Chapter 35: The Capitalist’s Coerced Microtransactions

[Page 1 of 3]

“Wife, stop crying. I won’t doubt you again.” Xiao Ziyu stepped forward, his hand hovering in midair. After hesitating for a long while, he gently placed it on her shoulder.

Chen Xingmiao secretly chuckled to herself and pretended to wipe away her tears.

“All right. You said it yourself, husband. No taking it back.”

Hearing this, Xiao Ziyu finally relaxed, and his tightly furrowed brows slowly smoothed out.

“Eat up.” He pulled her down to sit and placed the chopsticks in her hand.

Chen Xingmiao did not tease him any further. After quickly finishing her meal, Xiao Ziyu took his books and went into the courtyard to read.

She propped her chin in her hand and sat listlessly by the window.

Now that the Xiao family had suddenly stopped making trouble, she found herself with nothing to do.

Little Six, I want to take on a side quest. Arrange one for me right now!

Chen Xingmiao called out in her mind. Immediately afterward, a burst of electrical static sounded in her head.

[Great Host, the Ashes side quest has not yet been completed. Are you sure you want to open another side quest?]

She waved her hand carelessly.

The Ashes quest can wait. I want one that will give me points right away.

[Side quest loaded successfully: Rescue. Successful completion will earn one hundred points.]

Rescue? Rescue whom? Explain yourself, Little Six—

“Miss! Something terrible has happened!”

The door suddenly flew open. Chen Xingmiao’s heart tightened, and she shot to her feet.

Something terrible again? This quest loaded awfully fast.

“What happened? Don’t panic. Take your time and tell me.”

Spring Peach braced both hands on her knees and gasped for breath. It took her a long while to recover.

“Miss, just now, the eldest miss’s personal maid, Green Bamboo, came running over and said that the eldest miss had been poisoned and was unconscious. She may…”

Spring Peach faltered, tears glimmering in her eyes. She could not bring herself to say the words “may not make it.”

So this quest was for her to save Chen Shuwan. But… she was not a doctor!

Damn Little Six. It had assigned her another mission as difficult as reaching the heavens.

“Let’s go back and take a look first.”

Though she had no idea what she could do, Chen Shuwan had always treated her well. She could not simply stand by and watch her die.

With that thought, Chen Xingmiao grabbed Spring Peach and prepared to return to the Chen residence. Just as one foot crossed the threshold, Little Six’s voice sounded in her mind again.

[Host, the Points Shop has an antidote capable of curing all poisons. It costs only two hundred points.]

“How much? What did you say?!”

Little Six was truly a heartless profiteer. She had worked herself to the bone to earn a thousand points, and this quest offered only a hundred—yet the antidote cost two hundred!

I’m not buying it. In this enormous ancient world, I refuse to believe I can’t find an antidote.

Little Six did not respond again, but she could faintly sense the fellow snickering to itself.

She would endure it!

Chen Xingmiao called out a hurried farewell to Xiao Ziyu and rushed away.

[Page 2 of 3]

When she arrived at the Chen residence, Chen Jinzhou sat beside the bed with a solemn expression, while Madam Zhou stood at his side, wiping away her tears from time to time.

Old witch, keep pretending.

Chen Xingmiao cast her an annoyed glance before walking to the bedside.

“Father, what exactly happened? How did Elder Sister suddenly become poisoned?”

Chen Jinzhou let out a heavy sigh, then shook his head. First Chen Xingmiao, and now Chen Shuwan—suffering such blows one after another had made him seem more than a decade older.

“Then… what did the physicians say?”

“The Imperial Physicians’ Office said that the eldest miss cannot be saved.” Chen Jinzhou lowered his head in anguish.

Even the Imperial Physicians’ Office said she could not be saved? Was this really part of the plot, or was Little Six, that wicked capitalist, trying to force her to spend points?

So it wanted to force her to exchange for the antidote? Then she absolutely would not do it.

She looked at Madam Zhou again. The woman had one hand covering her face and sobbed every so often, appearing hardly less devastated than Chen Jinzhou.

That acting was so convincing that Chen Xingmiao nearly applauded her.

Chen Shuwan’s poisoning certainly had something to do with this old witch. If there truly was no other way, Chen Xingmiao would exchange for the antidote—but for now…

She had to teach Madam Zhou a proper lesson.

“Father, Elder Sister is blessed by Heaven. Please do not grieve too deeply.”

As she spoke, Chen Xingmiao deliberately yawned as though exhausted, then pressed a hand to her forehead.

“What is it, Little Miao? Are you feeling unwell?” Chen Jinzhou hurriedly asked, his face full of concern.

