Huo Yi was so startled that he nearly jumped.
Lin Shanyue was equally surprised. She turned to see what the mirror spirit was pointing at.
“These?”
“I bought them at the East Market today.”
“I wanted to sell milk cakes, but I realized I didn’t have anything suitable to serve them on, so I bought two food carriers and several porcelain plates.”
“Let me see them.”
Huo Yi struggled to suppress the excitement welling up inside him.
Though puzzled, Lin Shanyue passed the plates through the mirror.
The other side fell silent.
After a while, she asked nervously,
“Young Master?”
“I’ll trade you!”
“These plates—for my things. Deal?”
Lin Shanyue froze.
“You… want these?”
“Yes!”
These were genuine antiques!
How had he forgotten something so obvious?
Huo Yi mentally cursed himself for being an idiot.
Whatever this young woman needed, he could provide—and in much better quality.
Without another word, he rushed into his kitchen, flung open a cabinet, and selected an exquisitely beautiful set of palace-style porcelain tableware.
The housekeeper stared after him in shock.
Before she even had time to ask what was happening, the young master had already dashed upstairs again.
“Here!”
“I’ll trade these for your plates!”
Lin Shanyue watched helplessly as the mirror spirit sent her an incredibly luxurious set of porcelain bowls and plates.
The craftsmanship…
There was no way an ordinary porcelain shop could produce something like this.
She rubbed her eyes.
“Young Master…”
“You’re giving me such beautiful tableware…”
“In exchange for those ordinary plates?”
She was completely bewildered.
His answer, however, was firm.
“Yes, yes!”
“Those are extremely useful to me.”
“These should be enough for you, right?”
Enough?
More than enough.
There were eight plates.
Six bowls.
Even an elegant teapot.
She didn’t even know where she should put everything.
Huo Yi suddenly added,
“I’ve realized that things from your world are extremely valuable to me.”
“If you come across anything attractive in the future, buy it.”
“Don’t worry.”
“If there’s anything you need, just tell me.”
“We’ll trade.”
What he really wanted was simply to give her money.
Unfortunately…
Their currencies didn’t work across worlds.
Lin Shanyue nodded blankly.
“For example?”
“Porcelain…”
“Pottery…”
“Jade…”
“Jewelry…”
“I’ll take anything.”
He couldn’t exactly explain the concept of “antiques.”
She wouldn’t understand.
So he simply listed broad categories instead.
After thinking for a moment, she nodded.
“All right.”
“I think I understand.”
“Then, Young Master, I’ll go prepare lunch.”
“Okay.”
Huo Yi answered absentmindedly.
His attention was already completely focused on studying the porcelain she’d brought him.
The weather was sunny that day.
Lin Shanyue carried Little Bao into the courtyard and sat him on a woven rattan chair to enjoy the sunshine.
At two years old, he had already learned to walk.
He was still unsteady, though.
Most of the time, Lin Shanyue kept him enclosed in a safe area so he wouldn’t fall.
She’d already planned today’s lunch.
Yesterday’s pork rib soup would simply be reheated with a couple of freshly peeled radishes.
The Young Master had complained about eating too much cabbage.
So she’d bought a small handful of mushrooms.
Their aroma paired wonderfully with stir-fried cabbage.
She hadn’t purchased many ingredients today.
Fortunately, the mirror spirit had also sent cucumbers.
Normally cucumbers were a summer vegetable.
Yet these were still crisp and tender.
She stir-fried some with eggs.
The rest she dressed with a tangy, spicy sauce.
Lunch was complete.
As always…
She first sent a portion through the mirror.
Only then did she feed Little Bao.
Little Bao’s appetite had improved over the past couple of days.
Most of all…
He absolutely adored the powdered milk.
Earlier, Lin Shanyue had fed him one of the milk cakes that hadn’t sold.
The little boy grabbed it with both hands and eagerly stuffed it into his mouth.
The pastry was rich with a creamy milk fragrance.
Drool covered his little face as his eight newly erupted baby teeth worked busily away.
Before long…
The entire cake had disappeared.
Clearly…
This little rascal loved sweet things.
His stomach, however, wasn’t very big.
After filling up on cake, he refused to eat even the steaming bowl of pork rib and radish soup.
Lin Shanyue sighed helplessly.
“Little Bao, that’s not good.”
“You have to eat your proper meal.”
She had noticed that he preferred soft foods.
Pastries.
Rice soaked in soup.
After letting the rice absorb the broth until it became soft and mushy, Little Bao finally opened his mouth.
