The chestnut cakes were an instant hit with everyone in the household.
Little Bao grabbed one with his left hand and, while still holding it, reached with his right for another. He was the perfect example of “eating what’s in his bowl while eyeing what’s still in the pot.”
Naturally, Lin Shanyue corrected this bad habit.
Little Bao looked utterly wronged.
He sniffled and whimpered, looking as though he wanted to cry, but not a single tear actually fell.
Chunlan couldn’t help laughing.
“Young Master is so clever! He’s the smartest child I’ve ever seen!”
Lin Shanyue also laughed at her son’s antics, but said,
“Don’t call him ‘Young Master.’ Just call him Little Bao. There are no young masters in our family.”
Chunlan nodded and quickly corrected herself.
“Alright! I’ll remember.”
“Be good, Little Bao. You can’t eat so many sweets. There will be other delicious things tomorrow.”
Lin Shanyue wasn’t the type of mother who indulged her child without limits.
In the end, she still refused to let Little Bao have a second piece.
After they finished their work, she took him to bathe first.
Chunlan said,
“Madam, I’ll be able to handle these things from now on. I used to help take care of my younger brothers and sisters at home, so I have experience.”
Lin Shanyue smiled.
“Alright. You’ll do it from now on. But today I’ll take care of it myself. We still have to make Suhe Incense later.”
Having spent only half a day in this household, Chunlan had already realized just how hardworking her mistress was.
She couldn’t help admiring her.
“Please teach me. I’ll help you.”
After settling Little Bao down for the night, Lin Shanyue joined Chunlan in the courtyard to make incense.
The two of them worked nonstop until nearly midnight.
“Are you very tired?” Lin Shanyue asked.
Chunlan hurriedly shook her head.
“Not at all. Things were much harder at Huayue Pavilion, and I often didn’t even have enough to eat.”
“Compared to that, living here with you is practically a blessing.”
Seeing that Chunlan was only thirteen or fourteen years old, Lin Shanyue couldn’t help asking about her family.
A trace of sadness crossed Chunlan’s face, but she didn’t hide anything.
“My family is from the northwest.”
“My mother had six children.”
“She simply couldn’t feed us all.”
“So I volunteered to leave with a merchant caravan and came to the capital.”
It was almost exactly what Lin Shanyue had expected.
Seeing how sensible Chunlan was, she had already guessed she came from a difficult background.
“We’ll be alright.”
“Our lives will only get better from now on.”
Lin Shanyue’s words encouraged Chunlan—
And herself.
Chunlan nodded earnestly.
Late that night, Lin Shanyue finally lay down on her pillow.
For days now, she’d gone to bed at about the same hour.
She had been busy from dawn until midnight, spinning like a top, yet she didn’t dare slow down.
Even now, she quietly pulled the book out from beneath her bed.
By the dim candlelight, she began studying.
“Egg tarts… sponge cake… mille-feuille… salted egg yolk pastry…”
She found the writing surprisingly easy to read.
Very quickly, she had no trouble following it.
The illustrations were astonishingly detailed.
And they were in full color.
She was deeply amazed.
The book even explained how to use all the unfamiliar tools.
Lin Shanyue carefully committed everything to memory.
After closing the book, she looked toward the silver mirror.
Just what kind of world does the Mirror Spirit Young Master live in…?
The next morning, Lin Shanyue and Chunlan set out together.
This time, she brought Little Bao with her for the very first time.
He hadn’t gone outside in quite a while and was visibly excited.
She had also dressed him in his new clothes.
With the three of them traveling together, they truly looked like a respectable lady taking her family out to market.
Chunlan’s driving skills were excellent.
She really seemed capable of everything.
In less than half an hour, they arrived at Pingle Ward.
After Lin Shanyue climbed down from the mule cart, Liu Niang saw her outfit and couldn’t help smiling again.
“You really surprise me every single day!”
“Those clothes suit you beautifully!”
“You even bought yourself a mule cart?!”
Lin Shanyue smiled modestly.
Liu Niang then looked toward Chunlan.
“She’s a good one too.”
“Come upstairs.”
Lin Shanyue followed Liu Niang to the second floor.
