Pampered Poisonous Royal Wife Chapter 205

~ LI YUANYI’S HEART STIRRING ~

On the second day, Yue Wang had left early. Before leaving, he warned Steward Qin that if anything happened in Bu Xian Luo, he must ensure Mu Yunyao’s safety. 

Naturally, Steward Qin agreed and arranged for people to set up in Jin Xiu Garden carefully. 

It was just as Mu Yunyao expected. Li Yuanyi did not come on the second day. Ming Yin followed Mu Yunyao’s instructions and directly pretended to fall into the water. After that, she said that she wouldn’t be entertaining the guests until recovering from her illness.

That night, Li Yuanyi sent his entourage to visit Ming Yin. He even sent in a lot of medicinal herbs and told her to recuperate well.

Ming Yin said thanks in a hurry, but she returned the medicine.

When Li Yuanyi heard his entourage’s report, he felt his mind shake and kept recalling the scene when he saw Ming Yin that day.

When Li Munian came to see him in this state, he could not help but advise him: “Bu Xian Luo is different from other places. Moreover, you came here to verify the salt tax, so It’s really not appropriate to have any further complications. If you really take a fancy to Ming Yin. When the matter is settled, I will think of a way to send her to your house.”

“Don’t worry, Nephew. Naturally, I know what I’m doing.” He loved beauties and enjoyed pursuing them. Otherwise, with his status, as long as he opened his mouth, people would send a lot of beauties straight to his bed. That would be much less fun. Li Munian is a bit unhappy. He knew Li Yuanyi, but he doesn’t like Li Yuanyi’s style of conduct and behavior. According to seniority, Li Munian should call this person ‘Uncle’, so he could not say many things unpleasantly: “I wonder when Uncle will be leaving for Yangzhou city?” Compared to Jingling City, those cities south of Yangzhou City and Suzhou City were the main points of verification. Li Yuanyi smiled unpredictably: “Right now, it will take some time to investigate the salt tax in the inner core of Jingling City. There are also salt merchants coming to Yangzhou City to take care of it, so I hope that we can examine it more carefully. Furthermore, I have heard some rumors, so I cannot rush to Yangzhou City and can only stay in Jingling City for more time.”

If the salt merchants had not gone crazy, they would not have wanted Li Yuanyi to examine them more carefully. Now that they said it this way, they only wanted him to stay in Jingling City for a while to give the salt merchants time to prepare comprehensively. It seemed like there must be a big problem with the salt tax this time.

Li Munian’s eyes lit up, “Uncle, what do you mean?”

“That’s right. I will check it out slowly and give the merchants some time to make perfect preparation. In other words, I’ll have sold the salt merchants for their blessings. In the future, we can say that their benefits are limitless.” His purpose this time was to help the First Prince rope in these salt merchants so that he could extract more from them in the future. He did not expect that he would be here just a moment, and there was good news coming from Jingling City.

Li Munian was very happy, so he reminded Li Yuanyi, “Although it’s good news, Uncle must also be extra careful, in case there’s any trickery involved. After all, the salt merchant is cunning, and the water in it is too deep. If you are careless, the ship may capsize in the gutter.”

“Nephew, don’t worry. I will come and discuss it with you if there’s any news. There definitely won’t be any mistakes.” Since this was an important matter, he naturally had to pull Li Munian along. It also meant that he had the support of Prime Minister Li behind him, and both he and the First Prince had huge advantages.

“Fine. If I can’t make up my mind, I will send a message to the Capital, asking Father for guidance.”

Li Munian and Li Yuanyi were happily chatting with each other. Before he left, Li Munian had left behind his two beautiful female attendants, but Li Yuanyi was worried about Ming Yin. He looked at the two female attendants in front of him again and felt that they were just ordinary women, not that elegant and refined aura that Ming Yin had.

“It seems that I’ll have to pay a personal visit tomorrow.”

The next day, Li Yuanyi bitterly waited until the afternoon before he packed up and headed to Bu XIan Luo. When he arrived, he did not see Ming Yin but was welcomed by Shopkeeper Qin, “Greetings, Lord Li. How about Yun Chun makes you some tea today?”

Yun Chun came forward and greeted, “Greetings, Lord Li.” Yun Chun has a delicate appearance, delicate eyebrows, with a trace of sassy air when he moves in a line. Under the contrast of her white clothes, she gave off a refreshing feeling. Usually, Li Yuanyi would definitely be touched by this, but with Ming Yin in front of him, he actually felt like there was nothing else in his eyes. This kind of feeling hasn’t appeared on him for a long time, and it made him even more curious about it. All these years, there had been a lot of beauties around him, but not many could truly move his heart. Ming Yin was the first one that had worried him so much, so he was increasingly unwilling to give up, “Shopkeeper Qin, I did not come here to drink tea. Instead, I heard that something had happened to Miss Ming Yin, and I hope to be able to visit her.”

Steward Qin appeared to be troubled, “About this... To tell Lord Li the truth, ever since Miss Ming Yin’s incident, there has been an endless stream of customers who have come to visit me, but Miss Ming Yin has not seen anyone. Although she is Si Cha’s Bu Xian Luo, she has signed a contract at the beginning, and I can’t force her to do it.”

“So that’s the case. Then, may I ask Shopkeeper Qin to ask Miss Ming Yin if she is willing to see me?”

Steward Qin was surprised for a moment before he nodded his head. With a smile, he said, “That’s fine. I’ll ask Yun Chun to go and inquire about it. If Miss Ming Yin is willing, that would be for the best.”

Looking at his expression, Li Yuanyi could not help but smile and secretly thought that Shopkeeper Qin would do something: “Then I’ll have to trouble you, Shopkeeper Qin. Consider this as me owing you a favor.” Naturally, he didn’t mind being indebted to Shopkeeper Qin as he was after Ming Yin.

The smile on Steward Qin’s face became even wider as he served the best tea to Li Yuanyi and waited with him.

After he has two cups of tea, Yun Chun came back with an awkward expression. “Greetings, Lord Li. Miss Ming Yin is not feeling well, so she doesn’t wish to see you right now. Please forgive me.”

Li Yuanyi frowned, feeling displeased in his heart. At the same time, he had a strong desire for victory. “Since that’s the case, I will come again another day.” After this, he walked out.

Yun Chun, however, quickly followed. “Lord Li, please wait a moment. Actually, Ming Yin wishes to meet you. It’s just that …”

Li Yuan stopped walking and said unhappily, “Since she wants to see me, are you trying to make things difficult for me?”

“Yun Chun would never dare to do so, and I am not to speak clearly. Follow me. I’ll show you, and you’ll understand.” Yun Chun clenched her teeth and brought Li Yuanyi to the backyard of Jin Xiu Garden.

At this moment, flowers were blooming in the backyard. The luxuriant purple and red flowers were looking extremely prosperous and beautiful.

At the end of a large garden, there was the sound of running water. A pavilion was built on the surface of the water, giving it an expressly elegant appearance. In the pavilion, near the water source, Ming Yin was leaning against the railing, one hand on her chin, lost in thought as she gazed at the water surface.

At this moment, she was wearing a white skirt that reached all the floors. As the wind blew past her, her sleeves gently fluttered, giving off the impression that she was riding on the wind. Li Yuanyi looked at her from afar. Looking at her pale but delicate face, he could only feel his heart worrying for her. “Miss Ming Yin …”

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Continue reading Pampered Poisonous Royal Wife Chapter 205

Pampered Poisonous Royal Wife Chapter 204

~ 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?

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Continue reading Pampered Poisonous Royal Wife Chapter 204

Pampered Poisonous Royal Wife Chapter 203

~ ENTERTAINING LI YUANYI ~ 

Jiangnan’s spring is very short. In early April, the weather seemed to have suddenly turned into summer. Ni Yun Fang also started selling the thin and light dresses they used to wear during the summer.

Without Cai Yue Pavilion, the business in Ni Yun Fang had become more prosperous. In respected people’s homes, the clothes that the women wore were all from New Ni Yun Fang, so in a short amount of time, they had already obtained nearly fifty thousand taels of silver for Mu Yunyao.

With the help of Ding Yuelan, Su Qing received the ladies and madams of the various families. Her understanding and bearing had changed a lot. Compared to before, she is quite different. Although there are still some shortcomings, it had already made Mu Yunyao extremely satisfied.

In the middle of April, the Emperor ordered a thorough examination of the salt tax. He appointed Li Yuanyi, the governor of Liangjiang, as his official minister, to inspect Jiangnan, verify the salt tax, and reorganize the salt tax.

Li Munian, as the Salt Transportation Envoy of Jingling City, was the first to respond to the Emperor’s imperial edict. After cleaning up the account books, he sealed them for inspection by the official minister.

Cao Yunnian was an honest and upright official, and the atmosphere in Jingling City was cleaner and more frank than that in other places. Therefore, the salt tax account books were still transparent, and it didn’t take much effort to rectify them.

Mu Yunyao made preparations in advance and asked Nan’er to find a child from Ci You Bureau and sang a ballad about Ni Yun Fang and Bu Xian Luo.

