【Chapter Six: Nianyi, My Heart Aches for You】
Da Chun slapped his thigh in sudden realization. “That’s right, Manager! Young Master Pei makes a good point! Paying back debts is only right and proper!”
Shen Nianyi poked his forehead angrily. “Since you’re so on his side, should I just sell you to him?”
A Man, chewing on Bilo Silk, mumbled a vague attempt at mediation. “Manager, look, if he really meant harm, he’d have plenty of ways to do it. Why come here… uh… to butter you up?”
Xiao Ya, standing to the side, waved her hands anxiously, pointing at Shen Nianyi, then at Pei Yanshu, and finally making a “shake hands and make peace” gesture.
Though the three shop assistants still sided with Shen Nianyi, their attitude had clearly shifted to: “Manager, maybe we should just put up with it? It doesn’t seem like we’re actually losing anything, and we get free food…”—a simple, unambitious plea for reconciliation.
Pei Yanshu raised an eyebrow triumphantly, pressing his advantage. “See? I told you we’re all one family. From now on, follow me, Pei… uh, follow our Manager Shen, and me, the minor shareholder—I guarantee you’ll eat well and live comfortably!”
“Who’s ‘our’ with you?!” Shen Nianyi grabbed an empty bowl nearby, ready to hurl it at him.
A Man quickly stopped her. “Manager! Calm down! That bowl was bought new last year—smashing it would be a loss!”
Da Chun, shielding the remaining Bilo Silk, chimed in, “Yeah, Manager, maybe… you should try this Bilo Silk first? It’s really, really fragrant!”
Xiao Ya pushed the Bilo Silk closer to Shen Nianyi.
Shen Nianyi, worn down by their antics, looked at Pei Yanshu’s leisurely demeanor and then at her three “traitorous” assistants, who had switched sides for a bite to eat. She pressed a hand to her forehead and let out a long, helpless sigh.
This life was truly unbearable!
“Young Master Pei,” she forced down her anger and flashed an exceptionally bright smile. “Even if you are a shareholder, you should know what matters most in business. It’s not these petty favors—it’s real skill!”
Pei Yanshu clapped his hands and laughed. “Absolutely right! But real skill also needs a place to shine and someone to appreciate it. That’s why I specifically obtained—”
Shen Nianyi’s fake smile slowly faded, replaced by suspicion. “Hmph, you think I’m easily fooled? Invitations from the Weaving Bureau are precious, but they come in different grades. Who’s hosting? If it’s just a few low-ranking officials gathering for tea, what kind of opportunity is that?”
Pei Yanshu was amused by her retort and spoke frankly. “I won’t beat around the bush with you. The host is the most influential figure in the Weaving Bureau—” He leaned in and lowered his voice. “Think about it. If you can impress the silk merchants from Jiangnan with your craftsmanship, won’t you have access to the finest materials? If you can win the approval of the brocade officials from Shu’s Jin’guan City, won’t you open up markets in the southwest?”
These words were like sparks falling into dry tinder—the three assistants instantly erupted.
“Manager!” Da Chun exclaimed excitedly. “This is a huge opportunity! If we can connect with Jiangnan silk merchants, will we still have to put up with Madam Chen’s bullying?”
A Man grabbed Shen Nianyi’s arm. “Yes, Manager! If our ‘Rain-Cleansed Azure’ can catch the eye of the Shu people, imagine how many places we could sell it to!”
Xiao Ya gestured wildly, mimicking the motion of counting money.
Pei Yanshu shook his fan smugly. “Well, Manager Shen? Not complaining about me meddling now, are you?”
Shen Nianyi had a headache from her assistants’ clamor, yet she couldn’t help feeling a surge of excitement.
How could she not know this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity? It’s just that…
“Quiet, everyone!” She raised a hand to silence the clamor, her gaze fixed on Pei Yanshu. “Why would you help us with such a generous offer?”
