Chapter 16: Are You Really Going to Buy It?

"Big sister?"

In front of Su Tang, the little girl had somehow come over again, tilting her head and furrowing her tiny brows as she looked up at her.

Perhaps she'd spent so long communicating in silence with that little groom that she could now read the meaning in the girl's eyes.

Su Tang stiffened her expression. "I'm not sick. I'm perfectly fine."

The little girl grinned, revealing all her small teeth, and spread her little hand in front of Su Tang.

From between her palms emerged a small duck, woven from bamboo rattan.

Its little green head, the flattened beak, and two glossy black eyes—every detail was exquisitely crafted, the wings as thin as a feather; in other places, it was rough-hewn and unadorned, yet the skill was evident and the depiction lifelike. If not for the thin, flat layer on the duck's back, which was clearly intended for placing objects, Su Tang might have thought this was simply the girl's toy.

Small as it was, it was particularly beautiful.

At the very least, the intricate craftsmanship rivaled the machine-made products she had known in her previous life.

"Is it for me?" Su Tang asked.

The little girl glanced back at her father and nodded.

Su Tang said, "How can I accept this? How much does it cost?"

She began to reach for her money, but the little girl shook her head. "No need. Big sister gave me candy."

"I gave it to you because you were cute. Besides, candy isn't as adorable as this little duck," Su Tang replied.

The little girl shook her head again. "Papa says I'm still little and shouldn't accept candy from big sister. But I already ate the candy, so big sister has to take the duck."

Su Tang could only be honest. "Candy isn't worth much, but this duck is a real treasure."

The little girl grinned even wider and pressed the duck into Su Tang's hand. "I like candy, big sister likes the duck."

So she had no choice but to accept, didn't she?

Left with no other option, Su Tang took it. "Thank you, then."

The little girl laughed and ran back to her father.

Su Tang followed after her.

The man saw Su Tang approaching behind his daughter and hurriedly put down his pack, already tidied up.

"I noticed your weaving was so fine, and thought I'd find some things useful for my home," Su Tang said.

Surprise lit the man's honest face, and he hastened to open his bundle.

Su Tang pointed to the basket on the outside. "No need for trouble, this one will do."

"How could that be? There are several kinds, and if you're buying for your family, you should pick the sturdiest and most pleasing," the man replied, already unpacking his wares.

Su Tang, whose initial intent was only to make a purchase and avoid taking advantage, was left speechless.

...

But after she carefully examined the bamboo goods—baskets, sieves, mats, and even lanterns and children's trinkets—she realized they were all so finely made, especially with the lacquer painted on the outside.

At first, she'd thought the little duck was nice, but seeing the other trinkets, she realized the duck was nothing special after all.

That one's good.

And so is that one...

"That's enough, it's quite a lot," the man said. "But if you really like them, next time you come by, you can have another look."

Enough?

Only then did Su Tang realize she’d already gathered seven or eight items at her side.

Oh dear—

"How much is it?" she asked.

The man counted on his fingers: "The sieve is fifty coins, one lacquered basket and one plain one—three hundred and twenty for the lacquered, forty for the plain. The lanterns aren't worth much, thirty coins each. These little trinkets are lacquered, so they're pricier, forty each, three of them, that's a hundred and twenty. Altogether... five hundred and sixty coins. Just give me five hundred and fifty, that's fine."

Su Tang's brow twitched.

Five hundred and fifty coins—a full half a string.

It stung. Oh, it stung.

She had only meant to support the man's business, not realizing how well he actually did.

Well, compared to her own stall, she still earned more.

But did she really need all seven items?

...

In the end, Su Tang carried the basket home.

Li Qingtian came out to greet her, looking puzzled at the odds and ends in Su Tang's basket. "These?"

"They'll be useful," Su Tang replied hurriedly and headed straight for the kitchen.

At the same time, she pressed the "Noodle Making" branch on her "Culinary Skill Tree."

She was so heartbroken over the expense—she needed to calm herself.

The "Noodle Making" branch on the skill tree flickered, and three blurry twigs extended behind it: "Steamed Buns," "Knife-Shaved and Dragon's Beard Noodles," and "Hand-Pulled Noodles."

She had to pick one?

Su Tang pressed down.

"Steamed Buns" and "Hand-Pulled Noodles" vanished, leaving only "Knife-Shaved and Dragon's Beard Noodles."

As the branch grew clearer, knowledge she had never possessed before welled up in her mind; her hands and arms felt imbued with a new instinct, as if the mere presence of flour before her would be enough to create the finest knife-shaved and dragon's beard noodles.

Without another thought, Su Tang got to work.

She measured flour and water by ratio, kneaded the dough, brushed on some fragrant oil, rolled the dough into strips, stretched them with both hands, then rolled them up again, repeating the process several times.

Li Qingtian stood by, dumbfounded.

She had believed the spicy hotpot recipe came from the book the young lady studied so diligently.

But kneading and pulling dough like this—how could anyone just start and achieve such fluid perfection?

Even she herself had tried, but never managed to pull a dough from the basin so smooth and glossy, not a bit sticking to her hands, as the young lady did now.

Su Tang mused aloud, "I've watched you do this so often, Sister Li, I suppose I remembered the method. I must have thought about it countless times. I didn't expect it to come so naturally—maybe I really am talented."

Su Tang's bright eyes were as clear as Li Qingtian remembered them to be.

Li Qingtian nodded slowly, and her eyes abruptly reddened. "I wish, young miss, you didn't have such talent."

Cooking was hard work.

Su Tang smiled and pointed to the flour jar. "We're out of flour."

Li Qingtian hastily wiped her eyes. "I'll go buy some right away."

She hurried out the door.

Standing at the kitchen threshold, Su Tang watched Li Qingtian leave, still dabbing at her tears, and felt a headache coming on.

Her system was truly lacking in humanity.

After everything the original owner had been through, she finally got a golden-fingered system—yet it was the "Culinary System"! Why not a Reading System, a Vengeance System, a Lady's Manners System, or even a Do-Nothing System?

But no, it had to be culinary. Not to mention the delicate original owner—even she herself had no talent for this in her past life!

Could it be that the less you have, the more the world gives you?

She was still penniless—a Wealth System would be far more timely.

"Huff, huff, huff—"

Just as Su Tang was silently complaining, a familiar snuffling sounded nearby.

She looked down to find the big black dog at her feet, raising its head to glare up at her with canine eyes.

Not far off, her little husband was quietly watching her.

Su Tang: "..."

The little gentleman: "..."

"Husband?" Su Tang asked.

He glanced at her coolly, then turned and went back inside.

The big black dog at her legs gave her a look, wagged its tail, and followed after.

Really—