Fate Trading System – Chapter 373

Plan B

Mandarin Ducks 3

Besides, asking for things now didn’t cost any health points, so of course Su Xin had to maximize her use of resources.

Su Xin was helped into her clothes and slicked her drenched hair back.

Xiao Qin went out for a moment and returned with a bowl of ginger soup.

Su Xin wrinkled her nose and downed the soup in a few large gulps. She didn’t much care for the taste.

“Miss, next time you go somewhere, you must tell this servant, you really worried me to death today. You have no idea how anxious this servant was for you.”

Xiao Qin started chattering on again.

Xiao Qin was truly worried. Her own Miss cried every day, reminiscing over the things that scholar had left behind, or she would compose poetry and play the qin, all of which revealed a deep, lovesick longing that would make anyone’s heart ache to hear it.

She didn’t know what the Master had said to the Miss yesterday, but after the Miss returned, she was like a lost soul. She locked herself in her room for the entire afternoon, and by the time Xiao Qin went in to check, her Miss’s eyes were swollen from crying. Something major must have happened.

Although Xiao Qin hadn’t been at the residence for a particularly long time, she understood everything she needed to know about her Miss.

The three-year period was almost up, and that scholar still hadn’t come. The Miss couldn’t afford to wait any longer.

How many three-year periods does a woman have to waste during the most precious years of her youth?

“You may go. I’m tired and want to rest.”

Su Xin’s hair was still damp. She waved her hand, wanting the chattering little maid to leave.

“How can you do that? Miss, your hair is still wet. You’ll surely get sick if you wake up like this tomorrow. Let this servant dry it for you before you sleep.”

Xiao Qin placed the bowl on the table and went to fetch a cloth towel.

Su Xin sat in a chair, closing her eyes and letting Xiao Qin dry her hair, her mind continuing to ponder the recent events.

She wondered if Lin Suhuai would agree to help her with this favor.

Lin Suhuai probably would. From her file, Su Xin could see that she was someone who valued gratitude deeply.

Besides, they had a common enemy.

Naturally, Su Xin wouldn’t reveal that she knew Lin Suhuai’s identity; it would be too inexplicable.

“Miss, it’s done.”

Su Xin opened her eyes, got up, and went to lie down on the bed.

Xiao Qin tucked her in, adjusted the lamp, and tiptoed out of the room, closing the door behind her.

Su Xin wasn’t sleepy yet. Her body felt a bit more comfortable than before. The original owner, Xu Jinyan, had drowned, so there were no external injuries and the body had already been healed. However, the gust of wind that hit Su Xin right after she got out of the water had left her feeling unwell.

This body’s constitution wasn’t exactly frail, but it wasn’t great either.

Grief and worry become illness¹. The original owner had been pining day and night, her heart weighed down with troubles, and she was always melancholic. Naturally, her physical health had deteriorated due to her mental state.

Su Xin had no intention of getting involved in any court intrigues or power struggles. Besides, given her current status, she couldn’t get involved even if she wanted to.

But she hoped the Emperor and Lin Suhuai’s side would win and take down the Empress Dowager. That way, the Princess would lose her power base. Liu Yunyi was part of the Empress Dowager’s faction, and he had done some things for her. When the Empress Dowager fell, he naturally wouldn’t meet a good end, and completing the mission should be much easier then.

The key to whether Su Xin could complete all her missions rested on Lin Suhuai.

You absolutely cannot die.

Su Xin prayed with such sincerity before falling asleep.

The light of dawn illuminated the land. Su Xin got up, and Xiao Qin hurried in to attend to her.

“Miss, why are you up so early today?” Xiao Qin was a little surprised.

Su Xin gave her a faint glance, and Xiao Qin immediately fell silent.

Xiao Qin was used to it. In the past, whenever she asked a question, the Miss would ignore eight out of ten of her sentences. The Miss didn’t like to talk.

After washing up and finishing breakfast, Su Xin walked out of the courtyard.

“Miss, where are you going?”

“Don’t follow me. I will be back at noon.”

“Miss, but…”

“I’ll handle my father myself. Go do whatever you normally do.”

Su Xin left with that parting shot.

Fourteen had said that Lin Suhuai’s situation was already far from optimistic.

Birdsong and fragrant flowers².

Lin Suhuai leaned against the wall inside the bamboo hut, dazedly listening to the sounds outside. Her body grew colder and colder, and she couldn’t open her eyes no matter how she tried.

Lin Suhuai had never imagined that she would die in such a wretched state in this unknown place.

Soon… It should be soon…

“Huh?”

Lin Suhuai heard a voice, but before she could think, she succumbed to the darkness and passed out.

Su Xin found Lin Suhuai slumped inside the dilapidated bamboo hut.

Lin Suhuai’s dark blue robes were somewhat tattered, and a large patch on her chest had been dyed black with blood.

The area was haphazardly bandaged, showing the owner’s haste.

Su Xin thought that Lin Suhuai was actually quite good-looking.

If she hadn’t known this was a woman, she probably would have mistaken her for a man at first glance.

Her skin wasn’t exactly fair, but it wasn’t dark either. Not pale, but it looked normal and healthy.

Her features must have originally been delicate, with a touch of dashing heroism. One might have mistaken her for some kind of scholar.

