It was impossible for him to repay kindness with betrayal—thus, he could be trusted.

Su Xi immediately tugged at Zai Zai’s left sleeve, expressing full support with both hands.

Zai Zai’s judgment of character had always been sharp, his decisions flawless.

Su Xi trusted him completely.

Besides, in the system’s 【Befriend Heroes】 panel, Zhong Ganping was listed as wholly loyal and sincere to Zai Zai—which further proved that nothing could go wrong.

In truth, over the past year, Zai Zai had grown rapidly.

As the one who had raised him, Su Xi found herself less and less able to help.

Zai Zai could handle every problem on his own.

Even so, whenever something came up, he would still insist on discussing it with her—perhaps just to make sure she would always stay by his side.

Thinking of this, Su Xi looked at the now much thinner boy standing under the eaves. A wave of warmth welled in her heart, and she couldn’t help but reach out to pinch his little bun face again.

That bun face had grown noticeably slimmer, not nearly as bouncy as before—Su Xi felt a little resentful about it.

Zai Zai froze for a moment, then, realizing what had just happened, rubbed his face with his hand—his ears slightly red.

But after a brief pause, as if unable to hold it in any longer, he looked toward the empty air and said, one word at a time, “I am about to turn sixteen. I’m no longer a child. You—”

He seemed both frustrated and helpless, gritting his teeth as he said, “Don’t treat me like a child anymore.”

Looking at that big, round bun face saying such a thing, Su Xi, from outside the screen, couldn’t help bursting into laughter.

But it seemed that the Zai Zai on the screen noticed she had been amused by him.

He frowned slightly, looking toward the empty space before him, saying nothing.

His lips pressed together; his dark eyes fixed and unmoving, reflecting the flickering candlelight beneath the eaves—a mixture of emotions rose within them: complex, shadowed, stubborn, and unspeakable.

───♡───

Previously, Zai Zai had dodged the embroidered ball at the marketplace and missed that side quest.

But to Su Xi’s surprise, after the autumn harvest, Wan Sanqian himself came knocking at their door.

Wan Sanqian was not quite what Su Xi had imagined.

He was a rather small and thin man but despite his slight frame, his face carried a sharp and calculating expression that revealed his shrewdness at a glance.

Naturally, the reason he came was the matter of the insulated sheds and greenhouses.

Whenever Zai Zai visited the farmsteads, he kept his movements extremely discreet. By now, rumors were spreading throughout the capital and even across the three prefectures including Fengzhou—that there existed a mysterious, benevolent merchant who had saved countless lives.

Yet no one knew who that merchant truly was.

After all, Zai Zai appeared and vanished like a dragon’s shadow, and when giving instructions to Master Ding, he always did so via written notes.

Still, since Wan Sanqian was able to become the richest man in Yan, he clearly had his methods.

Though he hadn’t uncovered Zai Zai’s identity yet, he had managed to trace his whereabouts. Thus, that day, when Zai Zai was at his residence outside the city, Wan Sanqian personally arrived to meet him.

To show sincerity, Wan Sanqian brought no entourage—only a single close attendant.

He came intending to purchase the blueprints and techniques for the insulated sheds and greenhouses with a staggering offer of ten thousand taels of gold.

The price was so astronomical that Su Xi was dumbfounded; her eyes instantly filled with the glittering image of $$!

Worthy indeed of being a man whose wealth could rival a nation!

But Su Xi also knew—if they handed over the blueprints today, Wan Sanqian would surely use the technology to earn far greater wealth, perhaps doubling or tripling it.

In the end, it would still be the commoners of Yan—or even those of other nations—who would be exploited.

That was the difference between him and Zhong Ganping.

In times of war, Zhong Ganping made modest profits and still helped the people in need. Wan Sanqian, on the other hand, seized the chaos to amass enormous wartime fortune. It wasn’t that Wan Sanqian was evil—just that he was sharp, through and through, a consummate businessman.

Naturally, Zai Zai would never hand over the blueprints—but he did intend to cooperate with Wan Sanqian.

For with only himself and Zhong Ganping, it would be too difficult and too slow to change Yan’s current grain crisis.

In all of Yan, only Wan Sanqian possessed such immense financial and material resources.

Besides, Zai Zai still needed to support the northern front with those thirty thousand shi[1] of grain.

Thus, he and Wan Sanqian negotiated—the insulated sheds and greenhouses would be operated under Zhong Ganping’s management, while Wan Sanqian would provide funding, labor, livestock, and raw materials.

In other words, Wan Sanqian would invest, and when profits came in, they would be divided according to the agreed percentage.

At this point, Wan Sanqian was in a passive position.

After news spread that Zhong Ganping’s farmstead used a technology producing yields far higher than any other, the merchants of the capital and all of Yan—flocked to invest, eager for a share.

If Wan Sanqian refused to participate, Zai Zai wouldn’t lack for other partners.

