The morning glow gradually spilled into the room. With a drowsy gaze and a leisurely stretch, Su Jin rose from her slumber. She massaged her throbbing forehead and appeared somewhat lethargic.
After experiencing a lengthy and vivid dream during the night, she woke up with a migraine. In her dream, she was taken for a ride in the skies throughout the entire night by two chubby dragons and a plump koi fish. They bickered over who she should mount on. It was a disorderly dream that made no sense at all.
For a few moments, Su Jin sat motionless on the bed, gazing into space without any specific thoughts in her mind.
She was about to pick up the clothes lying next to her bed when she stopped abruptly. Recently, she felt as though she had gained some weight. It must be due to her mother’s excellent culinary skills. Su Jin came up with some random excuses to pacify her mind.
Judging by how bright it was outdoors, it seemed to be midday already. She let out a deep sigh. It was apparent that she had to include another stop to her itinerary for the day. After meeting up and delivering the medicine to young lady Liu, she would drop by the medical hall to consult the physician regarding her recent fatigue. It had persisted way too long to dismiss the condition as a mere aftereffect from her transmigration.
“Jin-er, your food is ready. Your sister-in-law heated it up for you. Do not overexert yourself. Isn’t the manor almost completed? You don’t have to monitor it every single day. Your uncle can keep an eye on it for you.”
Qin Shi had noticed her daughter’s prolonged state of weariness, leading to her growing concern for Su Jin.
While chewing a piece of meat pie, Su Jin asked her mom, “Did uncles and the others start working early in the morning again? I’ll pass more money to you, Mother. You can use it to improve their meals and provide higher wages to them.”
Qin Shi glared at her. “That goes without saying. Don’t worry, they have been fed well. On their most recent visit back home, your grandmother even commented that they had put on weight. She thought they were skiving off at work, and one of them even got slapped.”
As she listened to Qin Shi’s recount imitated with her grandmother’s tone, Su Jin burst out in giggles.
Following her meal, Su Jin took off in her carriage towards the county.
Upon arrival, the servant immediately brought Su Jin to the inner courtyard of Jiang Ru Yan, as they were expecting for her.
The Liu sisters had been waiting for some time, mainly because Liu Wen Shuang was impatient and arrived ahead of time.
“You have finally arrived, Miss Su. Have you brought the medicine?”
With her eyes gleaming in anticipation, she looked at Su Jin and asked expectantly.
Su Jin appreciated her straightforwardness and handed the pills to her as she made a disclaimer, “The results might not have the same effectiveness as in the case of young lady Jiang, and there may be some shallow marks left behind.”
Hearing Su Jin’s assertive statement, Liu Wen Shuang felt reassured. She carefully received the pills and instructed her servant to pack and store it with utmost care.
Afterwards, she expressed her gratitude to Su Jin, “Miss Su, I can’t thank you enough for your assistance. You do not have to be reserved with me. Feel free to specify any reward you would like to receive.”
Su Jin had already pondered about it beforehand, so she responded straightforwardly with a smile, “Grant me a shop in the eastern sector of the market in Fengyuan County. As for the specific details, I will leave it to Miss Liu.”
Given that she had already accumulated a comfortable sum of money, a plot of land and a large manor, all that she needed now was something that could provide a steady stream of decent income. Getting a shop would put everything in order.
Although she had the financial capability to purchase one on her own, the paperwork and processes involved were complicated, and prime locations required more than just money to obtain. However, this would be a simple task for the Liu family, who had connections with the county magistrate.
Since she knew the effectiveness of Su Jin’s medicine and after the matter today, Su Jin was certain that young lady Liu would not tarnish their relationship by brushing her off with a random shop at a poor location.
Only a genius could devise a foolproof plan like this!
The system interrupted Su Jin’s thoughts and asked timidly, “Host, are you really planning to rely on that spicy strip snack to make money? That thing would not even fetch much profit.”
