CHAPTER 34: CHAPTER 34: EVEN YOUNG VILLAINS HAVE A TEMPER

"Brushes, huh? The worst are twelve cents, a bit better ones are eighteen cents, and the best ones are over a hundred cents."

The shopkeeper introduced them to her one by one, and then added, "Ink has a unified price of twenty cents per block."

One block was just a small piece, probably only enough for half a month.

Lin Qiao did some calculations in her mind, twenty cents, eighteen cents, totaling thirty-six cents, "Shopkeeper, I want a brush for eighteen cents, a block of ink, and fifteen sheets of rice paper for two cents each, can you give me five extra sheets of rice paper?"

"How can that be? Five sheets of rice paper are ten cents, I wouldn’t make that much profit, two sheets, I can only give two." The shopkeeper quickly shook his head.

"Shopkeeper, give me five sheets, I’ll come back to buy from you next time, my little uncle just started school, and we’ll need to buy a lot more things later." Lin Qiao’s eyes curved with a smile.

One couldn’t help but say that being pretty has its advantages when bargaining.

The shopkeeper hesitated for a moment, looking like he was taking a loss, "Since it’s your first time buying, I’ll just sell to you at a loss."

"Thank you, shopkeeper." Lin Qiao promptly paid with silver coins, and there were still more than thirty cents left in her purse.

After leaving the bookstore, she spent fourteen cents to buy a pound of fatty and lean meat. It wasn’t early anymore, and as she passed by the village entrance, she glanced at the donkey cart in the village.

Forget it, saving those two cents to buy malt sugar for the villain.

Alas, she finally understood the feeling of being both father and mother.

There were still quite a few people rushing home at this time, several from the same village were there, and she walked with them. After probably a day on the road, everyone was tired and didn’t talk much on the way.

Halfway through, the donkey cart from the village suddenly came by, with several empty seats, a woman waved her hand and said, "Ma, I want to ride."

Quickly following, the others all wanted a ride too. Seeing Lin Qiao not moving, the woman in the blue cloth called out, "Madam Tingfan, come ride with us."

Lin Qiao smiled and shook her head, "You all go ahead, I’ll come slowly behind."

Everyone knew she didn’t ride the donkey cart to save those two copper coins, so they said nothing.

The driver Ma Fan called out to her, "Madam Tingfan, come on, no copper coins needed, we’ll go back on the same route."

"Ma, it’s fine, you guys go first."

Lin Qiao declined with a smile. If she took the ride, rumors would spread in the village again tomorrow. She didn’t mind, but she didn’t want to affect the harmony in Ma Fan’s family.

Ma Fan’s wife was also on the donkey cart. Initially, when Ma Fan spoke up, her expression looked a bit unpleasant, but Widow Song’s refusal made her expression much more pleasing.

"Madam Tingfan, come along, it’s going to be dark by the time you walk back home."

"Yes, come along."

The others persuaded her along.

Lin Qiao couldn’t refuse any longer, so she got on the donkey cart. It wasn’t much faster, but it was more comfortable than walking.

The sun was setting as the donkey cart arrived at the village entrance. Just as Lin Qiao was about to get off, a joyful boy’s voice suddenly rang out, "Sister-in-law."

She turned her head and saw the boy running over from under the tree at the village entrance, his handsome face slightly flushed, probably from being in the sun too long.

His eyebrows arched with a curve, seemingly very happy.

Indeed, still a child. She affectionately replied, "Little Uncle."

Everyone was a bit surprised at how good their relationship was.

Ma Fan jokingly teased, "Tingfan, are you here to take your sister-in-law home? Have you cooked? If you have, we’ll go home and eat with you, huh."

Song Tingfan blushed and nodded, "Okay." While speaking, he looked at his sister-in-law, only to find her eyes a bit swollen, as if she had been crying.

The smile immediately fell from his face. He wanted to ask urgently, but with so many people around, he held back.

Ma Fan laughed heartily, "Not tonight, next time, when you get married, we’ll come to eat."

Lin Qiao smiled, "Alright." Then she took out one cent to give to Ma Fan’s wife, "We’ll be heading back first."

