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墨書 Inktalez
“Muxin, I’ve brought the chickens and ducks as a betrothal gift. I’m here to take you home.”
Feng Liulang’s eyes lit up the moment he saw Xia Muxin. He quickly waved the Bamboo Basket in front of her and smiled warmly.
“Are you out of your mind? You think you can marry me just by bringing some chickens and ducks? If you’re so capable, why don’t you try trading those for my cousin Zhou Qinglian? My Aunt has been waiting for that day every single day!”
Xia Muxin looked at him for a moment, noticing his eager gaze fixed on her, his silly grin making her unable to hold back her words.
Besides, from the tone of her mother earlier, Xia Muxin had already guessed that there was something fishy about the chickens and ducks Feng Liulang brought. People from the countryside valued etiquette, and with the Wu Family playing along, it was clear that Feng San Niang was just watching the spectacle unfold—wasn’t it obvious they were trying to make a fool out of her?
However, this time, their calculations were off. More accurately, Feng San Niang didn’t understand her own son.
Putting aside the mystery of the chickens and ducks, it was evident that Feng Liulang had been overly pampered by Feng San Niang since childhood. He wasn’t allowed to carry heavy things or even lift a finger, and she constantly drilled into him that he was destined to be a Top Scholar. He was raised with a sense of entitlement that made him quite incapable of handling pressure.
It was clear to anyone with eyes that the Feng Family didn’t like her. As for the rumors she had heard, she knew who spread them but chose not to name names. Those who were innocent would remain so; if she cared about their opinions, she would be playing right into their hands. Besides, she was giving him face now; if these two families teamed up to see her make a fool of herself, she would let them laugh all they wanted.
At this moment, upon hearing Xia Muxin’s words, Feng San Niang and the Wu Family members exchanged pleased glances but remained silent as they allowed Feng Liulang to continue his antics.
Zhou Guilian’s expression darkened slightly; she wasn’t as sharp-tongued as before. Although she wasn’t dressed as elaborately as Zhou Cailian, her demeanor today was much more subdued compared to her usual arrogance.
“Muxin, I know I hurt you with my harsh words last time. I also understand my mother caused a scene to oppose this marriage. But all that is in the past. As long as you still like me, I am willing to marry you.”
“Are you out of your mind? I’ve made myself perfectly clear! Right now, Feng Liulang, I Xia Muxin am telling you outright that I have no interest in you! Do you understand? If not, go ask your Master!”
Xia Muxin’s body still ached from earlier. At that moment, when his basket bumped against her injured hand, it felt like needles piercing through her skin. A cold fire ignited in her eyes as she realized how shameless Feng Liulang truly was—he thought she liked him... that he was willing to marry her.
Did he really think so highly of himself?
Before Feng Liulang could finish speaking, she pushed him hard away from her. The force sent him stumbling back quite a distance right into Zhou Yousheng’s yard. She yanked the basket from his hands and threw it to the ground; the chickens and ducks scattered far away while the basket rolled aside.
Ignoring the murderous glares from Feng San Niang and others, Xia Muxin walked into her own yard and said to Xia Tieshu and Songzi, “Brother, Songzi, let’s go inside. There are mad dogs outside; don’t get bitten.”
Seeing Xia Muxin so fierce, Xia Tieshu and Xia Xiaosong couldn't help but give her a thumbs up.
They never expected Feng Liulang to be this kind of person. In their village, even the youngest children knew that when a man got married, he should bring a male duck as a gift to pair with the bride. But here he was, bringing both a hen and a female duck—was he trying to imply that he was marrying more than one?
At that moment, Summer Forest had just returned with a cart full of firewood. Seeing the crowd gathered at his doorstep, consisting of the Zhou family and the Feng family, he quickly took off the hemp rope from his shoulder and rushed over. However, he noticed that Muxin's hand was still unbandaged, and You Shi had just handed a basket to Feng Liulang. When Summer Forest saw what was in Feng Liulang's basket, his face turned pale with anger, and his mouth twitched.
Immediately, he pushed Feng Liulang away, angrily saying, "Get out! My family doesn't welcome you!"
The engagement wasn't even set yet, and here came several hens. Did he want to follow Wang Dafu's example, marrying one after another? What was the point of studying Confucian classics if this was how it would turn out? It seemed like all that learning had gone to waste.
