When the Cannon Fodder Meets the Love-Brained Female Supporting Character - Episode 34.2

The woman immediately grabbed other sheets to compare.

“It’s true! This one smells much stronger.”

Her face darkened. “Someone added these names later and they can mimic our handwriting. There might be a mole. But why add wine houses and a dye workshop?”

“Pretend you don’t know. Leave this list for last. Tomorrow, we’ll see who’s in a hurry to collect it,” Jiang Nan said.

Jiang Nan stepped out, heading to Wanbao Teahouse for a visit.

Wanbao Teahouse.

The plump manager paced nervously by the table. “I’ve seen several teahouses already receive their share. Why hasn’t ours come yet?”

Wan Jie sipped his tea leisurely. “No rush. They can’t finish distributing in one day. Ours might be tomorrow.”

Just then, someone entered.

She sat by the table and said, “Waiter, a pot of Longjing tea, please.”

Wan Jie heard her and stood up, replying, “Apologies, honored guest, today we don’t. Wait, it’s you?” He finally recognized the face of the visitor.

He swallowed hard and took a few steps back. His mind raced through all the misdeeds he had committed recently.

“I’m here for tea,” Jiang Nan smiled. “Manager Wan, are you not welcoming me?”

“No Longjing tea today. Go somewhere else,” Wan Jie said.

“It’ll be available tomorrow?” Jiang Nan asked.

“Yes,” he replied impatiently. “It’ll be available tomorrow.”

“I think this place of yours is quite nice. Any thoughts on transferring ownership?” Jiang Nan inquired.

“What do you mean by that?” the plump manager stepped forward. “Wanbao Teahouse is doing just fine. Why would we transfer it?”

Wan Jie glared at her a few times and suddenly realized she had come today just to provoke him.

His tone turned harsh. “No. Please take your business elsewhere.”

Jiang Nan didn’t press further. She straightened her sleeves and smiled. “Since there’s no transfer today, I’ll take my leave and ask again tomorrow.”

“You—!” Wan Jie was furious.

This woman was practically cursing Wanbao Teahouse to fail—how vicious!

After she left, the plump manager asked Wan Jie what that was all about.

Wan Jie gritted his teeth. “She’s the manager of Cangfang Tower in Yangcheng, the one I told you about who humiliated me before.”

The plump manager nodded. “No need to be so angry. Once we cut off their tea supply, no matter how capable she is, she’ll lose half her vitality.”

“Right. I’m looking forward to that day,” Wan Jie calmed himself and smiled faintly.

________________________________________

Jiang Nan arrived downstairs at the inn, still thinking about the location of Wanbao Teahouse. Wan Jie might be a despicable person, but his taste was undeniably good.

The surroundings were filled with birdsong and floral fragrance. A secluded, elegant beauty nestled right in the middle of the bustling city. The best of both worlds.

Jiang Nan’s heart itched with desire.

Originally, she had planned to simply withhold Wan Jie’s tea supply and let him taste the consequences of his misdeeds. But now, she was no longer satisfied with just that.

Lost in her thoughts, she didn’t notice the three-foot-high stone block on the steps ahead. Instead of going around, she stepped right over it.

Suddenly, she heard someone calling her from behind.

Jiang Nan turned and saw Xiao Ran.

Xiao Ran’s fair fingers clutched a food basket tightly, her expression stiff and nervous.

Her face was flushed, looking unlike her usual self, as if something was troubling her.

Jiang Nan looked at her in confusion.

Xiao Ran pulled out a fully bloomed, vibrant red peony from her sleeve and stammered, “Sister, as the ancients said, fresh flowers suit a beauty. This flower…”

Jiang Nan’s lips curled slightly.

Was she here to give her flowers?

Jiang Nan had never been interested in flowers before, but ever since Xiao Ran started giving them to her and she placed them in her room, she noticed a stark difference with flowers, the room felt more alive. And beautiful blooms always lifted her mood a little.

Just as Jiang Nan reached out to take it, Xiao Ran shook her head slightly and withdrew her hand.

Was it not for her?

Jiang Nan froze, her mood plummeting instantly.

Xiao Ran stepped closer to Jiang Nan and began gesturing in front of her. After a long while, for some reason, she stomped her foot in frustration.

