Chapter 101

Chapter 101

After finishing dinner, Song Shian was called to the outer study by Song Shirui to discuss important matters.

Jiang Chun returned to Dan Gui Courtyard and, having nothing else to do, decided to inventory the system warehouse to see which items could be sold for money.

She had originally thought that having one thousand taels of silver was quite substantial and that she wouldn’t need to worry about money for a while.

However, she then received the deeds for eight shops and two estate properties from Song Shirui.

The two estates were not a concern for now, as it was mid-winter and there wasn’t much to invest in until next spring.

But as for the eight shops, aside from the one given to Zhong Wenjin to manage, the remaining seven required attention. Five were already leased out, and the other two would need to be opened by herself.

The fabric store, which sold inexpensive materials, required minimal investment—five hundred taels would suffice.

However, she hadn’t decided what business to run in the other shop. If the goods were expensive, five hundred taels wouldn’t be enough.

After all, in business, it’s impossible to buy and resell immediately. One must be prepared for unsold inventory and overstock.

And when unsold inventory and overstock occur, aside from selling at a discount, to keep the shop running smoothly, one would have to continue investing by purchasing in-demand goods.

All things considered, one thousand taels were insufficient.

She rummaged through the system warehouse and finally settled on the furniture.

If there was anything the Song family had been handling the most recently, it was furniture.

They initially bought some walnut furniture for interim use, and after the Ministry of Revenue returned some of the valuable furniture, they started replacing it.

But since the Ministry of Revenue had previously sold off some of the valuable furniture, only a portion could be returned.

After the replacement, almost every courtyard was furnished with mostly valuable furniture and a little walnut furniture, which looked rather mismatched.

Madame Zhuang commissioned the purchase of some ready-made valuable furniture from the carpentry shop, and the missing pieces could only be custom-made by the carpentry shop.

It was quite a hassle.

Jiang Chun thought that taking the opportunity to pawn the stockpiled furniture from the system warehouse wouldn’t attract too much attention.

Of course, having become familiar with the process, she planned to continue going to Mr. Su at the Su family pawnshop.

Although the man had an incompetent son, his own abilities were undeniable.

After all, she was just pawning items—a straightforward exchange of money for goods. Whether his son was competent or not was none of her concern.

However, the furniture was too large to handle within the Song family.

She would need to find time to return to her natal family and come up with a reason to send Jiang He and Zheng Kun away.

Then she could go to the storeroom and move the furniture out one by one. Even if her maids and the Song family servants saw, they wouldn’t find it strange.

They would just assume she was pawning items for the Jiang family.

Since the maids had already been sent away, Jiang Chun took out a pair of newly acquired red sandalwood armchairs to examine their quality.

Although they were both red sandalwood, there was a significant difference in quality between red sandalwood items.

High-quality red sandalwood furniture could cost twice as much as ordinary red sandalwood furniture.

Solid wood furniture, and in the style of a *taishi chair*, they are quite heavy.

The two *taishi chairs* landed with a loud thud.

Just at that moment, the bedroom door was pushed open, and Song Shian, dressed in a dark green brocade robe and a snow-white fox-fur cloak, walked in.

Jiang Chun:

Song Shian:

The two of them looked at the pair of red sandalwood *taishi chairs* in front of the Luohan bed and fell silent.

A moment later, Song Shian took the initiative to say, "Maybe I entered at the wrong time. Should I leave and come back in?"

Jiang Chun weakly said, "Can you pretend you didn’t see anything?"

As she said this, she glanced at the two red sandalwood *taishi chairs* in front of her.

She could see that they were indeed made from top-quality red sandalwood.

But her disguise was completely blown.

Jiang Chun felt it necessary to consider whether she should silence him permanently.

But to kill him just to protect the secret of her cheat item seemed a bit extreme, didn’t it?

After all, apart from knowing her cheat item's secret, Song Shian was flawless in every other aspect. If she eliminated him, where would she find another husband as excellent as he was?

