The heavens were not cooperating.
By dawn the next day, the rain continued to pour. The doors of the foot-shop were wide open, and the damp mist wafted in from outside until it filled the entire room, making everyone feel quite uncomfortable.
The travelers staying at the inn had their schedules disrupted by the heavy rain. They sat in the lobby in small groups, loudly complaining without end.
“This rain is eerie. It started falling last night and hasn't stopped even by this morning. It's truly strange.”
“Who are you telling! I've been traveling this road for so many years, and I've never seen rain this heavy. It's so sudden and fast, with all that thunder and lightning—it's terrifying!”
“Sigh, I was originally hauling a cart of pears, hoping to sell them in the city overnight. Who would have thought a sudden downpour would trap me in this foot-shop?”
“Hoh! You're certainly willing to spend. Staying a night in this foot-shop costs thirty to fifty coins, quite a bit more expensive than the inns in the city.”
“How could I be willing! It's just that there's a young assistant here with a good heart. He accepted a basket of pears from me and let me huddle in a lower room for the night.”
“I'm just waiting for this rain to stop so I can head into the city to sell my pears!”
“I'm in a hurry too! A few days ago, I went to the countryside to collect rent. I was supposed to enter the city yesterday, but I ended up trapped in this foot-shop. Dammit, what rotten luck.”
Nan Zhi carried her oil-paper umbrella with her as she turned to close her room door and walked down the stairs into the main hall.
Several tables in the hall were occupied. When they saw a sturdy, dark-faced girl descending from the upper floor, they all fell silent at once.
Some of the more meddlesome types even widened their eyes, pointing and gesturing at Nan Zhi's back, letting out a strange laugh every now and then.
Nan Zhi was in an exceptionally good mood and didn't care. She simply called out to the assistant at the counter:
“Waiter, three bowls of soft-braised mutton noodles, a few refreshing side dishes, and a pot of wine. Don't try to fool me with dried meat or fox meat; that stuff tastes too rank.”
Old Nan had told her before that some remote little shops liked to pass off fox meat as mutton or mix snake meat with eel meat.
An average guest wouldn't be able to tell the difference, and even if they did, they wouldn't dare argue with the shopkeeper for fear of running into a black-hearted shop that might kill them for their money.
The assistant who had led them in yesterday was not very old and looked world-weary, yet he was quite efficient.
“Right away! Don't you worry, lady. Our foot-shop gets fresh wild game from the mountains every day. I guarantee there's none of that nasty business here!”
Seeing Nan Zhi beaming with joy and looking quite elated, the assistant felt a bit puzzled.
“Little lady, I saw you were in a great hurry yesterday, so you must be traveling. Why is it that even though the rain won't stop today and everyone else is worrying themselves sick, you can still smile?”
Nan Zhi naturally had to smile.
Not only would she smile, she would laugh loudly, laugh wantonly, and laugh with all her heart.
In the past, she might have agonized over whether this world was real or fake, worrying that her choices would cause a butterfly effect.
Now?
She was stacked with the strongest golden finger cheats. Was there any need to be timid?
How could a great woman live under others' thumbs, moping and being overcautious for long?
There was no time to explain.
Right now, she was in her strongest form: Nan · Fourth Calamity · Infinite Resurrections · Unrestrained and Unstoppable · Zhi!
Rain?
What did rain matter?
Could it stop her restless, lawless heart that wanted to go out and roam?
Actually, it could.
Fortunately, Nan Zhi had not yet been completely blinded by the excitement of first arriving in the game world.
She finally remembered that the Wang master and servant were still hungry.
“Waiter, two more bowls of plain noodles. Yes, just boil them in plain water, as long as they're cooked. Send them up to my two servants.”
Nan Zhi paused for a moment, calculating the silver in her pocket, and asked the assistant with great seriousness:
“Actually, why don't you just give them one bowl of noodles? Boil it until it's very soft and add more noodle soup, as long as it fills their bellies.”
“That way... could you give me a bit of a discount?”
“This, how could that work? Plain noodles are only three coins a bowl; that's really not expensive.”
“Besides, not only is one bowl not enough for two people, but plain noodles have no flavor or oil. Once they eat it, they'll be hungry again in no time.”
“Little lady, even in wealthy families, there's no reason to mistreat servants like this.”
The assistant was dumbfounded, clearly never having seen Nan Zhi's kind of operation before. His eyes kept glancing toward the table.
Making two grown men share one bowl of noodles while you eat three bowls yourself—and soft-braised mutton noodles at that!
Three bowls!
Pah!
What kind of black-hearted girl from a wealthy family was this?
Nan Zhi naturally noticed the disdain in the waiter's eyes and the faint contempt from the crowd in the hall.
But she remained thick-skinned and ordered two bowls of plain noodles for them anyway.
Those two had enjoyed the benefits of the dead while clinging to the Qu family for so many years. Letting them suffer a bit now was only proper retribution.
Moreover, she didn't have much silver left. Every coin had to be spent where it mattered most.
She was only eighteen this year, right at the prime stage of growing. Could she afford to go hungry?
Eating only noodles always felt a bit dry, so having a little wine and some refreshing side dishes was only right!
Nan Zhi felt perfectly justified.
...
The roads were slippery in the rain, and no one was willing to risk their carriage overturning to travel.
The guests in the hall had nothing to do, so they gathered together to chat about anything and everything.
To the west, by the window, sat a pear seller talking to a man who appeared to be a broker.
Under the table sat a basket of fresh, golden-yellow pears.
By the table near the stairs to the east sat a sharpener carrying a stool. His basket was filled with whetstones, wooden handles, and the like.
At the table by the door sat a father and son who looked like traveling performers who performed tricks for a living.
Outside the door, a scruffy beggar leaned against the wall, clutching a wine gourd and sleeping, mumbling something that might have been dream-talk.
What caught Nan Zhi's attention most, however, was a nun sitting alone in a corner by the west window.
The nun appeared to be up in years, perhaps over fifty. Her face was kind and her gaze gentle. Her cloth robes were patched over and over, with the shoulders and elbows slightly faded.
She had just ordered a bowl of plain noodles and was eating slowly. Every bite was taken with patience, and every bite was deeply cherished.
It was as if what she was eating was not flavorless plain noodles, but some rare delicacy.
After finishing, the nun picked up the bowl and drank every drop of the noodle soup. Then she poured a bit of tea into the bowl and used a piece of pancake to wipe up the last bits of food from the bottom.
She was focused throughout the entire process, seemingly completely unaware of Nan Zhi's observation.
Or rather, she noticed but did not feel offended.
Seeing Nan Zhi staring blankly, the nun was not angry. She simply pressed her palms together and smiled at her, looking very kind and friendly.
“Greetings, little benefactor.”
“Greetings, Master.”
Nan Zhi felt none of the embarrassment of being caught staring. Instead, she followed the other's example and returned the greeting before naturally looking away.
“I saw how much you enjoyed your meal just now, Master, and it made my own appetite much better. I apologize for the intrusion.”
“It is no matter.”
The nun smiled slightly, her eyes inexplicably showing a hint of appreciation.
“At your age, to have such mental fortitude is very good, very good.”
【？？？：？？？】
The name was unknown, and the level was also unknown.
There was only one explanation for this situation:
The other's cultivation was far above Nan Zhi's.
A senior among seniors.
Nan Zhi subconsciously leaned back.
Rate on N.U.