Pei Yanshu smiled like a fox. “Didn’t I just say? I’m a shareholder of Cloud Silk Atelier. Only when the shop thrives can I recover my three thousand taels sooner.”
Cloud Silk Atelier, back courtyard, first day after signing the agreement
Shen Nianyi clutched the ink-still-damp “shareholder agreement,” her fingertips turning white.
Besides the three thousand taels converted from debt into shares, the paper listed several additional clauses that made her temples throb:
Clause One: Shareholder Pei requires quiet recuperation and must sleep until noon each day without disturbance.
Clause Two: The south side of the back courtyard, with its ample light and tranquil environment, is designated as Shareholder Pei’s “afternoon resting chamber.” Unauthorized persons are prohibited from entering.
Clause Three: To honor the shareholder’s status, Shopkeeper Shen Nianyi must respectfully address Shareholder Pei as “Chief Shopkeeper Pei.”
“Pei… Yan… Shu!” Shen Nianyi ground out the three words through clenched teeth, feeling a fire surge from her liver and spleen, burning painfully in her chest.
Just past noon, Cloud Silk Atelier was bustling with slightly more customers than usual.
Several ladies were selecting fabrics, Da Chun was busy taking measurements, A Man was introducing newly arrived patterns, and Xiao Ya was quietly wiping down the counter. Shen Nianyi, meanwhile, was behind the counter, clattering away on the abacus.
Right then, the curtain at the moon gate leading to the back courtyard rustled loudly.
There stood Pei Yanshu, yawning, dressed in a loose moon-white robe with cloud patterns, his sash loosely tied, as if he had just woken up in his own bedroom. Sleepy-eyed, he strolled out from the back courtyard and walked straight into the front shop.
His sudden and clearly “private quarters” entrance instantly hushed the shop.
The ladies selecting fabrics paused, staring in astonishment at this handsome man who had emerged from the shop’s back courtyard, their eyes filled with curiosity and intrigue.
Da Chun’s measuring hand froze mid-air, his mouth agape as if he’d seen a ghost.
A Man’s words about the patterns caught in her throat, her eyes wide with shock.
Xiao Ya stopped wiping the counter and instinctively shifted to stand in front of Shen Nianyi.
Pei Yanshu ignored it all. He even casually walked over to the shelves, picked up a bolt of fabric, and felt it, lazily commenting to a nearby stunned lady, “Hmm, this one is nice. It would suit you.”
The lady, taken aback by his host-like demeanor, instinctively replied, “R-really?”
Shen Nianyi forced a smile and explained to the customers, “Um… this is… is…”
Only then did Pei Yanshu seem to notice her. He sauntered over to the counter, leaning lazily against it, his voice carrying a hint of sleepiness. “Nianyi, have you had breakfast? I’m a bit hungry.”
That “Nianyi” was uttered with such natural intimacy!
Shen Nianyi stiffened all over, her smile instantly shattering.
The customers exchanged curious, suggestive glances.
Da Chun’s measuring ruler clattered to the floor.
A Man gasped sharply.
Xiao Ya silently raised a feather duster.
Pei Yanshu seemed completely unaware of the atmosphere he had frozen with a single sentence. He even reached out, brushing off nonexistent dust from Shen Nianyi’s shoulder with utmost naturalness, his tone carrying a hint of complaint:
“I’ve told you so many times, leave the shop matters to the clerks. Why bother getting up so early to work? If you tire yourself out, I’ll be heartbroken.”
Shen Nianyi: “?!!”
Shen Nianyi stumbled backward as if scalded by boiling water, her cheeks instantly flushing crimson. “What nonsense are you talking! Who… who needs your heartbreak!”
The customers were now completely abuzz.
A lady holding a round fan covered her mouth with it, whispering to her companion, “Oh my, look at that, they’re already flirting! It seems those rumors are probably true!”
