My Light Is Not So Easily Borrowed
The moment the notice about selling Suxin Pavilion was posted, it instantly became the hottest topic in the Capital. The reason was simple: everyone knew Princess Mira was hopeless at business and couldn’t wait to see her make a fool of herself. Now that there was fresh gossip about Princess Mira, the crowds were buzzing with excitement.
Speaking of Suxin Pavilion, it really is in a prime location—right across from the Capital’s number one restaurant, Eight Treasures Bistro. Because Eight Treasures Bistro draws huge crowds, Suxin Pavilion’s spot is naturally excellent too.
Too bad Princess Mira just had to stir up trouble for herself. If she hadn’t insisted on opening a restaurant to compete with Eight Treasures Bistro, Suxin Pavilion might have survived. Honestly, it’s a miracle it lasted this long.
But if someone else took over and used Suxin Pavilion for another kind of business, it would be an absolute goldmine.
So Princess Mira wasn’t worried at all. Eight Treasures Bistro had boosted the economy around Whisker Alley, doubling property prices and rents. Suxin Pavilion would have no trouble selling.
Everyone understood this simple truth: Suxin Pavilion had a great location and beautiful decor. Whoever bought it wouldn’t even need to renovate—just a few tweaks for their business and it’d be ready to go.
So when the notice to sell Suxin Pavilion went up, people came flocking to ask about the price, practically breaking down the door in their rush to buy it. Princess Mira was over the moon, instantly forgetting all the losses she’d suffered selling spices. Suddenly, she felt like a real business genius—her property had skyrocketed in value! Maybe she really was cut out for business after all.
With that, Princess Mira wasn’t in any hurry to sell. Shops near Whisker Alley were in high demand, so she decided to hold out, waiting for buyers to drive the price even higher.
Bella Bell was thoroughly unimpressed and said to Su Li, “Master, look at Princess Mira showing off. Her Suxin Pavilion used to be such a remote, unsellable spot. It’s only thanks to our Eight Treasures Bistro that Whisker Alley is bustling now. And what does she do? She rides our coattails and flips her shop for double the price. It’s really unfair!”
Su Li laughed, “Bella, my shine isn’t so easy to borrow. If Princess Mira wants to bask in the glory of Eight Treasures Bistro, she’ll have to prove she’s up to the challenge.”
Lingdang looked at Su Li in confusion, just about to ask if Su Li had another plan, when a young servant came in to announce, "Uncle Yuanjie and Aunt Chen have arrived."
"Uncle Yuanjie, Aunt Chen, what brings you here today? Please, have a seat and enjoy some tea. Someone, bring out the finest pastries in the house!" Su Li hadn't seen them for days and had been missing them.
Yuanjie and Mrs. Chen sat down, and after some casual family conversation, Su Li asked, "Uncle Yuanjie, Aunt Chen, is there something you wanted to talk to me about today?"
Uncle Yuanjie smiled and said, "A-Li, you really do see through everything. Since we're family, I'll get straight to the point. My wife and I have long had our eye on Suxin Pavilion across the street, but Princess Mira snatched it up first. Now that Suxin Pavilion is up for sale, we thought we'd ask for your opinion before making any decisions. After all, Princess Mira has always been at odds with you. If our family buys her place, we want to make sure you're comfortable with it, and discuss it with you first."
Su Li smiled, realizing that her uncle and aunt wanted to buy Suxin Pavilion, but were worried that doing business with Princess Mira might upset her. That's why they came to ask her opinion first.