Feng Liulang was infuriated by the Xia family's rude attitude. If it weren't for the fortune teller he met on the way back today who told him that he was destined for calamity unless he married a girl with "Mu" or "Jin" in her name who was also three years younger than him, he wouldn't have come here so humbly with gifts.
Otherwise...
He was going to be a top scholar in the future; marrying her as his primary wife was already giving his family considerable face. Now they were looking down on him.
Just as he was about to explode with anger, an irritated voice interrupted:
"I say, San Niang, you're also someone who's been through this. Is it right to let children run wild like this? If you really like Muxin, you could sit down with her parents and discuss it properly instead of insulting her with a hen and a duck! This top scholar hasn't even passed his exams yet and is already thinking about taking multiple wives. If he does pass, who knows how many more he'll want to marry? And if your Master finds out about this, I doubt he'll dare to teach anymore."
The speaker was Old Huang from the northern part of the village. Last time during planting season when Xia Muxin helped his family with irrigation, they were grateful.
Her family's field was downstream from hers, and while Wang Shoucai charged everyone for irrigation based on time, he hadn't done it properly for her. To help her family out, she ended up paying three times the usual rate for water. Their family was struggling as it was; they needed to plant their crops but couldn't afford to pay more. In desperation, Xia Muxin opened a channel from her own field to let water flow into theirs, earning their eternal gratitude.
After finishing the busy farming season without any proper thanks from them, she decided to bring ten eggs over today. But upon entering, she found herself witnessing this scene and couldn't bear it as a wife.
In their village, aside from the royal family, no one had ever married into a secondary household. Moreover, despite any shortcomings of the Xia family, their daughter was capable. The Feng family shouldn't bully them just because they had an educated son; they clearly didn't value Muxin at all.
Feng Liulang turned red instantly at Old Huang's words and shot a furious glance at Feng San Niang. Feeling guilty under his gaze, she wanted to explain but saw him quickly running away with the basket.
In a panic, Feng San Niang hurried after him.
Feng Liulang returned home today and immediately inquired about what was needed for the betrothal gifts. She was surprised that the child would ask such a thing, but then recalled the unpleasantness of that night and decided to visit the Zhou family. After some discussion among a few people, they brought over a hen and a duck, originally intending to humiliate the Xia Family and make them aware of their situation. Little did they know that halfway through, Old Huang showed up, and Xia Muxin openly stated that she looked down on their son.
What an ungrateful and shortsighted country bumpkin.
Unbeknownst to her, this incident spread throughout the village, and no one was willing to marry their daughters off to her family anymore...
Summer Forest gratefully nodded at Old Huang and pulled Firewood into her yard.
"Ant, are you feeling any better? I don't have much at home, just a few eggs, but you must accept them. Muxin is a good girl; she will surely bring good fortune in the future. Don't let her get upset; it’s not worth ruining your health over."
Old Huang followed Summer Forest into the Xia Family's yard. Noticing Aunt Xia's poor complexion, he guessed it was due to the earlier incident. He approached and squatted beside her reclining chair, gently patting Aunt Xia's hand in comfort.
As a mother, who wouldn't want their daughter to marry well? At the very least, one would hope for a kind husband.
Songzi cleverly moved a round stool for Old Huang to sit on and brewed some Osmanthus Tea.
Old Huang smiled kindly, praising him as a thoughtful child.
Previously, the two families rarely interacted, and Old Huang's family was well-regarded in the village. However, the distance between their homes had led to some estrangement.
Today, her visit truly left Aunt Xia and the others puzzled, especially since she brought eggs with her.
"Thank you, Aunt Huang. I'm feeling much better now, but I can't accept these eggs; keep them for your children to nourish themselves," Aunt Xia politely declined.
"Old Huang, you're here!"
At that moment, Xia Muxin emerged from the house after washing her hands with warm water. She had brought out some needles and greeted Old Huang warmly upon seeing her.
"Oh, Muxin girl, I don’t have much at home; please don’t mind this... Just let your mother accept it!"
Old Huang was not one to owe favors; otherwise, she would feel uneasy. Seeing Aunt Xia refuse so insistently made her suspect that Muxin hadn’t shared everything with them, so she turned her attention back to Xia Muxin.
Muxin happily accepted the egg from her hand and smiled, "I'll let my mother take this."
