Lin Yuchan completely ignored this hint. Months of overloaded operation had wound a tight string around her, tying her to a maze of numbers and money.

She hadn’t been able to completely shift her mindset, let alone discuss romance.

“Are all the procedures done? How many passenger tickets have been sold?” she suddenly remembered to ask with concern, though her concern was for the ship. “This trip isn’t operating at a loss for publicity, is it?”

Su Minguan gave her a light glare. She didn’t sense his resentment at all, her big eyes full of sincerity as she looked at him.

Today she wore a half-new lotus-colored shirt, specially ironed, smooth and flat, like an innocent little butterfly fluttering before his eyes.

Su Minguan had no temper.

He could only stroll back with her, his tone carrying faint pride as he answered: “The tickets sold out long ago. After all, this is the maiden voyage of Shanghai’s Chinese steamship, and ticket prices are lower than foreign steamship companies, so everyone’s rushing for the novelty. I heard there are even scalpers speculating on tickets. If I’d known, I would have had people pack the seats more tightly.”

After speaking, he turned his head and saw that the person beside him couldn’t help smiling again, her lips pressed together forcefully, as if she’d heard something very amusing.

He couldn’t help thinking, it’s just scalpers speculating on tickets – is that so funny?

He continued instructing: “While I’m away…”

“For association matters, find Shi Peng. For business, find the duty clerk.” Lin Yuchan found him nagging and cut off his words, “You don’t need to say this every time…”

While speaking, she wasn’t watching her step and was pushed by him into a small waterside hut.

The room was full of ship repair tools, heavy with fishy smells, barely any place to step. She was immediately embraced tightly by him, her feet nearly leaving the ground.

She grabbed wildly at a wooden oar, her face red as she complained: “What are you doing?”

“I’m going away for a month.” Su Minguan was finally tired of beating around the bush, suppressing his emotions, lightly gritting his teeth to remind her, “You won’t see me for a month.”

This heartless creature acted like nothing was wrong, answering question for question, with no awareness of reluctant parting. Su Minguan felt that once she walked out this door, she’d run back to the cotton fields the next moment.

What about “passionate hearts have always been hurt by parting,” what about “women’s infatuation cannot be escaped” – who had made up all those poems?

Even now, she remained nonchalant, saying lightly with a smile: “I know, have a safe journey.”

Su Minguan could only remind her more specifically: “Will you miss me?”

She smiled and shook her head, stubbornly refusing to answer.

The pocket watch ticked. Su Minguan knew time was short. He really should go back and pack.

He couldn’t help but teach her the correct answer hand by hand: “Say ‘yes.'”

“…”

Still that mischievous smile.

Su Minguan had to show sincerity first, saying in a low voice: “I will miss you very much.”

She nodded.

“I’ll take your little dress and sleep holding it.”

She finally blushed a bit and softly retorted: “I’ll sleep holding Baoshun Trading House’s check.”

He was both angry and amused, helpless, taking a step back and saying: “Come see me off tomorrow. You promised.”

Lin Yuchan deliberately argued with him: “I’m very busy. While cotton prices are still high, I need to quickly process some more…”

“These can be left to subordinates.” Su Minguan wouldn’t take no for an answer, straightening her shoulders and domineeringly staring into those clever big eyes, “I want to see you first thing tomorrow morning.”

Lin Yuchan deliberately made things difficult, blinking and imitating his profit-focused tone, asking: “So what benefit will you give me?”

This girl’s imitation wasn’t convincing at all, like Dongshi copying Xishi, with no awareness of being money-obsessed.

Su Minguan politely bowed to her and replied:

“I’ll give it to you when you come.”

On October 1st, at Hongkou Yixing Dock No. 2, the steamship “Chang’e” was spewing black smoke, ready to depart.

As usual, a pile of firecrackers was set up in the open space, with many friendly merchants and social celebrities arriving to congratulate. Vendors pushed carts through the crowd, hawking tea eggs, wontons, and steamed buns.

Tang Tingshu, Shanghai chief comprador of Jardine Matheson & Co., was in his thirties, thin and capable, wearing a fine silk satin robe, draped in a sable cloak, with a thick gold watch chain across his chest. Surrounded by a group of servants, he smiled as he showed his first-class ticket to a North China Herald reporter.

