The Yandere Queen's Manual for Training Her Wife - Chapter 4

When Yang Fan realized her secret notebook had been discovered, she wasn’t too embarrassed. Before Xia Mingtang could interrogate her, Yang Fan chose to confess proactively.

“To be honest, my real identity is a web novelist, and I’m staying here to gather inspiration,” she admitted.

Xia Mingtang recalled the “hodgepodge” of descriptions she’d glimpsed in the notebook. Her face flushed, then paled. “So, all this time, I’ve just been a tool for your writing?” she asked.

Yang Fan twirled her pen calmly. “You can’t say that. I can give you advice and help you achieve your wish, and you can provide me with inspiration. It’s a win-win situation, a mutually beneficial partnership.”

“You… give me advice?” Xia Mingtang looked skeptical.

Yang Fan seemed energized by the challenge. “Don’t underestimate me. Just watch.”

She pulled a brand-new notebook from her other pocket, sat at a stone table, and began writing furiously: “Thirty-Six Ways to Woo.”

A quarter of an hour later, Yang Fan solemnly handed the densely-written notebook to Xia Mingtang. “Don’t say I’m not sincere. This is the culmination of my years of wisdom. It’s all yours today.”

Xia Mingtang hesitantly opened the notebook and read softly, “First way: Find a common interest. Second way: Heroic rescue. Third way: Confined space… What is this? It gets harder to understand as I go on.”

Yang Fan flipped a couple of pages forward. “That page was the table of contents. The back has specific instructions. For the ‘Heroic Rescue,’ for example, I’ve set up three different scenarios with illustrated moves. Just follow these, and you’re guaranteed to look heroic and cool, making Boss Qin’s heart flutter in no time.”

Xia Mingtang gasped as she looked at the stick figures performing a series of difficult moves. “Whew… is there a beginner’s version? Something less professional?”

Yang Fan looked at her with a knowing expression and flipped a few pages. “There are simpler options. Look at this: ‘Eleventh way: Food attack.’ I’ve written the recipes at the back. These are all my favorite dishes. Just follow the steps, and they’ll be delicious.”

“Your favorite dishes?” Xia Mingtang repeated incredulously.

Yang Fan rubbed her nose. “Hehe, well… I don’t really know what Boss Qin likes. But don’t worry, I believe a love for good food is universal.”

Xia Mingtang looked at the notebook again, half-convinced, and read carefully. “A little salt, a little vinegar… How much is ‘a little’? Is there an even simpler plan?”

Yang Fan sighed and flipped the notebook back to the beginning. “For something even simpler, there’s this: ‘Seventh way: Display your charm.’ You just do what you’re good at and let the boss see the real, excellent you. She’ll naturally be drawn to you.”

Xia Mingtang propped her chin on her hand, looking troubled. “That’s a tough choice. I feel like I’m good at everything…” She looked up and saw Yang Fan’s speechless expression. She cleared her throat naturally. “Ahem. Of course, besides fighting and cooking, I’m really good at everything else.”

Yang Fan closed her eyes in exasperation, beginning to doubt the wisdom of her decision to help Xia Mingtang. When she spoke again, she sounded like she had given up. “Since you’re good at everything, just do whatever you want. Just make sure it’s in front of Boss Qin.”

Xia Mingtang’s eyes lit up. “Master, I get it! As long as I show my face to Qin Yan more often, no matter what I do, she’ll be captivated by my charm. Thanks! I didn’t think you’d actually be helpful. I’m going now!”

Yang Fan stared, dumbfounded, at Xia Mingtang’s retreating, joyful figure. Is that what I just said? she wondered.

Xia Mingtang tucked the “Thirty-Six Ways to Woo” into a cabinet for safekeeping and headed toward Qin Yan’s room.

With Yang Fan’s guidance, she now had a clear plan: use the persona of a secret admirer to pursue Qin Yan while gathering information. It was the perfect cover.

Now that she was a guest at the inn, she had a home-field advantage. Even if she was a little clingy, Qin Yan couldn’t just kick her out.

