Chapter 117

Chapter 117: Thinking Long-Term

“You blind, useless thing! Why didn’t you go pour me tea?” Qi Fei Yan’s eyes looked sinister.

Chun Chan hurriedly stood up and went to pour tea, shaking all over.

But the moment the teacup reached Qi Fei Yan’s hand, Qi Fei Yan flung the tea straight into Chun Chan’s face.

Chun Chan cried out and covered Chun Chan’s face, and Chun Chan only felt Chun Chan’s entire face burn.

“You cheap thing, putting on powder and rouge every day. I think you’re just waiting for me to be gone so you can find a chance to seduce the Eldest Young Master.” Qi Fei Yan’s voice turned cruel. “Get out. Worthless trash. You can’t even pour a cup of tea right.”

Qi Fei Yan then smashed the empty teacup hard against Chun Chan’s head.

Over the next few days, Qi Fei Yan was not divorced, but life at Lian Manor was still miserable.

Old Madam Lian and Madam Lian no longer treated Qi Fei Yan with the same gentle patience as before.

Lian Wen Hui was busy fooling around with women outside. Lian Wen Hui only returned when Lian Wen Hui needed money, and then Lian Wen Hui would coax Qi Fei Yan for a couple of days.

Once a man’s mouth was coated in honey, even if you knew the honey was poisoned, you still wanted to taste it.

Qi Fei Yan was exactly that kind of person.

So even though Qi Fei Yan guessed that Lian Wen Hui wanted money for drinking and pleasure houses, Qi Fei Yan still could not help softening.

In just these few days, the amounts Lian Wen Hui demanded rose from a dozen taels to several dozen, and it kept getting bigger.

Qi Fei Yan watched Qi Fei Yan’s private savings drain away and knew it could not last much longer.

But the income from Qi Fei Yan’s dowry shops was only that much.

Qi Fei Yan felt stifled, so Qi Fei Yan decided to go out for a walk.

In the capital city, the shops women usually visited were limited to a few, and as Qi Fei Yan walked, Qi Fei Yan ended up outside Ding Zhen Tower.

Qi Fei Yan stepped inside, and a sharp-eyed clerk immediately came forward to serve.

“Eldest Miss Qi, you haven’t visited in quite some time. Ding Zhen Tower just received a new batch of jewelry. Would you like me to bring it out for you to see?”

Qi Fei Yan enjoyed being flattered. Qi Fei Yan gave a calm nod.

The clerk immediately brought out the new pieces with a fawning smile.

Qi Fei Yan looked them over with the picky eye that had been cultivated over the years. They were expensive, yet they were not even one-tenth as good as Sheng Zhi Wan’s dowry…

While Qi Fei Yan was thinking that, two richly dressed middle-aged men walked in from outside.

Ding Zhen Tower specialized in jewelry for wives and young misses, so it was rare for men to enter alone, let alone two at once.

Qi Fei Yan instinctively looked a few more times.

They were unfamiliar faces. They were probably merchants who came to the capital city to do business.

Qi Fei Yan withdrew Qi Fei Yan’s gaze without caring.

“Brother Zhang, how’s the quality of this bracelet? I really don’t understand these things, but my wife likes it. This time, I came to Ding Zhen Tower to buy one for her.”

“Haha, Young Brother Hu, you’re right. If you love your wife, wealth comes from every direction. If you wrong your wife, no money enters. We men earn silver so our wives and children can live comfortably.”

“This bracelet has good quality. Since we’re here, I’ll buy a hairpin for your sister-in-law too. This one, how about it?”

The two men spoke as they called a clerk over.

Qi Fei Yan had not cared at first, but after hearing that they still thought about their wives while doing business, Qi Fei Yan suddenly felt bitter.

Back then, Qi Fei Yan had fallen for Lian Wen Hui because of a girl’s first love.

But now?

Lian Wen Hui was affectionate and also fickle. Lian Wen Hui’s kindness toward Qi Fei Yan was casually given to others as well.

Qi Fei Yan immediately lost interest and stood up to leave.

At that moment, the two wealthy merchants had already paid.

One bracelet alone cost over three hundred taels, and the hairpin cost over five hundred, yet neither man even blinked.

