After Pei Yanshu announced his investment in Cloud Silk Atelier, he stirred up all sorts of aftermath, yet he himself vanished without a trace.
On the first day, Shen Nianyi remained on high alert, prepared for that scoundrel to swagger in at any moment and start bossing everyone around.
Da Chun had found a sturdy door bar from somewhere and leaned it against the back of the door, muttering under his breath, “If that brat dares to come here and cause trouble, I’ll show him what a ‘stunning blow’ really means!”
Xiao Ya brought over a basin of clean water and placed it nearby, making a “splashing” gesture.
“Splash him with water?” A Man widened her eyes. “Xiao Ya, you’re being too polite! If it were up to me, I’d splash him with last night’s sour dishwater!”
Shen Nianyi had a headache from all their noise and rubbed her temples. “With you all like this, anyone would think we’re terrified of him.”
Even as she said this, she herself placed a large pair of fabric shears under the counter, within easy reach.
However, the day passed, and all was calm.
On the second day, the shop still only saw familiar neighbors and the occasional casual customer.
On the third day, gossip about the “ink-determined lifelong bond” still floated over the West Market, but the absence of one of the main characters made the rumors lack some spice, and the fervor died down a little.
“Boss, I think that Young Master Pei just has a loose tongue, spouting nonsense to scare us!” Da Chun said optimistically as he wiped down the counter. “A noble like him, would he really take a fancy to our little shop? Maybe he got bored and forgot all about it himself.”
A Man, however, wasn’t so reassured. She pursed her lips and vigorously dusted a bolt of satin in her hands. “I’m not so sure. That guy’s face is as thick as a city wall, and his mind is full of tricks. Who knows what evil scheme he’s brewing. Boss, we mustn’t let our guard down!”
“Alright, A Man,” Shen Nianyi suddenly interrupted.
She stopped fiddling with the abacus, letting out a long sigh. “With all of you chattering away, my head is pounding. Nothing has gone right these past few days.”
She made a woeful face as she complained to her assistants. “I feel like I’ve been really unlucky lately, nothing goes smoothly. We need to pick a day to go to the temple together to make offerings and ward off this bad luck!”
Da Chun scratched his head, offering a simple-minded suggestion. “Boss, how about we hang a mirror at the entrance? My mother says it can ward off evil.”
A Man chimed in with her own idea. “We should bury a kitchen knife under the threshold, so anyone with ill intentions will trip as soon as they enter!”
Xiao Ya, standing to the side, made the gesture of scattering salt again.
Shen Nianyi looked at their earnest expressions, the corners of her mouth just beginning to lift into a slight smile—
“Alright, alright, my dear boss, rest your mouth and your mind for a bit.”
A cup of warm red date and goji berry tea was already placed in her hand.
A Man gently closed the headache-inducing account book in front of her. “These words aren’t going to grow legs and run away. You can look at them slowly later.”
Xiao Ya extended his hand, his palm holding a small, clean handkerchief.
The handkerchief was carefully unfolded, revealing a few glossy, sugar-frosted amber walnuts inside.
He pushed the handkerchet a little closer to Shen Nianyi, his dark, bright eyes fixed on her.
Shen Nianyi looked at the warm cup of tea, then at this handful of privately hoarded snacks before her, and finally at the three faces full of concern. The last bit of crease in her heart seemed to be gently smoothed away by a warm hand.
She picked up a walnut and put it in her mouth. The crisp, sweet flavor melted on her tongue.
“You all… one brings tea, another stuffs me with snacks, and there’s even one plotting to help me switch careers and open an exorcism shop. If I don’t perk up a bit, I’d be letting down all this fuss you’re making.”
Her tone lightened somewhat: “But seriously, once we get through this busy period, we absolutely must go to Cien Temple and properly pay our respects. If our luck stays this bad any longer, I’ll have to write a letter asking if Buddha has forgotten about me.”
When one is unsettled, mistakes are bound to happen.
In the afternoon, a regular customer came to pick up a batch of lake silk previously ordered, intended for her daughter’s wedding dress.
When A Man went to the backyard storeroom to retrieve the goods, she discovered that the edges of two bolts of silk had been nibbled with small holes by mice! Though not obvious, they were absolutely unsuitable for a wedding dress.
“How could this happen!” A Man held the two bolts of silk, her eyes reddening with anxiety. “I clearly checked them before storing…”
Shen Nianyi’s heart sank at the sight of the flaw.
This batch of lake silk was extremely valuable, and with the customer urgently needing it, there was no time to arrange a replacement.
Suppressing her frustration, she personally apologized to the customer, not only refunding the full payment but also including a bolt of fine Suzhou embroidery as compensation. Only after much appeasing did she barely ease the customer’s displeasure.