As for the specifics of the pursuit, she had a plan. She might not have eaten pork, but she’d seen pigs run, after all.

All she needed to do was show her face and build goodwill. With her intelligence, she was confident it wouldn’t be a problem.

She stood at Qin Yan’s door, reviewed her excuse for the first “face-time” attempt, and knocked confidently.

Qin Yan had just returned to her room when a visitor arrived. She opened the door to see a bright face flushed with excitement. She didn’t seem surprised.

The inn had three floors. Most guests stayed on the second, and the third floor, where the owner lived, was rarely visited by others, save for when the occasional staff member needed to retrieve something.

Qin Yan didn’t seem to mind the guest’s lack of boundaries. She invited her in, asking kindly, “How’s your face doing, little flower?”

Little flower…

Xia Mingtang’s backside had just touched the sofa when the nickname froze her for a second, but she quickly recovered, her smile innocent and pure. “Much better. It’s all thanks to the floral water you gave me, otherwise, I might’ve scratched my face raw. If that happened, I’d be disfigured and have to live my days enduring other people’s mockery…”

Xia Mingtang deliberately exaggerated, building a strong case for her thanks.

But she had a problem: once she started acting, she easily got lost in it. If not for Qin Yan’s knowing smile, she might have improvised a whole short story.

Fortunately, she snapped out of it this time. “Ahem. Anyway, I came here to express my gratitude to you, sister.”

Qin Yan nodded, poured the uninvited guest a glass of water, and said politely, “No need to be so formal. You’re a guest here, so I should naturally look out for you. I appreciate your gratitude, but if you don’t have anything else to say…”

“I do!” Xia Mingtang interrupted, fearing Qin Yan was about to send her away. She leaned forward on the sofa. “How can I simply thank you with words? Are you free anytime soon, sister? I’d like to show you around as a sign of my appreciation.”

“You… show me… around?”

The clear, spring-like voice spoke slowly, but Xia Mingtang detected a hint of amusement.

She belatedly realized this was Qin Yan’s home turf.

Xia Mingtang’s mouth often worked faster than her brain, but she was quick to adapt.

“What I mean is, I’d like to go on a tour with you. If you need any errands run, you can just call on me.” She unconsciously raised an arm, her expression earnest, as if she were taking an oath.

Qin Yan said nothing, her gaze wandering from the pretty face down to the fair, slender wrist. Her eyes showed clear doubt that Xia Mingtang could handle any “errands.”

Xia Mingtang had never been looked down on like this. Without a word, she rolled up her sleeve and flexed a fist, showing off her barely-there biceps.

“You may think I’m skinny, but I’m actually very strong. And I’m smart and sharp, too. You’ll have a carefree and fun time if you go out with me.”

She gritted her teeth, trying to make her muscle more prominent, but to no avail.

Qin Yan watched her effort for a few seconds before speaking with amusement. “That’s a tempting offer. Unfortunately, I have a lot of things to take care of at the inn lately, so I’m afraid I won’t have the pleasure of going out with you for a while.”

She said no, but her eyes never left Xia Mingtang’s face. The other woman’s eyelids drooped for a second before her face brightened with renewed energy.

“What do you need to do, sister? You can ask me to help with anything. I minored in hotel management in college, so I’m sure I can help with inn matters.”

“You don’t need to be so professional,” Qin Yan looked at Xia Mingtang with a bit of hesitation. “But you’re a guest, here to remember your grandpa. How can I bother you with…”

“It’s no bother at all!” Xia Mingtang blurted out, afraid of being refused. “If not for you giving me the floral water, my face would have been ruined, and I would’ve lived a life of misery. You saved my life, sister. A few trivial matters are no trouble at all. If my grandpa knew I was so grateful, he’d be smiling in his grave.”

Xia Mingtang spoke with great feeling, gesturing wildly to make her point.

In her excitement, her calf cramped, and she fell to her knees in front of Qin Yan.

Qin Yan: …

No need to kneel like this.

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