ABD - Chapter 61

Shen Xuan was relatively tall, and the mole between his brows was very faint.

He already looked quite like a man, and now, dressed in a scholar's robe, he completely didn't appear to be a ger. Instead, he resembled a handsome young scholar.

Xue Fenglin's clothes, slightly too large on Shen Xuan, accentuated his already slender waist, paradoxically adding a touch of allure.

Seeing him dressed this way, with a few damp strands of hair falling from his temples, Xue Fenglin felt a sense of forbidden desire, making his heart ache with longing. The bit of fiery passion he had just suppressed began to stir again.

"Are you still hungry?" To alleviate his urges, Xue Fenglin proactively asked.

Shen Xuan and he had been halfway through their meal when the soup bowl overturned. He wasn't sure if Shen Xuan had eaten enough.

"I ate quite a bit earlier, I'm not hungry anymore," Shen Xuan quickly said.

He then remembered the main reason for his visit. He took out the bamboo box containing the soaps and placed it before Xue Fenglin. "I asked you to come out this time because I wanted to show you this."

Shen Xuan pushed the bamboo box towards Xue Fenglin. Xue Fenglin saw the character "宣" (Xuan) on it, the script delicate and elegant. He raised an eyebrow and asked, "Did you write this yourself?"

Shen Xuan nodded. As expected, Xue Fenglin recognized it at a glance.

Xue Fenglin opened the lid of the bamboo box and was met with a refreshing fragrance.

He casually picked up a paper package and looked at it, seeing text printed on it with various flower and herb names. When he unwrapped the package, he saw the soap wrapped inside.

"This is soap?" Xue Fenglin was a little surprised and carefully examined the soap against the candlelight.

"Fragrant soap," Shen Xuan told him. "Made with essential oils or juices of various flowers and herbs."

"Did you make it too?" Xue Fenglin glanced at Shen Xuan's expression, then put down the soap in his hand and said with certainty, "The character 'Xuan' on this packaging, the font is quite suitable. Such an exquisite item deserves to be paired with such a delicate font."

"You want to sell these fragrant soaps now?" Xue Fenglin then proactively asked.

Having known Shen Xuan for so long, he could naturally guess Shen Xuan's thoughts.

Such good soaps would certainly be very popular when sold. Only someone as clever and dexterous as Shen Xuan could have thought of this.

"I want to open another shop to sell cosmetics that women and gers like," Shen Xuan told Xue Fenglin. "This fragrant soap is just one of them. Once this soap sells well and the shop gains recognition, I'll add other lotions and powders."

Xue Fenglin nodded upon hearing this. "It's certainly feasible. There are quite a few soap businesses in Dajin, but this kind of fragrant soap is a first. The ladies and gers from official families would surely love it."

Hearing Xue Fenglin continuously praise his soaps, Shen Xuan then bit his lip and said, "Xue Fenglin, do you want to invest in this shop of mine?"

Xue Fenglin was momentarily stunned. This was the first time Shen Xuan had actively invited him to invest in his business.

Then he heard Shen Xuan, his face flushed, say, "I want to open a shop on Zhijin Street, but I'm a bit short on startup capital. If you invest, I'll give you a fifty percent share of the profits."

"I was thinking this business is bound to be profitable anyway, and I don't want to benefit outsiders."

Shen Xuan's remark about not wanting to benefit outsiders brought immense relief to Xue Fenglin.

Shen Xuan had a keen business mind; his Xiyuan Xianwei shop made a lot of money, and he would open new shops sooner or later. Coming to him specifically today to invite him to invest was because he had already considered him an insider.

However, observing Shen Xuan's demeanor, he was extremely cautious. Clearly, he was afraid that suddenly bringing up money would displease him.

Xue Fenglin remained silent for a long time. Just when Shen Xuan thought he was going to refuse, Xue Fenglin suddenly stood up and said, "Wait a moment, I'll be right back."

Shen Xuan sat at the table for a while, thinking to himself, 'Did I perhaps startle Xue Fenglin by bringing up money so directly?'

