Chapter Sixty-Eight: Arrangements for Susan

That day’s work didn’t finish until after five in the afternoon. Once Wan Anxian left, only Qin Jing and Susan remained in the shop.

Noticing Susan lost in thought, Qin Jing took something out and placed it in front of her, smiling as he said, “What’s wrong? Jealous?”

Susan was momentarily startled, but quickly caught on and laughed. “I wouldn’t be jealous of Wan Anxian. I just never imagined that the rice we eat every day is so expensive. Is this the legendary spirit rice?”

Qin Jing had brought back a hundred pounds of spirit rice from Jenny Tio, enough for them to eat for quite a while. He’d never been stingy with those close to him—naturally, Susan ate the same food as he did. When Susan first tasted the spirit rice, she’d asked him what it was. Qin Jing only smiled, saying nothing. Only now did Susan understand: what others couldn’t buy no matter how much they spent, she had enjoyed early on simply by staying near Qin Jing. She couldn’t help but feel moved.

“This rice must be really rare, right? I see we only have a single bag. Is it really appropriate to sell it to an ordinary person like Wan Anxian?”

“It is rare, but we control the supply chain. Its source is shrouded in mystery—only I know where it comes from. So for now, there’s no need to worry.”

“I remember Heather once tried to give you a Ferrari, but you didn’t accept it. Now you’re selling to Wan Anxian. If word gets out about this business…”

“Susan, don’t overthink it. Heather doesn’t have any say over me. Today’s transaction is exactly the kind of normal business I want. Ordinary people crave extraordinary items even more than those who already possess them; they’re more eager to access the supernatural. That’s why I sold the spirit rice to Wan Anxian at ten times the price I’d ask from Heather or the others. Besides, I gained other things from the deal too, like this plot of land. If I had to rely solely on myself, even as an extraordinary individual, mundane relationships and obligations would still be a bother.”

Susan’s eyes grew thoughtful. “I see. You each have something the other needs. With such an information gap, your gains are naturally much greater.”

Qin Jing nodded approvingly. He intended to train Susan into a competent shop assistant, and first she had to understand his perspective. Once she became his employee, she could carry out his will.

“Tomorrow, renovations start in the shop. I need to head back to the university, so I’ll need you to keep an eye on things here. The renovations start next door; this side can stay open as usual. Keep these two items safe for me…”

As he spoke, Qin Jing took out two small boxes: the legendary snack series—magical matcha cookies and magical mille-feuille pastry, though the magic shark fin was missing.

“What’s this?” The mythical snacks were crafted exquisitely, and Susan’s appetite was instantly piqued. She reached out, broke off a small piece of magical mille-feuille, and popped it in her mouth.

The snack’s effects were immediate and explosive. As soon as she tasted it, sweetness filled her mouth, and waves of spiritual energy began remodeling her body.

“Wow, it’s so hot! Is this like the spirit rice?” Susan stuck out her tongue, suddenly realizing she’d probably eaten something extraordinary. “How much does this stuff cost? Why didn’t you stop me?”

“I brought it out for you to eat. In fact, I even set aside some non-sale items for you, though you can’t have those just yet.”

Seeing Susan’s reaction, Qin Jing was a little “disappointed.” He’d given her the rest of the magical snacks to see if they would have any effect on her body. It seemed they did, but compared to the effect on himself, it was minimal. The first time Qin Jing ate one, he’d had to circulate the Six Strategies technique just to manage to digest it. But Susan, being nearly immune to spiritual energy, could only improve her physical constitution by eating such things—she would never possess spiritual power herself, which was why her reaction was so mild.

“Why is that? Is it because of my constitution?”

Clearly, Susan had realized this too, and her eyes dimmed. Because of her physical limitations, she always felt inferior around Qin Jing. This was why she willingly accepted a role akin to a maid, never daring to aspire to be his girlfriend.

“Don’t worry. Once you become an extraordinary individual through normal means, these snacks will work for you too. Besides, even if they don’t have much effect, you’re still free to enjoy these snacks worth tens of millions.”

“Tens of millions?” Susan stared dazedly at the small box in her hand. Only a few pieces were left—about two grams in total. How could such a tiny amount possibly be worth tens of millions?

Qin Jing replied seriously, “That’s right. Didn’t I just say? These are new items hitting the shelves tomorrow: magical matcha cookies, two grams; magical mille-feuille, three grams. My pricing is simple—ten million per gram! Each item can significantly improve an ordinary person’s constitution, boosting mental clarity and physical strength. Tomorrow, you can pitch them to Wan Anxian—he’ll be eager to buy. But be careful: don’t sell everything to just one person, not even Heather. If she wants to buy, each product is limited to one gram. Oh, and since you’re always here and it wouldn’t make sense not to report anything to Heather, leave her a gram of each as well…”

Susan stared blankly at the snacks in her hand. Her whole body trembled. Something so precious, in such a tiny amount—how could this be real?

After a long while, she seemed to recall something. “How much should I sell them to Heather for?”

Qin Jing considered for a moment and then asked, “That depends on how you feel about Heather. Do you plan to keep dealing with her in the future?”

Susan knew Qin Jing trusted her, but to avoid any suspicion, her instinct was to say, “No, I won’t keep in touch.” But on second thought, as Qin Jing’s woman, she had to consider his interests first.

“Heather was your first major client here, and she’s a local extraordinary. She respects you a lot, so by having me deliver this news, you’re really letting me return a favor and deepen our relationship. So I’ll definitely be dealing with Heather many more times in the future.”

“Exactly!” Qin Jing nodded, guiding her. “If Heather comes by tomorrow, just ask her to provide you with some witch cultivation techniques or similar resources. If she agrees, giving her a fifty percent discount is no problem. But if she refuses, you’ll know she isn’t truly on your side, and you can be more cautious in future dealings.”

Susan, already a business elite, quickly grasped the logic behind Qin Jing’s advice.

Qin Jing circled his arm around Susan’s slender waist and smiled. “Alright, I’ll be back tomorrow anyway. If any tough decisions come up, just call me.”

“You’re right,” Susan said, suddenly enlightened.

“Look at you—finally figured it out, huh?”

“You’re the silly one! I was just stunned by the idea of snacks worth tens of millions!”

“Oh? Where exactly are you stunned?”

“Stop it—don’t touch me! We haven’t had dinner yet.”

“Dinner is nowhere near as delicious as you are.”

“Stop that! Ah, no, help, you rascal…”

…