This opportunity to gather first-hand gossip about foreigners was truly too rare. Miss Compton understood how to read people—she didn’t dare offend her close friends carelessly, but knew Lin Yuchan had a good temper and wouldn’t ignore her just for asking a few extra questions.

Lin Yuchan even felt that if the gossip she provided was explosive enough, the money-hungry Miss Compton would rush to create a new pen name and serialize a “Chinese Couple’s Daily Life” in the newspapers. If Miss Compton could earn over 500 pounds in manuscript fees by wearing a disguise and publishing a popular novel like “Luna and Her Secret Lover” in Europe, she would sell out her Chinese friend in a heartbeat.

So Lin Yuchan kept her mouth tightly sealed, only smiling and answering: “We try a new restaurant every week—well, several are quite good, I can recommend them to you. They don’t mind serving foreigners.”

Miss Compton was unsatisfied, took a sip of tea, and asked with a smile: “Anything else?”

Lin Yuchan thought for a moment, “Hmm… sometimes we don’t do anything, just keep him company.”

Under the iron fist of foreign shipping companies’ price war, the “nine shipping companies remaining in all Shanghai” that Su Minguan had mentioned last time had now become “only six remaining.” Most of Yixing’s business had retreated to non-treaty ports, barely maintaining a break-even balance with help from the plastic brotherhood of Heaven and Earth Society members across provinces.

Lin Yuchan had acted roguishly toward Su Minguan last time, introducing mechanized tea processing equipment despite his opposition, knowing he was unhappy about it. Combined with his difficult business situation, he had taken a direct hit from her. She still had some conscience left and felt quite guilty.

But she held firm to her promise—her bottom line wouldn’t yield. Even if Su Minguan blamed and resented her, she could only try to appease him more.

So recently, she had intentionally been well-behaved, collecting interesting books and picture albums to look at with him, helping him keep track of foreign merchants’ movements, and urging him to take afternoon naps when he was too busy with revenue generation and cost-cutting to sleep through the night.

At most, when both were feeling depressed, they would row to the outskirts and spend a day target shooting to relax.

Lin Yuchan felt these weren’t particularly earth-shattering love stories, so she only briefly described a few things. To Miss Compton, it sounded like padding word count with running commentary.

She commented quietly: “You two don’t have parents controlling you, yet you’re still so proper! Let me tell you, if I were a wealthy widow with no annoying relatives to control me, I would live like George Sand—do you know this amazing woman? She’s French, also wrote many works under a male pen name, but most importantly, she’s single!—Yes, like that. I should have an older count who loves me to sponsor my writing, find a young musician as a lover, then participate in political affairs under a pseudonym… but I should eventually marry, preferably to a world-traveling adventurer…”

Lin Yuchan listened with a smile, nodding repeatedly and occasionally chiming in. She thought to herself that those Mary Sue novels she’d read truly had deep roots—such mature templates already existed in the nineteenth century.

Miss Compton had “thrown a brick” but failed to attract “jade,” feeling somewhat unwilling. After thinking again, she lowered her voice and asked: “Luna, you don’t have to answer this question, but I’m a bit curious—would someone like you… Well, a relatively civilized and Westernized Eastern girl, would you, um, without being married… um, this, hehe…”

Lin Yuchan quickly turned to look out the window, hiding the momentary flush on her face.

She knew how to ask!

Miss Compton was the academy’s precious foreign teacher—she couldn’t put on airs and say If you keep asking nonsense questions…

Lin Yuchan looked at the students beside her struggling with English letters, ensuring their listening comprehension wasn’t advanced enough to decode this conversation, then smiled slightly and fixed her gaze on Miss Compton, actually making her blush.

“Are you thinking of doing something bold?” Lin Yuchan took the initiative, asking quietly, “Confess honestly.”

Miss Compton swore: “No, no, no, God knows not…”

Chinese people thinking all Westerners were promiscuous was also a stereotype. At least English ladies didn’t have a hobby of having affairs everywhere. In Victorian England, the entire middle-class social atmosphere was very conservative, especially emphasizing morality and abstinence for women, quite similar to the Qing in different ways.

