Chapter 45: Sponsor – “Tonight, the Prologue Unfolds…”

Liu Hexiao raised his eyes, looking at Yihuan with a warm smile, as though waiting for her reaction.

Yihuan was momentarily stunned. “Shizi… I don’t understand what you mean.”

Liu Hexiao: “To put it simply, this courtyard is now yours.”

Yihuan, astonished, asked, “Why would you give it to me?”

Liu Hexiao raised a brow. “Does there have to be a reason?”

Yihuan: “I can’t accept it—I can’t take something I haven’t earned.”

Liu Hexiao’s expression froze. Was this girl’s head filled with water? Who refuses a gift and asks so many questions?

Liu Hexiao: “That’s not an option. You have to accept it. Otherwise, where will you store your goods? And what about your little brother—should he keep kneeling on the floor to practice writing every day?”

Yihuan: “…”

She pursed her lips, her heart stirred with emotion.

“I’m touched by your kindness, shizi, but I really can’t accept it.”

Liu Hexiao, unused to giving gifts to women, didn’t expect such resistance on his first attempt.

He sulked. “Why not? Is the courtyard not good enough?”

“It’s wonderful. Too wonderful… That’s precisely why I can’t accept it,” Yihuan replied, lowering her gaze.

Standing in the courtyard earlier had brought back memories of her time with Liu Hexiao.

Though he seemed mischievous on the surface, he had been nothing but kind to her.

He hired her as a cook and always paid more than necessary. When she faced trouble at Qianjiao Pavilion, he stepped in to help. Though they were supposed to be business partners, he had never taken a single coin of profit from her.

What did all of this mean? Yihuan didn’t dare to think further.

Normally bold and forward, she now found herself hesitating.

As her silence stretched, Liu Hexiao’s expression grew darker. He had only wanted to help her, but now it felt like he was being rejected outright.

Liu Hexiao: “Fine, if you won’t take it, I’ll just set it on fire.”

Yihuan, alarmed, snapped her head up. “Shizi?!”

Feeling a bit wronged, Liu Hexiao spoke awkwardly. “You don’t want it anyway! Why should you care what I do with it?”

Knowing that he wasn’t bluffing, Yihuan quickly realized that if she didn’t stop him, he might not only burn down the courtyard but also half the street.

Looking at him intently, she said, “What you do for your own amusement is your business, Shizi. I can’t stop you. But have you ever considered this: Today, you might feel like giving me a courtyard, but what if tomorrow, you’re unhappy and decide to take it back?

“For you, buying a courtyard is no big deal. But for ordinary people like us, it’s tied to our livelihood and survival. I can’t accept it—not because I’m ungrateful, but because I can’t entrust my brother’s and my own future to the whims of your mood. I hope the shizi can understand.”

Hearing her reasoning, Liu Hexiao smiled instead of getting angry.

He looked at her and said, “I didn’t buy this courtyard on a whim, nor did I do it to toy with you. I just thought it would make your life more comfortable… Tch, trying to be a good person once in a while is harder than I thought.”

Yihuan, lips pressed tightly together, stayed silent.

Liu Hexiao stood up and took two steps closer to her.

Being much taller, his presence felt overwhelming as he stood in front of her, making Yihuan instinctively step back.

In a deep voice, Liu Hexiao asked, “Does me giving you a courtyard scare you so much?”

Yihuan, startled, didn’t know how to respond. Perhaps this was why she had always kept a certain distance from him.

Liu Hexiao stepped closer again. The space was small, leaving Yihuan with no room to retreat. She could feel his breath just above her head.

In a low voice, Liu Hexiao said, “You don’t need to be afraid of me getting upset.” Seeing her still silent, he added, “As long as I see you, I won’t be upset.”

His words struck her like a bolt of electricity, making her freeze.

In that instant, her face flushed red, all the way to the tips of her ears.

Liu Hexiao, realizing what he had said, felt his own face grow warm. He quickly added, “…As long as you keep working hard to make me good food, I’ll be in a good mood and won’t cause you trouble.”

Yihuan, flustered, managed only a quiet, “Oh.”

Clearing his throat, Liu Hexiao said, “The courtyard’s already bought. If you don’t use it, it’ll just go to waste. If it makes you feel better, you can pay me rent every month.”

Before she could respond, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed from downstairs.

“Master!” Lin Yiran, having waited for a long time without seeing Liu Hexiao come down, raced upstairs to find him.

The moment he entered, he saw Liu Hexiao and Yihuan standing together in a corner.

Lin Yiran stood there, blinking as he looked at the scene before him. His sister leaned against the wall, while his master stood very close in front of her.

“Are you two… finished talking?” he asked innocently.

Liu Hexiao turned to him and said, “Yes, we’re done.”

