Thinking of that image, even the stone-hearted Bai Weiwei felt her nose sting.
Forget it. What could be done if her family’s system was incapable.
After all, the fangs of society were cruel. Maybe her family’s system’s background was not good, and it became a loser in society.
Of course it couldn’t obtain any good resources.
Bai Weiwei softened into a rare moment of gentleness. “It’s fine, no matter how poor or how much suffering, we’re together. One day we’ll shake off this hat of poverty and have a beautiful future.”
The system had a look of bafflement1. Thinking that its host had misunderstood something, it quickly explained, “Actually, I didn’t grab the sweet route for a reason. It’s not because I’m poor and useless.”
Bai Weiwei: “I understand.”
Poor fellows also needed dignity. She understands.
System: What did the host understand, why did it not understand?
Qi Chimu placed the lunch box2 he was using for the imperial exam in the room, not particularly on guard against Bai Weiwei.
He saw she was sitting by the table, her face twisted as she embroidered. After returning from the temple, she had been called over by Bai shi to read many texts, including how to win over her husband’s heart. The feminine arts also needed to be practiced well.
This was why it was a rare moment of seeing her working so quietly.
Of course, Qi Chimu knew that it was because Bai shi, that vicious woman, realized his value had increased greatly.
And so she planned to use Bai Weiwei to win him over. If in the future he really succeeded in the imperial examinations, he would be a target for Bai shi to exploit.
When he thought of that old woman, the corners of his mouth lifted into a sneer.
When the court examination3 was over, he would find an opportunity to take Bai Weiwei away, then completely eradicate the Bai family.
At that time, if he burned the corpses, nobody would be able to find out who the murder was.
Then Bai Weiwei could only rely on him. How great.
Qi Chimu placed down his book. He remembered all the examination topics for tomorrow. After being reborn once, the imperial examination was much easier for him.
He looked up at her and found that she was already yawning in boredom, yet she was still earnestly embroidering flowers.
Today, she wore a simple, light blue skirt. Her hair was casually bound up and inserted with an unadorned and beautiful hairpin. It was simple and extremely clean, like pear blossoms reflecting water.
Qi Chimu stared at her dazedly for a while, a tranquil sweetness brewing in his heart.
After seeing enough, he tore his gaze away and looked at the hairpin on her head.
This was the key and map to his family’s storage of wealth.
He didn’t need the map. The key… he didn’t need it for now.
Following the scheme of deliberately encountering the prince in advance, his relationship with the third prince was good enough that there was no need to surrender the money.
They needed these funds later for when the third prince rebelled.
He calmly made a cup of honey scented tea, picked up the mung bean cake, and walked over to her. He set down the mung bean cake and offered her the tea. “Drink some. It’s good for your health.”
Then he took the embroidered frame in her hand.
There were several sketches of flowers on the table.
It was a task assigned to her by Bai shi.
Qi Chimu pinched the needle and thread and calmly began to help her embroider.
His level of embroidery was not even half a point better than hers.
Bai Weiwei raised her brows. Just as she was about to begin taunting.
Qi Chimu stuffed a piece of mung bean cake into her mouth. “Be good, I’ll help you embroider soon.”
Bai Weiwei immediately mumbled through the mouthful of pastry, “I don’t embroider the same as you. My mother will know.”
Qi Chimu said calmly, “Different is better.”
The matters in the house were not clear to the servants outside. Many of them were Bai shi’s eyes and ears. If he helped with Bai Weiwei’s work, Bai shi would only feel more at ease.
Bai Weiwei watched him embroider. He didn’t look one bit feminine, but his movements were very beautiful.
She couldn’t help but frown and say, “How are you able to do everything?”
1: 乱码: a term for nonsense characters used when software can’t encode text in the intended character coding. Kinda makes sense here because a system is… AI? Something with code.↩
2: 提盒: a tiered lunch box.↩
3: 殿试: the highest level of the imperial examination. Normally, they’re held every three years, but this is an alternate universe where the imperial examinations are held more frequently, apparently.↩