“Jiangnan is good, Jiangnan is good, and the immortals will always remember when they come. The colorful clouds around Ni Yun Fang, the immortals’ beauty of Bu Xian Luo, Si Cha is graceful as a fairy, a cup of fragrant tea forgets all worries....”

The ballads were extremely smooth going, and with the addition of the well-known Ni Yun Fang and Bu Xian Luo also mentioned, it didn’t take long for the news to spread throughout the entire Jingling City. The effect was so good. Many merchants passed by Jingling City, all came to Ni Yun Fang to buy clothes, and Bu Xian Luo to drink tea after hearing the ballad. If you don’t come there, it will feel like coming to Jiangnan is pointless.

The first destination of Li Yuanyi’s route in Jiangnan was to come to Jingling City. This year, the fame of Jingling City was incomparable to anyone else’s. Coupled with Li Munian’s presence, he naturally wanted to give the family some face. Li Munian was the Prime Minister Li’s son, the Salt Transportation Envoy of Jingling City, so the salt tax is apparent and transparent. Isn’t it just political achievements?

Li Munian brought the officials to greet him, and even Governor Zhang was alarmed. The next day, he took the initiative to visit, and they were having a pleasant conversation. Governor Zhang also mentioned Ni Yun Fang and Bu Xian Luo. Therefore, Li Yuanyi said that he would come to taste the tea.

Ming Yin sat with Mu Yunyao in the pavilion, her expression very perturbed.

Mu Yunyao noticed that the hand she used to hold the teacup was slightly trembling and couldn’t help but ask, “Ming Yin, are you afraid?”

“This servant isn’t afraid.” Ming Yin forced herself to stabilize the teacup bit by bit as the smile on her face became more and more natural. “Young Miss, I’ve waited for this day for far too long, and I feel excited in my heart. How can I be afraid? I won’t be afraid. No matter what happens, I won’t be afraid.”

“Alright, tomorrow will be the day Li Yuanyi comes to Bu Xian Luo to drink tea. At that time, I will have someone arrange the appointment under your name.”

“Thank you, Young Miss.”

On the second day, Li Munian accompanied Li Yuanyi and came to Bu Xian Luo.

Steward Qin hurriedly came out to welcome them personally and led them into the Hibiscus Courtyard.

Li Munian looked at the surrounding scenery, and a hint of amazement flashed in his eyes from time to time. “The scenery here is beautiful beyond words. May I know if Miss Mu is here?”

Li Yuanyi turned around. “Miss Mu, you’re talking about is the one who was rewarded twice by the Emperor?”

“That’s right. My wife has met Miss Mu and praised her for her brilliance and elegance. It is an uncommonly rare sight.”

Steward Qin wore a smile on his face, but his mind was full of fierceness. His purpose in mentioning Miss Mu at this time was definitely not simple. “Hibiscus Courtyard is here. Please come inside, Lords.”

Ming Yin, who was wearing a white dress, slowly walked out and bowed to the two of them. Her gentle voice was like the soft cry of a nightingale, and her voice slightly raised, causing people to feel unsatisfied: “Si Cha Ming Yin greets the two lords.”

Li Yuanyi was initially interested in Mu Yunyao. But when he saw Ming Yin, his heart immediately stuck to her. “Miss, there’s no need to be so courteous. Ming Yin is truly a good name.”

Ming Yin raised her eyes, her long eyelashes fluttering slightly. She looked like a butterfly flapping its wings. The setting sun shone with a golden light as she said, “Please come inside, my Lord.”

The awe in Li Yuanyi’s eyes deepened. “Okay.”

Li Munian carefully examined Ming Yin, a look of scrutiny flashing through his eyes.

“Milords, what tea would you like to drink? Ming Yin needs to choose the water source and tea set based on the tea.” After the two of them sat down, Ming Yin asked gently.

Li Yuanyi’s gaze deepened, “This is my first time here. I don’t know what’s so special about it, so why don’t you judge for yourself?”

“Since that’s the case, then I, Ming Yin, will make a fool of myself.” A set of tea utensils depicting blue and white flowers was carried up. After Ming Yin bowed to him, she sat down behind the table and took in a deep breath without a trace. The cold under her eyes slowly flowed through. The hatred in her heart was turbulent, just like the tide almost broken her. But even so, her face remained as calm as ever, as if she was entirely at peace. She is like a hunter who lurks in the darkness and waits for the opportunity to cut through the enemy’s throat in one fell swoop.

Li Yuanyi looked at Ming Yin’s every move and could not help but swallow his saliva. She did not do anything superfluous, but it was inexplicably attractive. He had not seen such a woman in a long time that could move his heart.

Li Munian frowned. When he first met Ming Yin, he felt that she seemed to seduce Li Yuanyi. However, after observing her movements, he realized that she did not do anything out of line. She was instead concentrating on brewing tea from the beginning to the end. Was he overly concerned?

“Milords, please have some tea.” Ming Yin closed the teacup and respectfully handed it over to the two of them.

Li Yuanyi looked at her fingers. Her slender fingers looked like they chopped from a root of an onion, and her nails were trimmed and rounded, covered with a petal-like pink color, which was particularly attractive. His heart was slightly itchy, but Li Yuanyi’s smiling face was peculiarly serious as he sipped a mouthful of tea and said, “Miss Ming Yin’s brewing tea is really extraordinary.”

“It’s good that Milord likes it. Ming Yin has made a fool of herself.”

“Miss Ming Yin is a local of Jingling City?”

“No, I’m from Linjiang City.”

“Oh?”

Li Yuanyi asked about Ming Yin’s background and then turned his attention away. He told Li Munian about the verification of the salt tax. His words repeatedly revealed that he had a prominent identity as if he was trying to show off.

When Ming Ying questioned, she replied softly. She lowered her head and sat down at the side without being asked, appearing extremely quiet.

The doubt in Li Munian’s heart gradually subsided. He finished his tea and admired the scenery in the garden. Then, they left after buying some tea.

Ming Yin kneeled on the ground as a cold sweat broke out on her forehead and back. When Steward Qin saw this scene, he immediately got someone to help her up. “Ming Yin, how was it?”

“Your servant is fine.” Ming Yin took a few deep breaths and suppressed her surging emotions. Her body also gained a bit of strength.

“Mn, that’s good. Come with me. Master and Miss Mu want to see you.”

“Yes.”

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Continue reading Pampered Poisonous Royal Wife Chapter 203

Pampered Poisonous Royal Wife Chapter 202

~ TALK ABOUT THE TERMS WITH YUE WANG ~ 

 
Steward Qin, who had been waiting outside the entire time, came in with a plate of cold snacks. Seeing that Yue Wang was in a trance, he could not help but guess what had just happened. “Wang Ye, why has Miss Mu left? I’ve even prepared some snacks here!”

When Yue Wang came back to his senses, he couldn’t help but smile. Although it wasn’t obvious, Steward Qin, who knew him well, could tell at a glance.

“Uncle Qin, go find someone to notify Jin Lan and ask her to bring a thin cloak over. It’s still rather cold out in the garden.”

Steward Qin quickly agreed, “Yes, this old servant will go now.”

In the next few days, Mu Yunyao deliberately avoided Yue Wang, and she taught Ming Yin at the Su’s residence.

Ming Yin had been very focused on her studies, and in just a few short days, she had been able to achieve great results.

“Ming Yin, I’ve taught you everything you need to know, and the rest is up to you.

Ming Yin promptly nodded her head and bowed respectfully towards Mu Yunyao. “Thank you very much, Young Miss” If it wasn’t for Mu Yunyao, it was unknown when she would’ve been able to obtain this opportunity.

“Don’t be too polite. Remember what you’ve said before. When you really see Li Yuanyi, you must restrain yourself and never reveal anything. Also, you don’t use the medicine powder that I’ve given to you carelessly. You don’t let it out until I’ve told you so. Do you remember?”

“Yes. Young Miss, please be at ease. I will definitely not lose weight because of such a small matter.” After learning the art of assassination, she had wanted to infiltrate the Governor’s residence countless times to assassinate Li Yuanyi, but in the end, she resisted it. She would not be so quick, but she would make those black-hearted people pay the price.

Seeing her expression, Mu Yunyao relaxed, “Well, go back and get some rest.”

After Ming Yin left, Liu Liang brought back Qi Ming’s news. “Mistress, the news has been confirmed. The salt merchants are indeed colluding with the government to use the name of purchasing salt to pay the salt tax deficit.”

Mu Yunyao’s fingertips trembled as a smile flashed across her eyes. “Qi Ming has worked hard. When he returns, you’ll definitely reward him well.”

“This is what he should do.”

Mu Yunyao thought carefully for a moment before she picked up the letter, then she headed to Jin Xiu Garden next door.

Mu Yunyao had not seen Yue Wang for more than ten days since she had lost her composure. Now that she was outside the study, she still felt a little uncomfortable in her heart when she heard him call her in: “Greetings, Fourth Master.”

