Pei Qi, who was waiting outside to report matters to Pei Yan, heard the commotion inside and couldn’t help but shrink his shoulders.

Of course Pei Yan had times when he lost his temper, but Pei Yan had been raised since childhood by Old Master Pei as his prized son. Combined with his somewhat cold and detached nature, from the age of seven or eight he had already learned not to show joy or anger on his face. For him to be so furious as to not conceal it at all—Pei Qi thought carefully, and the last time seemed to be when Old Master Pei passed away.

He dared not enter, afraid of being caught in the crossfire, so he stood on the steps plucking at the leaves of the nearby crabapple tree.

Qing Yuan walked past with wide eyes.

Pei Qi quickly made a silencing gesture to her and pointed at the study.

Qing Yuan understood and tiptoed over.

Pei Yan’s anxious voice came from the study: “Where is Pei Qi? Why hasn’t he come back yet? What is he helping with?”

Pei Qi quickly dropped the leaves and responded, cautiously entering the hall.

Pei Yan seemed to have already controlled his emotions and said calmly, “How are things at the Yu family’s shop?”

A few days ago, Yu Yuan had come to the Pei residence and talked with Pei Man for a long time. After returning, he had written up a plan for Pei Yan. Pei Yan thought it was quite good and had sent Pei Qi over to see how things were progressing now.

Pei Qi quickly said, “Young Master Yu has re-signed contracts with the masters in the workshop. Judging by their expressions, they all seemed quite happy. Some even asked Young Master Yu if he could introduce their family relatives to come work there, and Young Master Yu agreed to all of them. He also said that after Miss Yu is married, he plans to make a trip to Suzhou and Ningbo to see if he can bring in some business from there.”

Pei Yan nodded and asked about Jiang Chao: “Is there any movement on that end?”

Pei Qi said, “His fleet returned successfully and caused quite a stir in Suzhou City. Ever since he returned to Suzhou from Ningbo, household after household has been hosting banquets for him. These past few days he’s been busy attending feasts everywhere. Even the Song family sent a steward to meet with him, saying that if Jiang Chao goes to sea again next time, their family also wants a share. Jiang Chao only said that if he goes to sea, he’ll definitely include the Song family. Other than that, there’s nothing else to report.”

If he didn’t go to sea, then there would be no share for the Song family either.

Pei Yan had dangled such a large bait—he didn’t believe Jiang Chao wouldn’t take it.

Moreover, there were Yu Wen and Old Master Wu to fan the flames.

Pei Yan smiled slightly and said, “Come, let’s go see Miss Yu.”

Not to see Old Master Yu?

Pei Qi was stunned but quickly composed his expression and hurriedly followed Pei Yan out the door.

Yu Tang was at home taking inventory of the shoes and socks to be given during the family recognition ceremony. Ma Xiuniang was beside her helping, while her daughter Zhang Hui had been carried off by Chen Shi to look at the goldfish that Yu Wen kept in his study.

Ma Xiuniang laughed and said, “The Pei family really has so many people. It’s lucky you have such a good memory—if it were me, I’d be completely confused by now.”

For this, she had to thank Old Madam Pei.

No, she should say thank Pei Yan.

If he hadn’t had her learn household management from Old Madam Pei in advance, how could she possibly remember all these various aunts and uncles in the Pei family?

She smiled and said, “It’s fortunate I can take this opportunity to get familiar with the Pei family members’ faces. That’s also a good thing.”

Ma Xiuniang just laughed and said, “Who helped make these shoes and socks? The stitching is really good.”

Yu Tang listened carefully and, hearing no movement outside, lowered her voice and laughed, “Third Master had someone send them. I heard they were ordered from an embroidery workshop in Jiangxi.”

Ma Xiuniang was greatly surprised, then also laughed quietly and winked at Yu Tang, saying, “Seems he’s quite attentive.”

Yu Tang sighed and said, “Sometimes he’s like a child—one moment wind, the next moment rain. When he’s in a good mood, he’s so thoughtful and considerate you don’t even know what to say. When he’s in a bad mood, forget about being thoughtful and considerate—even talking to him, he becomes impatient.”

Ma Xiuniang laughed heartily and said, “Looks like you two still have some adjusting to do.”

Yu Tang nodded with a smile and said, “I’m not counting on adjusting. With his temperament, he wouldn’t bow his head even when the old master was alive, let alone now.”

Ma Xiuniang looked at her teasingly and said, “But you don’t seem annoyed at all!”

“I really am not annoyed!” Yu Tang smiled sweetly, though there was something she was too embarrassed to say.

Pei Yan’s appearance was simply too outstanding—even when he lost his temper, she found him pleasing to the eye and couldn’t truly be angry with him.

Ma Xiuniang then said, “Why did he think to order shoes and socks from an embroidery workshop in Jiangxi? Embroidery work is best in our Su-Hang region. Is he afraid of people knowing?”

“No!” Yu Tang smiled and said, “It’s just that someone was going to Jiangxi, and having them return from Jiangxi was faster than ordering from Hangzhou.”

This was another matter not suitable to tell Ma Xiuniang.

The Pei family had bought another large plot of land in Jiangxi. When the steward went there to sign the contract, Pei Yan had tasked him with this.

Not many people in Lin’an knew yet that the Pei family had purchased an estate in Jiangxi. Yu Tang felt this matter should not come from her mouth.

The two chatted and laughed as they sorted all the shoes and socks according to the list. Just as they were about to go to the study to check on Zhang Hui, who had been carried off by Chen Shi, they looked up to see A’Tiao poking his head in to peer inside.

