The richest woman committed a crime with her child - Chapter 30

Xu Mei had no intention of pressing further. She picked up her teacup and took a sip.

Wu Mengying observed her expression and smiled. “But I think he’s right. I also can’t understand why someone as beautiful as you, who could have countless suitors with just a wave of your hand, would insist on clinging to Shen Youting, that crooked tree.”

“Because he’s the closest to me?” Xu Mei curled her lips in a self-mocking smile.

“Then stay away from him. Also, I have a question,” Wu Mengying said, her face showing curiosity. “What’s the relationship between you, Shen Youting, and your sister?”

“Isn’t it obvious?”

Wu Mengying nodded. “Normally, girls your age are either already married or at least engaged. But it seems neither you nor your sister are.”

Xu Mei put down her teacup, propped her chin on one hand, and lazily traced the rim of the cup with the other. “A few years ago, someone came to propose to Chen Jingjing, but she turned them down. As for me, I guess because my pursuit of Shen Youting was so public, everyone in the city knows about it, so no one dares to propose.”

“Has no one ever proposed to you?” Wu Mengying asked in surprise.

“No,” Xu Mei said, lying on the table. After a moment of silence, she remembered something. “When I was around fourteen or fifteen, there was a man who told my father he wanted to marry me. But before it got to the proposal stage, he disappeared.”

“Disappeared? As in died?”

“No, he just never showed up again.”

“How strange. What a waste of the title ‘Yingtian Prefecture’s Most Beautiful Woman.'” Wu Mengying reached over and gently smoothed Xu Mei’s hair. “You’re so beautiful, but your vision is blocked by that crooked tree Shen Youting. There are so many men in Yingtian Prefecture, even in the entire Ming Dynasty. Excluding the odd ones, there are plenty who are more outstanding than Shen Youting. Broaden your horizons, give up on Shen Youting, and you could easily marry a top scholar.”

“Enough, I don’t want to talk about him today,” Xu Mei said, sitting up straight and forcing a bright smile. “I see you’ve hung up the sign. Are you opening soon?”

Wu Mengying, having said what she needed to, didn’t press further and changed the subject. “We’re planning to open tomorrow.”

“Usually, the day before opening, there’s a lot of food prepared. Do you have some? I want to eat.”

“I’ll have someone bring it over.”

“No need to trouble them. Let’s go to your shop. Have the staff set up a pot, and we can eat while we chat,” Xu Mei said, standing up. “Besides, I’ll help you taste the dishes. I didn’t get to try them yesterday.”

Wu Mengying raised an eyebrow and led her to the shop.

Soon, the staff brought out the signature dishes Wu Mengying had ordered. Eight dishes of meat and vegetables, plus a hot pot in the center, filled the table.

Xu Mei sniffed the air and smiled at Wu Mengying, who was sitting beside her. “It smells good.”

Wu Mengying handed her a pair of chopsticks. “Welcome to taste.”

Xu Mei took the chopsticks and looked at Wu Mengying meaningfully. “If you were a real man, I wouldn’t mind that you’re shorter than me. I’d marry you tomorrow.”

Wu Mengying blushed. “I’m afraid I’d disappear by tomorrow.”

Xu Mei looked at her in confusion.

Wu Mengying explained, “Didn’t that man who proposed to you when you were young disappear?”

“Humph, that guy was so unreliable. If he had been more persistent and good-looking, maybe I’d be married by now,” Xu Mei said casually as she fished a piece of rib from the pot. “But you’re reliable.”

Wu Mengying raised an eyebrow and picked up a braised lion’s head for Xu Mei. “Try this. It was the most popular dish last night.”

Xu Mei looked at the lion’s head, which was almost as big as her fist, and then at Wu Mengying. “Eating something this big in one bite seems a bit ungraceful.”

“Should I bite it smaller for you?”

“I’ll manage.”

Xu Mei struggled to pick up the lion’s head and took a small bite. She was pleasantly surprised by the flavor and gave a thumbs-up. “It’s delicious. The flavor lingers.”

Wu Mengying, though proud, kept her expression modest. “We experimented a lot with this. If you like it, eat more.”

“Mm, I’ll definitely eat more,” Xu Mei said, then remembered something. “By the way, how much wine did those scholars take from your tasting event yesterday?”

Wu Mengying held up both hands, then flipped them over.

“200 jars?”

“More than 200.”

Xu Mei’s eyes widened in surprise—that was more than what her family spent on entertaining staff and officials at the end of the year. But those expenses increased their income for the following year, while Wu Mengying’s wine expenditure likely wouldn’t yield a return.

She recalled Luo Jiusheng’s comment last night that Wu Mengying wasn’t really doing business.

Perhaps… he was right.

The meal lasted until the afternoon, with the dishes being replaced several times. The chef brought out every dish on the restaurant’s menu.

Xu Mei patted her stomach and gave Wu Mengying a sideways glance. “You’ve been feeding me like a pig today. Look how round my stomach is.”

Wu Mengying teased, “Even if you were a pig, you’d be the prettiest pig in the herd.”

Xu Mei rolled her eyes. “I think you’re calling me a pig.”

“I’m just complimenting your beauty.”

“Scholars and their flowery words.”

Xu Mei sat up straight. “I’m a merchant now, just like you.”

Xu Mei scoffed and was about to tease her further when Qiu Chigong came in from outside and tossed several books onto the table without a word before leaving.

Xu Mei watched his retreating figure and whispered to Wu Mengying, “How old is Qiu Chigong?”

“Are you asking about his age?”

“Mm.”

“Not yet 19.”

“Ah,” Xu Mei exclaimed in surprise. “I thought he was a few years older than Shen Youting.”

Wu Mengying raised an eyebrow at the mention of Shen Youting—didn’t someone say they didn’t want to talk about him earlier? She didn’t respond and started flipping through the books on the table. After reading a couple of pages, her brows furrowed, and she looked up at Xu Mei. “This book your sister wrote—why is the story the same as mine?”

“Are you saying she plagiarized your story?”

“The script I wrote is still in my room, and I haven’t shown it to anyone. I’ve only written half of it. I’m just surprised how her content is almost identical to mine.”

Xu Mei pondered—Chen Jingjing had once been close to the daughter of a high-ranking official in the east of the city. During that time, she had imitated the young lady’s gentle, virtuous, and dignified demeanor, trying to elevate her status as a merchant’s daughter. But does imitating someone’s behavior mean she would plagiarize?

Wu Mengying read quickly and finished the last page in less than an hour.

Her brows were almost knitted together as she muttered to herself, “Although the dialogue in this script isn’t exactly the same, the plot progression is identical, even the ending. How can this be a coincidence?”

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