Bride Swap Backfire: My Cousin's Rebirth Made Us a Power Couple-Chapter 19 - 16: Entrustment

Chen Wanqing laughed off the talk of "making a delivery," not taking it seriously.

Seeing that both the Shopkeeper and Zhao Jing had stopped to look at her, she removed her veiled hat and took a box from the basket on her back.

"Please inspect the goods. They’re all freshly made, so if anything is amiss, feel free to point it out."

Mr. Wang quickly lowered his head to look at the box.

This Miss Chen was far too beautiful. The moment she lifted her veil, it was an understatement to say she graced his humble shop with her presence.

Even an old man like him, well past fifty, was captivated by the sight. He feared he would lose his composure if he didn’t make an effort to appear dignified.

"The incense from your Qingxiang House is the purest and most effective. The ones Miss Chen delivers personally are the cream of the crop. What need is there to inspect them? I’m a regular. How could I possibly not trust you?"

Despite his words, Mr. Wang did open the box and take out the several exquisitely packaged boxes of Moonlight Fragrance one by one.

For ease of use and storage, Chen Wanqing made the Moonlight Fragrance in two forms: half as incense sticks, and half as incense pills.

The incense sticks were quite uniform, their color a dark brown. A gentle sniff sent the scent of lotus and mint rushing straight to the head, instantly invigorating the senses.

Then there were the incense pills, each one also a dark brown. The pills required an incense burner and were best heated indirectly. If stored improperly or for too long, causing them to dry out and harden, a bit of water could be added as needed during use...

Chen Wanqing went over these instructions every time she came.

And every time she spoke, Mr. Wang would listen attentively, terrified that improper use would interfere with the scholars’ studies.

After a thorough inspection, Mr. Wang was naturally satisfied and took out a pouch he had already prepared from the counter.

Just as Chen Wanqing was about to count the Silver Taels, Zhao Jing turned and walked over to the bookshelves. He casually picked up a book from a shelf and began to peruse it.

His attempt to give them privacy was so obvious that both Mr. Wang and Chen Wanqing laughed.

Zhao Jing was a true gentleman. Even if he saw the large sum of Silver, would he spread it around, or would he try to take it for himself?

Neither.

Only after Chen Wanqing had counted the Silver Taels and confirmed the amount was correct was the transaction complete.

She didn’t leave Moxiang Pavilion immediately, however.

They were running low on paper and ink at home, so since she was already here, she decided to buy some from Moxiang Pavilion.

The prices here were a bit steeper, but you got what you paid for. Now that the family had a stable monthly income, they could afford to be a little extravagant.

As Chen Wanqing went to select paper and ink, Zhao Jing saw her and turned his head toward her. "Buying paper, Sister Chen? This way."

When Mr. Wang heard Zhao Jing, he knew exactly what he was about to do and was exasperated. "There are only so many with minor flaws, and I was planning on saving them for my regular customers!"

"Sister Chen does business with you, which makes you her regular customer. That means she’s your regular customer, too. If you hold out on her, Shopkeeper, it will seem quite insincere."

Mr. Wang grew even more helpless, pointing at Zhao Jing with a laugh. "Oh, you..."

Chen Wanqing picked up on something from their exchange and asked Zhao Jing with a smile, "What kind of paper is it?"

"Rui Xiang Paper."

Rui Xiang Paper was a specialty from a neighboring prefecture, known for being supple yet tough, thin, and as white as snow. Because its raw materials heavily featured daphne (*ruixiang*) bark, the paper carried a faint daphne scent, from which it derived its name.

This paper was a favorite among young ladies, but this particular batch had hibiscus and pteroceltis bark added to the pulp, which masked the daphne fragrance and thus rendered it defective.

"Though flawed, it’s still considered high-grade, and the price is the same as common hemp paper. If you like it, Sister Chen, you might as well pick some to take home."

After saying this, Zhao Jing no longer kept her company, turning instead to find Mr. Wang to talk.

The bookshop wasn’t large, and Chen Wanqing faintly overheard Mr. Wang on the other side. "A merchant wants to pay a high price for you to write a formal letter of introduction... It’s urgent... The price is negotiable... I’m afraid you won’t be able to leave today."

"Your mourning period is almost over, isn’t it? After that, it’ll be time to put marriage on the agenda. Has the house been renovated? Are the betrothal gifts for the bride’s family ready? If money’s tight, I can help you take on more work lately. Your penmanship is excellent; plenty of people admire your calligraphy. Take on a few more jobs, and you’ll have more money in hand..."

Chen Wanqing had no interest in prying into others’ privacy, but she was still a little surprised to have accidentally overheard such a significant matter.

’The villagers all assumed that Zhao Jing had been supporting his family for the past three years by copying books. But it turned out that book-copying only brought in a small amount; the real money was in writing formal letters, plaques, and dowry lists for others?’

’That was certainly a good way to make a living.’ 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

’It must be through this skill in calligraphy that Zhao Jing has been supporting his entire family.’

Chen Wanqing finished selecting her brushes and ink and went to the counter to pay.

When Zhao Jing and Mr. Wang saw her approaching, they stopped talking.

After the shopkeeper rounded down the price and she settled the bill, Chen Wanqing said goodbye to them both. But as she was leaving with her basket, Zhao Jing followed her out.

The sun was high in a sky as blue as if it had been washed clean, but it was nowhere near as captivating as the young man before her, with his pair of exceptionally bright and deep eyes.

"Sister Chen, please wait."

Chen Wanqing looked at Zhao Jing. "What is it, Jing?"

"I took on an urgent job today, so I’m afraid I’ll be home late. Could I trouble you, Sister Chen, to pass a message to my family when you get back to the village? Please tell my mother and Xiang’er not to worry about me. I’ll be home by nightfall at the latest."

"Is there anything else?"

Zhao Jing hesitated for a moment, then clasped his hands in a formal bow. "There is one other matter I must entrust to you, Sister Chen."

Chen Wanqing quickly reached out to help him up. "Just speak plainly... De’an and you are as close as brothers. I’m De’an’s older sister, so that makes me your older sister, too. If you trust me, just tell me what you need done."

Zhao Jing looked straight at her, then suddenly smiled. "My mother is running low on her medicine. By the time I’m done here and head home, the town’s infirmary will likely be closed. I’ll have to trouble you, Sister Chen, to buy a few doses for me on your way."

He then took a prescription and two taels of loose silver from his pouch and handed them both to Chen Wanqing.

Chen Wanqing accepted the prescription but pushed the silver back. As her fair palm touched the young man’s warm skin, she fought to suppress her unease. "I’ll cover it for you," she said. "You can pay me back later."

Zhao Jing looked as if he was about to refuse, but for some reason, he thought better of it and took the two Silver Taels back.

His clear, smooth voice held a hint of amusement, and his handsome face seemed to radiate light.

"In that case, thank you very much, Sister Chen."

Only after watching Chen Wanqing’s figure disappear in the direction of the nearby private school did Zhao Jing walk back into Moxiang Pavilion.

When Mr. Wang saw him come back, he even peeked behind him.

There was no one behind him, of course, so Mr. Wang said, "It’s a matter of medicine for an elder. It would be safer for you to buy it yourself... Besides, you have enough time."

"It’s no matter. I’ve entrusted it entirely to Sister Chen. She is dependable; I feel at ease leaving it in her hands."

Hearing this, Mr. Wang nodded in agreement. "The Chen family’s eldest daughter is indeed dependable and handles things capably. She’s also exceptionally beautiful, yet she’s had such a rough path when it comes to marriage... It just goes to show, you can never have it all in this world."