After seeing the customer off, the atmosphere in the shop grew even more somber.
Shen Nianyi gazed at the two damaged silk bolts, murmuring to herself, “How strange, the storeroom has always been clean. Where did these mice come from… Looks like we really need to get a cat.”
Misfortune never comes alone.
Just before closing in the evening, their supplier of high-quality madder root suddenly arrived, looking troubled as he explained that from now on, the supply to Cloud Silk Atelier would be halved, and the price would increase by ten percent.
Shen Nianyi’s expression changed immediately upon hearing this: “Manager Liu, this won’t do! Madder root is the main ingredient for dyeing red. If you cut our supply, Cloud Silk Atelier’s entire red fabric line will be ruined!”
“Manager Shen, I truly apologize,” Manager Liu rubbed his hands, avoiding eye contact. “It’s just… the East Market is urgently demanding goods and offering higher prices. I’m just running a small business…”
Shen Nianyi understood at once—who else in the East Market besides Brocade Splendor Atelier?
Chen Wanqing was trying to strangle her by cutting off raw materials!
Fury surged within her, yet she maintained a gentle smile on her face: “Manager Liu, Nianyi understands your difficulties. How about this—whatever price they offer, Cloud Silk Atelier will match it. Additionally… for every ten catties of madder root you deliver to us from now on, I’ll privately add thirty wen for transportation, as thanks for your years of support to Cloud Silk Atelier.”
Manager Liu’s eyes lit up. “This… this is too kind…”
“It’s only right.” Shen Nianyi’s smile remained unchanged as she personally escorted him to the door. “So it’s settled then? The day after tomorrow’s madder root delivery will still be the original quantity?”
“Absolutely, absolutely!” Manager Liu nodded repeatedly, pocketing the newly negotiated terms and leaving quite satisfied.
Once Manager Liu was gone, Shen Nianyi’s smile vanished instantly.
A Man angrily snatched the cloth from Da Chun’s hands and threw it onto the counter: “This is too much! Chen Wanqing is trying to drive us to the wall!”
Da Chun fumbled to catch the falling abacus, his face full of worry: “Now what? Are we still selling our Rouge Crimson fabric? My mother said she’d make me a red jacket this year for matchmaking…”
“All you think about is that red jacket!” A Man glared at him fiercely. “The manager is about to worry herself sick, and you’re still thinking about matchmaking!”
Shen Nianyi ignored the two’s bickering, wearily rubbing her temples.
She was just about to speak when she saw Xiao Ya silently raise the accounting paper, on which a crooked cat’s head was drawn in charcoal, with the words “Hire a cat first” written below.
“Hire what cat!” A Man snatched the paper away, “Is now the time to hire a cat? I’m going to find Manager Liu and argue with him! How can he just change his mind like that!”
“Come back!” Shen Nianyi quickly grabbed her, “Do you think there isn’t enough chaos already?”
Looking at these three treasures before her—impulsive A Man, simple and honest Da Chun, and Xiao Ya who longed to keep a cat—she suddenly felt her headache worsen.
But strangely, watching them quarrel and make noise, the gloom in her heart actually dissipated a little.
“Alright, alright,” she waved her hand weakly, “We’re closing early today. Da Chun, go buy four bowls of botuo noodles, my treat.”
“Really?” Da Chun’s eyes lit up, “Then I want two extra eggs!”
A Man was still angry: “I’m not eating! I’m already full from anger!”
Xiao Ya had already obediently started putting up the door planks. Hearing about the botuo noodles, she silently held up one finger—meaning she wanted an extra serving of minced meat.
Looking at these treasures, Shen Nianyi finally smiled: “Eat! All of you eat more! You need to be full to have the strength to fight Chen Wanqing!”
Although these helpers… sometimes cause more trouble than they solve.
Hmm, tomorrow… tomorrow that debt collector probably won’t really come, right?
This thought flashed through her mind, and she quickly shook her head, deciding not to think about these troublesome matters for now.
In the blink of an eye, it was noon on the third day.
In the small dining room of Cloud Silk Atelier’s backyard, the simple aroma of food wafted through the air.
Yesterday’s meal of botuo noodles seemed to have truly dispelled some of the gloom, and even this morning’s business had gone a bit more smoothly.
Da Chun held a large bowl, slurping his porridge noisily. A Man broke apart a flatbread while gesturing to Xiao Ya about the new hairpin styles she had seen on the street yesterday.
Shen Nianyi watched them chatting and laughing, a smile unconsciously forming at the corner of her mouth. She had just picked up her chopsticks to take some food when—
“This shop is empty, and everyone’s here?”