It was just that Miss Compton, living in the international settlement and probably corrupted by some French friends, had begun boldly contemplating dangerous questions that would earn her a skipped meal as punishment if mentioned at home.

Of course, she didn’t dare discuss these topics with her foreign lady friends either—chatting with a Chinese person was safe.

At least her question was asked respectfully, clearly stating “you don’t have to answer if you don’t want to,” which was great progress from her superior attitude two years ago when she didn’t consider Chinese people worthy of respect.

Lin Yuchan weighed for a moment and decided to give her face. Under Miss Compton’s excited and expectant gaze, she pursed her lips and shook her head, indicating her answer.

“Oh my, hehe,” Miss Compton covered her mouth and giggled, “I thought you… sigh, Chinese people’s rules and regulations are too oppressive—even you can’t escape them…”

Lin Yuchan found it amusing, thinking to herself that it was as if British people had no rules and regulations.

She also became bold, leaning close to Miss Compton’s chestnut-colored head and quietly telling her: “Getting pregnant would be very troublesome.”

Miss Compton was stunned, then nodded with a red face.

“Illegitimate children are very shameful,” she agreed, but immediately spotted the key point, “Why don’t you get married? Is it not allowed by etiquette? Are you relatives?”

Lin Yuchan wanted to say “he doesn’t want to,” but then reconsidered—saying that would make her seem pitiful. She had no such plans and wasn’t particularly longing for the currently popular wedding ceremonies.

So she said: “Hmm… things are fine as they are now. If we were married, others would treat us as one entity. When mentioning us, they’d think of him first, then me… or might not think of me at all.”

Miss Compton pondered this statement, remained silent for a long time, then smiled dryly: “Men’s journey is the whole world. Women’s destination is marriage.”

Lin Yuchan smiled: “Why do I feel like I’m talking to your mother?”

Miss Compton laughed loudly: “It seems this saying is indeed very annoying! But damn it, we seem unable to escape this fate.”

Lin Yuchan: “Probably have to wait until next century.”

“You’re too optimistic, Luna. Just convincing the respectable Mr. and Mrs. Compton to let their daughter work outside—not as a governess, but as a journalist, judge, or doctor—would take at least three hundred years. Oh, life is too difficult. I’d better marry a rich man, wait for him to die, inherit a huge fortune, then do what I like…”

“Then fall in love.”

“Right, then fall in love.”

“Just be careful not to get pregnant.”

“…”

The conversation had reached a point of shocking heresy that would anger both humans and gods. If a second Chinese person heard this, they would probably immediately gather a group of local worthies, first drive away the foreigners, then conduct an on-site trial of Lin Yuchan. Even letting a British lady hear one sentence would probably make her faint with anger, requiring smelling salts for rescue.

The two tacitly ended the conversation, and each drank their tea. Miss Compton, still unsatisfied, added four sugar cubes to her tea.

Two streets away, the church bell tower began chiming the hour. The female students packed up their desks and homework, stood up to bow to Miss Compton, then took their leave one by one.

The doorkeeper came to report that Miss Compton’s carriage was waiting outside.

“Luna? I promised to let you share my carriage today. Let’s go.”

Lin Yuchan thanked her and boarded the carriage with Miss Compton, instructing: “Hongkou Banner Iron Works.”

Today she was going to pay the steam engine’s final payment. She had already instructed Old Zhao and Paulo to meet at the ironworks entrance, waiting for handover and inspection.

Carrying bank drafts worth two thousand taels, she felt nervous walking alone, so for safety’s sake, she borrowed a foreigner’s carriage to intimidate through false authority. She had already arranged this with Miss Compton.

The carriage traveled for twenty minutes while the two continued chatting and gossiping, until they heard the rumbling sounds from the ironworks.

Lin Yuchan jumped down from the carriage and hadn’t had time to say thanks when her vision blurred.

“Miss Lin.”

Several burly constables carrying clubs were walking toward her!

