Pei Ruyan closed and locked the wooden cabinet before instructing Chen Shu:
“Prepare all the items for the bride’s homecoming visit the day after tomorrow. You and Yufei handle it.”
Chen Shu acknowledged but remained standing.
Pei Ruyan glanced at him. “Still here?”
Chen Shu hesitated. “Heir, the Minister only granted you three days of leave, which ends tomorrow. Since you won’t be available to accompany the young mistress for her homecoming visit the day after tomorrow, might she become upset?”
Pei Ruyan replied, “Just make the preparations first.”
If a bride returned to her maiden home alone, the ensuing gossip alone could drown a person.
Even if there were some tensions between husband and wife, Pei Ruyan couldn’t let her go back by herself.
Chen Shu hadn’t yet grasped his master’s intentions. Seeing his indifferent demeanor, he assumed it was unlikely the Heir would accompany the young mistress.
After Chen Shu left, Pei Ruyan didn’t return to his desk to read or attend to official matters. Instead, he walked behind the screen.
The red porcelain wine pot still sat on the small table. Pei Ruyan picked it up by the handle, hesitated repeatedly, then set it down again.
He abstained from alcohol, thus wasting the fine wine inside.
It was wedding wine.
Having spent the entire previous night outside in the wind gazing at the moon, he finally felt somewhat drowsy now.
Pei Ruyan’s gaze swept over the hard couch, noticing the wrinkled bedding that bore traces of someone having slept there the night before.
His eyelids lowered slightly, concealing the strange emotion flickering in his eyes as he silently lay down.
The bedding seemed to still carry the faint scent of gardenias. Closing his eyes, his heart finally settled into peace at this moment.
In stark contrast to the chill of Qingyun Courtyard, Fuhua Garden was bustling with activity.
Inside the bedchamber, soft moans and gasps continued incessantly.
The maids waiting outside the door were too embarrassed to approach, all standing at a distance while whispering among themselves:
“The second young master and his wife are truly affectionate. It hasn’t even been twelve hours, and how many times is this now?”
“The second young master is just indulging in novelty. Wasn’t it the same when his concubines were favored?”
“Such shameless behavior in broad daylight! I thought a lady from a respectable family would be different!”
“I heard this morning that Qingyun Courtyard didn’t even call for bath water. Some suffer drought while others drown in flood.”
The older maids and matrons participated in the gossip, while the younger ones listened shyly, too embarrassed to join in.
Suddenly, the passionate sounds from the main room ceased. A maid who had been gossiping earlier entered with a gloomy expression, carrying water.
Inside the room.
Shen Miaoyi had put on her undergarments, barely covering some of the marks, though nothing could conceal her radiant, satisfied glow.
This allure only captivated Pei Che more.
He had thought she was a pure, gentle soul who understood him, never expecting she could also set aside her dignity to bring him pleasure.
But as the pleasure faded, Pei Che’s rationality gradually returned.
He quickly dressed properly and sat on the edge of the bed. “Miaomiao, remember to keep the people in our courtyard in check. Don’t let idle gossip reach Father and Mother’s ears.”
Indulging in carnal pleasures in broad daylight was, after all, improper.
“Erlang, I understand,” Shen Miaoyi said, not wearing her outer robe as she knelt behind him, her jade-like arms softly encircling his shoulders from behind. “There’s something I’d like to discuss with you.”
“Go ahead,” Pei Che’s voice still carried a husky tone as he turned his head, a hint of indulgence in his expression.
Shen Miaoyi felt delighted and pressed closer, her fingers stroking him through his clothing.
In a coquettish voice, she said, “I was thinking… of starting a business.”
At first, Pei Che didn’t grasp her meaning and didn’t take it seriously. “I do have some assets under my name that generate monthly rent. Although you can’t manage the household affairs, I can entrust my money to you.”
“Really?” Shen Miaoyi was overjoyed. “Erlang, I want to open a restaurant in the eastern part of the city first!”
Her eyes burned with fighting spirit, as if she could already see the dawn of victory.
She vaguely remembered that in her previous life, Shen Sangning had started with a restaurant too.
