Uncle Wen opened the wooden box, and a faint fragrance drifted out. The delicate pink paste was instantly appealing; it looked like a fine item indeed.

Lin He continued, "Uncle Wen, I have forty-six more boxes of this. Give six to the ladies in your household to try and see the effects. I will leave the rest here with you for safekeeping. If the ladies who try it find the effects satisfactory, please help me place them here on consignment." She then explained the method for using the Plum Blossom Cream to Uncle Wen in detail.

Lin He wasn't sure if there were specific rules regarding consignment sales for goods in ancient times, but she recalled how, in her past life, formal marketplaces or supermarkets often required one to examine a product thoroughly before agreeing to act as an agent for a brand.

Lin He felt that having Uncle Wen's female relatives test her product first would provide stronger persuasive power later. Furthermore, Uncle Wen wouldn't have to worry about the product being subpar and damaging the reputation of his Caidie Xuan.

Uncle Wen understood the implication in Lin He’s words and laughed heartily, "I will gladly accept the few boxes of Plum Blossom Cream that He'er gifted me. I will begin consigning the rest at Caidie Xuan starting today. Since He'er says it’s a good item, it surely won't be poor quality. How does He'er plan to price it?"

Lin He considered for a moment and replied, "Uncle Wen, since I made it myself, I naturally believe it's good. I’ll be honest with you: I think the vast majority of rouges and cosmetics women use now are quite damaging to the skin. Using my Plum Blossom Cream makes the skin better over time; used consistently, it can transform rough skin into something soft and smooth."

She paused, letting her thoughts settle for a moment, then continued, "But since this is a new product, I think the price should be set lower initially—three hundred wen per box. If it sells well, I can adjust the pricing later when I introduce other products. What do you think, Uncle Wen?"

Listening to Lin He describe the Plum Blossom Cream, Uncle Wen felt it was indeed a good product. Coupled with the fact that Lin He always managed to produce unexpected successes, he had faith that this cream would sell well. A price of three hundred wen per box seemed reasonable.

Thinking it over, Uncle Wen nodded and said, "He'er makes a valid point. When introducing a new product, setting the price too high initially does make it difficult to sell."

Lin He understood this perfectly. No matter where you were, launching a new product always presented challenges. People accustomed to using old products were often reluctant to switch. Humans have a tendency toward dependency; once they are used to one thing, most people won't readily try something new.

Partly, they felt more comfortable with what they were used to and were too lazy to seek out new things; secondly, they believed established brands guaranteed quality. Thus, even if one's product was superior, time was needed to solidify its standing in the market. Her product was brand new; no matter how good she believed it was, it was meaningless unless others were willing to use it—that was the ultimate measure.

Lin He looked at Uncle Wen and asked, "Uncle Wen, I know everything sold at your Caidie Xuan is high quality. Many ladies from affluent families shop here. Can my Plum Blossom Cream be sold through you?"

Boss Wen looked at the young girl. After the New Year, Lin He was eight years old. She was clearly an eight-year-old girl, yet her actions and words were far beyond what a child of that age could manage. He felt genuinely intrigued by her.

Boss Wen smiled and said, "He'er, why be so formal with Uncle Wen? Although Caidie Xuan primarily stocks established brands, we always need some new items; we can't keep selling only the same few things. Rest assured, you can leave them here to sell. In a few days, I'll send someone, or you can come by yourself, to check on the situation."

Lin He replied, "Very well, Uncle Wen, I will rely on you then. Also, we do need to pay a consignment fee; we will follow your shop's usual rules. My brother and I will come by in a few days to check the progress."

Uncle Wen agreed, "That sounds good. We'll review things in a few days then."

Lin He and Dabao strolled aimlessly through the streets. Lin He made a specific detour to look at shops specializing in cosmetics in this ancient era. The so-called rouges and powders were basically the same few types, and they contained alarmingly high levels of lead. Lin He merely took a quick look before heading back. They had no spare silver, so there wasn't much they could buy; they still had sufficient food provisions at home.

When Lin He and Dabao returned home, they were surprised to find both Zhao Shi and He Shi present, chatting with Huang Shi in the courtyard. Most of the time, Zhao Shi and He Shi did the talking, while Huang Shi offered only occasional replies or polite smiles. Seeing He Shi's eager enthusiasm while speaking, Lin He immediately knew that her visit was surely not for a simple, pleasant reason.

As expected, after Lin He and Dabao sat with them in the courtyard for a short while, Zhao Shi and He Shi steered the conversation toward the main topic. Zhao Shi spoke first, "Our Qingshan is sixteen after the New Year, which is an age for arranging a marriage. Once engaged, he should marry in a couple of years. But alas, the state of our household is quite worrying."

He Shi immediately put on a pitiful expression and chimed in, "Who isn't worried? Our Qingshan is already sixteen this year, long past the age for betrothal talks. But with the household in this state, how can we possibly focus on arranging his marriage? His father is also extremely troubled at home."

Huang Shi smiled and said, "This is good news. Qingshan has reached the age for arranging a marriage. Do Mother and Sister-in-law have any suitable candidates in mind?"

He Shi quickly stated, "A matchmaker actually visited my home a while ago. She mentioned a suitable girl, fifteen years old, already jiji [reached adulthood]. The girl's appearance is quite good, and her build is fine too. I was told she is capable of handling household duties. However, a wedding requires a substantial sum of silver, which our family simply cannot produce."

Even if Huang Shi were exceptionally dense, she understood He Shi's implication. A surge of annoyance welled up inside her. Did He Shi think her family was some kind of money tree? They only showed up when there was trouble, and now that her son needed a match, they came knocking. Her family owed them nothing.

Thinking this, Huang Shi’s expression certainly soured, but she suppressed her rising anger and spoke softly, "Sister-in-law, while Qingshan is of marriageable age, if the family's means don't allow it, waiting a few more years isn't too late. It's not too late for a young man to marry at twenty."

He Shi had originally come to Huang Shi's house intending to borrow money. Hearing Huang Shi so openly refuse before she had even voiced her request, He Shi’s face immediately fell. However, she didn't press the matter, instead glancing over at Zhao Shi, who was sitting quietly to the side without speaking.

He Shi had discussed these matters with Zhao Shi beforehand; Zhao Shi was aware of the situation. Since she agreed to accompany He Shi, she naturally supported her. Since Huang Shi had spoken so plainly, she would let Zhao Shi take on the unpleasant task. Zhao Shi was not someone who would easily let Huang Shi off the hook. He Shi knew Huang Shi’s temperament well, which was why she hadn't come alone, bringing Zhao Shi along.

He Shi had already mapped out her strategy in her mind.