The afternoon was actually still early, and the small cart hadn't been pushed back yet—probably Hutao and Er Niu were watching it over there. Nie Yunzhu had come back first, finding some camphor wood at home to burn into ash, so seeing Ning Yi arrive was truly unexpected.

Preserving century eggs required over twenty days, and when preparing for this business earlier, they'd actually prepared quite a batch in advance. Of course, since Nie Yunzhu lacked confidence, most of the quantity was added at Ning Yi's request, but looking at it now, it was actually still too little.

She'd given Ning Yi a general idea about century eggs possibly being in short supply, and Ning Yi had also shared some views—nothing more than increasing sources and reducing waste, nothing extraordinary. Methods for solving problems themselves were never extraordinary. For reducing waste, limit the number sent to each shop, though of course coordination with all parties was needed, saying nice things, and for increasing sources, there was no shortcut—just make them faster. These past days Nie Yunzhu had been extraordinarily busy, though of course, she couldn't tell Ning Yi much about this busyness in the morning, just happily reporting results.

Ning Yi had previously told her to use camphor wood ash for preserving eggs, so now she burned some camphor wood every day, but today this firewood was rather damp, accidentally filling the whole kitchen with smoke. Afterward Ning Yi went in with her to deal with it, taking quite a while to disperse the smoke, and they pulled out some of the damp firewood from the stove, lighting a small fire to burn slowly. When Ning Yi sat before the stove watching the fire, Nie Yunzhu washed her face and hands beside him, then brought a wet towel for Ning Yi to wipe his face. When the towel was handed over, her cheeks were slightly hot, even her wrists trembling slightly, but except for herself, others probably couldn't tell.

Having not hosted guests for long, the towels were only hers and Hutao's, and it wouldn't be proper to give Hutao's to Ning Yi, so she had to use her own. This gesture seemed overly intimate, making her heart feel like it held a small mouse. She watched Ning Yi casually wipe, then reached to take it back, her mouth speaking meaningless words: "Liheng... where did you come from just now?"

"Just came from Old Qin's place." Ning Yi threw in a stick of firewood. "It was originally a bet with Kang Xian, just showed off a bit. Mm, very satisfying."

"That's good then." When Ning Yi mentioned this, Nie Yunzhu's heart also felt slightly happy, as she'd originally worried this bet wouldn't be met, making him lose face, but she hadn't expected it to be achieved so quickly. "This morning, another shop wants century eggs delivered. That makes six now..."

"So fast..." Ning Yi thought. "But near that street, those who can afford to sell them should be just these few, right? Maintaining this situation in the future should be about enough..."

If not considering expanding scale, purely going by a playful mindset, being able to maintain supply to these few restaurants should already be Nie Yunzhu and Hutao's limit. As for whether to expand, that was her business—Ning Yi didn't want to interfere. Nie Yunzhu thought for a moment, squatting down beside him and smiling:

"Too fast, Yunzhu couldn't react at once. Honestly, a few days ago, I kept worrying about ruining Liheng's bet."

"Heh, the bet is actually a small matter, like a joke, but... winning is certainly best, haha."

"That old gentleman is an imperial son-in-law, and when I went to deliver century eggs last month, such a big residence—a princess's mansion. Actually when Liheng introduced him before New Year, I was wondering if it was that person, but didn't expect it was true. Liheng is really amazing, actually able to chat and laugh with such people, even betting and joking."

These words weren't flattery or anything, for no matter what, someone of Kang Xian's status should be Liheng's elder. She'd seen quite a few before—with such age differences, when meeting, they'd certainly observe nephew or disciple etiquette, and even if the elder was kind, it was just kindness toward juniors. But someone like Liheng who seemed relaxed with everyone—she'd truly never seen before. Thinking this way, wasn't she herself one of them?

"Met through chess, probably without too much utilitarian mindset." Ning Yi poked the flames. "They're all reasonable old folks, so respecting their learning and viewpoints is enough... Uh, you'd heard of who he was before?"

