Chapter 10: The Pinnacle of Feigning Illness

Grandma Li feared that the blacksmith Han might press another hot potato into her hands and firmly refused to take it on. She suggested Han seek out An Chen's father to take over instead.

Li Jixiang saw this as a golden opportunity. An extra shop facing the town’s main street meant more business from the townsfolk. Especially with market day approaching—everyone coming and going from Xingqiu Town’s grand bazaar had to pass Han’s forge. If the forge were sublet to someone specializing in market trade, half the rent could be split with Han; everyone profits, no one loses. This was the ultimate use of existing resources—when it comes to real estate, Port City’s Li family is unrivaled.

Once the wealth base is unlocked, money will never be a worry. With money, business can expand; with better business comes even more money. Perhaps soon the system would allow her to leave this remote, stagnant town and return to her former life. Or perhaps grant her a new identity—anything would be better than her current situation.

Li Jixiang urged Grandma Li to help Han take care of the shop. “Just think of it as helping Grandpa Han keep watch. Otherwise he won’t feel comfortable leaving for the county to visit his son.”

With a parched throat, Li Jixiang tried to persuade Grandma Li, while Han nodded vigorously from the side, hoping she would agree to look after the forge.

Grandma Li surveyed the blacksmith’s shop. Inside, there was only a table, a chair, a washbasin stand, and, of course, the valuable iron forge. In the back room, a small iron bed with a fur blanket. Nothing else seemed worth guarding, yet Han was adamant. Unable to refuse outright, Grandma Li agreed to hold onto the shop key and occasionally air out the place.

There was no popularity to be gained at the school, so she might as well harvest from the big sources right at her doorstep. Yesterday’s surge in popularity points brought a pleasant surprise: An Ning’s account had climbed to +100.

“Heh, that kid’s got taste,” she thought. Was the local troublemaker not just fond of her, but truly captivated? An Ning’s chiseled, bronzed face was like a young Louis Koo—a little Black Koo.

It made sense; their families lived nearby yet hadn’t interacted much before, since the young Koo was always out and about. Surely, she’d caught his eye with her tutoring. It’s a universal truth: for every bad boy, his first crush is always a studious, well-behaved girl.

So this is how popularity rises! Even if she didn’t fully understand, even if she felt lost and bewildered, she could pursue this path and build her persona. Li Jixiang touched her chest, her spirits instantly lifted.

Skipping school to complete quests at home, she aimed to break the thousand-point mark today. But early that morning, she changed her mind—truancy was the worst offense in school discipline, and she couldn’t tarnish her predecessor’s reputation. Even if she left, she wanted the original Li Jixiang to have a good life.

Yet, without anyone to submit a leave request, and no means of communication to contact a teacher, her only option was to show up at school and feign illness to return home.

She took the lunchbox Grandma Li handed her, feeling listless.

Grandma Li noticed something was off with her granddaughter, touched her forehead, then her own, relieved that Li Jixiang wasn’t feverish. Last night’s rain must have brought a chill.

She’d come home with her granddaughter wrapped in Han’s raincoat, wanting to make ginger sugar tea to drive away the cold. But there was no ginger or brown sugar at home, and it was too late to borrow from neighbors. Instead, she heated water for Li Jixiang to soak her feet, only resting easy once sweat broke out on her granddaughter’s brow.

“Jixiang, are you feeling unwell?” Grandma Li still worried. Li Jixiang shook her head, eyes fixed on the pink number 734, her brows lightly furrowed, secretly delighted.

During the first math class, Li Jixiang lay motionless on her desk. Ma Hongmei nudged her several times, trying to rouse her, and Li Jixiang replied with a faint grunt. Hearing her own piglet-like hum, she sensed that Zhang Chunfen’s chalk might soon fly her way.

“Li Jixiang!” Zhang Chunfen’s patience was at its limit. She could tolerate someone slumped in the back row as long as it didn’t disturb others, but once she launched her chalk attack, it would distract the whole class. And now Li Jixiang was making pig noises, causing the front row to turn and giggle, threatening the integrity of her lesson.

After twelve years of practice, Zhang Chunfen’s chalk-throwing skills were unmatched—swift, precise, and ruthless.

As the whistling chalk neared, Li Jixiang smirked. When it came to head-on confrontations, she’d never been struck; her reflexes and hand speed were top-tier.

She tilted her head, slid her hand, and deftly dodged the chalk’s murderous trajectory, while mimicking a groundhog’s squeal.

Boom—the chalk became a fuse, and the classroom erupted.

The students burst into laughter.

“Quiet, all of you!” Zhang Chunfen thundered, her face like iron, rapping the board so hard that the pointer rattled like raindrops on cement.

“Teacher Zhang, Li Jixiang is sick,” Ma Hongmei said, frightened by Li Jixiang’s pale face leaning against the wall. Her voice was drowned out by laughter, so she stood up to speak.

“Silence! Let me see who dares to laugh again!” Zhang Chunfen’s mezzo-soprano suddenly soared to a high-pitched roar.

“Li Jixiang looks like she’s fainted.”

The highest art of feigning illness is realism, without making oneself look shabby or unsettling to others. Li Jixiang executed perfectly, even stirring Zhang Chunfen’s sympathy. Just as Zhang Chunfen was about to call an ambulance, Li Jixiang “regained consciousness” in time.

“I’m fine, I can attend class,” Li Jixiang said, pressing her forehead, looking forlorn.

“If you’re not going to the hospital, go home and rest,” Zhang Chunfen insisted. No teacher would risk a student attending class while ill; if anything happened, she’d never live it down.

Ma Hongmei supported Li Jixiang as they walked out past the school’s earthen wall, the first bell ringing behind them. Having gained +10 popularity points from Ma Hongmei, Li Jixiang didn’t want her to follow home and cause more trouble. But Ma Hongmei refused to return to class, determined to escort her to the house.

As they neared the gate, Han the blacksmith emerged from the corner shop and waved to Li Jixiang.

Pink values ticked upward: +1, +1… now at 755. Overnight, Han had become her secondary popularity account!

Likely, her help in persuading Grandma Li to watch Han’s shop boosted his goodwill toward her. Sadly, this account was one-time only; after Han left Xingqiu Town, she’d never gain points from him again.

“Goodbye, Grandpa Han!” Li Jixiang smiled sweetly, tinged with melancholy. Han waved again, cheerfully shouldering his bundle as he headed for the county bus station.

You never know someone’s worth until you spend time together. And after spending time, who could dislike her? Her confidence soared.

Two major popularity sources remained to be tapped—today, she hoped to break the thousand-point barrier. Even if she couldn’t reach it today, she’d get up at midnight to harvest points, determined to open her initial wealth base.

Today she’d eaten twice; tomorrow she’d be out of food…

Li Jixiang and Ma Hongmei ducked into the corner shop. No one was inside, so they lifted the curtain to the kitchen, where Grandma Li was sitting by the stove eating breakfast.

Seeing Grandma Li’s coarse grain bun in her hand, Li Jixiang’s eyes grew hot. She remembered that her first meal as Li Jixiang had been this very coarse grain bun.