Supporting national shipping! Supporting national shipping!” Tang Tingshu was a bit nearsighted and couldn’t see who was around him, so he bowed all around, skillfully speaking in Guangdong-accented Mandarin, “I’ve come to test for you whether Chinese ships are safe or not! Haha!”

Of course, he wasn’t taking the ship for vacation either. Jardine Matheson intended to expand into China’s interior and needed to send someone to familiarize themselves with markets along the Yangtze River. Taking anyone’s ship was the same, and choosing a Chinese ship could be considered responding to the court’s Westernization Movement call, making a gesture of loyalty and patriotism.

Tang Tingshu suddenly saw someone approaching, craned his neck to observe for a moment before recognizing him, and greeted with a smile: “Minguan! Good morning! Have you eaten yet?”

Su Minguan walked over leisurely, bowing with a smile: “Mr. Tang, how thoughtful.”

Originally, it was Tang Tingshu who had arranged the ship registration exemption when they were affiliated with Jardine Matheson, naturally letting the latter profit a bit. Both being Guangdong natives in foreign Shanghai, they had formed a deep commercial friendship.

Tang Tingshu praised the steamship a few times, then said in a low voice: “With business so big, consider coming back to Jardine Matheson as comprador? I’ll vouch for you, won’t treat you badly!”

Su Minguan cooperatively expressed being flattered and honored, smiling: “Then what about all my ships?”

Tang Tingshu exclaimed in exaggerated surprise, then said in a low voice: “Jardine Matheson will acquire them! Name your price.”

One second “supporting national shipping,” the next helping foreigners discuss mergers and acquisitions. Such was a comprador’s self-cultivation. Su Minguan wasn’t surprised at all, even feeling this was Mr. Tang’s normal standard.

“The British are stingy,” he smiled, “I’ve learned that before.”

What a joke – if Yixing were sold to Jardine Matheson, brotherhood members across China would skin him alive.

Seeing his attitude, Tang Tingshu understood and laughed it off, changing the subject.

“You’re busy, you’re busy. I had people queue up to buy tickets with great difficulty – better not let anyone take my first-class cabin.”

He followed several wealthy merchants’ wives, holding the railing as he boarded.

Several accompanying servants had second-class tickets, so they stayed behind, waiting patiently.

Hundreds of second and third-class passengers bustled behind the barriers, waiting. Some pointed and exclaimed, “Wow! Look at the foreigners! Look at the black people!”

A foreign merchant walked into the dock with a walking stick, taking measured steps. He had thick eyebrows and a square chin, and though wearing a neat suit, his manner carried a rough air, with a heavy gun at his waist.

He looked at the gleaming steamship, turned, and scolded in English: “Where’s my ticket? If my ticket is lost, I’ll whip your ass raw, blackie!”

Behind the foreign merchant followed an unusually tall black slave, with thick eyebrows, large eyes, and strong arms, carrying at least a hundred pounds of luggage. Hearing this, he quickly set down the cases and fumblingly searched his pockets, finally finding the first-class ticket and handing it over with both hands.

“Mr. Smith.”

The foreign merchant Smith took it, muttering, “If Qichang Steamship Company didn’t sell out, I wouldn’t take a Chinese ship. If they dare make mistakes, I’ll sue for compensation.”

Still angry, he casually struck the black slave’s back with his walking stick.

A dull thud. The black slave’s features twisted in pain, but still obediently picked up the master’s luggage.

Beating servants was common among Chinese people, so no one was particularly surprised, only secretly sighing: “That foreign servant is quite obedient.”

Someone else noticed something and said quietly: “No, not a servant, it’s a woman! Though ugly, look at that chest…”

The crowd stirred slightly, people standing on tiptoes, pointing and competing to observe that female black person taller than men.

She had long arms and legs, dark smooth skin, unusually long eyelashes, thick lips turned outward, with actually quite regular features. But in the eyes of Chinese people at that time, such a strange appearance naturally deserved to be called “ugly.”

