A Cannon-Fodder Alpha Marked The Future Villainess After Transmigrating Into A Novel - Chapter 9

There was no need for Xie Jing to treat her nicely.

“Who I carry has nothing to do with you.”

“You…” Lin Qingqing choked on her words.

She had never expected Xie Jing to talk back to her. In the past, no matter what Lin Qingqing said, Xie Jing had never dared utter a single word of protest.

What was wrong with her today?

Could she still be angry about Lin Qingqing speaking to Educated Youth Yu a few days ago?

But Lin Qingqing had not said anything wrong. Educated Youth Yu was indeed better than Xie Jing in every way. What did Xie Jing have to be upset about?

Besides, Lin Qingqing had already taken the initiative to speak to her yesterday. Yet Xie Jing was still using something like this to make her angry.

After figuring it out, Lin Qingqing calmed herself and resumed her lofty tone.

“Xie Jing, there should be limits to what you do. Besides, Educated Youth Yu really is more outstanding than you. Not only is he handsome, but he’s also an educated youth from the city. He’s bound to have a bright future. And then look at you…”

Lin Qingqing swept a disdainful gaze over Xie Jing from head to toe.

Deep down, she had to admit that there was nothing to criticize about Xie Jing’s appearance. Still, Xie Jing was merely a country bumpkin. How could she compare to the capable Educated Youth Yu from the city?

Xie Jing was displeased by the inexplicable way Lin Qingqing was sizing her up.

“If he’s so wonderful, then go find him. Why are you telling me all this? You’re being ridiculous.”

With that, she had no intention of wasting any more time on Lin Qingqing and turned to leave.

“Xie Jing!”

Seeing her walk away, Lin Qingqing stamped her foot angrily and shouted at her back, “Isn’t this just because I praised Educated Youth Yu? What could you possibly use to compete with him?”

Xie Jing ignored her and quickened her steps.

“Please maintain the original character setting, Host. Please maintain the original character setting.”

007’s electronic voice emitted a piercing alarm.

What character setting?

The devoted-lapdog setting?

Xie Jing ignored the system’s warning.

“Please maintain the original character setting, Host. Please maintain the original character setting.”

The noise became unbearable.

“I’m not the original character. Whoever wants to be that lapdog can do it!”

The moment she finished speaking, Xie Jing felt a surge of electricity spread outward from her heart.

Her entire body felt as though countless needles were stabbing into it. In the end, she could barely breathe.

About a minute later, her body slowly returned to normal.

Xie Jing clutched her chest.

So that electric shock had been the punishment the system mentioned?

Damned system. It was not enough for the thing itself to act like a dog—it wanted her to behave like one too.

“Host, are you all right?” 007 asked.

All right?

Xie Jing closed her eyes.

“Try getting electrocuted and see how you feel.”

“You must be joking, Host. If this system were electrocuted, it would become paralyzed.”

Ha.

Xie Jing sneered.

Another burst of crackling static sounded in her mind, and 007’s voice disappeared.

She straightened and reconsidered her current situation.

She had to maintain the original character’s personality while also surviving the male and female leads’ schemes.

In the original novel, Lin Qingqing had slept with the male lead while continuing to string the original Xie Jing along. When the original character caught the two of them having an affair, they conspired to kill her.

Therefore, as long as Xie Jing avoided the incident that triggered her death, she might be able to survive.

As for everything else, those two were welcome to stay tied together forever.

After sorting through her thoughts, Xie Jing did not immediately return to the Xie residence.

Instead, she headed toward the home of Xie Chun, the barefoot doctor.

She was still thinking about Ning Niannian’s illness. Judging from what Xie Chun had said earlier, it seemed quite serious.

Xie Jing could not help recalling the tiny figure who always followed beside Ning Yunqing.

After speaking to Xie Chun, she learned that the girl had been born with a heart problem—what modern medicine called congenital heart disease.