He felt a bit regretful. Even close brothers settle accounts clearly. He and Xue Fenglin had just confessed their feelings, and now he was directly talking about money; was it too much?

After another moment, Xue Fenglin returned to the room, carrying a box made of golden nanmu wood.

He placed the box on the table and said to Shen Xuan, "Here are the properties I own. Count them, take whatever you want, and you can manage them from now on."

"Ah?" Shen Xuan was completely stunned, looking at the box and still somewhat unable to react.

Seeing his reaction, Xue Fenglin pushed the box towards Shen Xuan and opened it for him, saying, "Inside are land deeds, shop deeds, and some silver notes. Additionally, there are ten thousand taels (taels) of gold stored elsewhere, all clearly recorded in the account books."

"Most of these are properties my mother left for me, and a small portion I acquired myself. Though not too much, they are still useful in the capital."

Shen Xuan looked inside and saw a thick stack of land and property deeds, not knowing their worth.

Just the thousand taels silver notes on top were a whole stack.

Cold sweat immediately broke out on his back. He quickly closed the box and pushed it back to Xue Fenglin, saying, "I can't take this."

"Why not?" Xue Fenglin asked, frowning. "You and I will be husband and husband sooner or later. What's wrong with you managing the household affairs in advance? Are you still hesitant?"

"This is too much," Shen Xuan said, still sweating. "Besides... aren't we not married yet?"

"You're still hesitant, just as I thought," Xue Fenglin's face darkened, clearly displeased.

He had thought that by giving these family assets to Shen Xuan, he could make him trust him more, without needing to cautiously discuss every bit of money with him. But he never expected it would make Shen Xuan withdraw, his words full of a sense of distance.

"Never mind. If I were still like I was in Yunshui Village, or just the son of a rich merchant, would you still push me away like this?" Xue Fenglin asked Shen Xuan. "When I had nothing and my appearance was ruined, you never disliked me for being penniless. Yet now, because of my status as Young Master, you don't trust me."

Xue Fenglin's expression was deeply disappointed. He waved his hand, looking very tired.

Shen Xuan saw Xue Fenglin's mood darken and understood his displeasure.

Xue Fenglin treated him too well. Shen Xuan was not unmoved by it, but the more Xue Fenglin gave, the more Shen Xuan felt he couldn't repay him.

"Xue Fenglin, our statuses are inherently different. The more you treat me like this, the more afraid I become, afraid that I can't repay you," Shen Xuan thought for a moment before candidly confessing to Xue Fenglin.

A pang hit his heart, and his throat choked up as he said, "I'm sorry, it's my fault. It's just that the more I like you, the more I don't know what to do."

Shen Xuan's eyes were moist, and as he spoke in earnest, they became somewhat wet.

Xue Fenglin saw this, and the last bit of perverse desire in his heart vanished.

He swallowed hard and then said, "If you're truly afraid you can't repay my kindness, then just pay more interest in daily life."

"What interest?" Shen Xuan was startled, looking at Xue Fenglin and asking.

The next second, he couldn't ask anything more, as he was directly pulled by his lower back and pressed down by Xue Fenglin, who sealed his lips.

Xue Fenglin acted physically, fiercely collecting "interest" from Shen Xuan.

The two were originally sitting by the Eight Immortals table, but as the interest was collected, they moved to the couch.

This time, Xue Fenglin was not as gentle and lingering as he was last time in Qingtaels Pavilion. Instead, he fiercely collected his debt.

He sucked so hard that Shen Xuan's tongue ached. Covering his swollen lips, he said, "If you mess around any more, my mouth won't heal for three days, and Nanny You will definitely notice when I go back!"

Xue Fenglin paused, then curled his lips and said, "My dear husband speaks wisely. Then this husband will not touch the conspicuous places."

Having said that, he did not let go of Shen Xuan but instead collected the "interest" from other places...

Shen Xuan felt a chill on his body as his scholar's robe was half-pulled down to his waist. Then he felt Xue Fenglin's headpiece rub against his neck, causing a ticklish sensation.

He gasped, a faint breath escaping his lips. He tried to dodge away but was pursued by Xue Fenglin and firmly held down on the couch.