Even in Shanghai, where Chinese and foreigners mixed, black-skinned, curly-haired “foreigners” were very rare. Passengers pointed at her with various speculations. Some said it was a skin disease, some said from sun exposure, some who read more insisted authoritatively that this was a rare species from the Classic of Mountains and Seas, thought to be extinct.

The black female slave was already accustomed to this, humming softly while unloading luggage with ease.

…………………………………………

Su Minguan stood not far away, quietly watching ship workers and officers maintain order while ship stewards busily helped people move luggage.

The bitter cold wind blew his clothes, outlining his lean body.

For this trip he intentionally kept hands off, not managing ship affairs, only acting as an ordinary passenger to observe and supervise throughout, confirming his subordinates could handle such a large passenger group.

What he needed to do was just go ashore at various ports to meet with relevant government offices and friendly merchants, acquire some assets cheaply, and incidentally look for scattered Heaven and Earth Society friends and relatives.

The ship’s passengers were mixed, and selling tickets to both Chinese and foreigners made the group even more diverse – safety absolutely couldn’t be taken lightly.

First-class passengers boarded first, followed by second-class middle-class families, then lower-class people carrying baskets and bundles, entering third class.

As for that black female slave, everyone avoided… Su Minguan had seen similar black people in Guangzhou and knew they weren’t demons, so he nodded to his subordinates to let her in.

He intentionally kept a low profile, so passengers didn’t recognize him, taking him for some merchant watching the excitement.

Su Minguan watched the commotion for a while, his eyes slightly darkening. The person who should have come hadn’t come.

She usually rose early – could something have delayed her?

Suddenly, there was a slight disturbance at the boarding entrance. Ship officer Jiang Gaosheng was gripping someone and threw him off the gangway with a splash.

The person thrown off was disheveled, lying on the ground, calling: “I bought a ticket…”

Jiang Gaosheng kicked him. Odds and ends spilled from the man’s pocket.

Several nearby passengers immediately recognized them:

“That’s my snuff bottle!”

“That’s my purse!”

“Those are earrings I had made for my wife!”

……………………………………

“This is a thief trying to sneak aboard!” Jiang Gaosheng loudly informed surrounding passengers, “Caught red-handed, sending to authorities immediately!”

Yixing dock workers rushed up to drag the thief away.

The entire process was smooth and efficient, with workers looking fierce like gang bosses, seeming more like bad guys than the thief.

With unstable times and ineffective government, “civilized commerce” was a luxury – fighting bad people required taking action yourself.

People on shore were startled momentarily, then quickly checked their belongings, finding everything in place before relaxing and laughing: “That thief has no eyes. Yixing’s ship – they dare fight gunfights with bandits, it was even in the papers! Hmph, of all people to steal from, moving earth on Taisui’s head.”

Su Minguan couldn’t help smiling, lightly touching his ribs. The shrapnel wound scar was still there, faint and barely visible.

He looked toward the friends and family seeing-off passage. Few people remained there, waving reluctantly to relatives on board through the barrier.

No familiar face.

She was now busy making her cotton money, rarely having such success, even having the bearing of a big boss.

Not easily arranged to meet.

He was busy with business and had often kept her waiting before.

Ship officer Jiang Gaosheng waved at him: “Boss, come over! We’re closing the gate!”

Su Minguan disappointedly put on his wind hood and walked toward the steamship.

He felt quite ridiculous himself. When she was first learning business, naively bargaining with him, he couldn’t bear to exploit her too much, always holding back three parts. She learned for free from him, and he turned a blind eye. Watching her gradually build up her fortune, wasn’t he also pleased with himself?

Seeing her business grow day by day, though he lectured her verbally, he was proud, wishfully thinking he’d taught a clever little apprentice.

Now the little apprentice had grown strong wings and could fly solo, flying far – shouldn’t he be even happier?

He entered the boarding gate with a stern face, calling over Shi Peng, who was staying behind, and handed him a small package.

“Send this to Miss Lin later.”

Shi Peng was startled, then smiled meaningfully at him.

“Waiting for you to deliver it yourself when you return?”

This half-way appointed young helmsman wasn’t too skilled at business, couldn’t even memorize all the codes, always wanting to reform things – what kind of behavior was this? Shi Peng worried about him like an old father, feeling he was going too fast on the wheel of the times and would benefit from a steady girl to settle his heart.

