Chapter 504: Chapter 260: The Arrival of a Noble Guest_2
Fatty Shen Jiu emerged from behind Shen Liu and took a seat next to him. A pair of narrow eyes glanced at Lian Manman before he sat upright, eyes fixed straight ahead.
A servant close to Shen Liu laid down the teacups and fruit plates on the table. Though they were there to supposedly enjoy some tea at the shop, they didn’t use the items from the shop itself.
Watching their behavior, Lian Manman thought about the kettle that Lady Zhang would bring over later. Likely these people wouldn’t trust it for Shen Liu’s use.
"Little girl, where is the water being boiled?" Sure enough, the servant came over to ask Lian Manman.
"The water is being boiled in that room over there, follow me," she replied.
Lian Manman led the servant back to the breakfast shop, where, in front of the servant, Lady Zhang switched teapots and reboiled the water. As Lian Manman turned to put the savings box away, her hair was suddenly grabbed by someone.
"Ha, got you!" a playful boy’s voice rang out.
"Ninth Master, what brings you here?" the servant said with a smile.
Lian Manman rolled her eyes secretly and turned around to see Shen Qian standing behind her, with his hands behind his back, squinting his narrow eyes at her. It seemed the hair-grabber was another. Both of Shen Qian’s servants were standing at the doorway.
With members of the Shen Family present, Lian Manman had to suppress the urge to scold Fatty and tried her best to appear amiable and harmless.
"Lian Manman, why did you leave Sixth Brother and me behind and run off here by yourself?" Shen Qian was the first to break into a laugh after a staring match.
"I came to boil water for you guys," Lian Manman replied.
"Manman, so this is where your family lives," Shen Qian said, looking around curiously at Lian Manman’s place of residence.
"Master Shen, the kitchen is smoky and fiery, you should sit over there. The water will be ready shortly," Lady Zhang said, knowing well the little boy’s prominent status and keeping busy.
"No problem, Manman isn’t afraid," Shen Qian said, waving his hand like a grown-up.
"Come inside and sit down," Lian Manman suggested, thinking it over. Knowing Shen Qian’s personality, he definitely wouldn’t leave if she asked him to.
"Okay," Shen Qian immediately agreed.
Lian Manman led Shen Qian into the inner room, took her usual cushion, and placed it on the edge of the kang bed for him to sit on. The cushion was filled with chicken feathers, chosen by Lian Manman for its softness and comfort.
"When we arrived, I saw you at this window and waved at you, but you didn’t see me," Fatty Shen said, sitting on the chicken feather cushion. There seemed to be a hint of reproach in his voice, but it quickly disappeared. "I told Sixth Brother just now, it was fortunate that we saw you when we came back."
"Eh, you’ve started reading and writing?" Shen Qian, who always had a lot to say around Lian Manman, said this as he noticed the writing brush, books, and account book that she was packing away.
"Yes," Lian Manman answered, "I started learning to write and read last year."
"I started before you. I began learning four years ago," Shen Qian immediately proclaimed, then insisted on seeing Lian Manman’s writing. She, not wanting to put up with his pestering, had to give him a book to look at.
"Ha, I recognize this, you’ve been keeping accounts," Shen Qian said, laughing happily.
Lian Manman snatched the account book back and put it away.
"Lian Manman, has your family hired a teacher?" Shen Qian asked again.
"Um," Lian Manman nodded, "both my brother and younger brother attend private school in town, which doesn’t accept female students. We’ve hired a teacher separately who comes to teach us every day."
"I can teach you too," Shen Qian said proudly, puffing out his little chest.
At that moment, Lady Zhang called for Lian Manman from the kitchen, and she quickly went out, followed by Shen Qian.
With the freshly boiled water, Lian Manman, Shen Qian, and Lady Zhang returned to the new shop. Inside, Shen Liu was talking with Lian Shouxin, while Steward Zhong was also present, and the conversation was about grape wine.
"... Sixth Master, the grape wine that you praised last year as being quite good, was made by Shopkeeper Lian," Steward Zhong said with a smile.
"Oh," Shen Liu replied, taking a sip of the tea the servant had prepared, with a light ’oh.’ "That wine isn’t bad, is it the one made with wild grapes from the mountains?"
"It is made with wild grapes from the mountains, Sixth Master. Your fondness for it is our good fortune," Lian Shouxin quickly agreed.
"This year, when you’ve made the wine, send it directly to the residence," Shen Liu said.
Inside, Lian Manman was pleased. Shen Liu was preordering their grape wine for the year, which meant another substantial amount of silver coins would be securely in their hands! They already owned fifty-one acres of land. With the money from Shen Liu, they could double their land by next year!
One hundred acres of land, that was a qing of land.
Last year, she might have been considered a mere little landowner, but next year, she would truly be a legitimate Little Landlord.
"Very well, no problem. Sixth Master, how many catties of wine would you like this year?" Lian Manman asked, buoyed by her joy.
The whole room turned to look at her.
Shen Liu’s lips quirked up almost imperceptibly, and Shen Qian, who had already settled back by Shen Liu’s side, also smiled with squinted eyes.
"As much as there is," Fatty preemptively spoke up. Grape wine did not easily intoxicate, and at his age, he was permitted to drink a few cups.
"That’s right," Shen Liu nodded, confirming Shen Qian’s words.
"Well, Sixth Master, this year, I’m afraid there might be some difficulties," Lian Shouxin, the honest man that he was, was happy about Shen Liu ordering his family’s wine but still spoke the truth. "As you know, they’re building the empress’s temple in the mountains ahead. The wild grapes we use for winemaking are in that ravine, and I’m afraid that when the time comes..."
Before Lian Shouxin could finish, Shen Liu nodded at an attendant by his side. The attendant left and returned shortly after, whispering a few words into Shen Liu’s ear.
"That won’t be an issue, I’ve instructed someone, and those grapes will be reserved for you."
***......*****
Second update, asking for pink votes. (To be continued. If you like this work, please come to Qidian (qidian.com) to vote with your recommendation and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)
