Su Minguan averted his gaze.

She spoke so naturally—the convenient option that most people would first think of, she hadn’t even mentioned because she “didn’t want to add risk for him,” preferring to exchange her assets at a discount.

The fragrance of leaves scattered over her. Su Minguan’s eyelashes drooped slightly, and for the first time in ages he felt somewhat flushed, deeply ashamed of his earlier money-grubbing behavior of taking advantage of others, utterly mortified.

He reflected for a full three seconds.

In his shameless career spanning several years, this was already a record.

A friendly smile then flashed across his face as he continued her words: “It won’t happen. For unsecured loans, I would naturally charge more interest and require you to repay in regular installments. The risk is all covered in the interest—I won’t lose out.”

Lin Yuchan nodded. He naturally had countermeasures.

Su Minguan: “Like this—you mortgage your shares to me, I’ll give you two hundred and fifty taels of silver, to be repaid within a year at two percent monthly interest. The remaining hundred taels I’ll count as lending you, same one-year term, three percent monthly interest. If you agree, let’s go back and write up the agreement.”

“Three percent monthly interest” would be illegal loan sharking in the twenty-first century, but in the Qing Dynasty, it was just standard market rates. High-interest loans at this time often doubled or tripled rates, serving as veritable harvesters of the common people’s wealth.

Lin Yuchan knew that Su Minguan’s quoted price was already conscientious—she couldn’t get this rate at any money shop in Shanghai.

But… by her standards, it was still quite high.

Su Minguan waited a moment. Lin Yuchan still hadn’t spoken, looking down, calculating.

Shanghai tailors made women’s shirts with very shallow necklines, making young ladies’ necks appear elegant and slender, like orioles ready to fly away at any moment.

He suddenly wanted to say that if she let him pinch her cheeks again, the three percent monthly interest could also be negotiated.

But this thought just flashed by. It would be fine if she refused, but if she agreed, once that door opened, Su Minguan would probably be wandering the streets homeless next month.

That slender neck suddenly turned. Lin Yuchan raised her head, looking at him intently: “Last time you said if I did business alone, Yixing would cover me so no ruffians would harass me—if I’m partnering with someone under Boya’s banner, does that still count?”

Su Minguan couldn’t help smiling. She truly yielded no ground, wanting to fill every loophole.

These were all minor details that he was too lazy to argue about, so he immediately said: “Of course it counts.”

Lin Yuchan caught the scent of concession in his tone and immediately added: “In the future, I can supply all tea for Yixing Shipping and the teahouse at half price. In exchange for two percent monthly interest.”

Su Minguan shook his head, keeping a straight face: “Half price isn’t enough. Need to add more.”

“Please go ahead.”

Su Minguan looked down at her. The young lady had a tense expression, chest out, bristling, in full combat readiness, looking ready to battle him for another three hundred rounds.

He smiled broadly and threw out his condition.

“I’m hungry. Keep me company for a meal.”

Half a month later, Boya Trading House’s Hongkou branch opened grandly.

Capital of one thousand taels of silver, with Lin Yuchan and Rong Hong contributing in a four-to-six ratio. Since Lin Yuchan also managed operations, she enjoyed fifty percent shareholder rights.

The location was still in the foreign settlement, three li from headquarters, across the Suzhou River, situated on a road convenient for dock access.

Of course, they couldn’t afford such a grand garden mansion. Major shareholder Rong Hong decided to rent a Chinese-style small courtyard, originally the residence of a wealthy Yangzhou family who had come to escape disaster. That wealthy family had lived there for two years before leaving to seek relatives in the capital. The small courtyard was well-maintained, with five rooms inside, and according to Rong Hong’s aesthetic, it still had a garden—an elegant Suzhou-style garden. Though miniature, it was full of refined atmosphere.

Lin Yuchan’s first reaction upon seeing this small courtyard was: “Oh ho, another internet-famous check-in spot.”

She was also very satisfied.

Although she was also a forty percent shareholder, Rong Hong still had to handle the house rental—he had an American passport, and foreigners renting houses and land in the settlement could enjoy extremely low preferential rents. This advantage shouldn’t be wasted. The rent was paid to the settlement government anyway, so why give the foreign powers more money?

The courtyard also came with a servant girl who had been watching the house for the original owner. She was “transferred” along with the lease, with provisions that the new owner would provide her food and lodging. Since the girl’s contract was still in the original owner’s hands, she couldn’t be sold, and if she became ill or died, medical expenses and compensation were required.