"Naturally I'd heard, and before Liheng introduced him, I'd probably seen him once or twice... maybe twice. One year performing at White Egret Isle, Lord Ming surely went, but there were many people, so I couldn't remember everyone..." She recalled those events, then laughed softly. "And at that time with many young talents present, Hutao and other sisters I knew only looked at those talents. The high officials at the main guest seats were also discussed, but though Lord Ming had learning, he was an imperial son-in-law and already old, so I didn't remember him. Lord Ming probably doesn't remember Yunzhu either..."

"Oh oh." Ning Yi smiled mischievously. "Just focused on remembering those talents..."

If teased about this by others, Nie Yunzhu might feel uncomfortable, but at this moment she had no such feelings, just smiling: "Yes, when women performed then, naturally we focused on remembering talents. Hee, Yunzhu liked remembering rich ones then, and of course, if their poetry and learning caught the eye, that was even better. Eagerly currying favor, calculating redemption money every day..."

She stopped here, then said: "Does Liheng know Li Pin, Li Dexin?"

"I know him—mentioned before, right? We're at the same academy now."

"What about Cao Guan?"

"Heard of him."

"Then... Gu Hong, Gu Yanzhen?"

Saying this name, she watched Ning Yi's expression carefully. Ning Yi thought: "Haven't heard of this one... Who is it?"

"Nothing, also a talent." She lowered her head, smiling. "Unrelated person."

Some things Nie Yunzhu hadn't told Ning Yi, for in fact, for her, they weren't appropriate to tell Ning Yi.

Gu Yanzhen had been going to the stall looking for her these past few days, saying things, and the person was sincere, but for her, it was truly troublesome. Especially as some small problems also arose—Gu Yanzhen had probably learned from Hutao that she hadn't married, and these past days, he'd actually been helping her pull in century egg business. This morning's shop wasn't as Liheng said in the nearby district, but somewhere farther, where Gu Yanzhen had used his influence to have friends help look after it.

These things she naturally couldn't speak of, for business was opened up—she didn't know how to refuse the kindness. Gu Yanzhen only thought "you want to sell century eggs, I'll help you," not knowing she was actually getting too busy. Thinking of Liheng's side, he only said "having these few is enough," making her feel warm inside, but she also couldn't ask him how to control this situation. She'd originally suspected the market expansion might be related to Liheng, but now it seemed not, and she couldn't tell him there was now another man helping, this man she'd known from the brothel before...

Caring somewhat about Liheng's thoughts, it was better not to say after all. Anyway... being able to expand business was always good, and being busy now, she'd probably need to hire people next. Perhaps letting Er Niu's family help would be good... Sigh, she'd never thought it could reach this step, as what she'd originally yearned for was perhaps just those fulfilling days earning a living while watching the small cart every day...

Since she didn't say, Ning Yi couldn't possibly know these things, and in his view, the century egg business had already reached saturation for Nie Yunzhu. He'd also told Li Pin to have his friends stop, and Li Pin had asked him two days ago: "What's Liheng's relationship with that century egg vendor?" Ning Yi only answered they were friends, the other didn't ask further, and he didn't sense much amiss.

On the other hand, Gu Yanzhen had found Li Pin to ask about this two days ago, and at that time Gu Yanzhen's heart was in turmoil, aggressive. After Li Pin probably knew the century egg stall owner was the woman Gu Yanzhen had liked before, he didn't reveal Ning Yi's name, for he was a careful person—Ning Yi was originally the Su family's live-in son-in-law and couldn't possibly have anything ambiguous with that Miss Yunzhu. Of course, whether there was or not, letting people know about this was always bad, and whether truth or rumor, it was a great taboo. So he only said it was a friend's game, and reminded Gu Yanzhen that Miss Yunzhu might not have married, and after Gu Yanzhen confirmed this with Hutao, he didn't investigate further.

Actually for Ning Yi, Nie Yunzhu's century eggs were just small matters, as chatting during morning runs didn't take much time, and these weren't the focus of his life.

Morning time teaching children, in the afternoon he'd rented a room near Yushan Academy, and if not going to Old Qin's or Nie Yunzhu's—actually he went rarely—he'd begin some chemistry research here. What he now had were some classical Chinese chemistry books, and these chemistry books recorded many phenomena that, though unrelated to modern chemistry system theories, could at least point directions for initial research.

