Chapter 15 Spend all the money you make

 

“Qi family, the sun’s about to set! Everyone’s waiting to head back. Why not wait until the next market day to buy that so-called snow fungus?”

The ever-meddling Madam Li, who earlier had mocked Madam Wei under the guise of offering “advice,” chimed in again, pretending to be reasonable.

But Xu Shuyue didn’t even spare her a glance. Today was the last market day before the new year, and the next one wouldn’t be until sometime in the first month of the new year. While she could afford to wait, that boy clearly couldn’t.

Without acknowledging the crowd, she walked straight to Yu Yougen, the ox cart driver. Pulling out eight copper coins, she handed them to him and said evenly, “Uncle Yougen, my mother and I will be back within 15 minutes at most. Please wait for us just a little longer.”

Seeing her offer an extra two coins, Yu Yougen immediately grinned, stuffing the coins into his pocket. “Don’t worry, Miss Xu. A few others haven’t returned yet either. Waiting a bit longer doesn’t make much difference. Take your time and stay safe.”

He wasn’t foolish. Earlier in the day, people had been anxious to get to the market early for fear of missing out on the best goods. But now, most had finished shopping, and many were opting to walk back instead of paying for the ox cart ride. If Madam Wei and Xu Shuyue didn’t return, Qi Ansheng would also have to get off the cart to wait for them. Losing three paying passengers meant Yu Yougen might not gather enough people to fill the cart before nightfall.

He wasn’t about to side with someone like Madam Jin and risk losing his remaining customers.

Madam Jin’s face turned red with frustration, but before she could start another tirade, Madam Li quickly stepped in to calm her down.

As Xu Shuyue walked past, she said coldly, “If you’re that upset, why not pay Uncle Yougen extra to rent the whole cart? Then you can leave whenever you like. My mother and I certainly won’t complain.”

Madam Jin opened her mouth but closed it again, realizing she couldn’t argue. After all, the ox cart wasn’t hers either.

Her attempt to use moral high ground to guilt-trip the Xu women had backfired, leaving her fuming silently.

Once they were a safe distance from the gathering, Madam Wei glanced back briefly before letting out a disdainful snort. “That old busybody Madam Li—she’s got nothing better to do than stir up trouble. The older she gets, the more of a nuisance she becomes!”

Madam Wei wasn’t wrong. Madam Li always seemed to side with whoever was loudest. If Madam Jin raised a fuss, Madam Li would support her; if Xu Shuyue rebutted, Madam Li would suddenly agree with her too. Like a leaf in the wind, she swayed in whichever direction suited her at the moment.

“She’s lucky her husband’s still alive to keep the household in check,” Madam Wei continued, clearly annoyed. “With her spineless ways, if her sons took charge, they’d turn the house into chaos in no time.”

Grateful to have someone to vent to, Madam Wei ranted about the Li family’s messy affairs all the way to the young boy’s stall.

Xu Shuyue didn’t comment much, knowing it wasn’t her place to judge other families. Instead, she responded occasionally with a few “Mm-hm”s and “I see”s to show she was listening.

Madam Wei didn’t seem to mind, and her mood improved as they approached the stall.

When Chen Erping saw Xu Shuyue return, the tension in his body visibly relaxed. He broke into a relieved smile. “Miss, you’re back! I saved the snow fungus for you.”

Madam Wei crouched down and picked up a piece of the snow fungus, gently pinching it. To her surprise, the edges crumbled easily, scattering fragments into her palm.

Startled, she exclaimed, “This thing’s so fragile!”

Chen Erping winced as he watched her handle the precious fungus. “Careful, ma’am! This stuff is delicate—and expensive!”

At four or five taels of silver per jin, how could it not be?

Nearby, the vegetable seller, who had been so confident that Xu Shuyue wouldn’t return, couldn’t hide his jealousy. His face twisted slightly as he muttered under his breath.

He still couldn’t believe that the fungus was worth that much. Unable to resist, he sneered, “Oh, come on! She came all the way back just to buy this? What’s the harm in pinching it a little? If it were me, I’d let her have a taste, too!”

“That man sure has a sharp tongue,” Xu Shuyue thought as she briefly glanced at the sneering vegetable vendor. His face practically screamed jealousy. She ignored him and turned back to Chen Erping with a calm smile.

