Full House Spring

Chapter 100: Big Pattern
As if she was bewitched, she unconsciously raised her foot and walked over there. Zhong grabbed her and said coldly with a stern face: "Do you remember what I told you at home? Don't cause trouble for me."

Zhong Huiting curled her lips. Although her aunt treated her harshly, she loved her as her own daughter, so she was not afraid of her. Zhong Huiting said softly, "Aunt, I know my limits. This is the Fang family, not our house. I am a fool and that is why I am causing trouble."

Seeing that she was still obedient, Mrs. Zhong let go of her hand and straightened her clothes, saying earnestly:

"You are also old enough to discuss marriage. Your mother passed away early, and your father is unreliable. Your third cousin doesn't need to mention it. If you want to marry into a good family, you have to be outstanding in every way. The Fang family has so many good men, and they have a rule of not taking concubines. It will be beneficial for you to be on good terms with Miss Fang. Be smart, do you understand?"

Zhong Huiting wrinkled her nose, her eyes flashing with a flattering light, and said in a sweet voice: "I understand, I understand, Auntie, don't worry, I will definitely be able to get in touch with Miss Fang today, and I will definitely not lose my temper."

Mrs. Zhong watched her grow up, and understood her little thoughts clearly. She nodded slightly and said, "Okay, go and have fun. If you like any perfume, just buy it. You have money anyway."

Zhong Huiting's eyes narrowed into slits as she smiled. When she walked to the perfume display area, quite a few people had gathered around her. Du Ruo was explaining in a neither humble nor arrogant manner. She also put a piece of paper with perfume on it and waved it gently so that everyone could feel the scent of the perfume more intuitively.

When the rich fragrance of roses wafted into her nose, Zhong Huiting couldn't help but her eyes lit up. She didn't expect Fang Xiali to be so powerful, and she couldn't help but ponder it in her heart.

Perhaps it was because Xia Li's previous painting of flower-viewing had such a great visual impact that the ladies and grandmothers from various mansions were all impressed by her and couldn't help wanting to know more about her.

Xia Li was very patient. No matter what the female relatives said to her, she answered them in a very friendly manner. With the help of Sun Fuya and Rong, no one dared to cause trouble deliberately, so the atmosphere on the scene was always good.

After everyone had a general understanding of the scent of each perfume, the women began to get excited.

Peng, who had been hiding behind others, was even more itchy. Ever since Xia Li caused the incident when she returned home, her mother-in-law had confined her to her room for a long time, making her copy the rules and regulations for women all day long, which made her miserable.

In order to show respect to the elders in the clan, Xia Li sent invitations to every family for this incense tasting party. Naturally, Peng's family was also invited. Unfortunately, Gan was not feeling well and could not get off the bed, so Peng had to attend the banquet alone. Before coming, she forced herself to stay healthy and said a lot of warnings, repeatedly urging her to keep a low profile.

Mrs. Peng had heard so many things so many times that she naturally agreed readily at home. However, when she arrived here and saw those uniquely shaped glass bottles of perfume that were so attractive that people could not put them down, she completely forgot what Mrs. Gan had told her. She had only one thought in her mind: she must get this perfume, even if it was just one bottle.

There were many female relatives who had the same idea as her, but the number of perfumes was limited. Even if Xia Li was generous, it would not be enough to give one bottle to each person. So Xia Li took the opportunity to propose an auction.

For the ladies of the inner court who had a generous dowry and good business sense, this was a fresh, interesting and fair solution. However, for someone like Peng, who had to find ways to guard against taking money from the public purse to fill her pocket, it was like a bolt from the blue.

She wanted the perfume very much, but asking her to pay for it would be more painful than killing her. Mrs. Peng couldn't help but say:

"My aunt, what you did is a bit too mercenary. Since you invited us to the fragrance tasting party, you should prepare a gift for each of us. It's too ugly to solve it by auctioning it off to the highest bidder."

The female members of the clan who were present all frowned in disgust when they heard her words. Sun Fuya wanted to argue with her, but Xia Li held her sister-in-law's hand and said with a chuckle, "How do you know that my niece-in-law doesn't have any souvenirs? I'm not a petty person. I've prepared a soap gift box for everyone to use for bathing and washing their faces. Everyone will have one when we leave."

Peng's eyes flashed with surprise. She didn't expect Xia Li to be so thoughtful. Her expression was a little stiff, and she changed her words awkwardly:

"With Grandma Rong's advice, it's normal for you to think of these things. However, the perfume smells good and the glass bottle is beautiful, but I think it's not as elegant and noble as the perfume. What do you think, little aunt?"