Didn’t understand what he was being coy about. Every time Miss Lin visited and left, he wore a smile for the whole evening.

And yet, friendly merchants said he was deep and didn’t show emotions?

Shi Peng waited a while without getting an answer, mentally lit a candle for Su Minguan, then settled for asking: “So what message should I leave when delivering it?”

Su Minguan checked the ship’s railings, helping workers untie mooring ropes.

“No need. She knows…”

“What do I know?”

Suddenly, a silvery little voice rang out behind him, “Why not give it to me directly?”

Su Minguan’s voice stopped, and slowly, delighted laughter overflowed from his eyes.

Shi Peng was even happier than him. He stuffed the package into Su Minguan’s hands and strode away.

“I’m going to watch the shop! Boss, don’t worry!”

Su Minguan felt somewhat dazed. Lin Yuchan stood beside him with a large bundle at her feet, leaning casually against the ship’s railing as she looked at him. She wore a low-brimmed foreign cloth hat and a thin, long gray men’s jacket with a center-split front, well disguising her gender.

Su Minguan’s breathing suddenly quickened, and he angrily called to the ticket checker: “How did she get in?”

All that time he’d waited in the seeing-off passage, and this girl had used the back door!

Lin Yuchan couldn’t help laughing, pulling his sleeve and drawing out her words: “Boss Su, don’t wrongly blame people. I came aboard with a ticket.”

Su Minguan was utterly astonished, taking a wrinkled handwritten ticket from her hand.

No mistake – it bore the signature of Yixing’s accounting assistant.

The steamship’s whistle blew. The ship cast off, black smoke poured out, and it slowly sailed toward Wusong mouth.

The wind on deck immediately picked up, blowing her forehead hair in disarray.

“I wanted to tell you yesterday, but you kept pushing me away.” Her eyes held mischievous laughter as a water bird dove past her, “Cost me triple the ticket price. Boss Su, I suggest you control the scalpers.”

Su Minguan stood stunned for two seconds, blankly watching white birds soar over the water, the corners of his mouth slowly turning up, a faint blush climbing his cheeks.

He tried to keep a stern face, his voice cold as he said flatly: “You’re not doing business anymore?”

“Business can be left to subordinates.” She returned his exact words, “You didn’t listen seriously to what I said yesterday, did you?”

What had she said yesterday? Su Minguan was certain he remembered every word. But at this moment, he couldn’t recall a single sentence.

He only remembered his various threats and enticements, while this stubborn girl showed no reluctance at all, making him depressed all night.

Lin Yuchan looked at his absent-minded appearance, covering her face, nearly laughing herself to death.

“Haha… hehe hehe…”

She thought she’d hinted quite obviously yesterday!

Who knew he was so single-minded, insisting she state “reluctant to part, will miss you very much,” like a child demanding candy, getting angry and resentful when not getting it, thinking she was money-obsessed and bewitched by cotton – if his gaze had temperature, it would have frozen her into a bright ice brick long ago.

At that time, she already had the ticket hidden in her pocket, but he insisted she perform a farewell drama – her acting skills weren’t good enough!

Su Minguan didn’t dare get too intimate, looking deeply into the young girl’s eyes and saying in a low voice: “You know where this ship is going, right?”

This wasn’t a one-day Huangpu River tour!

“I know. Shanghai-Hankou route, next stop Zhenjiang, then Yizheng, Wuhu, Anqing, Jiujiang, Wuxue, Hankou. Round trip one month.” Lin Yuchan pointed to her luggage bundle and said calmly, “Recently Shanghai cotton prices were abnormal – I suspect foreign merchants were manipulating them. They have offices at all major treaty ports with swift communication, plenty of room for operation. I plan to visit and investigate who exactly is causing trouble. Without clarifying this, we Chinese merchants can only passively wait for price fluctuations. No matter how big my business grows, I won’t feel secure.

“Moreover, being confined to Shanghai alone limits vision too much. I do tea and cotton but have never really visited inland production areas – always feel something’s missing. I need to go out and see the world.”

After explaining systematically, she broke into a small smile and whispered: “So what benefit did you give me? Let me see.”