Lost in her fantasy, she suddenly sensed the person before her tone turning serious—
“You want to run a business yourself? Not have subordinates manage it?”
Shen Miaoyi was taken aback. “The subordinates will carry it out, but I need to oversee it.”
Pei Che frowned. “No. Even though I’m a son of a concubine, the Duke’s estate doesn’t shortchange us. You mustn’t show yourself in public and bring shame to the Duke’s estate.”
When he wore a stern expression, he naturally exuded a fierce aura, and Shen Miaoyi felt inexplicably intimidated.
She took a guilty step back. “Then what if I don’t show myself? I promise I won’t appear at the restaurant.”
“How can you run a business without showing your face?” Although Pei Che was a playboy, he wasn’t completely ignorant. “Even the richest man has to inspect his enterprises and make improvements.”
Shen Miaoyi pursed her lips, her earlier joy long gone. “So you don’t agree with me showing my face?”
“Hmm.” Pei Che’s refusal was firm.
Seeing the man who had just been tender and devoted suddenly change his expression, Shen Miaoyi felt extremely wronged. “Then if Shen Sang— if my elder sister were to run a business, would it be allowed?”
Pei Che’s frown deepened. “Eldest sister-in-law’s affairs are for eldest brother to manage. What does that have to do with me?”
“You…” Shen Miaoyi was left speechless.
Seeing her on the verge of tears, Pei Che’s heart softened after all, and his tone eased somewhat.
“There’s no need for you to do such things at home. If there’s anything you like or want, I’ll buy it for you directly. Why go through all the trouble?”
With that, he stood up. Just before leaving, he seemed to remember something, turned back, and returned.
Shen Miaoyi thought he had changed his mind, her eyes lighting up with hope and anticipation.
Unexpectedly, he paused and instructed—
“Miaomiao, you misspoke this morning. If it reaches Mother and Eldest Brother’s ears, even I will find it hard to protect you.”
“The texts Eldest Sister-in-law asked you to copy, make sure you submit them on time.”
Having said that, Pei Che left.
He didn’t see the resentment on Shen Miaoyi’s face.
Shen Miaoyi couldn’t understand why Shen Sangning could do things that she couldn’t?
Since she had been given a chance at rebirth, she absolutely couldn’t sit back and wait for death.
Running a business wasn’t that difficult anyway.
Pei Che forbade it because he hadn’t yet seen the enormous profits to come. Once she built up her enterprises, she refused to believe he would still stand in her way.
“Suyun,” Shen Miaoyi made up her mind and called her maid to ask, “How much cash do I have in my dowry?”
“Five thousand taels in cash,” Suyun replied truthfully.
“Only five thousand taels?” Shen Miaoyi was suspicious. “Does Shen Sangning only have this much too?”
Suyun nodded. “When the Bo Mansion marries off a daughter, they should treat them equally. Besides, the Master has always doted on you more.”
That made sense, so Shen Miaoyi didn’t press further.
But five thousand taels sounded like a lot; in reality, it wasn’t enough to start a big business.
Shen Miaoyi usually spent money extravagantly and never saved, so now she was actually troubled by finances.
Seeing this, Suyun offered a suggestion. “If you feel it’s not enough, you can return to the Bo Mansion and ask the Master for more. He would never shortchange you.”
Though it was said this way, because Shen Miaoyi’s mother had borne the Bo Mansion a legitimate son, Cheng An Bo had always treated her, his stepdaughter, better than his own biological daughter.
He had even planned to arrange a marriage swap.
But after Shen Miaoyi was reborn, she refused the marriage swap, which displeased Cheng An Bo.
Thinking of this, she frowned. “Father is still angry. I’m afraid it’s impossible to ask for money from him for now.”
“Sell the poorly located shops under my name and exchange them for cash,” Shen Miaoyi resolved to open a grand restaurant in the eastern part of the city.
“Young Madam,” Suyun was horrified, “those are your dowry! If the Second Young Master finds out you’re selling your dowry, I’m afraid…”
Who sells their dowry right after getting married?
If word gets out, people might think the Duke’s mansion is going bankrupt!