The morning mist had not yet dispersed when Su Jinxiu carefully placed her sample goods into a cotton-lined basket.
Two forsythia branches as thick as a child’s arm, and a bundle of honeysuckle vines with glossy leaves and tightly packed buds.
This was her stepping stone. Whether she could dig out a fortune from this world depended entirely on this move.
Today, Huo Chen did not accompany her to the pharmacy. Yesterday he had drawn up a blueprint, saying he wanted to commission some “small tools” from the blacksmith. Su Jinxiu didn’t ask further—after all, this tyrant could kill with even a chopstick. Giving him some metal tools only increased safety.
The two entered the town and split up.
Su Jinxiu headed straight for the most prestigious pharmacy in town—Huichuntang (Spring Revival Hall).
Unlike the profiteering Ji Shitang, Huichuntang’s signboard was carved from heavy rosewood, exuding the aura of a centuries-old establishment.
The assistant at the door saw that Su Jinxiu was simply dressed but clean, and did not act snobbish. Instead, he greeted her politely.
“Miss, are you here to buy medicine?”
“I’m not here to buy—I’m here to talk business,” Su Jinxiu said, patting the basket behind her. “Please inform your manager. I have a major deal involving premium medicinal herbs.”
The assistant hesitated.
Before he could respond, a clear voice came from inside.
“Oh? Premium medicinal herbs? Few in Qingyun Town would dare say such a thing.”
Su Jinxiu turned around.
A young man walked out from the inner hall, dressed in a moon-white brocade robe with a high-quality jade pendant at his waist. His features were refined, scholarly yet not rigid—rather, he carried a gentle and intelligent air.
This was the male supporting character from the original novel—Shen Yushu, the young master of Huichuntang.
Su Jinxiu’s heart jumped.
A real “gold master.” In the original story, he spent money like water for the heroine. Of course, now she was just a villainous side character and didn’t expect him to go crazy spending for her. She only needed a little profit leaking through his fingers.
“Whether it’s good or not, Young Master will know at a glance,” Su Jinxiu said without hesitation, directly opening the basket.
A strong, fresh medicinal aroma immediately filled the hall, overpowering the mixed herbal scent inside.
Shen Yushu’s casual expression changed slightly. He snapped his folding fan shut and stepped forward quickly.
He picked up a section of honeysuckle vine, rubbed the leaves between his fingers, and leaned in to smell the buds.
“Color vibrant green, fragrance penetrating…” he murmured, then picked up the thick forsythia branch. “The bark is glossy and firm. If cut open, the core inside must be…”
An expert.
Su Jinxiu was certain now, though she still kept her calm expression.
“These are first-harvest materials from a sunny mountain slope, grown using… some ancestral methods. I wonder if Young Master is satisfied?”
Shen Yushu looked up, his peach-blossom eyes now carrying genuine interest.
“If I cannot accept this, then Huichuntang might as well close down.”
“I am Shen Yushu. May I ask your surname, miss?”
“Su.”
“Miss Su, how much of this stock do you have?”
“As long as the price is right, I can supply as much as you want every month,” Su Jinxiu raised a finger. “And I won’t sell to anyone else—only Huichuntang. This is an exclusive deal.”
Shen Yushu immediately understood the implication. As a businessman, the word “exclusive” made his mental abacus start clicking.
Such premium herbs, once monopolized, could completely suppress competitors like Ji Shitang.
“Straightforward,” he said, waving his hand.
“Ordinary forsythia sells for forty copper coins per jin. Honeysuckle sixty. For yours, I’ll double it—eighty and one hundred twenty respectively.”
Then he took out a banknote from his sleeve and placed it on the counter.
“This is fifty taels as a deposit. Let’s sign a long-term contract. I will take all production from your herb fields.”
Fifty taels.
Su Jinxiu stared at the thin piece of paper.
In her mind, the “money-making escape plan” progress bar shot upward instantly.
With this money, even if she wanted to flee, she could buy a small courtyard in the south and live comfortably.
She barely restrained herself from hugging the banknote and kissing it.
Calm. Must maintain her “divine healer lady” persona.
She carefully tucked the banknote into her chest.
“Young Master Shen is indeed straightforward. This friendship—I accept.”
They signed the contract on the counter.
Su Jinxiu’s handwriting wasn’t elegant, but it was neat and firm, carrying a certain boldness.
Shen Yushu looked at her signature, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes.
This young woman was interesting—wild, sharp, and unlike ordinary village folk.
“Miss Su, if transporting goods is inconvenient in the future, just inform me. I will send a carriage,” he said warmly, personally escorting her to the door.
The midday sun was just right.
Su Jinxiu had just stepped out of the threshold of Huichun Hall when, before she could even savor the feeling of sudden wealth, she felt a chilling gaze land on her back.
She subconsciously shivered and looked up.
Across the street, in the shadow of the blacksmith shop, Huo Chen was leaning against a pillar.
In his hand was a small black cloth bundle—likely something freshly crafted. His dark clothes were slightly worn, but even among the crowd, he stood out sharply. Only now, his expression was frighteningly cold.
Huo Chen’s gaze crossed the street, lingering briefly on Shen Yushu’s refined, smiling face, before falling back onto Su Jinxiu.
He had seen everything just now.
That pretty boy was all smiles, even personally escorting her to the door. The two of them were chatting and laughing warmly—the atmosphere between them was so familiar it was almost irritating to look at.
Especially Su Jinxiu.
In front of him, she always acted weak and pitiful, complaining about this and that. Yet in front of that man, she was smiling so freely, even patting her chest and promising something about “friends.”
Friends?
Huo Chen coldly sneered as his thumb brushed the finely polished steel mechanism hidden inside his sleeve.
Su Jinxiu, completely oblivious to the brewing storm, ran across the street cheerfully and slapped her chest like presenting a treasure.
“Husband! It’s done! We’re rich!”
Huo Chen lowered his gaze at her money-obsessed expression and said nothing. He simply tapped the ground with his cane and turned to leave.
That back view practically screamed: I’m in a bad mood. Don’t provoke me.
Su Jinxiu was completely confused.
What was wrong with him? Stepped on dog poop on the way out? Or did the blacksmith raise prices?
“Hey! Husband, wait for me! I already said I’d get you a shock-absorbing carriage. I’m not just making empty promises this time…”
At the entrance of Huichun Hall, Shen Yushu watched the two figures disappear down the street, thoughtfully fanning himself.
“Husband? That crippled man?”
He narrowed his eyes slightly.
Even across the street, he could still faintly sense the fleeting killing intent on that man.
That kind of aura was definitely not something an ordinary village man could possess.