Huo Yi was startled, and Lin Shanyue was also taken aback. She turned her head, only then realizing what Mirror Demon Young Master was pointing at.
"These? I bought them at the East Market today. I intended to sell milk cakes... but I realized I didn't have anything suitable to serve them in, so I bought two food boxes and a few porcelain plates."
"Bring them over, let me see," Huo Yi said, suppressing the excitement in his heart.
Lin Shanyue was confused, but she still passed them through the mirror.
There was silence on the other side of the mirror for a moment. Lin Shanyue asked tentatively, "Young Master?"
"I'll trade with you! How about these porcelain plates?!"
Lin Shanyue was stunned: "You want these?"
"Yes!"
These were genuine antiques! How could he have forgotten that? Huo Yi called himself a fool. What could he not give this young woman that she wanted? He could even provide better! With that, Huo Yi dashed straight to his kitchen and flung open a cabinet, grabbing an exquisite set of palace-style tableware. The move startled the housekeeper, who didn't even have a chance to ask before watching the young master bolt upstairs!
"Here, take this! I'll trade you for these!"
Lin Shanyue watched as Mirror Demon Young Master presented her with a set of magnificent porcelain plates and bowls. The craftsmanship... it was certainly not something one would find in an ordinary pottery shop.
She rubbed her eyes: "Young Master, you’re trading this beautiful tableware for those few ordinary plates?" She was completely bewildered, but the answer she received was firm.
"Yes, yes, yes! These are of great use to me. These should be enough for you, right?"
Enough? They were more than enough.
Eight plates, six bowls, and a beautiful tea set—she hardly knew where to put them.
Mirror Demon Young Master then added, "I’ve realized that the items from your side are very useful to me. In the future, if you see anything nice, feel free to buy it. Don’t worry; you can tell me whatever you need, and we can trade."
Huo Yi wanted to give her money, but obviously, their currencies didn't match.
Lin Shanyue nodded blankly: "For example?"
"For example, any porcelain... pottery... jade, or jewelry! I want it all." He couldn't just say 'antiques'—she wouldn't understand—so he could only list a few general categories.
Lin Shanyue thought for a moment: "Alright, I think I understand. Young Master, I’m going to go cook now."
Huo Yi replied with a casual "Alright"; his focus had shifted entirely to studying these pieces of porcelain.
The sun was out, so Lin Shanyue moved Xiaobao to a rattan chair in the courtyard to soak up the sun. The two-year-old child could walk, but not very steadily, so Lin Shanyue usually kept him surrounded to prevent him from falling.
She had already decided on lunch: she would reheat the pork rib soup from yesterday and shave two fresh radishes into it. Since the Young Master said they were tired of Chinese cabbage, Lin Shanyue bought a small handful of mushrooms; they were fragrant and added a unique flavor when sautéed with the cabbage. She hadn't bought many ingredients today, but the Young Master had sent over some cucumbers—a summer vegetable, but these were still crisp. She stir-fried them with egg and prepared a spicy-sour cucumber salad. The meal was ready.
Following the usual rule, she sent a portion to Mirror Demon Young Master first, then went to feed Xiaobao.
Xiaobao’s appetite had improved over the last two days, and he especially loved the milk powder. Lin Shanyue fed him a piece of the unsold milk cake, and Xiaobao grabbed it and stuffed it into his mouth. The cake was milky and fragrant; Xiaobao ate it with drool all over his face, chewing with his eight newly grown teeth, and finished the piece in no time.
The little cub clearly liked sweets and didn't have a large appetite; once full, he refused to eat even the hot pork rib and radish soup.
Lin Shanyue sighed helplessly: "Xiaobao, don't be naughty, you have to eat your meal." She discovered he liked soft things, like cakes or rice soaked in soup. Once the rice had absorbed the soup, Xiaobao finally opened his mouth. After eating a small bowl of the soft, mushy rice, he turned his head away.
"Full! Full!"
He suddenly patted his belly, the two milky words popping out of his mouth.
Lin Shanyue froze: "Xiaobao, what did you say? Did you just talk?!"
A two-year-old... they should be able to talk, right?
Lin Shanyue had absolutely no experience raising a child. She hadn't heard him speak once since she took him in and assumed he couldn't, but thinking about it now, he was likely already capable of simple syllables.
Lin Shanyue coaxed him for a long time, but unfortunately, Xiaobao wouldn't open his mouth again. Helpless, she picked up her son to play for a while longer before setting off to prepare the goods she would sell tomorrow.
After Huo Yi received the porcelain plates, he didn't pay attention to the other side for a while, sending them off for appraisal immediately.
He didn't receive news until evening. The person on the other end of the line was very excited: "Third Young Master, where did you find such good things? This is real, authentic stuff."
Huo Yi grinned: "Never mind where I found them. Help me estimate a price; see if those foreigners looking for porcelain lately would be interested?"
"Understood. Congratulations, our young master has finally found something good. Elder Huo will be delighted when he hears."
"Go to hell, am I that useless?!"
After hanging up, Huo Yi went straight to his room to look at the silver mirror. He carried it everywhere he went now; Old Bai even suspected he’d lost his mind.
He tapped the mirror. It was dark on the other side, and Xiaobao was already asleep. Huo Yi watched the little cub for a while, realizing he was actually quite cute, much like he was when he was a child. Seeing that Lin Shanyue wasn't there, he assumed she was busy in the courtyard.
This girl, thin and small as she was, had a strong sense of vitality.
Just as Huo Yi was debating whether to call out to her, Lin Shanyue returned.
She must have just finished making the Storax Incense, as her hands and face were as messy as a calico cat’s. Huo Yi was stunned for a moment, then couldn't help but burst into laughter.
Lin Shanyue turned around abruptly: "Young Master...?"
"What have you been doing?"
"I... I just finished making the Storax Incense."
Storax Incense?
Huo Yi looked it up quickly and realized it was a type of spice. He was a bit surprised.
"Weren't you supposed to be selling food? Why are you making this?"
Lin Shanyue laughed while washing her hands: "There are too many people in the food business; it’s hard to make money quickly. This is a new path."
"Where are you going to sell it?"
Lin Shanyue hesitated for a moment before saying: "Huayue Pavilion."
Huayue Pavilion... Huo Yi processed the name for a second before realizing where that was. Upon further reflection, he understood the young woman’s plan: "Alright, that’s good. Huayue Pavilion probably can't afford expensive, authentic Storax Incense, so your product will be exactly what they want."
Lin Shanyue was surprised. She had expected Mirror Demon Young Master to sneer at her, but she hadn't expected him to praise her.
Still, demons are different from humans; only humans care about the judgment of others.
Lin Shanyue felt ashamed, though: "Once I save enough capital, I won't do this anymore. The things you give me are so good that I can earn money selling food. Since this isn't real Storax Incense, I feel guilty toward my parents. Once I earn enough money, I will definitely open a real spice shop."
Huo Yi chuckled: "It’s just something fired in a kiln; what 'real' or 'fake' is there? Those who sell food often pass off inferior goods as quality; what do you have to feel guilty about?"
Lin Shanyue’s eyes widened: "How can one pass off inferior goods when it comes to things people put into their stomachs?"
Huo Yi sneered again, thinking of modern food delivery services...
He suddenly felt that he might be able to reach a long-term cooperation with the young girl before him.
"Hey, you're very short on money, aren't you? If I help you build your business, you can earn money and find me more of the things I need in the future. It’s mutually beneficial, what do you think?"
Lin Shanyue hadn't expected Mirror Demon Young Master to propose such a thing, so she asked nervously: "Young Master, do you have any good suggestions?"