Can a System Have Bad Intentions? - Chapter 39

Lu Tang didn’t care one bit about the commotion in the Gu family.

Lu Deren and his henchmen had been arrested, and Lu Shuqing had returned from Sihe Town. At this moment, the three of them were in the courtyard, enjoying a feast with wine and food.

After a few rounds of drinks, reminiscing about recent events, Madam Qiao turned to Lu Shuqing and Lu Tang. “Starting tomorrow, Little Tang, you’ll go to the inn during the day to learn how to manage it. In the evening, you’ll come back and learn accounting from your sister. Once you’re proficient, you can start managing the inn in Sihe Town.”

Back in Sihe Town, Lu Deren and Jiang Pan’er had been arrogant to cover up the fact that he was a live-in son-in-law.

Madam Qiao had taken the opportunity to establish her image as a tragic yet strong woman in front of the townspeople. With this reputation, it wouldn’t be difficult for the Qiao family’s inn in Sihe Town to thrive again.

Lu Tang, munching on stir-fried shrimp, smiled, “Mother, I’ll learn from the inn’s accountant first. Sister still has to follow you to check the accounts in other places. Who knows when she’ll be back, right, Sister?”

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Lu Shuqing tapped Lu Tang’s forehead with her hand. “If you learn from the inn’s accountant, I’m afraid you’ll drive him away! You’d better learn from me. At least if you don’t learn well, I can give you a beating.”

Lu Tang:!

That’s exactly why I don’t want to learn from you!

That’s the main point!

“No, I’ll learn from the accountant. I still remember you beating me into the ice hole in the middle of winter.”

Lu Shuqing rolled her eyes, “You only remember me beating you, but why don’t you tell them why I beat you!”

Lu Tang pouted, “Wasn’t it because I didn’t learn the words you taught me?”

Lu Shuqing slapped her chopsticks on the table.

“Was it because you didn’t learn the words? No! It was because you cut out the characters I wrote for you to practice and sewed them onto my new dress! Do you know how many people I met that day while wearing a dress with characters on the back?”

The characters she had taught Lu Tang to write were three: roast suckling pig!

Seeing the two siblings about to start bickering again, Madam Qiao quickly intervened.

“Alright, it’s settled then. Little Tang will learn from the inn’s accountant during the day, and Shuqing will tutor him in the evening when she has time. It warms my heart to see you two getting along so well.”

Lu Tang: Ugh!

Lu Shuqing: Yuck!

As they talked, Lu Shuqing suddenly remembered something and smiled. Lu Tang was immediately alarmed, feeling that her sister had something up her sleeve.

Sure enough.

“Mother, some time ago I ran into Auntie Zhou. She mentioned a marriage proposal for Little Tang. I was busy at the inn at the time and forgot about it, and then got caught up in other things.”

As she spoke, Lu Shuqing turned to Lu Tang with a grin. “Delaying Little Tang’s marriage prospects, you won’t blame me, will you?”

Lu Tang licked her lips. “We’re siblings; there’s no need for such sarcasm!”

Lu Shuqing burst out laughing and then said to Madam Qiao, “Auntie Zhou mentioned it before. She wants to match Little Tang with her niece. The girl is about to come of age.”

Madam Qiao looked at Lu Tang with a complicated expression, and Lu Tang, feeling guilty, met her gaze. They both said in unison, “This is not suitable.”

Lu Shuqing, not noticing anything amiss, continued, “I also thought it wasn’t quite right. But I wanted to remind you, Mother, in case Auntie Zhou brings it up again. We should be prepared.”

“Why do you think it’s not suitable?” Lu Tang quickly asked Lu Shuqing.

I know it’s not suitable because I’m a girl.

What’s your reason?

Lu Shuqing glared at her. “You’re still a spoiled brat with no skills. How would you support a family if you got married now? Would you expect the girl to worry about your life plans every day? She’s getting married, not becoming your mother! You should get some skills and be able to manage the inn before talking about marriage. Besides, you’re only fourteen.”

At this point, Lu Shuqing suddenly glared fiercely and grabbed Lu Tang by the ear.

“Lu Tang, what do you mean? Are you already thinking about getting married at fourteen? Tell me honestly, have you been sneaking around in those places?”

Lu Shuqing was strong, and Lu Tang had always been afraid of having her ear twisted. She immediately tilted half her body.

“Sister, sister, calm down. I was just speaking casually. I have no intention of getting married, none at all. Really, I’m as pure as a monk in a temple!”

Lu Shuqing, pulling her ear, said fiercely, “I’m telling you, if you dare to go to those places, I’ll cripple you. Our family doesn’t have such people!”

Lu Tang begged for mercy, feeling pitiful.

Even if you wanted to cripple me, you couldn’t because I don’t have that equipment!

After finishing the meal, Lu Tang rubbed her red, sore ear and went back to her room, sighing as she collapsed onto the bed.

She was already fourteen. In the future, more and more people would come to propose marriage. How would she refuse them?

If she refused too many times, wouldn’t it arouse suspicion?

Moreover, as she grew older, wearing a chest binder became increasingly uncomfortable.

Heavens…

Lu Tang’s inner scream was cut off by the sound of the system.

[Task completed. Would you like to see your reward? You’ve earned a double reward this time.]

Lu Tang immediately set aside her worries and eagerly sat up. “What is it?”

[Do you want to see the champion reward first or the total annihilation reward?]

Lu Tang felt the joy of opening a package. “In order, let’s start with the champion reward.”

[Alright, please wait a moment.]

[System is detecting…]

Bang!

As soon as the system’s voice fell, a loud noise erupted on Lu Tang’s bed. A heavy object appeared out of thin air, landing right next to her and almost hitting her foot.

It was a sizable box.

“It looks pretty big. What’s inside?”

Excitedly, Lu Tang knelt and opened the lid of the box.

Snap!

The lid opened.

Lu Tang’s excited smile froze.

Inside the box was a neat stack of books, with the top one titled A Comprehensive Guide to Water Management.

[Congratulations to the host for receiving the Water Management Mastery Pack. If you finish reading all the books in this box, you will gain the ability to construct and manage water channels.]

Lu Tang jumped up and yelled.

“What do I need this for!”

[It’s to enrich your life and improve yourself so that you can better complete the champion tasks in the future! Everyone needs to study. Men need to study, women need to study, adults need to study, children need to study…]

Lu Tang:!

When she was little, her mother said that if she got first place in her exams, she would receive a big gift.

Naively, she believed it and studied hard, finally achieving first place in the final exams!

Her mother rewarded her with a big box.

Inside the box were complete sets of practice books for all subjects!

She had worked so hard to get first place just to receive more practice books?

Did first place need to receive practice books?

Did second place not deserve practice books?

No!

Who wants these practice books!

How is this any different from back then!