Yue Wang looked at Mu Yunyao, his eyes bright and indifferent, without a trace of abnormality. “You haven’t gone to the greenhouse these few days, the flowers inside have all blossomed, and now they’re expressly beautiful.”

“The weather getting warmed up on this day, and the flowers outside are already blooming, let alone the flowers in the greenhouse. The flowers are blooming freely outside.”

“From the looks of it, you seem to be very happy. Is there any news from Yangzhou City?”

“The letter from Qi Ming can confirm our previous guess was correct. The salt merchant indeed wanted to use the method of purchasing salt to fill the deficit!”

Yue Wang looked up and said, “These people are truly audacious.”

“Although the Imperial Court forbade the sale of private salt, in fact, in Jiangnan, there is 30% of salt sold as official salt. The rest of the 70% privately sold by these salt merchants. Even the government has repeatedly banned such a matter. The Emperor certainly knows that, but there is no means to investigate and deal with it.”

“That’s good as well. If these salt merchants abide by the law, we really won’t have the chance to interfere.” Yue Wang carefully thought about it and quickly thought about his plan. After that, he tried to find loopholes, and after a while, he said, “I will immediately get people to watch them, as long as they dare to do something in the transportation, I will have a way to snatch out the real salt.”

Mu Yunyao’s heart moved, and Yue Wang said with great confidence. From this, she could see that his foundation in Jiangnan was definitely not shallow, and it was hard to know how long he had been secretly setting it up. “Fourth Master, I’ve heard from Qi Ming that this time, he used around 6 million taels of silver to buy salt, and this is only the price of purchasing a large number of salt. If you sell this batch of salt, the amount of silver involved will be about tens of millions of taels of silver. Since the salt merchants dared to do so, they naturally have something to rely on it. You must be extra careful and not make any mistakes.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll personally keep an eye on him. Nothing will happen to him.”

Mu Yunyao’s eyes moved as the corner of her mouth lifted into a smile. “Then, have Fourth Master thought about how to split the silver?”

Yue Wang glanced at her with a faint smile, “Going to find out about the news is a credit. You teach Ming Yin. If she successfully approaches Li Yuanyi and helps with salt tax verification, it would also be considered a contribution. Because the most important thing is my main contribution, I can give you ten percent of it.

“Fourth Master Ning is too stingy, but you’re right, I didn’t contribute too much, so I won’t take even a single cent of the silver after I sell this batch of salt.” Mu Yunyao said with a smile.

Yue Wang’s heart skipped a beat slightly. It was not her usual style of doing things. “Even if it is 10%, it would still be worth millions of taels of silver. Don’t you feel sorry for it?”

“I don’t want the silver taels from the salt, but if I can find a way to get them elsewhere, you’ll give them all to me. What do you say?”

Yue Wang quickly thought about it. Apart from the fact that this batch of salt could acquire much silver, where else could he get silver? Mu Yunyao didn’t give him any time to think about this matter, “Fourth Master, earning silver depends on one’s ability. If your man has the ability to snatch the salt, then the silver that he sells will naturally belong to you. If I have a way to get silver from other places, then that silver will naturally belong to me. In this way, it is fair and impartial. Do you want to haggle over some small profits with me?”

Yue Wang couldn’t help but laugh: “Alright. I promise you.”

Mu Yunyao’s heart is full of joy. She quickly walked to the side of the table, grabbed a brush and paper, and made a written agreement. “Words have no basis. Let’s write it as proof!”

After signing the contract, Mu Yunyao carefully put it away, and then she felt at ease: “I won’t disturb Fourth Master any longer. I’ll be taking my leave.” Yue Wang looked at her back with a smile on the corner of his lips. The last time, Mu Yunyao was leaving the study in a hurry. She looked as calm as ever, but in reality, her heart was already in a mess. Otherwise, she would have left appropriately after saluting as usual, instead of forgetting the salute. It seems that she is not entirely unmoved.

Thinking of this conclusion, Yue Wang felt satisfied, as if he had done something huge.

When she returned home, Mu Yunyao immediately called out Li Liang over, “Liu Liang. Go and inform Qi Ming that Jingling City is ready and the shop is set on the other side of Ni Yun Fang. Tell him to prepare to open another Yibaoxuan as soon as possible.”

The salt merchants, as not make any mistakes, must make impartial inspections when buying salt in the salt mining area. That is to say that they will load the salt on the ship with enough weight. Therefore, as long as Yue Wang’s people can keep an eye on it, they will have a chance to snatch the salt. She did not have many people under her that she could use, and she did not have any plans for this batch of salt from the beginning. Instead, she took a different approach, starting from the salt merchants themselves. But don’t worry, everything has to wait for Li Yuanyi to come.

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Continue reading Pampered Poisonous Royal Wife Chapter 202

Pampered Poisonous Royal Wife Chapter 201

~ DON’T GUESS YUE WANG’S MIND ~ 

Ming Yin carefully reads the book Mu Yunyao gave her, but she doesn’t understand it thoroughly. What she could understand wasn’t very clear, and the things written on it weren’t many. The book only described some techniques that need to pay attention to, such as how the Lan Hua Finger (Orchid Finger) looked great when serving the tea or how elegant the skirt’s hem swayed when walked. After reading it, she paid extra attention to it, but she always felt very unnatural and would make mistakes from time to time.

(Orchid Finger)

After studying for a long while, Ming Yin still didn’t realize the essence, so Ming Yin directly took the boo to ask Mu Yunyao. “Young Miss, I have memorized the book, but I still don’t understand many things, o I would like to ask you to enlighten me.” Seeing Mu Yunyao again, Ming Yin still felt excited in her heart. She couldn’t help but blush before silently cursing herself in her heart. Young Miss and her are both girls and not coming age yet. How could she find her exceptionally attractive?

Just as Mu Yunyao was about to answer, she heard a knock on the door, “Fourth Master Ning said that he has something to discuss with you in Jin Xiu Garden, Miss.”

“Got it. I’ll be right there after I change my clothes.” Mu Yunyao thought that perhaps it was due to the salt tax’s matter, so she didn’t dare delay any further. After changing her clothes, she headed straight to Yue Wang’s study in Jin Xiu Garden.

“Greetings, Fourth Master. What did Fourth Master call me here for?”

Yue Wang raised his eyes, and a dark light flashed strangely under his clear eyes: “I heard that you were teaching Ming Yin, so I wanted to take a look together. After all, this matter is of great importance, and if Li Yuanyi notices any abnormalities, it would not be beneficial for our next actions.”

“Fourth Master’s words are reasonable, it just so happens that Ming Yin wanted to ask me just now, so I let her come here.”

Yue Wang nodded solemnly: “Ok.”

“Greetings, Master.” When Ming Yin saw Yue Wang, she immediately knelt down to salute, and her expression was full of admiration and respect. Mu Yunyao kept Ming Yin’s appearance in her eyes as she secretly thought in her heart. She usually saw Yue Wang only by herself and occasionally had Steward Qin, Yu Heng, and Yu Yi present, as they were the Yue Wang’s trusted aides. Although they were polite, they weren’t overly formal. It was the first time she saw other subordinates meeting with Yue Wang. Just by looking at it, she can see that Ming Yin respects Yue Wang sincerely.

“Get up. You initially wanted to ask Miss Mu something, then you should have asked.”

Ming Yin hurriedly nodded, her expression becoming much more solemn. “This servant would like to ask Young Miss, how can I grasp the essence of the book’s contents?”

“I just heard you say that you have memorized all the contents of the book?”

“Yes. I have memorized all of it by heart.”

Mu Yunyao nodded, “If that’s the case, then the next thing you should do is forget about the things you’ve seen in books.”

Ming Yin was puzzled. “I just memorized it. Why do I have to forget it now?”

“It is not to make you forget the contents of the book but to make you forget that you have seen the book. Only by forgetting this problem will you be able to integrate the contents of the book into your actions, allowing your every move to reveal the intent of bewitching others. Only in this way can you confuse others.”

Ming Yin thought about it carefully for a moment, felt that he had realized something. She wanted to distinguish it carefully but couldn’t grasp it. “Young Miss, forgive me if I am presumptuous. Could you please demonstrate your previous technique in brewing tea?”

Mu Yunyao nodded, “Alright. I’ll show you again and slow down my movements this time. Then I’ll explain it to you in detail, and you can experience it carefully. Try to understand it better.”

Ming Yin hurriedly nodded. “Thank you, Young Miss.”

After hearing the instructions, Steward Qin quickly brought the things used to make tea. He then glanced at Ming Yin appreciatively, determined to give her the silver using Yu Heng’s deducted monthly payment. Mu Yunyao sat down and raised her hand gently to adjust her sleeves, “I’ve heard that the popular art of enchantment is to confuse the human eye. This method can make people indulge for a moment, even maybe they are fascinated. But the final result is often to hurt others and hurt themselves. The truly superb art of enchantment is to confuse people’s hearts. Only when people are bewitched can they be attracted and fall in love. You can’t extricate yourself from being truly addicted, even if all people tell him you are a liar, even if your heart is broken, and still can’t bear to watch you cry.”

