Second Madam Li watched as the carriage slowly disappeared into the distance, standing there in a daze for a while.
“Madam, they’re long gone,” the maid behind her reminded her.
Only then did Second Madam Li come back to her senses.
“Let’s go. We should head back too.”
Although she wasn’t receiving guests today, she still had to help organize everything.
It had truly been exhausting.
After walking a few steps, Second Madam Li glanced back.
The carriage from earlier had already vanished from sight.
“You must remember what happened just now. You’re not to tell anyone!”
The maid froze.
What had happened just now?
She hadn’t seen anything at all!
“If you dare let even a single word slip, I’ll have you sold!”
Second Madam Li was worried that the maid might cause trouble for her.
The maid immediately dropped to her knees and swore an oath.
“This servant didn’t see anything just now!”
“If I say anything I shouldn’t, may sores break out on my tongue and leave me mute!”
This maid was Second Madam Li’s personal attendant, and Second Madam Li trusted her deeply.
Only after seeing the maid swear did she raise a hand and signal for her to get up.
“Come on. I’m tired too.”
The maid hurriedly reached out to support her mistress as they slowly made their way back.
Meanwhile, Duoduo and Yingniang covered their mouths, the two little things giggling nonstop.
Xu Jinxin awkwardly brushed a lock of hair away from her temple.
“I’m exhausted enough to drop dead today, and you two ungrateful little brats are still laughing!”
Yingniang had stayed with Xu Jinxin the entire day, so she understood better than anyone how tired her mother was.
She immediately lowered her hands and began gently kneading Xu Jinxin’s legs.
“Mother, you’ve worked so hard!”
A look of concern appeared in Yingniang’s eyes.
“Mother, why don’t you take Father’s advice and stop working?”
Xu Jinxin had been enjoying her daughter’s filial care, but the moment she heard those words, she sat straight up.
“Your mother was only complaining a little. How could I really be tired?”
“Besides, you’re still young. I still have to earn your dowry!”
“I don’t want a dowry!” Yingniang said unhappily.
She didn’t want her mother to work so hard because of her.
Seeing her daughter lower her head, looking utterly dejected, Xu Jinxin rolled her eyes and gestured at Duoduo.
Help me cheer her up!
Duoduo blinked at Xu Jinxin.
You caused this. You cheer her up yourself!
Xu Jinxin rubbed her brow.
Her daughter had always been rather carefree, but ever since they had arrived in the capital, Xu Jinxin didn’t know whether it was because Yingniang had grown older or because of her surroundings.
Yingniang had become much quieter and more reserved.
Moreover, her personality was increasingly resembling Su Xian’s.
Could it be because she had spent so much time with Su Xian?
Seeing Xu Jinxin frowning helplessly, Duoduo gently tugged on Yingniang’s sleeve.
“Sister, our teacher said, ‘If you don’t work hard while you’re young, you’ll regret it when you’re old!’”
“Aunt Xu is still young. She can work hard for a few more years.”
“That’s right, that’s right! Duoduo is absolutely right!” Xu Jinxin immediately agreed.
“Yingniang, I’m still enjoying myself right now. Maybe in a couple of years, I’ll get tired of it.”
“Besides, if your father is the only one earning money to support the family, don’t you think he’ll be exhausted?”
“Don’t you feel sorry for your father?” Xu Jinxin pressed, resorting to a little emotional blackmail.
Sure enough, a conflicted look appeared on Yingniang’s face.
Xu Jinxin let out a quiet sigh of relief.
People said that daughters were their fathers’ lovers in a previous life. Yingniang would certainly be biased toward her father.
Yingniang raised her head and looked at her mother, then at Duoduo.
“Mother, I want to open a shop like the Princess!”
Xu Jinxin’s jaw nearly hit the floor.
“You… you want to open a shop?”
She was so shocked that she stammered.
A hurt expression appeared on Yingniang’s face.
“Mother, do you look down on me?”
“The Princess is even younger than I am, yet she’s already opened so many shops!”
“I’m your elder daughter. I can do it too!”
Xu Jinxin hurriedly waved her hands.
“That’s not what Mother meant!”
“I just don’t want you to work so hard…”
Halfway through her sentence, Xu Jinxin realized that what she had said didn’t quite make sense.
Duoduo had opened so many shops. Did that mean the Prince and Princess Consort didn’t worry about her?
Xu Jinxin felt that this daughter of hers was her natural nemesis.
When dealing with outsiders, she could speak eloquently and handle everything with ease.
But whenever the matter involved her daughter, she became completely helpless!
In truth, Duoduo strongly approved of Yingniang’s idea.
She remembered something her father had once said:
“Those raised under protective wings grow into little chicks.”
“But for a young eagle to grow up, it must learn to fly on its own from an early age.”
That was why she supported Yingniang.
“Aunt Xu, I think you should let Sister give it a try!”
Xu Jinxin stared at Duoduo with wide eyes.
After a while, her emotions gradually settled.
She calmed down and thought over everything Yingniang and Duoduo had said.
If she set aside her identity as Yingniang’s mother, she actually agreed that the child should go out and try her hand at something.
It was only as a mother that she instinctively didn’t want her daughter to suffer.
Once Xu Jinxin understood this, she came around.
“All right!”
“Since you have an idea, Mother will support you!”
“Tell me, what do you want to do?”
“Would you like to open a cold-drink shop or a barbecue restaurant?”
“You can choose whichever one you like!”
Xu Jinxin thought of those two businesses, both of which were already running smoothly.
Even if she handed them over to Yingniang, Yingniang wouldn’t have to worry too much.
Unexpectedly, Yingniang shook her head.
“I don’t want either of them!”
Xu Jinxin was baffled.
“But didn’t you just say that you wanted to earn money yourself?”
Yingniang nodded.
“I want to open an embroidery shop!”
“Aunt Su and I will open it together!”
“I’ve already thought it all through!” Yingniang’s eyes lit up as she spoke about her dream.
“An embroidery shop?” Xu Jinxin hadn’t expected her daughter to choose an industry with the fiercest competition and relatively little room for profit.
And now that Yingniang had mentioned Su Xian, it seemed this wasn’t merely a spur-of-the-moment idea.
She had clearly discussed it with Su Xian before.
The two of them had probably already reached an agreement.
“Just an embroidery shop?” she asked tentatively.
Yingniang nodded.
“Aunt Su said we should focus on excellence rather than quantity!”
Xu Jinxin couldn’t help rubbing her brow.
That idea of Su Xian’s really did sound like something from someone who had never run a business!
Which wealthy family in the capital didn’t have embroiderers?
Those who were particular simply bought fabric and had their household embroiderers make their clothes.
Unless their exquisite embroidery was especially unusual or eye-catching, it probably wouldn’t sell even one piece in ten years.
Xu Jinxin couldn’t help sighing.
Hearing her mother sigh, Yingniang looked at her suspiciously.
“Mother, you don’t think it’s a good idea?”
Xu Jinxin was worried about discouraging her daughter, so she hurriedly waved her hands.
“No! Absolutely not!”
“I just think your selection is too limited, which makes it difficult to identify your target customers!”
“Target customers?” Yingniang repeated. It was the first time she had heard the term.
“Aunt Xu, I do have a good idea!”
