At noon, just past mealtime, there were few pedestrians on Skywater Bridge Street.
The second floor of the Pei Family's cloth shop housed the main accounts office for Skywater Bridge, the equivalent of a president's office. It was quite spacious, with a reception room outside and a study within.
Inside the study stood a large rosewood desk, furnished with brush, ink, paper, and inkstone. A golden toad holding a copper coin in its mouth sat at one corner.
Behind the grand armchair stood a display shelf, with jade cabbages, porcelain, and other artworks arranged on either side, and a treasured sword to guard the house in the middle.
Dressed in a light summer dress, Pei Xiangjun sat in the grand armchair, wearing the apricot-blossom hairpin Ye Jingtang had given her. She held a brush in her right hand and propped her cheek on her left, absentmindedly drawing little circles on a sheet of white paper.
Her conspicuous bosom rested directly on the edge of the desk. Coupled with her vacant gaze, she looked nothing like a female sect leader, but rather a voluptuous young secretary slacking off at midday.
After her inexplicable, crushing defeat last night, Pei Xiangjun still had not recovered. Countless emotions filled her eyes, and there was no telling what she was thinking.
As her mind wandered ten thousand miles away, hoofbeats drifted up from the street, along with a conversation between two people:
"Old Yang, have Chen Biao find a shopkeeper who knows the ropes to help buy a few pieces of furniture..."
"Sure thing. What kind do you want, young master?"
"Something sturdy. The old bed at home rocks when we sleep. The bird can't sleep soundly."
"Chirp?"
Pei Xiangjun came back to herself, rose, and went to the street-facing window. Pushing it open,