Ming Yin couldn’t help but move her gaze along with Mu Yunyao’s movements, watching her arranging her clothes elegantly and slowly boiling water to make tea. The corner of her mouth rose slightly, a bit deeper than her usual smile. It is this shallow point that showed a completely different breath. An exciting feeling once again surged through her heart. She couldn’t help but think that after she had the chance to revenge, she wants to serve as a maid beside Miss Mu and felt her life could be considered complete.

Mu Yunyao took the jade carving spoon and placed the tea leaves in the teacup. She raised her eyes to look at Ming Yin. But suddenly met the gaze of Yue Wang, and her heart skipped a beat.

At this moment, Yue Wang was looking at Mu Yunyao with all his attention. It was a completely brand new Mu Yunyao he had never seen before. Her eyebrows bent over, and it makes her radiance was rippling. Her face was pink and red, her beauty was flawless, her lips were full of words and smiles, and her fingertips were slightly upturned. Her every move was enchanting Yue Wang, and he once again recalled the legend of the Snow Fox in Western Guangdong. A fox is born with a spirit, which can absorb the essence of heaven and earth. When the Snow Fox turned into a human, which could charm all living beings. The current Mu Yunyao was the incarnation of the Snow Fox.

Looking at her, Yue Wang felt his usually calm heart suddenly become restless. His voice was sounding like a drum. He moved like a rabbit, making him feel flustered and anxious. He just wanted to hold his chest with his hand.

At this moment, Mu Yunyao realized that her behavior was inappropriate. Her chest abruptly stopped breathing, and her face unconsciously flushed red. Her heart was full of regret for her carelessness.

This blush was like a huge rock that fell right into Yue Wang’s heart, causing him to tremble, and he quickly forced himself to look away.

Ming Yin couldn’t help but swallow her saliva. People always yearned for beautiful things, and now, Mu Yunyao was like a ball of light in her eyes, attracting her to want to get closer regularly. She couldn’t help but mutter, “Young Miss....”

This voice directly broke the charming atmosphere in the study room. Mu Yunyao put down the teaspoon in her hand as if nothing had happened and smiled as usual: “Ming Yin, did you remember what I did just now?”

Ming Yin lowered her head in embarrassment. “Miss Mu, this servant was distracted just now. I’m sorry....”

“Nothing, just watch it next time.”

Ming Yin felt very ashamed. She and Li Yuanyi had a blood feud that could not be solved, so she always wanted to learn faster. She could not make any mistakes after meeting him. Now that Miss Mu had taught her in detail, Ming Yin can’t help but lose her mind. How can she fulfill her long-cherished wish if she goes on like this? Thinking about it, she knelt down directly: “Young Miss, I will definitely work hard...”

Mu Yunyao stepped forward and helped her up, “Alright. It’s not a big deal. You only need to take it slowly. Since you’re worried, let’s go out. I’ll accompany you for a walk and relax. Who knows, maybe you’ll be able to understand it without a teacher.” After she finished speaking, she accompanied Ming Yin out.

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Continue reading Pampered Poisonous Royal Wife Chapter 201

Incurable Chapter 6 Part 2

Chapter 6 (2/2)

Once Zhongfen was settled, Liu Qianxiu drove Mu Wan back to her apartment.

Datou and Ertong were still in the bedroom. Mu Wan went in to get them while Liu Qianxiu waited in the living room.

The apartment was small, decorated in a simple, comfortable style. On the coffee table sat a single cup. Near the dining area, a single chair was pulled out. It was unmistakably the home of a woman living alone.

A few moments later, Mu Wan came back out.

Her slender arms held the cat bed, covered with a thin blanket. Beneath it, the two kittens shifted in small wriggles. She looked up at Liu Qianxiu, her eyes large and bright.

“I’ll come with you and drop them off. Otherwise it’ll be hard for you to drive and hold them.”

She also wanted to see where he lived. That way, if she came by later, she would know how to find the place. And besides, Liu Qianxiu had only said he had experience with cats. Who knew whether he could actually take proper care of them?

The expression on the man’s face did not change. His dark eyes remained calm and unreadable.

“All right,” he said simply.

At once, Mu Wan felt that perhaps she had been a little petty in the way she’d argued with him.

Besides the cats and the cat bed, she packed up quite a few more things, enough to fill half a box. One of them carried the cat bed, the other the box, and the two went downstairs one after the other.

On the way down, they ran into the woman from across the hall. Her eyes paused on Liu Qianxiu for quite some time before she finally looked away and greeted Mu Wan.

Mu Wan was not especially close with the neighbors. She smiled, nodded back, and then headed toward Liu Qianxiu’s BMW X5.

Lin Wei had said that as a doctor, Liu Qianxiu probably earned about the same as Mu Wan, an eighteenth-tier actress.

But there were still differences.

At the very least, even by the time she reached Liu Qianxiu’s age, Mu Wan wasn’t sure she’d be able to afford an apartment in Nanfeng, let alone the X5.

It was Mu Wan’s first time entering the home of a man who lived alone.

She didn’t feel much need for caution. In truth, there was no need. Compared with an ordinary man, Liu Qianxiu felt much more like a Taoist priest.

Apartments in Nanfeng were expensive, and the building Liu Qianxiu lived in was one of the best in the complex, with an especially open view. The apartment itself was enormous—well over two hundred square meters. The moment she stepped inside, she caught the faint scent of agarwood, the fragrance winding straight into her mind. It was white kyara, worth more than gold.

Mu Wan’s own place was already simply decorated, but Liu Qianxiu’s home was simpler still. Yet within that simplicity, there was unmistakable refinement. The lamp, the low table, the rug—none of them looked like ordinary work or materials. Just from the apartment alone, one could imagine the temperament of its owner.

Detached from desire.

Unworldly.

Elegant to the point of luxury.

Liu Qianxiu bent down and set the box in his arms on the floor. Then he took out a pair of new slippers and held them out to Mu Wan.

“Wear these.”

He was inviting her in.

Mu Wan’s fingers tightened slightly on the edge of the cat bed. The blanket over it had already slipped back, and beneath it, Datou and Ertong were moving around and meowing.

“Thank you.”

She put on the slippers after thanking him.

They were clearly high because they were a little too large for her. Her pale, narrow feet disappeared into the light brown cotton-linen slippers. The soles were somewhat firm, yet unexpectedly comfortable.

Liu Qianxiu said nothing more. He picked up the box and headed toward one of the rooms. Mu Wan followed, but before he even opened the door, something dark slid across the tops of her feet.

She stepped back.

“Zhouyi.”

Liu Qianxiu’s gaze settled. He called the name once.

Mu Wan looked up.

A black cat, sleek from head to tail, with vertical golden pupils, was standing beside the low table watching her. When Liu Qianxiu called, it answered with a short “meow.”

“This is your cat?” Mu Wan asked.

The black cat had something uncanny about it. Even in broad daylight, it still felt faintly intimidating. And a name like Zhouyi...

Well. It was exactly the kind of name a Taoist’s cat would have.

“Mm,” Liu Qianxiu replied, opening the door.

It was a dedicated cat room.

Inside, it connected to a floor-to-ceiling balcony. Soft carpet covered the floor. The cat tree was large and branch-like, and the cat bed, litter box, and drinking fountain were all spotless. Near the windows, a smaller glass-walled room had been built into one side of the space, almost like a nursery. It was clearly meant for kittens.

Inside the glass room, everything needed to care for newborns was already in place.

Mu Wan set down the cat bed. Liu Qianxiu moved quickly, mixing formula and feeding the two hungry kittens, who were already crying themselves hoarse.

Crouching beside the bed, Mu Wan watched him feed them with smooth, practiced hands.

All of her earlier worry and suspicion now seemed completely unnecessary.

Experience really was experience.

Liu Qianxiu was taking care of them far better than she had.

Now that she could finally relax, Mu Wan was ready to leave. She looked down at Datou and Ertong, then thought of Zhongfen, and slowly drew her hand out from beneath the two tiny bodies.

The moment she pulled her hand away and was about to get up to say goodbye, her stomach growled over the sound of the kittens sucking at the bottle.

She had come straight home from the set to care for Zhongfen, then rushed to the pet hospital, and after that came here.

She hadn’t eaten dinner at all.

The sound was neither loud nor soft.

Mu Wan’s lashes flickered once.

Liu Qianxiu had already looked over.

His mouth flattened into a straight line. He lowered his eyes to the bottle, pulled the now-empty one away, and then asked, “You haven’t eaten?”

What had been slightly awkward a second ago became easy the moment he asked so directly. Mu Wan smiled instead, light shifting in her eyes, and nodded without embarrassment.

“No. I’ll just head back and—”

“Do you want noodles?” Liu Qianxiu asked.

Mu Wan was cut off.

Her lips parted slightly. Under her long lashes, surprise moved across her beautiful eyes like light over water.

“You’d cook for me?”

“Mm.”

“Yes.”

