Chapter 116: Borrowing Money
Li Xiaonan returned home and sat in the courtyard, beginning to worry.
This business opportunity came out of nowhere, so how would she get the capital?
Right now, all she had was the capital for one loom. If Sister-in-law Lu really bought a loom, she would immediately have to buy one too, and then the remaining money wouldn’t be enough to buy many bolts of fine cloth.
Eldest Sister had money, but was it too early to talk to Eldest Sister about this now?
It was too early. She wasn’t sure if this business could even succeed or make money, so she couldn’t tell Eldest Sister.
Third Sister had money, a lot of money, but Third Sister had just gotten married, and her mother-in-law was very displeased with her, so she couldn’t ask Third Sister.
Who else was there?
Li Xiaonan looked at Wang Yuting.
Wang Yuting was by Mei Jie’s side, watching Mei Jie make preserved vegetable. Li Xiaonan’s gaze made her subconsciously look at Li Xiaonan.
Li Xiaonan beckoned to her.
Wang Yuting walked over in a few steps, looked at Li Xiaonan’s expression, and sat down beside her. “What’s wrong?”
“Do you have any silver? How much?” Li Xiaonan asked in a low voice.
Wang Yuting immediately gave a dry laugh. “When your Third Sister got married, we didn’t even have betrothal gifts. We’re even poorer now. What do you need it for?”
“You don’t have any silver, so why are you asking me what I need it for?” Li Xiaonan retorted.
“A Wu and I have never had any silver. A Wu is destined to be a god of fortune who passes by, and I’m destined to be a sieve, letting all wealth leak away,” Wang Yuting said with a smile.
Li Xiaonan glanced at her sideways.
Wang Yuting’s words carried a tone of not being ashamed, but rather proud of it!
In the future, as long as these two had enough to eat and drink, their wages could be forgotten.
Wang Yuting continued to watch Mei Jie make preserved vegetables. Li Xiaonan rested her chin on her hands and daydreamed for a while longer before standing up and walking out.
“Where are you going?” Wang Yuting asked from behind.
“To see someone mount paintings,” Li Xiaonan replied without looking back, and walked out of the courtyard gate.
Wan Jing appeared at the courtyard entrance so quickly, it was as if she had flown there.
“What time did you leave your villa?” Li Xiaonan asked after stepping out of the courtyard gate.
“Just before the Chen hour. What’s wrong?”
Li Xiaonan gave an “oh.” Before she could send a message to the tea house, they had already left the villa and come over. No wonder they were so fast.
“Nothing. Did they deduct your monthly allowance?” Li Xiaonan asked with concern.
“No!”
The end of this “no” rose in pitch, sounding extremely cheerful.
“Then does your Young Lord know about our encounter with Miss Shi yesterday?” Li Xiaonan asked in a low voice.
“I don’t know if he knows or not,” Wan Jing slowed her pace. “Our Young Lord is very busy every day and rarely stays at the villa. He seemed to return quite late yesterday. It wasn’t me eavesdropping, but when I came out of the villa just now, Shi Gun was talking to Wang Gui about the lanterns outside the south gate and so on. From the sound of it, the lanterns outside were already lit when he returned yesterday.”
“Then he definitely doesn’t know!” Li Xiaonan replied happily.
“I think so too,” Wan Jing said with a smile. “We’re at the alley entrance, stop talking!”
Gu Yan stood at the entrance of the tea house, watching Wan Jing stand at the alley entrance. He brushed his skirt, presenting a demure and proper appearance, then looked at Li Xiaonan, who was smiling at Wan Jing, and let out a half-smile snort.
When Li Xiaonan stepped into the tea house, Gu Yan was already sitting by the window, fanning himself with a folding fan, admiring the bamboo in the courtyard.
Hearing the movement, Gu Yan turned his head and tapped his finger, signaling Li Xiaonan to sit.
Li Xiaonan sat down and looked at a small bowl of steaming custard in front of her.
“Try it,” Gu Yan gestured for Li Xiaonan to taste.
