Chapter Six: Not What She Wanted

“Burp—shopkeeper, a bowl of minced meat noodles, with extra broth!”

Bai Mianmian lifted the noodles, just about to bring them to her mouth.

A familiar voice came from behind.

Pretending not to notice, she suddenly fumbled, grabbing the bowl and scooping up the noodles.

The burly man was choking on a steamed bun, badly.

Ignoring everything, he dropped himself onto the bench beside Bai Mianmian and rushed to grab water.

Zhang Huilan was startled awake, also shocked by the scalding heat.

“Ah! It’s so hot, so hot!”

‘Host did well. Your feud with the heroine begins now,’ the system gleefully declared.

Though the tone remained mechanical and the text on the screen showed nothing new.

‘Are you sure the heroine won’t feel grateful to me once she regains consciousness?’ Bai Mianmian slowly slurped her noodles, retracting her gaze.

The relentless system spared no effort.

But this was not what she wanted.

After leisurely finishing some noodles, she set the fallen bench upright and walked toward the water bucket set aside.

“Dead girl, you blind or what?”

Bai Mianmian didn’t even move.

The recovering man kicked toward her.

This time, she was alert.

Skillfully dodging, she flicked her hand.

The man was sent flying out the door, face-first into the dirt.

“You little vixen, looking for death~”

After the man was felled by a bench, everyone in the shop knew exactly who was courting disaster.

“I am Bai Erya, the eldest daughter of the second branch of the Bai family at the end of Hexi Village…”

From offender to savior, simply stating her identity and revealing Wang Shan’s name was enough.

When the heroine again felt gratitude toward her, the system reset once more.

“As expected!”

Standing in front of the noodle shop, Bai Mianmian curled the corners of her mouth into a meaningful smile.

The gratitude the heroine felt toward her, like the original protagonist’s siblings’ admiration, could rewind time.

The length of the rewind depended on the depth of gratitude and admiration generated.

“Gurgle~”

Her stomach protested, but she decisively ignored it.

Turning on her heel, she headed north.

Though she hadn’t tasted the steamed bun, she had slurped plenty of noodles.

Compared to the coarse rice offered by Bai family’s sisters-in-law, she found noodles more palatable.

Once again standing before the steamer, Bai Mianmian anxiously glanced around.

Confirming the man wouldn’t suddenly appear behind the heroine, she finally reached for her purse.

“Two white flour steamed buns, to go.”

“Two white flour steamed buns to go! Ha ha ha—these days, anyone dares to come into the city! And white flour buns, no less. Do they even know how much those cost?”

“Chunshan’s wife, what could this poor wretch know? She’s probably so hungry she’s desperate to snatch food. Boss, you better cover the pot tight, don’t let this thief steal the buns.”

“The last time we bought pastries at the Xu family bakery west of town, a beggar tried to snatch something! We need to watch her closely. Catch her in the act. No one dares to eat around here anymore!”

As they spoke, two women sitting at a nearby table sneered.

Their gazes grew increasingly brazen.

Their words, ever more cutting.

“How much each?” Bai Mianmian asked without replying to them.

The shopkeeper pressed down on the pot lid, eyes sweeping her up and down.

“Four wen each. Four wen for a white flour bun. I don’t accept stolen money. If you want to buy them, you must prove the money is yours.”

“...”

Bai Mianmian was frustrated.

The money wasn’t hers, and even if it were, proving it would be difficult.

‘What’s going on? Is an evil supporting character not even allowed a decent meal?’ she asked the system irritably.

The system replied instantly: ‘You’re just unlucky.’

‘...Indeed.’

If she were lucky, would she have ended up with such a bizarre system?

Bai Mianmian was too tired to argue, shoved her wallet back, and prepared to leave.

“That’s a thief!”

The woman who had spoken first suddenly stood and lunged at Bai Mianmian.

Already annoyed, Bai Mianmian clenched her teeth and swiftly, decisively knocked the woman down.

The woman’s companion was a step slower, mouth agape in surprise, eyes darting between the two.

“Or else, shall I invite you all to the authorities?”

To ordinary people, thieves wouldn’t dare go to the government.

Her martial skill was no ordinary feat.

Her sudden burst of force was even more overwhelming.

Though the same person, the difference was night and day.

Under her piercing gaze, both the women and the shopkeeper quickly forced smiles.

“You’re joking. The authorities aren’t a place for ordinary folks like us. We just didn’t recognize someone important. If you don’t mind, please come inside.”

The shopkeeper smiled apologetically; Bai Mianmian didn’t want to make things difficult.

Her gaze shifted, ready to leave.

“Please forgive the humble. Don’t stoop to our level.”

The shopkeeper quickly packed ten buns and chased after her.

He kept shoving them into Bai Mianmian’s arms.

“The only skill I have is making buns. You’re open-minded and knowledgeable. Please, help me improve.”

Previously, Bai Mianmian had focused only on the hygiene and guarding against the heroine’s return.

She hadn’t really noticed the shopkeeper’s appearance.

After a moment’s silence, she decisively took the paper-wrapped buns.

The shopkeeper had slanted eyes and a triangular face.

No need to look closely to know he wasn’t trustworthy.

She really didn’t want to put anything made by such a person into her mouth.

“Gurgle~”

The aroma of noodles made her stomach rumble louder.

“Aaaahhhh…”

A sound louder than her stomach’s hunger emerged.

‘A donkey?’

She had only heard that sound in the animal kingdom.

Curious, she turned toward the noise.

After a few seconds, she simply stared at the donkey.

Bai Mianmian thought the heroine would wake soon, so she decided to wait.

Once the heroine woke, even if they met again, it wouldn’t matter.

Unexpectedly, this curiosity led her to witness two donkeys frolicking wildly and a child in mortal danger—a dramatic scene.

Instinctively, she threw the oil-paper-wrapped package in her arms.

“Hey!”

“Move aside!”

“Child!”

Many who were as lucky as her saw what happened.

Few could intervene.

As the package hit a donkey’s face and made it turn away, a tall figure charged toward the donkeys.

Everyone at the intersection who saw the child and two donkeys were shocked.

“Didn’t I tell you to run? You won’t listen~”

Threatened by the man, the donkeys turned and headed toward another street.

The man, pale as death, grabbed the dazed child, patting him frantically.

“You scared me to death!”

“Yeah, my heart nearly jumped out!”

The crowd gathering around the father and son breathed a sigh of relief that tragedy was averted.

The child, who had been inexplicably beaten, started to wail belatedly.

Those who had been annoyed by the donkeys now urged the father and son.

“The buns are just money lost, but if a life is lost, even mountains of wealth won’t matter!”

“You and your son are lucky it was donkeys. Last time on South Street, I saw a mad horse. That little girl was not so lucky—she was trampled and broke her back!”

“You saw the South Street trampling?”

“Of course, the scene was much like this—right at the intersection, with many people watching…”