The Female Lead is Quite Unusual - Episode 51

Lin Wan froze for a moment before realizing Sheng Qian was referring to her matchmaking scrolls.

 

Sheng Qian had a reserved personality and never gossiped about others. Since she was only eleven years old, Lin Wan never felt the need to guard herself around her.

 

Lin Wan admitted it frankly.

 

“I’m already fourteen.”

 

She sighed. “Mother keeps thinking about finding me a husband. These are the men she selected for me to consider.”

 

Seeing that Sheng Qian was staring at her intently without the usual shyness of a young girl, Lin Wan leaned in, took her hand, and asked with a smile.

 

“What about you, Qianqian? Though it’s still early for you to think about this, have you ever considered what kind of husband you’d like to have in the future?”

 

Sheng Qian lowered her eyes and shook her head almost without hesitation. “I haven’t thought about it.”

 

“You can start thinking about it now. I can keep an eye out for you,” Lin Wan said, thinking Sheng Qian was just shy and trying to comfort her. “But I really want to keep you with me for a few more years, so you marry later.”

 

Lin Wan had actually wanted to discuss this with Sheng Qian for a while.

 

Although it was common in this era for girls to marry and have children at fifteen or sixteen, Lin Wan didn’t want that for Sheng Qian. Medical knowledge was underdeveloped, and childbirth was extremely dangerous. She would much prefer Sheng Qian to wait a few more years.

 

“And no matter what kind of husband you choose, I hope you bring him to me first. I’m really curious about what kind of man would be worthy of our Qianqian.”

 

Even though Sheng Qian seemed very mature, that didn’t necessarily mean she had good judgment in choosing a partner. Lin Wan always wanted to oversee everything for her.

 

“What about you, sister?”

 

Sheng Qian pursed her lips but didn’t answer Lin Wan’s question.

 

She looked up, her gaze sweeping over the pile of scrolls nearby. “Among these twenty men, is there anyone you fancy?”

 

“Of course not.”

 

“I haven’t even had the chance to look at these scrolls,” Lin Wan frowned. “The escort agency’s business has been so busy lately, I’ve been preoccupied with it every day. I haven’t opened them since I got them.”

 

“Qianqian, don’t worry about me,” Lin Wan said, smiling as she looked at Sheng Qian. “I know what I’m doing.”

 

Sheng Qian had a good relationship with Lin Wan’s mother, and Lin Wan was afraid she might accidentally let something slip in front of her. After a moment’s thought, Lin Wan decided to withhold part of the truth and didn’t tell Sheng Qian that she had no intention of opening the scrolls at all.

 

“I see…”

 

Sheng Qian didn’t press further.

 

Her gaze fell on the account book in front of Lin Wan, her eyes shifting thoughtfully as she glanced at Lin Wan, hesitating to speak.

 

“Actually, even though we made a profit this month, there are a few entries in the accounts I can’t figure out. I don’t know where the money went, so I wanted to ask for your advice.”

 

“If you’re busy, I can come back another day.”

 

Lin Wan casually picked up the account book. It was rare for Sheng Qian to actively seek her help, so she naturally wouldn’t refuse.

 

“Let me take a look. Don’t worry!”

 

Lin Wan had a head for numbers, and the original owner of her body had grown up immersed in her father’s business, so Lin Wan was confident she could handle checking the accounts.

 

However, the more she looked, the deeper her frown became.

 

Sheng Qian’s bookkeeping was exceptionally detailed, but just as she had said, there were a few discrepancies in the numbers.

 

The amounts were actually small. Under normal circumstances, Lin Wan would have simply written off the discrepancies to avoid the hassle of tracking them down. But with Sheng Qian watching her so eagerly, how could she give up halfway?

 

Lin Wan persevered through the accounts under Sheng Qian’s continuous praises of “I never knew accounts could be checked this way, sister, you’re truly amazing.” She summoned the relevant personnel and, after much effort, finally managed to clarify the accounts by evening.

 

When Qingqing entered to remind Lin Wan that it was time for dinner, Sheng Qian seemed to suddenly realize how late it had gotten and lowered her eyes guiltily.