Her companion also cast ambiguous glances between Shen Nianyi and Pei Yanshu, pursing her lips to smile. “Young people are so affectionate…”
An older woman frowned, scrutinizing Pei Yanshu’s lazy, casual demeanor, and shook her head, quietly judging, “This man is truly lacking in manners. Coming out from a young lady’s backyard in broad daylight—what kind of behavior is that…”
Da Chun scrambled to pick up the ruler, his honest face flushed red as he looked at his shopkeeper and then at Pei Yanshu, stammering as he tried to explain to the customers:
“N-no… that… our Young Master Pei, he… he’s…” He struggled with “he’s” for a long time but couldn’t think of a suitable word. After all, he couldn’t say this was the new “head shopkeeper” who also slept in the backyard, could he?
A Man was both anxious and angry. She squeezed next to Shen Nianyi, trying to separate the two, and said loudly, “Young Master Pei! Please show some restraint! Our shopkeeper is not familiar with you!”
Xiao Ya couldn’t speak, so in her urgency, she raised a feather duster and stood directly in front of Shen Nianyi, glaring furiously at Pei Yanshu. Though not very intimidating, her stance was clear.
Pei Yanshu took in the reactions of everyone in the room, not feeling the least bit embarrassed. Instead, the amusement in his eyes deepened.
Ignoring A Man’s angry glare and Xiao Ya’s feather duster, he continued to look only at Shen Nianyi, his tone tinged with innocence. “Nianyi, your words wound me. I’m just concerned about you, aren’t I?”
Shen Nianyi was so furious by his series of antics that her scalp tingled. She slapped away his hand, which was still trying to cause trouble, her voice cracking. “Pei Yanshu, did you just wake up and decide to make trouble for me?!”
She no longer cared about maintaining her shopkeeper’s dignity. Pointing at his nose, she scolded, “What nonsense are you spouting in front of everyone! Who needs your concern! Cut it out and get back to the backyard right now! Don’t stand here being an eyesore!”
Her shout was full of vigor, stunning everyone in the shop.
The customers were so shocked by her outburst that they stopped gossiping. The lady with the round fan even forgot to wave it.
Da Chun trembled in fright, nearly dropping the ruler he had just picked up again.
Although A Man felt a sense of vindication, she couldn’t help but shrink her neck slightly.
Xiao Ya, still holding the feather duster, looked at Shen Nianyi in confusion.
Pei Yanshu was also taken aback by her merciless roar, the cracks finally showing in his composed expression.
He rubbed his nose, looking at Shen Nianyi, who was now completely ruffled and seemed ready to pounce and bite him twice. He finally stopped playing the “heartbroken” act.
Knowing better than to push further, he obediently turned and ambled leisurely toward the moon gate leading to the backyard.
But just before stepping through the curtain, he glanced back at her, raised an eyebrow, and drawled in a light, teasing tone, “Oh—so Nianyi is just shy.”
These words were like a drop of water hitting a pan of hot oil.
“Shy my foot! You shut your mouth!” Shen Nianyi was practically going mad with rage. She grabbed the rag from the counter and hurled it at his retreating back!
But Pei Yanshu seemed to have eyes on the back of his head. With a sway of the door curtain, his figure vanished just in time behind it.
The rag landed with a soft “thwack” against the curtain before slipping weakly to the floor.
The feeling of putting all her strength into a strike that hit nothing only made the tightness in Shen Nianyi’s chest worse!
The shop fell silent for a moment.
Then, perhaps one of the ladies couldn’t hold back any longer—a “pfft” of laughter escaped, quickly followed by low chuckles from the other customers, filling the shop with a lively atmosphere.
Da Chun was holding back laughter so hard his face turned bright red, his shoulders shaking up and down.
A Man felt both vindicated and helpless, so she could only bend down to pick up the rag.
Xiao Ya looked at her shopkeeper’s flushed profile, red with anger, and sympathetically handed her a cup of cool tea.
Shen Nianyi stood rooted to the spot, panting heavily. Listening to the snickers around her and staring at the swaying door curtain, she felt she had never been so humiliated in her entire life!
That damned Pei Yanshu! She wasn’t done with him yet!