Lin Yuchan was initially very resistant to this arrangement, asking the intermediary coldly: “So this servant girl is a piece of property bundled with this courtyard—I only have usage rights, not disposal rights, and I have to be responsible for maintenance, compensating if anything goes wrong?”

She had originally spoken sarcastically, but unexpectedly the intermediary’s eyes lit up as he gave her repeated thumbs up: “Yes, yes, exactly like that. Your understanding is spot on.”

Lin Yuchan: “…”

The Qing Dynasty lacked revolution in all elements.

Having spent several months as a powerless servant girl in Guangzhou, she now found herself using servants and oppressing others in turn. Her conscience was deeply troubled, feeling she’d be hit by a carriage the moment she stepped outside tomorrow.

But the intermediary repeatedly emphasized that the servant girl had to come to the courtyard; otherwise, no rental. The servant girl herself—a woman in her forties—wept bitterly and was about to kneel, begging Lin Yuchan not to abandon her.

Lin Yuchan quickly said, “Auntie, please rise,” and tentatively asked, “What’s your worth? I’ll pay you monthly wages, and when you’ve saved enough, I’ll help you contact Beijing to redeem your contract, all right?”

But the servant auntie wiped her tears and said: “I was sold to the master’s family at eight years old and have even forgotten where my hometown is. Though I was married, my husband and son died early. Now I’m all alone—even if I were freed, where could I go? I’d probably have to sleep on the streets! Madam, please be kind and keep me. I don’t eat much and can do anything…”

She was about to kneel again as she spoke, frightening Lin Yuchan into quickly dropping the subject.

This belonged to “historical legacy issues” that really couldn’t be handled with a one-size-fits-all approach. Having survived in the Qing Dynasty for over a year, she had learned to adjust her bottom line.

Not all servants were like her, Lin Yuchan, who constantly schemed to burn their indenture contracts.

The servant girl had served people since childhood and was no longer adapted to normal social family life. Forcing her to leave would be like forcing women to unbind their feet—it would only bring her pain.

Fine, she’d just treat it like hiring a housekeeper, outsourcing household chores.

The servant’s surname was Zhou, so Lin Yuchan called her Aunt Zhou. Aunt Zhou’s work quality was average and she habitually dawdled, but her advantage was obedience—if told to wash clothes several times, she’d wash them several times, fully satisfying Lin Yuchan’s hygiene requirements that by Qing standards bordered on germaphobia.

However, given Aunt Zhou’s work speed, she could only wash clothes and bedding. Other personal tasks still required Lin Yuchan’s direct attention.

Apart from Aunt Zhou, the Hongkou branch temporarily had only Lin Yuchan as a lone commander. Lin Yuchan moved her bedding and luggage there, personally watching the shop daily.

But the stone gate house shared with the widow wasn’t immediately vacated. First, the rent there was cheap and she could now completely afford it; second, that room had become a storage area for samples and experimental products that couldn’t be cleared out immediately.

Rong Hong dispatched several clerks from headquarters to help her bustle about for three to five days, completing basic layout and decoration.

Fortunately, Rong Hong handled things promptly, nipping the “Chang Baoluo’s resignation” incident in the bud to prevent these clerks from having prejudices against Lin Yuchan. Everyone just thought Boss Rong had suddenly seen the light, finally catching the scent of money and planning to roll up his sleeves for a big effort, hence opening the branch. So when they came to help, they were all cheerful, chatting and laughing with Lin Yuchan.

“Little miss,” Old Liu, who ran errands, asked, “aren’t you afraid being here alone?”

Lin Yuchan thought Aunt Zhou was also a person, but smiled: “The locks are Western imports, the police station and neighbors have all been taken care of, and…”

She glanced at the hidden double copper coin symbol by the door.

Moreover, they had the personal protection of the Guangdong-Guangxi branch of the Heaven and Earth Society. This couldn’t be shared with outsiders.

“…and I’ll assess the situation and gradually hire some helpers. No men, though. Uncle Liu, if you know any women willing to do business with me, I’ll pay you an introduction fee.”

Old Liu smiled: “That’s difficult. Even women from progressive families aren’t all as bold as you—all right, I’ll keep an eye out for you.”

Though he said “bold,” it meant thick-skinned. Lin Yuchan shamelessly took this as a compliment and treated the clerks to a meal.

