Transmigrated into a Historical GL Novel as the Scumbag Heroine - Chapter 6

In Qiu Family Village, as soon as Qiu Luo returned home, she was blocked at the door by her unlucky younger brother.

Qiu Erlang frowned and asked, “Sis, didn’t you say you’d find me a rich brother-in-law? Why did you go propose to the Cheng family instead?”

Brother-in-law was gone, and now it was a sister-in-law. That meant he had another older sister. No matter how he thought about it, it just felt weird.

Qiu Luo chuckled. “Isn’t the Cheng family rich enough?”

Of course they were—after all, they were the wealthiest family in the area. Qiu Erlang was stunned for a moment, then muttered, “It’s not the same.”

“How is it not the same? It’s not like you’re the one marrying. As long as I’m happy, it’s all the same.”

Qiu Erlang braced himself and said, “I was counting on my future brother-in-law to bring me along and boost my status! Will Miss Cheng even pay attention to me?”

He’d fantasized so much—standing beside a rich and powerful brother-in-law, living the high life. And now? He got another sister. One who looked like she wouldn’t even take him to the street, let alone treat him to anything nice.

Qiu Luo rolled her eyes. “Status is something you earn yourself. Leaning on others doesn’t count. Even mountains collapse. You’re still your best support. Now move. I’ve got money to make.”

“But you’re marrying Miss Cheng! Do you still need to make money? The Cheng family has enough wealth to last generations,” Qiu Erlang said, confused.

Qiu Luo couldn’t help but poke his forehead. “Let me make this clear—I only proposed. The Cheng family hasn’t even agreed yet. Stop dreaming so big.”

Even if they agreed, the Cheng family’s money wasn’t theirs to play with. It’s not like she and her brother could just dip into it.

Besides, her relationship with Cheng Yu was just a contract marriage. After six months, they’d go their separate ways. Her foolish brother was getting way ahead of himself.

Qiu Erlang rubbed his forehead and gave up blocking the door. His heart, however, was blocked now. So, his sister was the only one enthusiastic about this? The Cheng family hadn’t agreed at all?

Back in her room, Qiu Luo carefully stashed away the thousand taels in banknotes and a few hundred more in silver notes, leaving only a few dozen taels in loose change for daily use.

Just then, someone from the Cheng household arrived.

The steward led the group. After delivering Madam Cheng’s message, he carried two large watermelons out of the carriage. “Miss Cheng instructed us to bring these. She said you liked them.”

With the message delivered, the servants returned. Qiu Erlang hugged the giant watermelons with joy. “Sis, did you hear that? The Cheng family agreed to let you marry in! You’ve successfully married a powerful, rich sister—er, brother-in-law—wait, I mean sister!”

Qiu Luo sighed. All that, and the only thing her foolish brother took away from it was that one line. Didn’t he hear the part about sending betrothal gifts? There had to be gifts—she couldn’t just show up, right?

Wait… would the cost of the betrothal gifts be covered under the contract? Would Miss Cheng reimburse her?

What if she ended up not making any money and actually spent the capital—even though that capital was provided by the female lead?

The thought dampened her mood further.

“Cut open one watermelon and take the other to Qiu Shuang’s house,” she instructed.

As the village’s certified scumbag, she only had one halfway-reliable friend. That one connection was still worth maintaining.

Qiu Erlang happily agreed and ran off with the watermelon. Since the two families lived close, he was back in less than fifteen minutes, sharpening the kitchen knife to cut into the fruit.

“Sis, you’re amazing. Miss Cheng really cares about you. She even remembers you love watermelon. We haven’t had one in years!”

He carefully raised the knife and sliced through the watermelon.

The Qiu family was just too poor. After their parents passed away, Qiu Luo had devoted herself to studying for the imperial exams. Any money they had went toward education. Being able to fill their stomachs was already a blessing—there was no room in the budget for fruit.

The watermelon was sweet, though filled with seeds. Qiu Erlang gulped down both flesh and seeds, juice smearing the corners of his mouth.

Qiu Luo had satisfied her craving at the banquet already, so she wasn’t in a rush to eat. Watching her brother chow down, an idea suddenly struck.

“Erlang,” she said thoughtfully, “wouldn’t it be convenient if watermelons didn’t have seeds?”

Qiu Erlang chewed and shrugged. “If it doesn’t have seeds, is it still a watermelon? The seeds make it tasty.”

He was the type who’d eat both the pulp and the seeds—best of both worlds.