Song Shian laughed lightly.

He took off his cloak, slowly walked over to Jiang Chun, and casually commented on the pair of red sandalwood *taishi chairs* on the floor, "These chairs are high-quality and should be quite valuable."

Jiang Chun glared at him.

Did he really need to point that out?

After all, she had spent several days inventorying the storeroom with Song Shiying and Song Shiyue. She wouldn’t brag much, but she had learned to distinguish the quality of the wood used in furniture.

Song Shian reached out and gently scratched her nose, delivering a bombshell, "Don’t panic, I actually found out about your ability to 'fetch objects from afar' two years earlier."

Jiang Chun: “???”

What? What? What?

He had known two years ago?

He hadn’t treated her as a monster and had kept it quiet for so long?

You truly are amazing, Song Shian.

But what is this 'fetching objects from afar' ability?

Oh, he must have accidentally seen her taking things out of the system warehouse.

Since he couldn’t see the system, it wasn’t strange that he misunderstood her having the ability to 'fetch objects from afar' when items suddenly appeared in her hands.

No wonder he hadn’t been surprised to see the blood bird's nest. After all, if he had seen the 'fetching objects from afar' ability, a rare and expensive blood bird's nest wouldn’t be much of a shock.

But he had really kept his cool for a long time.

In the past, when we were strangers, he feared he would be silenced if he exposed me.

But now that we are inseparable, he still remains silent and doesn't ask a single question.

He has perfectly demonstrated what it means to be "as steady as Mount Tai."

Was it all for nothing?

Jiang Chun said, puzzled, "Seeing my unusual behavior, aren't you scared?"

Song Shian chuckled, "What is there to fear? Whether you can fetch things from afar or not, you're still you.

Besides, you wouldn't hurt me, so why should I be afraid?"

"How do you know I won’t hurt you?"

Jiang Chun gave him a side-eye and snorted, "Those with magical powers are not just fairies but also monsters.

What if I’m a monster that drains human essence and blood? Shouldn’t you be afraid I’ll drain you dry?"

Song Shian glanced at her sideways and leaned closer, his voice low, "Even if my wife is a monster that drains essence and blood, I’m already on the verge of being drained by you."

Jiang Chun: "..."

She playfully punched his chest, laughing and scolding, "We’re discussing serious matters, can you be more serious!"

Song Shian sat up straight, cleared his throat, and deliberately put on a serious face, "Alright, let’s get down to business."

Jiang Chun hesitated for a moment, then finally decided to reveal everything about the check-in system.

Both the ability to fetch things from afar and the check-in system are my extraordinary abilities, which likely made little difference to Song Shian.

But to me, it’s different.

By telling him about the check-in system, she could entrust items she couldn’t handle to him.

He was in the government, backed by the Crown Prince, and had people under his command. It would be much easier for him to manage than for her, a woman confined to the inner chambers.

Jiang Chun carefully chose her words and slowly explained, "The power I have isn’t about fetching things from afar, but a bound artifact called the 'Check-in System.'

This artifact automatically adds three check-in points daily, which I can use to clock in at shop entrances.

After checking in, the system randomly replicates one to three items from the shop as rewards, with varying quantities—sometimes a few, sometimes a dozen or twenty.

The quality is random—ranging from good to bad.

However, I can only clock in once per day at the same type of shop, but there are no restrictions for different types of shops. As long as I have enough points, I can clock in at as many different types of shops as needed.

The blood bird’s nest I gave you in Daliushu Village was a reward from checking in at a medical hall and a pharmacy in Hongye County."

Song Shian listened very attentively.

After hearing it, his thoughts were complicated.

It wasn’t that he had any negative views about this so-called "Check-in System" artifact.

To him, whether it was the ability to fetch things from afar or the check-in system, they were both just Jiang Chun’s extraordinary traits after all.

Surprisingly, astonishingly, and hearteningly, Jiang Chun didn’t just go along with the mistake and accept the "telekinesis" ability she mistakenly thought she had, but instead chose to spill the beans.