With that, she took the egg inside the house. Aunt Xia's expression was somewhat strange; just as she was about to speak up to stop her, Xia Muxin came out again, this time holding a cloth bag. She walked over to Old Huang, stuffed the bag into his hands, and said with a smile:
"But this, Old Huang, you must take home. This is fish we roasted ourselves; it's great stir-fried with chili and goes well with rice. You can't refuse it, or else I'll take the egg back."
"You child..."
With Xia Muxin's insistence, Old Huang couldn't refuse either. After chatting with Aunt Xia for a few more moments, he left.
Xia Muxin then moved a round stool and sat down under the eaves. Holding a needle in one hand and raising her other hand to the sunlight, she carefully examined it for quite a while.
After some time, she still didn't know how to proceed.
"Muxin, what happened to your hand? Why is there so much blood?"
Aunt Xia hadn't known that Xia Muxin was injured earlier. Seeing her raise her hand high with a red palm that looked like blood made her worryingly ask.
In truth, it wasn't blood at all; it was just a scraped skin where the flesh was exposed. It would take quite a while to heal. However, Xia Muxin didn't tell Aunt Xia the truth and simply replied:
"Mother, it's nothing. I accidentally fell on the road just now and scraped my hand; some sand got in."
As soon as she finished speaking, a large hand grasped hers. Xia Muxin's heart tightened as she looked at Shen Muhan, whose face was cold. His clear eyes were now clouded with anger, making her feel inexplicably anxious.
Ming Yi was carrying a very large and long tree trunk into the yard and set it down in the corner.
Xia Muxin thought about how they hadn't been around earlier; it turned out they had gone to chop wood.
Daimiao Mountain had many trees, but each household had their designated share. Xia Muxin's family also chopped wood regularly, but that was only for their own use. After chopping, they would go find Seedling to help plant them again. However, this large tree... seemed like it didn't belong to her family.
"Um... Uncle..."
"How did this happen?"
Xia Muxin wanted to ask about the origin of the tree, but Shen Muhan spoke up darkly.
"I accidentally fell."
Xia Muxin shrank her neck and said somewhat awkwardly.
This man could be quite intimidating when he was serious, especially when she was lying in front of him; she had to think carefully before speaking.
"Uncle, Ant, can I take Muxin to clean her wounds?"
As soon as Xia Muxin finished speaking, she saw Shen Muhan turn to her father, who had just come out, and her mother, who had been watching them closely.
"Sure, sure! We're getting old and our eyesight isn't what it used to be; we'll leave it to you!"
Summer Forest was momentarily stunned but quickly reacted and said eagerly.
They had been observing Shen Muhan's actions these days. Moreover, this child had an unusual air of nobility about her, and Muxin was different from other girls. They were experienced individuals; many things couldn't just be done as one wished. As long as Muxin liked him and he treated her sincerely well, that would be their greatest wish.
With permission granted, Shen Muhan went to the carriage to fetch the first aid kit and pulled the reluctant Xia Muxin into her room. Before she could speak, he preemptively said, "If you don't want Songzi to see and get upset again, you should go outside."
Instantly, Xia Muxin fell silent. She watched as he took out a small cloth bag from the first aid kit and opened it, revealing a dozen shiny Silver Needles inside.
Xia Muxin swallowed hard; after all, what she feared most was getting an injection...
"Uncle, can we use this instead?"
In the end, she timidly raised the sewing needle in her hand and asked softly.
"No way!"
This time, Shen Muhan did not comply with her request. Instead, he quickly disinfected the needle and grabbed her hand, preparing to inject.
"Ah, ah, ah! That hurts! Can you be a little gentler?"
As the needle pierced her palm, Xia Muxin felt both itching and pain, causing her to cry out.
"You can scream louder if you want; I won't mind," Shen Muhan teased with a smile as he leaned closer, noticing her pitiful expression.
Instantly, Xia Muxin shot him a fierce glare and promptly closed her mouth.
However, Shen Muhan's back was drenched with sweat. Knowing how much it hurt him to see her injured, he forced himself to maintain a calm demeanor while tending to her. Listening to her cries that sounded like she was both crying and in pain made his heart feel as if it were being tightly squeezed. If he didn't say something to make Xia Muxin quiet down, he feared he would lose his own composure first.
He was meticulous in his work. After carefully extracting the splinter, he examined the wound closely before applying an unknown ointment and wrapping it with gauze.