Standing higher up, Jiang Nan found her behavior inexplicably adorable like a little rabbit.

Actually, Xiao Ran wanted to put a flower in Jiang Nan’s hair, but Jiang Nan was standing on a stone pedestal, and even with her arm fully extended, she could only reach Jiang Nan’s forehead.

She grew a bit flustered, her mind wandering who knows where, and her hand slipped, accidentally tossing the flower forward.

It landed right on Jiang Nan’s head.

Jiang Nan: “…” Why was she being pelted with flowers?

Xiao Ran, seeing this, was momentarily stunned before quickly scrambling for an excuse. “Flowers… flowers hitting someone’s head. In my hometown, it means good fortune is coming…”

Is that so? What a strange custom.

Jiang Nan silently scoffed to herself.

“How unexpected,” Jiang Nan said.

She stepped down from the pedestal, picked up the vibrant flower, and tucked it into Xiao Ran’s hair. Out of habit, she lifted Xiao Ran’s chin with her fingers, admiring her as she remarked, “Flowers are best worn on a beauty’s head.”

Xiao Ran’s usual attire was simple and understated, but now, with a red flower adorning her hair, her peach-blossom complexion and rosy lips stood out even more, lending her an unexpectedly alluring charm. So captivating it was hard to look away.

Jiang Nan’s heartbeat quickened, her fingers suddenly burning with warmth. She hastily withdrew her hand.

She had never been like this before. Whether it was putting flowers in someone’s hair or her heart racing uncontrollably.

This unfamiliar state of being unsettled her.

And it wasn’t just Jiang Nan. Another person’s heart was pounding like a drum, thundering so loudly she hardly dared to lift her gaze, unsure where to even place her hands. The smile on her lips was impossible to suppress.

Jiejie put a flower in my hair. I’m going to preserve this forever!

After a brief silence, Jiang Nan finally said, “I’ll head up first.”

“Wait,” Xiao Ran murmured softly. “I… I’d like to invite Jiejie to accompany me for a stroll in town.”

She waited nervously for a response, only to hear the other woman reply unhurriedly, “Alright.”

Only then did Xiao Ran let out a quiet sigh of relief.

She had messed up the fourth move from 100 Ways to Woo a Girl—Adorning a Beauty with Flowers. Fortunately, she’d had the foresight to also learn the fifth move in advance.

If the fourth didn’t work, there was always the fifth.

Jiang Nan figured she didn’t have anything else to do later anyway. Besides, Xiao Ran had been helping Qin Wan with her recovery recently, so it wasn’t right to treat her with the same cold indifference as before. Thus, she agreed.

But for some reason, aside from a faint sense of anticipation, she also felt a trace of unease.

The anticipation could be chalked up to looking forward to an outing, but what was the unease about?

The two wandered the streets for a while, browsing hairpins and various goods.

Jiang Nan was thoroughly engrossed, while Xiao Ran seemed distracted.

She was preoccupied with how to bring up what she wanted to say.

After examining the jade hairpins, they arrived at the busiest intersection in town, bustling with pedestrians coming and going.

Xiao Ran was torn. She had always been quiet and introverted, rarely drawing attention to herself.

She stole a glance at Jiang Nan’s profile.

Jiang Nan was intently selecting fruits, her delicate side profile exuding a cool elegance, her nose bridge high and straight, her eyes slightly lowered, giving off an unapproachable aura when silent. But when she lifted her gaze, her peach-blossom eyes softened her aloof demeanor, adding a touch of tenderness.

Xiao Ran recalled the words written in the preface of 100 Ways to Woo a Girl.

Have courage.

Steeling herself, she stepped into the middle of the road.

Jiang Nan shot her a puzzled look.

Xiao Ran’s face was flushed, her eyes darting nervously before she spoke in a gentle voice, “There’s something I want to say.”

People, being creatures who loved a spectacle, quickly gathered around upon seeing such a lovely girl making an announcement.

Before long, a crowd had encircled them.

Jiang Nan’s eyelids twitched uncontrollably.

The crowd noticed Xiao Ran’s shy and bashful expression, her face glowing with youthful infatuation. Those with experience already had an inkling of what was coming.

“Seems like this young lady is about to announce she’s with her sweetheart.”