If she hadn’t said it herself, he probably would never have guessed that what she actually had bound to her was a "sign-in system" artifact.

She was completely open with him.

Her trust moved him deeply but also left him feeling somewhat ashamed.

Not long ago, he had become jealous and gone crazy because of her joke that if he ever wronged her, she would divorce him and find a younger, more attractive, and more charming husband.

Looking back, he found it all rather ridiculous.

Despite her trust in him, he, because of the despicable acts of the previous Jiang Chun in her past life, always feared she might fall for someone else, unable to bear hearing her mention any young man.

He felt truly embarrassed.

Jiang Chun had revealed her biggest secret to him, and in return, it was time for him to share his biggest secret too.

But as the words were about to spill out, he hesitated.

He wasn’t sure whether Jiang Chun could accept the truth once she knew.

After all, in his past life, he had lived a long life, and now, though his body was young, his soul was old.

What if she felt uncomfortable and distanced herself because of it? He would truly go mad.

All he wanted was to walk steadily through life alongside her, without any mishaps along the way.

So, was it really necessary to reveal this secret?

Telling her wouldn’t benefit their relationship and would only burden her with more troubles. Why put her through that?

A woman like her should lead a carefree and happy life.

Smiling, Song Shian reached out and took Jiang Chun’s hand. "My dear, to have such a divine artifact, could it be that you were a fairy from the Heavenly Court in your past life?

Incredible! A mere mortal like me actually married a fairy. I wouldn’t even dare dream of this in my wildest dreams."

Jiang Chun gave him a side-eye and laughed, scolding him. "Even if you want to elevate yourself, I don’t have the thick skin to claim I’m a reincarnated fairy.

It’s just that I got lucky and happened to be hit by a sign-in system artifact from who knows where."

This was actually the truth. She had been struck on the head by a "meteorite" while working in the fields by the Western River on the second day after she had transmigrated.

At the time, she had joked to herself, wondering if this was some special perk from the author, her own mother, for being written into the book.

Unmoved, Song Shian insisted, "You were definitely a fairy in your previous life. It’s just that after being reincarnated, you lost the memories of your past life and can’t remember it anymore."

Jiang Chun: "..."

Thanks for the flattery, but it’s unnecessary. She remembered everything from her past life quite clearly.

She was simply speechless and let out a Xiaokui-style roar, "Snap out of it!"

Amused, Song Shian reached out and gently scratched her nose, saying, "Alright, no more teasing my dear."

He turned serious and asked earnestly, "You automatically get three sign-in points every day? If you sign in every day, does that mean you can only sign in at three different types of shops?"

"Yes," Jiang Chun nodded, then smiled and said, "But it's not practical to check in every day. Originally, I was in the village, where transportation was inconvenient, and going to the county town was a major hassle.

Now that I'm in the Song family, as the Song family’s Eldest Madam, it's not proper for me to go out frequently.

The good thing is that I've accumulated quite a few check-in points. Every time I go out to check in, I can check in at nine different types of shops all at once, which is incredibly satisfying."

Song Shimin asked, "Which nine shops?"

Jiang Chun counted on her fingers, "Moneylenders, pawnshops, blacksmith shops, medical halls, apothecaries, jewelry shops, bookstores, fabric stores, and herb shops."

Song Shimin filtered through the various shops in the capital and finally offered his suggestion, "You could add two more types of shops: a cosmetics shop and a tea shop."

High-quality cosmetics in the capital were extremely expensive. In his previous life, Song Shiying once quarreled with the second daughter-in-law of the Song family because the latter had given Song Shiyue a Shu Yan Pavilion eyebrow pencil worth ten taels of silver, while she had only received a lip balm worth five taels of silver.

If the check-in system could produce higher-quality cosmetics, they might be worth more than ten taels of silver.

As for the tea shop, there was no need to elaborate. If one could replicate top-quality Da Hongpao tea, people would still clamor for it even at such a high price.

