If even she was like this, those outside would only be more panicked and chaotic.
Lanyin took a deep breath, and as she exhaled, she stood up. Her peripheral vision caught the longevity bracelet on the table, and after a moment of silent contemplation, she finally picked it up. Strangely, her restless heart suddenly calmed down when she held the bracelet.
She clenched it tightly, as if trying to draw strength from it, then carefully hid the bracelet in her pouch before stepping out.
Outside, the weather was splendid—a bright, sunny day with a clear blue sky and not a cloud in sight.
Lanyin ultimately decided to bring Shi Yu along, assuring her that no one would notice anything amiss. Lanyin couldn’t bear to leave her alone in the backyard, and besides, they would have to meet the Qi family sooner or later. She couldn’t keep hiding Shi Yu forever… The master and servant walked out together, and by the time they reached the clothing store, a crowd had already gathered.
Most of the people who came at this hour were there to watch the spectacle. They had heard about the opening of Lanyin’s new store today and wanted to see what a divorced woman could possibly achieve. Of course, aside from those curious about Lanyin’s current situation due to her divorce, many were also there because of the recent buzz surrounding her restaurant.
Recently, herrestaurant had been bustling with customers.
The honey-glazed plum dish from earlier was still drawing long lines of people every day, and not long ago, therestaurant had introduced several new dishes, each one fresh and delicious. Therestaurant’s reputation had soared, and everyone was eager to see what new surprises Lanyin’s new store would offer.
“Why hasn’t she come out yet?”
“Maybe she’s not coming.”
…
After waiting for a long time without seeing Lanyin, the crowd grew impatient. Some even began questioning Shopkeeper Sun, who was overwhelmed by the urging. Just as he was considering sending someone to hurry her along, a wave of gasps erupted in front of him. Seeing the previously anxious and impatient crowd now staring in astonishment at… the direction behind him, he seemed to realize something and quickly turned around. There, he saw Lanyin, dressed in magnificent attire, emerging surrounded by attendants.
Seeing Lanyin in such a stunning outfit, even Shopkeeper Sun, who was used to seeing her, couldn’t help but be struck with admiration. Regaining his composure, he immediately stepped forward, lowered his eyes, and respectfully bowed to her, calling out, “Boss.”
“Yes, thank you for your hard work,” Lanyin comforted him gently.
Then she turned to face the crowd outside.
Noticing the expressions of awe and surprise on their faces, Shi Yu pursed her lips in displeasure. Lanyin, however, remained unfazed. She even took a step forward under everyone’s gaze, directly facing the crowd, and then raised a gentle smile, speaking softly to them, “Thank you all for waiting. Today, for the store’s opening, everyone is welcome to come in for tea and a look around, regardless of whether you make a purchase.”
The world is always more forgiving towards beauties, especially those who are gentle and good-natured.
The previously noisy and impatient crowd suddenly became much more amiable. Not only did they no longer feel that they had waited too long, but they also politely responded to Lanyin, “Not long at all, it’s not even the auspicious time yet! But, Boss Gu, what exactly are you selling here?”
As they spoke, the crowd tiptoed to peek behind Lanyin, but a large ink-painted screen stood perfectly in the way, blocking the view inside. However, through the gauzy screen, they could make out the silhouettes of graceful figures. The sense of mystery, of not being able to see the full picture, only made them more intrigued, itching to uncover the truth.
Lanyin smiled.
Just as she was about to speak, Shopkeeper Sun lowered his voice and said to her, “Master, it’s about time.”
“Then let’s open,” Lanyin said.
Shopkeeper Sun immediately acknowledged the order and stepped aside to give instructions. Soon, two young attendants standing on either side of the shop, both with red silk sashes tied around their waists, raised the double-strand firecrackers in their hands. Someone stepped forward to light the fuse. With a sharp whoosh, sparks shot out, and in the next instant, a series of crackling explosions rang through the air.
The gathered crowd instinctively covered their ears and stepped back, but the commotion only drew even more people over. Before long, the street was packed, nearly impassable.
“Be careful, Master.”
Shi Yu, worried that the firecrackers might reach Lanyin, quickly pulled her back.
Lanyin laughed as she took a few steps back as well. She also covered her ears, but her eyes remained fixed on the scene outside. As she watched the vibrant red firecrackers explode one after another, scattering shredded red paper like tiny blossoms, the gloom in her heart seemed to lighten considerably.
When the firecrackers finally stopped, Shopkeeper Sun personally stepped forward, taking the long red silk that had been tied around the shop’s signboard and handing it to Lanyin.
Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Lanyin stepped forward, reached out, and gave the silk a light tug. The red cloth that had been covering the sign slipped off, revealing the golden characters beneath.
“Jinxiu Hall…” Someone in the crowd murmured as they read the sign, then turned to Lanyin and asked, “It still sounds related to silk. Shopkeeper Gu, are you still in the silk and fabric business?”
Lanyin smiled and replied, “It is related to fabrics, but not selling them.”
She paused deliberately, noticing the curiosity in everyone’s eyes. They were eager to know but hesitant about who should step in first. With a gentle voice, she added, “Everyone has been standing outside for quite some time and must be thirsty. Why not come inside and take a look? The tea and refreshments today are all specially prepared from Ting Quan Lou.”
Ting Quan Lou was one of the restaurants under Lanyin’s name—currently one of the most popular establishments in all of Bianjing.
As soon as the crowd heard this, their eyes lit up. Someone couldn’t help but ask, “Shopkeeper Gu, is the plum blossom candied meat available?”
Lanyin smiled and nodded. That was all it took—any hesitation vanished. The crowd surged forward eagerly.
Shi Yu, seeing them rush in all at once, quickly shielded Lanyin and guided her to the side to avoid getting caught in the crush.
