A fierce wife enters the house: She helps up a house full of spineless people.

The next morning, just after Wang Jinzhu had finished breakfast, there was a knock on the courtyard gate.

Upon opening the door, the blue-curtained carriage was still parked at the alley entrance. Liu Mingyuan was still holding a folding fan, and with his other hand, he handed over two sheets of paper, while a servant behind him carried a wooden box.

"Madam Wang, your things have been packed."

Wang Jinzhu was surprised by his arrival. She ushered him into the courtyard and took the papers, unfolding them.

The list was densely packed with cosmetics and face powders commonly used by women in the prefectural city, clearly indicating the type, price, and shop from which they came. The handwriting was neat and the items were well-organized. Although it was only two pages long, it was more detailed than she had expected.

"You've gone to so much trouble." Wang Jinzhu's gaze lingered on a few spots.

Liu Mingyuan put down the wooden box, tapped his palm lightly with the rib of his fan, and said solemnly, "I have come today to discuss another matter with Madam Wang."

"you say."

"On the eighth day of the sixth lunar month, the Yong'an Marquis's residence held a flower-viewing banquet, which was attended by all the prominent women in the prefecture. My aunt and cousin were among those invited."

He paused slightly, then said earnestly, "If Madam Wang can produce a few new dishes within half a month, which my family's women can use at banquets, that would be the best advertisement. The discerning eye of the ladies of the prefecture is more effective than any advertising."

Wang Jinzhu did not respond immediately.

Half a month is tight, but not impossible.

She carefully read through the two pages again, already making her calculations. Many of the cosmetics used by women in the capital were expensive, but few were truly effective. Most relied on fragrance for appearance, offering little real benefit to skincare.

"I'll offer four items," Wang Jinzhu said, holding up four fingers.

"Firstly, face cream." She lightly tapped the "face cream" section on the paper with her fingertip. "Most face creams on the market nowadays are made with lard as a base, which makes them greasy and heavy on the face. I use lanolin mixed with beeswax as a base, and add aloe vera juice. It feels refreshing and moisturizing without suffocating the skin."

Liu Mingyuan was in this business, so he immediately understood the ins and outs, and unconsciously started waving his fan again.

"Secondly, lip rouge." At this point, Wang Jinzhu picked up a chopstick from the table and gestured with it. "I won't make the kind that comes in a box and you dip your finger in. I'll make it into a stick, wrapped in waxed paper, which you can twist open and apply. I'll mix three colors—bright red, bean paste, and orange pink."

Liu Mingyuan's fan hovered in mid-air. A medicinal paste? Twist it open and apply? He'd never heard of such a thing before.

"Thirdly, perfume. Fresh flower petals are distilled to extract the condensation, which is then stored in a small porcelain bottle. This condensation can be used as a light perfume spray or diluted with water to cleanse the face and tighten pores."

"Fourth, face powder. I don't use lead powder; instead, I mix rice powder with pearl powder, which is gentle on the skin, makes makeup last longer, and doesn't easily become patchy even when sweating."

After recounting the four points, Young Master Liu even forgot to wave his fan.

He stared at her for a long time, his admiration undisguised. He gestured to the servant to place the wooden box on the table, opened the lid, and inside were fifty taels of silver neatly stacked.

"This is the deposit. Madam Wang, I will come to pick up the goods in half a month. The quantity doesn't need to be large, ten of each item will suffice. But the quality must be excellent—the packaging, the smell, the feel—all must be presentable."

At this moment, Chen Tianfang walked out from the backyard, his hands still covered in sawdust. He caught a glimpse of Liu Mingyuan's admiring gaze and his brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.

He shifted his feet, and his tall figure stood directly in front of Wang Jinzhu, blocking Liu Mingyuan's view. His face was expressionless, but his eyes revealed a clear wariness.

"You don't need to worry about the packaging." Wang Jinzhu seemed oblivious to Chen Tianfang's little tricks, and only said to Liu Mingyuan, "Tell me the skin tone preferences of your women, so that the lipstick color can be chosen accordingly."

Liu Mingyuan rose, cupped his hands in greeting, and paused at the doorway. He turned back and smiled, saying, "Madam Wang, if I may be so bold, it's a real pity that someone as ingenious as you is confined to a rural village."

Upon hearing this, Chen Tianfang's face darkened further, and his posture became ramrod straight.

Wang Jinzhu didn't respond, but poured a bowl of cold tea as a gesture of sending the guest off.

As the carriage drove away, Chen Tianfang remained standing, gazing at the alley entrance.

"Fifty taels?"

"Um."

"What about the marriage proposal?"

Wang Jinzhu took the list in her hand: "I'll go back tomorrow. Today I need to sort out a list first and see what materials are missing. There's wild aloe vera on the back mountain, but I have to buy pearl powder from the county pharmacy. As for petals... can you ask around if anyone has roses?"

Chen Tianfang responded, picked up his wood-chopping knife, and headed outside. After taking two steps, he turned back and hesitated for a moment at the courtyard gate.

"Wife, you're amazing!"

Stop flattering me and get to work.

The next morning, Wang Jinzhu took her things and returned to Wangjia Village.

