Dream of the Red Chamber: Madam, please have some self-respect!

Jia Yun naturally made careful preparations.

He found a copy of the Titanic story that he had copied by hand before—it was a foreign legend of men and women that he had edited based on his memories of his previous life, removing many of the more shocking and erotic scenes and then embellishing them according to the customs of the Han Dynasty.

The erotic scenes in the movie were naturally cut, but he meticulously copied down, for example, the scene where the male and female protagonists embraced and confessed their feelings to each other at the bow of the ship in the sea breeze.

As for the heart-wrenching farewell at the end, that was the highlight, and he described it in detail without omitting a single word.

What if someone uses this to criticize him for being immoral?

They can simply blame everything on foreign countries.

When Shishu secretly handed the booklet to Tanchun, she made a special note of Jia Yun's instructions: "Second Master Yun repeatedly instructed that you should just treat it as a novelty to relieve your boredom, and please... please don't take it seriously."

Tan Chun initially just flipped through the pages casually, and upon seeing the names, she thought they were nothing more than foreign tales.

But as I watched, I gradually became engrossed.

The giant ships from those foreign lands and the boundless sea were unheard of, let alone the relationship between the man and woman!

They disregarded social status and etiquette, their open and passionate affection, though vastly different from the virtues she had learned since childhood such as "a woman's virtue lies in her lack of talent" and "do not look at what is improper," still conveyed a heart-stirring longing between the lines.

Are all women like this?

When Tan Chun saw Rose and Jack standing at the bow of the ship in the afterglow of the setting sun, with the sea breeze on their faces, and the two not only embracing tightly, but also vaguely mentioned "the intimacy of lips and teeth" in the text, she felt a "boom" and a surge of heat rushed to her cheeks.

Even her slender, fair neck was tinged with a thin layer of red.

Tan Chun reacted as if burned, hurriedly closing the book, her heart pounding. She spat out, "This Brother Yun! Where did he find these... these shameless utter nonsense! He's truly shameless!"

She actually mistook it for an erotic picture.

Despite her scolding, once the night was deep and quiet and the maids had all gone to sleep, Tan Chun couldn't help but light the candles again and, as if possessed, opened the book once more.

The pages seemed to possess a kind of magic, drawing her to explore what followed.

But secrets don't stay hidden forever. After the news spread, Tan Chun didn't try to hide it; instead, she was quite open and generous. Not only did she read it herself, but later even Ying Chun, Bao Chai, and Dai Yu secretly circulated it among themselves.

The young ladies were all well-educated and sensible, and naturally knew that these words were not suitable for public display. Therefore, they whispered among themselves in their private quarters, exchanging their blushing and heart-pounding feelings.

However, Tan Chun gradually realized that something was wrong.

Sister Bao was always dignified and composed, never showing her emotions.

But each time they mentioned storybooks, they would seemingly casually ask a couple more questions about Jia Yun's recent situation. The older sisters were even more peculiar; every time they discussed the plot, they would steer the conversation towards other storybooks written by Yun-ge'er.

One afternoon, she overheard Daiyu leaning against the window, softly laughing to Zijuan, "This Yun-ge'er is truly a remarkable person, able to come up with such a novel and... bold story."

As Tan Chun listened, her heart was filled with mixed emotions.

On one hand, she felt a sense of pride that her sister had recognized her Yun-ge'er, but on the other hand, she felt a pang of jealousy that she couldn't quite explain.

That feeling of difficulty, stuck in my chest, is so annoying, like being scratched by a cat.

Tan Chun stared blankly at the courtyard outside the window, brightly lit by the moonlight. Suddenly, a scene from a storybook—a man and woman embracing and kissing—entered her mind without warning. This made her ears burn with embarrassment, and she hurriedly stuffed the entire book under her pillow.

But when we finally see the end, when Jack sinks into the icy sea, forever separated from Rose by death.

Although Tan Chun tried to remain calm, her eyes uncontrollably began to moisten.

