Chapter 8

Tang Second Aunt eyed Tang Jin’s smiling face before turning her gaze directly to Chu Lingyue standing behind her. “Lingyue, come take a look. Your aunt trusts your judgment.”

In truth, she didn’t interact much with Chu Lingyue on a regular basis. Yet for some reason, she trusted the quiet young woman far more than her own spendthrift niece.

Chu Lingyue stepped forward, took the sheet of paper, and upon reading its contents, her eyes turned icy cold.

The contract stated that if the silver wasn’t repaid by the due date, the debtor’s wife would be handed over as collateral.

Tang Jin’s wife was her, of course. So this creditor had clearly planned to sell her off from the start, all for the sake of a bit of silver.

The deadline on the contract allowed a maximum grace period of three days. Today marked the first.

Seeing Chu Lingyue remain silent, Tang Jin leaned over for a peek. Her eyes went wide.

Well, I’ll be. It was real.

Had the original host suffered from selective amnesia?

More importantly, pawning off one’s own wife for a mere twenty taels? Talk about no bottom line.

Quick as a flash, Tang Second Aunt snatched back the IOU. “Lingyue, you’ve seen it clear as day. Miss Chu doesn’t need this pittance of twenty taels, and your aunt has no reason to deceive you both.”

Chu Lingyue glanced at Tang Jin and nodded without a word.

It was all there in black and white, complete with Tang Jin’s own signature and handprint.

Just as Tang Second Aunt had said, neither Miss Chu nor this aunt of hers had any motive to conspire against Tang Jin over some silver.

Only then did Tang Second Aunt turn to Tang Jin. “Tang Jin, do you acknowledge this debt?”

Seeing Chu Lingyue nod, Tang Jin knew there was no denying it. The original host really had borrowed twenty taels from these people—and without a lick of sense, leaving her utterly unprepared.

She couldn’t help patting the pouch of silver nestled against her chest. It wasn’t even warm from her body heat yet, and now she had to repay it? This was her hard-won sponsorship, the cornerstone of her grand money-making scheme.

“Tang Jin!” Tang Laidi spotted the gesture and couldn’t hold back a sharp shout.

That was her twenty taels!

Her entire nest egg for joining the restaurant venture!

Her close friend’s shout snapped Tang Jin out of any impulse to repay the debt on the spot.

“Second Aunt, if memory serves, the repayment has a three-day grace period. This is only the first day. Please convey to Miss Chu that I’ll settle it without fail two days from now.”

“So you’ve suddenly remembered, have you? Fine, I’ll return in two days.” Tang Second Aunt let out a scoffing laugh and turned on her heel.

She was merely the messenger here; there was no need to wrangle further with Tang Jin. Worst case, she could always go to Old Madam Tang.

Once Tang Second Aunt had departed, Tang Laidi’s face fell in regret. “Tang Jin, give me back my silver. I’m out.”

Tang Jin pondered for a moment, then pivoted and seized Chu Lingyue’s hand. “Laidi, if you don’t trust me, surely you trust my wife? With such a wonderful wife at my side, how could I bear to let her be collateral?”

“Of course you wouldn’t part with Lingyue. But you’d happily part with my twenty taels,” Tang Laidi shot back without mincing words.

Though she was a constable who favored solving problems with her fists, she wasn’t brainless.

Tang Jin shook her head, speaking with earnest gravity. “What I’m saying is, the restaurant is opening no matter what. With my wife here, what do you have to fear?”

Truth be told, she hadn’t wanted to lean on Chu Lingyue’s reputation for credibility. But the original host’s name was utter poison; to outsiders, Chu Lingyue clearly seemed the more reliable and steady one.

The twenty taels still needed repaying, and Chu Lingyue couldn’t be collateral. Their only option now was to go all in. If it came to it, she’d offer herself up instead.

After all, the original host was a scholar. She ought to fetch at least twenty taels, right?

The thought made Tang Jin’s chest tighten. Only her second day in this world, and she was already reduced to appraising her own market value. What a massive pit the original host had dug.

Tang Laidi glanced at the silent Chu Lingyue and gritted her teeth. “Fine, I’ll trust Lingyue this once. So how exactly are we opening this place? Give us a plan.”

Tang Jin breathed a sigh of relief. “We head into the city now, lease a shop, and aim to open tonight.”

They had two days left. If they couldn’t earn the silver, they might truly end up selling themselves into servitude…

Chu Lingyue quietly withdrew her hand from Tang Jin’s grasp and remained subdued the entire way.

Tang Village lay right on the edge of the county seat—a brisk twenty-minute walk. Once in the city, the three women followed Tang Laidi straight to the broker’s agency.

Tang Jin scanned the rental listings plastered on the agency’s walls and plucked one down. “This one.”

Tang Laidi took one look and frowned in disapproval. “That shop used to sell grain and flour. And it’s right across from Tower Beyond Towers. Do you even know what Tower Beyond Towers is? We’re opening a restaurant.”

A month’s rent was five taels, and with their total of twenty—now going right opposite Tower Beyond Towers? It was like a fool waving a sword before a master swordsman. A joke.

Of course Tang Jin knew what Tower Beyond Towers was; the original host’s memories held the details.

It was one of the two top imperial merchants of the Hundred Blades Dynasty—the grandest chain of inns. Lodging, dining, the works. It boasted the best reputation in Hundred Blades City and the priciest cuisine.

Opening a restaurant right across from it couldn’t be more perfect.

Without batting an eye, Tang Jin handed over fifteen taels to secure three months’ lease. Tang Laidi stared in utter despair, suddenly wishing Tang Jin had just repaid the debt instead—at least that would have made a satisfying sound.

Chu Lingyue said nothing. Though she lacked memories, many things clicked for her at a glance. She understood Tang Jin was borrowing the east wind.

Building a name for a new restaurant—letting people know good food was to be had there—took time, days or even weeks.

But across from Tower Beyond Towers? That changed everything.

Tower Beyond Towers drew traveling merchants and locals willing to splurge on fine dining. No shortage of potential customers; the question was whether they’d cross the street.

With their last five taels, they hired help to spruce up the place and bought tables and chairs. By then, evening was closing in.

The three had labored without pause and were now famished, their stomachs rumbling against their spines.

“Tang Jin, when do we eat?” Tang Laidi felt stars bursting before her eyes from hunger. She hadn’t had a proper meal in over half a day. Her heart ached.

And Tang Jin had blown through all twenty taels. Worse, Tang Jin had claimed last night’s bowl of noodles was their final rations. What were they supposed to eat now?

The restaurant was just an empty shell. How could they open?

Gazing at the freshly renovated shop, Tang Jin brimmed with high spirits. “All that’s left is the name.”

Tang Laidi rolled her eyes and slumped over the table, too drained to speak. She just wanted food!

Even Chu Lingyue looked weary, though she sat ramrod straight, her eyes downcast in thought.

Seeing this, Tang Jin encouraged them. “Pick a name, and we open right away. Soon as we do, I’ll cook for you both.”

It wasn’t stinginess; they had no spare silver for advertisements. These two were her ready-made shills—vital once customers arrived, empty stomachs or no.

Tang Laidi cracked one eyelid. “Did you buy rice, flour, oil? Vegetables? How are you cooking?”

Chu Lingyue fixed Tang Jin with a deep gaze. “A-Jin is a scholar.”

Hearing that, Tang Jin knew neither would brainstorm further. Fine, she’d handle it.

The name had to be simple, eye-catching—ideally one glance would scream “delicious food here.”

Got it. That was easy; it just rolled right off the tongue.