Lanyin, however, did not involve herself further, leaving everything to Shopkeeper Sun.
Shopkeeper Sun was far more experienced in handling business affairs than she was. He had already prepared numbered tokens in advance. While a young attendant distributed them to the crowd, Shopkeeper Sun explained, “Since the store space is limited and we cannot accommodate everyone at once, we have arranged a system to ensure the best experience for all guests. To prevent overcrowding and accidents, we ask that everyone take a number. We will allow groups of ten inside at a time. If you wish to make a purchase, simply present your number to our attendants. As a grand opening promotion, all purchases made today will receive special discounts. If you are not ready to buy today, that’s alright as well. As long as you return within three days with this token, you can still enjoy the same promotional prices.”
The first group of ten had already entered.
Since the screen inside remained in place, those outside could only hear the gasps and exclamations of amazement from within, but they had no idea what was actually inside. This air of secrecy only heightened their curiosity, making them all the more eager to see for themselves.
While Shopkeeper Sun attended to the customers inside, Lanyin instructed the attendants outside to continue hosting the guests before she and Shi Yu stepped away to a private room to rest.
Once inside, Shi Yu hid behind the door, peeking through the narrow gap to observe the commotion outside. The longer she watched, the more her brows furrowed. Finally, after a while, she shut the door and turned around, looking at Lanyin with concern.
“Master, will our business really succeed? From what I see, most of these people are just here for the excitement—or the free food.”
She spoke with indignation.
Lanyin simply smiled. As she sipped her tea, she noticed the worry on Shi Yu’s face and poured her a cup as well, gently reassuring her, “The shop has just opened. How could there be immediate results?” Now that the initial excitement had passed, she was no longer nervous. Seeing Shi Yu taking small sips of tea, still looking uneasy, Lanyin continued in a calm tone, “Besides, the fabrics we’re showcasing today are not cheap. Many people may not be able to afford them.”
“Then why are you entertaining them like this?” Shi Yu frowned, puzzled. “It’s not like we don’t have lower-cost options. If they can’t afford the expensive ones, why not recommend the cheaper ones to them?”
“That wouldn’t be interesting,” Lanyin said with a light laugh. “If everything was the same, people would take one glance and forget about it. Instead, it’s better to let them recognize our shop’s uniqueness first. That way, our reputation spreads, and when we introduce other products later, people will instinctively see us as different, even if we sell the same things as others.”
At first, Lanyin had intended to focus solely on ready-to-wear garments, specifically styles that had not yet become popular.
But such clothing was only affordable to a select few. And fashion changed with the seasons—keeping up with it required too much effort. It wasn’t until recently, when her household needed new uniforms for the servants, that she thought: if she was going to make ready-to-wear clothing, why not expand into this market as well?
The servants of restaurants, inns, guild halls, and noble residences needed new clothes year-round. Forget the hundred or so prominent restaurants and guild halls in Bianjing—just considering the noble households, each with dozens or even hundreds of servants, there was already a vast market. And Bianjing was never short of nobility. If she could establish a foothold in this sector, even just securing a few long-term clients would bring in substantial profits.
Using unique, innovative clothing styles as a hook to draw attention, then leveraging that to expand into a broader market—this was Lanyin’s plan.
Upon hearing this, Shi Yu’s eyes immediately lit up. But then, as if remembering something, her brows knitted together again. “But none of those families you used to be friendly with showed up today. Will they even support you?”
The rift between her mistress and the Xiao family was well known. Though the Chengbo Mansion had fallen from its former glory, they still held a noble title. The nobility were shrewd—always weighing benefits and risks. Would they really risk offending the Xiao family just to support Lanyin?
Thinking about this, Shi Yu felt another pang of regret. If her mistress had ended up with Lord Qi, would any of this even be a concern?
Lanyin knew what she was thinking. But she said nothing. She didn’t feel any regret. Her relationship with the Qi family had never been about seeking Qi Yubai’s favor. Whether he was rich or poor, a high-ranking official or a commoner, it would not have changed her decision to befriend them.
In fact, she thought that if Qi Yubai had truly been a penniless scholar, she might have found it easier to accept him…
Just then, a loud announcement from outside interrupted her thoughts.
“Congratulations from the Duke of Lu’s household on Shopkeeper Gu’s grand opening!”
“It must be Siyu who sent someone over,” Lanyin realized and instructed Shi Yu, “Go and take a look.”
Shi Yu quickly responded and went to the entrance.
The visitor was Cuirong, who followed Shi Yu inside. As soon as she saw Lanyin, she bowed deeply in apology. “My lady originally intended to come in person, but she has been feeling unwell these past few days and is unable to get out of bed. She could only send me to deliver her congratulations. She said she will visit you once she recovers.”
“What happened to Siyu?” Lanyin frowned.
Cuirong hesitated for a moment before giving a vague explanation. Seeing Lanyin remain silent, she hurriedly added, “My lady knows this has nothing to do with you—it’s all because of the young master. She even asked me to extend her apologies to both you and Lord Qi.”
Lanyin nodded and instructed, “I understand. Go back and take care of her. When I have time, I will visit her at the manor.”
Hearing this, Cuirong finally breathed a sigh of relief. She didn’t dare linger and, after another bow, quickly took her leave.
However, just as she stepped outside and was about to board her carriage, another luxurious carriage pulled up beside hers. A moment later, a well-dressed woman stepped down, followed by several maids carrying gift boxes, heading toward Jinxiu Hall.
Something about the woman seemed familiar to Cuirong. She paused, trying to recall where she had seen her before. Before she could figure it out, the woman spoke in a clear, carrying voice:
“We are from the Prime Minister Pang’s residence. We have come today on our madam’s orders to congratulate Shopkeeper Gu on her grand opening.”