Unless she received treatment at a major hospital, she probably would not survive for more than a few years.

Xie Jing’s chest felt heavy.

No wonder Ning Yunqing had risked entering the deep mountains.

With a grim expression, Xie Jing left Xie Chun’s house and returned home.

Zhao Cui’e and Xie Dahai had already returned after putting away their tools. Xie Huai was also home, and the whole family was gathered around the square table talking.

When Zhao Cui’e saw Xie Jing return, she poured her a bowl of water and pushed it toward her.

“What did that Lin Qingqing want from you this time?”

“Nothing important.”

Xie Jing sat down, picked up the bowl, and began drinking.

“If it was nothing, why would she deliberately look for you?” Zhao Cui’e clearly did not believe her.

In the past, she had turned a blind eye when Xie Jing gave things to Lin Qingqing.

But if Lin Qingqing dared bully her daughter, Zhao Cui’e would never let her off.

Xie Jing shook her head.

“She just said some nonsense. There’s no need to pay attention to her.”

Then she looked toward Xie Huai.

“Big Brother, can I go into town with you tomorrow?”

Zhao Cui’e immediately became vigilant, worried that Lin Qingqing had asked her daughter to buy something again.

“What are you going to town for?”

“I want to buy a few things,” Xie Jing replied.

“What things? Tell me,” Zhao Cui’e said.

Xie Jing froze.

She had not expected Zhao Cui’e to question her so thoroughly.

She wanted to ask around about the black market, but speculation and illegal trading were being strictly punished in this era. Visiting the black market carried considerable risk.

There was no way Zhao Cui’e would let her go if she knew.

After thinking for a moment, Xie Jing said, “I want to buy something to eat.”

Zhao Cui’e looked at her suspiciously.

Xie Jing could not help laughing.

“I only want to buy some food and look around town. I promise.”

Zhao Cui’e hesitated before nodding.

“Fine. Have your brother take you tomorrow.”

She rose and entered the inner room.

When she returned a moment later, she was holding something wrapped in a handkerchief.

She slowly unfolded it, revealing a stack of small bills and several ration coupons.

Zhao Cui’e counted out ten yuan and two coupons, then handed them to Xie Jing.

“Take these. Buy whatever you want to eat tomorrow, and bring back some rice and flour while you’re there.”

Xie Jing stared at the ten yuan in her hand, deeply moved.

Workers in this era earned only fifteen yuan a month, yet Zhao Cui’e had given her ten yuan all at once.

The original character’s parents truly loved her.

Xie Jing’s eyes reddened slightly as she put away the money and coupons.

Since she was still in her susceptible period, she went to bed early after dinner.

The next morning, she had only just opened her eyes when Zhao Cui’e’s urging voice came from outside.

Xie Jing applied some suppressant ointment, strapped a bamboo basket to her back, and rode the production brigade’s tractor into town with Xie Huai.

Xie Huai still had to work.

He dropped her off at the supply and marketing cooperative and repeatedly reminded her to be careful before leaving for the factory.

Xie Jing walked around the cooperative.

Most items required ration coupons. The store also purchased dried goods, but sellers needed an official purchasing certificate issued by the cooperative.

Without proof, any sale would be considered illegal speculation.

The legitimate route would not work.

Her most important task now was finding the black market.

After leaving the cooperative, Xie Jing tried calling the system twice, but her mind remained silent.

A long while passed. Just as she began to suspect it would not appear, a burst of static sounded.

“Host, why did you summon me so urgently? What can I do for you?” 007 asked.

“Why did you take so long?”

“Even systems have bodily needs.”

“…”

Damn it!

Xie Jing closed her eyes and suppressed the anger lodged in her chest.

Forget it. There was no point arguing with the thing. Business was more important.

“I called you because I have a question.”

“Please ask, Host. This system promises to tell you everything it knows and hold nothing back.”

Xie Jing could not resist rolling her eyes.