"Uncle, my hand is wrapped up like a dumpling! How am I supposed to make Orchid Bean later?"
After finishing everything, Xia Muxin followed him out of the room, glancing at her bandaged hand as she spoke.
"You just tell me what to do, and I'll handle it!"
Shen Muhan replied with a confident demeanor, leaving no room for argument.
In the end, feeling helpless—after all, she couldn't just let the beans soak—Xia Muxin had him fish out the beans and drain them.
Songzi was responsible for stoking the fire while their mother took a break. Ming Yi also came over to help. Given their previous experience, their father had prepared everything needed and was just waiting for Xia Muxin's instructions.
Xia Muxin was initially worried, but when the first pot turned out well, she felt reassured enough to let them continue. She poured the fried beans into a basin and only needed to add seasonings. Xia Tieshu mixed the seasonings with the Fava Beans. After five pots, Xia Muxin added five different seasonings, resulting in five distinct flavors.
Once the Orchid Beans had cooled down sufficiently, Xia Muxin asked them to help taste-test.
However, as they tried the flavors, they quickly indulged, each person grabbing a handful, and in the blink of an eye, several pounds had disappeared from the twenty pounds they started with.
"Mm, this flavor is good, and this one too."
"This one, it's spicy and delicious."
"No, this one is very fragrant and crispy."
"......"
Xia Muxin, feeling helpless, instructed Ming Yi to take some to the ten or so people who had helped her with the fields last time. During this time, Shen Muhan remained silent. Ming Yi felt a surge of joy and quickly packed some to head out as Xia Muxin had directed.
Afterward, Xia Muxin also asked Songzi to deliver some to Aunt Liu's house and Er Dan Ge's place.
With that delivery, the twenty pounds turned into ten...
At the Wang family, they were hosting an Esteemed Guest today.
However, Wang Shoucai had not yet returned home. The Meng Family was all smiles, appearing very accommodating as they ordered the cleaning of the best guest rooms and prepared fine tea and water for their guest.
"Cousin, I want to stay for a longer period this time. My parents only let me do needlework and learn embroidery; I'm almost bored to death. Your place is beautiful with clear mountains and waters, and the air is pleasant—it's a great place for relaxation."
This person was none other than Zhao Qiushui. A few days ago, she had disguised herself as a servant to follow her brother on a hunting trip but ended up in a fierce fight with a young lady from the Jiang Family. Both sides suffered losses, and since both families held equal power in court, the Jiang Family seized the opportunity to stir trouble. Now they were at odds with each other. She had been confined by her father but managed to escape; if she couldn't enjoy herself thoroughly now, she really couldn't go back.
"Alright, Qiushui can stay as long as she wants!"
Wang Shoucai was only distantly related to the Zhao Family, but they were prominent figures in court. When Wang Shoucai became the steward of the marquis's residence, it was thanks to his connection with the Zhao Family. Zhao Qiushui was their precious jewel; he couldn't miss this chance to curry favor.
"Mm, I'm a bit tired; I'll go rest in my room first. Call me when it's time for dinner."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Qiushui smiled and displayed her temper as a young lady, giving instructions to the Meng Family before signaling for a servant to lead her.
The Meng family wore worried expressions but dared not say much. They simply followed her wishes and had a servant take her to the guest room to rest.
*
In the blink of an eye, another ten days had passed. Under Shen Muhan's care, Xia Muxin's hands had completely healed, leaving no scars behind. It was unclear what miraculous medicine he had used; it felt cool and soothing on her palms, without any irritation, and carried a faint fragrance.
The two hundred pounds of Fava Beans had all been transformed into Orchid Beans through everyone's collective effort. Today was a great day for selling Orchid Beans.
Early in the morning, Xia Muxin got up and prepared corn porridge along with Sourdough Steamed Buns. She had rolled out dough yesterday and cooked a large pot of noodles, adding minced meat, ginger, and chopped green onions. Songzi could already smell the delicious aroma wafting from the back room.
Shen Muhan and Ming Yi had modified the carriage over the past few days, turning it into an extremely ordinary family carriage with a smaller space. Xia Muxin felt a pang of heartache at the sight, but Shen Muhan insisted that this way they could drive into town without tiring themselves too much when carrying things.
The family happily enjoyed breakfast together. Xia Muxin packed some Sourdough Steamed Buns to take along for the journey and filled two bamboo tubes with water for later use.
