Traveling Between Two Worlds: From Bread for Maids to Fantasy Overlord

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, Huang Yiming woke up. Fearing his parents would object and worried about Yang Xiu's safety if she went to the city, he specifically told Yang Xiu to stay home and behave herself. He then secretly tucked the thickest, century-old wild ginseng into his pocket and hurried off to the city.

He was both nervous and excited the whole way, his steps quick. The wild ginseng in his arms, even through his clothes, felt distinctly real, as if he were holding not a blade of grass, but a heavy piece of gold. Huang Yiming kept calculating in his mind: How much can this wild ginseng sell for? Ten thousand? Twenty thousand? Or more?

[Ding! Host, don't overthink it. Your wild ginseng is old and of good quality. It should sell for at least 100,000. Don't get ripped off. Remember to bargain. Don't sell it cheaply just because you're happy.] The system's voice was a bit disappointed in him, reminding him not to be foolish.

Huang Yiming was shocked: 100,000? That much! He became even more excited and quickened his pace. More than half an hour later, he finally arrived at the most famous old Chinese medicine shop in the city—Huichuntang. This pharmacy had been open for decades, and the owner was a knowledgeable old Chinese medicine doctor who never cheated people and had an excellent reputation in the area.

The pharmacy was filled with the strong aroma of Chinese medicine. Behind the counter sat an elderly shopkeeper with gray hair, wearing reading glasses and bent over grasping medicine. Huang Yiming took a deep breath, barely calming his excited emotions, and quickly walked to the counter. He took out the wild ginseng from his pocket and gently placed it on the counter.

"Shopkeeper, would you like to take this wild ginseng?" Huang Yiming tried to keep his tone calm, but his slightly trembling voice betrayed his nervousness.

The old shopkeeper glanced at the wild ginseng on the counter, saw that it was dry and yellowed, and looked ordinary, so he didn't pay it any attention. He waved his hand impatiently, frowned, and scolded, "Young man, are you trying to fool me with a bunch of grass roots? Take it away now, don't delay my business, get out!"

In the old shopkeeper's eyes, Huang Yiming was just a young punk trying to swindle money, who would dig up some wild grass and sell it as wild ginseng. He had seen many people like that before.

Huang Yiming panicked on the spot, his face turning bright red. He hurriedly explained, "Shopkeeper, this isn't a plant root, it's a real wild ginseng, and it's exceptionally old. Please take a closer look!" He cursed inwardly: This is a top-grade wild ginseng from another world, brimming with spiritual energy. How did it become a plant root here!

"Do you think I'd be wrong?" The old shopkeeper scoffed, continuing to prepare the medicine without even looking up. "I've eaten more salt than you've eaten rice. Don't I know what wild ginseng looks like? You're just some weed from the mountain. Get out of here, or I'll have someone kick you out!"

[Ding! The host has been mistaken for a swindler. This is a major embarrassing situation. It is suggested that the host directly slap the wild ginseng on the shopkeeper's face so that he can open his eyes and see clearly, and stop looking down on people.] The system teased in a cheeky manner. Huang Yiming was so angry that his lips twitched, but he couldn't actually do it.

He knew the old shopkeeper hadn't examined it closely. This wild ginseng looked ordinary on the outside, but its medicinal properties and age were far from ordinary. Huang Yiming gritted his teeth, grabbed the ginseng with both hands, and slammed it hard on the counter with a loud crack. He shouted, "Shopkeeper, please take a good look! If this is fake, I'll turn around and leave immediately, and never bother you again!"

The slap made the medicine scales on the counter shake. The old shopkeeper was startled by his action, finally put down the medicine shovel in his hand, took off his reading glasses, and leaned closer to examine the wild ginseng on the counter.

It wouldn't have mattered if he hadn't looked, but the moment he did, the old shopkeeper's expression changed instantly. He stretched out his calloused hand and gently stroked the wild ginseng's texture, his brow furrowing, his gaze growing increasingly serious, muttering repeatedly, "No, this texture... this rhizome, these tendrils, this is a wild ginseng over a hundred years old! Top-grade, this is top-grade wild ginseng!"