Su Jin casted a skeptical glance and retorted the system in a tone of superiority, “Have you ever heard the concept of ‘small margin, high turnover volumes’? Besides, I don’t intend to end with just selling spicy strips. The hotpot will revolutionize the food culture and become the greatest dish of all time! Isn’t it obvious from the aroma? With the hotpot as the main attraction, there was no need to fear about lack of interest in this inexpensive novelty snack that is addictive. The moment people give it a try… ehehehe… Anyway, you wouldn’t understand adult matters since you are still young and inexperienced.”
Su Jin mocked the system for being ignorant and unilaterally ignored it thereafter.
Meanwhile, Liu Wen Shuang was relieved after learning of Su Jin’s straightforward request. She looked at her in awe. “As Miss Su wishes. Consider it done.”
Once her business was done here, Su Jin got up and left as she wanted to visit the medical hall. Liu Wen Shuang departed eagerly as well and headed towards a certain restaurant.
After arriving at the eastern market, Su Jin had originally wanted to receive a diagnosis but the medical hall was congested at the moment. She furrowed her eyebrows. Who would have foreseen that there would be so many people feeling under the weather today? After scanning her surroundings, she decided to grab a bite before returning later.
Coincidentally, the side exit of the medical hall led directly to a restaurant, and Su Jin entered without much consideration.
As the largest restaurant in Fengyuan County, it goes without saying that dishes served at Eastern Dream Restaurant were top-notch. Su Jin ordered a plate of sweet and sour fried pork and a plate of stir-fried green bamboo shoots and leisurely enjoyed her meal.
In a private room separated just a wall apart, Liu Wen Shuang coyly handed a bottle of medicine to the gentleman in front of her.
She said in a soft voice, “This is the pill mentioned in the letter. Not long ago, the young lady of Fengyuan County…” she then recounted in detail the story of Jiang Ru Yan’s astounding recovery.
Despite hearing it, Chen Beiqing remained calm. He lightly squeezed the pills with his fingertips and inspected it casually. He replied in a flat tone, “Oh? Such a miraculous medicine exists in this world? I am intrigued by the mysterious woman’s identity.”
When Liu Wen Shuang noticed that his interest was drawn towards Su Jin, she immediately remarked, “That woman is just a daughter of a farmer in a rural village, and there is nothing particularly noteworthy about her. I think the medicine was produced by someone else.”
Chen Beiqing chuckled lightly. A mere farmer’s daughter? If she had the means to secure such a well-refined pill, even if it was not made by her, there was no way she could be an ordinary peasant. He kept his thoughts to himself and gave a simple response. “I am grateful, Miss Liu. Regardless of the effectiveness of this medicine, I appreciate your efforts. If you have any requests in the future, I will do my best to help.”
After expressing his part, he casually put away the bottle of medicine and prepared to leave after giving her a slight nod. He made this trip as part of fulfilling his mother’s wishes, and had no intention to consume the medicine for now.
To him, the scar was of little importance, and he needed some time to contemplate on whether to trust a pill of unknown origins.
When Liu Wen Shuang heard that he was leaving, she started to feel anxious and mustered up the courage to speak openly, “Please hold on for a moment, young master Chen. Can I ask if… you recall the carriage that you rescued at Qingping Temple two years ago? I was among the passengers in the carriage. Please allow me to express my gratitude for saving my life that day.”
As she concluded her statement, her cheeks turned red, with eyes obviously of someone who was being smitten. She rose from her seat and elegantly bent down on her knees while offering a bow.
Chen Beiqing momentarily paused his steps and responded without facing her, “It was nothing major, no need to dwell over it.”
He then raised his right hand and waved twice before leaving the room.
With a dejected expression, feelings of emptiness slowly permeated her heart.
Was there a possibility that they would cross paths in the future?
In contrast to the complex and bitter feelings Liu Wen Shang was experiencing, Su Jin was enjoying her meal comfortably, burping while she ate and making fun of the system, spending her time leisurely.
TL Corner: I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Do let me know in the comments or discord if there are any errors or mistakes.
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