The Hongkou branch chose an auspicious day for opening. Following custom, they set off firecrackers, and a group of fellow merchants and Rong Hong’s friends all came to show support, officially opening for business.

Rong Hong energetically and joyfully entertained guests. Lin Yuchan, as the second shareholder, very low-key sat in the garden drinking tea and enjoying the breeze, occasionally arranging miscellaneous tasks, not going out to steal the spotlight.

The outstanding bird gets shot—women investing in opening trading houses was already unconventional enough without rushing to provide Shanghai people with more gossip.

Her primary goal was making money. This was the main contradiction to grasp.

Having no status or background, merchants valued profit and generally wouldn’t waste time on her.

But occasionally guests still came over, with curious looks greeting her: “Oh, Mrs. Su, so young, a heroine among women, haha… I am so-and-so, pleased to meet you.”

There was no helping it—opening a shop in the settlement required complete procedures. Just registration alone required several trips and using identity documents seven or eight times, making her definitely “Mrs. Su née Lin,” abbreviated as Mrs. Su.

…But this was also good. Widows doing business was still “uncommon” but had precedents—”Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio” and various novels and notes all contained beautiful stories of widows engaging in commerce and managing finances to support their sons’ success in imperial examinations. But if an unmarried young lady dared to show her face in business, enthusiastic uncles would immediately report her to officials for character education.

Lin Yuchan performed the complete act, so she could only curtsey respectfully to this “so-and-so,” thinking to herself: “…what did he just say his name was?”

She hadn’t remembered…

Unexpectedly, this Mr. So-and-So was extremely enthusiastic, hands tucked in his sleeves, asking about her native place and family background, then asking about her relationship with Rong Hong, then asking what her “late husband” did…

“So Mrs. Su is carrying on her late husband’s legacy, personally engaging in commerce. Truly one of Shanghai’s rare, bold, and remarkable women.” Mr. So-and-So enthusiastically circled her, looking her up and down, “Do you have any sons under your knee to carry on the family line?”

Lin Yuchan felt awkward for a moment and shook her head.

“Aiya, a woman of weak constitution without a family backbone must have suffered many grievances. Sigh, truly a beauty with ill fate. Pitiful, lamentable!”

Lin Yuchan felt that Mr. So-and-So was somewhat too talkative. The several muscles in his face couldn’t contain his abundant emotions, making his tone quite laughable, like an exaggerated drama queen. Though his appearance was fairly neat, he didn’t inspire favorable feelings.

However, on this joyful opening day, and with this person being Rong Hong’s friend, she couldn’t be too neglectful.

She smiled and asked: “Look how impolite I am—I haven’t asked what business you do, sir, and how you came to know Mr. Rong?”

Her “topic-changing technique” worked nine times out of ten, occasionally failing with Su Minguan.

But today, Mr. So-and-So wasn’t led astray by her, laughing as he gave perfunctory responses while still turning the topic back to her.

“Madam,” he suddenly lowered his voice, somewhat nervously stroking his oily braid, “my first wife died years ago, and I only have a few ugly concubines who all love to gossip and play mahjong. If Madam feels wronged and lonely after coming to Shanghai, you’re welcome to visit my humble abode to play a few rounds of cards and liven things up, lest you be cold and solitary alone…”

Lin Yuchan suddenly understood his intention, looking up in shock, not quite believing what she’d heard.

This person was also… too direct?

The Qing Dynasty was… one land nurturing a hundred kinds of people.

Su Minguan, that jinx—whatever he warned about came true. This branch had just opened, and someone was already coming over with improper advances. She didn’t believe he was attracted to her beauty and wisdom—more likely, he’d inquired about her investment share and was coming to grab money.

Seeing she didn’t respond, Mr. So-and-So thought she was being shy and moved even closer, sitting on the stone stool beside her, deliberately displaying the precious ivory fan in his sleeve, laughing softly: “No matter, no matter. Others might find widows inauspicious, but I’m open-minded and have no prejudice against this. Speaking inappropriately, Madam’s youthful appearance is no different from an unmarried young lady, truly heartbreaking…”

Lin Yuchan felt a chill of disgust, suddenly standing up and saying coldly: “Sir has misunderstood me. I’ve resolved to maintain chastity and have absolutely no other intentions. Please leave.”

She remembered the lesson and didn’t dare be perfunctory, directly using her ultimate move—coming out with perfect chastity and virtue, her tone very resolute.

Mr. So-and-So naturally wouldn’t believe it. Such a young and beautiful little widow—how could she not think of men nightly? Saying her heart was dead as ash? Probably just being polite.

