Yu Tang was inherently someone who refused to admit defeat. Otherwise, in her previous life, after learning of the Li family’s malice toward her, she wouldn’t have found a way to escape from them despite knowing how vastly different their status and power were, nor would she have contemplated how to avenge her parents and elder brothers.

Pei Yan’s words were like sparks, immediately igniting a surge of emotion within her.

She clenched her fists, glared at Pei Yan, and declared at once: “Don’t underestimate me!”

When Yu Tang said this, her cheeks flushed bright red from excitement, her eyes shining brilliantly. She transformed from a gentle orchid into a fiery azalea.

Pei Yan thought this version of Yu Tang was beautiful.

He nodded with satisfaction and said: “That’s more like it—I won’t help those who are already timid before even beginning! There are countless difficult matters in the world. If one doesn’t even have the courage to try, what success can one speak of! You should think this way! Alright, this matter is settled then. From now on, the items in your family’s shop will focus primarily on floral patterns. Let me think, it would be best to have one signature flower pattern, so that when people think of this flower, they immediately think of your family’s carved red lacquerware…” As he spoke, he walked to the bookshelf on the west side and began searching through books.

Yu Tang was dumbfounded.

The matter of her family’s shop was decided just like that?

Without consulting her eldest uncle, her father, or her eldest cousin?

Wasn’t this too hasty?

What if this method didn’t work?

Yu Tang gazed at Pei Yan’s figure in his white fine cloth Daoist robe, his broad shoulders tapering to a narrow waist, and found herself in a dilemma.

If she didn’t follow Pei Yan’s suggestion, given his “I’m the smartest person under heaven” personality, he would certainly feel she didn’t trust him. He would feel his efforts were wasted and become angry from embarrassment. Then it wouldn’t just be a matter of whether he would acknowledge her or not—he would most likely sever their friendship entirely.

If she followed his suggestion, even if Pei Yan was the smartest person under heaven, studying and conducting business were completely different matters. What if his method didn’t work?

Could she really gamble her family’s ancestral business on Pei Yan?

Yu Tang immediately felt like she was sitting on pins and needles, her face alternating between red and white, wishing she had a copper coin in her hand to flip for heads or tails.

How had she gotten herself into this situation?

Yu Tang wanted to scratch her head.

Pei Yan, who had been standing on tiptoe one moment and stretching the next, suddenly turned around and said to Yu Tang with delighted surprise: “Found it!”

Pei Yan with a faint smile—his features suddenly became animated, like a static landscape painting that suddenly let one hear the tinkling of streams, smell the fragrance of green grass, and feel the rustling of the wind. The entire painting came alive. The handsome Pei Yan seemed to glow all over, making Yu Tang’s heart pound chaotically, her mouth dry, unable to shift her gaze from his face for a long while.

Once again, she felt Pei Yan’s handsomeness.

Yet Pei Yan was completely oblivious and continued smiling: “This is a painting album my father gave me to practice painting flowers and birds. I think you can take it back and study it carefully with your family’s pattern master. You should gain something from it.” As he spoke, he took out a complete set of six albums and gestured for Yu Tang to take them.

It took Yu Tang a moment to react.

But Pei Yan had already frowned and said sternly: “What are you thinking about? Were the words you just said to me merely to appease me? Your family doesn’t dare take the path of specialization?”

Yu Tang felt herself standing at the edge of a cliff again. One wrong answer and Pei Yan would angrily abandon her and leave.

But if he left, she didn’t seem to fear that much. At worst, she could humble herself before him as before and coax him back. But making him angry… that wouldn’t be good!

This thought flashed through her mind, startling even herself. She stood stunned for several breaths before hurriedly running over, reaching out to take the albums from Pei Yan’s hands while explaining incoherently: “No, no. I was just thinking about this matter. I didn’t notice what you were saying. Since I promised you I would properly manage the family’s lacquerware shop, I will certainly do it. You can rest assured about this. I’m not someone who breaks their word…”

But Yu Tang’s outstretched hand grasped at empty air—Pei Yan had turned and placed the albums on the nearby tea table. His brows furrowed, and he once again became that stern and serious Third Master Pei.

“Don’t try to deceive me with words.” He looked at Yu Tang coldly, immediately drawing a cold, indifferent line between himself and her. “These albums were given to my father by my great-grandfather. Although they can’t be called unique copies, they are extremely rare and could barely be considered one of our family’s heirlooms. If you don’t have the confidence and determination to have your family’s shop specialize in flowers, don’t agree so readily, lest you waste my family’s treasures. Moreover, even if your family doesn’t specialize in flowers, I have other ways to make your family’s shop profitable. Don’t force yourself to agree now, only to think of numerous difficulties when you return home and then change your mind…”

But had he given her time to change her mind?

Yu Tang grumbled inwardly.

She had only reached out her hand a bit late, and he had already sensitively turned stern and lectured her. If she said his method wouldn’t work, wouldn’t he abandon her and leave, just as she predicted? From then on, he wouldn’t care about her family’s affairs anymore, and might even pretend not to see her when they met.

Could she speak the truth?

