Luo Cuiwei blushed and rolled her eyes, sniffing lightly. She didn't really care about arguing with him, only muttering under her breath, "I believed your nonsense! It's only because of you. If it were anyone else, I would have slapped them long ago."
After all, her initial intentions in approaching him were by no means kind or virtuous. Even though she pulled back from the brink at the last minute today, and he was completely unaware of it, she still felt guilty. At this moment, she was already feeling ashamed and remorseful in front of him, so how could she have the face to be arrogant and nitpick about his little impudence?
But Yun Lie interpreted her words in a completely different way.
She clearly guessed what was on his mind, and although she was embarrassed and annoyed, she couldn't bear to argue with him.
She also said, "This is you!"
If anyone else dared to have such a "clear and bright mind" in front of her, they would get slapped!
She really... liked him..., didn't she?
****
After secretly feeling pleased with himself for a while, Yun Lie couldn't help but turn back to look at her again.
Seeing her with her eyes lowered and lost in thought, he stopped talking and stretched out his long leg slightly, touching her with his toes.
Why were you crying just now?
When he first saw her crying, he panicked and didn't have time to think it through. But now that he's calmed down and thought about it, he feels there must be something fishy going on.
Judging from her usual behavior, she is clearly a straightforward, spicy, and generous girl. How could she possibly shed tears just because a piece of sweet cake was taken from her?
Luo Cuiwei choked up, forcing a smile: "It's not tasty."
“You haven’t even eaten yet.” Yun Lie frowned, completely unconvinced by her obviously perfunctory excuse.
After a long silence, Luo Cuiwei stared at her toes and said softly, "I will have many things to do at home tomorrow, so I won't come to the Prince's Mansion to bother you."
If it weren't for his unexpected interruption earlier, he would have said those words anyway.
Just now, she had thought of simply confessing her initial plans to him, hoping to gain his understanding and forgiveness, which would lessen her self-blame and self-loathing.
But she just couldn't bring herself to say it.
She was ultimately not brave enough to admit, in the first instance, that she had had such a despicable thought when she realized she had almost gone astray.
Before the New Year arrives, take some time to reflect on yourself at home, gather your courage, and figure out how to confess to him honestly before facing him.
Also, consider how to make up for the inevitable losses the Luo family will suffer on the northern trade route next spring after abandoning the Linchuan route.
Shop owners in various regions are still waiting for her notification regarding whether to stock up for the spring.
Ugh, it's such a mess.
****
Yun Lie's face hardened: "I was momentarily distracted and said something inappropriate without thinking, and you're so angry that you want to cut off all ties?"
She flirted with him so many times and he didn't hold it against her. Can't she be fair and just and reciprocate?
"Huh?" Luo Cuiwei stared at him blankly for a long time before realizing that he had misunderstood. She quickly explained, "Your Highness has misunderstood. It's really because there are many things to do during the New Year, and it's not good to run around all day. My parents at home will scold me."
Yun Lie's brows furrowed into a small mountain.
This angered him so much that he called out "Your Highness" again. If he didn't do something, he would seem too irresponsible.
“It was my fault,” he leaned over, firmly grasped her wrist through his sleeve, and raised her hand to his cheek. “Hit me if you want.”
Luo Cuiwei was amused: "You..."
“I’m a very pragmatic person,” Yun Lie replied smoothly and frankly.
"I really envy you for being so decisive and responsible," Luo Cuiwei glared at him with amusement, withdrew her hand, and said softly, "I'm really not angry."
Yun Lie observed her expression and, after confirming that she truly showed no signs of holding a grudge, he felt slightly relieved.
It was only then that he remembered that he had accepted the Huang family's invitation and asked them to come to Prince Zhao's residence for a chat the next day... If Luo Cuiwei found out about this, they might really break off all ties.
He cleared his throat and glanced around: "Alright, I happen to have something to do tomorrow too."
****
As dusk fell, Luo Cuiwei returned home and immediately summoned Luo Fengming and Xiahou Ling to her study, where she recounted the events of the day to them.
"...I was driven to desperation by the Huang family before, which led me to come up with this risky and foolish move." Luo Cuiwei rested her elbows on the desk, clutching her head in pain.
Seeing her so upset, Xiahou Ling couldn't bear it and comforted her, "It's not entirely your fault. Everyone was panicking and counting on you to make the decision. Even if your idea is flawed, it's still better than us not being able to come up with any solutions. Anyway, we're all in this together with you. If we make a mistake, it's a mistake we all share."
“Sister, don’t be afraid. We weren’t so naive as to think that His Highness Prince Zhao would definitely agree,” Luo Fengming said. “Since he didn’t say it out loud, let’s just pretend that nothing happened with Prince Zhao’s residence and think of another way.”
In any case, the worst outcome would be that the Luo family would completely withdraw from the northern trade route starting next year.
Previously, Luo Cuiwei and Luo Fengming had discussed that if Yun Lie ultimately refused to pass through Linchuan, and Songyuan was blocked by the Huang family, then they would have no choice but to abandon the northern route, avoid the Huang family's sharp edge, and try to open up new trade routes.
Of course, new business routes cannot be established overnight; it may take one or two years at the fastest, or three to five years at the slowest. As long as no major mistakes are made during this period, the Luo family's savings can still sustain them.
However, it seems inevitable that he will fall from being the "richest man in Beijing" to a middle-class business owner.
"This is my responsibility. Tomorrow I will go to the ancestral hall and kneel down to beg for forgiveness." Luo Cuiwei vigorously rubbed her hair.
The Luo family of Jingxi, which her father handed over to her and Luo Fengming, has only been in operation for three or four years, and its position as the "richest family" is already in jeopardy. She is truly a mediocre person who is ashamed to face her ancestors.
“The ancestors of the Luo family really can’t have a moment of peace. Every now and then, you have to complain under the guise of self-reflection,” Xiahou Ling suggested with a smile. “If you ask me, you might as well go to the main courtyard and ask the patriarch for advice.”
Luo Huai was able to inherit and carry on the prestige of being the "richest man in Beijing" from his father, demonstrating a vision and foresight that his still immature children could not match.