She hurriedly wiped her face with a handkerchief, feeling both ashamed and angry. She cursed inwardly, "That heartless Yun-ge! Making up such a story, isn't he just deliberately trying to make people cry? His heart is so hard!"

She couldn't help but secretly scold herself, unaware that Yingchun was also silently shedding tears after reading it. Baochai naturally closed the book and sighed, and Daiyu, needless to say, cried until she soaked a silk handkerchief, lamenting with tears streaming down her face that "the author of the story is too cruel."

At this moment, Jia Yun was unaware of the ripples his unintentional act had already created in the hearts of the young ladies.

He was busy dealing with the shrewd Sister Feng about the opening of the club, and also preparing for the heavy monthly lessons at the Imperial Academy. He was truly running around like a headless chicken.

But then again, Wang Xifeng was indeed decisive and efficient in her work.

Within a few days, she swept into Jia Yun's cramped little courtyard like a gust of wind.

Before the person arrived, the sound preceded them; the laughter, like jade beads rolling on a silver plate, crisp and clear, came from afar.

"Yun-ge'er, guess what? It's like a dream come true!"

Jia Yun hurriedly went out to greet him, but was immediately taken aback when he looked up.

Today, Wang Xifeng's gorgeous clothes accentuated her fair skin and made her look as radiant as the morning glow.

Perhaps she had walked too fast, for she was slightly out of breath, and the tightly bound hem of her coat seemed unable to contain her ample figure, outlining her rounded silhouette. A few strands of her dark hair, damp with fragrant sweat, clung to her smooth forehead, adding to her languid and alluring charm.

Her phoenix eyes shone brightly, and she looked around with a radiant spirit. She didn't even bother to sit down, but just leaned against the door frame. A wave of heat mixed with the sweet and warm scent of cosmetics and the fragrance of a mature woman rushed towards her, making Jia Yun's ears burn and causing him to subconsciously lower his eyes.

The beautiful young woman, her phoenix eyes gleaming with joy, spoke rapidly in a gesture of goodwill:

"There's a great spot right at the southeast corner of the intersection of Qingyu Street and Fuchengmen Street in the western part of the city. It's not far from our residence, and it's next to several princely mansions and noble residences—a prime location with excellent access in all directions! It used to be the property of an imperial censor surnamed Zhang; it was a restaurant, and business was pretty good. His mother passed away last month, and that censor Zhang, being a filial son, immediately announced his mourning period and took his whole family back to his hometown in Jinling to observe the mourning. He's getting old, and I estimate he won't be able to return to the capital in four years, so he entrusted a broker to sell it urgently at a price 30% lower than the market price! I barely managed to snag this bargain!"

As she spoke, she proudly raised her chin, revealing her long, fair neck.

Upon hearing the location, Jia Yun nodded inwardly.

That place was indeed a gathering place for the wealthy and powerful, with no shortage of visitors, and it was conveniently located near the Jia family mansion for easy supervision. He praised, "Second Madam, you truly have excellent taste! This place couldn't be more suitable."

"We've found a place, so what's next?" Wang Xifeng asked, getting even closer.

Jia Yun dared not look closely at the dazzling light so close to him, but stepped aside to let her into the room to talk in detail.

Wang Xifeng, however, seemed completely unaware and walked straight into the room, her voluptuous figure standing out even more in the cramped space.

She sat down by the kang (a heated brick bed), her peach-colored satin skirt spread out, revealing glimpses of her shapely legs. She habitually placed one slender hand on her knee, the shrimp-whisker bracelet on her wrist jingling, while her other hand reached out to tug at Jia Yun's sleeve, only to be gently brushed away by him.

Jia Yun, already confident in his plan, slowly explained: "First, the actors. Our new play is different from the old opera troupe. We need people with clean backgrounds, decent looks, eloquent speech, and a willingness to learn new things. I would like to ask Second Mistress to have someone carefully search for them. Whether they are from respectable families or are original actors, the most important thing is that they have good character and absolutely no improper habits."

