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"Greetings, Your Highness Prince Jing."
Jun Mo smiled. "Today I am merely here to congratulate Li'er on her opening. No need for formalities."
Li'er? Wei Yuanyao glanced at Su Li with a faint smile that wasn't quite a smile.
Su Li stood up, looked at Jun Mo, and said, "Why did you come?"
Jun Mo walked over uninvited. "Why can't I come?"
Wei Yuanyao consciously stood up, yielding her seat to him.
Jun Mo sat down beside Su Li and glanced at Wei Yuanling.
Wei Yuanling smiled. "Zi Yan, you never used to attend these kinds of occasions, so we didn't call you."
Ji Huaizhou poured him some wine. "Try this. Brewed personally by Miss Su. You can't buy it outside even with money."
The group chatted and laughed while eating hot pot. The men drank wine, while the ladies had fruit tea.
An hour later, everyone sat satisfied on chairs nearby.
"Cousin, this Jin Zhao Zui of yours, I guarantee, will definitely earn more money than Aunt's Zui Xian Ju," Wei Yuanling said while drinking tea.
Su Li smiled. "I see too many people waiting. I'm considering whether to open a branch."
Ji Huaizhou said: "Based on the current situation, I think you can."
When the group left Jin Zhao Zui, the shop was still exceptionally bustling.
Outside the door, hearing the guests praise endlessly, Su Li's lips curled into a smile.
"This hot pot is truly excellent! The owner of this Jin Zhao Zui is truly divine, thinking up such a way to eat! No need to worry about dishes getting cold in winter!"
"Tastes good, and the wine is even better! I'll bring my family to try next time."
"I was still worrying about where to host my classmates for a banquet, and Jin Zhao Zui opened! This is the place."
...
On the carriage, Mo Hua handed Su Li a cup of hot tea. "Young Miss, I didn't expect Jin Zhao Zui could be so successful."
Su Li took a sip of tea. "Indeed, I didn't expect it either. Help keep an eye on things in the future; I'm afraid Young Master Xu will be too busy."
Mo Hua's eyes lit up, and she nodded.
Si Qin and Zhi Shu exchanged a smile; everything was understood without words.
While things were harmonious here, someone else was going through fire and water.
"Wash these clothes, then sweep the snow in the courtyard!" a sharp shout came from a small courtyard.
Su Yue looked up.
Zhao Yuyan yelled: "What are you looking at! Want to starve again?"
Su Yue lowered her head and carried the dirty clothes towards the backyard.
"Ptooey! Vixen!"
An orphan girl, growing up looking like that, who is she trying to seduce?
Zhao Yuyan glanced hatefully at Su Yue and walked into the house.
"What are you shouting so loudly for in the courtyard? Disturbing your brother's studies! See if I don't beat you to death!"
Zhao Yuyan retorted dissatisfiedly: "Mother, how did I disturb brother?"
Then she complained again: "This weather is freezing! Aunt is really something else! After staying just a few days, she made us move out to live here! This courtyard offers no protection from the wind and snow at all."
Mother Zhao's face darkened. "Hmph! Wait until An'er becomes the top scholar! Then she'll be falling over herself to curry favor with us."
"Exactly! Isn't it just taking some of Cousin's pearl hairpins and dresses? Was it necessary to speak so harshly?"
Speaking of this, Zhao Yuyan became angry.
Liu Jiao had so many clothes and accessories; what was wrong with her taking a little?
Aunt was also stingy. Going to banquets, only taking Liu Jiao and not her.
She knew it! She was good-looking, and Aunt was just afraid she would outshine Liu Jiao!
Hmph! Wait until brother becomes the top scholar! Then she'll make a stunning appearance, captivating all those princes and young masters, letting her pick and choose.
As usual, mother and daughter began to fantasize about their future days of glory.
In the ice-and-snow-covered backyard, Su Yue carried a heavy water bucket.
Her originally slender fingers were now red and swollen.
She gritted her teeth and scrubbed the clothes fiercely.
These days, she carried water, chopped firewood, started fires, and cooked meals, living worse than the lowest servants in the Minister's Manor back then.
When had she ever suffered such hardships? She had thought about escaping too.
But in this current icy weather, where could she go?
Zhao Huai'an indeed possessed some talent. If lucky, he could enter officialdom.
As long as he became an official, his associates would all be people from the court.
At that time, she would wait for an opportunity and surely be able to latch onto a powerful figure.
Only then could she take revenge!
It was just that the current days were truly hard to endure.
Zhao Huai'an's attitude towards her was very strange.
Since she woke up, after he asked some strange questions, he had been lukewarm towards her.
He allowed that old woman and Zhao Yuyan to torment her. When his mood was good, he would say a couple of words to help her. But most of the time, he chose to turn a blind eye.
She had to think of a way to subdue Zhao Huai'an.
What she had now was merely her beauty.
She was confident that for someone like Zhao Huai'an, who came from the countryside and hadn't seen the world, he couldn't escape her grasp.
She felt some regret internally. She had originally intended to save this body for a powerful man in the future; after all, it was her greatest bargaining chip.
But she had had enough of this current life!
After washing the clothes, she went to the kitchen.
She didn't know how to cook anything delicious, and besides, the Zhao family was poor and didn't have good ingredients. So, she made a bowl of congee.
Zhao Huai'an was reading in the study.
His study was very warm.
Although there was no Gold Thread Charcoal, wood charcoal was burning.
"Knock knock knock."
"Come in."
Su Yue entered the study carrying the softly cooked congee.
"Young Master, drink some hot congee and take a rest."
"Put it down. I'll drink it later."
Su Yue had specially dressed up and applied makeup, yet she saw him looking at his desk, not even lifting his head.
She walked closer and put down the congee.
Seeing he was painting – the painting was already done, and he was preparing to add a poem.
"'White snow dislikes the spring colors' late arrival, so it drifts through courtyard trees like flying flowers.'"
Zhao Huai'an finally looked up.
"This line fits perfectly. I didn't expect Miss Su to also be versed in poetry and literature."
Su Yue thought of the past, a shadow of sadness in her eyes.
"Yue'er also used to be well-read. Who knew the family fortunes would decline, leading to..."
She didn't tell him her true identity. If she did, he would know her disgraceful background.
Rather than that, it was better to let him think she was the daughter of a wealthy family who had fallen on hard times.
Looking at the woman's picturesque features, skin fairer than snow.
Brows slightly furrowed, eyes holding tears.
Then seeing her originally jade-like delicate hands in their current state, pity instantly arose in his heart.
"Since you are versed in poetry and literature, from now on, you shall attend to the ink in the study."
Su Yue felt triumphant internally. Sure enough, no man could escape her assault.
"But Old Madam..."
What Old Madam? Just a country bumpkin. Seeing the servants in someone else's house call the mistress 'Madam', she also put on airs, making her address her like that.
"I will speak to Mother about it."
"Yue'er thanks Young Master."
Su Yue wasn't wearing much to begin with; this outer shirt was specially chosen.
As she bowed slightly, her collar immediately opened slightly.
Zhao Huai'an's breath hitched.
Su Yue pretended not to notice. Standing up, she saw him looking at her.
"Young Master?"
Zhao Huai'an regained his senses, turning his eyes elsewhere.
He constantly warned himself: he needed to pass the imperial examinations; he couldn't be hindered by beauty!
"Young Master, the congee is getting cold."