Lin Yuchan: “Come back!”

She yanked hard and pulled the drunk back, stumbling. The carriage swayed greatly.

Cold wind rushed in. The driver outside complained: “Sit steady!”

Lin Yuchan leaned out and called loudly: “Don’t go to Hongkou first. Go to Yixing Shipping.”

This person was beyond help – she needed his subordinates to settle him first. She couldn’t move him alone.

The slight buzz from alcohol passed. She wrapped her thick cotton coat tightly, raising her collar to block the pervasive cold.

Su Minguan huddled in a corner of the carriage, arms crossed over his chest, with a somewhat provocative expression, stealing glances at her.

His body and mind felt heavy as lead, his whole being like steaming lava, burning him down to just a wisp of soul. Red mist filled his eyes, seeing only a cool shadow.

He felt like a monster wearing human skin – once he couldn’t hide it, his hideous fangs were exposed. He had only let down this pure, good girl who had always treated him as a human.

For a time, the silence was unbearable, only the regular clatter of wheels rolling.

After a long while, Lin Yuchan spoke calmly.

“By the way, come early tomorrow to collect the money. I have to go to Xuhui at ten in the morning to train some new masters that Shopkeeper Mao hired. Then I’ll visit Feilun on the way. I might not return until afternoon.”

Su Minguan hesitated for a long time, then asked hoarsely, tentatively: “Did you hear what I said just now?”

Lin Yuchan lowered her eyes and smiled slightly: “Don’t worry, I won’t tell others.”

Not entering officialdom, not marrying, not having children.

She didn’t know where these three solemn vows came from – certainly not because he was cultivating to avoid the world. This person ignored gods and buddhas, even his worship of Guan Gong was perfunctory.

But she knew that for an adult man living in the Qing Dynasty, these life principles that completely contradicted traditional moral codes were utterly unacceptable to society. In many old scholars’ eyes, such scum who dishonored ancestors were wasting food by living – better off dead.

Su Minguan was indeed speaking drunken words. But he had probably held these words on the tip of his tongue for a long time, now using the excuse of alcohol to let them rush out and tell her.

She also understood in an instant where the root of his previously hot-and-cold behavior, those seemingly cruel, stubborn, and unreasonable actions, lay.

Of course, she was shocked. But not as much as he had expected.

…Wasn’t this just being single and child-free? Modern society was full of such people – she didn’t know why ancient people got so worked up about it.

However, modern people making such decisions might just be impulsive, changing their minds in a few days, with no one caring. But in this era’s society, having the courage to make such solemn vows must have quite profound reasons.

Su Minguan’s short twenty years of life hid many dark secrets. He kept most memories sealed, occasionally revealing glimpses that made her heart skip a beat.

Lin Yuchan had a belly full of questions to ask, but seeing his red eyes in the lamplight, she swallowed them back word by word.

Finally, she laughed softly: “So… the ‘fate to harm wives’ thing was just a cover story you made up for others?”

No answer came. Those few words from Su Minguan had already exhausted what little sobriety he had left. He leaned against the wall, breathing evenly, already fast asleep.

Even in sleep, his brow remained furrowed, arms crossed over his chest, retaining a defensive posture.

Yixing Shipping hadn’t closed yet. Dim lamplight shone from the windows, with vague figures moving about.

Lin Yuchan jumped down to knock on the door.

The night-duty worker was alert, immediately rushing out, thanking Miss Lin while helping his boss down from the carriage and paying the fare.

As Lin Yuchan was about to return to the carriage, the driver apologized: “Sorry, it’s curfew, not taking passengers anymore. I need to hurry home – if I’m late, the constables will beat me with clubs.”

Lin Yuchan stood frozen as the horse carriage nimbly turned a corner and ran off!

Boss Su’s timing for falling asleep was perfect!

Fortunately, Yixing had guest rooms on the second floor, basically only used by her, so she went in and gave advance notice to the night-duty worker.