“Oh dear, these youngsters nowadays…”

“For a girl to step forward like this, don’t you think it’s admirable courage?”

They all waited for Xiao Ran to speak.

Xiao Ran was anxious too. She wanted to say that this Sister Jiang was the person she liked most, that she adored her, and that she would do everything in her power to be with her words along those lines.

But when the moment came, she couldn’t utter a single word.

Xiao Ran’s lips moved slightly, and in a desperate move, she grabbed Jiang Nan and declared loudly, “She! She’s my Sister Jiang!”

The onlookers: “…”

Their expressions changed instantly. A chorus of disappointed “tch” sounds rose from the crowd as they scattered like startled birds and beasts.

“What nonsense. Such a pretty little girl, yet she loves to tease people!”

“I thought something serious was happening. Who knew such a quiet-looking girl would pull such a prank.”

Xiao Ran burned with embarrassment.

She, she, she had messed up again!

Jiang Nan silently grabbed an extra fruit from a nearby vendor’s basket and used it to cover her face.

Now she finally understood why she had felt a twinge of unease earlier when agreeing to stroll around with Xiao Ran.

Because…

Lately, Xiao Ran had been nothing but awkward!

She wasn’t like this before. What on earth had gotten into her?!

Once the crowd had dispersed, Jiang Nan patted Xiao Ran on the shoulder and said, “It’s getting late today. I should head back. See you another time.”

With that, she swiftly fled the scene.

________________________________________

On her way back to her aunt’s house, Xiao Ran suddenly began to doubt the effectiveness of 100 Ways to Woo a Woman.

Could… those lines really be used before they were even together?

She couldn’t bring herself to say them at all.

Was it possible that the book was just useless? Otherwise, why was there still no progress even after trying the fourth technique?

As she walked, she overheard a storyteller by the roadside recounting a tale. One of those timeless romances between a talented scholar and a beautiful maiden.

Xiao Ran stopped to listen for a while.

A spectator asked the storyteller, “This story is so captivating—who wrote it?”

The storyteller stroked his beard and smiled. “It was penned by Master Li Chuan.”

“Ah, so it’s Li Chuan’s work. No wonder it’s so good.”

“He’s a master of romance. Deeply knowledgeable about matters of the heart.”

Hearing their praise for Li Chuan, Xiao Ran’s earlier doubts instantly vanished.

If so many people loved his books, he must truly be skilled.

Then the problem probably wasn’t the book.

It was her!

When she got home, Xiao Ran picked up 100 Ways to Woo a Woman and began annotating it. Next to the fourth technique adorning the beauty with flowers she wrote: Failed—couldn’t reach.

Beside the fifth technique declaring love she noted: Too many people, too shy. Try another day.

Just then, Xiao Wan walked in carrying a bowl.

Xiao Ran hurriedly covered the book with another.

Xiao Wan was already used to her niece’s secretive and furtive behavior. Pretending not to notice, she said, “Tomorrow, I’ll take you somewhere nice.”

Xiao Ran asked curiously, “Where?”

“It’s called Nan Shui Xiang Jiang, just three miles north of Qu City, out in the countryside.” Xiao Wan smiled. “There are plenty of fruits there. Pay two taels of silver, and you can pick as many as you like.”

Xiao Ran wasn’t particularly interested in fruit. Her mind was still preoccupied with today’s blunder, and she wanted to reflect on it. She nodded half-heartedly.

Seeing her lack of enthusiasm, Xiao Wan pursed her lips, walked over, and slung an arm around her shoulders.

“Ran’er! I’m talking to you!”

Xiao Ran replied, “Auntie, I heard you.”

“Then tell me what I just said.” Xiao Wan lightly tapped her forehead.

Xiao Ran answered, “Nan Shui Xiang Jiang.”

“Right.” Xiao Wan nodded approvingly. “The place is also quite scenic. See, doesn’t the name have a poetic charm? Listen—Nan, as in the south…”

Xiao Ran blurted out, “Nan, as in Jiang Nan.”

“…” Xiao Wan paused for a moment before continuing, “The water of the lake, the fragrance of tulips, the river…”

“The river of Jiang Nan,” Xiao Ran added.

Xiao Wan: “…”