Mrs. Peng wanted to ruin the auction so that she could have a chance to get a bottle of perfume for free. Unfortunately, Xia Li was not someone who could be easily bullied. She met Mrs. Peng's eyes and said calmly:

"What my niece said is true. Perfume is indeed more suitable for formal occasions because it has a strong scent that can easily leave a deep impression on people. However, perfume is more suitable for daily use by women. Spray it lightly on the skin. It won't be too strong or pungent, and it will blend with the body odor to form a unique fragrance of your own. Of course, if you are used to perfume, it's okay if you don't like perfume."

Mrs. Peng didn't dislike perfume, she just wanted to get some. Her face became even uglier when she heard that, and she stammered, "That's not what I meant. My aunt is still an unmarried girl after all, and it's really too vulgar to openly bid for it like this, and it's not presentable."

When Rong heard this, her face darkened, and she wanted to tear her mouth to pieces. Zhong Huiting, who had been impatient for a long time, had a cunning look in her eyes and said loudly: "Does this little sister-in-law not have money to bid, so she wants to make trouble and take advantage of it? Which of the ladies present doesn't have a few shops? What's wrong with doing some business within their ability to earn some money for cosmetics? How does it bother you?"

Those who were not short of money and wanted to spend a fortune to snatch the perfume had long been impatient and followed suit, saying, "That's right. Those of us who are willing to pay have no objection, but those who just watch have an objection. What's wrong with us being willing to spend money to buy perfume?"

"It's true that people with poor minds have low aspirations and can't stand seeing others do better than they do. Whose daughter-in-law is so short-sighted?"

"It shows that when choosing a daughter-in-law, you have to look for someone of equal status. If you look for someone with a poor family background, you will calculate everything, and then make unreasonable demands if you can't afford the bride. It's really shameless."

Peng was ridiculed and slandered endlessly, her face turned pale and blue, and no female member of the family stood up to defend her. Mrs. Liao cursed inwardly, pulled her arm hard, and said in a low voice:
"You are such a disgrace. You can't tell the difference between inside and outside, right? You are even dragging down your own family. Why don't you just get the hell back home!"

Mrs. Peng was so angry that she wanted to curse loudly, but when she thought that Mrs. Liao San was not someone to be trifled with, she gave up and was dragged out unwillingly.

As soon as the troublemaker left, the guests couldn't help but urge the auction to start quickly. This became the highlight. Xia Li didn't have time to consider Zhong Huiting's intentions at this moment. She had to continue the auction process and wait for Shi Mi to come on stage. She started to introduce the perfume with the lowest reserve price. The women were very enthusiastic in raising their signs to bid. The process went smoothly. Xia Li finally relaxed. As soon as she walked to an inconspicuous corner, Sun Fuya came over with hot tea and said in a gentle voice: "Sister, drink some hot tea and take a breath. I think Shi Mi can handle it."

Xia Li's mouth curled up slightly, her eyes sparkling with joy. She lowered her head and took a sip of tea to moisten her throat, and then said, "Rock honey is no problem. My sister-in-law has worked hard to arrange it for me. I also left two bottles of Charm for you and mother. It's up to you to use them yourself or give them to others."

The sister-in-law is sensible, capable and caring. Sun Fuya is happy no matter how tired she is. Her eyes are moving and she said with a smile: "Of course I keep it for myself. They bid so high for the first few bottles of perfume. I can't even imagine the finale."

Xia Li looked at her, thought for a while, nodded and said, "At this rate, this small auction will make me a lot of money. I plan to donate the silver bills obtained from this auction to Jiaozhou Garrison for free to improve the food for the soldiers defending the country."

Sun Fuya looked at her blankly as if she didn't know her. After a while, she sighed and said, "Sister, you have such a broad mind. No one among the female family members can compare to you. With your help and your brother-in-law's ability, there is no need to worry about the Kuang family not being able to rise. He really married a treasure."

Xia Li shook her head and said with a slight smile, "I'm not doing this just for him. I can make perfume and other products in the future. I can't make enough money. It's only right that I use it for the right things. It will also help me improve my personal status and expand my influence. I'm not a woman who is willing to make sacrifices and hide behind a man. I want to stand shoulder to shoulder with him. Do you understand, sister-in-law?"

