Chapter 189: The Delusional Girl
“I’m out of money.”
Snow was slightly disheartened.
But she didn’t blame the little girl; her intuition told her that Tiamat wasn’t truly evil. Otherwise, she would have attacked Snow when she approached.
Snow had a clear distinction between good and evil.
Tiamat was at most “chaotic good,” like a Robin Hood figure, but why had she stolen Snow’s wallet today…?
Did she mistake Snow for someone else?
Snow checked her attire, tilting her head. She didn’t look like a corrupt, pot-bellied noble…
The naive, silver-haired girl didn’t dwell on the lost wallet.
After all, a few necessities wouldn’t be too expensive.
Half an hour later, Snow stood empty-handed outside a grocery store, taking a deep breath of the money-tainted air.
She felt the weight of the Imperial City’s prices.
Terrifying.
Fortunately, the shopkeeper didn’t discriminate against her for being an outsider, which was a relief… but why were the prices 30% higher than usual?!
Price gouging was illegal and disrupted the market, wasn’t the owner afraid?
There must be something fishy going on.
Snow mentally labeled the unseen capitalist as “unforgivable,” [Dark Plum Blossom] humming faintly…
…
“Achoo!”
Lena’s hand, petting Ling Ling, paused.
Ling Ling immediately whimpered, nuzzling against Lena’s hand.
Her fluffy ears twitched under Lena’s gentle touch, then perked up. “Miss, please pet Ling Ling more…”
Lena, thinking Ling Ling’s… cycle had returned, lifted her onto her lap, scratching her chin while reading a document.
The fire in the fireplace crackled…
Winter’s arrival meant the holidays were approaching.
A three-month winter break, she didn’t know what to do with so much free time.
Usually, she would escape the cold by going south, but with her responsibilities, she could only take a few days off, still having to manage the family business.
But a busy life also had its charm.
Angel entered, carrying a cup of hot tea, a few pink and blue petals floating on the surface.
“Working late tonight?”
She was becoming more and more like a doting wife, her every gesture filled with love and care.
Lena shook her head, putting Ling Ling down and looking at Angel. “Nothing important, by the way, haven’t you been a bit too… active lately?”
“Ah…” Angel blushed, stammering. “Whose fault is that… you haven’t been touching me…”
The scent of tea filled the air, along with a faint, sweet fragrance.
Lena recognized it, the aphrodisiac scent of the pink and blue petals.
“It’s not that I haven’t been touching you, just less often, anyone would be exhausted after so many nights…”
Lena rested her chin on Angel’s shoulder, her voice almost a whine.
She wanted Angel to give her a break.
Lately, Lena’s desire had waned, but her love for Angel remained as constant as the rising and setting sun.
Perhaps, this was a lull?
“Go back to your room, I’ll be there soon.”
Lena didn’t specify a time, she still had work to do.
“Oh…”
Angel reluctantly left with Ling Ling…
Click.
The door closed.
“Such a demanding kitten…”
Lena was actually a little unaccustomed to Angel’s assertiveness.
It wasn’t that she was trying to avoid her wifely duties!
She just…
Just…
Indeed, marriage was a grave, Lena felt a sense of dread towards bedtime, like a phobia, associating sleep with sex.
Angel’s recent demands had exceeded the average person’s needs.
Lena had to find a way to curb her appetite, it had become a burden.
“The active one in bed is always the one who gets tired, especially after a long day of work, then having to serve a demanding wife.”
Lena’s energy was limited, even if Angel’s teasing aroused her, the subsequent exertion would quickly drain her.
They needed something new, some excitement.
Lena’s gaze fell on the cup of tea, she picked it up, taking a small sip…
She swallowed the warm liquid, her expression unchanged, even wanting another cup.
Her cheeks puffed out, and she rushed upstairs, her heart filled with love and… other things.
Opening the door, she saw Angel playing with Little White, the little dragon crawling on all fours, growling playfully.
“Awoo?”
Angel looked up, seeing Lena sneaking in, her eyes widening, then a thin stream of tea dripped from the corner of her lips.
…
Snow was contemplating pawning her beloved [Dark Plum Blossom].
Having lost her wallet, she was so poor she could barely afford food, her life difficult.
She had endured worse in the wilderness, with abundant food and water, but the Imperial City was different, its high prices demanding constant expenditure.
Snow clutched the few remaining copper coins in her pocket, wondering how she would survive.
She needed money.
Having obtained permission from the dormitory manager, she planned to sell some trinkets during the after-school rush.
She had spent a day surveying the nearby dormitories, concluding that the affluent student body required unique and novel items, and there was only one thing that would appeal to them—antiques!
She had heard of them, but never had the chance to see them.
Antiques and curiosities were a luxury for the wealthy.
Of course, these rich kids wouldn’t be interested in cheap trinkets, so Snow would sell mystery bags, or “antique blind boxes.”
Curiosity and impulsivity were, after all, humanity’s greatest gifts.
They didn’t care about an item’s value, only the thrill of the unknown and the opportunity to show off to their peers. Finding something valuable was incredibly satisfying, like winning the lottery, sharing the joy while also promoting her business.
Snow would use this psychology to earn her first pot of gold in the Imperial City.
She had already secured her supply.