During this time, their mother was able to handle some light chores, like baking fish. Coincidentally, Songzi had caught quite a few fish lately, and their brother could now stand on his own as long as he didn’t rush; he could manage without crutches at home.
This brought immense joy to the family. Their parents were even warmer towards Shen Muhan, treating him as one of their own. Even Songzi and their brother were completely won over by him. Ming Yi took Songzi to exercise in the mountains every morning, and after a few days, Songzi's appetite had increased significantly; he even spoke more maturely.
However, Shen Muhan could not accompany her to town today, nor could Ming Yi. Instead, they called someone to drive her.
The person Xia Muxin recognized was one of those who helped them with planting rice; his name was Ming Peng. Xia Muxin found it curious that all his subordinates seemed to have the surname Ming—why not name them One, Two, Three...?
Or perhaps he and Ming Yi were half-brothers from different mothers, and he had taken them all under his wing.
Shen Muhan and Ming Yi rode in the carriage with her but got off halfway. Before leaving, they stuffed five hundred taels of silver notes into Xia Muxin's arms, saying it was a loan that she needed to pay back. After giving Ming Peng some instructions and telling her to behave at home, they left.
Sitting in the carriage with a pile of silver notes in hand, Xia Muxin felt somewhat dazed. Summer Forest watched them leave halfway and reminded her several times until the carriage started moving; only then did he reluctantly step inside.
Upon arriving in town, she immediately took some Orchid Beans to Fortune and Longevity Restaurant and Tang Family Pharmacy. Sister Tang hadn’t seen her for nearly half a month. When she finally saw Xia Muxin, Sister Tang felt a bit dazed; this girl had changed so much! She remembered when they first met—Xia Muxin had been so thin and pale that her skin looked waxy, but her lively eyes seemed to speak volumes.
Now, however, there was flesh on her face; it was rosy and vibrant, her complexion glistening as if it could be squeezed for water.
This truly is a case of a girl changing dramatically, but this transformation is quite unexpected.
Shen Muhan really does have an eye for women, even on the battlefield.
After being pulled into a chat by Sister Tang, Xia Muxin made an excuse to go sell Fava Beans. Sister Tang was busy herself and didn’t insist on keeping her, so after leaving the clinic, Xia Muxin headed straight to the Fortune and Longevity Restaurant. However, the first person she sought out wasn’t Su Yan-Chu, but Uncle Bingzi and the others.
As soon as Xia Muxin entered the kitchen, everyone thought they were seeing things—what lady had walked into the wrong place? It wasn’t until Xia Muxin spoke that they widened their eyes in disbelief and began to circle around her.
Xia Muxin felt a bit shy; she knew that her appearance had changed significantly during this time. It was all because Shen Muhan wouldn’t let her work, and she had gained some weight.
“Here I am to fulfill my promise—Orchid Beans, with different flavors!”
Faced with so many scrutinizing eyes, Xia Muxin sighed helplessly. She then held up what she had in her hands, and everyone rushed to grab them. After some playful chaos, they finally settled down.
“Uncle Bingzi, please give this to your master. I have other matters to attend to today, so I won’t be seeing him.”
Seeing everyone enjoying themselves, Xia Muxin took out another package and handed it to Uncle Bingzi. After saying this, she left.
Uncle Bingzi chewed on an Orchid Bean while glancing at the somewhat desolate Plum. His lips moved slightly as he sighed but ultimately couldn’t bring himself to speak.
Moreover, he had many questions he wanted to ask Muxin, but she had left too hurriedly.
After delivering the Orchid Beans, Xia Muxin found her father and Ming Peng. She then asked them to bring out all the Orchid Beans and set them up in an open space.
Fortunately, she had bought quite a few Bamboo Baskets earlier. At this moment, five Bamboo Baskets were lined up side by side, each representing a different flavor of Orchid Beans. Each basket also had a Sack behind it.
Xia Muxin arranged everything evenly: five flavors totaling two hundred pounds of Fava Beans. This meant that each flavor would have about forty pounds; even if each person bought just one pound, there would need to be two hundred customers. Therefore, she wasn’t worried about selling out.
Before she even started calling out to attract customers, everyone recognized her immediately. Suddenly, their stall was surrounded tightly by eager buyers.
“We have plenty for everyone! Please don’t push; form a line and come one by one!”