Sun Fuya was well-read and had received no less education than the men in her family, so how could she not understand? She was slightly startled, pondered for a moment, and then chuckled:
"If someone else said this, I wouldn't believe she could do it, but since my sister said this, I believe it. If I can give birth to a daughter in the future, I hope she will be as smart and capable as my aunt."

Xia Li smiled and said gently, "Our Shuo Ge'er is good enough, sister-in-law, don't be greedy. If he gets jealous, let's see how you can coax him."

Sun Fuya thought of her son's little temper and smiled helplessly. On this side, the aunt and sister-in-law were chatting happily, and on the other side, Zhong Huiting was almost going crazy. She bought the rose perfume at a price of 800 taels, but she still felt unsatisfied in her heart, and she was determined to get the bottle of Qintian.

Although the Zhong family is not prominent, Zhong Huiting's father is good at business and the family is quite wealthy. Although she was raised by her aunt, she has never lacked money. After her mother passed away, she left her a generous dowry. Now this dowry has been handed over to her, so she is so confident.

The other women were frightened by her persistence and after a few rounds of bidding with her, they raised the price to two thousand taels of silver and then stopped. Zhong Huiting was holding two bottles of beautifully packaged perfume, as happy as a general who had won a battle.

She turned around and saw that Xia Li was not busy at the moment, so she quickly walked to her side and said calmly: "Miss Fang, I was reckless before. I really like the perfume you mix. Can you reserve a new product for me in the future? The price is negotiable."

Xia Li looked into her dark and calm eyes and said hesitantly, "Aren't you afraid that I will snatch your talented third cousin away from you?"

Zhong Huiting pursed her lips and said in an inaudible voice, "My third cousin has already told me that he will never be with me in this life. I have given up on this idea. If you have a new perfume in the future, can you keep it for me?"

Xia Li couldn't help but want to laugh. How could she refuse such a customer who came to her door? She said in a light voice, "It's fine if you like it. When my perfume shop is decorated and furnished, you can go and have a look when you have nothing to do. I will update the perfume categories from time to time."

Zhong Huiting's eyes were full of excitement. "That's great. I have no resistance to these things."

After hearing her say this, Xia Li took the opportunity to do some market research and asked gently, "How are the rouge and powder you use? If there is a product that can both nourish the skin and apply makeup, would you buy it?"

Zhong Huiting's eyes lit up, and she couldn't wait to ask, "Are you going to make these things to sell? Then I will definitely buy them all and try them. And the lip balm, can you make something different?"

Xia Li said confidently: "I can make lip balms of various colors. There is nothing I can't make. Not only are the colors beautiful, but they can also moisturize the lips."

Zhong Huiting's eyes flashed, and her voice seemed to be tempting:
"Miss Fang, your ability is unquestionable. I believe you can definitely make those good things. I happen to have a lot of spare money. How about we work together? The more capital we invest, the bigger the stall can be. Then we can sell the goods to Kyoto and make more money. What do you think?"

Xia Li looked at her in disbelief. This girl was really smart. She knew how to invest when she saw a potential project. No wonder they said that those who know how to spend money can also make money.

She curled her lips and gently refused, "I'm afraid that won't work. I have plenty of money and I have the capital to do whatever I want. Why should I share the profits with you?"

Zhong Huiting glared and tried her best to persuade him, "That's not the case. As long as you are doing business, there are risks. When others see that you are making a lot of money, they will naturally want to share a piece of the pie. If someone shares the risk with you, wouldn't the loss be much less?"

Xia Li casually took a piece of dessert and took a bite, then said calmly, "I still have my parents and brother behind me. Even if I suffer heavy losses, they will cover me up. What do I have to be afraid of?"

How could Zhong Huiting bear to let the duck in her mouth fly away? She said sincerely: "How can we rely on our family for everything? Sooner or later, we have to rely on ourselves. I have a caravan that transports goods. Whether it is by land or water, it is not a problem. If you want to expand your business, you can't avoid this. Instead of spending huge manpower and material resources to rebuild it, you might as well use what I have. It not only saves time and effort, but also saves worry."

Transportation is indeed a big problem. If Xia Li wants to develop her business, she can't just focus on the present. But she can't let Zhong Huiting lead her by the nose. She straightened her back, hummed lightly, and said slowly:
"I will think about this carefully. You may as well give me a brief introduction of your caravan transporting goods. I will give you an answer later."

Zhong Huiting also understood that you can't eat hot tofu in a hurry, so she smiled and said, "Okay, I'll ask the manager to sort it out when I get back and bring it to you for review. We can discuss it slowly, there's no rush."

(End of this chapter)