“It’s only a few hundred taels. With our business, we can earn it back in two days. How can that matter more than making our family happy?” the man called Brother Zhang said.

Then Brother Zhang’s gaze swept to Qi Fei Yan.

Brother Zhang paused, hesitated, and saluted. “Are you the Duke Manor’s Eldest Miss Qi?”

Qi Fei Yan’s departing steps stopped. “You know me?”

“I’m Zhang Huai Ren, and this is Hu Shan. When we first came to the capital city, we once received the Duke’s help!”

“Eldest Miss Qi may not recognize us, but we know Eldest Miss Qi. I never expected to meet you here today!” Zhang Huai Ren greeted her excitedly.

Hu Shan also said, “Without the Duke, we wouldn’t be where we are today. It’s just that we’re lowly and can’t see the Duke in person to thank him…”

Qi Fei Yan did not expect these two to know Father.

Qi Fei Yan gave a reserved nod.

They were only merchants. Even if Qi Fei Yan told Father, Father probably would not remember them.

Qi Fei Yan casually dismissed them with a couple of words and prepared to leave.

But just as Qi Fei Yan lifted Qi Fei Yan’s foot, Qi Fei Yan thought of what they had said about business.

Grandmother and Madam Lian had been mocking and needling Qi Fei Yan lately. Part of it was because Shu Xian went back to demand things and made them lose face, but the other part was simple.

They thought they could no longer get benefits from the Duke Manor.

If Qi Fei Yan could earn silver like Meng Yang…

Qi Fei Yan’s lifted foot fell back down.

Qi Fei Yan turned around and looked at Zhang Huai Ren and Hu Shan with curiosity. “What kind of business were you just talking about?”

Zhang Huai Ren paused, as if Zhang Huai Ren did not expect Qi Fei Yan to ask that.

Zhang Huai Ren exchanged a look with Hu Shan and said awkwardly, “Eldest Miss Qi, it’s a bit complicated. You’re a noble miss of the Duke Manor and you don’t lack silver. Why do something so lowly?”

“Hah.” Qi Fei Yan’s face darkened. “You just said my father showed you kindness. Now I’m only asking, and you dodge me like this. What, are you afraid I’ll get involved in your business?”

“This…”

“Eldest Miss Qi, please don’t make it hard for us.” Hu Shan sighed. “It’s not that we don’t want to tell you, it’s just… this business has high profit, but the risk is high too.”

“Oh?” Qi Fei Yan did not believe it. “Then tell me. What business is it?”

Zhang Huai Ren gritted Zhang Huai Ren’s teeth. “If Eldest Miss Qi wants silver, I have a thousand taels here. Consider it repayment for the Duke’s past kindness. But as for the business, Eldest Miss Qi really shouldn’t touch it.”

As Zhang Huai Ren spoke, Zhang Huai Ren took out a thousand-tael silver note.

Qi Fei Yan’s pupils shrank.

Qi Fei Yan almost reached out and took it.

But it was only for an instant. Qi Fei Yan forced the thought down and grew even more curious about what kind of business it was.

If they could earn a few hundred taels in two or three days, it had to be extremely profitable. Otherwise, they would not casually offer a thousand taels.

What kindness? Qi Fei Yan did not even know them. They were only willing to take out a thousand taels because Qi Fei Yan looked like someone with wealth and status.

Seeing Qi Fei Yan insist, Hu Shan sighed. “How about this… If Eldest Miss Qi trusts us, treat this thousand taels as your investment with us.”

“But you need two thousand taels to enter this business. Eldest Miss Qi still has to put in another thousand. Three days from now, we’ll meet at Gathering Sages Teahouse, and we’ll hand you back the two thousand with profit. How about it?”

Hearing that, Qi Fei Yan wavered.

If Qi Fei Yan refused right now, Qi Fei Yan could immediately take the silver. If Qi Fei Yan did not refuse…

What if these two were lying? Then Qi Fei Yan would lose another thousand taels.

Back when Qi Fei Yan was still at the Duke Manor, Mother had said more than once that Qi Fei Yan was foolish and short-sighted.

This time, Qi Fei Yan would grit Qi Fei Yan’s teeth and think further ahead.

Still, Qi Fei Yan was certain of one thing.

Qi Fei Yan would not take out the money personally.