Given that he was willing to offer a suggestion, Jiang Chun should have immediately agreed and praised him.

However, when it came to the foundation of her livelihood—the check-in system—she became more cautious.

After careful consideration, she smiled and said, "Tea shops are fine; good tea is never hard to sell, but cosmetics?

Even if we could get high-quality cosmetics, where would we sell them? Pawnshops don't take these.

Unless we open a cosmetics shop ourselves, it's better not to..."

Hmm? Open a cosmetics shop ourselves?

It doesn't sound like a bad idea?

She had been worrying about what business to operate in the other shop.

And as we all know, women's money is the easiest to earn, whether in modern times or ancient times.

Of course, opening a cosmetics shop would require stocking a lot of goods. Relying solely on the rewards from checking in at cosmetic shops wouldn't be enough.

But we could use those high-quality rewards as a carrot to entice buyers, implementing a VIP membership points system. Only after accumulating a certain number of points through in-store purchases would customers have the privilege to buy those 'high-quality custom items,' or simply 'high-end.'

The elite in the capital are known for their love of competition. If someone manages to purchase a high-end item after accumulating points and then shows it off at a gathering, how could the other noblewomen tolerate not having it?

Wouldn't they rush to buy goods and earn points?

Tsk, grateful for the sales strategies of certain luxury goods in modern times, I get to be a savvy merchant as well.

She hooked her arms around Song Shimin's neck, gave him a "mwah" kiss on the lips, and giggled as she praised, "Husband, your suggestion is spot on. Both cosmetics and tea shops are worth checking in for.

Your brain is indeed better than mine. I go in and out of the West Market every day but didn't think of this. I'm so foolish."

Song Shimin kissed her back and chuckled softly, "If you thought of everything, what use would this husband of yours be?"

Jiang Chun grinned happily.

It was indeed worth being happy about.

Firstly, she had disclosed her greatest secret, and the burden that had weighed heavily on her mind was finally lifted, leaving her feeling light and relaxed.

Secondly, she now had a plan for what business to operate in the other shop, so she wouldn't have to struggle to decide anymore.

This can be seen as a double happiness, can't it?

To thank Song Shian for his good advice, she took out two high-quality wolf-hair Hu brushes from the system warehouse and placed them on the kang table.

Grinning mischievously, she said, "A reward for my husband."

Song Shian looked down and immediately twitched at the corners of his mouth.

These two high-quality wolf-hair Hu brushes looked strikingly familiar.

After a moment, it dawned on him, and he looked up at Jiang Chun, raising his eyebrows. "Aren't these the brushes you snatched amid the chaos when you encountered a fight between scholars on your way to Hongye County?"

Jiang Chun angrily clenched her small fists and lightly punched his chest, grumbling. "You're making fun of me! Humph, I'm angry. If you don’t soothe me properly, I'll just keep these brushes for myself."

Song Shian immediately reached out and pulled her into his arms. He lowered his head, leaning in to kiss her.

But Jiang Chun decisively raised her hand to block him.

She snorted and said with a playful smile, "Don’t try the ‘quarrel in the morning, make up at night’ routine. I'm not falling for it."

Song Shian glanced at her and said with a smile, "I just wanted to kiss my wife. What are you thinking? Could it be that after just having a feast the other day, you're hungry again today?"

Jiang Chun glared at him, annoyed. "You still have the nerve to mention it! Your roughness left me sore for two whole days before it got better. I haven’t even gotten back at you yet, and you brought it up first!"

It was exciting, but a bit too intense. She needed to take it easy and talk about it again when she was really hungry in a few days.

Song Shian didn't shirk responsibility and obediently admitted his mistake. "As your husband, it was my first time playing this game, and I didn't quite get the balance right. I was a bit rough, but I’ll be more mindful of the boundaries next time."

Jiang Chun glared at him. "You’re already planning for next time?"

Song Shian smiled meaningfully. "Wife, don't you want to? I noticed you were really into it that day."

