The sky gradually brightened, morning light streaming through the straight lattice window into the Cloud Silk Atelier’s backyard, falling upon the small dining table.
On the table were simple dishes: plain congee, a few side dishes, some flatbreads, and a plate of honey-glazed carved pastries that A Man had specially bought—originally intended for a celebration, but now they seemed out of place.
The atmosphere around the table was so heavy it felt like you could wring water from it.
Shen Nianyi kept her head down as she sipped her congee, her
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“Pah! What ‘ink-stained betrothal’? Nonsense! It was clearly that scoundrel who wasn’t watching where he was going and bumped into our manager! And he even ruined our brocade! Why not call him a jinx reborn instead!”
Xiao Ya, who had been silently wiping the counter, looked up and gave Shen Nianyi a worried glance.
Shen Nianyi’s fingers gripping the abacus began to tremble, a suffocating lump of frustration stuck in her chest, unable to rise or fall.
Losing the top prize, having the brocade stained—that was already enough to make her fume. And now, she was even saddled with these inexplicable romantic rumors!
Just then, Da Chun was still there winking and whispering something to A Man.
Shen Nianyi suddenly raised her head, her almond-shaped eyes blazing like two flames, her voice rising sharply: “Enough!”
Her shout startled both Da Chun and A Man.
“Do you still have the heart to gossip about this here?”
Shen Nianyi slapped the abacus with a loud “crack.” “When so many people were ganging up on me yesterday, I shouted myself hoarse—where were you two? Huh? Da Chun, didn’t you say you could take on three men by yourself? A Man, isn’t your voice loud enough to scare off half the street? How come when it really mattered, neither of you were any help!”
Da Chun flushed red with embarrassment, his neck stiff as he defended himself: “Manager, there were too many people at the time, I… I was pushed to the outskirts of the crowd…”
A Man also hurriedly said: “I heard you! But before I could push my way through, you… you had already bumped into Young Master Pei’s arms…”
“And you dare bring that up! Now, the whole of Chang’an is gossiping about me and that man! Tell me, weren’t those people who kept bumping into us one after another arranged by Madam Chen? Weren’t they?!”
She grew more agitated as she spoke, pacing quickly around the counter: “It was Madam Chen who set us up! Now look, what about our shop’s reputation? Do we even want to keep our face anymore?!”
By the end, her voice carried a hint of grievance: “That brocade was something we worked countless days and nights to weave! And now, it’s stained with ink and being passed around as some love token! My heart… my heart…”
She clutched her chest: “Oh dear! My heart aches! I’m so angry my liver is trembling!”
The commotion drew the attention of the few customers in the shop.
A regular customer, an elderly woman, stifled a laugh and pretended to console her: “Oh, Manager Shen, don’t be so angry. It’s not worth ruining your health over this!”
Another lady covered her mouth with a round fan, giving her companion a meaningful look and deliberately raising her voice: “If you ask me, these assistants of yours are really something! They usually seem quite clever, so how come when it really mattered, none of them were any help?”
Her companion immediately caught on and chimed in: “Exactly! If someone had protected you a bit yesterday, how could things have escalated to…” She deliberately trailed off, leaving endless room for imagination.
Da Chun and A Man were so embarrassed by the customers’ remarks that their faces turned crimson, their heads nearly buried in their chests, wishing they could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.
Xiao Ya quickly poured a cup of water and handed it over.
Shen Nianyi took the cup, drank a large gulp, and then slammed it heavily onto the counter with a “bang,” splashing water everywhere.
“From today on, no one is allowed to mention that Pei Yanshu again! Understood? Anyone who mentions him will have their wages docked!”
Da Chun and A Man immediately fell silent, shrinking their necks and hurrying off to work, not daring to provoke her further.
However, the rumors and gossip would not stop just because of the low atmosphere in the shop.
Not long after, Auntie Liu arrived with a few old neighbors she was familiar with from the West Market, carrying some fruits and melons in their hands. They claimed it was “to see Nianyi.”
Da Chun and A Man, who were wiping the counter, exchanged a glance.
Da Chun mouthed silently, “They’re here.”
A Man’s lips twitched, and she quickly turned her back, her shoulders trembling slightly.
The shopkeeper had just forbidden them from bringing it up, and now here were people coming to mention it themselves!
“Nianyi, we all heard about what happened yesterday,” Auntie Liu took Shen Nianyi’s hand, her tone full of comfort, but her eyes sparkling with gossip. “Don’t take it too much to heart. The Silk Competition isn’t the last one; if it doesn’t work out this time, you can try again in three years! Alright?”
