For a while, all the tailoring shops in the capital became dull, while only Su Mingyu's Sinnan Pavilion was getting more and more prosperous.
When Gu Ruobai told Su Mingyu about this, she just yawned indifferently. "Your Highness really has a lot of free time. How's the investigation on the leakage of the exam questions going?"
"Still under investigation." Gu Ruobai poured a cup of tea for Su Mingyu. "But thanks to your key."
Su Mingyu took a sip of the tea. The clear bitterness was tinged with a hint of sweet aftertaste.
In the 21st century, her favorite drink was black coffee. Now, in Gu Ruobai's place, she drank tea every day and gradually fell in love with the taste of it. "It's good that it's useful."
Seeing that Su Mingyu didn't seem to care at all, Gu Ruobai was a bit curious. "Do you really not care about the fate of the Su Mansion?"
"Why does Your Highness think there's such a deep bond between me and the Su Mansion?" Su Mingyu counter - questioned. "I opened this tailoring workshop just to ensure that I'd have a place to go after leaving the Su Mansion."
When Su Mingyu said this, the earnest look in her eyes made Gu Ruobai's heart skip a beat for no reason.
When he was in his teens, he was still cuddling and being spoiled by his mother. But this girl had already started to plan for her future.
She not only had to fight against the people in her family but also had to guard against the troubles brought by her talent. It was indeed beyond what an ordinary person could bear.
Gu Ruobai lowered his eyes. "It won't be like that. At least you're always welcome here with me."
"Come on." Su Mingyu didn't give Gu Ruobai any face. "This is already part of our agreement."
Gu Ruobai narrowed his long and narrow eyes. "Really? As far as I remember, our agreement was just to protect you. There was no mention of providing you with good food and shelter."
Su Mingyu raised her eyebrows. "Your Highness gives me silver."
Saying so, she took out a few copper coins from her bosom and slapped them on the table. "Is this enough? If not, I don't have any more. I'll give you more when I earn some silver."
The confident look on her face made the veins on Gu Ruobai's forehead throb. "My lady, just the sip of tea you've just had is worth more than this."
Su Mingyu straightened her back. "I didn't ask you to make such an expensive tea for me."
Well, in the end, it was still his fault.
Gu Ruobai let out a sudden and short laugh, which took people by surprise.
His handsome face seemed to soften because of this laugh. The slight upward curve of his thin lips rippled with an unfinished smile.
It made Su Mingyu's heart beat faster for no reason, and her cheeks gradually flushed.
Gu Ruobai wasn't a person who was reluctant to express his emotions, but most of his expressions were false.
It was as if he was wearing a thin mask, making it hard for people to see his true feelings.
So this was the first time Su Mingyu saw Gu Ruobai smiling from the bottom of his heart. It was so beautiful that it made her feel as if she had passed through time.
Maybe this was what was meant by "one glance for a million years"?
Noticing Su Mingyu's gaze, Gu Ruobai's smile widened. This girl was really interesting.
Realizing that she had been staring for too long, Su Mingyu coughed lightly, trying to change the topic. Just then, a servant came to report. "Your Highness, there's a girl named Xia Mian outside looking for Miss Su."
What was she here for?
"Let her in."
Xia Mian looked very cautious all the way. Especially when she saw Gu Ruobai, she was like a quail seeing a hawk. Even when she bowed, she seemed a bit clumsy.
Su Mingyu found it funny. "Don't be so nervous. What's the matter that you came to find me today?"
Xia Mian stared at the ground without blinking and didn't dare to look at Gu Ruobai and Su Mingyu at all. "Um... the boss of Chengye Cloth Store came to the shop and said she wanted to see you."
She came to the shop specifically?
Su Mingyu frowned slightly. "Then I'll go with you."
Saying so, Su Mingyu took out a silk scarf from her bosom and tied it on her face. After saying goodbye to Gu Ruobai, she followed Xia Mian away.
Watching Su Mingyu's thin and small back, Gu Ruobai lowered his eyes and called Mu Yi.
...
Actually, Su Mingyu could more or less guess what Wang Manwen wanted from her. It must be because her cloth store was in a slump, so she started to think of ways from her side.
She wanted to see what Wang Manwen had to say.
When Su Mingyu finally arrived late and came up from the back door, Wang Manwen was already pacing back and forth in the room impatiently.
Xia Mian coughed lightly. "Boss Wang, our mistress is here."
The smile on Wang Manwen's face froze when she saw Su Mingyu.
This person was actually wearing a veil when seeing her. And most importantly, this woman looked so young!
When did such a powerful girl appear in the capital? Why had she never heard of her?
But it was good this way. It would be easier to deceive a young girl. Wang Manwen was overjoyed and spoke first. "How should I address you, miss?"
Su Mingyu found a stool and sat down. "Just call me Sinnan."
"Oh~ So the name of Sinnan Pavilion comes from your name. No wonder it sounds so unique."
Wang Manwen forced out an obsequious smile. "It's really a nice name."
Su Mingyu didn't respond to this. "What do you want from me, Boss Wang?"
Wang Manwen let out a long and pained sigh. "I've been taking care of my sick daughter at home. I just went to the cloth store these two days and found out that they had supplied the same goods to the whole capital as they did to you."
Saying so, Wang Manwen slapped the table hard, looking very excited. "It led to the loss of business in your Sinnan Pavilion. It's all my fault for not disciplining my servants well. I'm here today specifically to apologize to Miss Sinnan."
Su Mingyu just took a sip of tea indifferently. She didn't know if it was because her taste had been spoiled by Gu Ruobai's tea.
The tea in Sinnan Pavilion seemed a bit too strong and lacked the fragrance of the tea made by Gu Ruobai.
After Wang Manwen finished speaking and saw that Su Mingyu didn't react, she let out a deep sigh. "I can actually understand why Miss Sinnan is angry. If I were you, I would also cause trouble for the cloth merchant."
After watching Wang Manwen act for so long, Su Mingyu finally spoke. "Actually, it's nothing. After all, my products are good, and it's normal for them to be jealous."
"Just making the same clothes as us is really despicable. I don't know who came up with this idea. It's so vicious. Aren't they afraid of retribution?"
The more Wang Manwen listened, the darker her face became. But she still had to keep an echoing smile on her lips. "Yes, yes, yes. Some people really care more about money than their dignity."
Su Mingyu nodded. "Sure enough, great minds think alike, Boss Wang."
Wang Manwen's expression was as ugly as if she had eaten a fly. "Due to this being our mistake, Miss Sinnan, in the future, no matter what kind of fabric you choose from our cloth store, we promise to give you the biggest discount. How about it?"