Jiang Chun refused to admit it and promptly denied it. "Stop making things up. I didn’t."

Fearing that he would annoy her, Song Shian didn't dwell on it and good-naturedly said, "Alright, alright, my wife didn't. It was me who enjoyed it. It was I who enjoyed it."

Jiang Chun twitched at the corner of her mouth and grumbled, "You’d better not get too carried away."

If he enjoyed it too much, wouldn't he want to pull her into more role-playing in the future?

Song Shian neither agreed nor disagreed and changed the subject. "Does your second brother’s wife also have this sign-in system artifact?"

The question struck her like a thunderbolt, leaving Jiang Chun stunned for a while.

How did he find out?

Could it be that, like herself, Second Brother's wife had been using the system warehouse to handle things and he caught a glimpse of the clues?

Otherwise, since they had recently returned to the capital, and Song Shian had rarely spoken to Zhong Wenjin, his younger brother's wife, how could he know her secret?

But it wasn't something that couldn't be asked. Why was she speculating in her head?

Deciding to ask Song Shian outright, "How did you figure it out?"

Song Shi'an curled his lips and gave a sly smile. "Just a random guess."

Before Jiang Chun could respond, he chuckled softly again. "Seeing your reaction, it seems your husband hasn't guessed wrong."

Jiang Chun: "..."

The guy is too cunning, actually trying to trick me?

But she wasn't entirely convinced.

After all, someone as scheming as him wouldn't make unfounded assumptions.

She snorted coldly. "Stop trying to fool me. Tell me the truth now."

Song Shi'an answered honestly, "I noticed how you always orbit around her and try to win her favor, so I became suspicious.

After all, you're the type who doesn't rise without a reward. Since you've only just met your second sister-in-law recently, how could you possibly do something without any benefit?

Considering the bug-repellent miracle medicine that your second sister-in-law gave you, along with your protective water and the *crystal eggs*, it's hard not to suspect that she also has a mystical artifact.

And this artifact seems superior to yours, which is why you're bending over backward to get close to her and flatter her."

Jiang Chun was convinced.

This guy is really perceptive to have thought of all that.

She couldn't help but give him a thumbs-up and said sincerely, "Husband, you're brilliant. You've actually guessed it all."

Song Shi'an tilted his lips smugly but said casually, "It's just logical deduction. Not worth such glowing praise from you."

Jiang Chun: "..."

Her lips twitched.

The more you praise him, the more arrogant he becomes, not knowing the slightest bit about humility.

But she still explained the details of Zhong Wenjin's *Pinxixi System* to him.

After listening, Song Shi'an couldn't help but comment, "Your artifacts seem like a perfect match."

It was the truth.

Jiang Chun, with her silly side coming out, couldn't resist joking, "Husband, don't say that. I only like men, not women. I have no intention of being a *mirror* companion with your second sister-in-law."

Song Shi'an: "..."

Did I mean that?

I was only talking about your artifacts complementing each other, not the two of you being a match.

Well, even if they matched, nothing would come of it.

There's no way I'd let anyone, even a woman, steal Jiang Chun from me.

But fearing Jiang Chun might misunderstand him as not trusting her, he kept these thoughts to himself.

Instead, he calmly explained, "What I meant was that your systems complement one another. If you two cooperate, you'll definitely be able to accomplish great feats."

Jiang Chun enjoyed hearing this.

She didn’t particularly care about having a career. What she wanted was to build a family legacy.

After all, she was going to have two kids. The Song child would inherit the substantial wealth held by Song Shian.

But the Jiang child would only inherit the small house of the Jiang household.

Both are her children, and if the gap between them is too wide, it wouldn’t be significant when they were young, but as they grow up, the Jiang child might feel a sense of imbalance.

To avoid sibling rivalry, she had to work hard to build a substantial fortune for the Jiang child.

Sigh, it’s all for the children. It isn’t because she’s greedy, really, it isn’t.

Even though the children are still far off, it doesn’t matter.