How could Pei Yan be here?

Shouldn’t he be surrounded by everyone as the guest of honor being served tea in the rear hall?

His expression was so terrible—could it be because he heard what she had just said?

But she hadn’t said anything wrong just now!

Yu Tang carefully recalled the words she had just spoken, while beside her, Hu Xing reacted very dramatically, not only standing up with a whoosh but also appearing terrified as he stammered: “Third, Third Master, how, how did you come here? Are you looking for something or do you have some instructions?”

Yu Tang also came to her senses.

Right—perhaps Pei Yan had come over because of some matter?

She quickly smiled and said: “Third Master, what are your instructions?”

She absolutely must make Pei Yan feel welcome.

According to what Hu Xing had said, he had been completely implicated by Hu Xing’s mistake and had come only to preserve the Yu family’s dignity. Not to mention someone as arrogant as Pei Yan—even someone else would be extremely annoyed. No wonder his expression was so poor.

Yu Tang felt sympathy for Pei Yan just thinking about it, and her attitude toward him became even gentler.

“Third Master, you can give me your instructions directly as well,” she said in a warm tone.

Pei Yan didn’t want to say a single word.

Not only had this bastard Hu Xing arranged his schedule without authorization, but he had forced himself to endure his displeasure and come over to give the Yu family some face. Yet Miss Yu not only didn’t appreciate it but even said things like “sending any manager would be the same.”

Had he known it would be like this, he needn’t have even sent a manager—he could have simply dispatched someone to deliver a congratulatory gift.

Why worry about whether the Yu family would lose face, and even personally rush over…

He couldn’t be bothered to pay attention to Yu Tang and walked past the tea room doorway without a sideways glance.

Following behind him was Pei Man with an apologetic expression on his face.

He apologized to Yu Tang in a low voice: “Third Master barely slept at all last night. This morning, when he finally felt a bit sleepy, Manager Hu woke him up again. He’s in a bit of a bad mood, so please be understanding, Miss Yu.”

Barely slept all night?

Was it because of the map matter?

Yu Tang was quite surprised, then felt somewhat grateful. She quickly smiled and said: “Thank you for informing me, Head Manager Pei. Manager Hu also told me some things just now. Speaking of which, our family did things without experience. Since we knew Third Master was coming, before Third Master arrived we should have sent someone to consult with the Head Manager about what tea Third Master likes to drink and what food he prefers, so we could have prepared everything in advance. Now we’re in such a fluster—no wonder Third Master is unhappy.”

Her words were both tactful and neither humble nor arrogant. Pei Man immediately saw Yu Tang in a new light.

No wonder Master Yu liked to bring this daughter of his along for everything.

Pei Man decided to give Yu Tang some guidance.

“Miss Yu is too polite,” he smiled and said. “Third Master has always kept his word. Third Master came a bit late this time—please explain this to Manager Yu. Ordinarily, our Third Master wouldn’t need to make this trip in person, but Third Master felt that although your family didn’t send someone to inquire in advance, that was because the person who agreed to this matter was Manager Hu. The fault lies with Manager Hu, the fault lies with our household. Third Master also hesitated about whether to just send a manager to deliver a congratulatory gift and be done with it, but he was afraid your family would be expecting him with great anticipation, disappointing your family and becoming a laughingstock to others. That’s why he decided to make the trip in person. He just didn’t expect to still be a bit late.”

In other words, for Pei Yan to rush over, he had overcome great difficulties and had come in person to preserve the Yu family’s face.

Yu Tang thought back to what she had just said.

Their family had indeed been somewhat ungrateful.

Anyone who does a good deed wants recognition, especially someone like Pei Yan who loved and hated so clearly in everything.

Yu Tang felt ashamed and quickly said: “Head Manager, it’s all my fault. What did Third Master come out to do? I’ll go apologize to Third Master!”

Seeing that she understood, Pei Man was very pleased, feeling that his painstaking efforts hadn’t been in vain. He smiled and pointed to the accounting room nearby, saying in a low voice: “Our Third Master is still in his mourning period, so he won’t participate in the ribbon-cutting ceremony. I’ll accompany Third Master to sit in your family’s accounting room for a while. After the ribbon-cutting, he’ll meet Constable Zhang who’s in charge of Changxing Street and then return home.”

Yu Tang understood and hesitated about whether to go greet Pei Yan right now.

Hu Xing, who had been playing dead on the side, felt his life was about to end when he heard Pei Man say “the fault lies with Manager Hu” just now. But who would willingly sit and wait for death?

At this moment, he couldn’t help but seize the opportunity to insert himself. With lowered brows and submissive eyes, he walked to Pei Man and Yu Tang’s side, bowing deeply and saluting: “I beg you both to give me guidance and show me a way to survive, to give my entire household of several dozen people a way to survive.”

Pei Man had always felt that Hu Xing was too dramatic, but as soon as Pei Yan had become head of the family this time, he had already dismissed in one breath both head managers who had served when Old Master Pei was alive. Especially the former Head Manager—his departure had been quite ugly. If Hu Xing were also dismissed, it would inevitably cause anxiety throughout the household. That’s why he had been kept on.

This time he had made such a huge blunder—Pei Man felt that even if Pei Yan didn’t punish him, he wouldn’t let him remain at Pei Manor in such an important position.

Thinking of Yu Tang’s presence, Pei Man didn’t want to expose family conflicts in front of outsiders, so he brushed him off: “Whatever it is, we’ll talk about it when we get back!”

Once they got back, there would be absolutely no way to salvage the situation.

Hu Xing was almost in tears.

