It was the second watch of the night, a ti to seek tender loving care.
***......***
Shopkeeper Wang was fiddling with his abacus beads, tallying up accounts.
Today, Lian Manman’s family had delivered three carts of bitter gourds, each cart carrying ten sacks.
"...Two thousand two hundred and thirteen catties, still at last year’s price, five wen money per catty, that cos to... eleven thousand and sixty-five wen money."
Upon hearing Shopkeeper Wang announce this amount, Lian Shouxin was stunned.
Eleven thousand and so wen money, equivalently eleven strings of coins, was not a huge sum for Lian Shouxin, who was accustod to seeing the daily earnings of Lian’s Shop. However, from the perspective of a typical tenant farr’s household, this was a substantial amount of money—enough to cover a family’s expenses for a year, with surplus.
The reason Lian Shouxin was sowhat taken aback was that he hadn’t expected the casually cultivated bitter gourds to sell for such a hefty sum. Although Lian Manman had ntioned that the drugstores would buy them co autumn and they would surely make a profit, and Lian Shouxin had believed her, at that ti, he had estimated that the little more than three acres of land could, at most, yield a string of coins, which would have been very good fortune.
Now, just from the first harvest of bitter gourds alone, they had an inco of eleven strings of coins, how could Lian Shouxin not be overjoyed?
"Our Young Owner knew that Fourth Master Lian’s family was growing bitter gourds, so he decided not to buy from any other families this year," Shopkeeper Wang casually comnted, smiling. "It seems now that our Young Owner made the right decision."
Although Shopkeeper Wang’s remark seed offhand, Lian Manman understood right away that Youheng was still looking out for them.
"Manman, for this money, do you want silver or copper coins?" Youheng asked Lian Manman.
"Brother Youheng, if it’s convenient, please give us silver," said Lian Manman. Her family’s shop dealt with copper coins on a daily basis, so whenever possible, she preferred to be paid in silver.
Youheng gestured to Shopkeeper Wang to get the silver.
"Brother Youheng, co to our house for dinner later," invited Lian Manman. "Mr. Loo was just ntioning this morning that you haven’t visited for a few days."
"Indeed, Young Doctor Wang, co eat at our place tonight. Jiaxing brought us two big Da Hua carps this afternoon; let’s have them stewed for dinner. We won’t prepare anything special, just our usual ho-cooked als," Lian Shouxin also promptly said.
"Alright then, I also have so questions to consult with Mr. Loo," Youheng readily accepted without further politeness.
A short while later, Shopkeeper Wang brought over eleven taels of silver, weighed on a scale. Youheng also had the kitchen prepare two kinds of snacks before he left Jisheng Hall with Lian Shouxin and Lian Manman.
Passing by Chen’s, Lian Manman fondled the silver in her pocket, and couldn’t help but reminisce about last year, around the sa ti. Back then, she had just arrived, and alongside Wu Lang, Xiao Qi, and Lian Zhizhi, had covertly pulled a cart full of bitter gourds to town to sell, behind the backs of the rest of the Lian Family.
That day, she’d earned her first sum of money in this world. Afterwards, at this sa Chen’s, she’d enjoyed her first al of wheat-flour at buns since arriving here.
Even now, she vividly rembered the hesitant yet eager expressions on Lian Zhizhi, Wu Lang, and Xiao Qi’s faces as they discussed outside Chen’s whether to go in for buns. She also distinctly rembered the satisfaction and joy on the children’s faces, who had not tasted at for a long ti, as they sat inside Chen’s and ate the at buns and soy sauce at.
A few at buns and a bowl of soy sauce at brought as much joy to the children as if it were New Year’s. Zhizhi had even remarked with emotion that she hadn’t expected to ever dine inside a restaurant again.
At that mont, Lian Manman had set her mind on making much more money in the future, intending to take everyone to the big restaurant across the street for a al.
Now, they had already been to the big restaurant across the street, she had made more money, they had opened their own shop with buns even tastier than those of Chen’s,
she also had vast fields, and their new house was soon to be completed.
"Manman, what are you thinking about?" Youheng, sitting across from Lian Manman, noticed her absorbed in thought and asked with a smile. Lian Shouxin had gone ahead driving the cart ho, while Youheng followed behind, escorting Lian Manman in his shop’s carriage towards Thirty Mile Camp.
Hearing Youheng speak, Lian Manman snapped back to the present.
"Nothing much... just reminded of last year, this ti, when I first ca to sell the bitter gourds..." Lian Manman said, also with a smile.
"Last year, this ti..." Youheng’s gaze lingered on Lian Manman’s sleek hair, then moved to her fair and rosy little face.
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