“Sister…”
Tang Xiao Bei hesitated, then blushed and hugged Jin Feng’s arm.
Jin Feng looked away guiltily.
Tang Dongdong understood at once.
A wave of indescribable emotions surged within her.
Some disappointment, some bitterness, and a touch of regret.
She had met Jin Feng earlier, and Guan Xiaorou had always tried to match them.
On sleepless nights, she sometimes imagined life married to Jin Feng.
Of course, she had considered Tang Xiao Bei and Jin Feng.
By custom, Tang Xiao Bei could only marry Jin Feng, who redeemed her. Marrying another would brand her ungrateful for life.
A sister thriving and bringing her younger sibling along was common in Da Kang.
Among West River Bay families with concubines, nearly half were such cases. The village head’s concubines included two sisters and their cousin.
When Jin Feng first heard this, he nearly dropped his jaw. But then he found no one despised the three sisters. Instead, they praised the eldest concubine endlessly.
They admired her good sense, pulling her sisters up once she prospered.
The three got along better than most wives and concubines, managing the village head’s house impeccably.
Thus Guan Xiaorou and West River Bay villagers long saw the Tang sisters as Jin Feng’s concubines.
Tang Dongdong was decisive in business but hesitant in love.
Tang Xiao Bei, years in the brothel, understood men and women best. Soon after redemption, she spotted the issue and saw Jin Feng, like her sister, was passive in romance.
Two such people might never unite without outside help.
So during her West River Bay days, Tang Xiao Bei urged Tang Dongdong to act and gave several ideas.
Concubines were Guan Xiaorou’s obsession. Learning Tang Xiao Bei matched Jin Feng and Tang Dongdong, he not only stayed calm but actively helped.
Yet Tang Dongdong always played ostrich, dodging with factory excuses.
Helpless, Guan Xiaorou told Tang Xiao Bei to secure Jin Feng first if possible, break his no-concubine stance, then slowly pair the others.
This solved half the problem.
Tang Xiao Bei liked Jin Feng anyway, encouraged by Guan Xiaorou, so she acted boldly.
As expected, Jin Feng decisive in battle was timid in love, like her sister. Tang Xiao Bei pressed on and won.
She and Guan Xiaorou completed step one. Next: pair Tang Dongdong and Jin Feng.
But this proved far harder than imagined. Both dodged with excuses, refusing to engage.
“Done for!”
Tang Xiao Bei sighed in disappointment.
Uniting them would be a long road.
Sure enough, next morning Tang Dongdong cited factory work and left for West River Bay with two female soldiers.
…
The prefectural city would be a key Jin Feng base. Always staying at inns was impractical, and with chamber and escort documents secured, it was time to set up signs.
Over the next days, Jin Feng scoured Guangyuan, finally choosing two street-facing courtyards on West Main Street.
The smaller for the chamber shop, the larger for the escort agency.
Soap was exclusive, needing no fanfare. Opening day had no grand ceremony. Jin Feng had the places tidied, then hung Zhenyuan Escort Agency and Jinchuan Chamber signs.
Except nearby residents, few knew Guangyuan gained two new shops.
The day before opening, Zhang Liang brought over half the reorganised veterans and boxes of soap.
Next day, female shopkeepers, crash-trained by Jin Feng, took wooden crates under veteran protection to counties around Guangyuan for their first test.
The last to sell out and return would be eliminated, reassigned to West River Bay for spinning or soap-making.
Opening a market took time. Results would not show in days.
Confirming chamber and agency ran smoothly, Jin Feng took Tang Xiao Bei and injured Monkey back to West River Bay.
New kiln and textile workshops neared completion. He needed to oversee.
Future travel between West River Bay and the city would be frequent. The Black Wind Ridge cableway must be built soon, even a basic wooden-wheel one, to save effort.
Knowing Jin Feng returned today, Guan Xiaorou waited early on the village hill.
Seeing the convoy round the mountain foot, she hurried down.
Jin Feng thought she came for him and felt touched, but Guan Xiaorou barely greeted before rushing to the rear carriage for Tang Xiao Bei.
He stuffed bracelets, hairpins, and such into Tang Xiao Bei’s hands, calling her “sister” warmly.
As if Tang Xiao Bei were his real sister.
Jin Feng slowed his horse alongside the carriage and overheard Guan Xiaorou asking if Tang Xiao Bei was pregnant…
The scene reminded Jin Feng of his past life, first bringing a girlfriend home to his mother.
Face dark, he entered the village, too angry to go home, heading straight to the smelting workshop.
He expected Guan Xiaorou to call him, but she noticed nothing, whispering secrets with Tang Xiao Bei.
“Ah, Master, when did you return?”
Zhou Jin, busy in the lab, ran over excitedly. “Thirsty, Master? I will fetch water.”
“Ah, disciples are thoughtful. Xiao Jin, you are my little padded jacket now.”
Jin Feng sighed, rubbing Zhou Jin’s head.
Near dusk, Guan Xiaorou finally realised she neglected Jin Feng and cautiously came to the lab to call him for dinner.
That night, Jin Feng naturally gave her a severe scolding.
Tang Xiao Bei did not escape either.
The following days, besides checking the new kiln and textile workshops, Jin Feng spent nearly all time in the lab and smelting workshop, designing the cableway and more efficient looms.
Lacking basics, many tools required his hands. Fortunately, Full Warehouse had trained female apprentices. For less precise parts, Jin Feng drew plans and dimensions; Full Warehouse’s team could produce, greatly reducing his workload.
As an engineering man, Jin Feng preferred such days: drawing plans, returning to hot meals and warm bed. Far better than city scheming.
The only flaw was little E, lately causing worry.
