Courtyard House: My Wife is Xu Huizhen

Page 223

It turns out that this young master Ye Qingxian is a spoiled brat who knows nothing about business and lives a life of debauchery every day.

Her younger sister, Ye Qingmo, was a business genius. She learned in the shop from a young age and became the shop's manager when she came of age.

Not long after their marriage, her husband died, and Ye Qingmo devoted herself to her business. Chen Xueru only knew of her brother Ye Qingxian and had never had any dealings with him before.

“If that’s the case, then it makes sense. Qingmo contracted the plague, so Ye Qingxian had to step in to take charge of the business. It’s normal that he’s not familiar with it.”

Now He Yuzhu had no more suspicions. Before, he had just been thinking that it was better to be cautious than to make a big mistake, and he was a little paranoid.

But this was just a normal purchase; there were just a lot of goods that were needed. What could possibly go wrong?

“You’re right. We still have three days. Let’s enjoy the city of Suzhou and wait for the Taixiang to prepare its cargo.”

Then, with some concern, she said, "It's a pity I won't be able to see Sister Qingmo this time."

He Yuzhu comforted him, "Didn't the eldest son of the Ye family say that there's no danger to his life? After you've recovered, I'll come with you again, isn't that fine?"

"Okay, it's a deal then. You have to come with me when the time comes."

He Yuzhu nodded and agreed.

The following time was the most relaxing for He Yuzhu. Like on a honeymoon, he and Chen Xueru toured the ancient city of Suzhou, although it was not as brightly lit and beautiful as in later times.

However, the current attractions are all authentic and have more local characteristics. It's just that the food here is mainly sweet, so it's not something I'm used to. Also, people from other places can't understand what the locals are saying, so communication is particularly difficult.

Only two days later, Ye Qingxian suddenly sent someone to invite Chen Xueru to dinner, saying that there was something to discuss, and made it clear that he was only inviting Chen Xueru, which surprised He Yuzhu.

Chen Xueru said, "Our two families have been friends for generations. They probably just wanted to reconnect. Besides, they're treating me to dinner at Songhelou Restaurant. What are you worried about?"

Hearing this, He Yuzhu felt relieved, but still reminded him, "That's true, then be careful."

After speaking, Chen Xueru went to change her clothes and get ready. He Yuzhu suddenly had a bad feeling. This trip south to purchase goods had been going badly. He hadn't even met the person in charge; it was just a spoiled brat in charge.

He got up and said to her, "I'm going out for a walk."

"Well, come back soon."

Chen Xueru cherished every minute she spent with He Yuzhu. She was already very charming, and after He Yuzhu brought her out of her charm, she became even more proactive. She wanted to spend all her time making love, since if they returned to the capital, the time they could spend together would be very limited.

"I'm just going for a walk."

He Yuzhu had always been puzzled by something that had been bothering him, and he thought it would be a good opportunity to find out more about it and get some answers.

Chen Xueru thought that she had been asking for him too often these past two days, which had taken a toll on He Yuzhu, and that he needed to go out and relax. Feeling a little happy, she got up, gave him a sweet kiss, gave him some careful instructions, and then saw He Yuzhu out.

If you want to get information, you should go to a teahouse. I ordered a pot of Biluochun tea and a few side dishes, then looked around at everyone, found an empty seat, and went over to it.

Excuse me, could you share a seat with me?

"Oh, a distinguished guest from the capital, please have a seat," the old man said with a smile.

"Thank you." He Yuzhu apologized politely, then sat down and started chatting casually.

After a moment, he asked, "I heard that there has been a plague outbreak in Suzhou recently. I wonder how serious it is?"

"Plague? Who told you that? Where is it?" The old man was very puzzled, then said, "I've never heard of it. Don't spread rumors!"

"There's none?"

"Of course not, I have never heard of anyone getting the plague. You are spreading rumors."

The old man grew increasingly angry as he spoke, and his final words were quite stern.

Now He Yuzhu finally realized what the problem was. The plague was no ordinary infectious disease; it was highly contagious. Once an outbreak occurred, it would infect large areas, causing widespread fear and dread.

However, only Qingmo from the Ye family contracted the plague, and no one in the entire Suzhou knew about its spread. At this point, He Yuzhu became even more suspicious.

Could it be that Ye Qingmo did not have the plague?

He Yuzhu quickly apologized, saying he had misheard, and then started talking about Taixiang Company, inquiring about the quality of their silk.

"So you're here to buy goods?"

"Yes, I own a silk shop in the capital and want to purchase a batch of silk."

"Then you've come to the right place if you can find Taixiang. Their silk is top-notch."

He Yuzhu asked, "What kind of person is Ye Qingxian, the current owner of Taixiang?"

"Him?" The old man looked disdainful, opened his mouth and said, "He's just a spoiled brat who's only thinking about selling his family fortune so he can go to Hong Kong."

Upon hearing this, He Yuzhu was completely stunned. Ye Qingxian actually wanted to go to Hong Kong to enjoy himself, a fact he had never known before.

"Grandpa, what do you mean by that? Please explain it to me in detail."

"Well, that's a long story. It turns out the business was actually run by Miss Ye Qingmo..."

The old man rarely received any questions, so he spoke with some pride about Ye Qingxian's past, and then talked about recent events.

Rumors of public-private partnerships have been circulating for a long time. Although it hasn't been implemented here yet, leaders have already given instructions that a pilot program should begin no later than this year.

Coincidentally, Taixiang, a time-honored brand in the silk industry, was also a pilot enterprise.

After much consideration, Ye Qingmo decided to respond to the call of his superiors regarding the joint public-private partnership, but the eldest son, Ye Qingxian, had his own ideas.

He wanted to sell his family property and take a large sum of money to Hong Kong, where the glitz and glamour of life suited him better, and he also had relatives there who could take care of him.

