The Vicious Female Supporting Character Just Wants to Cuddle with the Heroine - Chapter 23

Ning Xin looked like she was eating fast, but she wasn’t actually that quick. The choking part was real, though. She washed it down with cold water and kept eating. Shen Qingzhi would be eating this for a long time, so she might as well get a good taste of it.

Li Niang watched Ning Xin eat bite after bite, feeling a little distressed. “Miss, why don’t you eat later? We can have some hot soup when we get back.”

“No need, you guys can eat when we get back. I’ll just eat this for breakfast. It’s actually quite delicious.”

“I know you miss Miss Shen, but Miss Shen wouldn’t want you to eat like this.”

Li Niang’s words made Ning Xin freeze. Li Niang could tell she was missing her? Was it that obvious? Seeing Ning Xin’s insistence and her silence, Li Niang stopped trying to persuade her. As a servant, she didn’t want to overstep.

Ning Xin finished one steamed bun on the way. The taste was much rougher than the whole-grain buns of modern times, but when chewed carefully, it had a sweet flavor and was edible.

When they returned to the inn, Ning Xin went back to her room to rest. The other steamed bun she had left on the table untouched. It was still early, so she could sleep for a little longer.

On the other side, Shen Qingzhi had already set off with her team. She rode on horseback, occasionally looking back. Although she couldn’t see anything, she still wanted to know how Ning Xin was doing.

The several deputy generals saw Shen Qingzhi’s preoccupied look and didn’t dare to chat or laugh as they did on the day they left. Since their general was a woman, they didn’t feel comfortable asking her about her personal life like they would a buddy.

During dinner, Shen Qingzhi sat with her team, and somehow the topic of marriage came up. This particular squad was younger, with more than half of them unmarried. Even among the deputy generals, only two were married.

One bold deputy general, Wang Wei, asked without a care, “General, who was that girl who came to see you yesterday?”

Hearing Wang Wei ask about Ning Xin, Shen Qingzhi became instantly wary and said, “Don’t even think about her. She’s already taken.”

“Ah? She’s engaged already?”

“That’s right. You all need to settle down. When we win this battle and return home, I’ll help you find suitable matches.”

“That’s great! General, you have to remember to help us out!”

“Don’t worry, I won’t forget.”

In Shen Qingzhi’s view, these men, although not from the best backgrounds, were good people—simple and honest. Marrying them would mean no scheming or power struggles, which could be a good choice.

Ning Xin, on the other hand, rested for the morning and then went out to find a suitable storefront and residence. She would only sell ordinary rouge and simple, scented soaps here. The high-end products would not be sold in this city. The conditions here were not as good as in the capital, and she didn’t think there would be a market for high-end goods.

Fortunately, it was easier to find workers here. Because she planned to sell in bulk, Ning Xin hired fifty workers and two managers in one go. She arranged for them all to live in a newly purchased large residence in the suburbs. The house needed to be renovated, and she planned to stay here for a while.

Ning Xin used this time to acquire two rice shops and personally began to stock up on rice.

Ning Xin had brought Li Si with her on this trip, and Li Si was very confused by her actions.

“Miss, those rice shops don’t make any money. Buying them is like throwing money away. Isn’t that a waste?”

Li Si admired Ning Xin’s ability to make money. If it had been anyone else doing this, he would have been scolding them by now, but this was Ning Xin. He trusted there had to be a reason for what she was doing.

Ning Xin did have her reasons, but it was not convenient to tell Li Si right now. “It doesn’t matter if it’s a loss. I wasn’t planning on making money from the rice shops anyway. Just find a good shopkeeper and make sure the warehouse is full. Don’t ask about the rest.”

“Yes.”

Ning Xin had a plan, so Li Si felt at ease. It was good that his miss wasn’t just messing around.

Watching her plan unfold step by step, Ning Xin felt a great sense of satisfaction. She thought she might even acquire two more rice shops further north. It was difficult to make money in the north, but it was easy to store grain. It would be convenient to transport it to Shen Qingzhi later.

With that thought, Ning Xin temporarily handed over the local matters to Li Si and continued north with Li Niang and two bodyguards.

Li Si felt a bit bitter but didn’t say anything. He just secretly vowed to complete the tasks Ning Xin gave him and not disappoint her. Ning Xin was busy, but whenever she had a moment to herself, she would think of Shen Qingzhi. She didn’t know when Shen Qingzhi had come to hold such an important place in her heart.

Could she also… be interested in her? That couldn’t be right. She liked men. Had Shen Qingzhi really “bent” her? They got along like friends. It must be because Shen Qingzhi was her only friend since she arrived here. Maybe she should try to make more friends so her mind wasn’t so consumed with making money and thinking about Shen Qingzhi.

Ning Xin nodded to herself, feeling more and more confident in her idea. So, when she arrived in Fenling City and found a place to stay, she went for a walk on the streets. The customs in the north were a bit more open, and class distinctions were not as severe. Perhaps she would have a chance to make friends here.

Shen Qingzhi’s journey had been going on for half a month, and she was only ten days away from her destination. She had initially estimated the trip would take a month, but it turned out to be a few days faster.

The deputy generals trusted Shen Qingzhi more and more. A woman, leading a group of men all day, never complained or showed signs of fatigue. She didn’t seem like a newcomer to the battlefield at all. Because of Shen Qingzhi’s presence, the men who used to complain never dared to say a word. To complain would mean they were worse than a woman, so no one dared.

Shen Qingzhi was naturally satisfied with this outcome. The sooner she arrived, the more advantageous it would be for the war. If she could make a name for herself and return with a great achievement, her chances with Ning Xin would increase.

The emperor was obsessed with power, and as a woman, she was not a threat to him. If she were with another woman, the emperor would probably be happy about it. By the time she returned from the war, Shen Huizhi should have already married Huangfu Yi. This trip had truly served multiple purposes.

Just as Shen Qingzhi was feeling pleased, Shen Huizhi was at home crying. She only found out after Shen Qingzhi had left that the marriage with Huangfu Yi had been passed on to her. She already had someone in her heart, so how could she marry Huangfu Yi? If she was forced to marry him, she would rather die, sob sob sob…

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