The more he looked, the more excited he became. The old shopkeeper's hands began to tremble, and his eyes were filled with shock and disbelief. He had been in the Chinese medicine business for decades and had seen countless wild ginsengs, but he had never seen one of such high quality and such longevity before!

With a crash, the old shopkeeper lost his grip on the teacup, and it shattered on the ground, spilling tea everywhere. Oblivious to the shattering, however, his gaze was fixed on the wild ginseng, his voice trembling: "Young man, where...where did you get this wild ginseng? Its quality, its age, it's simply unparalleled!"

The commotion attracted other customers who were also buying medicine. They gathered around, curiously examining the wild ginseng on the counter and discussing it amongst themselves. Huang Yiming breathed a sigh of relief; finally, someone who knew its value had come to him. He pretended to be calm and composed, adopting a mysterious demeanor, and said casually, "It's an heirloom. My family urgently needed money, so I'm selling it."

[Ding! Host, you lie without thinking, is it an ancestral trait? Why don't you just say it fell from the sky? But you did a good job of putting on a show, keep it up, don't give yourself away.] The system's comment rang out on time, but Huang Yiming ignored the system's teasing and kept a straight face as the old shopkeeper looked him over.

The old shopkeeper stroked the wild ginseng with obvious affection, his eyes filled with reluctance. He looked up at Huang Yiming and said urgently, "Young man, I'll take this wild ginseng. Name your price, and I won't haggle as long as it's reasonable!" The surrounding customers were also stunned. They never expected that this unassuming "grassroots" item was actually a top-grade wild ginseng. Their gazes towards Huang Yiming changed.

Huang Yiming was overjoyed and almost laughed out loud, but he still pretended to be calm. After a moment of contemplation, he quoted a price: "100,000, no less." He originally wanted to quote 80,000, but remembered the system's reminder and quoted 100,000 directly. He was a little nervous, afraid that the old shopkeeper would think it was too expensive.

Unexpectedly, the old shopkeeper nodded in agreement without even thinking, "Alright! Ten thousand it is, I'll get the money for you right away!" Afraid that Huang Yiming would change his mind, he turned around and went into the inner room to get the money.

Huang Yiming breathed a sigh of relief, his heart filled with joy—100,000 yuan, a sum he had never dared to dream of before. But just as the old shopkeeper was withdrawing the money, he suddenly remembered the system's instructions not to reveal the secrets of the other world, and quickly said, "Shopkeeper, please don't tell anyone about the origin of my wild ginseng. It's an heirloom, and I don't want anyone to covet it."

The old shopkeeper nodded repeatedly, "Don't worry, don't worry, I know the rules, I absolutely won't tell anyone." Soon, he came out with 100,000 yuan in cash, stacks of brand-new banknotes displayed on the counter, particularly eye-catching. Huang Yiming put the money into his bag, picked up the remaining wild ginseng roots, turned around and left, not giving the old shopkeeper a chance to ask any questions, and quickly left Huichuntang.

Reaching a secluded corner, Huang Yiming clutched the cash in his bag, trembling with excitement. He repeatedly checked that the money was real, almost bursting into tears. The despair of failing the college entrance exam and the fear of being transported to another world vanished in that moment—he had truly made a comeback!

[Ding! Host has successfully completed the first cash conversion, achieving the first step to instant wealth. Reward: +50 Bragging Points. Friendly Reminder: Don't just get excited, quickly deposit the money into the bank; carrying cash isn't safe. Also, don't forget to buy the little maid new clothes and treats; don't be a stingy master.]

Huang Yiming chuckled. The system was right. Now that they had money, it was time to treat himself and Yang Xiu well. Clutching the money, he strode towards the bank, already planning in his mind: he would sell more treasures, earn more money, then buy equipment to return to the other world and completely change his and Yang Xiu's fate.