~ THE ABNORMALITY OF MU YUNYAO ~
Ming Yin walked into the study. After bowing, she subconsciously raised her head to look at Mu Yunyao and saw that she looked at herself with a faint smile. Her eyes were clear as if they contained not a single speck of dirt, and her heart couldn’t help but calm down as she replied, “Reporting to Your Highness and Young Miss. I did everything according to Young Miss’s orders and didn’t show the slightest hint of trouble. However, Li Yuanyi does not seem to be interested in me at all.”
Mu Yunyao comforted her, “Although Li Yuanyi is fond of beauty, he is not a mediocre person. He able to serve the Governor of Liangjiang for many years, so he has his own judgment and skill. There are many beauties in his residence. But none of them are forced by him, even many women who fall in love with him. There are many rumors about his romantic life, but no one says he is mean. Therefore, you must be especially patient with him. Anyway, it will take a while to verify the salt tax in Jingling City. During this time, you will have the chance to do so.”
Ming Yin nodded: “Yes, I will keep my cool.”
“Hmm, if he is interested in you, then he won’t come tomorrow. How about this, tomorrow you will be entertaining the guests as usual. But, in the evening, you will fall into the water and need to rest for a few days. Do you understand?”
Ming Yin could not help but be worried. “Young Miss, this way, Li Yuanyi will not be able to stay in Jingling City for much longer.”
Mu Yunyao shook her head. “We can’t rush this matter. If it arouses his wariness, then no matter how much time is useless.”
“Yes, this servant will listen to Young Miss’s arrangements.”
Yue Wang waved his hand to signal Ming Yin to go down, and then his eyes fell on Mu Yunyao.
Mu Yunyao’s heart couldn’t help but sink. She raised her eyes and looked back with a smile. “Why is Fourth Master looking at me like that?”
“It’s nothing. Yangzhou City has already made its move. Tomorrow, I will leave with the ship. In these few days, I will not be here, so I’ll leave Li Yuanyi’s matter to you completely.”
“Yes, please be at ease, Fourth Master. There is absolutely no delay in business any longer.”
“Yeah, I naturally believe in you.”
“Then, I’ll wait here for the good news from Fourth Master.”
After leaving Jin Xiu Garden and returning home, Mu Yunyao seemed to have something heavy on her mind. When Su Qing returned and saw her like this, she couldn’t help but be worried, “Yao’er, what happened to you? Did something happen?” While she was talking, her eyes filled with pain. She had been busy with the matters of Ni Yun Fang for the past few days. Even she ignored her daughter. She really should not do that.
Mu Yunyao hurriedly raised her face and smiled, “Mother, I’m fine. I’m just a bit tired.”
“If you have anything, you must tell your mother, don’t feel depressed in your heart, okay?” Su Qing knew her daughter and knew that if she didn’t want to say it, she wouldn’t be able to find out what she wanted to ask. She could only explain her own thoughts clearly and let her measure them.
Mu Yunyao leaned on Su Qing’s shoulder as warmth flashed across her eyes. “Mother, don’t worry. I’m really just a little tired. I’ll be fine after two days of rest.”
“Alright, Mother will go make some food now. After you finish eating, go back to your room and rest early.”
“Yes, Mother.” Mu Yunyao nodded obediently. After Su Qing left, the smile on her face gradually faded until it disappeared without a trace. Even if she pretended that nothing had happened, there were still remnants in her heart. Every time she saw Yue Wang, she would involuntarily think back to the dozen or so ice lanterns he had delivered over after the New Year. Initially, she had assumed that she had thrown them to the back of her mind. But when she thought back carefully, there was a corner of her heart that was constantly flickering like an ice lantern, which makes her uneasy and restless. If there is no other contact with Yue Wang, she can let it go. As long as time goes by, there is no need to suppress it deliberately, and the trace of abnormality will fade with time. However, she was working with him right now and would have to meet him from time to time. Even now, she begins to doubt. If she may not cut off the relationship altogether with Yue Wang, what would happen then?
Furthermore, in the past few days, she had displayed more and more of her abilities in front of Yue Wang, causing people to feel suspicious of her. However, at that time, she was not on guard at all, as if she was sure that Yue Wang would not do anything to her. Such a mentality really made her flustered.
Ding Yuelan took the latest drawing. After entering, she saw Mu Yunyao propping her head up as she looked at the window. She couldn’t help but ask with a smile, “Greetings, Miss. What’s the matter? Why does it look like there’s something on your mind?”
“Shopkeeper Ding is here. Are you looking for my mother?”
“That’s right. These days, we’ve been thinking about Beauty’s Book. At the beginning of the year, we already had a design. Miss just helped us to see our shortcomings?”
Mu Yunyao calmed herself down and took the book to read it carefully. Her eyes couldn’t help but light up, “Your clothes are definitely beautiful. Even I can’t think of anything better. Are all the patterns Shopkeeper Ding has thought of?”
“Most of them were thought of by that girl, Cai Qing. Usually, she doesn’t like to talk, but her perception is extremely high. Right now, even I can’t help but admire her.”
Mu Yunyao was a little surprised. Cai Qing had always been following Ding Yuelan in dealing with things related to the New Ni Yun Fang and rarely appeared in front of her. She really didn’t know many things, “If that’s really the case, then I must reward her well. In the future, I will leave the matter of Niyun Beauty List to her.”
Ding Yuelan couldn’t help but chuckle, “The little boss is indeed getting lazier and lazier, but this is what a boss should look like.”
Mu Yunyao couldn’t help but smile. “Shopkeeper Ding is used to teasing me.”
“I heard from Madam that Bu Xian Luo has been very busy recently with the opening of stores in Huai’an City and Yangzhou City. The trivial things are bound to be complicated. Miss should take care of herself when you are busy. Don’t worry about it as you did during the New Year.”
“Alright, I understand. I won’t dare to get sick again in the future.” Feeling Ding Yuelan’s concern, Mu Yunyao’s heart relaxed as the smile on her face lessened in intensity.
Seeing her look, Ding Yuelan relaxed and unwittingly said, “These days have always been difficult for people to pass through. However, when I think about it later, it is actually just like that. After a while, I even forgot about the discomfort I felt at that time.”
Mu Yunyao couldn’t help but move the corner of her lips. In the past, she was worried that Ding Yuelan would remember her sadness and that they would purposely avoid the things from the past. Now that she mentioned it herself, she couldn’t help but ask, “Has Madam forgotten about the past as well?”
“Although I have not completely forgotten about it, it is more or less enough. At the very least, when I think about it, I feel that it is just a matter of the past. The excruciating pain at that time is no longer present.” Ding Yuelan smiled lightly on her face and looked relieved.
Mu Yunyao was happy for her, “Madam’s character is truly admirable.”
“Little Boss, you have to be open-minded when encountering trouble. Things haven’t even happened yet, and who knows if it’s good or bad?” Ding Yuelan didn’t know what had happened to Mu Yunyao, but for her to show such a serious expression, it must have been quite a significant matter. She could only rely on her own experience to comfort her.
“Yeah, I’m just worrying about it.” No matter what happened in the future, her relationship with Yue Wang was now inextricably linked. Seeing that there was once again a matter of salt tax, she could only continue forward. All she could do along the way was to try her best to keep her heart in check. She had been through such a miserable situation in her past life. Isn’t it better now than before?