As Su Xi worked on her homework while watching the dialogue windows flash across the screen—lines of Zai Zai and Wan Sanqian’s negotiations over profit shares—she couldn’t help smiling knowingly.

Even in modern times, this Zai Zai would have been a business prodigy—his grasp of investment cycles was flawless.

The collaboration was swiftly finalized.

Though Wan Sanqian failed to obtain the blueprints he desired, he understood well that greed swallows more than it can chew.

Together with Zhong Ganping’s technology, this partnership would soon revolutionize farming across Yan.

Even if this young man’s true goal seemed to be the well-being of the people, Wan Sanqian could foresee that before long, this very person would rise to become a new titan among Yan’s merchants.

Joining in now was a move that promised all profit, no loss.

After Wan Sanqian departed, a notification popped up on Su Xi’s screen—

【Congratulations! Mission 2 completed: Grain production has reached 2,000 kilograms, and the richest man, Wan Sanqian, has been befriended.】

【You have earned +8 points!】

This quest had been the longest-running one so far, but since planting and harvesting naturally took a full year, Su Xi felt that the progress was actually quite smooth.

She looked at her current total of 62 points and couldn’t help feeling a little thrill of excitement.

Soon, however, Quest Six was also nearing completion.

Quest Six: “Manage the disaster relief, become known throughout the capital, and earn the title of the ‘Anonymous Divine Merchant,’ thereby attracting the Emperor’s notice.”

This quest had always run in parallel with Quest Two.

For the past several months, Zai Zai had been working day and night expanding his farmsteads. Though his true goal was to raise enough grain to supply the northern army, it happened to align perfectly with the main storyline.

As part of the investment process, the very next day Wan Sanqian followed Zai Zai’s instructions and hired an armed escort agency to personally deliver the grain to the northern frontlines.

The grain shortage that had kept General Zhenyuan and the others awake in worry for months—uncertain and unresolved—was suddenly solved just like that.

The next morning, the Golden Luan Hall was in an uproar.

The Emperor was radiant with joy, his expression glowing. He said to General Zhenyuan: “Indeed, the Great General is the pillar of our nation! If not for you, We truly would not have known how to fight this war!”

The Chancellor, the Crown Prince, and several other ministers all looked displeased—clearly, none of them had expected General Zhenyuan to actually resolve the issue.

General Zhenyuan himself was inwardly astonished.

Three months ago, when Lu Huan told him he had a way to persuade Wan Sanqian to voluntarily send grain, he had thought the boy was bragging, ignorant of the enormity of what he claimed.

Who could have imagined that, in just those three months—while he and his men had exhausted every possible effort and managed to gather only a few thousand shi of grain—

Lu Huan had truly convinced Wan Sanqian to send grain to the front lines, and not just a few cartloads, but tens of thousands of shi!

An entire year’s worth of provisions was now fully secured!

General Zhenyuan was overjoyed beyond words, and all the more convinced that the Minister of War’s recommendation back then had been right.

With that thought, he decided to request a promotion for the boy.

“Your Majesty,” he said, “this old servant was only able to resolve the grain crisis thanks to one man under my command. I would like to ask for a promotion on his behalf.”

If he were to announce in court that the merit belonged to Lu Huan, the boy would surely draw envy and make countless enemies.

It would be better to let him remain quietly under his wing for now—once his wings were fully grown, then he could plan greater things for him.

The Emperor was in a thoroughly good mood at that moment.

Hearing that one of the General’s subordinates had rendered service, he assumed it was someone involved in persuading Wan Sanqian, and without hesitation granted a reward.

When he heard that the person was Lu Huan, he even smiled and said casually: “I recall that youth somewhat. The Grand Marshal once praised him before Me as well. To have earned the favor of both the Great General and the Grand Marshal at such a young age—he must indeed be a rare talent. One day, We shall meet him.”

Of course, though he said this, the Emperor in truth would hardly remember the name of a minor official.

───♡───

That very night, an imperial decree arrived at the Ministry of War’s Second Division, appointing Lu Huan as a Cavalry Commandant of the Imperial Guards—a fourth-rank officer.

The officials of the Second Division were utterly stunned.

They had seen their Assistant Secretary frequently visiting General Zhenyuan’s mansion and assumed he was merely handling minor errands for the General.

After all, the General had never cared much for the kind of literary officials who filled the Ministry with scheming politics.

Yet, in just a few short months—Lu Huan had risen again!

At only sixteen years of age, and already promoted to the fourth rank!

The heads of the Second Division were full of envy, and even the division director himself turned green with jealousy.

In just two promotions, Lu Huan now outranked him.

At the Zhenyuan General’s residence, the General was in rare high spirits.

He held a celebratory banquet for Lu Huan, personally offering toasts to his friends—Grand Marshal Yun and others—asking them to look after and mentor the boy.

The General had no sons of his own.

To treat a mere concubine’s son from Prince Ning’s household this way—was he perhaps considering adoption?

The Old Madam of Prince Ning’s household happened to be a distant relative of General Zhenyuan.