Lin Yuchan immediately broke into a cold sweat, her first reaction being to climb back into the carriage.

A constable grabbed her arm.

Lin Yuchan struggled forcefully, grasping the carriage edge, and said sternly: “What are you doing? I haven’t broken any laws.”

Miss Compton poked her head out, muttering in dissatisfaction: “This is my friend, go away.”

The foreigner’s command surprisingly didn’t work. A Chinese constable jerked his chin toward Lin Yuchan, saying: “A foreign official is looking for you, says you owe him money. Miss, please come with us.”

Lin Yuchan quickly looked back. At the ironworks entrance, Paulo and Old Zhao had seen the commotion and were running over with their robes lifted, only to be blocked by constables and pushed back roughly.

She steadied herself again, her mind quickly reviewing her recent business dealings… she hadn’t offended anyone.

“Officer, you’ve probably made a mistake, I am…”

The constables suddenly stepped aside. From the carriage opposite, a foreign gentleman in a top hat alighted.

He had a pale face and red lips, delicate skin, two large golden whiskers under his chin, and a Chinese seal box hanging at his waist.

“Miss Lin.” Ma Qingchen put on official airs, his expression serious, nodding to her, “Pardon the intrusion. I’m here to retrieve my wife’s investment on her behalf.”

Lin Yuchan looked at Ma Qingchen’s swaying whiskers and listened to his halting foreign accent, bewildered for a second.

Gao Dewen’s words flashed through her mind: “My husband was transferred to Shanghai to supervise the Shanghai Foreign Artillery Bureau…”

Like Hede, Ma Qingchen currently had a British identity but a Qing heart, serving as a Qing official with dual backing from foreign powers and the court. He stuck out his not-particularly-flabby belly, standing straight like a proud peacock.

Lin Yuchan steadied herself and said respectfully but firmly: “Your wife invested her dowry in Boya Company, and this money has already been used to purchase steam engines…”

“As her husband, I strongly disapprove of her reckless financial planning, and I have the right to retrieve her investment on her behalf. I will have her come apologize.” Ma Qingchen said coldly, “I still have official business—don’t waste my time.”

As if thunder roared in her ears, Lin Yuchan’s head burned with rage for an instant, completely overwhelmed by anger.

That selfish, cold military opportunist who pleased no one at the reception, after not seeing him for months, was even more detestable than before.

Heroine Gao Dewen was good in every way except for choosing husbands!

However, Ma Qingchen was now an official under Li Hongzhang, and she didn’t dare offend him.

“This investment has already been converted into steam engines. Since it’s a custom product, the ironworks cannot accept returns.” She suppressed her emotions, speaking neither humbly nor arrogantly in a slow tone, “I can guarantee her investment will yield positive returns…”

Ma Qingchen looked down at her with arrogance.

This quirky Chinese girl was simply a little witch. Since his new bride met her, she was no longer the traditional Chinese woman who observed conventional virtues, but became more opinionated day by day, often making him feel his masculine authority was challenged.

“You’re here today to pay the final installment, Miss. Don’t think I don’t know the business procedures here.” Ma Qingchen, supervising the Foreign Artillery Bureau for the Qing, had also learned some professional Chinese vocabulary and used it expertly. “First, return this money to me. Otherwise, you’re offending a superior official and will be prosecuted!”

Before Lin Yuchan could respond, an angry British lady jumped from the carriage and interrupted Ma Qingchen rudely.

“Mr. Macartney, thank you for gracing my mother’s birthday banquet last month.” Miss Compton’s social etiquette was impeccable—even with a sour expression, her polite words sounded exceptionally sweet, “This Chinese lady is my friend, and I believe you’ve misunderstood today. Your wife invested in her shop out of trust, and you should support your wife’s decision, support Chinese businesswomen’s entrepreneurship, rather than rudely interfering with financial agreements between two women. This tramples on women’s rights and is inequitable…”

Ma Qingchen politely shook Miss Compton’s hand, unmoved.