When I entered the courtyard, Wang Dali was scalding pig hair in the backyard, while Wang Guilan was cooking pig offal in the kitchen. The courtyard was filled with a heavy, oily aroma.

"Father, Mother, there's something I need to tell you."

Wang Jinzhu recounted the story of Wang Xiaobao and Chen Tianwei.

Wang Dali poked half his body out from the backyard, his hands covered in pig's blood: "Really?"

"Why would I lie to you? The Chen family has already agreed; they're just waiting for us to send a matchmaker to our door."

Wang Guilan wiped her hands clean, rubbed her apron, and walked around the yard twice, unable to suppress the smile on her lips.

"Tianwei is a good girl. She's quick and efficient, has a nice appearance, and a gentle nature. It's just that she suffered a lot when she was young. Don't worry, your mother. Once she's married, I'll definitely cherish her and raise her to be healthy and plump."

Wang Dali also came over, not even bothering to wash the pig's blood off his hands: "What are your parents' requirements regarding the bride price?"

"Just follow the example set by the older sisters-in-law. Don't mistreat the young lady, but don't be too extravagant either."

That afternoon, Wang Guilan asked someone to invite Li, the matchmaker in town. As soon as Li heard that it was the Wang family's butcher arranging a marriage for his youngest son, she ran faster than a rabbit. The Wang family was wealthy and the bride price was generous, so the matchmaker's gift was naturally indispensable as well.

After their horoscopes were matched, they set the engagement date for June 26th.

When the news arrived, Chen Xiufen felt a strange tightness in her chest. Why was Chen Tianwei, that girl who was almost sold off, so lucky?

But what about her Shujie? She married Yang Laosan, who was fifty years old, and ran a rice shop. Although she had no worries about food and clothing, she had married an old man. As her mother, she felt heartbroken whenever she thought about it.

She turned and called Chen Shuyan, who was about to return to the academy, over: "Next time you go to town, stop by Yang's rice shop to see your sister. As her mother, I really can't stop worrying about her. When you see Shujie, make sure you see how she's doing and tell her that I'm thinking of her."

On May 24th, Chen Shuyan packed his bags and prepared to return to the town's academy.

Upon arriving in town, he remembered his mother's instructions, hesitated for a moment, and then turned and headed towards Yang's rice shop.

When Chen Shuyan arrived, Yang Laosan was not there; Chen Shujie was sitting behind the counter.

The fourteen-year-old girl wore a light red fine cloth jacket, her hair was neatly combed and adorned with a silver hairpin, and she wore a delicate silver bracelet on her wrist.

She looked a bit fuller than when she was at home; her cheeks were rounder, and her complexion was much fairer. She was looking down at the abacus, her brows relaxed, and her expression serene.

"Shujie".

Chen Shujie looked up and saw him, her hand paused slightly, but her face remained calm.

"What's up?"

Chen Shuyan stood frozen in front of the counter. In his memory, his younger sister was always pale and thin, dressed in rags. The present-day appearance of her was so dignified that it felt like a complete stranger to him.

He took a small packet of pastries out of his bundle and placed it on the counter: "My mother asked me to bring these to you."

Chen Shujie glanced at the rough oil paper package, didn't touch it, and said indifferently, "Just leave it there. I have plenty of food here."

Chen Shuyan's throat tightened: "How has Yang Laosan treated you?"

"What's the point of asking these questions now?" Chen Shujie's tone was calm, devoid of resentment but also devoid of warmth. "My food, clothing, and daily necessities are so much better than at home. Although Yang Laosan is old, he has never shortchanged me."

Chen Shuyan was speechless at her lukewarm words. He wanted to say something more, but a familiar voice came from behind him.

"Brother Shuyan?"

He froze, then suddenly turned around to find Zhang Jingwen standing in front of him.

"What are you doing here?" Zhang Jingwen walked in with a smile, his gaze shifting between Chen Shuyan and Chen Shujie. "And who is this?"

A buzzing sound went through Chen Shuyan's mind.

The Zhang family had business dealings with the Yang family. After news of his attempt to sell Chen Tianwei spread, Zhang Jingwen gave him the cold shoulder for over half a month. Later, he tearfully claimed to be in dire straits and forced into this situation, playing the victim quite well, before the Yang family resumed their relationship. When he was taking the imperial examination, Zhang Jingwen helped him a great deal with his food and lodging, allowing him to pass the exam with dignity.

If Zhang Jingwen found out that he had married his younger sister off to fifty-year-old Yang Laosan for money—

Chen Shuyan broke out in a cold sweat.

"From the same village." He forced a smile. "Her parents asked me to bring them some things. I've delivered the message. Brother Jingwen, let's go, it's time to go back to the academy."

After saying that, he walked out, his steps hurried, and he almost bumped into the door frame.

Chen Shujie sat behind the counter, watching Chen Shuyan's flustered figure, and couldn't help but sneer.

She wanted to see just how much good fortune her parents would enjoy from this ungrateful second brother.

Outside the rice shop, Zhang Jingwen casually asked as he walked, "That girl doesn't look very old, how come she married old man Yang?"

Chen Shuyan paused, then mumbled, "I'm not entirely sure either. I spend most of my time in town, so I don't know much about what's going on in other people's lives."