Xia Muxin was startled by the commotion and quickly waved her hands to maintain order.
Everyone was cooperative and formed a line without any fuss. As each person approached, Xia Muxin introduced the flavors one by one. Some chose two flavors, while others opted for just one. Xia Muxin was accommodating; after all, not everyone from Town had money to spare. She allowed them to pick for themselves, and a few flavors could be combined to make up a pound or half a pound. This delighted everyone, who praised her as a savvy businesswoman.
The three of them worked well together: Xia Muxin handled the scale, Ming Peng helped package the beans, and Summer Forest took care of collecting and giving change.
They managed to save time and effort.
Due to the novelty of the situation, people were eager to mix two or three flavors into a pound, and Xia Muxin patiently prepared everything for them with paper.
In less than half an hour, they had nearly sold out.
Summer Forest was busy counting money, her hands almost cramping from handling two hundred taels of silver.
By the time Su Yan-Chu and Ye Feng arrived, the sack was already empty, and the basket was nearly bare, though there were still several people waiting in line.
Xia Muxin counted the remaining customers and discussed with her companions, ensuring that no one would leave empty-handed. They agreed to split what was left among themselves; after all, their children had been craving this for quite some time. As long as they didn’t return home empty-handed, they were more than happy with whatever she offered.
“Muxin, is that really you?”
As soon as Xia Muxin finished packing up, Su Yan-Chu’s surprised voice reached her.
It had been nearly a month since they last cooked together, and he could hardly believe how much she had changed. Looking into her sparkling eyes made two unnatural blushes rise on his cheeks.
Xia Muxin smiled at him and said, “Boss Su, long time no see!”
Her voice was still as pleasant as ever—clear and refreshing, it flowed into his heart like gentle ripples.
“Yes, it has been a while! I thought you had gone back to get married!”
Ye Feng interjected when he saw how familiar the two were. Upon noticing him, Xia Muxin politely nodded. “Boss Ye!”
Ye Feng also nodded and smiled at her.
"Miss, aren't you going to buy something? It's getting late, and Ant and the others are still waiting at home!"
Seeing the situation, Ming Peng immediately spoke to Zhaoxia Muxin, reminding her that their master had repeatedly instructed them not to let any man talk to Miss Muxin, not even Boss Su.
Upon hearing this, Xia Muxin agreed and apologized to them before heading off with her father and Ming Peng to take care of their purchases.
Watching her distant and aloof figure fade away, Su Yan-Chu felt a bit dejected, as if the distance between them had grown even larger. Ye Feng, however, was unfazed. He had spent more than half a month learning new tea ceremonies during his trip and returned to find someone happily carrying Orchid Beans. After stopping that person to ask, he learned that Xia Muxin had come into town to sell Orchid Beans.
Unfortunately, he had arrived too late. Thankfully, the tea house staff knew he was back today and had bought some in advance. He had only wanted to discuss the tea business with her, but since she was busy, he decided to pay her a personal visit.
*
Today he earned two hundred taels. Adding the leftover forty taels from previous earnings should be enough to buy a piece of land.
If it really wasn't enough, she could still use the five hundred tael silver note from Shen Muhan because she would be able to pay him back soon.
As Xia Muxin made her way to the Oil Shop, she calculated how to buy the land in her mind while also debating whether or not to use his silver note.
She dreamed of buying a piece of land to build a big house and then enjoy a warm winter.
Upon entering the Oil Shop, she bought sixty pounds of oil. This time she was clever and brought along her previous oil container, which cost money—two taels each. This way, she saved six taels. Additionally, being a regular customer who ordered in bulk allowed her to save another ten taels this time due to the container.
Next, Xia Muxin bought a lot of chili peppers, specifically choosing the small and spicy ones. She also stopped by a grocery store for some seeds and finally purchased two large jars along with some miscellaneous rice, oil, and salt.
Although these were all small items, they took up quite a bit of space in the cart when piled together.
She had nearly collected all the Fava Beans from Dayao Village and needed to think of other ways to make money.
When she returned home, it was just in time for lunch. Aunt Xia was already washing rice and cooking, but Shen Muhan and the others had not yet returned.
Songzi was very excited as he showed her his catch, which amounted to nearly four pounds of fish in just one morning.