Another aunt chimed in, “Exactly! If you ask me, that Brocade Workshop didn’t win honorably! But then later… that Pei Liulang, the one from the Household Administration, his looks are truly top-notch!”
Madam Wang also leaned in, with a hint of regret. “His looks are beyond reproach, and his family background was originally top-notch too—a scion of the Hedong Pei clan! It’s just a shame…”
Auntie Liu immediately picked up, “He’s a concubine-born son. I heard he’s not very favored in the household. Otherwise, with the Pei family’s status, he should have had a substantial official post by now. He wouldn’t be like this, holding a sinecure in the Household Administration, idle and aimless all day.”
Aunt Li also joined the gossip. “That’s right! And there’s quite a bit of talk about him. They say he’s neither accomplished in literature nor martial arts, just loves listening to songs in Pingkang Ward and wandering around the West Market. Not long ago, I heard he ruined a good marriage arrangement his family had made for him, which infuriated Old Master Pei!”
Auntie Liu shifted her tone, softening a bit. “But having said that, although this young man acts a bit recklessly, I haven’t heard of him bullying men or women or doing anything truly wicked. It’s just that he… he’s a bit too flighty! No sense of propriety, always acting on whims.”
A Man, who was organizing the fabrics, couldn’t hold back and let out a “pfft” before quickly covering her mouth, pretending to be choked by dust and coughing violently.
Da Chun was also flushed red from holding back.
These neighbors’ ability to gather information was far better than theirs as shop assistants!
Shen Nianyi wore a stiff smile on her face. Listening to these rumors about Pei Yanshu, she found that figure even more detestable.
So he wasn’t just a scoundrel, but also a good-for-nothing playboy from a wealthy family! A concubine-born son of the Pei family? No wonder he was so unreliable!
Shen Nianyi took a deep breath, trying hard to maintain her politeness. “Auntie Liu, Madam Wang, Aunt Li. These… these matters have nothing to do with me. What’s most important for Cloud Silk Atelier right now is to regroup and start anew. As for the rest…”
Auntie Liu patted her hand. “Oh, Nianyi, you’re just too stubborn! We’re just concerned about you! A young lady like you, having that kind of scene with him in public… your reputation…”
That kind? What kind?!
How did it end up being my reputation that’s the problem?
I’m the victim here!
Aunt Li lowered her voice. “If you ask me, although that Pei Liulang is unreliable, he’s still an official. What he said publicly yesterday was absurd, but what if he actually meant it…”
Shen Nianyi abruptly pulled her hand back, her voice rising involuntarily. “I, Shen Nianyi, act with integrity and have nothing to fear from gossip. And there is no ‘what if’—absolutely impossible!”
Her reaction was far too intense, startling the several ladies present.
Shen Nianyi realized she had lost her composure and quickly forced a smile to make amends: “What I meant was… thank you all for your concern. But right now, I just want to focus on running the shop well. As for other matters… they really aren’t important.”
As she spoke, she subtly shifted the topic: “By the way, Auntie Liu, didn’t you mention last time that you were looking for some Soft Smoke Silk suitable for summer clothes? We’ve just received a few new bolts, and the colors would suit you perfectly.”
The ladies exchanged glances, all tactfully taking the offered way out:
“Alright, alright, let’s look at the fabric first, look at the fabric first,” Auntie Liu hurriedly agreed.
“Exactly, exactly, business comes first,” Madam Wang also nodded.
Aunt Li even exaggeratedly leaned closer to the cloth: “Oh my, these colors are so vibrant!”
Finally managing to coax the gossipy neighbors into looking at the fabric, Shen Nianyi breathed a sigh of relief. Turning around, she saw Da Chun and A Man still there, exchanging meaningful looks and winking at each other.
Shen Nianyi narrowed her eyes, “Are you both that idle? Tonight, you’re doing inventory!”
“Manager, have mercy!” Da Chun and A Man wailed in unison.
After saying all this, Shen Nianyi felt a throbbing pain at her temples, a surge of restless anger churning between her liver and spleen with nowhere to vent. She grabbed her teacup and took a large gulp.
Just then, a voice tinged with laughter sounded at the shop entrance, light and casual as if from an old friend dropping by: “It seems I’ve arrived at just the right time. Manager Shen is… enforcing shop rules?”
Shen Nianyi looked up and nearly crushed the teacup in her hand.
Who else could it be but that Pei Yanshu, the one who had made her the laughingstock of Chang’an!