Chapter 407 - Chapter 407: Chapter 414: Keen Intuition (1/2)
Chapter 407: Chapter 414: Keen Intuition
“Master,” said the housekeeper, “Miss Chen has come over and wishes to see you.” Liu Xiu was in the study discussing matters with everyone when he heard someone come in to report. His eyes narrowed slightly. Miss Chen had been so busy lately that she seldom came to him, or perhaps she had other thoughts in mind. This woman was very purposeful in her actions, so her visit at this time must mean she had something important to discuss.
“Has she run into some trouble with her business?” Liu Xiu asked. Miss Chen usually sought him out for business-related reasons, aside from attempting to maintain their personal relationship. Initially, he had taken notice of her because her business acumen could be of great benefit to him, and he had even hinted at providing support for her.
Liu Xiu’s housekeeper was somewhat aware of Miss Chen’s business concerns, and he leaned in to whisper a few words to Liu Xiu. After hearing him, Liu Xiu appeared thoughtful, as if he had something on his mind. He paused for a moment before instructing the housekeeper to bring Miss Chen to him.
The matter at hand was nearly concluded, and sensing that Liu Xiu had something else to attend to, and it seemed to involve a woman, everyone tactfully took their leave. Han Yu also excused himself along with the others, but as he walked out, his gaze lingered momentarily in a certain direction before he turned to leave.
Miss Chen arrived just in time to see Han Yu’s retreating figure. Her eyes flashed discerningly, and upon seeing Liu Xiu, she masked her expression and approached him with a smile, warmly looping her arm through his—a gesture that would not have seemed out of place had she been dressed as a man, but was somewhat scandalous in her current feminine attire. Miss Chen, however, was completely unfazed by this; having grown up in modern times, she had little regard for the conservative attitudes of ancient times.
“Big Brother Liu, it’s been a long time since I’ve seen you,” she said with feigned concern. “You look haggard these days. You must remember to rest, for health is the capital of revolution.”
Liu Xiu found Chen Li’s words strange and awkward, even though he knew she was showing her concern. What did she mean by “the capital of revolution”? He had been a student at the Imperial College before his uprising, and despite not considering himself worldly, he was fairly knowledgeable. Yet, Chen Li always seemed to say things he couldn’t quite understand.
“Lady Li, there’s no need to worry. I’m quite capable of taking care of myself,” Liu Xiu replied briefly, not fully convinced by her words. He was in the prime of his life, strong and vigorous, far from vulnerable.
Miss Chen was merely looking for an opportunity to show her concern to Liu Xiu. Once she had conveyed her message, they chatted about various topics until she finally brought up the Heavenly Pavilion.
“Big Brother Liu,” she said, “the person behind Heavenly Pavilion is so mysterious. Not only do they have deep pockets, but it seems like they are targeting me. Their store has many items similar to what I sell, and this could be detrimental to us.” Miss Chen implicated Liu Xiu in her concerns, noting that he seemed indifferent. She quickly escalated the rhetoric, trying to make a broader point.