The System Shop Arrives

The clan chief had remained silent all along, intending to wait for Xu Yongyi to return and settle the matter. He did not want to be blamed afterward.

But when he heard that the marquis's residence would not hold the Xu Family responsible and would even give them a gift of thanks, he felt that Xu Yongyi would not disagree even if he were there. After all, this was the best way to handle the matter.

He nodded to Madam Xie. "Let's do that."

Madam Xie was suddenly in a difficult position.

If she still refused this proposal, she would be deliberately making things difficult for the Marquis of Suiping's Residence. Had she not just heard what Matron Ruan had meant? She had plainly been saying that Madam Xie wanted to use Xu Xi to extort a sum from the marquis's residence, and had therefore incited her to refuse to return.

The Xu Family upheld a proper family code and had always enjoyed an excellent reputation. She could not let Xu Xi's antics ruin it. Her son's pursuit of an official career and her daughter's marriage prospects would both be affected in the future.

She rose hesitantly, just about to speak to Xu Xi again, when a clear young female voice called from outside, "Help! Someone, come quickly! My sister is hanging herself!"

Recognizing her daughter Xu Xue's voice, Madam Xie turned pale. She gathered up her skirts and rushed outside.

The others were a beat slower, but quickly came to their senses and followed her out. Matron Ruan in particular, guessing that the one hanging herself was Xu Xi, ran faster than anyone despite her slightly plump figure.

If they came to fetch the young lady of the marquis's residence only to drive her to hang herself, neither she nor Steward Liu would come to a good end, even if they were in the old madam's good graces.

Steward Liu was a steady man. Seeing that Matron Ruan had already reacted and was running at full speed, he relaxed a little and slowed down, blocking the village head and the clan chief, seemingly by accident.

If Xu Xi really had hanged herself, letting the village head and clan chief see her in an unseemly state would surely damage the marquis's residence's reputation. Only half the time it took to drink a cup of tea had passed since Madam Xie had left Xu Xi's room; even if Xu Xi had hanged herself, she would not have died so quickly. At a time like this, protecting their reputation naturally took priority.

It was with the same thought in mind that Matron Ruan charged ahead with all her might.

Matron Ruan was advanced in years and usually lived in comfort. How could she outrun Madam Xie, who did farm work? By the time she followed Xu Xue into a room, panting for breath, she saw Madam Xie throw her arms around Xu Xi, who was in the act of putting her neck into the rope.

"Let go of me! You don't want me anymore anyway, so I might as well go find my father and mother," Xu Xi cried.

"I do, I do! How could I not want you? As long as you don't want to leave, Auntie will take care of you for the rest of your life. Please don't say such things that stab me in the heart." Though Madam Xie knew perfectly well that Xu Xi was acting, she could not help crying too.

"Sister, sister, don't die! I won't let you go anywhere!" Xu Xue threw her arms around them too, and the mother and two girls wept in a huddle.

Matron Ruan stood in the doorway, watching the scene with her arms folded in silence.

Seeing that Matron Ruan had not gone inside, Steward Liu figured things must be all right. He stopped blocking the way and came over with the village head and the clan chief. Looking at the three of them clinging to one another and crying, he frowned as well.

Matron Ruan sighed to him. "Today's matter will be difficult to handle."

She had originally thought that they were merely coming to fetch someone: the young girl would happily return with them, and the Xu Family would not dare stop them or demand silver because Madam Xu had switched the babies. The matter would be easy. Who would have thought that some wire had crossed in the girl's head, making her refuse to go to the marquis's residence no matter what, even threatening to kill herself?

Later, when Madam Xie failed to persuade Xu Xi, Matron Ruan still had not taken it too seriously. Even if Xu Xi was unwilling, she had planned to speak nicely to her while having two strong maids carry her straight onto the carriage. That would have settled the matter.

The onlookers had all been kept outside the Xu Family's gate. How could anyone who did not know the truth realize that Xu Xi would refuse to be a young lady of the marquis's residence and insist on staying in this little farmhouse courtyard? Once Xu Xi was carried onto the carriage, Matron Ruan could smooth things over with a few polite words. Once the carriage left, it would be useless for Xu Xi to make any more fuss, and others would only envy her good fortune.

The village head and clan chief, who knew the truth, would not say much either, for the sake of their own interests.

Who could have imagined things would come to this?

Everyone inside and outside the courtyard had heard the young girl's shout just now. If they forcibly carried Xu Xi onto the carriage at a time like this, people's spit alone could drown them.

This was Xu Family Village. Public opinion would not be on their side.

If they mishandled the matter and damaged the marquis's residence's reputation, the marquis would never let them off lightly.

Steward Liu sighed too. "Forget it. Let's go back for now."

Matron Ruan nodded in agreement.

Steward Liu then said to the village head and the clan chief, "Since Miss Xi doesn't want to leave, we can't very well tie her up and take her back. Let's leave it at that for today. Once we've reported to the marquis, the madam will decide what to do."

What else could the village head and clan chief say? They could only agree.

After seeing the party off and dealing with the Xu Family Village residents who had come to watch and ask all sorts of questions, Madam Xie shut the courtyard gate. Though relieved, she was full of worry.

She knew this matter was not over.

"Host, host, I have good news for you!" An excited voice suddenly rang out in Xu Xi's head.

Xu Xi did not even lift her eyelids. "What good news?"

"Some of the system malfunction has been fixed, so the System Shop can be opened! Host, host, as long as you have enough Wisdom Credit Points, you can exchange them for things in the shop. The prices are affordable, and you get better deals in bulk! Hurry and catch up with Matron Ruan and go back to the marquis's residence with them. Study the zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting under the teachers hired by the residence, earn more points, and buy more system goods."

The system's voice was so gleeful that it cracked.

Xu Xi's eyes darted around. She sent Xu Xue out, shut the door, and said to the system, "Show me what's in the shop."

Ever since she had woken up in this world, the system had communicated with her as a voice in her head. She had never seen what it looked like. As for the things in the shop, she was even more interested in those.

It would be wonderful if there were things like great strength pills or marrow-cleansing pills. Failing that, a computer or phone would do, so she could go online, read novels, and play a game. Wouldn't that be lovely too? Life in ancient times was green and healthy, but it was terribly boring. There were not even many extra books, and she felt as if she were about to grow mold.

Besides, had the system brought out the shop because her refusal to return to the marquis's residence had forced its hand? If she had obediently followed the plot and returned to the residence to grind Wisdom Points, would the system have simply kept the shop hidden from her?

Thinking about it this way, she seemed to understand the system's usual tricks.

The system still had no idea it had shown its hand to this crafty human. It made the shop appear before Xu Xi out of thin air.

Looking at the virtual screen that had appeared in front of her, Xu Xi asked the system, "Can other people see this screen?"

"No. Only the host can see it," the system said.

Only then did Xu Xi relax and take a close look at the things in the shop. Then her expression changed.

"You moron, get out here!"

Hearing Xu Xi's teeth grinding, the system somehow still felt a little frightened, even though it knew she could not hit it. It no longer had much reaction to being called a "moron," either.

It asked in a faint voice, "Host, wh-what is it?"