The next morning, Wen Ning Xuan arrived. He mentioned he needed to oversee things at the Cai Die Xuan shop today and asked if Lin He wanted to take a stroll outside with him. Having rested for a night, Lin He's spirits had recovered. She had originally planned to take Zi Yu out anyway, so this was a good chance to explore. Lin He readily agreed. Seeing Lin He’s eagerness to go out, Wen Ning Xuan chuckled softly. They shared breakfast there, and then he took Lin He out with him.

The Cai Die Xuan shop was actually located at the front of this courtyard. However, since it was a large business that dealt with customers constantly, creating noise, Wen Ning Xuan had separated the courtyard from the shop during the renovation. The rear entrance to Cai Die Xuan opened on the side, requiring a detour from the courtyard.

It wasn't far at all, just a few steps to reach the Cai Die Xuan interior. It was still early; the shop had only recently opened. The shop assistants were still arranging the merchandise. When they saw Wen Ning Xuan and Lin He arrive, they immediately stopped what they were doing and bowed. Moreover, they didn't seem surprised to see Lin He; they greeted her directly as "Miss." Lin He was initially a little surprised that everyone seemed to recognize her, but glancing at Wen Ning Xuan beside her, she figured he must have mentioned her beforehand.

Wen Ning Xuan entered the shop and called an assistant over, instructing him to wait nearby to serve them. After exchanging a brief word with Lin He, he headed upstairs.

Yesterday, Lin He had only briefly stood in the shop without really looking. Today, she had the time. Lin He paused to examine things carefully. This shop was quite different from the usual establishments of this era. If one were to compare it, it bore some resemblance to the shopping malls of her previous life—not in terms of sheer size, but in the way the areas were delineated. Products were clearly sectioned off, unlike the current custom where everything was piled together. Simply put, it felt like many small shops consolidated into one venue. Each section had dedicated staff, yet payment was processed at a central point—a rather advanced setup for this time.

Lin He then went to view her own section. Her products had a dedicated counter, prominently placed within the shop. Overseeing this area, besides two assistants, were two young women. They were not old and were very quick on their feet. Judging by their attire, they didn't look like ordinary maids. Lin He observed them closely for a while, then smiled. This was quite interesting. She wondered who had arranged it. These two women seemed specially selected; their complexions were excellent, fair with a natural blush, their skin smooth and delicate. They were exclusively responsible for selling her products, similar to the dedicated counter staff in her previous life, people specifically tasked with introducing cosmetics to customers and managing samples. This truly surprised Lin He, suggesting that Cai Die Xuan wasn't just different externally; its sales model was also quite forward-thinking.

After watching for a bit, Lin He asked the attendant who was accompanying her to attend to other duties, and she took Zi Yu upstairs. There were several rooms upstairs, likely where Wen Ning Xuan or the manager usually handled accounts. Lin He wandered around until she reached the door of one room and heard Wen Ning Xuan’s voice inside. Thinking he was discussing serious matters, Lin He was about to turn back when she heard him call out, "He'er."

Lin He entered with Zi Yu. Inside the room, besides Wen Ning Xuan, were two other people. One was Ling Xiao, whom Lin He knew; he had traveled with them. The other was a man around twenty years old, whom Lin He had never seen before. The man saw Lin He, bowed respectfully, and addressed her, "Miss."

Lin He looked at Wen Ning Xuan with surprise. Wen Ning Xuan explained, "This is Ling Xiang. I mentioned him to you. He is the manager of this shop. When I'm not here, he oversees everything."

Lin He offered Ling Xiang a polite smile and said, "Ah, then we shouldn't interrupt your discussion. We’ll head off now. I'll take Zi Yu out for a walk."

Wen Ning Xuan looked at Lin He and suggested that Ling Xiao accompany them. Lin He refused. Ling Xiao’s face seemed even icier than Wen Ning Xuan’s had been initially. They hadn't exchanged a single word during their walk over. Asking him to accompany her shopping felt like courting frostbite. Besides, she preferred being with Zi Yu. Wen Ning Xuan didn't press the matter but only told them to be careful.

Lin He nodded and left with Zi Yu. Wen Ning Xuan watched her until her silhouette disappeared from view before turning back. Ling Xiang spoke up in the room, "Young Master, is she the one you mentioned as the future Second Young Mistress? She's still such a young girl. And has Madam Wen been informed? Aren't you afraid..."

Wen Ning Xuan shot a cold glance at Ling Xiang, who immediately fell silent, standing respectfully to the side. After a pause, Wen Ning Xuan stated, "Don't worry about others. The one I have chosen is her." His tone was unyieldingly firm.

Ling Xiang nodded and continued to brief Wen Ning Xuan on some shop matters, mentioning that Cai Die Xuan's business had been excellent since opening, siphoning off considerable trade from competitors. There had also been several incidents of troublemakers, the most severe case involving Yin Ruo Xuan.

"Yin Ruo Xuan?" Wen Ning Xuan questioned.

"Yes, the one running the competing shop opposite us. We discovered that shop sent several people to cause disturbances on a few occasions. Fortunately, we noticed early. Young Master, shall we send someone to meet them head-on?" Ling Xiang inquired.

"Not yet. Things are quite busy for the time being. Just have people keep a close watch on them," Wen Ning Xuan replied.

Wen Ning Xuan knew that the manager of Yin Ruo Xuan was Lin He's third maternal uncle. Although the man hadn't admitted it, Wen Ning Xuan had gathered from the expressions of Lin He's parents that he was undoubtedly that person. Given this connection, it wasn't appropriate to press the matter too far; otherwise, it would be difficult to explain to Lin He's father. For now, they would observe the situation and decide later.

Meanwhile, Lin He and Zi Yu strolled through the streets, buying very little. She reasoned that unlike her previous visit, she wasn't leaving in a day or two; there would be plenty of time later. They just walked around casually, buying a few necessities before returning.

Back at the residence, there wasn't much to do. Lin He and Zi Yu sat in the courtyard. Zi Yu held one of Lin He's dresses, busy sewing. Lin He smiled and asked, "Zi Yu, what are you making now?"

"The weather is getting cold, Miss. I thought I should make some warmer clothes for you. We didn't bring many when we came; I’m afraid we won't have enough for winter. I had nothing else to do sitting around, and Yue Gui and the other two maids are very diligent; all the chores are done," Zi Yu explained.

Lin He smiled at Zi Yu's words and let her continue while she rested in the courtyard. After a while, Lin He seemed to remember something and said, "Zi Yu, we still need to go out this afternoon to buy some things."

"Alright, Miss. Did you forget anything this morning?" Zi Yu asked.

"We need to buy some cotton fabric. Look, the two little maids here definitely don't have winter clothes yet. Let's buy some cloth to make them a couple of winter outfits," Lin He said.