Ruling the Historical Romance Novel as the Female Supporting Character-Chapter 384: Finally Returning to Hu City

Li Shiyan listened in a daze, her already watery eyes now as wide as two copper bells.

"Sister Su, you’re amazing! I never imagined design could be like this," she murmured in awe.

She had been too focused on the aesthetics to realize the intricacies behind it all.

However, despite her overlooking so many details, Su Yijia didn’t think she lacked ability.

"You’re still young, so it’s normal not to know these things. I’m three years older than you and have been out of school for a while, so I’ve had more time to focus on dressing and styling. It’s all just a matter of practice. You’ll get the hang of it as you design more," Su Yijia reassured her, patting her hand with a warm smile.

Li Shiyan nodded, realizing she still had much room for improvement.

"Sister Su, does that mean you need different accessories for different occasions depending on what you’re wearing?" she asked, immediately drawing connections and expanding her understanding.

"Exactly! But it generally comes down to a few main scenarios: going to work, hanging out, or attending gatherings with friends." Su Yijia tilted her head, her gaze softening with growing approval. She loved smart, eager learners like Li Shiyan.

If she could maintain her intelligence and curiosity, Su Yijia believed, Li Shiyan’s future would be limitless.

"Sister Su, I’ve redesigned some things over the past two days. Can you take another look for me?" Li Shiyan clung to Su Yijia’s arm, her tone filled with coquettish charm.

Su Yijia instinctively wanted to agree but hesitated when she remembered she would be leaving soon. Her mood visibly dimmed.

"I’m afraid I won’t have the chance. In three days, my family and I are returning home."

She had thought there was nothing on the island that would make her linger. Who would have guessed she’d meet such a kindred spirit right before leaving?

"What? Sister Su, you’re leaving so soon? Won’t you stay here to finish your college entrance exams?" Li Shiyan gasped, tightening her arms around Su Yijia in protest.

"No, the work here is done, so it’s a good time to return," Su Yijia said with a faint smile, trying to ease Li Shiyan’s obvious disappointment. After a moment of thought, she added, "If you miss me, you can call or write to me."

Li Shiyan, who had been crestfallen moments ago, instantly lit up.

"Really? Can I?"

"Why not? Aren’t we friends?" Su Yijia asked with a hint of amusement.

"Yes! Friends! We’re friends!" Li Shiyan nodded enthusiastically, her joy spilling over. "Wait here, Sister Su. Let me grab a notebook and pen!"

Releasing Su Yijia’s arm, she bounced off with excitement.

She bumped her foot against a stool, letting out a yelp of pain, but brushed it off as if nothing had happened and dashed toward the cabinet.

"Be careful," Su Yijia cautioned with a trace of worry.

Li Shiyan waved her hand dismissively. "It’s fine. I’ll grab a notebook real quick and be right back."

She rummaged through a cabinet and retrieved a metal cookie tin, pulling out a small notebook from inside. Flipping to the last page, she pressed it flat before bouncing back and placing it in front of Su Yijia.

"Sister Su, this is my diary. Write your phone number and address here. I won’t lose it, I promise."

"Alright." Su Yijia picked up a pen and carefully wrote down her details before handing the notebook back.

Li Shiyan hugged the notebook tightly, grinning so widely that her cheeks almost ached. Her joy was contagious, and Su Yijia couldn’t help but smile too.

"If you ever need anything, don’t hesitate to call or write to me, alright? Don’t feel shy," Su Yijia said gently, wanting to put the younger girl at ease.

Since she had decided to accept Li Shiyan as a friend, it was important to dispel any apprehensions the girl might have. After all, friendship couldn’t thrive if one party felt the other was difficult to approach.

"I know! Sister Su, don’t worry. If I need anything, I won’t hold back!" Li Shiyan responded brightly, her delight practically overflowing.

Seeing her so elated, Su Yijia figured there was no point in saying more.

---

The next two days were a whirlwind for both Su Yijia and Qin Kaize.

Even with their spatial resources taken care of, there was still a mountain of tasks to arrange. Their whitening lotion, hair growth serum, and the old collectibles they’d been sourcing had all found their markets. Although they’d be leaving soon, the demand for their products remained high.

Especially the preserved fruits—they’d only started selling them recently, but they had already garnered rave reviews from the wives in the residential compound. As soon as the first batch hit the market, customers had preordered the next supply before the peddlers had even packed up.

Initially, Qin Kaize thought they’d only need to make another trip around the Lunar New Year. But when he mentioned the timeline to their middleman, Wang Fanggang, the man panicked.

"That won’t do!" Wang protested, his face a picture of anxiety. "You’ve given us such high-quality products, and now you want to cut us off? How am I supposed to explain this to my customers? You know how vital a steady supply is for our business. Look, we’ve always taken your goods, paid on time, and never caused you any trouble. Please, don’t make us wait so long!"

Wang’s distress was evident. While he made only a slim margin of about ten cents per pound of fruit, the oils and preserved fruits brought in significant profits. Combined, they added up to a substantial amount.

"Coming back before the New Year is the only thing I can promise. If we have spare goods and time in between, we’ll make a trip," Qin Kaize replied coolly, his tone calm but reassuring.

In truth, he didn’t care much about the profits. Money was endless; there was always more to make. If their spatial storage weren’t already full, he wouldn’t even consider another trip before the New Year.

Wang Fanggang, however, took him at his word, convinced that they’d come back with more supplies as long as they had stock. Motivated by this belief, he gritted his teeth and purchased two large batches of goods in advance.

Those two batches alone netted Su Yijia over seventy thousand yuan. After spending about twenty thousand on collectibles and setting aside another twenty thousand, their personal funds now amounted to a staggering fifty-five thousand yuan.

With their pockets full, their hearts were at ease.

---

When it was time to leave, Li Shiyan and Qin Kaize’s comrades accompanied Su Yijia to the train station.

Even though she wasn’t traveling in a sleeper car and was squished between other passengers, Su Yijia’s good mood remained unaffected.

"Jiajia, sit tight here. I’ll go make you some malted milk," Qin Kaize said as he placed their belongings on the seat. He pulled out a tin of malted milk powder from the side pocket of their bundle and went to retrieve the thermos flask from the table.

By mid-October, the weather in Fu Province had started to cool.

The train was packed, and though the crowd generated some warmth, the occasional drafts of wind made sitting still quite chilly.

Qin Kaize had wanted to book sleeper tickets, but the elderly Lin couple had insisted on taking the morning train, departing at nine and arriving in Hu City by eight in the evening. Since they wouldn’t need to sleep overnight, the thrifty couple saw no reason to spend an extra ten yuan per ticket. Four sleeper tickets would cost over seventy yuan—a full two months’ salary for two people.