Yihuan: “Ah…”

Lin Yiran’s eyes lit up as he looked at Liu Hexiao. “Great! Master, come watch me practice! My horse stance is so steady now! Look, look!”

With that, he eagerly began to demonstrate.

Liu Hexiao chuckled lightly. “There’s not enough space here. Let’s go to the courtyard. I’ll teach you some new moves.”

Upon hearing this, Lin Yiran jumped for joy. “Yes! Let’s go!”

Yihuan, momentarily stunned, suddenly felt like an outsider.

Before leaving, Liu Hexiao pulled out a small paper packet from his sleeve and handed it to her. “This is for you.”

Then, he left with Lin Yiran, not forgetting to glance back with a mischievous smile at Yihuan.

Left standing there, she was both speechless and at a loss.

Gently opening the paper packet, she found it contained the huamei she had been longing for to brew her wine.

From the open bedroom window, laughter drifted in from the courtyard.

“Hahaha… Wow, amazing!”

“Not bad, kid. You’re not as hopeless as I thought!”

The cheerful sounds eased the furrow in Yihuan’s brow, and she found herself smiling softly. Perhaps… knowing him isn’t so bad after all.

*****

Tianshui Alley was particularly lively that evening.

From the street entrance to Qianjiao Pavilion, golden lanterns were strung in a continuous line, catching the eyes of passersby and leading them straight to the establishment.

Such an ostentatious display naturally drew dissatisfaction from other establishments.

“The Qianjiao Pavilion must have bribed the market administration head to be allowed to hang lanterns all the way from the street entrance! So arrogant!”

“Exactly! And they’ve even raised the ticket prices for the Flower Queen Night. Tch, I wonder what they’ll show to justify that.”

“I heard they’re giving out free snacks with each ticket… Something from some obscure little shop.”

The other girls, standing by the roadside, gossiped about the Flower Queen Night at Qianjiao Pavilion, though they were also a bit curious about what kind of spectacle might unfold.

Meanwhile, inside Qianjiao Pavilion, it was a frenzy of activity.

In the backyard, Yihuan was busy counting the food. They had prepared 200 servings of cheesecake and plum wine for the event.

This large quantity was far beyond what she and Ah-miao could handle alone, so she had shamelessly asked Liu Hexiao for help, borrowing a few of his people to finish the task.

Both the cheesecake and plum wine needed to be kept chilled in the ice cellar, so they couldn’t be transported to Qianjiao Pavilion in advance. It wasn’t until evening that they hauled the goods over from Changming Street.

Qianjiao Pavilion’s own staff were overwhelmed, so Madam Tian had sent only two people to help unload: Qing Nu and Ah-wang.

Yihuan said, “Gentlemen, please help carry these items to the back kitchen. The food service will start soon.”

Ah-wang, a burly man, looked reluctant. “There’s so much food—how can the two of us carry it all?”

Qing Nu, however, replied calmly, “We won’t know until we try. Let’s hurry—the guests will be here soon.”

Unexpectedly, Ah-wang shot him a glare, signaling him not to act.

Qing Nu, caught off guard, hesitated.

Yihuan, noticing the exchange, quickly understood. She pulled out some copper coins and said, “It’ll be hard work for you two. Please take these to buy some wine later.”

Seeing the coins, Ah-wang grinned broadly. “Miss Yihuan, you’re too kind. How could I accept this?”

Despite his words, he swiftly pocketed the money without hesitation.

Yihuan smiled lightly and offered the other half to Qing Nu, but he shook his head. “No need. We’re all just trying to make a living.”

Hearing this, Ah-wang sneered at him. “Hah! Look at you acting so noble! This is Qianjiao Pavilion—your sister’s vanity is matched only by your need to show off. Truly a family trait.”

“You!” Qing Nu’s face turned pale with anger, but with Yihuan present and so much work to do, he swallowed his retort and shot Ah-wang a fierce glare.

Only then did Yihuan notice that Qing Nu was taller and more striking than the average errand boy. With his thick brows and bright eyes, he exuded an air of uprightness.

Yihuan, not wanting to escalate the tension, said, “Gentlemen, please hurry and move the food to the kitchen!”

Without another word, Qing Nu began unloading the plum wine from the cart.

The plum wine was stored in fragile ceramic jars, far heavier and more valuable than the cheesecake boxes.

Naturally, Ah-wang opted for the lighter load, enthusiastically carrying the cheesecake instead.

Qing Nu, undeterred, bent down and carefully lifted the wine jars.

Because the jars were so delicate, he could only carry one in each hand to avoid breaking them.

By the time Ah-wang had finished transporting the cheesecake, there was still half the wine left.

Sneering, Ah-wang said, “Qing Nu, why are you so slow? Refusing money and still slacking off—typical!”

Ignoring him, Qing Nu focused on his task, his expression unyielding.