All she needed was the capital…
Snow’s gaze fell on [Dark Plum Blossom], the blade seeming to sense her desperation, its humming trembling slightly.
She looked away.
If she couldn’t raise the money, she wouldn’t be able to survive in the city, and borrowing from loan sharks was a dangerous path, one she wouldn’t take.
As for Vanessa…
Snow didn’t want to trouble her.
She would rather borrow from loan sharks than burden someone else, it was too embarrassing.
“…Fine.”
Snow unbuckled [Dark Plum Blossom] and entered the pawnshop she had been eyeing.
Pawning wasn’t selling; as long as she paid it back within the timeframe, there wouldn’t be a problem.
And the interest rate was reasonable, within her means. Once she earned enough money from her stall, [Dark Plum Blossom] would return to her.
“How much do you want to pawn it for?”
The pawnshop owner, a shrewd-looking old man with a receding hairline, glanced at the blade, then continued his work, as if unconcerned.
This was a common tactic in bargaining.
Maintaining a calm demeanor created an impression of “I’m not to be trifled with,” allowing him to find flaws, lower the price, and raise the interest.
“One thousand silver coins,” Snow said calmly.
“Too much, I might lose money,” the owner said immediately.
“Seven hundred.”
“Hehe… are you in urgent need of money, little girl?”
The owner changed the subject, pouring himself a cup of tea, taking a sip…
He had the upper hand.
Those who came to pawnshops were usually desperate, their common trait being their lack of money.
“Five hundred.”
This was Snow’s limit.
Any lower, and it wouldn’t be enough for her stock…
“Deal.” The pawnshop owner smiled triumphantly, calling for an assistant to bring the money, a simple exchange.
After signing the contract, Snow received five bags of coins, one hundred in each.
“The interest rate is written in the contract, you understand, one month limit, if you can’t pay, the blade belongs to the pawnshop.”
“Mm.”
Snow didn’t waste any words, weighing the bags and leaving without a backward glance…
“Such a treasure, pawned for such a low price, tsk, tsk…” The owner, recognizing the blade’s quality, stroked its sharp edge, sighing. “Sharp as autumn water, a truly fine blade…”
“Such a good blade, worth at least five hundred gold coins! She’ll definitely come back to redeem it.”
The young assistant, seemingly captivated by Snow’s beauty, was on her side.
“That’s why being ignorant is foolish, poverty is the original sin.”
The owner shook his head, mocking the assistant’s naivety.
“Those who lack money will always lack money, like someone in the desert, their thirst not innate, but an illusion created by their environment… a mirage, you understand? The poor always see mirages of wealth, that beautiful young lady will probably never escape the cycle of poverty and debt…”
“But there are exceptions!”
The assistant protested, his face flushed. “Does that young lady look like someone who’s been poor for a long time and has given up?”
“…Oh no!”
The owner suddenly slapped his forehead.
The [Dark Plum Blossom] in his hand suddenly became a hot potato.
…
A month passed quickly.
On the day of redemption, Snow woke up early, having prepared seven hundred silver coins, including interest—yes, her antique blind boxes had been a huge success, her stall always crowded with rich kids.
She had earned enough for a semester’s worth of living expenses.
But redeeming the blade would wipe out her savings.
The interest was truly terrifying, Snow had been scammed, but she had no choice but to accept it…
Returning to the pawnshop, Snow placed the money on the counter, and an assistant rushed out, his face panicked.
“Miss… your… blade…”
Out of breath from running, he couldn’t speak properly.
Snow frowned, a sense of unease.
“It’s gone!”
The assistant finally managed to speak, collapsing onto the floor, gasping for air.
Snow remained calm, her expression unchanged, but her clenched fists betrayed her emotions.
“Where is it…?”
Snow asked softly.
“The boss… gave it away.”
The assistant stammered, still catching his breath.
“To whom?”
“I can’t say, the boss will kill me!”
Remembering the pawnshop’s owner, the assistant covered his mouth, afraid of losing his head.
“I have the money, but you broke the contract.”
Snow’s calm gaze turned cold, her voice emotionless, yet terrifying.
“Explain yourself.”
She needed a reasonable explanation from the owner, or she wouldn’t leave.
“The explanation is, you get all the money back, plus interest, you’ve made a fortune, Miss Snow!”
The owner finally appeared, not with an apology, but a confident smirk. “My master is very pleased with the gift, I’ll take responsibility for breaking the contract, and I’ll compensate you with an extra 30%, as a token of my sincerity.”
He still didn’t reveal who he had given the blade to.
But Snow sensed that the matter was settled…
Taking the money, Snow left the pawnshop without a word, not wanting to stay a moment longer. Although she had profited, she wasn’t happy.
Breaking the contract just to give the blade away.
Snow hadn’t realized [Dark Plum Blossom]’s value was so high that the owner was willing to pay a hefty penalty just to please his superior…
Who was that person?
What was their motive?
Or was it a deliberate act, a way to humiliate her?
Snow left in silence, then suddenly stopped, turning around.
She looked at the pawnshop, a dangerous glint in her eyes.
Her blade was gone.
Perhaps forever.
The powerful figure behind the scenes, like the ever-increasing prices, offered no respite.
Although there were clues, Snow felt there was more to this, and she lacked the power to fight back.
Who could it be?
Snow looked up at the dark sky, whispering,
“I won’t give up…”