Somehow, she felt the worker’s look at her was different from usual.

At first, when Yixing had just changed bosses, those subordinates with guilty consciences naturally avoided Lin Yuchan. Later, as time passed, Su Minguan found opportunities to dismiss the most hopeless bullies. New workers only knew Miss Lin was capable, an important Yixing client with an unusual relationship with Boss Su. Her personality was also cheerful and frank, not twisted like ordinary girls, making her easy to talk to.

Though her personality was rather unconventional, not the well-behaved type of girl – if you asked workers whether they’d want such a girl as wife or daughter, most would hesitate and shake their heads, feeling they couldn’t control her. But as a client and friend, she was really good. She also brought Yixing many opportunities and orders, so everyone competed to curry favor with her.

But starting tonight, Lin Yuchan vaguely felt everyone’s attitude toward her had somehow suddenly become “sympathetic.”

As if she had suffered some great loss, these people all felt indignant on her behalf.

A worker put down his half-eaten midnight snack and handed her the guest room key.

Lin Yuchan: “Thank you, Brother Yuan…”

She knew this person too – Yuan Daming, in his twenties, usually straightforward and talkative, always criticized by Su Minguan for talking too much. Tonight, he was also off his game, saying nothing.

Instead, he glanced at Lin Yuchan and stammered for a long time before saying quietly: “Miss Lin, our boss is young and not too reliable in some aspects. Please be understanding.”

Lin Yuchan: “??”

Her first reaction was – these workers had no reason to know about her lending money to Su Minguan in advance!

Even if they knew, would they dare turn their elbows outward and warn her that Su Minguan might default?

Money matters were no small thing. She pressed for details: “Brother Yuan, speak clearly.”

Yuan Daming became more conflicted. Usually quite shrewd, his face turned red as if he’d done something wrong. After mumbling for a while like a buzzing mosquito, he said, “Actually… we were all prepared to treat you as the boss’s wife. But our boss… sigh, men are different from women after all. Who knows why he said that? You’d think he was waiting to climb higher branches, but he doesn’t seem like that type. But you’ve been so good to him, and everyone feels it’s unfair to you…”

Lin Yuchan’s cheeks flushed red as she pointed at the stairway, sternly asking: “What did Su Minguan tell you?”

Yuan Daming regretted his loose tongue, but having said this much, he could only go all the way, resuming his talkative nature and saying in one breath: “We’re all big men and shouldn’t meddle in such affairs… I forget how the topic came up, but our boss mentioned casually that day that he… he has a fate that harms wives and doesn’t plan to marry a boss’s wife… This isn’t much – plenty of men who harm wives still take concubines after concubines. But… but we all know Miss Lin’s character. Though not from great wealth, if you became a… concubine, it would be too much of an injustice… Sigh, we men really can’t be trusted. Miss, please be careful, and don’t expose me later…”

Lin Yuchan nearly lost her breath and couldn’t help laughing out loud, laughing until tears came.

Su Minguan wanted to take her as a concubine? The world had gone mad!

It would be more believable to say Hede would join the Heaven and Earth Society tomorrow, Miss Oldersea would convert to Mazu worship, and the Qing Dynasty would sprint into communism!

An hour ago, she might have found this baffling. But now she just found it utterly ridiculous.

Some people usually mixed truth and falsehood seamlessly, painting themselves with layers of protective coloring so no one could catch their flaws. But this personality would eventually backfire, making it impossible to distinguish where they hid genuine feelings in their strokes.

Look, retribution had come. See what his image had fallen to in his subordinates’ eyes.

How could she explain? Join in condemning the scumbag, saying your righteous grand helmsman was flirting without marrying, violating morality, and asking the brothers to help persuade him?

Su Minguan was nearly crushed by debt. Leave him some breathing room.

