Li Miaomiao looked at He Yue with a half-smile, wondering if the girl was missing a screw in her head.
Then He Yue added, “You’re not even as pretty as Xiaomei from my house.”
Well then—she really was lacking a screw.
Seeing that Li Miaomiao’s smile didn’t reach her eyes, Liu Youxing suddenly had the strange feeling that this woman was not simple at all.
He turned and flicked He Yue lightly on the head, scolding her like an older brother.
“He Yue, do you even know how to speak?”
He Yue covered her head, pouting, and shouted at Liu Youxing in grievance, “Why did you hit me? I didn’t say anything wrong. She just doesn’t look that good!”
Hearing this, Shopkeeper Wang was utterly speechless.
He still wanted to keep working with Li Miaomiao in business. He Yue’s words were nothing but trouble. He truly wished he could send the young miss of the He family away immediately.
With slight apology, he said to Li Miaomiao, “Miss Li, please don’t take it to heart. Miss He is actually a good person—she’s just straightforward.”
Li Miaomiao’s smile did not fade. She truly didn’t care about He Yue’s words.
Attacking someone’s appearance was the easiest way to damage their confidence. To put it shamelessly, confidence was what she lacked least. Besides, she was long past the age of feeling inferior over such remarks.
When you’re earning money, being criticized a little by clients isn’t a big deal.
“Shopkeeper Wang, you worry too much. Miss He comes from a prestigious family. She herself is as beautiful as a fairy, and even her household servants are all delicate and refined. It’s only natural she has never seen someone as coarse as me.”
If not for the faint smile on her lips, her words might have sounded sincere.
But the smile gave away the subtle sarcasm. Others might not catch it, but Liu Youxing did. She was mocking He Yue’s lack of upbringing.
Unfortunately, He Yue truly didn’t get it.
Hearing herself praised, she beamed. “Exactly! I’ve seen all kinds of people, but this is the first time I’ve seen someone as ugly as you.”
Li Miaomiao narrowed her eyes, smiling even more.
“Miss He… is absolutely right.”
Her clear voice deliberately stretched the last three words, sounding almost wholeheartedly agreeable.
Seeing He Yue about to continue, Shopkeeper Wang hurriedly intervened, afraid she would ruin his partnership with Li Miaomiao.
“Miss He, let’s go take a look at the goods.”
Interrupted, He Yue instantly forgot what she had been about to say and followed him to look at the merchandise.
Li Miaomiao let her smile fade and noticed Liu Youxing studying her. She put on a standard polite smile.
“Young Master Liu, weren’t you looking at the boxes earlier? Shall we go take a look together?”
She gestured courteously.
“Miss Li, after you.”
Liu Youxing had a fresh, pleasant appearance, somewhat matching his voice. The difference was that his speech often carried a hint of flirtatiousness.
He Yue, unlike the typical noble young lady, was lively to the point of being tactless. With the He family backing her, she feared offending no one.
Busy for half a month, Li Miaomiao had only made two wooden boxes this time.
One was designed around plum blossoms, the other around bamboo.
Liu Youxing chose the bamboo one and also wanted to buy the plum blossom box for his younger sister.
“Miss Li, name your price for both. I’ll take them.”
Li Miaomiao took the boxes from her basket and placed them on the counter, speaking calmly.
“You two may discuss the price with Shopkeeper Wang. Without the opportunity he gave me, I wouldn’t be able to sell my woodcraft here.”
Shopkeeper Wang quoted a price, and the two immediately began arguing over who would pay.
Taking advantage of the moment, he led Li Miaomiao to the back hall. As before, he paid her one tael of silver per box.
“Miss Li, here are two taels. Please keep them.”
She accepted the pouch, feeling the two silver ingots inside, and nodded slightly.
“Thank you, Shopkeeper Wang.”
“Miss Li, you’re too polite. In business, trust is most important. Since you trust me, I won’t betray that trust.”
Business pleasantries were just that—pleasantries.
“Shopkeeper Wang speaks wisely. I brought something new today. Would you see if it has market value?”
“Take it out and let me see.”
She fetched her basket from the front. Liu Youxing and He Yue were still arguing—she figured they wouldn’t stop for at least half an hour.
She carried the basket to the back courtyard and handed over a hanger.
“Shopkeeper Wang, please have a look.”
He examined the hooked object carefully but couldn’t figure out its use.
Shaking his head repeatedly, he handed it back.
“Miss Li, I truly can’t tell what this is for.”
Li Miaomiao took it and hooked it onto a tree branch in the yard, explaining calmly.
“This is a clothes hanger. You hang garments on it, then hang them inside the wardrobe. It saves space and eliminates the need to iron clothes every time you want to wear them.”
“It can also hang freshly washed clothes. In the past, people strung up ropes everywhere to dry laundry. When there were many clothes, ropes would be tied all over, and garments would hang everywhere.”
“Sometimes there isn’t even enough rope. This solves that problem well.”
Shopkeeper Wang took it again.
It looked novel, but the material was simple. Wealthy young masters and ladies likely wouldn’t care. Their courtyards were large, and they never washed their own clothes anyway.
Seeing him frown in silence, Li Miaomiao already understood.
After a while, he spoke with some difficulty.
“Miss Li, while your hanger is indeed useful, ordinary households could figure out how to make it after seeing it once.”
“And those young masters and ladies prefer novel curiosities. This doesn’t attract them.”
“Most importantly, they’ve lived in luxury since childhood. Their clothes are washed by servants. They wouldn’t need such a thing.”
She understood before he finished.
He wasn’t wrong.
She put the hanger back into her basket and smiled faintly.
“Shopkeeper Wang makes sense. I didn’t think it through this time.”
Seeing her calm demeanor, he felt her mentality was truly impressive.
“Miss Li, perhaps go back and think of something both marketable and appealing to those young masters and ladies.”
“You’re right. I’ll think it over.”
“Farewell, Shopkeeper Wang.”
She slung the basket onto her back, cupped her hands in farewell, and left through the rear gate.
At that moment, someone who had been standing behind the door also walked forward.
When He Yue saw Liu Youxing return from behind the curtain, she laughed loudly.
“You said you were going to relieve yourself. If someone didn’t know better, they’d think you fell into a latrine.”
Used to her ridicule, Liu Youxing merely smiled, his tone light and teasing.
“With that unfiltered mouth of yours, whoever marries you in the future will be terribly unlucky.”