“Turns out, everything is the same. Having something isn’t necessarily good, and not having it isn’t necessarily bad,” Duke Jin’an said with a smile.
“Everything is the same?”
The eunuch walking beside him was puzzled.
“People,” Duke Jin’an replied.
“What about people?”
The eunuch was even more confused.
“Why are you always so slow to follow my meaning?”
Duke Jin’an frowned.
The eunuch looked aggrieved.
“Your Highness, what are you trying to say? I really don’t understand.”
he said.
If it were Lady Cheng, she would surely understand.
Duke Jin’an shook his head, clasped his hands behind his back, and quickened his pace, ignoring him.
The eunuch followed behind and couldn’t help shaking his head as well.
As long as His Highness meets that Lady Cheng, he always ends up acting strangely.
The two walked one behind the other. Suddenly, Duke Jin’an came to a stop. The eunuch quickly halted as well and saw someone walking slowly toward them from up ahead.
It was a middle-aged man dressed in court robes, exuding the air of one accustomed to wealth and status. His expression was kind, and his face seemed to always carry a gentle smile.
Upon seeing Duke Jin’an, his smile deepened.
“Your Highness, are you heading out?” he called from a distance, bowing.
Duke Jin’an’s smile also widened, and he quickened his pace toward the man.
“Master Gao, you’ve come to the palace?” he asked.
“Yes, I came to visit the Noble Consort,” the middle-aged man replied with a smile, eyeing the duke. “You’ve grown taller again since the new year.”
His eyes were full of affection.
“If you’re feeling stifled, come visit my home sometime,” he said. “The room you used to live in as a child is still there.”
Duke Jin’an looked even more warmly at him.
“I’d love that. I’m leaving the capital next year. Who knows when I’ll be back? I really miss the pomegranates from your tree,” he said with a smile.
“Still causing trouble for my poor pomegranate tree, Your Highness?” the man laughed heartily.
“He was just a child back then, Master Gao. If he visits now, I promise he won’t climb the tree again,” the eunuch chimed in with a chuckle.
Master Gao burst into laughter once again.
“Good, good,” he said. “One of these days, I’ll speak to the Empress Dowager and request permission for Your Highness to visit.”
As he spoke, he leaned in with a smile.
“And bring His Majesty along for a little outing too.”
Duke Jin’an’s eyes were full of laughter.
“Then Master Gao, don’t forget your promise,” he said.
The middle-aged man cupped his hands in a parting salute, smiled once more, and took his leave.
Duke Jin’an didn’t look back, continuing to walk slowly forward. However, the smile on his face had completely vanished, replaced by a chilling coldness.
Gao Lingjun.
The middle-aged man—who had also turned and was strolling away—suddenly stopped in his tracks. His brows drew together slightly, and the kindly expression on his face disappeared, replaced by one of deep distaste.
He turned his head to glance back, but the straight path was already empty—no sign of that young man remained.
The “Child-Giving Boy.”
He let out a cold snort through his nose.
At the end of the month, it was once again time for Tai Ping Residence to balance the books. After calculating with the counting rods several times, Manager Wu set down the ledger and smiled at Xu Maoxiu and Fan Jianglin.
“Congratulations, Master. Truly, congratulations,” he said with a grin.
This had become his go-to opening line since last month.
“Did we make a profit?” Fan Jianglin asked quickly, a bit nervously.
“Tai Ping Tofu turned a profit. And Tai Ping Residence… also turned a profit,” Manager Wu deliberately drew out the last part.
“Ha!” Fan Jianglin let out a cheer.
Even Xu Maoxiu, who normally carried himself with composure, couldn’t hide the smile spreading across his face.
Tai Ping Residence had finally made a profit—three months after opening its doors, it was finally in the black.
“Didn’t we already make tons of money? What are you all so excited about?” Xu Bangchui, standing off to the side, scratched his nose and asked.
Every month, the earnings from Tai Ping Tofu sold at Puxiu Temple were enough to make Manager Wu grin from ear to ear.
“That’s the tofu business—not Tai Ping Residence,” Xu Maoxiu replied.
Xu Bangchui curled his lip.
“Isn’t it all the same? They both belong to our little sister…” he said.
The moment the words left his mouth, Fan Jianglin quickly shouted to stop him.
“You can’t say that,” he warned.
Cheng Jiao-niang’s connection to Tai Ping Residence had always been kept a secret.
Xu Bangchui hurriedly made a gesture of sealing his lips shut.
As they were speaking, the door was pulled open.
“Big Brother, Third Brother—Sister’s here,” the man said with a smile.
Ever since they shot the street thugs, Cheng Jiao-niang hadn’t returned to Tai Ping Residence. Xu Maoxiu and the others hadn’t gone to her home either—only occasionally meeting Ban Qin at the morning market to discuss matters.
So when they suddenly heard she had come, Fan Jianglin and the others looked a bit surprised.
“Did something happen?” Xu Maoxiu stood up and asked.
“Nothing,” the man replied with a smile. “She just brought a child over for a meal.”
Chen Dan-niang let go of Cheng Jiao-niang’s hand and entered the building first, curiously looking around the main hall downstairs.
The hall was packed with guests. The waiters bustled about, calling out orders, while the customers chatted and laughed—it was a lively scene.
“Eat-as-you-please please…”
“It’s way too hot for that! There’s plenty of better stuff here. Manager, give me rice noodles—the soup pot’s boiling like the sea, better than any noodle soup!”