 

“Sister, it’s all my fault for taking up so much of your time.”

 

“I’m truly glad that you came to me for help when you encountered a problem. We are sisters, so there’s no need for such formalities.”

 

Sheng Qian was perfect in every way, except that she was too kind-hearted.

 

Of course, Lin Wan wouldn’t let her dwell on it. She interrupted Sheng Qian’s words and pulled her along to have dinner together.

 

By the time they finished eating, it was already quite late. Sheng Qian urged Lin Wan to rest. Meeting Sheng Qian’s guilty gaze, Lin Wan knew that if she didn’t sleep, Sheng Qian would feel uneasy. Unable to bear refusing, Lin Wan ended up staying the night.

 

Early the next morning, Lin Wan got up intending to continue with the unfinished matters from the previous day. As soon as she rose, Qingqing came to inform her that Hu Yi was already waiting at her doorstep.

 

“Young miss,” Hu Yi bowed his head, seemingly apologetic for the sudden intrusion.

 

“There’s something I haven’t told you. A while ago, I happened to save the attendant of Prince Yunyang’s son. The attendant was so grateful that he decided to offer us some of the prince’s business. Today, we suddenly received word that a meeting with our employer has been scheduled for the day after tomorrow at the villa. What do you think?”

 

Lin Wan’s eyes widened, and she immediately agreed.

 

Gu Ze, the son of Prince Yunyang, was the male lead of this world. In the future, he would lead his army to bring an end to the chaotic times.

 

Having a connection with someone close to Prince Yunyang’s son would undoubtedly provide an extra layer of security in this increasingly turbulent world.

 

To secure this deal, she couldn’t go empty-handed.

 

Lin Wan was still somewhat inexperienced in business negotiations, so she sought advice from her father. She busied herself preparing gifts and carefully considering her words for the discussion, barely having a moment to rest.

 

Fortunately, the outcome of the negotiation was positive.

 

However, the attendant of Prince Yunyang’s son was not what Lin Wan had expected.

 

In the original storyline, Prince Yunyang’s son was approachable and highly supported by the common people, which eventually led him to the throne.

 

The attendant, being grateful and wanting to support the Lin family’s business, had led Lin Wan to believe he would be amiable as well.

 

Yet, the man she met, though merely an attendant, exuded an unmistakable arrogance, looking at others with a sidelong glance.

 

Even though it was a business negotiation, the moment the deal was struck, he not only demanded a large share of the profits but also acted as if he were bestowing a favor.

 

If it weren’t for the desire to establish a connection with Prince Yunyang’s son, there was a moment when Lin Wan even considered turning down the deal.

 

Although the business was successfully negotiated, Lin Wan’s mood was far from cheerful.

 

Was this really the approachable attendant of Prince Yunyang’s son from the storyline?

 

However, upon returning home, Lin Wan heard some good news from Sheng Qian.

 

“Sister, today when I went to the temple with Madam to offer incense, we encountered a man harassing a flower girl on the way. Madam intervened and had the man apprehended, only to discover that he was one of the men listed on the scroll she gave you.”

 

“At that time, the matchmaker painted such a glorious picture, claiming the man was extraordinary in bearing and kind-hearted. Who could have imagined his character would turn out like this!”

 

“Sister, it’s fortunate you weren’t home these past few days to select anyone from the registry.”

 

Sheng Qian looked concerned: “One can know a person’s face but not their heart. Madam is also quite frightened by this and has decided not to rush you into choosing a husband anymore. She plans to thoroughly understand the other party’s conduct and behavior before gradually making plans.”

 

Sheng Qian had always been quiet and introverted, rarely speaking so much at once.

 

Lin Wan felt deeply moved: this showed Sheng Qian truly regarded her as an elder sister, hence caring for her so much.

 

“Thank you for being so concerned about me, little sister.”

 

Meeting Sheng Qian’s slightly widened eyes, Lin Wan embraced her tightly.

