Chapter 103: The Clear Mirror Studio

The next morning, Xu Mo took Chen Miaoyi and Qin Mutou to the fragrance and skincare specialty store because they had arranged to reconcile accounts with Ning Yaxin that day.

Usually, the bookkeeping for the soap workshop was handled by Chen Miaoyi and Xu Hui, so Xu Mo had no need to worry about it.

When the two parties met, there was the usual polite small talk.

Ning Yaxin was very concerned about Chen Miaoyi’s health. After inquiring, she even gave her some nourishing supplements.

Chen Miaoyi was a bit flustered and repeatedly declined, saying, "Miss Ning, I’m really fine. I don’t need these. You’re too kind."

Seeing Chen Miaoyi refuse, Ning Yaxin turned to Xu Mo and said, "Young Master Xu, please persuade your wife."

Xu Mo, seeing that the items were not particularly expensive, said to Chen Miaoyi, "My dear, Miss Ning means well, so let’s not refuse. Just accept them."

"My husband, you’re too impolite," Chen Miaoyi immediately replied.

Xu Mo smiled and said, "We’re already so familiar, why be so formal?"

Ning Yaxin quickly chimed in, "Yes, Mrs. Xu, since we’re all close, please accept them."

Then she added, "Besides, Xu Mo came up with a good idea for me yesterday. I haven’t even had a chance to thank him yet. If you don’t accept this small gift, I’ll feel bad."

Only then did Chen Miaoyi nod and agree to accept the gift.

After some casual chatting, the three began to check the accounts.

While Ning Yaxin and Chen Miaoyi diligently reconciled the records, Xu Mo stood idly by.

He decided to take a stroll around the nearby street to pass the time.

"My dear, Miss Ning, since you’re busy with the accounts and I can’t help, I’ll just go outside for a walk to avoid disturbing you," Xu Mo said with a smile.

"Sure!" "Sure!"

Both women replied in unison.

In the next moment, Chen Miaoyi and Ning Yaxin looked at each other and burst into laughter.

After leaving the accounting room, Xu Mo headed toward the staircase. Qin Mutou followed behind and asked, "Master, where are you going?"

"Just around nearby, to pass the time," Xu Mo replied, quickening his pace.

Qin Mutou followed a few steps and then said, "Master, I want to buy something for Huihui. How about you come with me?"

Xu Mo glanced back and asked, "Buy what?"

Qin Mutou quickly answered, "Hand cream, the same kind you bought for Mistress Xu last time."

Xu Mo had already reached the stairs and was walking down as he asked curiously, "What made you suddenly think of buying hand cream for her?"

Qin Mutou scratched his head and said somewhat embarrassed, "Well, Master, Huihui keeps saying at home that the hand cream you bought for Mistress Xu is very good, so I thought... I thought I’d buy her a box too, hehe..."

Xu Mo laughed and said, "Who says you’re just a blockhead? I think you’re quite clever, knowing how to give gifts to make girls happy, haha!"

Qin Mutou blushed and kept laughing sheepishly while scratching his head.

After going downstairs, Xu Mo said, "Alright, let’s go buy the hand cream together. By the way, your sister-in-law’s is almost used up."

"Okay!" Qin Mutou replied happily.

Soon, they came out of the fragrance and skincare store and headed toward the shop they had visited last time.

After about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, they arrived at the shop selling the hand cream.

Unfortunately, all the hand cream had been sold out the day before, and the next shipment wouldn’t arrive for at least half a month.

To avoid coming back empty-handed again, Xu Mo decisively paid a deposit and asked the shopkeeper to reserve two boxes for them when the new stock arrived.

Still, Qin Mutou was disappointed and remained downcast and listless as they left the shop.

Xu Mo smiled and patted Qin Mutou’s shoulder. "Cheer up, Mutou. I’ve already paid the deposit. When the goods arrive, you’ll still be able to surprise Huihui."

Qin Mutou nodded but didn’t seem much cheered.

Xu Mo thought for a moment and said, "Mutou, why don’t we go look around some more and pick another gift for Huihui?"

Those words immediately brightened Qin Mutou’s spirits, and he nodded enthusiastically. "Great, great..."

Xu Mo was amused by his reaction.

They wandered the street together, eagerly inspecting anything delicious, fun, or beautiful. Each time, they would discuss whether Xu Hui might like it.

But after quite some time, they hadn’t found anything suitable.

Then Xu Mo noticed a shop called “Bright Mirror Studio.”

Judging from the name, it seemed to be a mirror shop.

Xu Mo tapped Qin Mutou and pointed to the Bright Mirror Studio. "Mutou, why don’t we buy a mirror for Huihui? I heard your sister-in-law say Huihui often complains that the mirror she uses now is too small."

Qin Mutou nodded immediately in agreement.

The two entered the Bright Mirror Studio.

Although the shop was not large, it carried a variety of mirrors—not only bronze but also gold and silver ones.

"What kind of mirror are you two looking for?" the shopkeeper greeted them.

Xu Mo smiled and said, "We want to look around first. If we need anything, we’ll ask you."

The shopkeeper nodded with a smile and went about his business.

Xu Mo and Qin Mutou examined the prices of the various mirrors and found that bronze mirrors varied the most—from a few hundred wen to over a thousand strings of cash.

Gold and silver mirrors were in a different price range. Silver mirrors cost over fifty strings, while gold ones were over three hundred strings.

Moreover, they were all gold- or silver-plated, with only a few pieces available—probably just for show.

After looking around, Xu Mo was dissatisfied with all the mirrors in the shop.

As someone from another time, he was used to glass mirrors with the highest brightness and clarity. Compared to those gold, silver, and bronze mirrors, these simply didn’t meet his standards.

Xu Mo approached the shopkeeper and asked, "Do you have any mirrors that are brighter and clearer?"

The shopkeeper replied, "Sir, Bright Mirror Studio is the largest and best mirror shop in the Xinzhou area. Every mirror here is carefully crafted and polished—very bright and clear!"

Xu Mo shook his head. "Shopkeeper, these mirrors are still far from clear enough for me."

Then he explained his specific requirements.

After hearing him out, the shopkeeper smiled and said, "Sir, what you’re talking about must be crystal mirrors. If so, you’d need to go to the capital and try your luck there. In a small place like Xinzhou, don’t even bother."

"Crystal mirrors?" Xu Mo asked.

The shopkeeper nodded and began to explain.

A crystal mirror is made by grinding and polishing crystal, and compared to the gold, silver, and bronze mirrors here, it offers much higher brightness and clarity.

Of course, crystal mirrors were also far more expensive.

Curious, Xu Mo asked, "Shopkeeper, how much does a crystal mirror usually cost?"

The shopkeeper pointed to a regular-sized bronze mirror nearby and said, "Sir, a crystal mirror of this size won’t be less than five hundred taels..."

"Five hundred taels... that’s reasonable, not too expensive," Xu Mo said, now wealthy and unconcerned about the price.

The shopkeeper smiled and added, "...in gold!"

One tael of gold could be exchanged for ten taels of silver, so five hundred taels of gold equaled five thousand taels of silver.

Xu Mo’s expression changed slightly, surprised. "That expensive?"

Qin Mutou was stunned as well. In his understanding, no mirror could possibly be worth five hundred taels of gold. Not even if you killed him would he spend that much!

The three pages end here.