Chen Dan-niang’s eyes lit up at what she heard. She turned back to Cheng Jiao-niang.
“I want to eat rice noodles too,” she said.
Cheng Jiao-niang nodded at her words.
“Alright,” she replied.
They hadn’t yet gone upstairs when there was a flurry of footsteps from within. The curtain was lifted, and two men stepped out.
“Third Young Master,” the maid greeted them with a smile.
Xu Maoxiu and Fan Jianglin approached with smiles of their own.
Inside the private room, the dishes were served one by one.
Chen Dan-niang happily picked up her chopsticks, while the maid cheerfully helped serve her food.
On the other side, Cheng Jiao-niang sat across from Xu Maoxiu, Fan Jianglin, and Manager Wu.
“No need for me to look at the ledger,” Cheng Jiaoniang said, pushing the account book back. “I don’t care much about the exact amounts.”
Manager Wu chuckled.
“You don’t care about money?” he asked.
Cheng Jiao-niang nodded.
“Money? I really don’t care about it,” she replied. “When I need it, it’s money. When I don’t, it’s nothing at all.”
Xu Maoxiu and Fan Jianglin understood that sentiment well.
When this lady set her mind to it, money came to her far too easily.
“In that case, the manager will handle things. We’ll distribute profits every six months,” Xu Maoxiu said.
Someone who could stand firm in a crisis, but remained unconcerned when it came to running the business or dealing with money—this kind of owner was a dream come true for any shopkeeper.
Manager Wu smiled, nodded, and said no more as he put the ledger away.
“Is it really alright for you to come here now?” Xu Maoxiu asked, looking at Cheng Jiao-niang.
Wang Da had been killed, and Zhu Wu had taken his own life. The extortion threat had been resolved, and it had also served as a warning to other troublemakers. On the surface, the matter seemed settled. But everyone knew that the true mastermind behind the plot against Tai Ping Residence was still out there.
Inciting street thugs was one thing—but being able to push Zhu Wu to suicide in order to save himself showed just how ruthless and calculating that person must be.
“It’s fine. What’s meant to come will come. There’s no avoiding it,” Cheng Jiao-niang said. Then she smiled. “Besides, there’s nothing to be afraid of.”
Xu Maoxiu and Fan Jianglin both nodded, reassured.
“Are you Lady Cheng’s older brothers?” Chen Dan-niang, who was happily eating and drinking nearby, asked curiously.
“Yes, we are,” Xu Maoxiu replied with a smile. “Does the food suit your taste?”
“Oh yes, it’s delicious, very much to my liking!” Chen Dan-niang nodded enthusiastically.
“Then come often—we’ll give you a discount,” Xu Maoxiu said with a grin.
“Really?” Chen Dan-niang beamed. “If I bring others with me, you’ll still give me a discount?”
“Of course,” Xu Maoxiu said. Then, turning to Manager Wu with a smile, he added,
“Manager, take note—this is Lady Chen. Treat her like one of our own.”
Manager Wu smiled and nodded in acknowledgment, while Chen Dan-niang bounced with joy.
“That’s wonderful! They’ll all be so jealous of me,” she exclaimed.
The room was filled with cheerful chatter and laughter.
Although she didn’t deliberately avoid attention, she also didn’t flaunt it. After eating and drinking to her satisfaction, Cheng Jiao-niang left with Chen Dan-niang. Xu Maoxiu and the others watched them leave from the second floor.
“Brother, look, that person…” one of the men suddenly said, pointing outside.
As Cheng Jiao-niang walked toward them, Zhou Liu-lang, who had just dismounted, stopped in his tracks.
“Why aren’t you pretending anymore?” he muttered.
“Not coming at all is the real act,” Young Master Qin laughed. “Alright, let’s go. Stop worrying about it. She has brothers.”
Zhou Liu-lang shot him a glare.
Young Master Qin chuckled, leaning on his cane as he was assisted by one of his attendants. The sound of his cane tapping against the freshly laid brick floor echoed with a sharp thunk-thunk.
It was a sound unlike the usual footsteps, a sound marking a different, more secure stance than that of an ordinary person.
Zhou Liu-lang felt a sting in his ears and a burning sensation in his eyes. Unable to hold his gaze, he turned away, clenching his hand that hung by his side.
Cheng Jiao-niang walked up to them.
“It’s been a long time,” Young Master Qin said with a smile, bowing.
Cheng Jiao-niang returned the gesture, while Chen Dan-niang curiously sized him up.
“So, what are you planning to do about that matter?” Zhou Liu-lang took a step forward, his face serious. “Are you really just waiting for your family to arrange your marriage?”
Cheng Jiao-niang smiled slightly.
“Or should I wait for your family to arrange it for me?” she asked.
“That depends on you,” Zhou Liu-lang muttered with a scoff.
“It’s rare for you all to see me,” Cheng Jiao-niang said with a laugh.
Zhou Liu-lang’s expression darkened, while Young Master Qin chuckled beside him.
“And you,” Cheng Jiao-niang turned to look at Young Master Qin.
Young Master Qin smiled, looking back at her.
“Why do you have to act so carefree?” Cheng Jiao-niang said, her gaze cold. “Little cripple, it’s not like you really want to be a cripple for the rest of your life.”
As soon as those words were out, the smile on Young Master Qin’s face froze slightly.
“Cheng Jiao-niang!” Zhou Liu-lang exploded in anger.
