Volume One, Chapter 16: She Wants to Open a Shop

“Miss Wu, you’re here again!” Cheng Lan’s eyes lit up when she saw Wu Xingxue.

Wu Xingxue noticed the smile curling at her eyes and felt a bit puzzled.

Her confusion was plain on her face, and Cheng Lan saw it clearly. She lowered her voice to explain, “You were amazing yesterday. Not even Miss Wu or Captain Shen could match you! I thought you’d be bullied, but I didn’t expect…”

Cheng Lan lowered her head and winked at Wu Xingxue, signaling her to look behind her at Luo Jing, who had already turned away, her posture stiff.

“She’s much better behaved now!”

Since yesterday, Luo Jing had been not only diligent with her hands and feet but also polite to the customers.

Not a single complaint!

Thanks to Wu Xingxue, Cheng Lan felt much more at ease.

Wu Xingxue glanced at the stiff figure with her back turned and winked back with a smile. “Call me by my name. We’re acquainted now, and you’ll probably see a lot of me in the future.”

Cheng Lan hadn’t expected her to have such a good personality, so different from the rumors!

Thinking this, Cheng Lan asked curiously, “Often?”

Wu Xingxue didn’t explain much. “Please help me test this today.”

Cheng Lan took the purplish-red herb with both hands. It was only slightly longer than a palm, looking ordinary, like a wild grass found by the roadside.

She carefully placed it into the machine, which clicked and then began to operate.

The appraisal hall had many regulars—secondhand dealers who came five or seven days a week.

Upon seeing Wu Xingxue, groups of two or three whispered among themselves.

Shen Chi entered and saw Wu Xingxue seemingly testing something. After a moment’s thought, he pushed through the crowd.

If only he had known from the start that the beauty fruit yesterday belonged to Wu Xingxue, there was no way he would have let her escape.

Today, he planned to catch Wu Xingxue red-handed and see how she’d deny it!

As an elder sister, she wouldn’t even spare the good stuff as a birthday gift for Mianmian and even took the opportunity to swindle the exotic parrot he had given Mianmian!

That was too much!

Ninety thousand!

This time, she had to make it up to Mianmian. Just returning the exotic parrot wouldn’t suffice.

In a few seconds, the test was complete.

[Unknown plant, rapid hemostasis, effect level unknown]

The mechanical voice sounded flatly.

The crowd erupted in excitement.

“Another special effect detected! Incredible!”

“I heard she was kicked out of the Wu family. How does she still have so many good things?”

“Back when she was in the Wu family, no one heard of any treasure exotic plants. Now that she’s left, there are healing fruits and special power fruits. The Wu family must regret it to death!”

“Maybe she never considered the Wu family her own. Otherwise, why would these good things only come out after leaving?”

“Not necessarily. Maybe she had some unexpected adventures after leaving the Wu family…”

Shen Chi didn’t hear the latter part at all; his mind echoed only:

“Maybe she never considered the Wu family her own…”

He suddenly recalled how decisively Wu Xingxue left yesterday, as if she had planned it all along.

So Mianmian was right—Wu Xingxue had wanted to leave for a long time. She never took them seriously!

Wu Xingxue listened to the bids rising and her eyes brightened.

What was an ordinary anti-swelling and bruise-remedy herb among He Cang and the beastmen became a rapid hemostatic herb here.

This was a valuable item! Especially for explorers who needed hemostatic medicines most and would never worry about selling them!

Recalling He Cang saying this herb was the most common and ordinary in their land, Wu Xingxue felt more determined—she would open a shop!

A shop selling things from the beastman world!

Luckily, He Cang was willing to trade long-term, ensuring a steady supply.

And Granny Qin’s small building was originally a mini-market, spacious enough; Granny Qin was worried about the lease expiring soon.

Why not let her continue renting it?

As long as she sold a batch of hemostatic grass and raised the capital to renew the lease, her shop would be halfway there.

The other half required some reputation.

Wu Xingxue’s personal reputation was poor; opening a shop directly, no matter how good the goods, no one would come to buy.

She had to build her fame first. Only if her products were truly excellent would people overlook her reputation.

Clearing her throat, Wu Xingxue raised her hand to quiet the crowd.

“Everyone, please don’t rush!”

The crowd was polite and fell silent.

Wu Xingxue smiled and said, “I have plenty of this hemostatic grass in stock. To be honest, I only carry one stalk on me now, but if anyone wants to buy, you can come directly to my shop.”

“Shop?”

They exchanged glances. Someone asked, “You’re opening a shop to sell these exotic plants? Like those you showed yesterday and the day before?”

Wu Xingxue kept her smile, her voice gentle and clear. “Yes, not only these but also other exotic plants, all with special effects.”

“Whoa—that must be a huge stock! Do you really have that much?”

Wu Xingxue smiled; she was too foolish to fall for such probing questions.

The crowd’s minds immediately became lively.

Aside from Wu Xingxue, no one had heard of other exotic plants that could directly affect the human body.

The healing fruit Wu Xingxue ate openly two days ago proved the machine’s test was reliable.

Her energy fruits were edible!

Even if the effect was just average, they still wanted to try.

No one except Wu Xingxue had eaten exotic plants directly!

Hidden among the crowd, Shen Chi and Wang Liang were shocked.

Wang Liang said, “Captain, Wu Xingxue is pretty capable. I thought she’d end up crying to be taken back after being kicked out, but she even managed to get so many good things.”

“If she opens a shop to sell these, she’ll make a fortune!”

Shen Chi ground his teeth, “Hiding so many good things, so heartless!”

Wang Liang’s eyes shifted as he suddenly thought, “Captain! We’re about to go on a mission soon, perfect timing to buy some medicine.”

“Wu Xingxue has treated you so well, always thinking of you with good things before.”

Shen Chi hesitated but nodded, agreeing.

Then he complained, “But that was before. Look at her now—she’s grown wings and won’t even call me cousin when we meet!”

“Oh, young girls throw tantrums. It’s normal,” Wang Liang said dismissively. “She’s thrown tantrums before, but you always found her whenever you called.”

“Talk to her nicely, and maybe ask your uncle for a favor. She wouldn’t truly leave the Wu family; she’s probably just waiting for a way out.”

Shen Chi thought it made sense.

Wu Xingxue seemed to have no words for coaxing or softening.

Her backbone was harder than anyone’s.

He also felt she was just waiting for him to offer a way out.

Otherwise, if she had good things, why wouldn’t she think of home first?

Recalling why Wu Xingxue left, Shen Chi sneered.

“It’s just a source core. Does it have to be this big a deal?”

He took a deep breath. “Fine, I’ll give her a way out.”

Wu Xingxue smiled warmly, answering the crowd’s questions while planning to tell Granny Qin the good news. Granny Qin would be delighted to know she didn’t have to leave the home she’d lived in for half her life.

But this good mood was suddenly interrupted.

“Enough, enough! Everyone disperse! She’s not opening a shop!”