What had this system actually helped her with since they became bound together?

“Do you know where the black market is?” she asked impatiently.

“Are you going there to help the villain, Host? I do know where the black market is, but it may be dangerous. Are you certain you want to go?”

“Stop talking nonsense and tell me.”

A moment later, an address appeared in Xie Jing’s mind, along with a thoughtfully provided navigation route. All she had to do was follow it.

Not wasting any time, Xie Jing immediately set off.

After winding through countless turns, she finally found the place behind a narrow alley.

The alley itself was not large, but it connected to numerous other paths. If the public security team came to conduct a raid, everyone could quickly scatter and escape.

The moment Xie Jing entered, two men—one fat and one thin—walked toward her.

The fat man was broad and muscular, with a fierce expression. He blocked her path while the thin man examined her from head to toe with his small eyes.

“Who are you? How did you find this place?”

Most visitors to a black market were introduced by trusted acquaintances. Naturally, they were wary when a stranger suddenly appeared.

Xie Jing smiled.

“Someone introduced me.”

“Who?” the thin man asked.

“Auntie Wang,” Xie Jing replied vaguely.

There were many workers in town. They had money but often found ration coupons difficult to obtain, while everything at the supply and marketing cooperative required coupons and was sometimes out of stock.

Over time, everyone had developed an unspoken understanding and came to the black market to buy what they needed.

Xie Jing was gambling that at least one woman surnamed Wang shopped here.

The thin man suddenly grinned.

“So it was Wang Cuihua. Go on in. Tell me what you want to buy. Since an acquaintance introduced you, that makes us friends.”

She had won the gamble.

Xie Jing secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

“I’d like to buy some rice and flour, as well as a few eggs.”

“No problem. You came to the right place. My eggs are much fresher than the ones at the cooperative, and you don’t even need coupons.”

The thin man laughed heartily.

“By the way, what should I call you?”

“Xie Jing is fine.”

“Then I’ll call you Sister Xie. Everyone calls me Thin Monkey, and that’s Fat Tiger.”

The thin man introduced himself, then patted the large man standing beside him.

Xie Jing greeted them and followed the pair into a warehouse.

All kinds of goods were stacked inside. In addition to rice and flour, it contained practically every daily necessity one could imagine.

Thin Monkey led her to the eggs.

“Eggs are thirty cents per jin. How many do you want?”

Xie Jing examined them and saw that they were indeed good quality.

“Give me ten jin. I’ll also take ten jin each of high-grade wheat flour and rice.”

“Certainly. Wait here, Sister Xie. I’ll pack everything for you.”

Thin Monkey smiled and gave Fat Tiger a meaningful look.

Fat Tiger immediately began packing the goods with a cheerful grin, then handed them to Xie Jing.

She removed the bamboo basket from her back and placed everything inside.

Her gaze swept across the pastry section and settled on a plate of white cakes that looked soft and chewy.

Thin Monkey immediately understood.

“These are soft, fragrant, and sweet, made with rice and eggs. They’re two yuan per jin. Would you like some to try?”

“All right. Give me one jin,” Xie Jing said calmly.

After buying everything, she had spent all the money she brought.

Before leaving, she asked, “Do you buy goods gathered from the mountains?”

Thin Monkey’s eyes lit up.

The young woman before him had purchased so many things at once, so he did not bother concealing anything. Rubbing his hands together, he said, “Of course. As long as the quality is good, you can bring it here. I guarantee we’ll pay more than the supply and marketing cooperative.”

Xie Jing nodded and left the alley.

She had found the black market and purchased everything she needed, so she prepared to return home.

That morning, she had ridden into town on the production brigade’s tractor.

If she took it back while carrying so many goods, someone might see her.

In this era, when nearly every household struggled to get enough food, returning from a single trip to town with so many things could easily attract unwanted attention.

Everything else was secondary.

Most importantly, no one could learn about her dealings with the black market.