The Foolish Husband of the Landlord's Family (GL)

Chapter 19: A Shadow Appears

Song Keyan couldn't pinpoint why she felt uneasy, like a wish unfulfilled. Previously, she could convince herself that Jiang Yuan was a "lover," but now Jiang Yuan was revealed as a woman...

Could Jiang Yuan have been a man disguised as a woman all along?

Frustrated, Song Keyan huffed twice and, without another glance at Jiang Yuan, left with her entourage.

Watching their retreat, Lin Kong asked, puzzled, "Wife, why is that bad girl angry again? Kong'er didn't provoke her today."

"I don't know either," Jiang Yuan replied, equally baffled by the young lady's unpredictable moods.

Their conversation was interrupted when Song Keyan's servant, Abu, returned, carrying a box.

"And this is?" Jiang Yuan asked, not expecting a gift from Song Keyan.

Abu presented the box, "My lady heard about your miraculous preservation cabinet and requests you store this block of ice for three days. If it remains unchanged in weight and size, she'll reward you with a hundred taels of silver. If it fails, she'll have her own punishment ready."

So this was a challenge.

"A block of ice? In summer, preserving ice is quite the task," Jiang Yuan feigned concern, inwardly thanking Miss Song for this publicity opportunity.

The crowd buzzed with excitement, thinking Jiang Yuan had overpromised with claims of keeping items fresh indefinitely. In this heat, ice would surely melt.

They watched Jiang Yuan, anticipating her reaction, eager to see her fail. But Jiang Yuan remained still, contemplating her decision.

Abu pushed the box forward, "Manager Jiang, will you accept this challenge?"

"I'll take it," Jiang Yuan said, accepting the box.

"Very well. Here's fifty taels as a deposit. My lady insists you don't disappoint her," Abu added, "By the way, my lady marked the ice. If the mark fades, it's a failure."

This upped the difficulty.

Abu was puzzled by his lady's sudden anger after speaking with Jiang Yuan and her insistence on marking the ice, making the task harder.

Jiang Yuan nodded, "If Miss Song values this task, I shall ensure her ice is well preserved."

After the ice's weight and size were measured, Jiang Yuan placed it in the cabinet. As her hand entered, she discreetly stored it in her vortex, invisible to onlookers.

The crowd thought Jiang Yuan was setting herself up for failure, challenging Miss Song's demands. They speculated about the punishment awaiting her, while Jiang Yuan calmly tended to the pharmacy.

At night, as the pharmacy closed, everyone was exhausted. Jiang Yuan checked the accounts before retiring.

The first day's sales were promising due to the doctor's presence, though the preservation cabinet saw no business. With less than ten taels earned, profits were negligible.

Jiang Yuan understood starting anew meant building a reputation. They needed to demonstrate the quality of their remedies before attracting customers from clinics and the public.