The answer came out before she had time to think.

Then Mu Wan froze for half a beat, looking at Liu Qianxiu.

Something about what she had just said... sounded a little off.

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Continue reading Incurable Chapter 6 Part 2

Incurable Chapter 6 Part 1

Chapter 6 (1/2)

Liu Qianxiu drove Mu Wan and Zhongfen to a pet hospital.

The moment they arrived, Mu Wan explained Zhongfen’s condition to the vet. The kitten was taken away for examination, and Liu Qianxiu and Mu Wan were shown into a waiting room to sit.

The waiting room was divided into small glass cubicles. Inside, there was a round table and two chairs. Through the glass door, they could see the vet examining Zhongfen in the next room.

After coming home from the set, Mu Wan had a mixed formula and fed all three kittens. Datou and Ertong had eaten well enough, but Zhongfen’s appetite had been poor. It drank only a little—then vomited all of it back up.

That wasn’t all.

Zhongfen was clearly listless. While the other two rolled and scrambled around in the cat bed, Zhongfen had buried its head in one corner, leaving only its tiny backside sticking up. Mu Wan tried feeding it two more times, and each time it threw up again. Only then did she truly panic.

Newborn kittens without a mother’s milk had almost no resistance at all. One careless moment and they could die.

Zhongfen was throwing up milk, and it looked as though it might not make it.

Mu Wan changed clothes, wrapped the kitten up, and was about to take it to the pet hospital when she happened to run into Liu Qianxiu outside.

From the moment they entered the waiting room, the two of them sat on opposite sides of the round table, both with their eyes on the examination room, and for quite a while neither of them said a word.

The room was quiet.

Mu Wan was the first to break it.

“How did you find my place?”

The question landed abruptly in the silence. Liu Qianxiu turned his head slightly. Across from him, Mu Wan sat with both hands clasped on the table, looking at him directly. When he met her gaze, she smiled a little, the line of her lips lifting.

“When an ambulance brings a patient to the ER, the address is recorded,” Liu Qianxiu said.

“Oh.”

Understanding dawned on her. Mu Wan lowered her eyes, lightly pinched her own fingertips, then looked up again with the expression of someone entering a negotiation.

“The last time I asked you in the hospital, you said the cat wasn’t yours.”

Which meant, unspoken: you have no right to take the kittens back.

“Mm.”

Liu Qianxiu had understood the implication. His face remained calm as ever.

“But you can’t raise them well.”

He said it lightly.

The blow landed perfectly.

Mu Wan wet her lower lip almost without thinking and turned her head toward the examination room. The vet was still checking Zhongfen. Its tiny paws kicked weakly in the air. The glass door blocked out the sound, but even from the movement alone, Mu Wan could tell it was meowing.

“It’s my first time raising cats,” she said. “I’ll do my best.”

“They’re too young. Kittens this small die easily.”

And just like that, Mu Wan had nothing to say again.

Because he was right.

She had barely slept the past few nights. The kittens were in her bedroom, and she woke several times every night just to check on them, terrified that if she wasn’t paying attention, one of them would die. She had never been softhearted, had never kept pets before, and had never wanted to. These three kittens were tiny, fragile, hard to raise—and ordinary local cats like them were everywhere. She could hand them back to Liu Qianxiu, then go out and buy herself a pedigree kitten instead: prettier, easier, simpler.

But it wasn’t the same.

These three had already been with her for days. They had entered her empty life and settled there. She jokingly called herself their stepmother, but in truth, she felt more like their real mother. Their own mother had died the moment they were born, and they depended on her completely. That dependence gave Mu Wan a strange, deep sense of fulfillment.

Every morning, she woke to their tiny meows.

Those soft, milky little cries were more comforting than the first ray of sunlight.

Attachment came easily.

Detachment never did.

Mu Wan wanted to keep these three.

She searched for an argument and found none. After a moment, she calmed herself and let her thinking shift toward Liu Qianxiu instead.

What she couldn’t understand was why he had come all the way to her home to ask for the cats. He had only fed the calico from time to time. Why was he so unwilling to let go of the kittens? The calico had never entrusted them to him. And weren’t Taoists supposed to be detached from worldly entanglements? Free of desire, unconcerned with things that weren’t theirs?

When she got nowhere with that line of thought, she gave it up. A faint crease formed between her brows, like a fold pressed into clean snow.

“So what do you want to do?” she asked.

Liu Qianxiu met her eyes. The beautiful eyes looking back at him held a sharper light now, stripped of the easy politeness from before.

He didn’t seem bothered by it at all. His voice remained low and steady.

“I’ll keep them for now. Once they’re a little stronger, you can take them back. If you’re worried, you can come to my place and see them anytime.”

The air-conditioning in the waiting room was set low.

Liu Qianxiu sat there in the cold air, skin cool and pale, features clear and fine, his frame long and spare. He seemed almost perpetually expressionless, like some distant immortal in a smoke-veiled temple hall—silent, remote, untouched.

Mu Wan braced her forearms on the table and leaned toward him.

She stopped when only a fist’s width remained between them.

“Dr. Liu,” she said lightly, like a ribbon skimming over water, leaving only the faintest ripples behind. “Did you know me before this?”

Her elbows rested on the table. Beneath the dark green halter top, her skin was pale as snow. One exquisite collarbone showed. Her shoulders were narrow and beautifully straight. Her black eyes were bright and clear, reflecting his face.

She was studying him.

Her gaze traced over his brows and eyes with patient attention, like a green snake newly down from the mountain, curious as it coiled on a river rock and watched a meditating monk across the water. There was something contradictory and seamless in her expression at once—aloof as mountain streams, yet lingering as mist.

Liu Qianxiu lowered his eyes.

The faint fragrance of a woman drifted toward him. He looked at the redness at the corners of her eyes, the slight dampness in her gaze, and when he spoke, his voice was low and resonant, like spring water striking stone.

“Why would you ask that?”

Why would she ask that?

Mu Wan leaned back again and tapped one finger lightly against the tabletop.

Lin Wei had said he was distant, someone who barely formed ties with other people. Yet from the time Mu Wan entered the ER, to the moment he noticed her birthmark, to the dinner where he took her back to the hospital, and now this—coming all the way to her home over three kittens—none of it quite fit the image of an utterly indifferent man.

Or perhaps it was more accurate to say he wasn’t especially indifferent to her.

And yet everything he had done could also be explained.

He might have mistaken the birthmark for part of the injury.

He took her back from the dinner because she was his patient.

He came to her apartment because she had refused to give him the kittens over the phone.

He wasn’t here because he especially wanted the cats.

He was here because he didn’t want her to raise the calico’s kittens to death.

Mu Wan did not answer his question.

Instead, she said, “You still haven’t answered mine.”

“I didn’t know you before,” Liu Qianxiu said. “I just want them to stay alive.”

Mu Wan drew her arms back from the table, opening up the distance between them once more. Then she smiled—soft, bright, and easy.

“All right,” she said. “Then thank you.”

The two of them had gone back and forth like parents negotiating custody.

She wanted to keep the kittens, yes—but she also knew they needed to survive first. They both wanted what was best for them, and there was no point turning each other into opponents over ownership.

A little later, Zhongfen’s test results came back.

There was nothing seriously wrong. The kitten had no mother’s milk and poor immunity. A bit of chill had been enough to upset its stomach. But it was still too small for medicine, so the vet wanted to keep it for observation for two days.

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Continue reading Incurable Chapter 6 Part 1

Pampered Poisonous Royal Wife Chapter 200

~ NEW TEA BREWING TECHNIQUES ~ 

Mu Yunyao agreed. “Alright, since you’re so determined, I’ll choose to believe you this once. I hope you won’t disappoint me!” 

Ming Yin was so delighted that she cried tears of joy. She hurriedly knelt down and saluted. “Thank you, Young Miss!” 

“Quickly get up.” Mu Yunyao thought about it and carefully explained Li Yuan Yi’s situation to Ming Yin in detail, “Miss Ming Yin, You should know how Li Yuanyi’s character is as well. He likes beauty, So if you want to approach him this time, you must start from this aspect.

Of course, I won’t let you really be bullied and humiliated by him.”

Ming Yin nodded and said, “Yes, I’ve heard from Shopkeeper Qin.”

Mu Yunyao carefully looked at her expression. Seeing that she didn’t cower in the slightest, she was quite satisfied in her heart. “Alright, since that’s the case, I’ll teach you some new tea brewing techniques.”

“Making tea?” Ming Yin was a little surprised. She initially thought that Mu Yunyao would teach her to seduce people, but she didn’t expect that it would be tea brewing techniques.

Mu Yunyao naturally guessed what she was thinking and couldn’t help chuckling, “Don’t underestimate tea brewing techniques. Most people have drunk their entire life’s worth of tea and still haven’t figured out the real tea brewing techniques. There are many things that you can’t understand about making tea and tasting tea. It’s not a problem at all to attract one or two people.”

“Please guide me, Young Miss.” Ming Yin hurriedly nodded.

