Bing Shi raised her eyes to meet Fu Lian's father, her tone laced with a mix of amusement and incredulity, "0.3% of our loot for a few sweet potatoes? Are they made of diamonds?"
Fu Dong cleared his throat in an attempt to assert his stance, "0.3% is a reasonable price. My daughter possesses a rare and valuable plant ability. Her skills are beyond measure."
"Indeed, she must be truly precious. A gem among gems." Bing Shi nodded, appearing agreeable, but then her gaze shifted to the embarrassed Fu Qin, "Well, I'm not in a rush. I'll patiently wait for a future sister-in-law who graciously provides me with sweet potatoes without demanding exorbitant fees. You see, these are tough times, and it wouldn't be fair for my people if I wasted precious nuclei on luxurious food. I'm sorry, but we can't accept your offer."
Ziek covered his mouth as he fought to contain his laughter. Fu Lian kept her eyes downcast, while Yi Zen maintained his stoic expression, though a hint of amusement glinted in his eyes.
A few moments later...
"💢!" The fuming Fu Dong looked up at the high walls in anger. He just took the biggest loss in his life. He received no money. What was worse, his daughter abandoned him to be near Yi Zen!
· · ───────── · ⊱❈⊰· ───────── · ·
Bing Shi accompanied Fu Qin around the base, introducing her to various men along the way.
Meeting a few men along the way, Fu Qin greeted them with a timid smile. Stealing a few glimpses at their well-toned and muscular chests, Fu Qin's face flushed pink. They didn't wear any shirts!
A few of the soldiers playfully whistled and commented, "Is that Fu Lian's little sister?" Their attention was immediately drawn to the new and captivating presence. As soon as a beautiful woman appeared, everyone puffed out their chest, wanting to gain her attention.
Confirming their suspicion, Bing Shi responded, "Yes, this is Fu Qin. She's joining our team and will be living here from now on. I've decided that she'll be my future sister-in-law, so be nice to her."
"..." The soldiers became speechless. Was this person playing house again? Great! They saluted at the new addition, "Welcome, Miss Fu Qin!"
Fu Qin returned their greetings with a bashful smile, her charm immediately leaving an impression on the men, "Thank you. It's nice to meet you all." Her demure attitude and cute dimples had a way of melting their hearts.
As Fu Qin followed Bing Shi to her tent, she took a seat at a table while Bing Shi sat across from her. After engaging in casual conversation, Bing Shi shifted the topic with a direct question, "So, have you come up with any ideas on how to win Yi Zen's affection?"
Confidently, Fu Qin tilted her chin up, "Sending Fu Lian away is enough."
Her conviction stemmed from a lifetime of getting what she wanted, but her rivalry with Fu Lian had proven to be her greatest challenge. She believed that if she got rid of Fu Lian, she'd get what she wanted, as always.
Bing Shi's expression turned serious as she leaned in, "Can you cook?"
It was such a rare opportunity for her to meet a Jelly girl. A girl who would somehow lose all common sense the moment she fell in love with a man.
Fu Qin's confidence wavered for a moment. She had never cooked before, always having others cater to her needs. "Cook?" she echoed, unsure of where this was heading. 'Isn't it only food? What is so special about it?'
"Girl, listen," Bing Shi supported her chin with her palm, "Can you replace Fu Lian as our cook?"
Inwardly scoffing at the idea of cooking – a task she considered menial – Fu Qin showed a puzzled expression, "I can cook a meal for Yi Zen."
Bing Shi's tone turned matter-of-fact, "Wrong answer. You just lost the favor of all the soldiers in this base. Mess with their food provider, they'll mess with you. It's simple logic."
She tapped her pen on her tablet, "At the moment, you're not on the same level as Fu Lian in terms of any skills. If you don't want to become a laughingstock, I suggest you drop your grudges and ignore her. However, I'll find a way for you to get closer to Yi Zen, even though you are not exactly his type."
Fu Qin's displeasure was evident, but Bing Shi continued, "Isn't this what you want? I'm giving you a unique opportunity to seduce Yi Zen without causing drama with Fu Lian. Now, let me tell you something about General Yi Zen..."
"..." Fu Qin went silent. She didn't believe that she couldn't win against Fu Lian. She never came up with a plan on how to seduce Yi Zen. Her head was full of schemes on how to get rid of Fu Lian, "What type of women does Yi Zen like?"
"Letting go of your father was a big mistake," Bing Shi's words were chosen to make Fu Qin uneasy. "Now, you're alone in this Lion's den, with only me to rely on. As for Yi Zen's ideal type... It's simple. Just picture Fu Lian."
If it were before, Fu Qin would use her father's connection to get Fu Lian kidnapped and then rāped. Luckily, Fu Lian would always escape by a close margin.
Fu Qin was willing to go to extreme lengths to achieve her desires, even if it meant using unethical tactics. However, in this particular situation, she could no longer rely on her usual methods. Even if she used her charms on the soldiers, it wouldn't grant her their obedience.
Fu Qin found herself in an unprecedented state of powerlessness. She felt trapped, akin to a mouse confined within a cage, with no means of escape. If she had any hopes of gaining Yi Zen's favor, she had no choice but to yield to Bing Shi's conditions.
Following their conversation, Fu Qin used her power to build a house next to Bing Shi's. Green thick veins sprouted from under the ground, creating a small cottage.
[Host, wouldn't it be better to never meet up with Fu Qin? Or better to get rid of her? What if something happens to Fu Lian?]
Asked Kuro, who saw the situation through Bing Shi's eyes. Floating in the air, a batch of people followed it in steady steps.
["And miss an opportunity to meet a Jelly girl? Kuro, have some trust in our female lead. Fu Qin, this little bunny, should be the one fearing for her life. Oh, but I won't let anything happen to her, don't worry."]
'Not before I finish my experiments.'
'These villain girls are like cockroaches. Fu Lian had defeated Fu Qin lots of times, but no matter what, Fu Qin would always return, and even more vicious than before! No kidding!'
[Can I go home?]
["Aw, do you miss me?"]
[LOL. I have to scan the base food for any poison. Fu Qin is a plant user. She can utilize her power to poison Fu Lian's food. Host, I still can't understand why you would let such a dangerous person in.]
["Aw, so you were worried about me."]
[LOL.]
["You can go home."]
Without understanding, Kuro nodded its head obviously. It didn't have a choice but to trust its host.
["Kuro, we're going to watch a show together. Which flavor of popcorn do you want?"]
[Chocolate.]
["Ok ♪♫."]