She tried hard to pull this runaway world back on track, saying seriously: “Brother Yuan, listen carefully. We’re just business partners. When he cheats me, he doesn’t even spit out bones. Though I come often, each time is to discuss legitimate business. I know some regular clients come more frequently than I…”

Yuan Daming said faintly: “Other regular clients don’t make Boss Su mention them seven or eight times a day when they’re not here.”

“Because he owes me a huge debt and feels guilty.” Lin Yuchan’s heart jumped as she quickly cut him off. “I’ll pretend I never heard what you just said. Whoever else is spreading this nonsense, you’d better solve it internally quickly, or when it affects morale and Boss Su fires you, I won’t speak up for you.”

Yuan Daming’s face alternated between green and red as he nodded aggrievedly and turned to leave.

“Wait.” Lin Yuchan suddenly called him back, asking quietly: “Why are there still people in the tea room? Looking for Su… looking for Jin Lanhe?”

Yuan Daming hesitated before saying, “Since Miss Lin is just an ordinary business partner, I’m afraid I can’t say.”

Lin Yuchan was exasperated: “…”

He was holding a grudge! These people had been with Su Minguan so long – they didn’t learn the good things, just how to argue with people!

“White Feather Fan girl.” The person in the tea room suddenly spoke, voice hoarse. “A word in private.”

Lin Yuchan was extremely surprised and slowly turned around.

The tea room was lit with candles, illuminating a vague figure.

Obviously waiting for Su Minguan. But he was drunk in bed, probably unable to come out to discuss Heaven and Earth Society business.

White Feather Fan – the only role in the Heaven and Earth Society with freedom of speech, speaking without taboos.

Only a few representatives at that Maple Grove meeting knew her identity.

Since the curfew prevented leaving anyway, Lin Yuchan decided to help out and participate a bit in society affairs.

She adjusted her mindset and pushed open the tea room door.

“…Uncle Cheng?”

Lin Yuchan got angry seeing He Weicheng. Though he was one of the few remaining core members of the Guangdong branch and she’d only seen him a few times, each time he held Su Minguan back – either urging him to restore the Ming Dynasty or exposing his failure to burn incense, a complete old fogey.

He Weicheng looked at her helplessly, feeling this “little sorceress” had grown much since their first meeting.

She had learned courtesy and propriety, with traces of hardship visible on her young face.

But those clear eyes still showed obvious wariness – her scheming wasn’t yet perfected.

“Girl,” he smiled as friendly as possible, tremblingly pointing to the bench opposite, “sit.”

He Weicheng was under forty but looked over fifty. Several unsuccessful uprisings had left many wounds on his body. His right hand still hung awkwardly – the flesh lost in the pig pen would never fully grow back. His whole person was skeletal, like a clothes rack.

Walking the streets, he looked like thousands of laborers who sold their strength and health for survival. Respectable people would walk around him, kind vendors would give him extra wontons, officials and constables would ignore him with disdain, since this body obviously couldn’t yield any profit.

No one would think such a person had once been a “rebel,” portrayed by authorities as red-haired with fangs, as if his evil magic could shake the Qing foundation.

“Whatever you need, I’ll relay faithfully.” Lin Yuchan didn’t sit, saying as politely as possible. “It’s getting late. If you’re returning to Zhejiang, you should hurry.”

He Weicheng smiled bitterly: “You blame me for abandoning Minguan and joining the Jiangsu-Zhejiang branch, don’t you? Uncle Cheng has a suspicious identity that can’t be cleared – I’m still a wanted man, usually afraid to enter the city, and only hiding in the countryside. I actually… miss him very much.”

He pointed to a small bundle on the table containing rope-tied smoked meat.

Lin Yuchan sneered inwardly. Missing him while sabotaging him.

She smiled: “Why not wait for him to wake up and say this face to face? Give the things in person? Otherwise, I might not relay it properly, and he won’t believe it.”

He Weicheng shook his head with a smile, his sparse beard floating on his face.

