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Chapter 15: The Peasant Girl’s Splendid Manor
🕑 Added 2024-02-23 07:47:31 +0000 UTCChapter 15 Selling Vegetables
The market street was bustling with activity, lively and extraordinary.
Mo Yan busily greeted the customers who came to buy vegetables. With the old woman's help in weighing, she felt much more relaxed, and the increasingly heavy money pouch around her waist made her ecstatic. However, with just one basket of vegetables, they couldn't last long. In a short while, the cabbages and tomatoes were sold out, leaving only three golden corns.
Mo Yan didn't intend to sell the remaining corns, so she took them out and placed the basket behind.
"Child, why did you put away the corns that haven't been sold?" the old woman couldn't help asking.
Mo Yan stuffed the corns into the old woman's bamboo basket and smiled, "Grandma, thanks to you today, I was able to sell these vegetables. These corns are not worth much, so I'm giving them to you."
The old woman hurriedly tried to return the corns, "How can this be? These corns can be sold for six wen!"
Corn was sold by size here, and Mo Yan's corns were much larger than others', so they were valued at one more wen per piece, and many people were willing to pay for them.
Mo Yan held the old woman's hand and said with a slightly embarrassed expression, "Grandma, I lost my pass today. If my dad finds out, he'll definitely beat me. I just want to keep it from him for now. I plan to secretly get a new pass in the next few days with the money I earn from selling vegetables. These corns are just a token of my gratitude to you. If you don't accept them, just forget I said anything."
Looking at her with big, watery eyes, pitiful like a stray kitten, the old woman softened her heart. Helplessly, she nodded in agreement.
With her wish fulfilled, Mo Yan smiled with narrowed eyes, her radiant smile even dimming the sunshine a bit.
The old woman had helped her greatly, so she returned the favor by helping attract customers who came to buy pears. After an hour, they sold out two baskets of pears as well.
Because Mo Yan needed to buy oil and salt, she arranged to meet the old woman at the same place tomorrow and then they parted ways.
Carrying a worn-out basket, Mo Yan arrived at the shop to buy oil, salt, and seasonings. After comparing prices at three different shops, she found the cheapest one where a catty of salt cost twenty-two wen and oil, though cheaper, still cost twenty wen.
Mo Yan checked her money pouch, gritted her teeth, and bought two catties of salt and two catties of oil. Together with the clay jars for storing them, she spent a total of ninety wen. The money she earned from selling vegetables quickly dwindled, leaving her with only seven wen.
She didn't bother to keep the remaining seven wen and went to buy a catty of rice. Who knew that after nearly half a month in this world, she hadn't even seen a grain of rice?
Thinking about the rice in her space that she could see but not eat, Mo Yan felt frustrated. However, she didn't intend to starve herself by guarding the rice jar. When she earned enough money from selling vegetables tomorrow, she would buy a sickle and a small millstone, cut down the rice, pound the grains, and then husk them. Then she would have rice to cook and eat.
Putting the rice, salt, and oil into the basket, Mo Yan left Longshi Town with light steps. She found a secluded place and took out about ten corns and radishes from the space before returning to the dilapidated temple.
The golden vegetables and white rice and salt made Xin'er and Zhen'er, who had been eating boiled vegetables for half a month, extremely happy. Even Mo Qingze was looking forward to it.
But adults always considered more than children. After the joy, Mo Qingze couldn't help but ask, "Where did you get these things from?"
There was no suspicion in his words, only concern.
"Father, rest assured, your daughter hasn't stolen anything. These things were obtained legitimately!" Mo Yan didn't directly answer his question but her expression was extremely serious.
Although her father had some doubts about the vegetables she brought out, he was probably a bit confused and couldn't imagine she had a space. She had no intention of revealing it, which had nothing to do with trust. She just didn't want another person to bear this seemingly good but actually heavy secret.
Mo Qingze heard her and didn't ask further. However, the disappointment and loneliness that flashed across his face made Mo Yan feel a bit depressed.
Lunch was made eagerly by Li Yan. At Mo Yan's gesture, half of the rice was washed and cooked with water. When the water boiled, she added the broken corn grains and chopped radishes.
After nearly half an hour, the dilapidated temple was filled with a rich aroma. After adding oil and salt, the two children couldn't wait to gather around the pot, eager to eat.
After the porridge was cooked, each person's bowl was filled to the brim. Mo Yan held the bowl and drank the porridge slowly, squinting her eyes in enjoyment. The porridge was soft and delicious, absorbing the taste of the radishes and the sweet and fragrant corn. It was hard to imagine it not being delicious.
Everyone else also enjoyed the meal. Mo Qingze and his children had not eaten rice for a long time, and tasting the savory flavor was a rare treat. Li Yan and her grandfather were even more pitiful. After escaping from the bandits, they had nothing to eat. They had only relied on grass and leaves and untreated water to stave off hunger on their journey. If they hadn't met the Mo family, they might have died of starvation on the roadside.
After lunch, the two children played for a while and then went to take a nap. Li Yan, however, felt embarrassed to rest. After serving her grandfather to lie down, regardless of Mo Yan's dissuasion, she took the dirty clothes of several people and went to wash them.
"Let her do whatever she wants. This way, she'll feel better in her heart." Mo Qingze didn't know when he had walked over and said to Mo Yan as he watched the little girl's back.
Mo Yan understood his meaning, and precisely because of this, the little girl was so lovable. She secretly resolved to take care of this grandfather and granddaughter pair more on this journey.
Thinking of the journey, Mo Yan suddenly remembered the main issue, "By the way, Father, how did your inquiries go today?"
Mo Qingze frowned slightly when he heard this, "Half a month ago, the court sent seventy thousand troops, and the rebellion should have been quelled quickly. However, it is said that there are still shadows of enemy countries involved in this rebellion. The situation in the south is very intense, but the north is relatively stable. Maybe..."
At this point, Mo Qingze stopped, feeling that there was no need to continue. His daughter might not understand even if he said it.
Mo Yan got the information she wanted to know and didn't have the mood to inquire further. As long as the north was stable, it would be good if they could safely reach their destination.
...
Early the next morning, Mo Yan carried the heavy basket and waited at the place where she had arranged to meet the old woman yesterday. Not long after, the old woman arrived with two baskets of pears, and the two of them, like yesterday, disguised themselves as grandmother and granddaughter and entered the town smoothly.
Today, Mo Yan brought a basket of vegetables that sold even faster than yesterday, with many being bought by customers from yesterday. Apparently, after bringing the vegetables home and cooking them, the family unanimously agreed that they tasted better than before. Some children who didn't like vegetables before were now eating them happily. So, they came early in the morning to buy more.
A customer paid happily and joked, "Miss, your vegetables are better looking and tasting than others'. Why not sell them to a big restaurant and save yourself from the wind and sun of setting up a stall?"
A casual remark sparked an idea.
Mo Yan's eyes lit up, feeling that this idea was feasible. However, she needed to think carefully about how to do it. She didn't want to reveal the secret of her space just for a few coins.
But this time, before she could come up with a safe plan, a big business initiative came knocking on her door...
