmwife: Training the Husband, Raising the Bun - Chapter 102

Li Yunyao curled her lip in disdain, not believing a word, and scoffed, “Sister-in-law, no need to pretend. If this shop really belongs to her, then Lark Pavilion might as well belong to me!”

The three young ladies of the Wu family, who had been waiting nearby, noticed the commotion and walked over. Zhang Yun and Zhu Qiluo, eager to see Li Yunyao make a fool of herself, approached with a smirk. 

Zhang Yun sneered, “Li Yunyao, don’t tell me they refused you? You’d better stop bragging so much, how embarrassing!”

“Who said I was bragging? My sister-in-law already agreed!” Afraid of losing face, Li Yunyao’s eyes darted slyly, and she blurted a lie.

Liu Chuncao hurriedly said, “Yunyao, don’t talk nonsense!”

Zhu Qiluo arched her lips with a mocking smile. “Is that so?” Her almond-shaped eyes brimmed with suspicion and contempt.

“Of course!” Li Yunyao shot back, stubbornly holding her ground.

Liu Chuncao frowned, about to explain, but Ying Su interjected, “She really is making things up. That last sample cannot be sold. If you like it, you can place a custom order.”

Li Yunyao looked like someone had stomped on her foot, nearly leaping up in fury. “Shen Cuihua! You—you—” She suddenly jabbed a finger toward Miss Wu. “Do you even know who this is? She’s the eldest daughter of the Wu family, daughter of Lark Pavilion’s manager! How dare you be so blind to the situation? Offend Sister Wu, and see if your shop survives the fallout!”

At her side, Miss Wu frowned delicately, her willow-leaf brows drawing together as she said gently, “It’s fine, Yunyao.”

The daughter of Lark Pavilion’s manager? Ying Su lifted her gaze. She remembered the restaurant where she’d once sold her spicy fish fillets, so this was the daughter of that manager? If she recalled correctly, beneath Lark Pavilion’s signboard were carved seal-script characters for “Bai.” It really was a property of the Bai family of Jiangnan.

Liu Chuncao tugged at Ying Su’s sleeve and whispered, “Just now, Li Yunyao told me the Wu family has powerful backing. Supposedly the Bai family, the foremost imperial merchants, unimaginably wealthy…”

Ying Su nodded. Indeed, it was the Bai family’s business. People always spoke of Jiangnan’s Bai family, Jiangbei’s Canal Gang, but it seemed Jiangbei wasn’t entirely the Canal Gang’s domain after all. The Bai family’s commercial reach was even wider than she had imagined.

Since Ying Su remained silent, Li Yunyao puffed herself up even more. “Well? So are you going to sell that last sample to Sister Wu or not?”

Hearing her call “Sister Wu” so intimately, one might almost mistake her for a relative.

“You’re so full of yourself, clinging to Mei-er’s name! Just look at how pleased she is with herself, it’s sickening,” Zhang Yun mocked again.

“I only don’t want people to disrespect Sister Wu. What are you imagining?” Li Yunyao snapped back defensively.

“You should call Cao Keqing over to see your shameless face!” Zhang Yun blurted out. Realizing what she’d said, she quickly glanced at Zhu Qiluo with some regret.

Li Yunyao’s face flushed, but she straightened her waist even more, wearing a smug look. She knew Zhu Qiluo had once admired Cao Keqing and nearly gotten engaged to him. Just thinking of it made her feel triumphant. So what if Zhu Qiluo was the pampered daughter of a wealthy family? In the end, she couldn’t win a man’s favor the way Li Yunyao could.

“Brother Cao only thinks I’m adorable,” Li Yunyao said, pretending to be shy and bashful.

Zhang Yun felt nothing but disgust, while Zhu Qiluo’s face grew colder, her dark eyes filled with disdain.

Li Yunyao then turned back to Ying Su and Liu Chuncao, her tone arrogant. “Well? Aren’t you going to hurry up and pack that dressing mirror Sister Wu fancies and deliver it to her estate?”

Ying Su’s phoenix eyes narrowed slightly, the corner of her lips curling in a faint, mocking smile. She was just about to respond when Shi Fei led someone in, calling loudly, “Boss, someone’s here to see you!”

It was the same distinguished young man as last time.

Ying Su looked past Shi Fei and her dark eyes flickered, “Why had he come?”

Dressed in a long robe of white cloud-patterned brocade woven from silkworm silk, he stood tall and handsome, with refined features and an air of elegance.

It was none other than Second Young Master Bai, with two servants in tow. When he saw Ying Su, a warm smile curved his lips.

But because Miss Wu was standing near Ying Su, she thought that smile was meant for her. Her cheeks flushed pink as she returned a soft smile, hastily smoothing the wrinkles on her sleeve as she stepped forward. “Did I make any mistakes in my appearance before leaving today?” She wondered nervously.

“Second Young Master, what brings you here?” She asked sweetly, her pretty oval face glowing with joy. Was he here for her? At this moment, she shed her usual gentle composure and seemed more like a bashful young maiden.

But Bai Chuyu had only glimpsed Ying Su when he first entered. When Wu Shumei walked up, he recognized her as the innkeeper’s daughter, he remembered seeing her once in the restaurant. He gave a slight nod. “So Miss Wu is here too.”

Wu Shumei’s smile faltered just a touch, her heart sinking. So he wasn’t here for her?

Bai Chuyu looked toward Ying Su and said with a smile, “The shop opened today, why didn’t you let me know in advance? I only heard about it from Wang Ba.” He gestured to the servants behind him, who immediately stepped forward carrying trays draped with red silk.

Ying Su eyed the bulging trays and her lips curved slightly. “What, is Second Young Master Bai here to shower me with silver again?” She teased.

Last time he had flaunted silver before her without letting her touch a coin. From the little she had seen of him, she had already figured out his nature: a money chest with a one-way lock, coins only went in, never out.

“Your share of silver from future dividends will surely reach you,” he replied with a smile, stepping closer to her. “But for now, open this and see if you like it.”

Wu Shumei’s delicate face flickered with surprise. Hidden in her sleeve, her pale fingers clenched tightly. Second Young Master knows her? And so well?

Only now did she truly look at the woman standing there laughing and chatting with the young master. Ying Su had a pair of striking eyes, phoenix-shaped, alluring by nature, yet clear and piercing, like mist over the mountains or the dark, limpid gaze of a forest deer. Just looking into them made one feel at ease.

Her pointed chin was different from Zhu Qiluo’s; where Zhu Qiluo’s sharp chin looked severe and harsh, Poppy’s simply made her features more exquisite. Her brows were bold yet elegant, as though sketched with the finest brush, adding a hint of heroism to her beauty.

Her figure was graceful and poised. Standing there, she was nothing like the frail, willowy women around her. Her back was straight as bamboo, her bearing lofty and refined, like mountain mists or drifting clouds, unique and unmatched.

Li Yunyao, too, hadn’t expected such a refined and elegant young master to know Shen Cuihua. She squeezed close to Wu Shumei and whispered, “Sister Wu, who is he? How do you know him too?”