“I may simply be a little tired. Father, I would like to return to my room and rest for a while.”

“All right. Go on, then.”

Chen Xingmiao nodded and glanced at Spring Peach, winking at her.

“Spring Peach, stay here and attend to them for now.”

Spring Peach froze for a moment, then immediately understood. “Yes.”

Chen Xingmiao turned around. Just as her left foot crossed the threshold, Madam Zhou’s hypocritical laughter came from behind her.

“My lord, since Little Miao is tired, I’ll go to the kitchen and prepare some pastries for her.”

Could that old witch really be so kind?

Her steps paused. She snorted coldly inwardly, but her expression remained unchanged as she continued steadily toward her own courtyard.

Was Madam Zhou planning to use the same trick again—harm Elder Sister, then come after her as well? It seemed she still had not learned her lesson from last time. In that case, Chen Xingmiao would simply teach her another one today.

Back in her room, Chen Xingmiao sat on the couch, lightly tapping her fingers against the table.

Suddenly, an idea struck her, and the corners of her lips curved upward.

“Little Six, emergency assistance needed. Are you there?”

The instant she finished speaking, Little Six popped out.

[Host, have you finally decided to exchange for the antidote?]

“The antidote can wait. Little Six, you’re so powerful—whatever I want, you must have it, right?”

Flattered, Little Six gave a smug little chuckle.

[Of course. Just tell me what you want.]

[Page 3 of 3]

“I want some blood plasma—the kind I can hold in my mouth. You can certainly provide that, can’t you?”

[Of course, Host. It will cost only fifty points!]

Damn it. She had praised the thing so lavishly, and it still wanted points from her. Truly, it was a wicked capitalist!

Chen Xingmiao smiled while gritting her teeth.

“Exchange.”

[Certainly, Host. The blood plasma has arrived. Fifty points deducted. We look forward to serving you again!]

As Little Six’s voice faded, a small bag of blood plasma slowly appeared on the table.

Chen Xingmiao turned and lay down on the couch. A moment later, someone knocked on the door.

“Little Miao, your auntie made you some pastries. Get up and have a bite.”

She sat up from the couch, walked over to the table, and placed the blood plasma in her mouth.

“Come in.”

Madam Zhou entered with a plate of pastries, smiling brightly.

Chen Xingmiao gave a cold snort inwardly, though she returned Madam Zhou’s smile on the surface.

At last. She had been waiting so long she was nearly falling asleep.

“Little Miao, you haven’t eaten anything from home in a long time, not since you married. Hurry and taste one. See if it suits you.”

“Thank you, Auntie. You’re still so kind to me.”

Chen Xingmiao reached out and picked up a pastry. Under Madam Zhou’s expectant gaze, she slowly brought it toward her mouth.

Just as the pastry was about to touch her lips, she suddenly covered her mouth and began coughing violently.

A flicker of panic crossed Madam Zhou’s eyes, but she quickly disguised it as concern and stepped forward.

“Little Miao, what’s wrong?”

At that moment, Chen Jinzhou appeared in the doorway with Spring Peach. No one knew when they had arrived.

Chen Jinzhou’s tall figure was imposing and dignified. His voice rang through the room like a great bell.

“What is going on?”

“My lord?” Startled by his voice, Madam Zhou trembled violently. The color drained from her face until it was as pale as paper.

Spring Peach was becoming more and more in tune with Chen Xingmiao. She had actually brought Father here—and at precisely the right moment.

Amid the confusion, while everyone’s attention was fixed on Chen Jinzhou, Chen Xingmiao swiftly broke off a piece of the pastry in her hand and slipped it unnoticed into the wide sleeve of her robe.

Then she decisively bit through the blood plasma in her mouth.

In an instant, crimson liquid burst from her lips like a fountain and splattered across the floor.

“Auntie, why would you do this to me?” Chen Xingmiao’s voice trembled, thick with sobs. “Could Elder Sister’s poisoning have been your doing as well…?”

Madam Zhou’s legs gave way, and she nearly collapsed. She looked toward Chen Jinzhou in panic.

“My lord, this—this must be a misunderstanding! How could I harm Little Miao? I would never harm the eldest miss either!”

How was that, old witch? Her acting was excellent, wasn’t it? Frightened now?

Watching Madam Zhou’s disheveled appearance, Chen Xingmiao felt an immense rush of satisfaction and secretly congratulated herself.

But just then, a sudden, excruciating pain tore through her chest.

What was happening…?

Her eyes widened, filled with terror and confusion. She instinctively clutched her chest, her fingers trembling faintly from the pain.

Before she could understand what was happening, a great mouthful of blood suddenly surged uncontrollably from her lips.