 

Sheng Qian’s body stiffened as usual, her ears quickly turning red as she lowered her head, showing she still wasn’t quite accustomed to Lin Wan’s sudden affection.

 

“Sister, if you still wish to choose a husband, I can speak with Madam for you.”

 

Sheng Qian lifted her gaze, her eyes filled with obvious worry, biting her lip as she looked at Lin Wan.

 

Her next words were caught in her throat.

 

—Lin Wan couldn’t resist poking her bright red earlobe.

 

Seeing Sheng Qian’s wide, dewy eyes glaring back at her, Lin Wan curved her lips into a sincere smile and praised, “Little sister is truly adorable.”

 

“Don’t worry, little sister, I won’t feel sad about this.” Meeting Sheng Qian’s gaze, the smile on Lin Wan’s face deepened.

 

“Having a thoughtful sister like you by my side, even if I never marry in this lifetime, I wouldn’t mind at all.”

 

As if surprised by Lin Wan’s words, Sheng Qian glanced at her in astonishment, then slightly lowered her head and fell silent.

 

Just as Sheng Qian had said, Madam Lin seemed to have learned a lesson from this incident and didn’t pressure Lin Wan about marriage for the next several months.

 

Meanwhile, the state of the world indeed grew increasingly chaotic, exactly as described in the plot.

 

The emperor became obsessed with elixirs, neglecting court affairs.

 

Through her dealings with the residence of the Prince of Yunyang’s heir over these months, Lin Wan gathered more information.

 

The Daoist priest refining those elixirs had been recommended to the emperor by the Prince of Yunyang’s heir’s uncle.

 

What shocked Lin Wan even more was discovering that the Prince of Yunyang’s heir was actually the cousin of the treacherous consort Huang Fu.

 

Though aware that these nobles were all interconnected through complex familial ties, Lin Wan felt there was more to the story.

 

The deeper she delved, the stronger her sense of conspiracy grew.

 

Lin Wan even began to suspect that both the emperor’s sudden death later and the Prince of Yunyang’s heir’s subsequent ascension were orchestrated by the Prince of Yunyang’s mansion.

 

Lin Wan investigated the escort routes of the Prince of Yunyang’s mansion and found they frequently traveled southwest.

 

The southwest region was rich in iron mines and had experienced repeated uprisings in recent years. The emperor had sent troops to suppress them multiple times with minimal success.

 

If those weren’t rebellions but the Prince of Yunyang’s mansion secretly training troops.

 

The more Lin Wan thought about it, the more chilling it felt.

 

However, though she sympathized with the common people suffering due to the Prince of Yunyang’s ambitions, Lin Wan lacked the power to change anything.

 

She was merely a mission-taker in this world to collect energy. As the male lead, the heir was blessed with the world’s consciousness. Opposing him would likely result in Lin Wan’s crushing defeat.

 

Lin Wan had once glimpsed the Prince of Yunyang’s heir from afar. As the male lead, he possessed 30% of the world’s energy.

 

Lin Wan could only do what was within her power to help some of the refugees. After the security agency turned a profit, she withdrew her share of the earnings and used it all for disaster relief, providing porridge to those in need.

 

Amid the day-to-day busyness, the year drew to a close.

 

After the New Year, Lin Wan would soon turn fifteen; an age when many girls were already preparing for marriage.

 

Mother Lin once again began bustling with matchmaking plans for her daughter.

 

But for some reason, strange incidents always seemed to crop up, disrupting Mother Lin’s plans and leaving her returning home in defeat each time.

 

She even went to the temple to draw a fortune stick, hoping for guidance.

 

Whatever she drew must have given her pause, as she quieted down for a while afterward.

 

Lin Wan thought her mother had finally come to her senses and breathed a quiet sigh of relief.

 

But just before the New Year, as Lin Wan returned home from the security agency one day, she spotted a carriage parked in front of their house.

 

“Wanwan, look who’s here!”

 

Mother Lin stood at the door, beaming with joy, while Sheng Qian, beside her, pressed her lips tightly together.

 

When Lin Wan saw her cousin from the Li family stepping down from the carriage, her eyes widened in shock!