“A young girl traveling alone – your courage is impressive.” Su Minguan kept a stern face, unable to hide his smile, “Which room are you in? I’ll take you there.”

Lin Yuchan answered righteously: “Yixing Shipping is recognized as the safest in the industry – even thieves can’t sneak aboard. I’m not afraid.”

Su Minguan opened the ticket in her hand, glanced again, and his face darkened.

“…Third class?”

Lin Yuchan sighed helplessly: “The scalpers didn’t have many tickets either. Even this one I had to pay extra to grab.”

Su Minguan was both crying and laughing, putting his arm around her to turn her half-way to face the deck.

“Miss Lin, third-class tickets aren’t sold to female passengers. Female passengers can only go first class.” He said, “Which scalper sold you this ticket? Give me a name.”

Lin Yuchan was surprised and indignantly turned back: “This is discrimination!”

Su Minguan helplessly pointed at the deck passengers packed shoulder to shoulder: “One month, men and women mixed like this?… Sorry, I don’t want lawsuits.”

The Qing Dynasty had its national conditions. Which ship owner would dare let male and female passengers squeeze into shared bunks? If any scandal occurred, before patrol officers arrived, angry citizens would hang him from the ship’s bow for three days and nights of public display.

Moreover, in this era, there were very few female passengers with travel needs. Long trips were expensive, and for reputation and safety, families would spend a bit more to get her and her maid a separate room.

Only Lin Yuchan, this fool, slightly slow to Qing Dynasty conditions, would happily accept a third-class ticket from scalpers.

She was speechless, looking sulkily at the river waves.

Su Minguan gently patted her shoulder, “You should have told me earlier, I would have saved you one.”

Before finishing, seeing her stubborn expression, he understood and sighed with a smile.

Miss Lin was always so proud. Business was business – she didn’t want to take advantage of him.

He said: “I’ll have people ask around for you…”

Halfway through, he felt hopeless himself. First-class passengers were either rich or noble, with many female passengers – who would be willing to switch to third class?

Just then, a ship worker called him, saying a Western lady in first class had language difficulties and was making a fuss, their pidgin English wasn’t working, and asking him to help.

Su Minguan frowned and scolded: “Didn’t I give you textbooks to study? There’ll be tests on the return trip – failing means deducted bonuses.”

But he had to go. He looked apologetically at Lin Yuchan.

Most ship workers and sailors knew her, so he called someone to give instructions and take care of her first.

Lin Yuchan waved him away easily, asking a sailor to clear a long bench where she sat down to watch the scenery.

First time taking a boat tour of the Yangtze River. Since coming to the Qing Dynasty, I have finally had a chance to travel!

Of course, it was with investigation tasks. But there was still a day and night’s water route to Zhenjiang, with beautiful scenery along the way – might as well give herself a long-overdue day off.

The deck was crowded, mostly third-class passengers who didn’t want to stay stuffy in the lower holds, so they paid one silver yuan to rent bamboo mats, sitting on the ground and opening their traveling bundles to eat and drink.

In Jiangsu and Zhejiang, the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom’s momentum was spent. Li Hongzhang recruited foreign soldiers into the “Ever Victorious Army” with advanced firearms and artillery, joining the siege of Suzhou and Wuxi; Hong Xiuquan had long been besieged in Jiangning (Nanjing) by Zeng Guofan’s Hunan Army, becoming a lone figure.

Yangtze River traffic was beginning to return to normal, and many residents stranded in Shanghai had urgent needs to return home.

Passengers quietly discussed current events, all saying the long-haired rebels’ days were numbered, and these years of war would finally end.

The order was fairly good. Stewards hawked tea and snacks, sailors wove through the bamboo mats, skillfully operating the huge sails and steam engines.

Lin Yuchan enjoyed the river breeze for a while. In the vast water mist, Wusong mouth fortifications appeared and disappeared. Her eyes curved as she clutched her handbag.

Deck passengers were all eating and chatting, bamboo mats spread with water, rice wine, peanuts, marinated chicken feet… quite like future green-car hard-seat trains.

Lin Yuchan was prepared, pulling fennel beans from her bag.

Before eating two, suddenly a shadow fell beside her as someone sat by the long bench.