Rumors of their disagreement have spread, sparking much discussion among onlookers. It is said that Ye Qingxian is currently selling off his assets in preparation for his departure.

He Yuzhu was dumbfounded. How could there be such an outrageous thing behind this? If this is the case, then Ye Qingmo's infection with the plague is not such a simple matter.

He Yuzhu asked, "But I heard that the real Miss Ye Qingmo has contracted the plague and is recuperating in the old house."

"Well, that's hard to say," the old man said meaningfully. "Anyway, no one in our city of Suzhou has contracted the plague."

He made it so obvious, He Yuzhu naturally understood. It seems that the Ye family is not peaceful either. Ye Qingmo and Ye Qingxian have different opinions on the future development, and then the two of them broke off their relationship.

It is obvious that Ye Qingxian was the one who had the last laugh. Ye Qingmo may have had a knack for business, but unfortunately he failed in the end and was then infected with an infectious disease and sent to the countryside.

After thinking things through, He Yuzhu couldn't help but complain. He had only gone south to have a honeymoon with Chen Xueru and to buy some goods, but he never expected to encounter such a ridiculous situation.

I've never even met Ye Qingmo, so there's no need for me to get involved in this matter. It's been several years since liberation, so the competition between families shouldn't be as fierce as it used to be.

After Ye Qingmo's failure, he was sent to the countryside to recuperate. In He Yuzhu's view, this meant that Ye Qingmo's life was not in danger. At most, his family property would be sold off by the eldest son, leaving him penniless. He should be able to be released afterward.

Having money now may seem glamorous, but after 1966, you're likely to be held accountable, so it's better to have no money at all.

However, Ye Qingmo and Chen Xueru are family friends and best confidantes, so He Yuzhu is unsure whether to tell Ye Qingmo about her or not.

This is Suzhou, not the capital city I'm familiar with. In the capital, I can command the wind and rain, and even if something unexpected happens, I have the ability and connections to use.

But here...

He Yuzhu understood that even though he was already a master of internal energy, he could not guarantee a safe escape when facing firearms.

To be honest, He Yuzhu didn't want to cause any trouble, but Ye Qingmo was Chen Xueru's best friend, so this matter needed to be considered carefully.

Thinking of Chen Xueru, He Yuzhu suddenly remembered that Ye Qingxian had invited Chen Xueru to dinner alone today. At the time, he hadn't thought much of it, just that their two families were old friends and there was nothing wrong with having a meal together.

However, the recent information about the Ye family made He Yuzhu think more deeply.

Originally, it was thought that Ye Qingxian was only meeting with Chen Xueru tonight to maintain the friendship between the two families and continue their business.

However, Ye Qingxian was selling off his assets, wanting to flee to Hong Kong. In addition, he was a playboy with countless romantic affairs.

He Yuzhu suddenly became afraid that Ye Qingxian might do something to Chen Xueru. If something really happened and Chen Xueru was hurt, wouldn't it be too late to regret it?

Thinking of this, He Yuzhu wanted to rush to Songhelou immediately. He quickly said goodbye to the old man and hurriedly left the teahouse.

It was already dark by then, and the streets were bustling with people taking a stroll. I must say, the girls in Suzhou are really beautiful, with a unique charm.

He Yuzhu had no time to appreciate it and started running. He quickly arrived outside Songhelou Restaurant, then pretended to be relaxed as he entered. Once inside, he asked for a private room and was led to the back by a waiter.

He Yuzhu used his mental energy to investigate, but he couldn't find Chen Xueru and Ye Qingxian within his sensing range. He shook his head at the waiter and asked him to change to another private room.

The waiter was surprised, but there were many guests with strange requests. This one might be complaining about the location, so he led He Yuzhu to the next private room.

He Yuzhu was still not satisfied with the second private room, so he shook his head and refused. The waiter had no choice but to take him to the third private room.

Fortunately, the third private room was right next to Ye Qingxian's. He Yuzhu didn't complain anymore and chose the room. He asked for a pot of tea to be brought over first, and said he would wait for his guests to arrive before ordering food.

Chen Xueru regretted her decision after arriving at Songhelou. Ye Qingxian had been very polite and refined when he was entertaining her at Taixianghao, but he became frivolous after the servants left.

With a cold face, he said, "Ye Qingxian, if you continue to be so rude, don't blame me for turning against you."

Although Chen Xueru appears to be exceptionally charming and has an irresistible attraction to men, she is naturally like that and not inherently promiscuous. In addition, since getting together with He Yuzhu, she has fallen deeply in love and knows that He Yuzhu is her lifelong support.

Ye Qingxian is just a spoiled brat. He tried to seduce me as soon as we sat down for a meal. He really misjudged me.

Ye Qingxian laughed and said, "Our two families have always been friends. The world is not peaceful right now, and the government is about to take away all our properties. How can we allow that?"

He added somewhat smugly, "I have relatives in Hong Kong. We'll sell our assets and go do business there. Then we can..."

As he spoke, Ye Qingxian reached out with his An Lushan-like hand, wanting to touch Chen Xueru's pretty face.

Chapter 166 I have a gun, you've seen it before.

Chen Xueru reached out and slapped his hand away, quite annoyed. Who did he take her for? She really regretted it; she should have let He Yuzhu come along.

"Ye Qingxian, don't think you can do whatever you want just because you're in Suzhou. If you keep acting recklessly, my man will deal with you."

"Hey, weren't you talking about your shop assistant? How come you're talking about your man now? I remember your man was a spy? Wasn't he already shot?"

"you..."

Chen Xueru was so angry that her chest swelled up a size, but she was too lazy to argue with Ye Qingxian and quickly left to return to He Yuzhu's side.