He finished a small bowl.
Then suddenly turned his head away.
“Full!”
“Full!”
He patted his little belly and spoke in a tiny baby voice.
Lin Shanyue froze.
“Little Bao?”
“What did you just say?”
“You talked, didn’t you?”
Two-year-olds…
Should already be able to speak.
Lin Shanyue had absolutely no experience raising children.
Ever since she’d taken him in, she’d never heard him say a single word.
She’d almost thought he couldn’t speak.
Thinking about it now…
He should already be able to say a few simple words.
She spent a long while coaxing him to repeat himself.
Unfortunately…
Little Bao stubbornly refused to say anything else.
Left with no choice, she simply picked him up and played with him for a while before beginning preparations for tomorrow’s goods.
Meanwhile, after receiving the porcelain plates, Huo Yi had immediately sent them out for authentication.
The results arrived that very evening.
The appraiser sounded just as excited.
“Third Young Master…”
“Where did you find treasures like these?”
“They’re genuine.”
“No question.”
Huo Yi grinned.
“Never mind where I found them.”
“Just estimate their value.”
“And tell me whether those foreign collectors looking for porcelain would be interested.”
“Will do.”
“Congratulations.”
“Our young master has finally found something truly remarkable.”
“When the old master hears about this, he’ll be thrilled.”
“Oh, shut up.”
“Am I really that incompetent?”
Laughing, he hung up.
The very first thing he did afterward was return to his room to check on the silver mirror.
These days he carried it everywhere.
Old Bai had even started wondering whether the young master had become obsessed.
He tapped the mirror.
Night had already fallen on Lin Shanyue’s side.
Little Bao was asleep.
Huo Yi watched the little boy for a while.
Somehow…
The child was actually rather adorable.
He even reminded Huo Yi of himself as a child.
After watching for a bit, he realized Lin Shanyue wasn’t inside.
She was probably working in the courtyard again.
This girl…
She looked so thin and delicate.
Yet she possessed incredible resilience.
Just as Huo Yi was debating whether to call out to her—
Lin Shanyue returned.
She had apparently just finished making Suhe Incense.
Her face and hands were smudged with soot, making her look like a little tabby cat.
Huo Yi stared for a second.
Then burst into laughter.
Lin Shanyue spun around.
“Young Master…?”
“What happened to you?”
“I…”
“I just finished making Suhe Incense.”
“Suhe Incense?”
Huo Yi casually looked it up.
Only then did he discover it was a type of traditional aromatic incense.
He was surprised.
“I thought you were going into the food business.”
“Why are you making incense instead?”
As she washed her hands, Lin Shanyue smiled.
“There are too many people selling food.”
“It’s difficult to make money quickly.”
“This is another opportunity.”
“Where do you sell it?”
She hesitated before answering,
“Huayue House.”
Huayue House…
Huo Yi took a moment to remember what kind of place it was.
Once he did…
He immediately understood her plan.
“That’s actually a smart idea.”
“Huayue House probably can’t afford genuine, high-grade Suhe Incense.”
“Your version is exactly what they’re looking for.”
Lin Shanyue looked genuinely surprised.
She’d expected the mirror spirit to sneer at her choice.
Instead…
He praised her.
Then again…
Demons weren’t like humans.
Only humans worried about how others judged them.
Still, she lowered her head guiltily.
“Once I’ve saved enough capital, I’ll stop making imitation incense.”
“The things you give me are excellent.”
“I can earn money from selling food just as well.”
“This isn’t real Suhe Incense.”
“I always feel as though I’m letting my parents down.”
“When I earn enough money…”
“I’ll open a real incense shop.”
Huo Yi chuckled.
“It’s just something people burn.”
“What does ‘real’ or ‘fake’ even matter?”
“There are food vendors who substitute inferior ingredients for better ones.”
“What do you have to feel guilty about?”
Lin Shanyue’s eyes widened.
“But food goes into people’s stomachs.”
“How can anyone deliberately use inferior ingredients?”
Huo Yi let out another cold laugh.
Thinking about some of the takeout meals in his own world…
At that moment…
He suddenly realized something.
Perhaps…
He and this young woman could build a long-term partnership.
“Hey.”
“You’re seriously short on money, aren’t you?”
“What if I help you grow your business?”
“The more money you make, the more you’ll be able to find the things I need.”
“It’s a win-win.”
“What do you think?”
Lin Shanyue had never expected the mirror spirit to make such a proposal.
Somewhat nervously, she asked,
“Young Master…”
“What do you suggest?”