Xu Feng was completely oblivious to the silence in his bedroom, he was in a world of his own. After a moment of hush as Xu Feng fiddled with the garments he was adding to his wardrobe, little Si noticed a point San hadn't.
"Young mistress, you made new clothes for yourself to wear after your marriage tomorrow?"
Xu Feng nodded, being pulled back into the present as San looked at the silly little Si, 'We were here while he sewed the clothes, we even helped him, what kind of question is that?'
Over the last six or seven days, Xu Feng first showed the girls how to make simple pieces like socks and gloves. When they were sewing these items on the first day, Xu Feng took the time and designed a bunch of clothing.
From styles that mimicked Duan Da, the style of Hanfu that was more common among peasants, to more high class Hanfu styles. Xu Feng took his time designing each layer for winter and even built in modern designs like visible pockets and ancient designs like hidden pockets in the sleeves.
The pockets were mostly because he didn't like carrying the coin purses that were common in Donghua. Maybe he would design some bags for men and women. Could that be a money making project?
But what if other people copied his designs?
*Sigh
There was too much on Xu Feng's mind recently. In web novels, it's always easy for transmigrators to make money. They find money making plans everywhere.
Xu Feng was just a college student, who didn't have experience in a specific trade.
He knew some simple things that could make money, like jam or using spices to make special dishes like better-tasting kimchee, but would that be enough for him to run Nanshan estate with ease?
Si continued, not noticing her young mistress's internal money struggles, "And now, you said you want us to either wear new clothes as your servants or, to umm…"
Xu Feng could guess the big word Si was having a hard time pronouncing, so he helped her, "symbolize or show."
"Yes! To symbolize the new servants being brought into a new marriage with the young master…"
"And he wants us to honor his status as the young mistress of the Xuan family." San added with a bit of pride, "We don't want to embarrass our young mistress."
In only a few seconds, she went from refusing to accept such "fine clothes," to feeling abandoned to brimming with pride for her status in the Nanshan estate, and wanting to honor her young mistress!
Oh, the childlike innocence.
San seemed serious, but she was still a cute young girl. Xu Feng couldn't help but break out into a dimpled smile.
He did feel bad about scaring the girls earlier, and he also felt scared about not being able to support them if something happened in the future. Even with a contract, Lady Xuan wasn't the most trustworthy person he had met in Donghua.
If he was a monster with little emotion, so be it. He'll be a monster that does as he pleases, he just needs to try being softer with his words and work to stand on his own two feet.
Xu Feng came to a conclusion about his feelings, but Si wasn't finished, "So does that mean the servants that don't receive clothing from the young mistress are leaving the mansion?"
"What? No…" San started before Xu Feng cut in.
He was in a weird mood, either because of the wedding the next day, because of his parents, and the loneliness he felt surrounded by people who loved or liked him but were nothing like him. Maybe the original owner of this body, Xu Zeng, would understand. He was a black sheep too.
Still, he answered Si truthfully and tucked away his feelings for the time being, "Yes. They'll go back to the main house with Lady Xuan or go to another estate with Steward Wu."
The two little servant girls stared at Xu Feng open-mouthed, completely astonished. Xu Feng, on the other hand, was more interested in heading to his newly finished greenhouse.
Even with his wedding the next day, the Xuan family already waiting in Yilin town, and an astonished pair of servants, the garden was Xu Feng's target now. As a foodie and plant ability user, the newly built greenhouse was already his place.
He didn't know if the greenhouse would stand up to the heavy snow in northern Donghua, or if he could even control the temperature in the building.
If the greenhouse was a success, maybe he could come up with a steady way to earn money without relying on the Xuan family and the land he hadn't received from them yet.
Xu Feng smiled as he thought of the green, blooming plants that would fill his greenhouse if he had his way.
He didn't know why exactly, but since he awakened his ability, or maybe it was when he woke up in this parallel world, he'd been drawn to nature.
The coming winter only made him sad, and he was dreading the cold. To be honest, this was the reason he pushed for the renovations in Blooming Courtyard and then bullied Steward Wu into rushing the greenhouse.
As he tucked away the last Hanfu into his closet, Xu Feng looked over at his bed. He wanted to take the original owner's ring with him, but he wouldn't open the secret compartment while the two girls were in his room.
It was a secret compartment for a reason.
After glancing at the compartment once more from the corner of his eye, Xu Feng moved toward the entrance of his room. With his long-legged stride, the still shocked Si and San had a hard time keeping up.
They already knew where their young mistress was going. He would go there every chance he could get during the construction period.
What was so special about the wooden cellar? They didn't know.
From Xu Feng's living room to the open space that led to the small reception, Xu Feng continued to move until he was outside in the open air.
The chilly January winds made his bones tingle a bit as he stared at the half-sunken structure that was his greenhouse.