“Miss Lin, please return the money. If you insist on embezzling my family’s wealth, I can only ask you to go to the Municipal Council’s complaint office.” A cold smile appeared on his well-featured face, “As for Miss Compton, for your father’s sake, I won’t tell him I saw you today. Otherwise, if Mr. Compton knew you shared a carriage with Chinese women today and spoke harshly to a fellow British gentleman for the sake of Chinese people, publicly promoting that feminist lunacy… I think your father would be very disappointed.”

Being both British, Ma Qingchen was one level higher than Miss Compton in the food chain. He thought: just a little girl living in the settlement, with no job, no social status, and her father’s influence might not be that significant—what right did she have to point fingers at an official like him?

Miss Compton’s face reddened with anger, “You… you’re threatening me… You’re disrespectful…”

Ma Qingchen looked. His attendant stepped forward and pulled out his gun, planning to end this “courtesy before force.”

Miss Compton had a sharp tongue and usually had constables tip their hats to her, but today was the first time someone drew a gun on her, though the muzzle pointed at Lin Yuchan—and her legs immediately went weak. The weather was stifling, her ribs ached from her corset, and she suddenly couldn’t breathe.

“Don’t come closer! Put down the gun! We haven’t committed crimes—tell the constables to step back!” Lin Yuchan supported Miss Compton, countless grievances welling up in her heart. She forcibly suppressed them, her voice trembling, “I… I’ll give you the money.”

Two thousand taels of warm bank drafts—Ma Qingchen counted them in his hands, satisfied, and stuffed them in his pocket.

“Miss Lin, I understand your desire to maintain good relations with my wife, after all, she’s an official lady with a title.” The two carrot-like whiskers trembled, revealing what he thought was a magnanimous smile, “But it’s unnecessary to do so through money. You can teach her mahjong, opium smoking, or listening to Chinese opera… I won’t interfere with any of that. Welcome to visit our humble home in the future.”

Ma Qingchen tipped his hat to the two ladies and boarded his carriage. His attendants and guards trotted behind.

The constables also swaggered away. Old Zhao and Chang Paulo ran over in panic. Paulo’s robe was disheveled. Old Zhao clutched a handful of silver dollars, unable to bribe anyone and having been pushed several times by constables.

“Miss Lin, who was that foreign official? Why did he rob our money? What’s going on?”

“Shh, let her recover.”

Lin Yuchan slowly sat by the roadside, supporting her forehead.

Everything seemed like fast-forward movie footage, too quick for her to react. The constable’s gun muzzle left afterimages before her eyes. Her empty bag gaped open, lying at her feet like it was mocking her overreach.

An official, a foreign official—if he wanted to seize anything of hers, even her life, what room did she have to resist?

Two thousand taels of silver!

She unconsciously tugged at the bag’s handle clasp. The steam engine deposit had already been paid, and since it was a custom product, the ironworks wouldn’t accept returns. Without these two thousand taels, the ironworks would turn around and sue her for defaulting, and she could forget about peace for the rest of her life.

Of course, ultimately, she blamed herself for being too greedy and trusting others too easily, thinking Gao Dewen was so reliable, only to discover she was just another henpecked woman controlled by her husband.

—”How long have you known her in total? How many times have you met? How many hours altogether?”

Su Minguan’s crooked mouth! Whatever he cursed came true!

But even he probably couldn’t imagine that the money she had already received in hard cash would be robbed back in broad daylight!

Why!

Hot wind swept along the ground, pushing cold sweat down her eyelashes, stinging her eyes, and blurring her vision.

The blueprints sent from thousands of miles away from Anqing, the epoch-making steam engine so close at hand. She wanted to be that “first one”—why was it so difficult?

Without Gao Dewen’s investment, she originally didn’t have such grand ambitions to introduce steam engines. Now the steam engine was built but the funds had flown from her hands—how could she explain to the shareholders!

Crack—the handle clasp pinched a red mark on her finger. Lin Yuchan suddenly withdrew her hand.

Blurred sound waves rang in her ears.

