Free Web NovelChapter 172: Chapter 172: Blessed Girl
Upon seeing Shen Ningning and Lu Shaoyuan, the constable quickly ordered the escort party to halt and bowed respectfully.
Shen Ningning walked up to Wei Yufu. They were the same height and had even been born on the very same day, but their fates couldn’t have been more different.
Staring into Wei Yufu’s eyes, which burned with a desire to tear her apart, Shen Ningning spoke in her soft, childish voice, which was remarkably calm and pure. "Why, even now, do you still think I’m responsible for your family’s tragedy? Wasn’t it your Wei Family’s insatiable greed and abuse of power that brought this disaster upon yourselves?"
Wei Yufu struggled violently, her neck turning red as she screamed, "It *is* your fault! If you hadn’t competed with me to be the blessed girl, why would the Emperor have been so merciless with my family?"
"I didn’t compete with you. You’re the one who lied first and even trashed my tea stall. Why should I just let you bully me? You claimed you could make it rain, so I challenged you to a fair and open competition. Isn’t that enough to prove your Wei Family lied?"
"Besides, even if none of this had happened between us, do you think the evil deeds your father and aunt committed could have stayed hidden forever? You can’t wrap a fire in paper. Heaven sees everything you do!"
Wei Yufu’s eyes flickered, and she lowered her gaze, a hint of guilt on her face.
She let out a cold laugh. "Shen Ningning, don’t think you’ll have it easy just because you drove me away. In a place like the Capital City, a little orphan like you is destined for a bad end."
"I couldn’t beat you, but there are plenty of others who will. A blessed girl? Hah! That’s laughable. This is only the beginning of your troubles. I’ll be waiting to see the day you’re kicked out of the Capital City. I guarantee... I absolutely guarantee... your fate will be far worse than mine."
With that, she broke into wild, mocking laughter, only to be slapped by the constable so hard that she fainted.
Shen Ningning pursed her lips. Lu Shaoyuan waved a hand at the constable and said with disgust, "Hurry up and get these criminals on their way."
Lu Shaoyuan led the little girl into the Capital City.
Perhaps sensing her complicated expression, he decided against taking a carriage, figuring a walk might help clear her head.
Shen Ningning was silent for a long time before Lu Shaoyuan finally couldn’t resist speaking up. "Don’t take Wei Yufu’s words to heart. She’s about to be sent off to suffer at the border, so of course she can’t stand to see you doing well."
The little girl snapped out of her daze and asked in return, "I’m not upset because of what she said. I was just wondering, is accepting this ’blessed girl’ title really a good thing?"
She had grown up in an environment like the Qin Family’s household, where anything good she possessed would immediately be snatched away by Qin Fangmei.
As a result, Shen Ningning had formed a habit.
She had to keep anything good hidden, or else she would attract people with malicious intentions.
Even when she had revealed the Immortal Realm to her grandmother, her grandmother had warned her never to tell anyone else.
Mo Lingwei had also said that you shouldn’t let others know too much about the resources and advantages you command.
All of this was because human hearts were greedy and treacherous; what she possessed might only bring her trouble.
Lu Shaoyuan froze for a moment. ’So that’s what she was worried about.’
He said bluntly, "You don’t have to worry. Being a blessed girl is a good thing, of course. Now, no one will dare to look down on you."
"Even if some people have bad intentions, you still have the Crown Prince protecting you."
After saying that, he stammered, "I... I’ll protect you, too."
Lu Shaoyuan peeked at Shen Ningning’s expression.
When he saw a smile grace the little girl’s face, she said, "Thank you, Lu Shaoyuan."
Only then did he crack a smile himself, rubbing the tip of his nose. "It’s nothing. You saved my life. We’re friends, it’s what I should do."
Lu Shaoyuan took her directly to the busiest thoroughfare on the East Street of the Capital City.
"Look. This storefront, that one across the way, and that one over there by the canal—they’d all be great for a teahouse. Which one do you like?"
Hearing this, Shen Ningning quickly said, "I don’t have enough Silver to open a teahouse. Let’s not look anymore. We should go back."
