Rebirth: After Becoming the Villainess-Chapter 197: You’re My Great Benefactor Now

"Da Xi!"

She grabbed Da Xi’s hand. "Take me to see the farmland around here."

Da Xi, still bewildered, passively led Song Lianhe to the nearby fields...

After a whole day of running around, even Da Xi was so tired she could barely walk. But when Song Lianhe returned, she just shut herself in her room.

Da Xi went to the kitchen and grumbled as she stoked the fire, "She’s so thin and frail. I wonder what she ate growing up. She rushes around like a whirlwind. Doesn’t she ever get tired?"

Sister Mi, who was kneading dough for steamed buns, smiled. "The Witch Doctor has excellent vitality. It must be from her long service to the gods."

Da Xi glanced at Sister Mi but said nothing.

’Others might believe she was a Witch Doctor, but Da Xi knew better. Song Lianhe doesn’t know any witchcraft,’ she thought. ’She’s just a skilled physician, that’s all.’

Outside the mansion gates, Zhong Shimin swung himself off his horse.

Someone immediately stepped forward to take the reins, leading the horse behind him.

"What has she been doing all day?"

"Reporting to the Leader, the Witch Doctor... er, no, Miss Song, today she..."

Hearing his subordinate’s report, Zhong Shimin turned his head. "She went to see the farmland? Why?"

"I do not know."

Zhong Shimin went upstairs and headed straight for Song Lianhe’s room.

Just as he was about to push the door open, it was yanked open from the inside, and the person within nearly collided right into his arms!

Zhong Shimin instinctively reached out to steady her. Song Lianhe rubbed her forehead, then looked up at him with a smile. "Perfect timing."

Zhong Shimin stared at the smiling face of the woman in his arms, his expression frozen. His heart seemed to skip a beat.

When he realized his lapse in composure, he noticed that his hand was resting on her slender waist, so delicate he could encircle it with one hand.

As if burned, Zhong Shimin snatched his hand away.

The woman tilted her head up, her striking features bathed in a soft layer of moonlight. She looked like a bewitching siren.

Song Lianhe didn’t notice his strange reaction. She held out her hand, revealing a delicate, fair palm. "Got any Silver? Lend me some~"

Zhong Shimin said nothing, just looked at her.

Thinking he wouldn’t give her any, Song Lianhe’s eyes narrowed like a sly little fox, and she reached out to pat him down. "Oh, come on, don’t be so stingy~ You’re my big benefactor now. You not only have to protect my personal safety, but you also have to take care of my room and board!"

Zhong Shimin’s eyes sharpened, and he suddenly grabbed the little hand that was misbehaving on his chest.

"Look at you, getting all worked up."

Song Lianhe remained good-natured, her pretty face blooming into a smile. "I borrowed some Silver from someone and I have to pay them back. If it’s convenient, Leader Zhong, please lend me a little. I’ll pay you back when I have money. At worst, I’ll even pay you interest! Thirty percent! And that’s my final offer!"

Watching her red lips open and close, his throat bobbed instinctively.

The next moment, he suddenly flung her hand away.

He was very strong. Song Lianhe lost her footing and swayed.

Zhong Shimin frowned and was about to reach out and steady her, but Song Lianhe caught the doorframe to right herself. She looked up and glared at him. "Hey, no hard feelings if we can’t make a deal. I’m just asking to borrow a little money. Do you have to get physical?"

The man pressed his lips together, not saying a word.

"Fine, don’t lend me any."

She started to leave, but just as she passed him, he grabbed her arm.

Then, a money pouch was pressed into her hand.

Song Lianhe looked down, and her face immediately lit up with joy. She turned back, her large, limpid eyes fluttering like a fawn’s. "I knew it! Our Leader Zhong isn’t a stingy person after all!"

Zhong Shimin looked down at her, his dark eyes narrowing as he glanced at the paper she was clutching in her hand.

"What’s that?"

