During famine years, I had a divination slip in hand, and my whole family ate chicken, duck, fish, a

Before the man's hoarse cry could finish, another group of people arrived at the end of the street.

Two men led the way, with a young man in his early twenties walking between them. He wore a brocade robe with a fox fur collar, a jade belt around his waist, and pink-soled boots that crunched on the snow. He was fair-skinned and had regular features, but his arrogance was written all over his face. He walked with his chin slightly raised, as if the snow in Kaoshan Town had to give way to him.

The young man glanced at the front of the shop and saw that Ye Dazhuang was still holding the man with the hoarse voice's fingers. He frowned and asked, "What are you doing?"

The man with the hoarse voice cried out as if he'd seen a savior, his face contorted in pain, "Third Young Master! This brat hit someone! I was discussing the shop with this young lady—"

"Shut up." The voice wasn't loud, but the hoarse voice immediately went back down.

Zhao Yuanlang looked up, his gaze passing over the hoarse voice, and landed on Ye Qingqing.

He sized him up for a few moments.

Ye Qingqing neither dodged nor flinched, standing there with her hands in her sleeves, her face neither warm nor cold, simply meeting his gaze.

"Are you the new boss?" Zhao Yuanlang asked, his tone slightly condescending.

Yes. Who are you?

"Zhao Yuanlang." He gave his name, paused, and then said, "My servant said something unpleasant, but it was the truth—my grandfather wants this shop, so you'd better be sensible."

Ye Qingqing chuckled: "What are you talking about? This shop is mine. I can sell it when I want, and I can stay put when I don't. If you want to buy, then we can discuss the price. If you don't want to buy, then leave. Don't try to intimidate me with your status."

Zhao Yuanlang was taken aback by her response, paused for a moment, then a playful smile appeared on his lips: "Do you know who my grandfather is?"

"I don't know, and I don't want to know."

"You're just a country girl—"

"What's wrong with a country girl?" Ye Qingqing interrupted him, her tone flat. "A country girl is also the owner of this shop, it's all in black and white. If you want to buy it, make an offer; otherwise, don't waste my time."

Zhao Yuanlang was taken aback, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. The expressions of those around him changed, and one of them stepped forward as if to say something, but he raised his hand to stop him.

He stared at Ye Qingqing for a few moments, then suddenly smiled: "Alright, interesting. My grandfather wants this shop connected to the back courtyard to create a backyard, money is no problem. Eight hundred taels, plus an empty shop in my family's alley next door, all for you. The two shops together are worth twelve or thirteen thousand taels. You buy it for five hundred and fifty taels, and resell it for double the profit, isn't that fair?"

The young lady Zhen standing nearby was sweating with anxiety. Eight hundred taels of silver plus a shop! Anyone would be overjoyed with such a deal.

Manager Zhou slumped on the threshold, his face as green as winter spinach, his lips trembling, and his eyes bulging as if they were about to pop out.

After listening, Ye Qingqing tilted her head and looked at Zhao Yuanlang with a thoughtful look in her eyes, as if she was weighing whether the deal was worthwhile.

After a few moments, she spoke: "Okay, I'll sell it."

Zhao Yuanlang raised an eyebrow: "Great."

"However, I have one condition." Ye Qingqing pulled the property deed from her sleeve, tossed it in her hand, and said, "The payment will be made in cash, the document will be written on the spot, and we'll affix our seals in front of the village head. You also need to bring the deed for that empty shop. That way, we'll be even and neither of us will owe the other anything."

Zhao Yuanlang gave her a deep look and nodded: "Alright. Tomorrow morning, at the village head's house, the contract will be settled."

He turned to leave, then stopped, turned back, and asked, "What's your name?"

"Ye Qingqing."

"Ye Qingqing." He read it aloud, a faint, enigmatic smile playing on his lips. He said nothing more and left with his entourage.

Before leaving, the man with the hoarse voice glared at Ye Dazhuang again. Ye Dazhuang gave him a cold look, and the man quickly shrank back and followed.

Once everyone was out of sight, Miss Zhen finally let out a long sigh of relief and grabbed Ye Qingqing's arm: "My dear aunt, you almost scared the soul out of me! That was someone from the Zhao family! Do you know who his grandfather, Zhao Henian, is? He was a third-rank official in the capital, with disciples and friends all over the court. Even though he's retired to his hometown, he's still not someone we common folk can afford to offend!"

Ye Qingqing patted the back of her hand: "Don't worry, Aunt Zhen, his offer is generous enough, there's no reason for me not to sell. It's a good shop, but it's not worth going head-to-head with this kind of family over a shop."

Miss Zhen was both angry and amused: "You little rascal, you're too bold. But then again, eight hundred taels plus a shop, it's a worthwhile deal. And your fortune sticks really are accurate."

Ye Qingqing smiled without saying a word, glanced down at Manager Zhou who was slumped on the ground, and shook her head.

Manager Zhou was completely out of character at this point, his eyes were glazed over, and he was muttering something unintelligible, looking like a puppet whose soul had been taken away.

"Let's go, it's getting late." Ye Qingqing called out, and Ye Dazhuang silently followed. The three of them got into the carriage.

The carriage creaked and groaned along the snowy path. Miss Zhen continued, "Do you know who that third young master of the Zhao family is? His grandfather, Zhao Henian, was a high-ranking official in the capital. Even though he's retired, he's still someone we common folk can't afford to offend. If you had done that to me today, I might not have dared to take it."

Ye Qingqing leaned against the carriage wall, her eyes closed, and said, "He doesn't provoke me, and I won't provoke him. The shop is sold, the money is in hand, and we'll go our separate ways."

Seeing her so composed demeanor, Miss Zhen couldn't help but reach out and pinch her cheek: "You, sometimes you really don't act like a fifteen-year-old girl."

"What does that look like?"

"Like a little fox, very clever."

Ye Qingqing laughed and dodged away, yawning.

By the time they arrived at Miss Zhen's house, it was already dusk. Her maid, Xiao Hong, ushered them inside, and Miss Zhen instructed the kitchen to prepare some dishes and heat up a pot of wine.

The room was warm and cozy with the underfloor heating on. On the table were braised beef, mixed wood ear mushrooms, peanuts, and a pot of sauerkraut and pork belly, all steaming hot.

Miss Zhen poured Ye Qingqing a cup of wine, then filled her own cup and clinked glasses with hers: "Today, your aunt must toast you. You're such a reliable girl, your aunt is truly impressed."

Ye Qingqing took the drink and gasped from the spiciness: "Aunt Zhen, don't flatter me. I was just lucky."

"Good luck is also a skill." Miss Zhen filled her cup again. "What are you planning to do with that empty shop?"

"Keep it for now, we'll deal with it when we have more money." Ye Qingqing picked up a slice of beef and chewed on it. "Anyway, it's not a loss."

As the two ate and drank, Miss Zhen gradually became less talkative. She took a sip of wine, rubbed her fingers on the rim of the cup, and remained silent for a long while.

Ye Qingqing noticed and put down her chopsticks to look at her.

Miss Zhen lowered her head and spoke after a long while, her voice much softer than before: "Second daughter, Auntie has something to tell you."

"Okay, go ahead."

Do you know why I've never gotten married?

Ye Qingqing didn't respond, waiting for her to speak.

"I worked in a brothel when I was young," Miss Zhen said calmly, as if recounting something from the past. "They bought me from Yangzhou. They taught me music, chess, calligraphy, and painting from a young age, all to get me a good price. I was pretty, so I became the top courtesan."