Besides books like "Dream Pool Essays," he'd made some basic iron frames, ceramic bottles used as test tubes, heating devices using oil lamps, additionally various metal, wooden, and ceramic bottles and jars, then purchasing various chemical raw materials he could find. Honestly, the current Wu Dynasty also had some workshops whose business involved chemical reactions, but his current state looked perhaps more like alchemy rather than researching those workshop techniques.

His previous life's chemistry courses had long been returned to teachers, and due to involvement in many industries then, he could remember some reaction relationships, but they were no longer systematic, like fragmented tech trees in games. Some chemical records in classical texts could awaken some memories—better than nothing—and he needed a simple beginning. Currently he could only randomly combine things to see reactions, for instance, putting rusty iron in strong acid¹and heating removed the rust—he'd note this phenomenon in his notebook. Then roughly remembering some fragmentary theories, like iron rusting being easily oxidized—he knew this, but as for what reversing this process counted as, he'd completely forgotten. Chemical formulas he didn't remember either, so he could now only note down each chemical concept he remembered in his notebook, then slowly match them.

The chemistry line first headed toward strong acids like sulfuric acid and nitric acid, because reactions were intense and easily observed. Of course, most important was being careful to avoid problems that might cost him his life, and he'd actually mastered several advanced techniques. Currently if needed, he could make gunpowder, industrial alcohol or high-proof liquor, since distillation was simple after all. Later he'd need to make alcohol lamps, though he wasn't clear why alcohol lamps were better than oil lamps—probably smokeless... The outlines of many large-scale chemical industries weren't unclear either, but supporting technology couldn't keep up. Of course, some weren't so particular—crude steel making was relatively simple, considered nonsense in modern times but no problem here. He roughly remembered—he'd discuss when necessary later.

Initial exploration of these chemical reactions was always rather boring, and most times, he didn't know what he'd burned out. Xiao Chan often followed him, and when he experimented in the room, Xiao Chan would boredly walk back and forth under the eaves, occasionally saying to Ning Yi: "Is Master making elixirs?" The little girl sometimes imagined Master would suddenly fly away, sitting under the eaves holding her chin, sitting on the railing swaying her skirt, thinking this way. Hearing Master casually tell stories called "Journey to the West" or "Investiture of the Gods" inside, she felt somewhat worried yet somewhat yearning.

Of course, most of the time Master gave her feelings of reliability and steadiness, but for a little girl, romance was just such things. So in idle times, listening to Master's voice, she'd have small fantasies in her heart—if Master suddenly flew away, she'd definitely cry and cry and cry for a long time, but if Master was willing to take her along... Her heart felt slightly happy. Then she thought Master would have to take Young Miss too... She sat there occasionally melancholy, occasionally smiling, secretly glancing at that door, telling herself not to think these things anymore, then quietly walking in, cutely appearing before Master: "Master, is there anything Xiao Chan can do?"

"Get out." The man wore a mask, weighing strange powder.

"Oh..."

Xiao Chan dejectedly went out as spring light was bright, orioles flew and grass grew. The little maid hugged her knees leaning against the eaves, looking up thinking her little thoughts among the sparse wildflowers blooming in the courtyard, feeling indescribable loneliness and desolation.

In the room, Ning Yi looked at the window beside him, frowning slightly, for he'd already told her to be careful. Though the current chemistry system wasn't pure, the room still had corrosive or mildly toxic substances, and though the little girl was usually clever at handling matters, these things still couldn't let her touch them. Then he continued telling myths he remembered, and before long, the little girl became happy again: "Master, Master, yesterday Xiao Chan and Young Miss heard a story at the restaurant too..."

Then she began chattering away, and not long after, Ning Yi came out of the room, making Xiao Chan's mood become even happier. The two chatted, walking along the road toward home as usual, for Master only seemed somewhat distant when in that room. Occasionally remembering, she'd turn back in the sunset's afterglow to make a face at that hateful room.

Besides Xiao Chan, most of the time, Ning Yi's social life still unfolded with Su Tan'er, and in the current era's background, the two's mode of interaction was actually somewhat strange...

(End of Chapter)