"Ah, you mean this?~"

Song Lianhe showed him the drawing she had made. "This is called a sweet potato. The name literally means ’foreign potato.’"

Zhong Shimin looked at the vine-like plant in the drawing. "What’s it for?"

"Don’t you underestimate it! In my... in my hometown, many, many years ago, there was also famine and war, and the common people had nothing to eat. At that time, a merchant traveled to a foreign land and happened to discover the sweet potato. Thanks to it, many people survived! The history books say, ’Of the villagers, seven or eight out of ten lived because of the potato.’ That’s how amazing it is!"

Zhong Shimin looked at her. "You want to plant it here?"

"Yes!" Song Lianhe said. "I scouted the area today. Even though the northwest is arid, there should be no problem growing this! All we need to do now is find the vine cuttings I drew."

Zhong Shimin took the drawing. "And where have you seen it before?"

Song Lianhe shook her head. "I haven’t."

’Come to think of it, I’ve been in this book for a long time, and I don’t think I’ve ever actually eaten a sweet potato here.’

’I’d always just assumed that wealthy households like the General Mansion and the Prince Qing Mansion disliked such commoner’s food.’

’But it was only now that I realized I don’t think I’ve ever seen it for sale in the markets of Ling’an City, either.’

Zhong Shimin raised his dark eyes, his gaze sweeping over her coolly. "If you’ve never seen it, how could you draw it? And if you claim to have seen it in a book, this drawing is far too detailed."

Seeing the look on his face, which might as well have had the word "suspicious" carved on his forehead, Song Lianhe patiently explained, "I am skilled in medicine, you already know that, right? This vine can be used in medicine, so of course, I know it by heart. As for the fact that its fruit is edible, that’s what my master told me. And my master heard it from his master, whose master heard it from his master’s master’s master..."

Zhong Shimin watched her spout nonsense with a detached expression.

’How could he possibly believe such a clumsy excuse?’

However, since she didn’t want to say, he wouldn’t press her. After all, her intentions were good, so there was no need for every detail to be explained.

Without another word, Zhong Shimin folded Song Lianhe’s drawing and tucked it inside his robes. "I’m going to see my lord."

"Go on, go on."

After Song Lianhe parted ways with him, she went to the kitchen to find Da Xi.

"Here, this is the Silver I owe you."

Da Xi froze.

"What’s with that look? You look shocked that I’m actually paying you back. Am I, Song Lianhe, the type of person who doesn’t repay her debts?"

Sister Mi smilingly pulled her over to sit down and brought her a bowl of rice water.

To see rice these days was a rare luxury.

Song Lianhe was floored by the gesture. Sister Mi said, "This was made for the Old Master. He didn’t have much of an appetite, so he awarded it to the kitchen."

"No, no, Sister Mi, you and Da Xi should have it. You two work so hard in the kitchen every day. I don’t need it."

Da Xi looked over, a hint of disdain in her voice. "Look how scrawny you are, and you can’t even get used to our food here. If you don’t eat some rice, I’m afraid a mountain breeze could blow you away."

Sister Mi just smiled. "Eat up."

Song Lianhe held the bowl, incredibly moved. "Aww~ Sister Mi, Xixi~ You’re both so good to me."

She really couldn’t get used to the food in the northwest, but she had never mentioned it to anyone.

With food so scarce now, she was lucky to have anything to eat at all. To be picky on top of that would be ungrateful. She thought she had hidden it so well.

Sister Mi saw her confusion and said, "It was Da Xi who told us when she came back."

Holding the rice water, Song Lianhe’s face was flushed and her eyes were red. "Our Xixi is just the best~"

Da Xi’s face reddened, and she said awkwardly, "It wasn’t me."

Just then, the kitchen door was thrown open.

"Aha! Song Lianhe, so you’re hiding in here stuffing your face!!"

As the words fell, the bowl in Song Lianhe’s hands was knocked over.