Rebirth and Rewriting Fate

"I heard you're going to do business?" Gu Ruoxiao asked as she poured tea. This man seemed quite free during the first month of the lunar year, often coming to the courtyard to brew tea.

"Yeah, to earn some money to spend," Yun Chu replied casually.

"Are you short of money?" Gu Ruoxiao looked up.

Yun Chu shook her head. "I want to support myself."

"What are you going to do?"

"It's a secret." Yun Chu blinked.

Gu Ruoxiao couldn't help but laugh.

"For matters concerning official registration, just contact Luo Yan; he's in charge," Gu Ruoxiao instructed.

"Yes, I know. It's just that shops are hard to find." Yun Chu sighed.

"Do you need my help?" Gu Ruoxiao asked.

"No need, no need, I can handle it myself." Yun Chu hurriedly shook her head; how could she rely on a man for her career?

"Miss, this is the place, please take a look," Nan Rao said, pointing to the shop at the corner.

The group pushed open the door and entered, looking around.

“There’s a back room where we can do accounting, a kitchen in the back, and a storeroom. These two can be separated; we can display pastries here and sell jewelry there,” Nan Rao explained. “Although it’s not big, it’s enough. And it’s not far from where we’re staying.”

"Very good." Yun Chu smiled, encouragingly, "When our shops grow bigger, we'll split the food and jewelry into two separate shops, and you'll both be the managers."

Nan Rao led Yun Chu aside, "I negotiated a price. It's low, but the shopkeeper requires a year's rent to be paid in full upfront. Miss, this..."

Yun Chu thought about it and realized that the rent, plus the cost of stocking equipment and materials, would probably require using Gu Ruoxiao's box of silver notes. Fortunately, it was no big deal; she could just consider it an investment in the shop and give him dividends later.

The shop was rented quickly, and everyone was busy purchasing equipment and materials. Although it was hard work, they were very happy.

On this day, the sky was blue and the wind was gentle. Yun Chu was basking in the sun in the courtyard, sketching jewelry designs. She wanted to draw a variety of different designs that were easy to make so that everyone could come and choose from them and brainstorm ideas.

Aunt Xu from next door knocked on the gate of Qingfeng Courtyard, carrying a basket of things.

“Zhu Ling, this is the embroidery pattern you asked me to keep an eye out for before. Take a look.”

Zhu Ling, a diplomatic expert, used to be a gossip, but now that she's become familiar with her neighbors, she asks them to help her find the latest popular needlework styles.

"Aunt Xu is really well-liked; she managed to bring so many." Zhu Ling picked up the embroidery pattern and praised it as she looked at it.

"If we're talking about people with good interpersonal relationships, then I have to mention my good sister, Madam Shen, also known as Shen Yiqian," Aunt Xu chatted.

"Shen Yiqian?" Zhu Ling asked curiously.

"Yes, she's a matchmaker. She's helped hundreds, if not thousands, of couples find love!" Aunt Xu turned to Yun Chu. "Young lady, do you have someone you like? Why don't you let Madam Shen arrange things for you?"

“My young lady isn’t in a hurry,” Nan Rao replied.

“A good woman is never too early. Should I talk to Madam Shen?” Aunt Xu continued to persuade her.

"Thank you very much, Aunt Xu, but I'm already engaged," Yun Chu said with a smile.

"Oh, I was being presumptuous. Is that the young master who often comes to your courtyard? He's quite handsome. Is he from the He family?"

Yun Chu gave a helpless, forced smile.

“Aunt Xu’s flowers are quite beautiful!” Zhu Ling quickly changed the subject.

“Yes, yes, Madam Shen said that many young ladies from noble families are now using this kind of embroidery, and this kind too. Take a look.” Madam Xu flipped through the embroidery patterns and continued, “However, Madam Shen has been troubled to death by the young ladies from noble families lately.”

Seeing that the topic had been changed, Zhu Ling continued, "How could a young lady from a prominent family cause anyone distress?"