The little person in Yu Tang’s heart wept, wanting to put on a cheerful appearance. But when she looked up and saw Pei Yan’s falcon-sharp gaze, she immediately wilted, not daring to act anymore. Yet her mind spun rapidly, thinking of countermeasures while saying seriously: “I truly haven’t changed my mind. I was just surprised. I’ve visited the manor several times and never seen any flowers blooming there, so why would you have us specialize in floral patterns, and even have albums specifically for painting flowers and birds? I was too astonished and got distracted.”

Pei Yan’s brows remained furrowed, but the stern aura around him receded, making him feel much gentler. He said: “The Old Master hasn’t completed his mourning period yet. I think the family should remain less festive for now.”

Bright and colorful flowers were also considered festive?!

This was the first time Yu Tang had heard such reasoning. She was beyond commentary and could only maintain her composure and continue: “I see! Then what flower do you think our family should feature?” When she reached for the albums this time, Pei Yan didn’t stop her, allowing her to successfully take them.

Only then did Yu Tang realize she seemed to have forgotten to flatter Pei Yan.

She hurriedly made amends, gently stroking the albums in her hands and saying: “I never imagined these albums would be so precious. Please rest assured, I will certainly take good care of them. After our family’s pattern master has reviewed them, I’ll return them to you without the slightest damage.”

Pei Yan gave her a look that said “of course.”

Yu Tang wished she could raise these albums high above her head.

However, she also saw the value of these albums.

Although she had only glanced at the cover, the banana tree beauty painting on it was full of natural charm, leaving a deep impression and making one want to look at it again and again.

Anything Pei Yan called a family heirloom was indeed no ordinary item.

As Yu Tang evaluated this in her heart, Pei Yan had already walked over and unceremoniously extracted one of the albums. With seemingly casual but actually very familiar movements, he opened to a particular page and pointed: “What do you think of lotus flowers? When I was young, I painted a lotus picture with only a few leaves for decoration—everything else was lotus flowers of various sizes. I thought it looked quite good at the time. Even those few leaves weren’t really necessary. I’ve seen some carved red lacquer boxes with interwoven celestial brocade and terrestrial brocade patterns. I think your family could also make boxes like that.”

Lotus flowers were already complex—wouldn’t making them all lotus flowers make people feel it was overdone?

Yu Tang couldn’t imagine what the box would look like.

Pei Yan wore a look of disdain as he sat before the painting desk and began sketching the lotus pattern he envisioned.

A person focused on their work had a special kind of beauty.

Watching Pei Yan shine brilliantly due to his concentration, Yu Tang found it quite wonderful.

How had things developed this way?

Pei Yan… was actually drawing patterns for their family!

If she secretly carved Pei Yan’s personal seal on them, people would surely fight to buy them…

Just thinking about it made the little person in Yu Tang’s heart unable to help feeling gleeful.

Just as she was afraid she might laugh aloud, A’Ming tiptoed in and reported: “Old Master Yu’s nephew has arrived!”

Yu Tang pursed her lips upon hearing this.

So her eldest cousin didn’t even have a proper name here with Pei Yan.

Truly, all pursuits are base; only scholarship is exalted.

Her elder brother’s son must obtain an official title.

As Yu Tang’s thoughts wandered, Pei Yan hummed without raising his head, and A’Ming hurried off again to receive the guest.

She could only continue standing there waiting for Pei Yan to finish drawing the pattern.

When Yu Yuan entered, he looked utterly bewildered. He glanced at Pei Yan, then at Yu Tang, not knowing what to do.

Yu Tang had no choice but to look at Yu Yuan while tilting her chin toward Pei Yan.

Yu Yuan understood and first stepped forward to bow to Pei Yan.

Pei Yan still didn’t raise his head but instructed Yu Tang: “You receive your eldest cousin and tell him what we discussed earlier. I’ll be finished here soon.”

Yu Yuan looked at Yu Tang in shock.

This… this tone, how was it like giving orders to one’s own… family member? Subordinate?

Yu Tang was already accustomed to this and calmly explained Pei Yan’s plan to Yu Yuan in a low voice.

Upon hearing it, Yu Yuan became excited and said hastily: “Excellent idea! Excellent idea! I think our family’s shop should operate according to Third Master’s suggestion. Even if Father knew, he would certainly agree.”

Yu Tang blinked.

Had Pei Yan somehow given her elder brother some magical elixir that made him think everything Pei Yan said was good?

Seeing his cousin still looking foolish, Yu Yuan grew anxious and kept giving her meaningful looks.

Yu Tang suddenly understood.

Since this idea was Pei Yan’s, if it failed, it would be Pei Yan’s responsibility. Given Pei Yan’s character and financial resources, he would certainly find a way to compensate the Yu family’s losses.

From the moment Pei Yan offered advice for their shop, the Yu family’s shop was already invincible.

For the Yu family, this was like a windfall from heaven.

As a member of the Yu family who had always hoped their shop would prosper, Yu Tang should have been happy. But somehow, when she understood her eldest cousin’s meaning, she only felt stifled, without the slightest joy.