“It’s hard to explain it alone. I’ll have Jin Lan prepare the tea set and show it to you.”

Mu Yunyao raised her voice and called Jin Lan and brought up the things she had prepared.

Ming Yin looked at them carefully and found that they were all tools for making tea. There was nothing special about them, so she could not help but become more curious.

Mu Yunyao knelt behind the table. After taking in a light breath of air, she said to Ming Yin, “Look at it carefully.”

Ming Yin quickly sat down, and when she saw Mu Yunyao raise her hand to receive the water, she couldn’t help but open her eyes wide. What she learned was assassination techniques, so she used to observing her words and expressions. Just a moment ago, Ming Yin noticed that the aura around Mu Yunyao’s aura around her body suddenly changed. Although she has a smile on her face, her breath is cold and detached, even with an almost imperceptible sense of alienation. In the blink of an eye just now, her body seemed to have gained a bit of charm. That kind of feeling can’t describe in detail with words. It did not have the allure of a brothel girl, nor did it deliberately reveal her figure. Her behavior seems to be the same as usual, but it always gave off a striking aura, which could not help but make people involuntarily immerse all their minds in the past.

Even Ming Yin herself didn’t notice. The more she looked, the softer her breathing became. Moreover, she couldn’t help but lean forward involuntarily, wanting to look more carefully. Mu Yunyao gently closed the teacup, its lid colliding with the teacup as it emitted a slight sound. She slowly raised her eyes and looked at Ming Yin, a light flashing across her eyes. It was as if there were sorrow and melancholy in her eyes. But there is nothing happen. It makes people feel itchy and can’t help but want to explore carefully.

After a while, Ming Yin finally came back to her senses when the teacup was placed. She hurriedly stood up, her face slightly flushed red. “Young Miss, I lost my composure just now.”

Even now, she could still feel the throbbing in her heart, and she filled with admiration for Mu Yunyao. As a woman, she felt that Mu Yunyao had been particularly captivating when she made tea. If she is a man, Min Yin will lose her heart. 

Mu Yunyao smiled as she pushed the teacup over. “It’s finally brewed with great difficulty. How does it taste?”

Ming Yin looked at her carefully. Mu Yunyao no longer had the aura from before on her body and had returned to her estranged appearance. It made Ming Yin feel abnormally disappointed in her heart. She could not help but slap her face. “Young Miss, I …”

Mu Yunyao chuckled as she took out a handkerchief and swept it in front of Ming Yin.

She didn’t smell anything unusual, but Ming Yin felt her spirit leaving her body from the strange atmosphere. “Young Miss, I was carefully observing your every move just now. There’s nothing abnormal. When did you do it?”

“When you just entered the room.”

Ming Yin couldn’t help but blink her eyes. “It’s actually so early?”

“Although there were bewitching arts in the world, the hearts of people were complicated and difficult to distinguish. Some people liked peonies, while others loved the green lotuses. Who could guarantee that the bewitching arts would be able to stir up all the hearts of people? What’s more, I’m solely not proficient at all and can’t teach you in a short time. I can only let you learn some quick techniques. Since this is a quick technique, you naturally have to be extra careful in your arrangements.”

“Young Miss, you are really considerate, which is really admirable.”

“Take this book back and read it carefully. Also, think about my little movements when I brewed the tea just now. The more subtle it is, the more it will be invisible, so no one will notice it or be aware of it and take precautions against it.”

“Yes.” Ming Yin carried the book back to the Jin Xiu Garden and thinking about Mu Yunyao’s actions when she was making tea. The more she thought about it, the more fascinated she felt. She always senses that her every move was charming and natural, like a beautiful and gorgeous peony. Just blooming quietly, and it can attract countless colorful butterflies flying around without any unnecessary movements.

The moment Steward Qin walked over, he saw Ming Yin’s soulless expression: “What’s wrong with you?”

Ming Yin’s heart skipped a beat as she snapped out of her shock, “Shopkeeper Qin, I... I was thinking about something.”

Steward Qin nodded his head, “Has Miss Mu taught you how to approach Li Yuanyi?”

With this reminder, Ming Yin remembered how abnormal she had just now. Her face reddened, and she quickly lowered her head, “I’ve had taught by Young Miss. I still need to go back and practice making tea. I won’t disturb Shopkeeper Qin any longer. This servant will take leave.” Finished, she bowed directly, turned around, and leave hurriedly.

Steward Qin had initially just asked without thinking. However, when he saw Ming Yin’s appearance, he was suddenly shocked in his heart: Why was that girl acting so abnormal earlier? Could it be that Miss Mu taught her something extraordinary?

However, from the time he went to Miss Mu’s place until his return, it had only been half an hour. What could she teach in such a short time? Besides, Miss Mu is still young, and her way of doing things is too cold. What can she do to make Ming Yin act like this?

No, the more he thinks about it, the more he feels that something is amiss. He better informs Wang Ye as soon as possible. The next time Ming Yin goes to study, he must have Wang Ye to follow along, or he will always feel that something will happen! After making up his mind, Steward Qin immediately went to the study room. He placed down the teacup in his hand and pretended to be unintentional as he said, “Ming Yin, this girl looked extremely reliable at first, but now it seems that she is flustered and panicked. I just asked her about her studies with Miss Mu. I didn’t expect that she would leave with a blushing face. I wonder what exactly did Lady Mu teach her?”

Yue Wang frowned. The brush in his hand snapped and made a crisp sound.

Steward Qin looked over innocently and said with ease, “This batch of brushes are not good. Later, I will deduct two months’ worth of Yu Heng’s silver.”

Yue Wang nodded: “En, does Uncle Qin know when Ming Yin will go to the Su’s residence again?”

“This old servant will go down to inquire about it now.”

“Alright.”

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Pampered Poisonous Royal Wife Chapter 199

~ OLD FEUD ~ 

Following the opening of Yi Bao Xuan, Qi Ming’s status was quietly promoted. After many inquiries, he finally confirmed the salt purchasing matter and directly sent the news back to Jingling City. 

Mu Yunyao passed the letter from Qi Ming back to Yue Wang and asked, “Fourth Master, what do you think?”

Yue Wang placed the letter on the table and lightly tapped it with his finger: “This thing is definitely not normal.”

Mu Yunyao nodded in agreement. “As long as the officials aren’t stupid, they naturally won’t buy a large amount of salt at this critical moment. However, they did it, and there must be a reason behind it.”

“Buying salt now will cost a lot of silver. Seeing that the salt tax was going to be checked, this enormous amount of silver would make the account very unsightly. Once this matter was reported to the Emperor, there was a possibility that His Majesty would punish them. However, they were naturally willing to take such a huge risk, so the biggest reason may be that there is something wrong with the silver.”

Over the past few days, they had also gathered a lot of information. They also know something about salt merchants’ deficit in salt tax. The most likely reason was that the salt tax hole was too big, and the salt merchants were unable to fill it in immediately, so they come up with such countermeasures.

Mu Yunyao also had this kind of conjecture in her heart. “If there really is a problem with the silver, then this matter will be easier to handle.”

Yue Wang nodded his head slightly. “There is a shortage of silver taels, so buying and transporting salt is natural. However, the salt tax has made a very detailed investigation in this respect. The amount of salt purchased, the ships are loaded, the routes they travel, where they are shipped, and how they are distributed. They all had their own rules and regulations. If the salt merchants wanted to collude with the government to make a fraud, they would definitely try their best to disguise themself as thoroughly as possible. There won’t be too much of a problem when purchasing the salt and loading the ship. The most likely problem is during the transportation process.”

“When Fourth Master said this, I remembered some things. I heard that the price of salt fell a lot a few years ago, and the salt merchants were extremely dissatisfied. When transporting salt, the salt ships were deliberately affected by the flood, and a large amount of salt fell into the river, causing a shortage of salt for a time. The people rushed to buy it, and the price rose several times in a short time.”

“Do you mean they might do the same again this time?”

“I was only guessing randomly. I’m not sure.” Mu Yunyao didn’t say too much.

Yue Wang’s brows twitched as he quickly thought in his heart: “I will get someone to check on them as soon as possible.”

“Yes.”

When Mu Yunyao returned home, she began to study the information regarding Li Yuanyi carefully. The more she read, the tighter her brows creased.

Jin Qiao brought out a cup of tea and said, “Miss, Miss Ming Yin has arrived.”

“Bring her in.”

The injuries on Ming Yin’s body had already healed long ago. At this moment, she saw Mu Yunyao and bowing deeply, “Greetings, Young Miss.”

Mu Yunyao indicated for Jin Lan and Jin Qiao to withdraw before speaking. “Miss Ming Yin, no need to be so courteous. Please take a seat.”

Ming Yin had a slightly perturbed expression on her face, and after she sat down, her fingers lightly twisted the hem of her skirt. From time to time, she would raise her head to look at Mu Yunyao.

“The reason why I invited you here, I presume that Shopkeeper Qin has already told you about it?”

“Yes, I already know.”