Yu Tang smiled and teased him, “What are you doing? Is there something you can’t say in front of Madam Zhang?”

A’Tiao smiled sheepishly, lifted the curtain, and walked in, saying, “Third Master has come—he’s at our back gate!”

This meant he had come secretly to see Yu Tang.

Ma Xiuniang covered her mouth and laughed, saying, “Now that really can’t be said in front of me.”

Yu Tang’s face turned bright red.

Ma Xiuniang then said, “Alright, you continue sorting the shoes and socks here. I need to go see if Hui’er is bothering your mother.”

This meant she would keep Yu Tang’s secret and even open the way for her convenience.

Yu Tang thanked her with a red face and went to the back courtyard.

Pei Yan had his eyes closed, leaning against the wall in their back courtyard.

Bright daylight shone on his face, making him so handsome one couldn’t bear to look away.

Yu Tang quietly admired the view for a while before smiling and walking over, saying softly, “What did you want to see me about?”

Pei Yan opened his eyes.

He had known when Yu Tang came out, but he just didn’t want to open his eyes. He was somewhat afraid of seeing Yu Tang’s face.

Or rather, afraid of seeing Yu Tang’s calm, unruffled eyes.

He couldn’t help but scrutinize Yu Tang carefully.

Her fair face, jet-black hair shining brilliantly, eyes bright as stars, looking straight at him—in her dark pupils, there was a brimming smile.

“What is it exactly?” Yu Tang asked, feeling a bit embarrassed under Pei Yan’s stare. A faint flush spread from her neck all the way to her face, her ears, and even into her gaze.

Pei Yan suddenly laughed.

How had he let Li Duan affect him?

So what if Yu Tang’s heart had once held the shadow of that second young master of the Wei family?

Now, the person she was looking at was him, and her eyes held only him.

Moreover, he was confident he could make Yu Tang never miss that person again in the days to come, never think of him again.

Pei Yan suddenly embraced Yu Tang.

This person was his.

Must be his.

Could only be his.

And he would make her willingly stay by his side.

A true man—if he didn’t even have this much confidence, what business did he have getting married?

Pei Yan’s emotions surged, and he couldn’t help but gently kiss the top of Yu Tang’s head.

Yu Tang’s mind exploded with a “boom,” leaving her unable to find her bearings.

She didn’t know if several breaths had passed or several quarters of an hour, but Yu Tang finally came back to her senses. However, the first thing she felt was Pei Yan’s embrace—carrying a faint sandalwood scent yet feeling warm and comforting.

It wrapped around her warmly, making her heart race in confusion while also giving rise to a secret joy.

This—was this Pei Yan’s embrace?

Yu Tang felt her face burning hot, yet her body was so stiff her bones ached.

She didn’t want to leave, yet she knew this violated propriety.

What should she do?

Yu Tang was still hesitating when, just as suddenly as he had embraced her, Pei Yan suddenly released her.

She looked bewildered, only to see Pei Yan with a stern face, speaking to her very seriously: “Rest assured, I will treat you well in the future. You just need to follow me and live a good life.”

Yu Tang’s almond eyes widened in round surprise.

She had no idea what had just happened.

Pei Yan had already strode away.

As he walked, he continued, “Don’t worry about the lacquerware shop either. I’ve assigned Pei Qi to watch over it there. If anything comes up, he’ll report to me immediately. I’ll personally supervise things for Big Brother.”

What was all this about?

Yu Tang couldn’t make heads or tails of it and chased after him a few steps.

But Pei Yan walked faster and faster, quickly leaving her family’s back alley.

Yu Tang stood in place, carefully recalling every move Pei Yan had made after seeing her, unable to suppress a soft laugh in the empty alley.

Had Pei Yan come to make a declaration to her?

And just now when she had chased after him, she had seen his ears were red. Was he embarrassed?

Next time she saw him, she must observe carefully.

If his ears turned red when he was shy, wouldn’t she be able to understand his emotions more accurately through these small details in the future?

Yu Tang slowly walked back, not at all affected in her joy as a bride-to-be by this sudden incident. On the contrary, she felt even sweeter because Pei Yan would occasionally come to see her privately.

However, when she returned home and saw the teasing in Ma Xiuniang’s and Chen Shi’s eyes, her face flushed as if it would drip blood.

Meanwhile, Pei Yan, having returned home, carefully reflected on everything he had done since meeting Yu Tang. Feeling he had not done anything wrong, he finally felt much more at ease and had time to ponder Li Duan’s intentions in saying those things.

He snorted coldly in his study.

Since he dared to provoke him, he’d better have the ability to bear the consequences of provoking him.

He called for Pei Qi and said, “I’ll personally oversee matters at the Yu family’s shop. As for you, first go to the Li family’s main branch and tell them that Li Duan has been everywhere trying to sell the old residence. I couldn’t stand to see it, so I bought their old residence and plan to return it to their family. Have them send someone over to transfer the deed. Then go to Hangzhou City and see Steward Tong Er. Have him help you squeeze Li Duan out of Hangzhou City, but don’t let him settle down easily anywhere else either.”

Best if he remained constantly displaced with no peace of mind to study.

In two years when the metropolitan examinations came, even if he participated, he would just be making up the numbers. That would be best.

Pei Qi was not as steady as Pei Wu and therefore particularly enjoyed doing this kind of “bullying” work.

He understood immediately, his eyes lighting up as he repeatedly agreed, then jogged out of the Pei residence to deliver the message to the Li family’s main branch.

Only then did Pei Yan feel his mood had improved.