He smiled in what he thought was a charming way, twisting his mustache and smugly saying: “But isn’t Madam currently speaking with me, a strange man?”

As he spoke, he reached out to grab her hand.

Lin Yuchan sidestepped to avoid him, glancing at the guests inside and outside the garden from the corner of her eye—they were all chatting in pairs, the nearest being several zhang away. Was this man’s brain broken?!

But Mr. So-and-So was precisely waiting for her to make a scene—if she caused a disturbance and let them see this little widow pulling and tugging with him, he would suffer no loss while the little widow’s reputation would be ruined. Besides reluctantly complying, what else could she do?

Seeing the little widow about to slip away, he smiled as he pursued another step, reaching out to grab again—

He didn’t catch her. A third party inserted himself diagonally, a tall guest striding between them, his expression not too friendly.

Mr. So-and-So jumped in fright, backing up two steps. Seeing it was a young man, he was very displeased, muttering: “Young people nowadays have no manners…”

Lin Yuchan had already run ten steps away, poking her head out to look, both surprised and delighted, returning a few steps with borrowed authority.

Su Minguan smiled without warmth, the corner of his mouth quirking up.

“Manager Xu of Jishun Trading.” He cupped his hands very perfunctorily, “So you’re here. I’ve been looking for you for quite a while.”

Lin Yuchan finally remembered: “Ah, right, surnamed Xu.”

This Manager Xu’s courtship behavior was ruthlessly interrupted. Both shocked and angry, he asked: “Who are you?”

He thought this person was too young to possibly be a guest—probably just a worker.

Su Minguan said coldly: “You don’t need to know who I am. Your creditor sent me to notify you—five percent interest, you have one month left.”

Manager Xu’s face changed color, his cheeks turning pale, his mustache drooping to his chin.

“I… I…” He slowly bowed, giving Su Minguan a formal bow with an ingratiating smile: “Why trouble you to make the trip? I know, I know…”

While speaking, he backed away, looking for an escape route, finally slowly retreating from the garden and slipping away!

Lin Yuchan was blooming with happiness inside, but had to maintain composure on the surface. Glancing at those guests admiring flowers and the courtyard, she curtsied graciously to Su Minguan: “Thank you, Boss Su, for honoring us with your presence at the ribbon cutting!”

Su Minguan ignored her flattery. Today he wore a gray coarse cloth long gown covered with a sky-blue satin jacket, black cloth boots on his feet—indeed the appearance of a “fellow merchant” joining the festivities.

“A one-jiao membership fee can’t be collected for nothing.” He lifted his jacket to sit down, his expression cool, saying: “Still smiling! What’s the hot tea on your table for? Being pestered by that kind of person is enough to make you suffer.”

Lin Yuchan looked embarrassed, stubbornly defending: “First time encountering this—still not very practiced.”

To achieve his level of “immediately decisive hot water splashing” judgment, she needed more practice.

However, reviewing that recent farce, she felt she couldn’t be entirely blamed for being slow.

“I don’t understand,” she humbly sought instruction, “he said he had several concubines at home, so he wouldn’t… wouldn’t be eyeing my few hundred taels of capital, would he?”

The other party’s dress and appearance also indeed seemed wealthy. Therefore she initially hadn’t thought in the direction of “this person wants to swindle my dowry,” thinking it was probably just his strange personality.

In this aspect, her eye for people needed improvement.

Su Minguan smiled contemptuously and told her, “Manager Xu of Jishun Trading lost three thousand taels of silver last year speculating on cotton, getting played by the British. You said he has several concubines? When I bought his sand transport boat at a low price last month, I heard he still had over ten.”

Lin Yuchan suddenly understood, and all her questions were resolved.

Indeed, men understood men best. As soon as Su Minguan mentioned “creditor,” this person immediately cowered into a ball and rolled away smoothly.

Su Minguan watched Manager Xu roll across the street with his eyes, summarizing in a low voice: “All his glamour is fake. Don’t just look at his fine outer robes—you need to carefully examine his inner clothes, sleeve cuffs, and sock covers to know his true wealth. This is just Ximen Qing, who specifically targets widows, and he won’t be the last one you encounter. You must be on guard.”

Lin Yuchan agreed with shared animosity: “Hmph, wanting to be Ximen Qing without looking in a mirror.”