He didn’t care about anything else and, in his desperation, turned to Yu Tang for help: “Miss Yu, I truly didn’t mean it. Our Third Master has a cold exterior but a warm heart. Since Third Master took over the household, in all of Lin’an City only Master Yu has had such distinction to frequently see our Third Master. That’s why I misunderstood…”

Before he could finish speaking, Pei Man’s brows were already tightly furrowed.

This Hu Xing—how could he speak like this?

Although he felt that Pei Yan’s treatment of Yu Wen was merely ordinary, for Hu Xing to say this in front of Miss Yu—wouldn’t it make the Yu family feel that the Pei family didn’t regard the Yu family at all? Then what was the point of Third Master rushing over like this?

Pei Man interrupted Hu Xing’s words with displeasure: “Didn’t I say whatever it is we’ll talk about it when we get back? Why don’t you just return first—there’s still a mountain of work to do at home.”

Deciding which families to invite to the map auction—Pei Yan had already compiled the list these past few days. As soon as the Tao family’s trial voyage had no problems and they quietly released the news, the Pei family would officially begin sending invitations. Before that, they still had to prepare the auction venue, arrange accommodations for guests, avoid conflicts between feuding families, and so on. There were still many matters to attend to. Where would he have time to waste words with Hu Xing here?

He stared at Hu Xing with stern eyes, forcibly making Hu Xing close his mouth.

But Yu Tang had already understood the whole cause and effect. She smiled at Pei Man somewhat embarrassedly and tentatively said: “Head Manager, do you think I should go apologize to Third Master separately? That things turned out this way—our family also bears some responsibility.”

Although in her heart she felt the Pei family bore more of the responsibility, people under another’s roof couldn’t help but bow their heads. She could only take the blame and acknowledge the fault!

Pei Man still understood Pei Yan’s temperament quite well. He had come here and said so much, also hoping that Yu Tang would make some gesture to improve Pei Yan’s mood a bit so that the cooperation between the two families going forward could be more pleasant.

“As it should be,” he said meaningfully. “Third Master likes peace and quiet, so Manager Yu hasn’t arranged for anyone to keep him company.”

In other words, Pei Yan was alone right now!

Yu Tang was grateful to Pei Man and thanked him repeatedly before going to the accounting room.

Pei Yan sat in the grand master’s chair in the accounting room drinking tea, with only one servant attending him nearby.

Yu Tang quickly stepped forward and curtsied to Pei Yan, smiling: “Third Master, I didn’t expect you to come participate in our family shop’s opening ceremony. Our preparations were inadequate—please be understanding. Just now I pulled aside the Head Manager and Third Manager wanting to ask about your dietary restrictions, but the Head Manager told me you’d be leaving shortly and wouldn’t be staying here for a meal. I’ve had someone prepare a table of vegetarian dishes to send to Pei Manor—please do us the honor of accepting it no matter what.”

Pei Yan raised his chin and glanced at Yu Tang, saying coolly: “Miss Yu needn’t be so polite. I’ll just have a cup of tea and leave. As for the vegetarian dishes and such—no need for such trouble.” After speaking, he glanced at Pei Man.

Pei Man immediately shook his head slightly, indicating he hadn’t said anything.

Pei Yan felt the restlessness at the bottom of his heart dissipate a little.

Yu Tang enthusiastically tried to make small talk with Pei Yan: “The best we have at home is this Xinyang Maojian tea. I don’t know if you’re accustomed to drinking it? Fortunately, the largest and best tea shop in Lin’an City isn’t far from our home. If you don’t like Xinyang Maojian, I’ll have someone go buy some tea you prefer right away.”

At this point, Pei Yan felt the ball of fire in his heart beginning to burn again.

He couldn’t help but say coldly: “Go to our family’s shop to buy tea I like for me?”

Yu Tang was startled and laughed awkwardly.

She had forgotten that the largest and best tea shop in Lin’an City belonged to the Pei family.

But if she didn’t go to the Pei family’s tea shop to buy it, where could she go?

Yu Tang casually appeased Pei Yan: “Or perhaps when my eldest brother goes to Hangzhou in a few days, I’ll have him bring some back.”

The Yu and Xiang families had already set the wedding date for the sixteenth of the third month. Before then, Wang Shi was planning to go to Hangzhou City to prepare some things for Yu Yuan’s wedding. Since the beginning of winter, Chen Shi hadn’t fallen ill again—her health was much stronger than before, and she also planned to bring Yu Tang along with Wang Shi to browse around Hangzhou City and buy some things.

Pei Yan felt that Miss Yu was simply obstinate. He laughed coldly and didn’t bother with her.

Yu Tang was completely confused.

What was wrong now?

Was this approach also unacceptable?

Third Master Pei was truly moody and unpredictable!

Yu Tang was too lazy to indulge him anymore. Anyway, she had exhausted all her kind words and he didn’t appreciate them—she might as well just do what she needed to do.

Moreover, through the fact that Pei Yan could personally come to congratulate their family’s opening, she felt even more certain that Pei Yan was not only a man who kept his word but also someone who extremely adhered to his promises. As long as it was something he had agreed to, whether he had agreed directly or indirectly through someone else, even if he was unwilling in his heart, he would fulfill his promise.

So regarding the map matter, no matter what opinion Pei Yan had of the Yu family, he would definitely handle this matter properly and thoroughly.

Yu Tang’s confidence grew a bit stronger.

She no longer cared whether Pei Yan was happy or unhappy and directly instructed Shuang Tao: “Go tell Xia Pinggui to personally go to the tea shop next door and buy several kinds of the finest tea, and then go to the restaurant to order a table of the best vegetarian dishes to be sent to Pei Manor.”

Whether Pei Yan wanted them or not was his business, but whether they sent them was a matter of the Yu family’s propriety.