"Nanny You can't see this spot, and since you feel you can't repay me, you should even more consciously pay this interest!" Xue Fenglin was at ease, even having time to joke with Shen Xuan.

"This is the interest you spoke of?" Shen Xuan was almost amused by his twisted logic.

Yet, Xue Fenglin just nodded earnestly and said, "What else? I see you like this too."

"I'm not!" Shen Xuan retorted.

But his body went soft in Xue Fenglin's hands. Xue Fenglin pinched his chin and said, "Still denying it? Look, I merely touched you, and your eyes are already wet."

...

This "interest payment" unknowingly continued until wushi (7-9 PM). Shen Xuan was thoroughly worn out. After putting his scholar's robe back on, he still felt a burning discomfort in a certain area of his upper body.

Fortunately, Xue Fenglin still had some self-control and didn't go further. Once Shen Xuan was ready, Xue Fenglin opened the door and had Wuwang bring in the mung bean soup he had bought.

Mung bean soup in the dead of winter? Shen Xuan was a little surprised.

However, he was quite hungry by then, and the sweet mung bean soup was just right for quenching his thirst.

After he and Xue Fenglin finished the mung bean soup, Xue Fenglin said to him, "It's getting late. It might not be safe to return now. Let's stay here for the night and leave early tomorrow morning."

Shen Xuan looked up at Xue Fenglin, a hint of wariness on his face. Seeing this, Xue Fenglin said, "Don't worry. Before we get married, I'll only collect interest. I won't collect the principal."

Shen Xuan: "..."

This "interest" was truly collected too fiercely!

Since Nanny You wasn't around, Shen Xuan didn't feel the urgent need to rush back to the residence. So, he simply spent the night in Meihua Lane.

Xue Fenglin, however, returned to the Imperial Academy that night and didn't stay there.

The next morning, Shen Xuan woke up late, well after sunrise. Then, Jinzhi and Jin Gui knocked and entered, setting a table full of breakfast on the Eight Immortals table in the room.

Jinzhi and Jin Gui had already been very surprised that Shen Xuan hadn't returned home last night.

However, Wuxin had already spoken to them beforehand, instructing them not to show anything in front of Shen Xuan.

After Shen Xuan finished breakfast, Wuxin brought a stack of clothes and said, "Shen Ger, these are the clothes The Shizi asked me to bring."

Shen Xuan saw that it was the same outfit he had worn yesterday, now freshly cleaned and ironed.

He changed back into his own clothes. Then, he saw Wuxin approach, holding a small box. "Shen Ger, The Shizi asked me to handle this first thing this morning and deliver it to you."

'What could it be that Wuxin had to handle it so early?' 

Shen Xuan saw that the box was only palm-sized, not the one Xue Fenglin had given him last night, and felt a sense of relief.

He opened the box and saw a deed lying inside. When he unfolded it, he found it was for a shop on Zhijin Street.

The deed stated it was for the second shop in Baihua Lane on Zhijin Street. The ink on it hadn't completely dried, clearly indicating it had just been signed recently.

Shen Xuan looked at the address on the deed, wondering where exactly Baihua Lane on Zhijin Street was.

Fortunately, the deed was registered under Xue Fenglin's name, not his own, which eased Shen Xuan's mind a little.

"Shen Ger," Wuxin suddenly stepped forward and said, "The Shizi has something he asked me to personally convey to you. He said this shop is considered rented to you, and the monthly rent from now on will be counted as interest."

Wuxin didn't know what "interest" Xue Fenglin was referring to. He only thought that The Shizi had always treated Shen Ger extremely well, but for some reason this time, he had specifically bought Shen Ger a shop yet suddenly said he would collect "interest" from him.

Upon hearing this, Shen Xuan's face flushed. He rolled his eyes fiercely, slammed the box shut, and said, "Go tell The Shizi he can hold off on collecting that interest for now!"

After saying that, he quickly got into the carriage and left, leaving a bewildered Wuxin behind...

'Should I tell The Shizi that Shen Ger seems to be angry?'​