Li Xiaonan hesitated for a moment, picked up a silver spoon, and ate the custard bite by bite.
It was extremely delicious!
Gu Yan fanned himself leisurely, watching Li Xiaonan finish the custard bite by bite. He poured a cup of tea and pushed it in front of Li Xiaonan.
“This is spring tea from Hangzhou, brought by Fourth Mistress. Try it.”
“You know already?” Li Xiaonan stiffened her neck, forcefully suppressing the urge to look at Wan Jing.
“Know what?” Gu Yan looked at Li Xiaonan with a half-smile.
“I copied several books from your library,” Li Xiaonan replied slyly, as if evading the question, yet also answering it.
“Fourth Sister said you’re a cunning little devil, and she wasn’t wrong at all. Tell me, why did you provoke Miss Shi? What did she do to offend you?” Gu Yan tapped his folding fan in front of Li Xiaonan.
“She’s a guest at your villa, and I’m also a guest at your villa, right? She was the one who first said I was your family’s servant.”
“You were with Wan Jing, and she mistook you for a servant. Isn’t that understandable?”
“Do your family’s servants dress like me? Even your doorman and cart driver wear silk,” Li Xiaonan retorted.
Gu Yan was stunned for a moment, then chuckled. “That’s true, they don’t dress like you. The matter of you going to the library to read was something I leaked to her.”
Li Xiaonan glared at Gu Yan. “Why? Are you using me as a pawn?”
Gu Yan almost choked. “Using you as a pawn? Is it that easy to use me as a pawn? Someone like you can be called a pawn?”
“Then she knew I wasn’t your family’s servant. When you let slip, what did you say I was to you?” Li Xiaonan ignored Gu Yan’s talk about pawns.
“A junior friend whom age does not separate.” Gu Yan replied.
“A junior friend? How old are you? How old am I? Do we need to be ‘junior friends’?” Li Xiaonan was utterly speechless.
“She said you were a servant in the manor, and it was indeed intentional,” Gu Yan steered the conversation back.
“She said that because she wanted me to explain, or for Wan Jing to explain. She’s really smart,” Li Xiaonan sighed.
She found people who were clever in every way very annoying.
“What did you come to me for?” Gu Yan changed the subject.
Li Xiaonan reached for the teapot, poured Gu Yan some tea, and asked with a smile, “Has Mr. Niu returned?”
Gu Yan drew out his words with a long “oh.” “He won’t be back for a while. Why are you asking? Are you looking for him for something?”
“No reason, just a student’s concern for their teacher,” Li Xiaonan said, utterly dejected.
She missed her tuition dearly.
Gu Yan smiled at Li Xiaonan.
Li Xiaonan picked up the teapot again and held it to Gu Yan’s cup. Seeing that his cup was full and her own was also full, she had to put the teapot down.
Gu Yan looked from the teapot to Li Xiaonan, his eyebrows slightly raised.
“Can you lend me some silver?” Li Xiaonan placed both hands on the table, closed her eyes, and blurted it out.
Gu Yan chuckled. Seeing Li Xiaonan’s face turn red, he quickly nodded. “Sure! How much do you need? A thousand taels? Ten thousand taels?”
“Fifty taels would be enough.”
“Let’s round it up to a hundred taels. It’s not convenient to do it here, I’ll have Wan Jing send it to you,” Gu Yan leaned forward and said in a low voice.
“Thank you,” Li Xiaonan said, lowering her eyes in embarrassment.
“At the beginning of a business, it’s very common to borrow money to get started. There’s nothing to be embarrassed about,” Gu Yan said, looking at Li Xiaonan.
“I know, I’m embarrassed because I’m borrowing from you,” Li Xiaonan sighed.
“Oh?” Gu Yan raised his eyebrows.
She was embarrassed to borrow from him, feeling so distant from him?
“It feels like I’m always milking the same cow,” Li Xiaonan mumbled, her shoulders drooping.
Gu Yan glared at Li Xiaonan, rubbing his fingers vigorously.
He wanted to hit her again!
It felt a bit unaccustomed not to see the book reviews.
