The day for the Orphanage to meet the Mu Family's head had been arranged to be six months later as Mu Xu was away on a business trip in the far west. During this time, Zi Yue carried on with her daily activities, occasionally wondering what happened to that young master.
She wanted to return the access payment(almost 100 times more) he made the last time but never got a chance to. Among the coins dropped, there was a piece of gold ingot that rolled under the table, and she only noticed it when she was closing up.
6 months have passed and as Zi Yue stepped into the main hall of the Orphanage, a familiar figure stood in the middle, with his back facing her. Zi Yue is not exactly the most gentle walker, so as soon as she headed towards the figure, he turned around. With eyes as deep as the ocean, the figure's gaze landed on Zi Yue's curious face. The cool and handsome visitor's calm expression turned into a frown, eyes quickly breaking eye contact and looked at random writing on the wall instead.
"It's you!" Zi Yue chirped and reached out into her pouch, trying to find something. (The gold ingot), "The last time at my store, you dropped your money and it rolled under my stall. I never saw you after that so I didn't have a chance to return it."
"I did? Oh, I'm sorry I didn't even realize…"
Ahh… this young master is so wealthy that he didn't even realize a gold ingot is missing… just how rich is this man, Zi Yue thought to herself before finally reaching the end of her pouch. She presented the man with the gold ingot and asked him to take good care of it.
"What are you doing here?" She tilted her head in confusion.
"Ahh, I'm supposed to meet Elder Yi for some matters." The young man replied as he awkwardly looked at Zi Yue.
"I'm afraid that would have to wait… Elder Yi has something urgent to attend to in a while. I am Zi Yue, I help Elder Yi with some matters of the Orphanage, I will help relay the message to her, what is the young master's name?"
"I am Mu Xu, pleased to meet your acquaintance." He gentle bowed.
--
"Yue-Jie, why are you sitting here staring into space? Is my boss, Master Xu here yet?" Yi Xiang asked as he walked towards Zi Yue, who was in a daze.
"Ahhh….yes, Elder Yi is talking to him now…" Zi Yue scratched her head in embarrassment.
"Is everything alright?" Yi Xiang gave a worried expression.
"Yes...Sorry I was just a bit absent-minded thinking about work"
After the awkward encounter with Mu Xu, Zi Yue wanted to slap herself because not only did she embarrass the dignified guest in public previously, she also assumed he is not Mu Family's head. As Mu Xu looks like he is in his mid or late twenties, one would assume he is just a young master in a wealthy family. It was unexpected that he is heading the reputable Mu Family.
"Your boss...Master Mu, is extremely young. How come?" Zi Yue pondered and asked Yi Xiang.
"Ohh, you haven't heard? Master Mu's father died ten years ago when he was still a teenager. Because he is an only child, he took over the Mu Family business at thirteen years old. Mu Family's business didn't use to be so good previously, but when Master Mu took over, the business started expanding and flourishing under his leadership. Now at twenty-five, he has over fifteen shops under his belt compared to just three when his father was leading. My boss is indeed a rare genius in the Ping Tian Continent ah!" Yi Xiang proudly praised while nodding his head in excitement.
"Wow… that is very impressive." Zi Yue was shocked.
"Not only was he successful, but he is also extremely humble and kind to his staff too. He makes his rounds regularly to all the shops around the continent, that is why he is always out of town for long periods. But whenever he sees me and Yi Lan he would ask about our well being. Just over a year ago when we first got employed, he noticed our crafting skills and asked where we learned it from - saying it is very well done for our age."
Yi Xiang paused and poured himself a cup of tea, gulping it down before continuing.
"I told him that if he finds our work great, he should see Yue-Jie's! Compared to Yue-Jie, we are just babies!"
Zi Yue laughed, "Don't talk nonsense, I am just average!"
Yi Xiang blinked in confusion and said, "Huh? Just average? Then all of us are below average then! Even Master Mu who went personally to your store to check out your goods told us you are a one-of-a-kind crafter."
Zi Yue squinted her phoenix eyes and finally understood why he was there previously.
"Speaking of which, after he went to see your work, he couldn't stop asking me and Yi Lan about you. If outsiders don't know, they would think he was interested in Yue-Jie ah!" Yi Xiang chuckled.
Upon hearing such a tease, Zi Yue squirmed in her seat, "You sure got guts saying such nonsense in broad daylight, are you not afraid people spread rumours? What if his wife or children heard it, it would be bad!"
"What are you talking about? I know it is quite unlikely due to his age, handsome appearance and wealthy status, but he is a bachelor ah!"
People usually marry from as early as fourteen to early twenties as arranged marriages are still a very popular thing among the wealthy and powerful. It is very unlikely for someone coming from a distinguished family to marry late... (In Mu Xun case, 25 is considered very late) Which was why Zi Yue thought he was married.
"Yue-Jie, you ask so much about him, don't tell me… you are interested in Master Mu?" Before Zi Yue could reply to Yi Xiang, they heard a sound at the door and as they looked over, they saw Mu Xu standing there with his eyes widened. Needless to say, the shy Mu Xu fled the scene like a maiden that has seen a ghost.
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