Ming Peng was about to leave when Xia Muxin asked him to stay. The amaranth they had planted was already ready to eat, and the string beans were blooming, though they were still too small. Xia Muxin prepared a meal, stir-frying dried fish with chili peppers, which was quite appetizing.
Ming Peng felt satisfied after finishing two large bamboo tubes of rice before putting down his chopsticks.
The next few days would be busy again, so Xia Muxin earnestly requested Ming Peng to stay and help. The Zhou family and the Wang family had taken a break for a while. It was said that Wang Dafu had fallen into a latrine and had been seriously ill, but his skin condition had improved. Recently, he had started wandering around the village with Liu Mazi and others, and Xia Muxin speculated that he was likely to stir up trouble again.
Ming Peng's responsibility was to protect Miss Muxin, so upon hearing her plea, he readily agreed. With fresh meals and a bed to sleep in every day, even if the conditions were a bit lacking, it was still better than sleeping in the wild mountains, especially during this season when there were so many mosquitoes.
After dinner, Xia Muxin went with her father to find the village chief, Yang Dadong.
Ming Peng feared for her safety and secretly followed them.
This was the first time Xia Muxin saw Ermiao.
Ermiao was a slender girl with two adorable dimples on her face. She smiled gracefully but seemed timid; she blushed and fidgeted when she saw Xia Muxin.
The village chief had two sons and two daughters. His eldest daughter was already married and lived outside the village. Ermiao and Yang Yang were twins; however, Ermiao was born just a little earlier than Yang Yang, making her the elder sister. This year she turned fourteen, which meant she had already passed the age for marriage according to village customs.
It was said that although she appeared to be a gentle and delicate girl, she had a strong personality. She had long harbored feelings for her brother despite their family's troubles and numerous suitors coming to propose; she refused to accept any of them.
In Xia Muxin's heart, she had already accepted Ermiao as her sister-in-law. Moreover, once they built their house together this year and her brother's legs healed, she would let him propose.
She also had a younger brother who was only four years old. He was playing in the yard but hurriedly ran into Aunt Yang's arms when he saw them approaching.
Aunt Yang reportedly had not been in good health for some time; it seemed she had lingering issues from childbirth. After all, she had given birth to four children. Even the village chief struggled under the pressure from the Wang family; life hadn't been easy for them either. Their house was an old residence left behind by their in-laws.
Their home wasn't far from the Wang family’s place. Everyone knew Wang Dafu did not care about appearances; thus, aside from the male members of the family, Aunt Yang and Yang Dadong did not allow anyone else to go out.
"Village chief, I want to buy some land. What do you think?"
As Xia Muxin and her companions arrived, Yang Dadong warmly welcomed them to sit down. Ermiao went to pour tea for them, and once Xia Muxin was settled, she got straight to the point.
"What? Buying land?"
Yang Dadong took Little Four from Aunt Yang's arms and whispered something in her ear. Aunt Yang then stood up, rubbed her hands together, and headed to the back room. Yang Dadong was taken aback by Xia Muxin's directness, stuttering in disbelief as he asked.
Even Ermiao, who had brought over the tea, glanced at her a few more times, her sparkling eyes seeming to have much to say. Xia Muxin understood that she had been cooped up at home for some time, and with her brother's leg troubles, they probably hadn't seen each other in a while.
"Muxin, please don't scare me; this isn't a joke."
Yang Dadong felt a bit anxious for them. Ever since the Wang family arrived in the village, it had been tough for the villagers—not just buying land but even having enough to eat was a problem. Moreover, with all the troubles the Muxin family had faced lately, it was astonishing that they were now looking to buy land.
Feeling somewhat thirsty from their journey, Xia Muxin took a big sip of tea and looked at Yang Dadong calmly. "Village Chief, do I look like I'm joking?"
As she spoke, she pulled out a stack of banknotes and said, "I don't know how land is bought around here. Can you tell me how much this money can buy?"
Yang Dadong stared at the stack of banknotes, his mouth agape as he struggled to find words. Earlier that morning, he had heard villagers discussing how the Xia family had been busy with some orchid beans lately. Aunt Liu and Er Dan had tasted them and praised them as the best food they had ever eaten.
Moreover, someone had seen them in town early that day; there were even reports of long lines at their stall. Yet now, here they were with so much money to buy land.
"How about this? You take us to see the land first. The price must be related to its location. My father is a carpenter and has some understanding of feng shui. We can decide after we take a look."
- End of Chapter -
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