If the boy were adopted, he would indeed be the most suitable choice among their far-off kin.

But… wasn’t General Zhenyuan the very one who had always looked down on Prince Ning’s household?

Everyone present kept their expressions carefully neutral, eyes on noses, noses on hearts—but inwardly, they couldn’t help regarding this young man, who had repeatedly made his mark in the capital over the past year, with newfound respect. From now on, he would surely be seen as the General’s trusted protégé.

One by one, they came forward to offer him toasts.

Even the clerks and division heads who had once looked down on him now had to address him respectfully as Lord Lu.

Meanwhile, back at Prince Ning’s residence, the place was in an uproar.

Lu Huan had already moved out months ago, yet in just a few short months he had managed to win the favor of General Zhenyuan and had been promoted to the fourth rank under the Ministry of War?!

The Old Madam was overjoyed. She almost ordered her servants to summon him home immediately, but remembering that he was surely attending a banquet at the General’s mansion that night, she forced herself to contain her excitement.

She had yet to realize that Lu Huan had long resolved to sever all ties with the Ning household.

She still believed that it was thanks to her wise decision to send this concubine-born boy into court service that he now enjoyed such success.

As for the Princess Consort of Ning who had been in decline ever since her own family’s downfall—upon hearing the news, her heart filled once again with bitter resentment.

───♡───

Just then, a notification flashed rapidly across Su Xi’s screen:

【Congratulations! Quest Six completed: “Manage the disaster relief, become known throughout the capital, and earn the title of the ‘Anonymous Divine Merchant,’ thereby drawing the Emperor’s attention.”】

【Points earned: +10!】

Su Xi gaped—holy crap.

All the sleepless nights, all the exhaustion Zai Zai had suffered over the past months—he had somehow managed to complete both parallel quests at once!

That meant her current points were—

She quickly counted.

Her eyes lit up with excitement.

Seventy-two points in total!

Seventy-two!

“Cavalry Commandant, fourth rank,” she murmured to herself, admiring the crimson official robe embroidered with lions.

It was his new uniform, and she loved it.

So far, Zai Zai had collected three sets of official robes, and just looking at them filled her with an immense sense of achievement.

That evening, Zai Zai should have been attending the banquet at General Zhenyuan’s mansion.

But for some reason, he suddenly returned midway—with one of the General’s attendants trailing behind, who seemed to have just reported something that had sent him into utter excitement.

He wasn’t even sure if Su Xi was online but he still ran back as fast as he could from the General’s residence.

Su Xi had no idea what had happened to make him so overjoyed.

He was glowing, every trace of fatigue replaced with pure exhilaration.

His brows, his eyes—everything about him seemed lit from within, like the first bright crescent of a new moon.

Was it because of the promotion?

Su Xi couldn’t help but laugh a little.

She had always thought Zai Zai was indifferent to rank and wealth.

From that small courtyard in Prince Ning’s estate to where he stood now—it had been such a hard, steep climb.

Every time he achieved something, she would be the one bursting with pride, while he would remain calm, as if glory and disgrace were all the same.

But tonight, the roles had reversed.

It was as if she were watching her child bring home yet another top score—calm and familiar with it by now—while he himself was running full speed toward the moon, giddy with joy.

When he entered, he shut the door and kept the guards outside—which told Su Xi that he must have come looking specifically for her.

So she plucked a pear blossom and tucked it into his palm.

The sixteen-year-old boy had come running all the way from the marketplace, a faint sheen of sweat glimmering across his fair forehead.

Panting slightly, he lowered his gaze to the white pear blossom in his hand and the corners of his lips lifted unconsciously into a smile.

Then, looking toward the empty air, his eyes gleamed with barely contained joy—so bright they were nearly wild.

On Su Xi’s screen, his little bun face was more animated than she had ever seen, and several tiny sun icons were floating over his head—

What on earth had happened?

Caught up in his contagious excitement, Su Xi couldn’t help smiling as well.

She tugged gently at his hair, trying to figure out what had gotten him so worked up.

Then she heard him take a deep breath, struggling to suppress his elation, and say to her, “I’ve found someone who can help you find a vessel!”

It seemed he was so overwhelmed with emotion that even his voice trembled slightly.

His eyes were full of hope. “Let’s go meet that person tonight, shall we?”

Su Xi: “……”

Her breath caught for a second.

She never would have thought that all these months—the early mornings before dawn, the endless nights without rest, the skipped meals, the weight he’d lost—had all been for this.

She had noticed recently that Zai Zai had stopped reading those books about spirit summoning.

She’d thought he had finally let it go, and she’d even breathed a sigh of relief.

But now—

It turned out that his obsession ran far deeper than she had ever imagined.

Looking at him now—this Zai Zai whose eyes were filled with longing and anticipation, who had no idea what awaited him ahead—Su Xi suddenly felt her heart twist tight, suspended painfully in midair.

Nothing had happened yet, and still, her eyes stung, a sharp ache blooming quietly in her chest.