Chunlan remained waiting outside.
Several people who had known Chunlan from before looked astonished.
They came over smiling to greet her.
Some even joked that Chunlan had “latched onto a higher branch”—though in a very different sense.
Whether they genuinely meant it or were simply jealous, Chunlan smiled politely at each of them.
Other people’s opinions wouldn’t change her circumstances anyway.
She didn’t mind.
Inside the room, Liu Niang had already finished an entire chestnut cake.
She sighed contentedly.
“You know what’s funny?”
“I’ve never really liked sweets.”
“But yesterday I couldn’t help eating three of your pastries.”
“And this chestnut cake…”
“I’m afraid I’m going to get fat.”
Lin Shanyue laughed.
“You won’t.”
“Drink strong tea with it.”
“It cuts through the richness and also helps digestion.”
Liu Niang nodded.
“That’s an excellent idea.”
“Maybe it’ll even increase sales of the tea at Huayue Pavilion.”
“That would be wonderful.”
After finishing the pastries, Liu Niang examined today’s batch of Suhe Incense.
“Very nice.”
“You’ve brought more this time.”
“Having an extra pair of hands really does help, doesn’t it?”
Lin Shanyue nodded gratefully.
“It’s alright. Take your time.”
“You’ve always got clever ideas.”
“Business at Huayue Pavilion has genuinely improved lately.”
“Oh, by the way.”
“How many milk cakes did you bring today?”
“One hundred pieces.”
“You can distribute them however you think best.”
“Excellent.”
“The chestnut cakes are delicious too.”
“Bring even more tomorrow.”
“Of course.”
Lin Shanyue agreed readily.
Liu Niang turned to pay her.
Lin Shanyue hurriedly stopped her.
“Madam, please don’t.”
“I still owe you money.”
“Just deduct it from my debt…”
“No.”
Liu Niang shook her head firmly.
“You need money for ingredients and all sorts of expenses.”
“Business is business.”
“Once you’ve earned enough profit later on, then you can repay me all at once.”
Unable to persuade her otherwise, Lin Shanyue could only nod and thank her once again.
The two women were chatting happily when, a short while later, Liu Niang’s maid came rushing in.
“Madam!”
“Young Master Zhao is causing trouble again!”
“He’s drunk and making a scene. He’s harassing one of our girls.”
“Please come quickly!”
The moment she heard that, Liu Niang’s face darkened.
“That Zhao Quanyou…”
“Does he think he’s the Emperor?”
“Just because of his family background, he comes here throwing his weight around.”
“I’ll go deal with him!”
She stood up immediately and strode out.
Lin Shanyue paused for only a moment before following behind.
Zhao Quanyou…
The name sounded strangely familiar.
As she followed Liu Niang, she searched her memory.
Then she remembered.
The Zhao family…
The Minister of Revenue’s family.
During the months she’d spent in the Marquis’ residence, she hadn’t been completely sheltered.
She had overheard plenty of conversations about the influential families of the capital.
If she remembered correctly, Zhao Quanyou was someone Jiang Wan’er frequently talked about…
Lin Shanyue had assumed he must be some refined young gentleman from a prestigious family.
Who would have guessed he was actually a drunken scoundrel making trouble at Huayue Pavilion?
Her curiosity piqued, she quietly followed to take a look.
Liu Niang had clearly dealt with situations like this countless times before.
Although Zhao Quanyou was the son of a powerful official, she had her own ways of handling men like him.
After skillfully defusing the situation several times, Zhao Quanyou had no choice but to give up.
Yet as he left, he disgustingly reached out and deliberately grabbed Liu Niang’s hand.
Lin Shanyue nearly gagged.
At that moment, she remembered everything.
Jiang Wan’er had once said,
“Brother Zhao is extraordinarily talented. He’s one of the finest young men in the entire capital. You people just don’t understand!”
Indeed…
She truly hadn’t understood.
Looking at the handsome man before her—who seemed to possess nothing but an attractive face—Lin Shanyue suddenly began to understand what Jiang Wan’er had meant.
Could it be…
Jiang Wan’er had feelings for this Young Master Zhao…?