Chapter 23: Curiosity

"Actually, I can deliver them myself." Those wealthy classmates wouldn’t look down on him for making a single delivery—if they wanted to, they would have done so long ago. He didn’t care about their opinions either; he simply lived his own life, did what he needed to do.

"You take five as well, but keep one for yourself. Give the rest to Master and Mistress," Qin Huiyin said, then turned to Tang Yixiao with a smile. "Pack five for your brother."

Tang Yixiao agreed, placing five bamboo containers of chilled jelly into a basket. The basket had been woven by Tang Dafu while sitting on his bed; it was originally meant for carrying vegetables, but Qin Huiyin had taken a liking to it, and now it was put to good use.

Third Uncle Tang arrived. Seeing Tang Yichen, he greeted him cheerfully, "Chen, I haven't seen you for a while. How have you been lately?"

"Third Grandpa..." Tang Yichen bowed politely.

"Oh my, you scholars are always so proper," Third Uncle Tang laughed. "I’ve been running errands with your family these past days and made a little money. On my way back, I’ll buy some meat for myself."

"Third Grandpa, if you help us sell these, you can earn a coin for every five portions," Qin Huiyin said.

"Then I’ll take more—maybe someone on the way will want to buy," Third Uncle Tang replied. Qin Huiyin packed twenty portions for him in a carrying basket, which he slung onto his back before following Tang Yichen to the private school.

Li Taohua, utterly exhausted, found a spot to sit and said to Tang Lvw, "I can't go on, you keep watch for a while."

Now that the long line had thinned, Qin Huiyin finally had a moment to recall Tang Yichen’s appearance. This was, in the truest sense, her first time seeing the male lead. She hadn’t looked closely, but remembered he was rather handsome and seemed gentle.

The male lead was destined to become a powerful minister—elegant as jade, distinguished and refined, fond of white garments, like an untouchable immortal from a painting. But that was his future self. Right now, he was just a somewhat good-looking scholar.

Having met the male lead, it was inevitable to compare him to the antagonist. The male lead came from poverty, faced all kinds of misfortunes early on, yet eventually remained an untainted, peerless exile from heaven. The antagonist was also born poor, but his path was especially harsh; where the male lead encountered benefactors, the antagonist met only traps and quagmires, and in the end, he became a traitor radiating the scent of blood.

"How many portions have we sold?" Li Taohua asked Qin Huiyin.

Before Qin Huiyin could answer, Tang Lvw spoke up, "Besides the fifteen extra portions Third Grandpa took and the five my brother took, we've sold sixty. There should be about seventy or so left."

"This is from my brother," Tang Yixiao handed a string of copper coins to Li Taohua. "He said he earned this copying books."

Li Taohua accepted it, her expression softening. "At least he’s sensible." She quickly counted—it was fifty coins, enough to pay off the debt for the jelly distributed these past two days.

Qin Huiyin smiled and continued serving the next customers.

Third Uncle Tang returned, set down his basket, and said, "Does your offer still stand? I took out fifteen portions and sold them all."

"Third Grandpa, you’re amazing!" Qin Huiyin took the coins from him with one hand, counted out four for him. "We shouldn't have trouble selling the rest, so we won't trouble you today. Find somewhere to rest."

Third Uncle Tang had made a tidy sum these past days and, grinning from ear to ear, took his money off to buy wine.

Qin Huiyin, curious, asked, "Third Grandpa has a good temperament and a clever mind—how is it that a man like him never married?"

So many men in the village beat their wives, and even they found someone to marry. How was it that Third Grandpa, who could earn money and was kind, had no wife?

"I heard he had a childhood sweetheart when he was young. Just as they were about to marry, she was assaulted by a scoundrel and, unable to bear the shame, took her own life. He beat the grievance drum and accused the villain before the authorities. But the county magistrate was in league with the villain; not only did they not punish the scoundrel, they turned the case against him. He escaped from prison and continued petitioning the case, taking two years to see justice done. In the end, both the villain and the magistrate were executed. Afterward, whenever others tried to arrange a marriage for him, he refused. His parents wept and pleaded with him daily. One night, he left home, only returning ten years later to care for his parents in their old age. He never married," Li Taohua recounted calmly. Normally shrewd, even she showed a trace of envy when speaking of such love. Yet the moment passed, and her composure returned.

"Such a man is like gold in the mud—hard to find and harder still to claim. Young girls shouldn’t daydream that a man will love only them. Sometimes it’s good to stand outside the brothel and watch; that’s the true nature of men. Don’t say the men in the village never go—they have no money, no chance. Give them silver, and how many stay honest?"

"Mother, don’t say such scary things—we’re still young!" Qin Huiyin protested. "What’s so lovable about men with money? I just want to earn more myself, so I can buy whatever I want. If I had plenty of silver, what kind of obedient man couldn’t I find?"

Tang Yixiao covered Tang Lvw’s ears, annoyed. "Don’t listen to her, she’s talking nonsense."

Tang Lvw blinked. "But Huiyin is right—money gives us a good life. With silver, life really is better."

As for men...

There were so many examples in the village—she couldn’t pretend not to see them. Sometimes, men not only failed to bring good fortune, but brought misfortune instead. It was just that no woman had ever said so openly. Their elders always taught them to be faithful, to obey their fathers at home and their husbands after marriage—never had anyone told the girls that men weren’t indispensable.

Tang Yixiao wailed inwardly: It’s over. My sister’s been influenced by this mother and daughter. If my big brother finds out, he’ll definitely beat me.

After selling the last portion of jelly, a bit of braised meat remained. Several women hovered nearby, and seeing them pack up, hurried over to ask if they could buy the meat at a discount.

"Sorry, aunties, the meat’s already very cheap today. There won’t be any more discounts from tomorrow. To be honest, our family hasn’t had meat in ages. We’d like to take what’s left home for ourselves," Qin Huiyin said with a sweet smile. "If you don’t want it, we’ll just pack up and go home."

"What about the braised eggs? If we buy the meat, won’t you at least throw in a couple of eggs?"

Qin Huiyin looked troubled. "Originally, the eggs were three for a coin. If I gave them away, I’d feel worse than giving away the meat. How about this: buy five coins’ worth of meat, and I’ll throw in an egg."

"You’re such a stingy girl!" the women grumbled.

Qin Huiyin said nothing more, just kept smiling. No matter how much they tried to pester her, it was hard to make things difficult for a girl who wore a constant smile.

"We’re heading home—whoever gives us twenty coins can have all the remaining meat and eggs," Li Taohua declared.

"Mother, that’s not worth it—we’d lose money," Qin Huiyin protested anxiously.

"The sun’s up, and I’ve no desire to stay here getting burned. I’m your mother, can’t I decide this much? But honestly, they probably don’t have twenty coins between them, so why worry?" Li Taohua snapped, clearly impatient.

The women were indignant. There were four of them—why couldn’t they manage twenty coins?

"Boss, pack it all up. We’ll take the lot," said one of them, tossing twenty coins onto the table.