“You’re truly new to the society, not knowing the past.” He pointed to his right hand. “This arm was disabled, blocking a knife for him.”

Lin Yuchan pursed her lips and nodded.

She asked: “Should I call someone to wake Minguan?”

He Weicheng smiled awkwardly and shook his head.

“I don’t know what to say. Girl, there’s no need to call him. Some things are hard to say face to face… I know Minguan probably hates me, but Uncle Cheng truly treats him like my own child. If I meant to harm him, our ancestor in heaven wouldn’t allow it. I haven’t always indulged him before, afraid he’d go astray. Though he’s also had it hard, he’s still young after all. As an elder, I can’t just watch – I must take some teaching responsibility. Maybe I didn’t teach well, but I truly meant well, with no other ulterior motives…”

He Weicheng’s tone was cautious, yet his words were righteous. After rambling awkwardly for a long time, the theme was just three words: “for his good.”

Lin Yuchan felt this tone was familiar. She remembered in high school, a senior preparing for college entrance exams, whose father secretly changed her application. When she cried and threatened to jump from the teaching building, and teachers and principal came to mediate, that confused father looked exactly like this – pained and helpless, repeatedly explaining: “How could I harm her? I want her to do well!”

Older people always thought the extra years they’d lived were priceless, aged wisdom that must be packaged beautifully and forcefully stuffed onto the next generation. Not realizing the contents might have long since spoiled.

“But,” He Weicheng suddenly looked up, his gaunt brow bones jumping as he forced a smile, “girl, after hearing your speech that day, I began to understand that young people have their ideas. We old folks maybe shouldn’t interfere. After all, we’ve accomplished nothing useful in our lives…”

Lin Yuchan looked up in surprise.

“…And Minguan can at least accomplish something. Now even village people know about Yixing, saying there’s a merchant who bought a foreign steamship, fixed it up to operate himself, to sail the Yangtze and the ocean, making foreigners unable to catch up, bringing honor to us Chinese… When I heard this news, you don’t know, I was a bit scared… Sigh, I know this child hasn’t gone bad, just different from us old generation. But if he wants to take another path, I can’t help him…

“Girl might know that the former Shanghai Circuit Intendant Wu Jianzhang was one of our Heaven and Earth Society members. He’s now retired to the countryside, farming for a living. I sought him out, along with some Small Sword Society veterans. We all decided we should give Minguan another chance to try.

“This is a thousand taels in bank notes, exchangeable at any money house in Shanghai County. We old brothers are all poor – we sold some thin fields to scrape this together. Hope he won’t think it too little.”

He Weicheng turned over the bundle. Under the smoked meat lay a wrinkled small envelope.

He supported himself on the table to stand, cupped his hands toward Lin Yuchan, and pushed the door hard.

“Uncle, wait!” She suddenly came to her senses, chasing to the doorway. “You’ve come such a long way. There are guest rooms here. Rest for the night, and tomorrow I’ll have Minguan thank you personally.”

He Weicheng waved his hand and smiled: “Forget it. I don’t have much to say to him. We’d probably just argue again if we met. He’s never accepted my authority since childhood… Please ask a worker to lend me a small boat, moored at the old place in Pudong. Just send someone to retrieve it tomorrow. Miss Lin, farewell.”

Lin Yuchan personally escorted him to the wharf, watching that stooped figure board the small boat. She held the small envelope, lost in thought, in the cold wind for a long time.

For thousands of years, elders had used experience to pave roads for descendants, rarely failing.

But times were changing. In just decades, precious life experience became worthless, and accumulated wisdom turned rancid. They were swept along by a rapidly changing world, forced to struggle and explore in that bizarre new ocean. Many sank beneath the waves.

The small boat cast off, carrying the older generation’s unspoken desolation. The stern dragged broken moonlight, gradually disappearing into the distance.

The next morning, Su Minguan woke early. The previous day’s confused expression was gone without a trace, returning to his cold, deep normal state.