But a scar ran across her left cheek, covering a quarter of it. It was a terrible shame, yet it didn’t seem out of place, adding a touch of a fierce bandit’s air to her face.

She looked like a general, the kind who could top you until your legs went weak³.

Su Xin tentatively placed a hand on Lin Suhuai’s chest. Because she was wearing regular clothes instead of armor, Su Xin felt a certain softness when she touched her.

Visually, it wasn’t very prominent.

Next up was saving her life.

Su Xin fed her the medicine given by Fourteen and moved her from the floor to the bed.

Lin Suhuai never expected to wake up again.

She opened her eyes. She was still in the same place, only now she had been moved from the floor to the bed.

As she raised her eyes, she saw a young woman standing by the window.

No martial arts.

“You’re awake?” Su Xin’s eyes lit up, and she walked quickly to the bedside.

“You saved me?” Lin Suhuai propped herself up into a sitting position. Her heart sank when she saw her re-bandaged wound.

“I often walk around here. I saw you collapsed when I arrived just now. I had a pill on me that my mother gave me, so I fed it to you.” Su Xin answered the question indirectly, confirming that she was the one who had saved her.

“Many thanks.” Lin Suhuai didn’t know what to say. She opened her mouth but could only offer her gratitude.

She could feel that her injuries had indeed improved a lot. Although her condition was still not optimistic, it was much better than before.

“Maiden⁴, do you usually dress as a man? To travel the Jianghu⁵?”

“…Mm.” Lin Suhuai’s heart tightened, and she suppressed the urge to kill her to silence her.

This person knew a secret that could threaten her future, but she was also her life-saver.

“Then… maiden, where are you from?”

“The Capital.” Lin Suhuai leaned back, observing Su Xin. From the young woman’s attire, her family background was likely impressive. She was also quite bold to save someone without asking any questions.

“You’re from the Capital? That’s wonderful.” Su Xin slightly suppressed her excited expression so as not to seem too ridiculous.

So what if she was from the Capital?

Lin Suhuai gave Su Xin a strange look, unable to touch her head⁶.

“Will you be returning to the Capital?”

“Naturally.”

Su Xin paced around the room twice, completely unable to suppress her joy and excitement. It was obvious at a glance.

Is this young woman asking for a reward because I’m from the Capital? Lin Suhuai thought.

That would be for the best. If the debt could be settled, she wouldn’t have to owe a favor.

“Do the people around you know that you are a woman?”

“I don’t know.” Lin Suhuai didn’t want to answer this question and shook her head rather coldly.

She was full of gratitude for this young woman, but her questions were treading on forbidden ground.

“Can you do me a favor?”

“A favor for my benefactor… of course I must help. It’s just that in my current condition, I’m afraid I can’t provide much support.” Lin Suhuai felt a pang of anxiety, and her eyes darkened as she thought of the person who had betrayed her.

This young woman was quite direct. Who saves someone only to immediately ask for a favor? Her motive was incredibly obvious, and also incredibly suspicious.

“I don’t need a huge favor from you, although this is a rather difficult request to make.” Su Xin clasped her hands in front of her, looking a little nervous.

“I want you… to marry me.”

Lin Suhuai was stunned.

She had already prepared herself to be asked for money or other demands. How could it be this request, to pledge with one’s body?⁷

Su Xin bit her lip, a hint of melancholy coloring her features.

“The thing is, it’s like this…”

Su Xin briefly explained her situation, letting her know just how urgent it was.

“I didn’t expect to have such a pleasant surprise coming here today.”

“What if I really were a man?”

“Jinyan would still make the same request.”

“Very bold.” Although Lin Suhuai said this, in her heart, she rather admired how clever Su Xin was to come up with such a method.

“So, maiden… Young Master, are you willing to agree to my request?”

“Will your father agree?”

“He won’t.”

“Then…”

“I can use death to force the issue⁸ and delay for some more time. After you return to the Capital, you can come and marry me, or have someone else come marry me, to get me out of here and take me to the Capital.” Su Xin looked at Lin Suhuai, her eyes filled with hope.

“Aren’t you afraid I’ll be just like your lover, leaving and never returning, abandoning you here all alone?”

“If it turns out to be like that again, I can only say my luck is bad.” Su Xin gave a bitter smile, looking as if she had resigned herself to her fate.

“Young Master, you don’t seem like that kind of person.”

“From where do these words come?⁹ Don’t you find it exceedingly strange for a woman to be dressing in man’s attire¹⁰, not to mention with such an ugly appearance.” Lin Suhuai said this calmly, her gaze fixed on Su Xin’s face, watching her reaction.

No one with even a little bit of caution should have saved a person of unknown origin, a woman dressing in man’s attire with a fierce appearance, in a place like this.

And to make such a request, too, without seeming to worry that she might be a despicable person. She was probably just a kind and naive rich young lady.

“Not at all. I think you look more handsome than many men.”

Lin Suhuai felt the scar on her face being touched by a cool fingertip. She gazed into the person’s clear eyes, and for some reason, the tips of her ears began to feel hot.

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The author has something to say:

First update~~

Better to follow and be wed, and live as mandarin ducks¹¹.

Mandarin ducks playing in the water¹² dadada~

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