Mu Yunyao nodded, “This matter may have many difficulties for Miss. If you feel that it’s too much or reluctant, you can tell me directly. I’ll discuss it with Shopkeeper Qin and choose someone else.”

“No!” Ming Yin stood up abruptly with a slightly hurried tone. “I am willing to do this. Please give me a chance.”

Mu Yunyao looked at Ming Yin and let out a faint sigh in her heart. Earlier, when she was discussing with Steward Qin, he had recommended Ming Yin to approach Li Yuanyi. After careful inquiry, she found out Li Yuanyi had injured all of Ming Yin’s family members.

Seeing Mu Yunyao fall into silence, Ming Yin stepped forward and kneeled down. “I don’t know if Young Miss has ever heard Shopkeeper Qin say that I’m an orphan. However, my parents didn’t abandon me, but all of my family members got killed by a treacherous!”

Mu Yunyao got up and helped Ming Yin up, “I heard from Shopkeeper Qin that your family has a grudge with Li Yuanyi, but I don’t know the specifics. If you are willing, you can tell me in detail.”

“Ten years ago, my father was the Magistrate of Linjiang City, and Li Yuanyi was still the Governor of Linjiang City. When Linjiang City was hit by a drought that only happened once every hundred years, the Imperial Court ordered relief and send out the food. My father checked the granary according to the imperial edict, and he found that the grain within the granary had missing. Instead, it had been replaced with bags of mud and sand. Later, only after a lot of investigation did he find out that it was Li Yuanyi who secretly kept the grain and sold all the grains, exchanging them for silver taels!”

“After I came to Jingling City, I had occasionally heard of what happened in Linjiang City ten years ago. I didn’t expect that your father was actually the Magistrate of Linjiang City — Lu Yan. Since Lord Lu has found out the truth, could it be that he has thought of a way to expose him?”

Thinking of the past, Ming Yin couldn’t stop shivering, and her hatred twinkled in her eyes: “My father is an upright official, so when he saw that there was no food available in the city, he wanted to report the matter to the Imperial Court. Unfortunately, the Li family has too much power, and Li Qingzhou is the prime minister of the imperial court, so before the news comes out of Linjiang City, he intercepted it. After that, Li Yuanyi fabricated evidence and planted the matter on my father. Even now, when someone mentions him, the citizens of Linjiang City began to curse loudly....”

Mu Yunyao sighed. “That’s right. Ten years ago, the Li family’s power was at its peak. Although Li Yuanyi was a subordinate of the Li family, once this matter was brought to light, the Li family’s reputation would be affected greatly. The Li family would naturally try their best to conceal it.”

Ming Yin wiped away her tears. “At that time, I was still young. It was the old housekeeper who had thought of a way to save my life. It’s a pity that too much time has passed, and I can’t find any evidence....”

Mu Yunyao didn’t know the truth about what had happened in Jingling City, but she believed in steward Qin’s character and believed in Yue Wang’s ability to select his people. If there really a problem with Ming Yin, she would have definitely screened out long ago. Therefore, what she said is very likely to be true: “It has happened for many years. I also mourn for Miss Ming Yin.”

“Young Miss, I must have this chance to get close to Li Yuanyi. No matter what the price is, as long as you give me instructions, I will do my best to comply!”

Mu Yunyao pondered for a moment, then nodded and said, “I can give you a chance, but can you guarantee that you won’t reveal anything?” After all, if the Linjiang City matter is real, there would be a blood feud between Ming Yin and Li Yuanyi. When the time comes, seeing his enemy actually in front of her, she may not be able to control and going to kill him?

Ming Yin’s eyes are firm: “Please rest assured, Young Miss. I know that the things that year were absolutely impossible to accomplish by Li Yuanyi alone. There must have been the protection of the other members of the Li family, so I will not act rashly and will work hard to find evidence to make the person who framed my father pay the price and return my father an innocent!”

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Pampered Poisonous Royal Wife Chapter 198

~ OPENING OF YI BAO XUAN ~ 

 

In Yangzhou City, after more than a month’s meticulously repaired of the garden, a signboard that said Bu Xian Luo officially hung. After hanging a few firecrackers, fifty Si Cha stood on both sides, gracefully leading the invited customers into the garden. 

They had heard of the reputation of Bu Xian Luo in Jingling City. Rumor said that even the Emperor was drinking tea that was sent up by Bu Xian Luo. Just based on this, they would have to go in and have a cup first.

Just as the atmosphere was bustling, a shop opposite Bu Xian Luo also put off firecrackers, and the lion dance invited to cheer as well. For a moment, Bu Xian Luo completely suppressed!

The people couldn’t help but stare with wide eyes as they saw the red silk curtain lifted, revealing a big golden signboard on the door: Yi Bao Xuan!

“Yi Bao Xuan, does the name mean jewelry seller?”

“But they can choose to open the restaurant across from the Bu Xian Luo at this time. No matter how I look at it, it looks like a tea shop.”

“Who said anything good. Isn’t it open for business now? Let’s go in and take a look.” Wu Minzhi was naturally invited as well. When he saw Qi Ming standing at the entrance of Yi Bao Xuan, he was keenly aware of the coldness in his eyes and could not help but step forward and ask, “Why is Mister Qi here? I assume you’ve also received a post from Bu Xian Luo. Let’s go in together and have a cup of tea.” Qi Ming regained his senses and greeted Wu Minzhi. “Greetings, Chief Wu. There’s no need for tea. I’ve just opened my Yi Bao Xuan and have a lot of work to do. Now, if you come to Yi Bao Xuan to buy clothes and jewelry, I will give you the best Longjing Tea. If Chief Wu is interested, you can come and choose one or two pieces for your wife, and the clothes in here are no worse than those in Ni Yun Fang.”

Wu Minzhi’s eyes lit up, and he handed the post to someone else. He walked into Yi Bao Xuan and said, “Mister Qi’s clothes and accessories are really gorgeous. However, I heard that the embroidery skill of the small owners of Ni Yun Fang is unparalleled in the world, which is hard for ordinary people to compare.”

“Her embroidery skills are indeed good, but she taught everything she knew without holding back. Her reputation has earned a lot, which has left her with quite a bit of harm. The female embroiderers that I’ve found are no worse than the small owners of Ni Yun Fang. I have full confidence in this.”

“Isn’t Mister Qi in the salt business? Why do you want to set up Yi Bao Xuan? “

Qi Ming laughed heartily and purposely started a conversation, “It’s just for fun. I can’t make it to the stage. I’ve let Chief Wu laugh.”

Seeing this, Wu Minzhi didn’t pursue the matter any further. Instead, he selected several clothes solemnly and brought them back to the residence.

In the following time, Qi Ming spent money like water. He said to buy things from Yi Bao Xuan to get Longjing tea. He really did not hesitate to send it out at any cost, which affected the business of Bu Xian Luo.

Later on, rumors began to spread that the First Prince, behind Qi Ming, was dissatisfied with Ni Yun Fang, and the reason was that Cai Yue Pavilion had been sealed off and had an unexplained relationship with it.

The First Prince wooed Cai Yue Pavilion and was very likely to have Cai Yue Pavilion in his pocket, which will make him wonder how convenient it will be for him. However, who would have thought that Cai Yue Pavilion was involved with Ni Yun Fang. After helping to teach the embroidery needle technique, they had angered the Emperor and had even given the order to seal Cai Yue Pavilion.

As a result, the First Prince was naturally furious at Ni Yun Fang. Since they can’t display the Emperor’s golden signboard publicly, he had someone open a shop to suppress it. Rumor said that a treasure shop had opened the opposite of Ni Yun Fang in Jingling City, and the business was extremely flourishing.

Wu Minzhi sat at the head of the table, while the Cao family and Wei family sat below in the parlor. Wu Minzhi put down the teacup and said slowly, “Brother Cao, Brother Wei, I believe you know a little about why the two of you have invited to come here. The person sent by the Emperor to inspect the salt tax is the Governor of Liangjiang, Li Yuanyi. He is the cousin of the First Prince and belongs to the First Prince’s faction. There’s bound to be turmoil in Jiangnan. If we don’t get a pulse, we might be the ones to fall the next moment.”

“Brother Wu’s words are reasonable. However, we do not have much of a plan for what we should do.”

Wu Minzhi thought for a moment. “What do you think about this guy, Qi Ming?”

They all knew about Qi Ming’s actions in the past few days, and their thoughts varied: “That peony brought up by Qi Ming definitely isn’t an ordinary plant. To be able to find such a flower, it proves that he has a wide range of sources and that his skill and financial resources should not look down on.”

“After that, he set up Yi Bao Xuan, and in the past few days, he spent no less than several hundred thousand taels of silver. He seemed to be uninhibited and unrestrained. But in reality, he was extremely meticulous and had a goal in mind. Even the shopkeeper Bu Xian Luo suffered a loss in his hand. We had never heard of such a style before. It could be something that revealed after being nurtured by a large family.”