Hearing Lin Yuchan’s account, he showed no particular reaction, simply taking the bank notes that smelled of smoked meat and saying: “Thank you for your trouble.”

Conscious of his drunken loose talk the previous day and finding it hard to recover, he deployed his usual defensive strategy of pretending nothing had happened.

He groomed himself neatly, wearing a deep crimson robe he rarely wore, carrying some year-end formality while appearing politely distant.

Su Minguan casually played with the ceramic pen holder on the table, asking Lin Yuchan in a businesslike manner: “The money borrowed from you has two destinations. First is writing a normal IOU for one year, with monthly interest of three point six percent – I know this is above market rate, but money is hard to borrow when cash is tight at year-end. Other creditors all demand high interest from me, so I have nothing to say. Second, you can choose to purchase Yixing shares at face value – not cheap, eight hundred taels only buys one-fiftieth. I won’t give discounts.”

Despite being the debtor, he showed no yielding attitude. His tone was firm, his gaze sharp as a hawk’s. Just sitting upright behind the table, he exerted invisible pressure on her.

He had never been so aggressive toward Lin Yuchan before. Only when facing opponents did he act this way.

The person who had brazenly pulled her into his arms for an embrace just days ago now wore a mask, cold as frost. Lin Yuchan felt momentarily wronged.

Like a thin thorn piercing her chest. She wanted to ask: What did I do wrong?

But she knew that before settling the Guangdong ship matter, he probably had no mind for personal affairs, having fully entered workaholic mode.

On second thought, she’d eventually encounter god-level opponents like him anyway – consider this practice for mental fortitude.

She tried hard to adjust her mindset, asking with a slight smile: “Willing to sell shares this time?”

Su Minguan smiled slightly. His smile was much more practiced than hers, but his eyes were like cold stars, increasingly stern.

“I don’t want to pay so much interest for nothing. I’ll advise you to increase your holdings. We both win.”

But Yixing, after acquiring the Guangdong ship, would have even more highly inflated stock prices. Su Minguan made clear that if she wanted shares, she must buy at the peak with no discount.

“Miss Lin,” before she could calculate for half a minute, he leaned forward pressuringly, “you have business at ten o’clock. Don’t forget.”

Lin Yuchan calculated quickly. Increasing holdings now really wasn’t worth it.

Monthly interest of three point six percent would let her get back nearly half the principal by year-end – equivalent to easy profit.

When she had pestered him for shares initially, first, she lacked confidence in her own business and wanted insurance; second, she dared not hold too much cash, fearing thieves’ attention.

She hadn’t meant to take advantage of Su Minguan.

But it was an unexpected windfall. Her initial three hundred taels that she’d ground out for one twenty-fifth share was now worth sixteen hundred taels – over four hundred percent return.

Over the next year, Yixing’s revenue would mainly service debt, with dim profit prospects and likely declining stock prices.

Not only did she not want to increase holdings, she wanted to cash out that one twenty-fifth at the peak.

But when she originally negotiated shareholding with Su Minguan, one condition was “restricted transfer.” After all, he had been asking favors then, giving exceptional benefits that others shouldn’t freeload on.

Lin Yuchan made up her mind: “Loan. No shares.”

“I knew it.”

Su Minguan immediately pushed the prepared IOU toward her with an emotionless smile.

Lin Yuchan exchanged all her savings for a stack of beautifully written IOUs. Her safe was empty, and her heart felt hollow too.

Adding Uncle Cheng’s timely final thousand taels, Yixing’s funding chain finally connected. Su Minguan paid just before the deadline.

Then he disappeared from public view. Whether fellow merchants, competitors, or foreign companies and banks, no one could figure out his movements.

Lin Yuchan visited once, but Yixing directly turned her away. The workers were extremely apologetic, saying the boss wasn’t available to receive guests now.

In the cold weather, she was so angry that she puffed white breath.

So she put that fickle bastard out of mind and focused on her own business.