Su Minguan: “…”

Lin Yuchan: “…”

In just two seconds, she was instantly scalded from head to toe!

The surrounding bird calls and water sounds seemed amplified a hundredfold, buzzing noisily in her ears. Two butterflies flew by lovingly, both turning back to look at her with mischievous smiles.

Su Minguan’s mouth corner twitched slightly as he turned around casually like an idle cloud and wild crane, admiring the garden scenery while hiding his expression.

Only after her “hmph” did Lin Yuchan realize—

Wait, which version of Ximen Qing was he referring to?

The Ximen Qing in the Four Great Classical Novels’ “Water Margin” was just a cannon fodder character with limited screen time;

But that Ximen Qing who got rich by marrying widows and swallowing dowries only existed in a certain derivative adult novel of “Water Margin,” the Jin X Mei…

The glorious and upright Heaven and Earth Society Guangdong-Guangxi branch leader had crashed spectacularly, making literary references to adult novels!

This wasn’t anything. Qing Dynasty people’s entertainment activities were barren—reading adult novels wasn’t a crime. Especially for certain rebellious youths who despised feudal moralism, even if he wrote one himself, Lin Yuchan wouldn’t be too surprised.

But why had she opened her mouth and “hmm” ed along?

As if she and Su Minguan were very like-minded, very much in agreement?

Even if she was intelligent, literate, and understood foreign languages, was this the kind of book a Qing Dynasty girl should read?

The logic here was layer upon layer. By the time Lin Yuchan realized he had accidentally crashed, she had also followed suit and crashed into the tail end, not even leaving him time to save himself as they collided in a chain reaction.

She was burning hot from brow to ear tips, wishing she could immediately ascend to heaven and disappear on the spot, while also having the impulse to find a brick to knock his head with to see if she could make him forget precisely…

Her mind raced lightning-fast through remedial methods: No, no, she’d never read that book, just heard people talk about it… The problem was that this adult novel wasn’t exactly well-known either—who could she have discussed such plots with? Either she should generously admit to being a fellow enthusiast—he wasn’t the morality police, and perhaps she could even recommend a few more books according to her taste… No, this would damage her moral integrity too much. What crime was it to lead Society brothers into corruption?… Or, well, pretend nothing happened and let time wash everything away—perhaps they could still interact normally in the future…

Her chest was burning like the Flaming Mountains, and she was still at a loss when Su Minguan suddenly turned around. His handsome features returned to their proper places as he smiled at her as if nothing had happened.

“A’Mei, have some tea.” He picked up the teapot, checked the temperature, slowly poured most of a cup, gently placing it and pushing it to her side, “You’ve been tired lately? Your voice is hoarse.”

Lin Yuchan was startled, understanding his implied meaning.

—”I didn’t hear anything.”

This way out was too perfect. She tumbled down the steps he provided, prostrating herself and wanting to take him as her master on the spot.

Of course, he might also genuinely not have heard. After all, she and Su Minguan had been chatting about private matters the whole time, not speaking loudly like when greeting fellow merchants.

What the truth was, given Su Minguan’s tight-lipped nature, she probably couldn’t find out in her next lifetime.

Sometimes ignorance is bliss.

She silently drained that cup of warm tea, glancing at his expression from the corner of her eye.

Not a trace of anything unusual. Except his brow seemed strangely flushed—but that could also be from anger at that Manager Xu.

To crash and still elegantly climb back up, brush off the dust, and continue being ethereally transcendent—that mental state wasn’t ordinary.

Lin Yuchan held a tea leaf fragment on her tongue, gazing at that indecipherable handsome face, suddenly feeling mischievous and wanting to test the limits of his composure.

She cleared her throat and smiled sincerely: “Didn’t hear? What I said just now was…”

Something hard pressed into her palm—a flat little wooden box. Red lacquer grain, small and exquisite, looking like a cosmetic box for young ladies to store rouge and jewelry.

“I just learned that according to Shanghai business customs, guests coming today should all receive some red envelope gifts—need not be valuable, but it’s a gesture.” Su Minguan’s eyes held a smile, his tone equally sincere, “I was rushed and didn’t have time to prepare. This is an opening, a good luck gift for you—congratulations on your prosperity.”

Lin Yuchan was slightly dazzled by his smile, making her heartbeat quicken. She thanked him softly and carefully used her fingertip to open the clasp on the box lid, cautiously opening a crack—

With a click, she closed the lid, her eyes sparkling brilliantly as she completely forgot about the adult novel.