"You don't understand. Madam Shen took on a job finding husbands for young ladies from noble families. She said she sent them one after another, and the doorstep was almost worn down, but none of the young ladies had taken a liking to them."

"Perhaps they don't like it at all," Zhu Ling said.

"How can you tell if someone likes you or not at first glance? You have to get to know them. Good heavens, that young lady didn't even give her a chance. Madam Shen asked her what kind of person she liked, and do you know what she said?" Granny Xu got excited as she spoke, answering her own question, "She said she liked Gu Ruoxiao, the number one young master in the capital."

Upon hearing this, Yun Chu's hand holding the brush trembled slightly involuntarily, and a drop of thick ink, carrying a hint of surprise and shock, dripped down, staining the design. This sudden turn of events caused her to stop what she was doing, her gaze fixed on the drop of ink, a look of astonishment and disappointment flashing in her eyes.

A young lady from a prestigious family, the most handsome young man in the capital, Shangguan Wan'er, Gu Ruoxiao. So that's how it is.

“Aunt Xu, your embroidery pattern is wrong!” Zhu Ling quickly interjected.

Aunt Xu completely ignored her and continued talking to herself, "You say Miss Shangguan comes from a prestigious family, isn't this just creating a problem? Are you suggesting that Madam Shen go to the Prince's mansion to act as matchmaker? But it seems that Miss Shangguan and the Prince are old acquaintances, and the two are a perfect match, I think they are very well-suited!"

Now they had no choice but to ask her to leave. Nanrao and Zhuling quickly made excuses and pulled Xu Da Niang out, saying, "We have things to do, we have things to do, let's talk another day." "I haven't finished yet!"

The courtyard gate closed, and Yun Chu sat motionless with her back to Nan Rao and Zhu Ling. The two women exchanged a glance but dared not speak.

The next day.

"Miss, Manager Sun sent someone to say that the pastry display stand is ready and he wants us to go take a look. If there are no problems, he'll move it to the shop," Nan Rao said.

"Okay, let's go this afternoon."

Nanrao was tidying up the display stand in the shop when Yun Chu came out of the shop, looked ahead and said, "Let's go to the front and buy some dried fruit and candied fruit to take back as snacks, and also learn from how other people run food shops."

"Miss, I'll go with you." Zhu Ling hurriedly ran out.

Stepping into the dried fruit shop, a fragrant aroma of fruit and candied sweetness wafted over, making one involuntarily take a deep breath, as if inhaling a mouthful of freshness and sweetness. Indeed, when selling food, smell and taste are very important; these can attract customers first, Yun Chu thought to herself. She looked around; although the shop space was compact, the layout was orderly, and in the display cases, all kinds of dried fruits were neatly arranged in categories.

A slightly familiar voice came from beside my ear.

"Shopkeeper, do you have any dried fruit that can be stored for several days? I'm going on a long trip and would like to take some with me to eat on the road."

"Yes, yes, this way please."

Yun Chu turned around, and it turned out to be Shangguan Wan'er.

"Miss Ye."

"Miss Shangguan."

"Are you here to buy dried fruit too?" Shangguan asked.

“Yes, the kids in my family love to eat it,” Yun Chu replied.

"Miss, would you like to try these two?" Shangguan's maid handed her some candied fruit. She tasted it carefully, "No, I don't want these. They're too sweet. The prince doesn't like sweet things."

"Your Highness?" Yun Chu was taken aback.

"Shopkeeper, please prepare more of these. Oh, and do you have persimmon cakes? My grandfather has bad teeth and likes soft and chewy ones."

"Yes, yes," the shopkeeper replied hastily.

"Then I'll come back in three days to pick it up, and I want it fresh. Do you have any other ones that aren't sweet?" Shangguan Wan'er asked.

"Yes, yes, yes, over here."

The two groups smiled knowingly and then went to make their own selections.