Wu Minzhi frowned, “I already have doubts in my heart. The timing of his appearance is a bit too coincidental. We have just received the news that the person who came to check the salt tax is Li Yuanyi, and he immediately sent us a greeting card afterward. The next move, quite a bit public, and it seemed that they didn’t care to hide. They are looking at us with eyes that are not lacking in contempt. The backers behind them are likely greatly respected. “

“Listening to Brother Wu’s words, we all felt increasingly uncertain. Could it be that this guy, Qi Ming, was sent by that person?”

Although he did not say it explicitly, everyone present understood that the person he was referring to was the First Prince, Ling Wang, who was in the Capital.

Wu Minzhi was silent for a moment. “No matter what, we have to deal with him carefully. If he really is the one who sent him here, we might have to rely on him. there is nothing wrong with being careful.”

“Brother Wu’s words are reasonable. Please give me your guidance on what to do next.”

“We should observe Qi Ming carefully, let’s people hold on a little bit, and don’t conflict with him. In addition, we can send some people to divulge more or less about the salt tax matter, as long as it does not involve us. That way, even if something really happened in the end, we can only say that there was no proof, and we could not find any evidence.”

“Alright, I’ll get someone to do it immediately.” Wu Minzhi nodded his head and said solemnly, “Because of the heavy snow during the winter and the volatile price of the salt before, we have accumulated a lot of salt. Besides, we have a slight deficit in salt tax earlier, so we need to find ways to make up for it. All the silver comes and goes. We can’t figure out Li Yuanyi’s style of conduct, and we don’t know how many benefits we’ll be able to get from him. It also takes a lot of silver to test and manage the goods. Therefore, it is peculiarly necessary to hide the privates’ stuff in our hands with the help of the name of official salt this time. We must not make any mistakes and secure that nothing happens. Otherwise, we’ll probably suffer a huge loss this time.”

“We hadn’t transported out a large amount of our private salt, and we also had a large amount of silver in our hands. A lot less salt tax had been paid before, so when Li Yuan came to investigate it, he could see at a glance that there was a flaw in it. As a result, we needed to take out some silver to make up for it.” The salt merchants were wealthy, but the silver was not endless. He was very distressed when he spent a large amount of silver in his hand. After thinking about it, he came up with a good idea. He used the name of the government to purchase a large amount of salt, then this batch of official salt accidentally sunk the ship during the transportation, and the salt disappeared in the water without a trace. He can use the silver that was in deficit in the name of purchasing salt. The silver had spent, and the salt had converted, so it was a good deal. As for the actual situation, who could go into the river and check it out?

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Incurable Chapter 5 Part 2

Chapter 5 (2/2)

Then, the moment a figure appeared, Liu Qianxiu clicked the mouse and stopped it.

On the screen, the woman was long-limbed and beautifully put together. She stood in front of the shrubs, bent down, and when she straightened up, there was a fuzzy little bundle in her arms.

She stood there, holding the kittens a bit awkwardly while talking to another woman. Then, after a few moments, she lifted her head and glanced in the direction of the camera before walking out of frame.

The light on the monitor shifted and flickered over the man’s features, making them seem deeper and more remote. His gaze rested on the frozen image after the rewind, light reflected in his eyes, though they remained as still as a deep pool.

“What’s she carrying there?” one of the security guards asked, glancing at the screen. He had clearly been distracted by the woman’s looks, but with Liu Qianxiu standing beside him, he wisely moved the subject to the kittens instead. “The stray’s litter, maybe? That lady seems kindhearted. They’re awfully small, though. Hard to say whether she’ll be able to keep them alive.”

Liu Qianxiu stood, thanked him, and left.

Mu Wan got Liu Qianxiu’s call just after being lowered from the rig.

The stretch of rainy days had finally ended, and the air was full of steam rising under the sun—humid and stiflingly hot. Mu Wan stood in the shade beside the city wall, dressed in a man’s costume for the shoot, her whole face flushed from the heat.

“Hello,” she said. Her forehead itched, and when she scratched it, sweat ran down the tips of her fingers.

“This is Liu Qianxiu.”

His voice was still low and cool, like mountain spring water running over stone.

That was unexpected.

Today was Monday. The nurse had said he would return to the hospital on Monday. When Mu Wan was discharged, she and Lin Wei said that once he came back, she ought to treat him to a meal. But once filming started again, she had gotten busy and forgotten all about it.

“You’re back,” she said. “About last time—I’m really sorry, and thank you again.”

She crouched down as she spoke, the trapped heat inside the costume rising up against her skin and making her face even hotter. Still smiling, she added politely, “My injury’s already healed. If you’re free after work today, how about I treat you to dinner?”

“No need.”

The refusal was brief and clean.

The smile on Mu Wan’s face drew in slightly, like cloud edges retreating in the sky. But her tone stayed bright as she asked directly, “Oh? Then why are you calling me?”

Liu Qianxiu sat in his office.

It was very quiet there, save for the faint crisp sound of paper. On the desk, the corner of an ambulance record lifted in the breeze. His tone remained steady and calm, just as concise as ever.

“The cats.”

That was all he said.

And at once, Mu Wan understood.

He had been familiar enough with the calico that he probably knew it was pregnant. He came back from leave, found out the cat had died, checked the surveillance footage, and discovered that the kittens had been taken by her.

Still, when they had first met, Mu Wan had asked him directly, and he had said the calico was not his cat.

If that was the case, then strictly speaking, he did not have much right to reclaim the kittens.

Resting the tip of her tongue lightly against her teeth, Mu Wan smiled.

“Oh?” she said lightly. “Which one do you want?”

Her voice unfolded like a flower.

At first, while answering the phone, the petals were closed tight. Then, little by little, they opened, releasing the unmistakable fragrance of a woman.

Just like that, she turned into a cat again.

The sound of her voice in his ear overlapped with the memory of her voice in that corridor. The warmth of her body seemed almost still to linger in his arms, her slender arms wrapped around him, her skin carrying the heat lifted by alcohol.

She had been drunk and forgotten it.

Liu Qianxiu had not.

At last, the air conditioner flipped one page of the record book beside him. The A4 paper was thin and white, the printed form neat and orderly.

Name. Phone number. Address.

Liu Qianxiu did not answer.

From the other end of the line came the assistant director calling for the next take. Mu Wan pulled herself back together, and her voice returned to normal.

“I’m sorry, Dr. Liu, but the cats are mine. I can’t give them to you. If there’s nothing else, I need to get back to work.”

And with that, she hung up.

By the afternoon shift, the nurses had already moved on to discussing what to buy during Taobao’s mid-year sale. No one mentioned the calico anymore.

After a brief moment of regret, the dead cat disappeared into memory like frost slipping soundlessly from a winter branch.

That afternoon, Liu Qianxiu finished a surgery. After signing off on the records, he left work on time.

He got into his car, started it, and drove out of the hospital, disappearing into the evening traffic.

The sky had cleared that morning. After a full day of sun, the asphalt had dried into a hard, baked heat. The earth, however, was only half dry. Dark brown soil pushed up little weeds that looked vividly alive beneath the shade of the trident maples.

Compared to Nanfeng Apartments, this neighborhood was old and worn.

The sunlight was clear and bright, falling through the treetops onto mottled walls and bringing out a kind of weathered decay. Utility poles stood pressed against the buildings. Wires ran over the rough exterior in straight, tangled lines, linking one block to the next. From time to time, a bird landed on one of the antennas stretched between two buildings.

Liu Qianxiu walked into the first building in the second row.

The stairwell was dim and still carried the damp, moldy breath of the recent rain. The white paint on the railings had long since flaked away, leaving rust underneath in mottled spots like speckles on a quail’s egg.

The building was old. The entrance opened directly onto the stairs, with a basement tucked beside them. Its doorway was dark and quiet, with odds and ends stacked nearby. The steps were low and worn smooth at the edges, polished by countless feet over countless years.

The stairwell was narrow. On the landing between floors was a small window. After days of rain, the glass had been washed clean, and sunlight now streamed through it, cutting the floor into strange shifting patches of light.

Just as Liu Qianxiu was nearing the third floor, he heard a door open.

He stopped on the landing between the second and third floors and looked up.

Mu Wan was standing there on the stairs.

She wore a green halter top and denim shorts. Her hair was tied up, exposing a pale, straight line of collarbone. Above her long, fair neck, her palm-sized face was bright and vivid, her brows drawn slightly together—until she saw him, and the small crease between them eased.

Backlit as he stood, the man’s cool, pale skin made his features look deeper, more sculpted. His presence was light and distant. In the cramped, shabby stairwell, he was like porcelain recovered from a sunken ship: only one corner touched by light, yet enough to reveal the nobility hidden beneath.

Mu Wan looked at him.

Her red lips parted, and when she spoke, her voice echoed faintly through the stairwell.

“Dr. Liu... did you come here to see me?”

He did not answer the question.

Instead, his gaze settled on what she held in her arms: a green blanket wrapped around a black-and-white kitten.

“What’s wrong with it?” he asked.

Mu Wan lowered her eyes to Zhongfen in her arms. The corners of her mouth dipped slightly, and her voice softened.

“It’s not doing well.”

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