The Minister: Cold by Day, Hot by Night-Chapter 48: Can’t Tell Reality from Dream

The moment Lu Zhan stepped through the mansion gates, he saw a girl sitting on a lounge chair in the covered walkway, one hand propped on the wooden railing as she dozed off.

"Princely Heir, it’s the Miss," Chen Jiu said.

Only after speaking did he remember that two Misses were currently living in the mansion, and he hastily added, "It’s Miss Zhi Wan."

"Mm," Lu Zhan responded in a low voice. He had already seen her.

He was just about to walk away, but stopped short when he noticed Zhi Wan had no maids with her.

’It really isn’t proper for this girl to be sleeping here.’

After a moment’s hesitation, he walked over.

KNOCK, KNOCK!

The sound of knuckles rapping on wood startled the sleeping Zhi Wan awake.

As soon as she opened her eyes, she saw a shadow loom over her. A tall, slender figure was standing in front of her.

She was still groggy from sleep. Her charming, almond-shaped eyes stared blankly at the man before her, for a moment unable to tell if this was reality or a dream.

"You’re here?" she mumbled groggily, her tone tinged with a faint familiarity.

Lu Zhan froze, his eyes cast down at the girl before him.

She was clearly still muddled from sleep. Her curled lashes drooped softly, her pretty eyes were moist, and two rosy blushes colored her fair, tender cheeks. She looked like a lazy little kitten—a bit docile, and rather adorable.

Lu Zhan’s fingers twitched. He ultimately took two steps back and reminded her in a deep voice, "Go back to your room to sleep. It isn’t appropriate to sleep out here."

Hearing that voice, Zhi Wan snapped fully awake. She quickly looked up, and sure enough, the person standing there was Lu Zhan.

A thin sheen of sweat immediately broke out on her smooth, fair forehead. Her eyes flickered nervously as she stammered, "C-Cousin."

She had been painting all last night and hadn’t slept much. After returning to the mansion, she had told Shuang’er to go back to Yaoguang Pavilion first, intending to wait here for her cousin’s return. She never expected to fall asleep so soon after sitting down.

’For a moment there, she had even thought she was dreaming again.’

She frantically replayed her recent words and actions in her mind, searching for anything improper.

Certain that she hadn’t, she quietly breathed a sigh of relief.

Seeing that she was fully awake, Lu Zhan turned to leave, but Zhi Wan hurriedly called out to him, "Cousin, wait a moment."

Lu Zhan stopped and glanced back at her. "Is something the matter?"

’Wait,’ he suddenly realized. ’Was she waiting here for me?’

Zhi Wan nodded. Twisting her handkerchief, she said sheepishly, "There’s something I’d like to trouble you with."

"What is it?" Lu Zhan asked, his voice deep.

Seeing the serious expression on his handsome face, Zhi Wan couldn’t help but feel a little nervous.

’He looks like he’s interrogating a criminal.’

She felt awkward and uncomfortable, but her interest in the shop—and her desire to know if someone had truly died there—spurred her on. Mustering her courage, she asked, "I wanted to ask about an eatery over on Huayong Street. Was there really a death there?"

Lu Zhan was taken aback. "Why do you ask?" he said, surprised.

Now that the question was out, Zhi Wan felt less nervous. She answered truthfully, "Well, Shuang’er and I were out walking today, and I saw a shop for lease there that I’m interested in taking over. But I asked around, and an old woman at a street stall told me someone died in that shop. She wouldn’t elaborate, so I thought I would ask you, Cousin, if it’s really true."

"There was indeed a murder on Huayong Street recently," Lu Zhan said. "But I don’t know if it was in the shop you mentioned."

Zhi Wan’s face fell with disappointment. ’If there was a murder on Huayong Street, then it’s almost certainly that shop.’

Seeing her dejection, Lu Zhan paused before asking, "Why the sudden interest in taking over a shop?"

At the mention of this, Zhi Wan blushed slightly, but she explained her reasoning. "My aunt intends for me to marry a man into the family in the future, so I figured I need to earn some Silver to support a household. After thinking it over, opening a shop seems to be the best way to earn money, because I can’t rely on my aunt and the support of the Duke Dingguo Mansion forever."

’She sells her paintings to bookstores for this very reason—to be able to support a family someday. But she couldn’t tell him that.’

Hearing this, Lu Zhan raised an eyebrow slightly.

’This little girl certainly thinks far ahead,’ he mused. ’Already planning to earn Silver to support a live-in husband?’

Seeing that he hadn’t said anything, Zhi Wan glanced up at him quickly, only to catch the hint of a smile playing on his lips. It wasn’t obvious, but it was there.

Zhi Wan was instantly mortified. ’Does he think I’m being ridiculous?’

"Well, if there’s nothing else, I’ll be going," she said hurriedly and turned to leave, but Lu Zhan stopped her.

"It’s a very good thing to be planning for your future, Cousin," he said. "But Mother has long considered you one of our own. You don’t need to draw such a clear line between yourself and our family."

Zhi Wan stopped, her small face earnest. "I know. But Aunt, Uncle, and you, Cousin—you have all helped me so much and taken such good care of me. I can’t just depend on you all to live. A lifetime is long; I have to try to stand on my own two feet."

Surprise flashed in Lu Zhan’s dark eyes.

’He had always thought of his cousin as timid and cautious, giving off an impression of being delicate and pitiable. He’d never imagined she could be so resolute.’

He felt a flicker of admiration, and his tone softened unconsciously. "If you need my help with anything, don’t hesitate to ask."

Now it was Zhi Wan’s turn to be surprised.

She never expected her cousin, who was always so aloof and indifferent, to say such a thing to her.

’He’s probably just being polite, right?’

Zhi Wan wasn’t sure.

Back at Yaoguang Pavilion, Shuang’er immediately rushed forward to greet her. "Miss, how did it go? Did you manage to wait for the Princely Heir?"

Zhi Wan nodded. "I did. But it’s true, someone died in that shop."

At that, Shuang’er’s face also showed her disappointment.

Although she had been surprised by her mistress’s sudden desire to open a shop, she knew it was a good thing in the long run.

The Miss couldn’t depend on the Duke Dingguo Mansion forever.

In the future, whether she married someone or brought a husband into the family, she would have to rely on herself.

If she had a shop and ran it well, she could probably make a profit.

That way, whether she married out or brought a husband in, the Miss wouldn’t be in such a passive position.

And the shop they saw today, while not large, was in an excellent location. A small business there would surely be profitable.

"It’s all right. We can look for other suitable shops another day," Zhi Wan said.

’The Silver from selling her paintings came to four hundred eighty taels. Combined with the money her aunt had given her over the years, she had nearly one thousand taels. If she counted the jewelry her aunt had given her, it was even more. But that jewelry was a gift from her aunt; she could never sell it. The more valuable pieces, she would have to find a chance to return in the future. Therefore, she had about nine hundred taels of usable Silver, which was more than enough to rent a good storefront.’

"But shops in good locations are very difficult to rent," Shuang’er worried.

"Where there’s a will, there’s a way," Zhi Wan said. "If we can’t find a spot in a prime area, we’ll look in a less popular one. We’re bound to find something. The real question now is what we should sell if we do open a shop."

She wasn’t worried about being unable to rent a shop.

’The Capital City was huge. If you really looked, you were bound to find something. It would just take some time and effort.’

"Miss, Nanny Fang is here," Dongxiang announced from outside the door.