A Maid's Survival Story in a Noble Family Mansion? Rich Landlords Are More Appealing.

The pavilion became much quieter for a moment, and Chen Wanxing then walked towards Wang Yanning, who had been waiting. She took out the plain white porcelain bottle from her sleeve and handed it to him, saying, "It's just a small token of my appreciation."

Wang Yanning accepted the porcelain bottle with both hands. It felt slightly cool to the touch and had a delicate texture. "This is..."

"I made these fragrant pills." Chen Wanxing looked up at him slightly, the morning light casting a pale gold hue on her eyelashes. "The examination hall is stuffy; carrying them might calm the mind. If you feel bothered, you can smell them."

Wang Yanning gripped the porcelain bottle tightly. Her fingertips could feel the delicate texture of the porcelain wall and the soft tinkling sound of the incense balls inside.

He looked up, his gaze piercing into her clear eyes, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly: "Thank you for your trouble, young lady."

Zhou Wenbo glanced over and happened to see this scene. He looked at the porcelain vase in Wang Yanning's hand, then at Chen Wanxing, and unusually refrained from teasing. He simply smiled at Wang Yanning and said, "Brother Wang, with such an elegant object accompanying you on your journey, your thoughts will surely flow freely."

Lin Lang also said gently, "Miss Chen is very kind."

Qian Wenbai's eyes lit up. He leaned closer to Wang Yanning and gently nudged him with his elbow. He lowered his voice, but a smile was evident in his eyes and brows.

"Oh, Yan Ning, this is great! So what if you're assigned to sit next to the stinky cell all day? With Miss Chen's carefully prepared incense pills, you'll smell like immortals. This thoughtfulness is truly..."

He deliberately dragged out his words, and only stopped with a smile after Wang Yanning gave him a slightly embarrassed glance. But his winking and gesturing made everyone around him laugh.

Wang Yanning's ears burned slightly, but she still bowed respectfully: "I will remember your kindness, young lady."

He carefully tucked the porcelain bottle into his bosom, placing it close to his heart, his movements solemn, as if he were placing not an ordinary object, but a weighty entrustment.

It was already late, and the luggage had been packed long ago. Before setting off, Wang Yanning took one last look at Chen Wanxing, who stood gracefully in the morning light, her clothes fluttering in the wind.

Their eyes met, and a thousand words were contained in that single glance. He said no more, turned around, and got into the carriage.

The carriage started moving, rumbling onto the official road. Dust rose slightly, the sun climbed higher, and the area around the pavilion fell completely quiet, with only the faint sounds of carriages and horses remaining on the distant road.

She breathed a soft sigh of relief. On the pillar of the pavilion, there was a line of poetry carved by someone, the ink of which was already worn.

On your journey to success, never forget the spring of your hometown.

Chen Wanxing stared at the end of the road for a moment before turning away and meeting Lin Wei's bright eyes.

"Alright, sister, they've all gone far away. Young Master Wang will be gone for a long time. But with your brother and Wenbo looking after you, you don't need to worry."

Lin Wei leaned closer, took her arm again, and said in a light tone, "Shall we go? You promised to show me around."

Chen Wanxing smiled, suppressing the slight emptiness that arose from the farewell, and nodded, saying, "Okay, where would you like to go?"

"Let's just wander around for a bit," Lin Wei said enthusiastically. "The West Market must be bustling. Let's go see if they have any new fabrics or jewelry designs. And then..."

She smiled slyly, "Just passing by my shop, I'll show you just how deserted it is during the day."

The two boarded Chen Wanxing's mule cart and entered the city. The spring day was warm and the streets were bustling with people, exuding a leisurely liveliness.

Although Lin Wei had only recently returned to Ruyang County, she was already quite familiar with the town during this time. She directed Han Feng through the streets and alleys, first heading to a reputable silk shop.

Sure enough, the shop had some new spring patterns on display. Light green, soft pink, and pale yellow fabrics were arranged outside, looking quite eye-catching.

Lin Wei pulled Chen Wanxing along with great interest to examine the hairpins closely, pointing out the colors and patterns, and whispering to herself about which jewelry store had made a unique hairpin and which cosmetic shop had a wonderfully fragrant perfume formula.

Chen Wanxing patiently stayed with her, occasionally offering some advice. Lin Wei actually had a good eye for the clothes and cosmetics that women liked; she could talk about the latest trends and the quality of the fabrics with great expertise.

After leaving the silk shop, Lin Wei visited a general store specializing in exquisite trinkets. She bought two uniquely embroidered sachets and insisted on giving one to Chen Wanxing.

When passing by the bookstore, Chen Wanxing went in to take a look, but did not find the book she wanted. However, Lin Wei saw a uniquely shaped inkstone and bought it on the spot.

They strolled along, stopping occasionally to look around and chat, and before they knew it, the sun was almost high in the sky, and both of them were getting a little tired.

Lin Wei's stomach was already rumbling, so she suggested, "Sister, you must be hungry after walking around all morning, right? Let's find a restaurant to have lunch and rest a bit, shall we?"

Chen Wanxing naturally had no objections, so they randomly chose a nearby restaurant. It wasn't big, but it was clean and elegant, and there were also private seats by the window on the second floor.

The two sat down and ordered a few seasonal dishes and a pot of tea.

While waiting for the food, Lin Wei rested her chin on her hand, gazing at the bustling street scene outside the window. Suddenly, she sighed, "Sister, tell me, what's wrong with my shop? The food isn't bad, and the location isn't too remote, but hardly anyone comes in."

She turned her head, her face no longer beaming with the radiance she had when shopping, her brows furrowed slightly, clearly troubled. "Although my father doesn't say it, I know he gave me this shop to see if I could amount to anything."

Manager Wang is an old man, loyal and diligent, but he doesn't know much about it, and I don't understand these things.

The dishes arrived one after another: stir-fried seasonal vegetables, fish fillets with egg white, and ham and bamboo shoot soup, all emitting a wonderful aroma. Chen Wanxing first served Lin Wei a bowl of soup, saying gently, "Eat first. Thinking about things on an empty stomach will only make you more worried."

Lin Wei drank a sip of soup as instructed, and the warmth eased her expression.

Chen Wanxing ate slowly, thinking about Lin Wei's shop that she had passed by earlier that day. The storefront wasn't old, the pastries were simple and unpretentious, and the display was also quite conventional. On a street with many similar shops, it was indeed not very eye-catching.

She thought about it carefully for a while, and seeing Lin Wei's helpless look, she said gently, "Weiwei, think about it, what kind of people come to the pastry shop to buy cakes?"