Jia Yunqiang tried to appear dignified, but his gaze involuntarily drifted over the patch of snow-white breasts beneath her loose collar and the slightly trembling fullness of her breasts where the fabric was taut.

The young man was hot-tempered and felt his mouth was dry.

"But why must it be actors from respectable families? You know what those people are like, they're from the lowest rungs of society, why is that?"

"Second Madam, please don't be anxious. Let me explain in detail." He swallowed hard, then continued, "Our theater is meant to cater to high-ranking officials and nobles. Reputation is of utmost importance. If we really ruin our reputation, which woman would still want to come here? I know it's difficult, which is why I need your help, Second Madam. You have connections everywhere; you must have a way."

Wang Xifeng rolled her eyes at him, a dismissive compliment that seemed to come from someone she didn't like, but she still remembered it and said, "And about the mahjong tiles you mentioned before, I've already sent someone to find the best ox bones. It's just that processing, carving, and polishing new ox bones is time-consuming and laborious, so I'm afraid it won't be ready in time for the opening."

Jia Yun smiled and said, "It's alright. We can send someone to the market to buy old, well-preserved ox bone items or old plaques that other aristocratic families might have left unused. We can modify them and that should solve our immediate problem."

Then, Jia Yun began to emulate the unscrupulous capitalists of his previous life, painting grand visions—no, outlining the blueprint for this future entertainment empire:

"We won't turn this place into a restaurant, but rather a club, or a high-end teahouse. The lobby on the first floor will have individual seats and elegant booths, serving famous teas from various regions and exquisite tea snacks. In the middle, there will be a small stage where storytellers will recite our stories, such as 'A Chinese Ghost Story,' to whet the guests' appetites. This place is for attracting customers, discussing business, and socializing, so the entry barrier shouldn't be too high."

"The second floor will be set up as a game room. It will be divided into private rooms using screens or gauze curtains, exclusively for guests to play mahjong and chess. The environment must be elegant, the soundproofing must be good, and the service must be attentive. This is a stable source of income."

Wang Xifeng listened intently, nodding repeatedly.

"The third floor..." Jia Yun paused, then introduced a concept that Wang Xifeng had never heard of before, "Let's call it 'Ronghua Pavilion'."

"Ronghua Pavilion? What does it do?" Wang Xifeng had never heard of such a thing, so she asked in confusion.

"Specially designed for female guests. A dressing and rest area is provided for female guests to groom themselves and relax. More importantly, we will develop, showcase, and sell some exclusive, secret-recipe skincare and cosmetic products here."

"Skincare products? Makeup?" Wang Xifeng's eyes widened instantly, and she involuntarily leaned forward slightly. "What...what are these?"

"It's a kind of cream or face powder that can make a woman's skin more delicate, her complexion more rosy, and her appearance more youthful and beautiful," Jia Yun said, trying to use language she could understand.

When Jia Yun mentioned that Ronghua Pavilion specially developed skincare products for female customers, her eyes suddenly lit up, and she grabbed Jia Yun's hand excitedly, saying:

"Really?! There really is something that can make your skin smooth and your appearance youthful? You...you're not kidding me, are you?"

Her soft, warm hand gripped Jia Yun tightly, the bright red nail polish on her fingernails contrasting sharply against her snow-white skin.

Jia Yun could feel the warmth and slight trembling of her palm, and knew that this was an irresistible temptation for any woman, especially for a stunning beauty like Feng Jie who valued appearance and charm.

His heart raced, but he still withdrew his hand respectfully yet tactfully, and smiled:

"My second aunt is naturally beautiful and doesn't need these external adornments. But since we've already made it, we'll naturally ask her to taste its effects first."

Jia Yun originally only wanted to make a living in this world by taking the imperial examination, but now he has realized how difficult the imperial examination is.

Even in high school, without the help of other forces, one's academic achievements are merely a mirage, easily shattered.

Top scorer? Third-place finisher? Second-place finisher?

It is certainly remarkable, but Jia Yun is not even sure if he can become a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations) now, so it is natural to plan ahead.