Chapter 294: A Bowl of Sheep Soup
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
“Yes, Boss.”
Qiao Mai took one hundred thousand taels of silver and handed the rest to Shopkeeper Feng for the New Year. She also checked the warehouse, replenishing enough goods.
In the evening, she summoned the Steward Xi, had her go over the household affairs, and made arrangements for the New Year.
She slept well at home. The next day, she rode Dong Zhao back to County She.
She spent the whole day in the workshop, and the steward stayed nearby. Qiao Mai looked at the accounts and asked as she worked.
“Has the pine nut harvesting started this year?”
“Yes, the first pine forest has produced pine cones, so I arranged for people to start harvesting and processing according to the recipe you provided.”
“Have some sent over.”
“Yes, Boss.”
Soon, the freshly cooked pine nuts were brought in. Qiao Mai examined their size and noticed that each had a split.
She reached for one, peeled it, and tasted it. “Hmm, it tastes good. Are there any vendors coming to the workshop to buy them?”
“Yes, quite a few.”
“Hire more people to separate the pine nuts. Charge different prices for the small, large, and premium ones. Send the premium nuts to Qiao’s Small Eatery in Tianshui Town. Follow the set price.”
“Yes, Boss.”
After reviewing the accounts, Qiao Mai took the silver and left some for the steward to distribute as bonuses.
She decided not to head home as it was getting dark. Instead, she stored Dong Zhao in her space.
She stayed at an inn in the county town, booked a good room, and wandered around in the snow.
In such cold weather, she unexpectedly saw a lamb soup restaurant with quite a few customers inside.
Approaching, she saw several lit lamps inside the small shop, with almost every table occupied.
It was dinner time. She walked in and sat at an empty table.
She was about to order when a handsome young man sat across her.
“Are you alone? Do you mind sharing a table?”
Qiao Mai ignored him and waved to the waiter. “A bowl of lamb soup and two baked buns.”
“I’ll have the same!”
The man ordered the same. The table for two was not small, facing each other, but Qiao Mai still didn’t pay him any attention.
Soon, the lamb soup and baked buns were brought to the table. Qiao Mai added vinegar, pepper, and salt. She felt it lacked something, so she took a bottle from her sleeve, poured some in, and was about to put it back in her sleeve. The man across from her spoke, “Can you give some to me too?”
Qiao Mai considered it nonsense and immediately tucked it back into her sleeve. She stirred the lamb soup with a spoon, held a bun in one hand, and drank the soup with the other, ignoring the man.
She quickly finished both buns and the soup, paid the bill to the waiter, and left.
The man immediately stood up and caught up with her. “Wait, Madam.”
Qiao Mai turned around abruptly. “Don’t think just because you look decent, any woman should respond to you.”
“I saw you dining alone. How about making a friend?”
“No need. Men and women should keep their distance. Stay away from me.”
“Madam!”
The man tried to reach out and grab Qiao Mai. However, with a swift motion, she immobilized him in place.
He could only watch as Qiao Mai left. In no time, someone approached him.
“How did it go?”
The man looked at the person who came to his rescue. He couldn’t speak or move, signaling with his eyes.
“Paralyzed?”
The handsome man blinked, and the rescuer tried to release the acupoint, but it didn’t work no matter what he tried.
In this icy weather, with temperatures reaching negative twenty degrees at night, the rescuer quickly set up a charcoal stove next to him. After two hours of being frozen in place, the man was almost frozen.
“I’m freezing to death. Let’s find an inn to warm up.” “The woman lives in the inn on the street behind.”
“Let’s go. I took a fancy to that woman.”
“You better behave. If it weren’t for me just now, you’d have frozen to death on the street.”
“It’s strange, though. That woman didn’t touch me at all. How did this happen?”
“Maybe she has protectors around her?”
“Shouldn’t be. With my martial arts, I didn’t sense any experts around.”
“I advise you to give up. Be careful what you wish for.”
“No. None of the women I’ve set my eyes on have escaped from me. Although she’s not pretty, her skin is excellent. I want to grab a handful and feel how amazing it is.”
The two men arrived at the inn and handed a silver ingot to the innkeeper. “The woman who came in two hours ago. Which room is she in?”
The two imposing men looked like trouble, making the innkeeper swallow nervously. He pointed upstairs with a shaky finger.
“Second floor, second room on the left.’
“Then give me the first room.”
“It’s taken.”
“Then the third room, or the one opposite hers.”
Shaking, the innkeeper handed over the room key. As the assistant came over to deliver it, he was sent back with a stern glare.
The men went upstairs and arrived outside the room where Qiao Mai staved.
The man smiled wickedly. “Want to join me tonight?”
“No. I’m afraid I’ll lose my life.”
“This doesn’t sound like you. They say it’s romantic to die under a woman’s dress. As a ghost, it’s still charming. As long as I get to taste the flavor of her smooth skin, death is nothing.”
At this moment, Qiao Mai was meditating in her space while Greeny was selling goods on the computer, muttering to herself.
“Master, the fifth-grade elixirs are running low. You have to keep working hard to strive for the production of sixth-grade elixirs. I found that their price is more than five times higher. This is a turning point. There are many opportunities. You must work hard.”
Qiao Mai opened her eyes and looked at Greeny helplessly. “But I have to raise my cultivation first.”
“Master, you can raise your level to the Nascent Soul Realm in one month.”
“It’s not that easy. My space’s time doesn’t accelerate. Let’s take it slowly. Why rush? My goal is to become a Nascent Soul cultivator by the end of next year.” “You lack ambition.”
“Look at me; I’m a married woman with a family. It’s always this or that. I also have to deal with my husband at night.’
“True. But if you don’t work hard, I might have to find a new owner in the future.’
“Don’t worry. I’ll live well even if I have to be reborn. Don’t forget that I’m a top student. In a few years, I’m almost at the Nascent Soul Realm. Rest assured, one day, I will ascend to immortality.”
“I hope so. Anyway, I don’t have high hopes for you. You’re too lazy.”
The banter between the two continued, and Qiao Mai’s external divine sense transmitted sensitive information to her.
Someone was using a tube to release smoke into the room. Qiao Mai furrowed her brows, recalling the man she encountered today.
Despite his seemingly serious appearance, she could sense the breath of several women on him.
He must have been involved with many women, which is why she ignored him.
Could it be him?
Greeny pushed aside the spatial barrier, opened the room’s window, and dispersed the smoke.
Seeing that smoke was still being blown in from outside, it flew over and blocked the hole.
With a pout, it tapped with a finger, and the man blowing smoke outside was immediately frozen in place.
The smoke continued to surge into the man’s body. After a while, he collapsed. Just as Greeny was about to deal with him, the door across from Qiao Mai’s room opened.
Seeing the man collapse, the person quickly dragged him inside.
After closing the door, he slapped his face vigorously. When that didn’t work, he picked up a basin and poured cold water on him. It still had no effect.
The man began to panic; he felt it was not suitable to stay any longer.
He carried his companion out without settling the bill. Greeny returned to the space, looking at Qiao Mai. “We can’t just let them go.”
“Them?”
“Yes, there are two of them. They are staying right across from us..”
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