Chapter 58: Not Strangers
Shi Gun put down his cup but didn’t dare pour tea for Li Xiaonan.
The folding fan in his Young Lord’s hand was fanning with a loud swish, clearly very annoyed, and he didn’t dare to meddle.
Alas, this Great Aunt is truly both dense and fierce!
Li Xiaonan stood up, picked up the teapot, and poured herself some tea, tapping the tabletop with her finger. “Class is starting.”
Gu Yan glanced at her sideways, then after a moment, let out a long sigh, bowed forward, and pushed the four plates of pastries to Li Xiaonan one by one. “Eat a pastry and have some tea first. From the moment you entered the tea house, class has begun, don’t worry.”
The day and time this little lass had her head split open by her two cousins and died, was the same day and time he, after encountering a blizzard and falling into a coma from a severe illness, opened his eyes.
He wondered if she knew that she was very different from him now.
It’s not advisable to ask too much for now; this little lass seems dense, but she’s far more calculating than Lu Xiu!
Li Xiaonan heard Gu Yan say that class started from the moment she entered the tea house. She hummed, carefully examined the four plates of pastries, and picked out a mung bean cake.
Seeing Li Xiaonan pick out the mung bean cake, Gu Yan’s eyebrows twitched slightly. Lu Xiu loved mung bean cakes the most.
“How does it taste?” Gu Yan asked as Li Xiaonan ate half of the cake.
“It’s very delicious, not too sweet or greasy,” Li Xiaonan took a sip of tea.
All the pastries she had eaten here before were sickeningly sweet and so oily they stuck to her tongue!
This mung bean cake is truly delicious!
“These were made in our manor’s pastry room. This one is also good, try it,” Gu Yan pointed to a plate of golden coin crisp.
Li Xiaonan picked up a piece and put it in her mouth.
“Is it good?” Gu Yan stared intently at Li Xiaonan.
“It’s not good,” Li Xiaonan shook her head and picked up her cup, taking a big gulp of tea.
Gu Yan drew out his “oh” with a trailing sound.
This little lass had the exact same taste as Lu Xiu.
“Have your preserved eggs been made yet? Have you found a shop?” Gu Yan asked with a smile, looking at Li Xiaonan who was picking up another mung bean cake.
“I’ve found one. It’s on the street just outside Academy Street, next to Hua Yu Tower. Old Master Zhang took a liking to it, and my Eldest Uncle said it’s a good location, and the shop’s rent is very fair,” Li Xiaonan said with a smile.
“When will it open?” Gu Yan continued to ask.
“The day after tomorrow. My Eldest Uncle found someone to calculate an auspicious day. Don’t come to me for class the day after tomorrow; I’ll be busy helping with accounting and such, I won’t have time,” Li Xiaonan casually instructed.
“Did your Eldest Sister ask you to manage the shop’s accounts?” Gu Yan asked with concern.
“Eldest Sister thought so, but Eldest Uncle said it wasn’t good. Eldest Uncle said it’s best to hire someone from outside to manage the accounts for a joint business. So Eldest Sister and Sister-in-law Yin went to the real estate agency to find an accountant. They go for an hour a day, and it costs one diao of money a month. Eldest Sister is heartbroken!”
Li Xiaonan finished her mung bean cake and hesitated between the other two plates.
“This one is delicious,” Gu Yan pointed to the milk cake.
Li Xiaonan picked up a piece and took a bite. It was indeed delicious.
“Is your Eldest Uncle also moving to Pingjiang City?” Gu Yan continued to make small talk.
“Yes, he bought a house and is renovating it. It’s just one street over and then another street,” Li Xiaonan said, pointing with her arm.
“Why is your Eldest Uncle moving to Pingjiang City? And not too far from your home.”
The words “not too far” were spoken by Gu Yan with a significant tone.
Li Xiaonan looked up at him. “He says it’s to take care of Brother’s studies.”
“He says?” Gu Yan leaned forward slightly.
“For Brother’s studies, having me, Eldest Sister, Second Sister, and Third Sister is enough; we don’t need Eldest Uncle.
“But Third Sister’s marriage is all handled by Eldest Uncle. For our family’s preserved egg and salted egg business, any matters are also decided by Eldest Uncle.
“With Eldest Uncle’s family moving to Pingjiang City, having Brother as a Xiucai scholar, and the affinity by marriage with the Hong Family, it will definitely be better than starting from scratch.”
Li Xiaonan picked up another piece of milk cake.
“Are these all your Eldest Uncle’s plans?” Gu Yan asked with a half-smile.
“It’s not just these, what else? He wants to scheme against you, but can he? You’re much smarter than him, and you have so many people,” Li Xiaonan said, drawing a circle with her finger.
Gu Yan was somewhat choked by Li Xiaonan’s direct and blunt words.
“You little lass!”
Li Xiaonan gave Gu Yan a sidelong glance.
Gu Yan chuckled, “Your Eldest Uncle is a good person, and your Tang Weng Weng is also a good person.”
“Did you inquire?” Li Xiaonan looked at Gu Yan.
“Your Eldest Uncle has two shops in Linhai Town. One sells daily necessities from overseas, meaning it sells various items from overseas to different places. The other is a lacquerware shop, which sells lacquerware from various places overseas.
“The lacquerware shop was newly opened by your Eldest Uncle,” Gu Yan didn’t directly answer Li Xiaonan’s question.
“Is it quite profitable?” Li Xiaonan was a little surprised. These businesses of Eldest Uncle’s family sound like big businesses.
“Yes, the business is very large and very profitable,” Gu Yan glanced at Li Xiaonan.
“No wonder,” Li Xiaonan sighed.
“No wonder what?” Gu Yan asked.
“No wonder he could come up with four to five hundred silver for Third Sister’s dowry,” Li Xiaonan answered casually, looking at the pastries on the plate. There were still many left, but she was already full.
“How much were the betrothal gifts from the Hong Family? Was it also four to five hundred taels?” Gu Yan asked knowingly.
“Yes,” Li Xiaonan nodded.
“That’s good. Your Third Sister is quite fortunate,” Gu Yan leaned back against the chair back.
“Are we still having class?” Li Xiaonan poured another cup of tea.
This tea had a sweet aftertaste, a rare good tea.
“Someone recommended an accountant to me, saying he’s extremely skilled at calculation. I’ll bring him next time, and you can help me see if he’s truly skilled at calculation,” Gu Yan said with a smile.
“Okay, then today we’ll talk about numerology,” Li Xiaonan tapped her finger on the tabletop, signaling Gu Yan to begin the lesson.
………………………………
The Li sisters became busy the day before the shop opened.
Early the morning before, Li Yuzhu and Sister-in-law Yin rushed to the workshop to do a final check on the first batch of preserved eggs and salted eggs, packing them one by one into the cart, ready to be transported to the shop in the city.
Li Jinzhu, along with Li Yin Zhu and Li Xiaonan, went to the shop to scrub everywhere.
Sister-in-law Yin had said that although preserved eggs and salted eggs have shells, they are still food. For any place selling food, the cleaner the better.
Li Jinzhu and Li Yin Zhu meticulously mopped and wiped every spot, making the small storefront as clean as possible.
In the evening, Sister-in-law Yin arrived at the shop entrance with the cart full of preserved eggs and salted eggs, directing the porters to carefully carry the preserved eggs and salted eggs into the shop.
Sister-in-law Yin and Li Jinzhu inspected the shop from the front, ensuring everything was in order. Li Jinzhu, with Li Yin Zhu, wiped it down one last time before locking up and returning to Cai Lian Lane, waiting for the auspicious day the next day for a grand opening.
