Can a System Have Bad Intentions? - Chapter 3

“Please win the Stomping Contest.”

Lu Tang was stunned. “What?” she asked the system in her mind.

“Please compete with Liang Cheng in a stomping contest and win.”

“Is this even a contest?” Lu Tang was incredulous.

“Is a steamed bun not food?”

She stood up abruptly, kicked back her chair, and stomped on the floor.

Liang Cheng was about to pull out a chair to sit, but the noise startled him. He looked up at Lu Tang and saw a provocative expression on her face.

Liang Cheng licked his lips and grinned. “Come on, Brother Tang, how childish can you be?”

He then stomped his foot on the floor.

Lu Tang stomped back immediately.

The already unstable second-floor floorboards began to creak and crack loudly, startling the shop assistant downstairs. He rushed up, thinking there was an emergency.

As the shop assistant opened the door, he heard Liang Cheng say, “Brother Tang, I give up, okay?” Before he could finish, he saw Lu Tang suddenly disappear through a hole in the floor.

The floor where Lu Tang had been standing had broken, creating a gaping hole.

“Damn!”

Liang Cheng stepped over to the hole and looked down.

Below, Lu Tang lay in a man’s arms.

This rare spectacle quickly drew the attention of everyone in the teahouse, with people from outside coming in to watch the commotion.

“Damn, did it really collapse?”

“What was Young Master Lu doing up there to make such a racket that the ceiling caved in? He’s got some strength!”

“Who’s that guy holding Young Master Lu? He’s so handsome!”

Lu Tang had never been so embarrassed in her life.

Even falling from the second floor and landing on her butt would have been less humiliating than this.

Staring into the man’s eyes, Lu Tang forced a smile and brushed some dust off his shoulder. “There was… some dust.”

Qin Mo, who had been drinking tea with a companion downstairs, was caught off guard. Dust fell from the ceiling as the commotion above unfolded. He stood up to avoid the debris, only for a person to fall into his arms.

“Are you coming down?” Qin Mo asked in a calm voice, betraying no emotion.

But the two words were enough to make Lu Tang feel awkward. She realized she was still clinging to his neck.

Blushing, Lu Tang let go and quickly stepped back, almost stumbling into Qin Mo’s chest. She grinned, “Brother, thanks a lot. I have something to do today, but how about I treat you to a meal tomorrow?”

Qin Mo dusted off his sleeve. “No need.”

He glanced at his companion and prepared to leave.

Lu Tang grabbed his sleeve. “Brother, what’s your name? Where do you live? I’ll send a thank-you gift tonight, really.”

Qin Mo pulled back his sleeve. “Don’t worry about it. I’d save a falling pig just the same.”

With that, he turned and walked away.

Lu Tang was speechless. Did he just call me a pig?

“Tang!”

As soon as Qin Mo left, Liang Cheng’s voice came from upstairs.

Lu Tang looked up with a dark expression.

Liang Cheng was peeking through the hole. “But, Tang, this is too funny, hahahaha!”

His laughter was infectious, and the spectators, who had been too shocked to laugh earlier, burst into laughter as well.

Amid the uproarious laughter, Lu Tang flipped Liang Cheng the middle finger. “Get down here!”

After leaving money to compensate for the damage, Lu Tang kicked Liang Cheng out of the teahouse.

Clutching his backside, Liang Cheng couldn’t stop laughing. “Brother Tang, that was just too funny.”

Lu Tang grumbled, “Laugh yourself to death.”

Liang Cheng said, “Brother Tang, it’s not my fault. You insisted on competing with me in stomping.”

He nudged her arm. “Brother Tang, you won. I admit defeat, hahaha.”

Lu Tang was speechless. Did I really want this?

“Congratulations, host. You have won the championship reward. The lottery will be available in two hours.”

Lu Tang sighed, thinking about the Invincible Potion she got that afternoon. Fine, I wanted this.

After a few more jokes, Liang Cheng nudged Lu Tang’s shoulder. “Tang, I’ll join you for the wedding procession tomorrow morning.”

Lu Tang glanced at him. “Why are you coming? It’ll be before dawn.”

“West Mountain has bandits. What if they rob the dowry on the way? I’ll protect you. I’ve been practicing my skills.”

In Qingshui County, it’s customary for the bride’s dowry to be paraded around the county.

“Stop jinxing it. There are no bandits. Have you ever seen one?”

“No, but many people say there are.”

“Many people also say you’re a fool!”

As they wandered until late evening, Yuan Bao found them.

Lu Tang immediately excused herself, saying she had to get up early, and left with Yuan Bao.

“How did it go?”

“Don’t worry, young master. I waited outside Spring Fragrance Courtyard for half an hour. Gu Changming is definitely up to something there.”

Lu Tang instructed, “Keep an eye on Spring Fragrance Courtyard tonight. If anyone from the Gu family comes looking for Gu Changming, make sure to spread the news about his activities. Make it loud. If no one from the Gu family shows up, spread the news at dawn. You don’t need to join the procession tomorrow. Just report back to my mother.”

If the wedding procession still happens.

Yuan Bao nodded. “Young master, what did Gu Changming do?”

Lu Tang sneered. “You’ll find out in a few days.”

After Yuan Bao left, Lu Tang returned home.

Having just argued with Lu Deren at noon, Lu Tang nervously grabbed a servant. “Where’s my father?”

By now, her dramatic fall had spread throughout the household.

“The master is in the main hall. Young master, you might want to hide in your courtyard. I won’t tell anyone I saw you.”

Before the servant finished speaking, a maid from Madam Qiao’s courtyard approached. “Young master, madam wants to see you.”

The servant gave Lu Tang a sympathetic look.

Lu Tang followed the maid to the main hall.

Lu Deren sat with a dark face. As soon as she entered, he snorted heavily.

Madam Qiao signaled Lu Tang to apologize quickly.

Lu Tang opened her mouth to speak.

Normally, she would have apologized immediately, but now…

Lu Tang stood still, twisting her fingers.

Seeing her hesitation, Madam Qiao’s face darkened. “Lu Tang!”

Lu Tang looked up at Madam Qiao with a pitiful expression, rubbing her backside. “Mother, I fell from the second floor of the teahouse.”

Madam Qiao had already heard about it.

This was embarrassing.

“You fell from the second floor? It took you this long?”

Lu Tang was stunned.

“Apologize to your father!” Madam Qiao’s face was stern as she signaled Lu Tang again. “How old are you to say such things? Your father was almost driven to vomiting blood.”

Lu Tang glanced at Lu Deren and couldn’t help but say, “Mother, I saw a girl I like. Her name is Yue’er, I think. Could you help me find out more about her? I want to take her as a concubine.”