Ma Fan’s wife thought this Widow Song was sensible, at least she didn’t take the ride without paying. She pretended to be displeased and pushed the coin back, "When I say no, I mean no, give it to me again and I’ll be mad."

"We’re heading off, come visit when you have time."

The couple rode off in their donkey cart, and after a word here and there, the others dispersed too.

...

Song Family

Lin Qiao’s feet were sore from walking, she sat on a stool and massaged her calves, casually asking Song Tingfan about his hunting, "Little Uncle, catch anything?"

Song Tingfan nodded, "Yes, I caught a wild chicken, it’s still alive."

"Wow, Little Uncle is amazing." Lin Qiao praised with a smile.

Her eyes were smiling, still a bit swollen, Song Tingfan bit his lip, "Sister-in-law, what’s wrong with your eyes?"

"Hmm?"

Lin Qiao hadn’t yet recalled the crying act she put on in town, after a moment, she realized what he was referring to.

She raised a hand to touch her eyes, "It’s nothing, dust got in my eyes on the way back, I rubbed them for a while."

She could have taken the opportunity to get some sympathy, but seeing the young man’s worried expression, she couldn’t bring herself to act.

Her conscience was pricked.

"Does it still hurt? Sister-in-law, let me take a look." Song Tingfan didn’t think much, believed her words, and leaned in as if to check her eyes.

In the days they’d spent together, Lin Qiao felt the villain was a bit stubborn; if she didn’t let him look, he’d probably stay worried.

She looked up, her eyes arching into a smile, "Little Uncle, have a look, it’s fine now."

Song Tingfan looked carefully and seriously, finally reassured, a little smile returning to his face, and he began chattering about his hunting trip, "Sister-in-law, today I almost let the wild chicken fly away..."

Lin Qiao listened intently, smiling when something was funny, creating a warm atmosphere.

After resting for about a quarter of an hour, Song Tingfan went to bring in the food, and Lin Qiao looked at the big bowl of fish mint, chuckling in silence, "Little Uncle, are you trying to stuff your sister-in-law?"

Song Tingfan quickly shook his head, "No."

He lowered his head in embarrassment and added, "You like to eat it, sister-in-law."

Lin Qiao picked up a piece with her chopsticks and blinked, speaking in a coaxing tone, "Sister-in-law bought meat, you know."

"I’ll make dumplings for you tomorrow."

Seeing her smile, Song Tingfan also grinned broadly, picking up his bowl and taking a big bite of rice, "Alright."

Thinking to himself that he should work harder so his sister-in-law could eat meat every day.

At night, under the dim moonlight, Song Tingfan was weaving bamboo strips by the window.

Studying required a lot of silver coins; he couldn’t let his sister-in-law earn money alone.

On this side, Lin Qiao hadn’t slept yet, but she wasn’t doing anything either, just laying in bed thinking about how to make money, and how to make it fast.

Now they were even poorer than when she first arrived and still owed tuition fees, the worry was overwhelming.

Thinking about it, she almost felt like selling herself.

Of course, it was just a fleeting thought.

Time unknowingly passed until there were faint sounds coming from outside, followed by very small voices, "This... low..."

Lin Qiao suddenly opened her eyes, immediately got out of bed, and before she could open the door, she heard the sound of the door next door opening, "Who’s there?"

It was Song Tingfan’s voice.

Then she opened her door and faintly saw shadows in the courtyard, following his gaze to the courtyard wall, she roughly understood.

Someone was trying to climb over their courtyard wall.

These scoundrels.

For the first time, she felt a bit of understanding for the previous woman’s breakdown, living in constant fear and under constant rumor, how could a woman from a feudal era withstand it?

However, taking it out on the villain wasn’t quite right.

Perhaps it was true what they said, pitiful people often have a detestable side.

If these people weren’t taught a lesson, they’d just keep coming, but before she took her next step, she saw the shadow picking up something, from the shape it seemed like a slop bucket, then after placing a stool, directly splashing it out.

"..."

She realized the young villain also had quite a temper.

In theory, it was a good thing, but she inexplicably felt a bit afraid.