Chapter 31 I Want to Talk About Feelings with You, but You Want to Talk Business with Me?

“What do you do? What right do you have to question me? Get lost!”

Because Li Chen had covered his face the previous night, Lin Yuxin did not recognize him and simply snorted angrily.

Before he could say more, his vision blurred. Li Chen had already reached out, snatched the letter from his hand, and was holding it up, reading it carefully.

“You little brat, how dare you snatch my things? Give it back!”

Lin Yuxin was shocked. He had been relying on that letter to cause trouble here. He hurried forward to grab it back.

Li Chen did not resist and allowed him to take it. However, no one noticed that in that brief instant, Li Chen had used an exceptionally subtle technique to switch the letter with a sheet of discarded Xuan paper he had concealed in his sleeve.

The people around them, including Lin Ling’er, were completely confused. What exactly was this young man doing?

“Just now you said the letter clearly states that if the old master meets with misfortune, this shop will belong to you, and afterward the young master is to be married off… and so on. But why does it not seem that way to me?” Li Chen raised an eyebrow and asked.

“Nonsense, nonsense! It’s written in black and white on this letter. ‘To my younger brother Yuxin. In these troubled times, as I travel to Jinzhou, I may not return safely. If I meet with misfortune…’”

Holding the letter, Lin Yuxin began reading it aloud at the top of his voice.

“You’re holding it upside down,” Li Chen kindly reminded him. In truth, he clearly remembered that the night before, Lin Yuxin had admitted he could not read and did not understand accounts. Li Chen had deliberately set this trap.

Laughter broke out all around them.

“Ah? I… I…”

Lin Yuxin’s face flushed bright red. He quickly turned the letter the right way and tried to continue reading.

Lin Ling’er stared at him, her almond-shaped eyes wide, while Li Chen raised a hand to stop him. “Lin Yuxin, just because you claim the letter says something doesn’t make it true. If you want to prove its authenticity, find a literate scholar to read it aloud. Then we’ll believe it. Otherwise, you’re just making things up, trying to seize the young master’s shop with empty words.”

“Fine! I’ll find someone to read it. The letter says exactly what I told you. How could I possibly fake it?” Lin Yuxin snorted angrily and looked around.

A few idle scholars, eager for entertainment, stepped forward with grins. “Let me read it.”

One of them took the letter and leaned in, reading aloud, “Li Family Old Shop, specializing in men’s ailments, especially impotence. Guaranteed results!”

For a moment, the crowd stood stunned. Then the courtyard erupted in laughter.

“Wait, this isn’t a will at all. Look below. ‘Thirty years of medical practice, specializing in uterine bleeding, abnormal discharge, irregular menstruation…’”

Another scholar curiously continued reading. The words were all from the discarded Xuan paper.

“So, Lin Second Brother, your so-called will is modeled after advertisements for men’s and women’s medical treatments?”

“Exactly. Even if you can cure impotence and menstrual disorders, what does that have to do with the young master’s shop?”

The crowd roared with laughter again.

The lie collapsed instantly.

Lin Yuxin’s face burned red as he glared viciously at Li Chen. “You… you dared to swap my letter?”

Before Li Chen could respond, Lin Ling’er, who had been laughing until her cheeks flushed, suddenly composed herself. Her almond eyes widened as she shouted sharply, “Lin Yuxin, I trusted you wholeheartedly, yet while my father is away, you bully me, a lone woman, and scheme to seize my family’s business. How dare you! Men, drive this shameless second uncle out!”

“Yes!”

The stableman immediately rushed forward with several shop assistants, each holding thick wooden staffs. Lin Yuxin covered his head and fled in panic, escaping in utter disgrace.

Laughter echoed throughout the shop.

“Young Master, thank you for standing up for me again and saving me once more,” Lin Ling’er said, gazing at Li Chen with bright, charming eyes. She felt even more certain now. Yes, it had to be him. How else could an ordinary man possess such methods?

“Once,” Li Chen replied calmly.

“Twice.”

“Once.”

“Fine… Young Master, please come inside and speak.”

Lin Ling’er brushed her hair back and gestured gracefully for him to enter.

Li Chen nodded and followed her into the Lin Family Salt shop, heading toward the inner hall.

Upon entering, he noticed a shopkeeper with a round face and thin mustache standing behind the counter, staring at him intently. The man’s small eyes gleamed with a strange light.

When Li Chen glanced his way, the shopkeeper quickly lowered his head and stopped looking.

Li Chen gave him a long, measuring look before following Lin Ling’er further inside.

“Thank you, Young Master, for saving our shop,” Lin Ling’er said with a graceful bow once they reached the inner room.

Li Chen stepped aside and cupped his fists in return. “Young Mistress, it was only a convenient gesture. In truth, I came to discuss business with you.”

“Business?” Lin Ling’er blinked in surprise. Damn it, I want to talk about feelings with you, and you insist on talking business?

“Yes.” Li Chen nodded. “May I ask whether you purchase refined salt?”

He spoke directly. Before coming, he had already learned that the shop lacked precisely this kind of refined salt. If they saw it, they would cling to it like flies to blood. With such enormous profits at stake, he did not believe Lin Ling’er would remain unmoved.

“Refined salt?” Lin Ling’er looked him up and down, as though reassessing him entirely. “You have refined salt?”

Li Chen nodded and took out a small oil-paper packet. Inside was 50 grams of refined salt he had brought from home. He handed it to her.

Lin Ling’er accepted it in surprise, pinched a little, and placed it on her tongue. After savoring it for a long moment, she lifted her head, eyes filled with shock.

“White as frost, fine as snow, powdered like sand. No bitterness, no harshness, pure and savory. This is the kind of refined salt only court nobles and wealthy merchants can obtain. Its production is extremely limited. It should never appear among common folk. Where did you get it?”

“I bought coarse salt from your shop and refined it myself using a family recipe,” Li Chen replied calmly.

Lin Ling’er stared at him in disbelief. “You made this?”

“I did.”

Suspicion and excitement flickered across her face. At last, she set everything else aside, took a deep breath, and asked, “How do you propose we do this business?”

“I purchase coarse salt from you at cost price. I refine it and sell the refined salt back to you at 5 taels of silver per jin. What do you think?” Li Chen asked.

“At 5 taels of silver per jin, you might be underpricing it. Or rather, you’re earning less than you could,” Lin Ling’er said after a brief moment of thought.

“Hm?” Li Chen was slightly taken aback.

“How about this? We cooperate and share the profits. You take salt from me without paying upfront. You refine it, I sell it, and afterward we split the profits fifty-fifty. I guarantee you’ll earn more than 5 taels of silver per jin. What do you say?” Lin Ling’er smiled gently at him.

“You’re serious?” Li Chen was genuinely surprised. Such decisiveness was rare among women. Of course, it was also possible she believed he had saved her and wished to repay the favor. Either way, it was beneficial.

“Of course.” Lin Ling’er nodded firmly.

“Aren’t you afraid I’ll take the salt and run?”

“Trust means no suspicion. Suspicion means no trust. I believe in my judgment,” Lin Ling’er said, gazing at him intently. She felt increasingly certain that he was the young master who had saved her that night. Even his tone and manner of speaking were exactly the same.

Precisely because of that, she was willing to split the profits evenly and require no initial capital from him.

And even if Li Chen were not that man, she would not lose out in this deal.