“…Miss Lin?”

Old Zhao looked at her with concern.

“Miss Lin, it’s just two thousand taels—nobody’s going to die.” He comforted, “Scrape together what we can, borrow from people, pay the ironworks’ final payment first…”

Lin Yuchan slowly nodded, pressing hard against her aching eye sockets.

“Good. I’m a bit confused… you’re right, we need to raise money.”

Easier said than done. In normal times when everyone had loose purse strings, many hands make light work—two thousand taels wouldn’t be a big problem. Even without asking for help, it would be easy to find money houses for high-interest loans.

But now times were hard and everyone was tight on cash. Mr. Cole at the ironworks made it clear he needed immediate cash—his employees were waiting to eat.

Why should he?

If the silver couldn’t be recovered, she could only deal with the immediate situation. Lin Yuchan rapidly calculated: Boya’s book cash could squeeze out about five hundred; the remaining fifteen hundred—shareholders definitely wouldn’t continue investing; although employees had saved some hard-earned money, there was still a significant gap from the two thousand taels; Su Minguan… even if she risked his mockery and ridicule, he probably couldn’t produce so much cash either. Even if he had it, he might not be willing to lend it to fill this pit he never supported in the first place.

Perhaps she could raise funds within the business association… but everyone was tight on cash, probably requiring extremely high interest promises to get money…

Chang Paulo carefully suggested: “Should we notify…”

“Not yet!” Lin Yuchan panicked for a moment and immediately said, “Don’t tell Minguan first. He can’t help anyway.”

She got along with employees like friends, and everyone more or less knew her relationship with Su Minguan was special, having long transcended mere fellow townsman and business partner ties.

At least when Su Minguan visited Boya, his behavior was proper and appropriate, giving everyone a good impression. He also took good care of Boya’s business. So Chang Paulo thinking of seeking his help was natural.

But Lin Yuchan felt unwilling: Su Minguan originally didn’t support her plan to introduce steam engines, thinking the risk was too great; now he was proven right. Whether he helped her clean up the mess or stood aside with cold mockery, neither was a result she wanted to see.

But… she reconsidered—even if she hid it from him, how long could she hide it?

After stumbling so badly, what was the point of concealing it from him?

Lin Yuchan sighed and softly changed her mind: “If he asks, feel free to tell the truth. But don’t borrow money or seek his help. Yixing is also having difficulties now.”

A series of hurried footsteps approached. A small sedan chair tilted, and a tall, noble lady emerged.

“Miss Lin! Mr. Compton,” Gao Dewen rushed over frantically, “Has he left? He…”

Gao Dewen looked down and saw Lin Yuchan’s empty bag, understanding everything.

She flew into a rage, drawing a small knife from her waist and shouting: “Where did he go?”

Constables came at the sound, and several men and women desperately held Gao Dewen back.

“Madam, don’t you care about your reputation? Don’t you care about your life?” Old Zhao lowered his voice, earnestly persuading, “Are you planning to murder your husband or what? Even if you make a scene, the money won’t come back!”

Onlooking passersby laughed and pointed, watching this inexplicable farce and commenting on the women’s appearances.

Gao Dewen calmed down, looking at Lin Yuchan’s red-rimmed eyes, unable to hold back.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry… I…”

Gao Dewen was ashamed beyond words, quietly explaining: “Qingchen wanted money to grease official wheels, asked me for my dowry several times, but I didn’t give it; today he sent me away, and when I returned home, the money box was empty… I didn’t expect he would even take back the investment I gave you… I, I’ll go demand it back right now…”

Lin Yuchan no longer had the energy to be angry, quietly looking at Gao Dewen without speaking.

The tall, strong young woman now looked like a little girl who had done something wrong, suddenly covering her eyes with one hand, red eye circles showing through her fingers.

“I, I can sell some jewelry to give you first…”

Lin Yuchan said wearily, “I didn’t anticipate this risk. Go back, protect your remaining money, keep it all on your person, and don’t end up penniless. I… I’ll find a way to raise money.”