Seeing this, Yihuan smiled and said, “Qing Nu, let me help you. If the food isn’t delivered to the kitchen in time, Madam Tian will be upset.”

Hearing this, Ah-wang didn’t dare slack off anymore and begrudgingly joined in to help.

With the combined efforts of the three, they managed to move all the food to the back kitchen just as night fell.

Ah-wang heaved a deep sigh. “I’m exhausted…”

Meanwhile, Qing Nu remained silent. He was about sixteen or seventeen, about the same age as Ah-miao, and had carried the heavy jars of plum wine back and forth without a word, despite being drenched in sweat.

Yihuan, genuinely appreciative, said to him, “Thank you for your hard work.”

Qing Nu nodded. “It’s part of my job.”

Then he turned and headed to the front hall to assist there.

*****

Somewhere, a graceful pluck of strings from an unseen beauty marked the beginning of the Flower Queen Night at Qianjiao Pavilion.

As the lights in the main hall brightened, an array of beauties appeared, dressed in flowing, colorful gowns, captivating the crowd.

The music of strings and flutes filled the air, mingling with the clinking of cups and boisterous laughter.

The dancers moved with elegance: some exuding seductive charm, others radiating ethereal purity. A single glance from one, with her coy expression, seemed enough to steal the souls of half the audience.

Liang Wei, who had arrived early to secure a front-row seat, was left utterly dazzled. He had never seen so many beauties performing together and sat gaping in awe.

“This is incredible! It’s like a garden of blooming flowers!” he exclaimed. As the son of a country gentry family, his father had kept him on a short leash back home. This was his first time witnessing such a grand spectacle.

Zhou Kaizhi, sipping wine and enjoying the performance, nodded in agreement. “Indeed… what a rare sight.”

Having money is wonderful—you can enjoy so many beautiful things, Zhou Kaizhi thought to himself. He resolved that if he ever achieved wealth and fame, he would settle in Shengjing to savor its splendor.

“What a pity Brother Pei isn’t here,” said Liang Wei, sighing wistfully. “Last time, Flower Queen Yunming composed poetry with him so harmoniously… I even heard she sent someone to check on him afterward. Could it be that Yunming has fallen for him?”

Zhou Kaizhi chuckled. “Impossible. Yunming has met countless men. Even if she enjoys conversing with Brother Pei, she wouldn’t choose him.” Pausing, he added, “Besides, Brother Pei has his own ambitions. He wouldn’t become involved with her.”

Liang Wei thought for a moment. “True. No matter how talented the Flower Queen is, she still comes from a lowly background. If he were to marry someone like her, his career in the officialdom would be over.”

Zhou Kaizhi nodded. “Exactly. If one day Brother Pei does achieve great success, perhaps he could take Yunming as a concubine… But with her talent and beauty, I doubt she’d wait for him.”

Looking at the stage, Liang Wei noticed Yunming was absent. As the previous Flower Queen, she would naturally appear only in the second round of individual competitions.

Glancing at the table, Zhou Kaizhi remarked, “Brother Liang, let’s have a drink.”

He picked up the wine pot and poured a cup for each of them.

The wine appeared clearer than usual, with a faint aroma of green plums.

Curious, Liang Wei asked, “What kind of wine is this?”

Zhou Kaizhi replied, “I’m not sure. But it smells like plum wine. Shengjing is surrounded by green plum orchards, so it’s likely a seasonal fresh fruit wine.”

Liang Wei, unimpressed, scoffed, “What’s so special about that? Plum wine is just a woman’s drink.”

Zhou Kaizhi smiled. “Not necessarily. This wine is from Shengjing Dessert Shop.”

At the mention of Shengjing Dessert Shop, Liang Wei’s eyes lit up.

“Really? How do you know?”

As a regular customer of the dessert shop, Liang Wei often bought coffee and pastries there for breakfast. Hearing this connection gave him a sense of familiarity.

Zhou Kaizhi gestured. “Brother Liang, look over there.”

Turning his head, Liang Wei saw a bright red banner hanging on the nearby wall. It read: Shengjing Dessert Shop – Bringing Sweetness to Your Heart.

Nodding thoughtfully, Liang Wei said, “I never thought Shengjing Dessert Shop would expand its business to a brothel. But it makes sense—women love sweets. It’s a clever strategy.”

Zhou Kaizhi added, “I told you that Miss Yihuan is no ordinary person. Her food is unique. It’s only a matter of time before her business flourishes.”

Liang Wei agreed. “If I fail the exams, I might go home and open a shop like hers…”

Startled, Zhou Kaizhi exclaimed, “Brother Liang! Be careful what you say!”

Liang Wei laughed awkwardly. “No offense! No offense! We’re both sure to pass!”

The two clinked their cups, laughing as they drank.

Downing the plum wine in one gulp, Liang Wei paused, surprised.

“Huh… this plum wine tastes nothing like the usual kind!”