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Lin Xueting was once a rich young woman who never had to lift a finger. But after her father died under mysterious circumstances, her life hit rock bottom. At home, her mother couldn't handle the hardships, while outside, greedy relatives demanded she repay a debt of seven thousand copper coins.
Faced with a dire situation, she was disheartened and nearly desperate. She never expected a voice to appear in her mind.
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The mysterious System and its shop selling all sorts of goods amazed her. On a scorching summer day, when she redeemed ice cubes that radiated cold, she was utterly astonished.
From that day on, a young woman carrying a wooden box appeared at the roadside outside Duxian County, selling all sorts of unusual tea snacks.
Passersby initially paid her no mind, dismissing her wares. But after trying them, they couldn't help saying, "That's delicious."
Most people thought delicacies had to be rare and luxurious, but she disagreed. Ingredients came in all grades, but how they were prepared was what mattered most.
She used the most ordinary ingredients, things found everywhere in Lingnan, yet in her hands they were transformed into unique treats that left people amazed.
Chestnuts and taro, easy for anyone to get, became icy chestnut cakes, taro milk tea, and all sorts of other delights after she worked her magic. The stranger the name, the more people loved the taste.
When her relatives came to collect the debt, they meant to mock and ridicule her. But when they saw the piles of silver before them, they were struck dumb.
Seeing her business thrive, her vile relatives grew green with envy. They tried to trip her up, demanding that she show filial piety and let them share in her profits. But the usually gentle young woman said, "Sorry, I have no obligation to put up with you. If you have no shame, don't blame me for showing no mercy."
She meant what she said. Though cool and refined in manner, she drove them out in full view of everyone, like a shrew chasing off dogs. Her rough ways only won her more admirers for her genuine nature.
The young woman who once sold her wares at a roadside stall opened a renowned cold-drink shop in the suburbs in just a few months. Her drinks became the latest craze. With clever recipes from another era, she made affordable beverages that tasted like the finest wines.
Her ordinary drinks brought a little warmth to the travelers who passed by. After long journeys covered in dust, they had found a rare moment of leisure.
She had only used a little skill of her own to make snacks and drinks, but for people caught up in their busy lives, these were precious, beautiful moments. And without meaning to, she had also reeled in a very big fish, one beloved by all.
Xia Qingyao was born into a powerful family. Accustomed to women vying for his favor, he assumed they were all the same and had long since stopped caring about love. He grew into a playboy with a dissolute streak.
He thought he would never give his heart to anyone. Then, while recovering in bed from an injury sustained during a bandit-suppression campaign, he saw the young woman he had thought so unremarkable bring him a bowl of hot congee. She gazed at him with tender eyes, utterly sincere and without a hint of ulterior motive.
In that moment, his usually tranquil heart was thrown into turmoil.
He had never liked sweets, but after that day he became a different person. He held a bowl of mung bean shaved ice in one hand and ate durian pastries with the other, savoring every bite.
Lin Xueting never imagined that a few cups of drinks could so easily win the heart of a man whom the young women of the most prominent families could not get close to.
Reader's notes:
1. One-to-one romance, both leads are pure, happy ending.
2. Set in an imaginary world, with some original worldbuilding. The setting draws on the Western Han and Song dynasties, and the currency system on the Tang and Song dynasties.
3. That's all. Hope you enjoy reading!
Theme: Self-reliance, peace, and happiness