A lazy voice came from the front shop, carrying a hint of mockery.
Everyone froze simultaneously. Da Chun’s porridge bowl stopped at his lips, A Man’s flatbread fell back into the basin with a “thud,” and Xiao Ya abruptly looked up.
Shen Nianyi’s heart skipped a beat—that voice…
Everyone turned to look and saw Pei Yanshu leaning against the moon gate leading to the backyard, having arrived at some unknown time.
Today, he had changed into a blue casual robe, and the leisurely smile on his face made Shen Nianyi’s teeth itch with irritation.
Shen Nianyi’s anger flared, and she was just about to speak when A Man had already put down her chopsticks with a “snap” and stood up: “Young Master Pei, we’re eating right now. If you want to buy fabric, please wait in the front.”
Da Chun quickly shoveled the last mouthful of porridge into his mouth and mumbled, “Yes, yes, the front… there’s no one in the front, I’ll go right now!” As he spoke, he made to stand up but was stopped by a look from Shen Nianyi.
Shen Nianyi slowly put down her chopsticks, her gaze coldly sweeping toward Pei Yanshu: “If Young Master Pei is here for those three thousand taels, I’ll tell you clearly now—Cloud Silk Atelier is not for sale. If it’s for something else… our small shop has nothing worth Young Master Pei’s attention.”
Pei Yanshu, confronted so bluntly, was not angered but instead smiled.
He leisurely strolled in, his gaze sweeping over the group before finally settling on Shen Nianyi’s face.
“Manager Shen, you’re being too formal with me.” He took an oil-paper package from his sleeve and slowly untied the string.
“Since I’m now a shareholder of our Cloud Silk Atelier, I should show some goodwill. Today I specially went to the most famous Zhao’s in the West Market and bought their freshly baked lamb Bilo to improve our shop assistants’ meals.”
As the oil-paper package opened, the golden, crispy Bilo released an enticing roasted aroma. The fragrance of lamb filling mixed with pepper instantly filled the air, overshadowing the simple porridge and side dishes.
A Man stared at the glistening Bilo, his throat unconsciously moving, though his mouth remained stubborn: “Who’s ‘our’ with you? I don’t remember our shop having someone like you!”
Da Chun could no longer bother with words, his eyes fixed on the Bilo, his swallowing sounds loud enough to be heard throughout the courtyard.
Though Xiao Ya maintained a proper sitting posture, her gaze was firmly locked on the oil-paper package.
Shen Nianyi looked at these three disappointing assistants, gritting her teeth in frustration.
“Young Master Pei certainly knows how to win people over. But our Cloud Silk Atelier’s assistants aren’t so easily swayed by a bit of food…”
“Manager!”
Da Chun suddenly stood up, looking serious: “I think Young Master Pei is right! If our shop wants to grow and strengthen, first we need to make sure our assistants eat well! This Bilo… this Bilo smells very promising!”
Xiao Ya quietly tugged at Shen Nianyi’s sleeve, looking at her pleadingly, then at the Bilo, her meaning unmistakable.
Pei Yanshu watched this scene, the smile in his eyes deepening.
“Since everyone seems unwilling to accept…” He pretended to rewrap the oil-paper package.
“Wait!”
A Man blushed, his neck stiff as he said: “Since… since it’s already been bought, we shouldn’t waste food…”
Shen Nianyi quickly stopped them, “No one is allowed to eat! I just treated you to noodles yesterday, and today you’re being bought over by a package of Bilo? You traitors!”
Da Chun had already grabbed a Bilo and stuffed his mouth full, mumbling indistinctly: “Mmm… Manager… this is different… Zhao’s Bilo… we only get to eat it a few times a year…”
A Man bit into a Bilo while arguing righteously: “Manager, I’m just tasting it for you to see if it’s poisoned!”
Xiao Ya was the most well-behaved, first placing a Bilo in Shen Nianyi’s bowl before picking up her own, taking small bites, her eyes narrowing happily.
Pei Yanshu watched this lively scene, smiling even more triumphantly: “We’re all one family. As the general manager, isn’t it only right that I treat our assistants to something good?”
Shen Nianyi nearly jumped up, “Who said you’re the general manager! Who’s one family with you!”
Shen Nianyi’s face flushed red with anger, but Pei Yanshu leisurely took a step forward, that teasing smile returning to his face. He raised a finger and wagged it:
“Manager Shen, even if you curse me a thousand times in your heart, there’s one fact you must acknowledge—” He deliberately drew out his words, “That three thousand taels of debt won’t just fly away because you glare at me twice. We’re in business—we should be reasonable, shouldn’t we?”