Qiu Luo’s eyes lit up. “That’s only because you haven’t had better. If there were watermelons without seeds, they’d be so much easier to eat. Don’t you think the wealthy would buy them?”

She could almost see the business opportunity forming before her.

Qiu Erlang bit into another slice and said, “I like the seeds. But I heard that rich folks have their servants pick them out one by one before eating. What’s the fun in that?”

“Have you ever heard of seedless watermelons?”

“Nope.”

Qiu Luo’s gaze landed on the two remaining slices on the table. In her mind, she saw crisp, thin-rinded, seedless watermelons. She had it.

As a science major, breeding seedless watermelons would be a breeze.

“Erlang, take this silver and find someone to help tidy up our land. Your sister is going to grow watermelons.”

Qiu Erlang looked at her like she’d lost her mind. “Sis, it’s autumn. Watermelons won’t grow. And where did you get all this silver?”

She’d lost it after eating one watermelon.

They didn’t know how to grow watermelons. And where on earth did she get this much money? They were practically broke!

Qiu Luo glanced out the window. “Miss Cheng gave it to me. Just go find someone. I will grow them.”

She was a modern woman. What’s a little thing like seasonal planting compared to greenhouse farming?

Qiu Erlang stared at her, took the silver, and muttered, “Don’t tell me you want to build one of those fancy vegetable houses like rich people do. That costs a fortune. You don’t have enough silver for that.”

Vegetable house?

From Erlang’s explanation, Qiu Luo gathered that a “vegetable house” was this era’s version of a greenhouse, something only the wealthiest households could afford.

She waved him off. “Go get someone to clean up the field. Don’t worry about the money—Miss Cheng gave it.”

Using the female lead’s name was really convenient.

Qiu Erlang gasped. “Sis, tell me the truth. How much silver did Miss Cheng give you? Shouldn’t we save some to buy betrothal gifts? Don’t spend it all!”

The Cheng family really was wealthy. They hadn’t even officially accepted her, and they were already handing out silver. But his sister… she was just too unreliable. Give her a little, and she was ready to toss it all away. What if they changed their minds?

“It’s enough. Just go.”

Qiu Erlang shrugged and sighed. Fine. No use trying to stop her. Since Miss Cheng was so generous, she must have feelings for his sister. Nothing to worry about then.

As soon as Erlang left, Qiu Luo returned to her room and picked up her pen to make a list.

Step one in cultivating seedless watermelons: extract colchicine. Simple.

As a science major, she was well-versed in basic chemistry like this.

First, she’d need to find colchicine or the stamens of daylilies. Either should be in season and not too hard to get.

So just as Erlang got back from hiring help to clean the land, he was handed a new task: go find colchicine and daylilies.

For the first time in Qiu Family Village history, someone was building a vegetable house and buying up daylily and colchicine flowers at a premium.

The villagers rushed to help. Sure, Qiu Luo and her brother were known for being broke, but she’d recently passed the imperial exams and was now connected to the Cheng family. And most importantly, they paid in cash.

With money to earn, who wouldn’t want a piece of the action?

While the village buzzed with activity, the Cheng family waited for Qiu Luo to bring the betrothal gifts—but she never came.

Madam Cheng fumed. “She disappears as soon as we mention betrothal gifts? Even if we offered her for free, I wouldn’t accept! Yu’er, I’ll find someone better for you.”

Cheng Yu recalled Qiu Luo’s face and frowned. Was the silver she gave not enough?

“Mother, what kind of gifts should Qiu Luo bring to make it proper?”

“At the very least, gifts worth several thousand taels. Anything less, and we won’t accept.”

Several thousand taels? She’d only given Qiu Luo one thousand. Cheng Yu pursed her lips—so that’s what went wrong.

Without a word, she packed up several thousand taels in banknotes and headed to Qiu Family Village. Along the way, she noticed passersby carrying armfuls of flowers and couldn’t help but be curious.

Her maid hopped off the carriage to inquire. A moment later, she returned and explained, “Miss, someone in Qiu Family Village is buying daylilies and colchicine at high prices. Everyone’s picking them to sell, whether wild or homegrown.”

Cheng Yu nodded, and the carriage moved on until it stopped outside the Qiu family’s modest home—already surrounded by a crowd.

Qiu Erlang was counting out copper coins with a pained look, collecting flowers while cursing his sister for spending so much.

He was mid-complaint when Cheng Yu stepped off the carriage. He immediately tossed the flowers aside and ran up to her.

“Miss Cheng—uh, I mean, Sister-in-law—wait, no! Cheng… sister! You’re here for my sister, right? Please, come in!”