Lu Shaoyuan grabbed her by the sleeve. "What’s the hurry? These properties all belong to my mother. I already talked to her—whichever one you like, it’s yours."
Shen Ningning’s bright, dark eyes widened in astonishment.
She looked back and forth between the storefronts, but ultimately just kept shaking her head.
"I can’t accept it. Thank you and your mother for your kindness, but I’ll wait until I’ve earned the money to buy one myself."
Lu Shaoyuan spread his arms to block her path, refusing to let her leave.
"It’s not exactly a gift. I... I was thinking I could invest some silver in your teahouse. Once it’s open, you can give me a share of the monthly profits. How about it?"
This piqued Shen Ningning’s interest. Her eyes sparkled as she looked at him. "You want to open a teahouse, too?"
Lu Shaoyuan shrugged, his tone light and easy. "My mother says I never do anything productive. My studies are a mess, and my martial arts are nowhere near as good as my brother’s, so I want to find something to occupy my time."
"Let’s open a teahouse together. You’ll be the senior partner, and I’ll be the junior partner. That way, I can earn a bit of silver to bring home every month, and my mother might even praise me for it."
Hearing him put it that way, Shen Ningning hesitated, considered for a moment, and finally nodded.
A smile spread across her fair, adorable little face. "In that case, let’s go take a look inside these storefronts."
"Great, great!" Lu Shaoyuan thought, ’I finally convinced her!’ He then eagerly led the way forward.
The two of them emerged from the first storefront.
Shen Ningning wasn’t taken with the place. "It’s too small."
Lu Shaoyuan pointed across the street. "That one’s bigger. It used to be a restaurant. Let’s go take a look."
Suddenly, he caught a flicker of movement in his peripheral vision. He looked over and saw a few townspeople standing at the corner. The moment they saw him looking, they quickly shrank back out of sight.
Lu Shaoyuan frowned, but Shen Ningning, completely oblivious, had already crossed the street and entered the opposite storefront, so he had no choice but to follow.
Finally, after they had looked at the last of the available properties, Shen Ningning thought for a moment before making her decision. "Let’s go with the one by the canal. The one on the street corner was spacious, but I saw there’s already a storytelling house just six paces to its right."
If people wanted tea, they would naturally choose the storytelling house first.
The little girl happily ticked off points on her fingers as she laid out her plans for the teahouse.
"We’ll make the first floor the tea hall, and we can turn the second floor into private rooms. It’s right next to the river, so people can enjoy the view while they drink. It will be so relaxing."
"The courtyard in the back is big enough, too. Taking in those refugee uncles won’t be a problem at all. This is wonderful!"
"Lu Shaoyuan, I really have to thank you properly! There’s a restaurant just up ahead. Let me treat you to a meal there!"
Just as Shen Ningning finished speaking, she realized Lu Shaoyuan hadn’t kept up with her.
She turned back and saw Lu Shaoyuan’s suspicious gaze fixed on the area behind them.
"Lu Shaoyuan?" Shen Ningning trotted over to him.
Following his gaze, she saw a group of townspeople standing a short distance away, staring intently at them.
Shen Ningning grew a little nervous. "Who are they?"
Lu Shaoyuan’s voice was grave. "I noticed someone following us a little while ago. These people are sizing us up in secret. I’m afraid they’re up to no good."
’This is how I got kidnapped last time.’
’Shen Ningning is now the famous rain-summoning Blessed Girl, known far and wide. There are bound to be even more villains targeting her!’
"Go! Run for the government office!" Lu Shaoyuan grabbed her by the wrist and broke into a run.
Shen Ningning scrambled to keep up, her round little face tense with anxiety.
However, they hadn’t run far before their path was blocked by another group of townspeople.
Every single one of them had a strange, intense light glinting in their eyes.
Lu Shaoyuan pulled Shen Ningning behind him. "Don’t be afraid. When you get a chance, just run!"
Just as the pair braced themselves for a fight, the crowd of townspeople in front of them suddenly dropped to their knees in a great wave.
They cried out in unison, "Blessed Girl, please accept our respects!"
