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Xu Zhengyong smiled optimistically. "I’m not in a rush. I’ll just focus on doing my duty and performing well. My chance will come! And one day, Sister Ruo’er, you’ll come back to live with us!"
Wei Ruo felt warm inside.
"Xiao Yong, you have to work hard. If you succeed, then Miss Wei won’t have to marry someone on the brink of death..." Xiumei said, only to have her arm pinched by Wei Ruo mid-sentence.
"Marry who?" Xu Zhengyong asked.
"Nothing, nothing! I’m just looking forward to you bringing Miss Wei back!" Xiumei quickly changed the subject.
Xu Zhengyong didn’t suspect anything further and continued sharing amusing stories from the military camp.
The dinner table was filled with laughter and joy.
After finishing their meal, Xu Zhengyong and his parents stayed at the estate, while Wei Ruo and Xiumei returned to Tianqin Garden.
###
In contrast to Wei Ruo’s harmony and laughter, Wei Qingwan was being driven to frustration by the He family.
Especially He Miao’er, who had no sense of boundaries or propriety. Despite being assigned a guest room, she kept wandering into Wei Qinwan’s Wangmei Garden, bringing worthless trinkets as "gifts," claiming they were tokens of goodwill.
When He Miao’er called her "sister," Wei Qingwan felt deeply offended. For a merchant’s daughter to address her like that—if others overheard, what would they think of her?
Yet, she couldn’t do much about the He family. She feared that if she angered them, they might spread rumors about her origins.
Wei Qingwan wanted to persuade the He family to leave early, but they shamelessly stayed, using the excuse that the war had temporarily ended and that they wanted to spend more time in Xingshan County to bond with their biological daughter.
At this point, Wei Qingwan wished Wei Ruo would return from the prefectural city sooner. At least by then, the He family wouldn’t just be pestering her alone.
###
Meanwhile, Wei Ruo was fully immersed in her work in the prefectural city and had no intention of returning to Xingshan County anytime soon.
Thanks to everyone’s joint efforts, the Sibaozhai was the first to open for business.
Everything followed the same setup as before, using the original supply chain and temporarily controlling the sale of paper to ensure a steady flow.
The opening promotional strategy also replicated their previous method—using calligraphy works by Master Zang Lin as prizes to attract scholars to try out their paper.
After all, Wei Ruo still had plenty of Master Zang Lin’s calligraphy pieces stored away, more than enough to sustain the campaign.
The opening of the Sibaozhai turned out to be even smoother than Wei Ruo had anticipated. This success was largely due to the foundation laid earlier in Xingshan County when people from the prefectural city had traveled long distances just to purchase their goods.
With some degree of name recognition already established, the store’s opening in the prefectural city became significantly easier.
Furthermore, the purchasing power of the aristocratic families in the prefectural city was clearly much stronger than that of Xingshan County. A long line of customers formed outside the store.
Judging by the current momentum, the revenue from the Sibaozhai in the prefectural city might surpass the combined earnings of their previous two stores.
Wei Ruo specifically brought Xiumei to the storefront to observe the bustling activity. Seeing the lively scene, Xiumei couldn’t help but exclaim, “Miss, we’re going to make so much silver again!”
In this aspect, the two were very alike. Making money brought them immense joy, enough to keep them happy all day.
Wei Ruo smiled and then pulled Xiumei back to the carriage. “Let’s go back and continue brainstorming ideas for the braised food shop. After that, let’s figure out a way to give Wei Qingwan and the He family in Xingshan County a bit of trouble.”
“Miss, what kind of trouble are you planning for Second Miss and the He family this time?” Xiumei asked, curious and eager.
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