“Young stall owner,” she began, “as we agreed earlier, I’ll buy the snow fungus. I’ve brought four taels of silver. Will that do?”

Chen Erping blinked, his shoulders drooping slightly. He had been hoping for five taels since she had mentioned that amount earlier.

The meddling vegetable vendor immediately seized the moment, raising his voice in mock outrage. “Oh, young lady, that’s not what you said earlier! I distinctly remember you telling this boy that this stuff was worth five taels. Now you’re shortchanging him because he doesn’t know better, huh? Taking advantage of a kid—what a—”

“I’ll sell it for four taels!”

Before the man could finish, Chen Erping interrupted loudly. “Miss, you don’t have to pay him any mind. If it weren’t for you recognizing what this was, I’d never have been able to sell it for this price. Four taels is already a lot for me. Do you have a cloth bag? I’ll pack it up for you!”

The vegetable vendor wasn’t done yet, though. He rolled his eyes and muttered, “You’re too naive, boy. If it were me…”

Chen Erping ignored him and quickly completed the exchange. One hand took the silver coins, while the other handed over the snow fungus. Madam Wei stood to the side, watching the transaction with a mix of curiosity and confusion.

As they walked away, Madam Wei couldn’t help but feel a bit lost. “Four taels for this?” she muttered under her breath.

Leaning close, Xu Shuyue whispered with a smile, “Mother, this snow fungus is a rare treasure. When we get home, I’ll make you snow fungus and pear soup. You’ll see how amazing it is—it’s not only delicious but also great for keeping your skin looking radiant and youthful. Once we master this, we can sell it and make even more money!”

Madam Wei raised an eyebrow, skepticism evident in her expression. “Really? You’re not just saying that to make me feel better?”

“Absolutely not,” Xu Shuyue replied confidently, her tone leaving no room for doubt.

Although unsure, Madam Wei decided to trust her. She carefully held the cloth bundle containing the snow fungus, cradling it like it was made of gold. After all, it had cost four taels—a sum that could cover her family’s living expenses for six months!

But just as Madam Wei thought the shopping was over, Xu Shuyue turned back to Chen Erping with a thoughtful expression.

“Young stall owner,” she said with a grin, “I have another business proposal for you. Interested?”

Chen Erping, who had been cautiously pocketing his silver, paused and looked at her curiously. “What kind of business?”

“I’ll listen you, but first, let me make one thing clear—I don’t do anything shady,” he added quickly, clearly wary.

Xu Shuyue chuckled and waved a hand dismissively. “Relax, it’s nothing like that. Come closer, and I’ll explain.”

She leaned in and whispered a few sentences into his ear. The vegetable vendor, who had been eavesdropping, saw Chen Erping’s eyes light up as his face filled with excitement.

“That’s a great idea!” Chen Erping exclaimed, punching his palm in enthusiasm. “Alright, it’s a deal. If I find what you’re looking for, I’ll bring it straight to your house. Just wait for me!”

“Good,” Xu Shuyue replied with a nod, passing him a deposit of ten copper coins.

As the two finalized their agreement, neither of them noticed the vegetable vendor glaring at them with narrowed eyes. His gaze lingered on the small bits of snow fungus still left on Chen Erping’s stall.

By the time the Qi family returned to their village, the sun had already set, and the chilly wind cut through their clothes. Walking quickly down the dirt road, they huddled together for warmth. The darkness made it difficult to see the path ahead.

Just as they approached their home, Qi Ansheng suddenly stopped in his tracks and shouted into the night, “Who’s there?”

Startled, Xu Shuyue and Madam Wei looked up. In the dim light, they saw a shadowy figure in the distance. The person hesitated for a moment before abruptly turning and fleeing into the darkness.

Qi Ansheng moved to chase after the figure, but Madam Wei grabbed his arm and yelled, “Don’t! Old Qi, don’t go after him!”

“The road’s slippery, and it’s too dark. What if you fall? Let it go!” Madam Wei urged, her voice filled with worry.

Reluctantly, Qi Ansheng stopped, his face grim as he stared after the fleeing figure.

“Father, was it a thief?” Xu Shuyue asked in a hushed voice, her own unease growing.

Madam Wei’s grip on Xu Shuyue’s arm tightened instinctively.

“I couldn’t see who it was,” Qi Ansheng replied, his tone heavy. The wind distorted his words, making them sound even more somber.

The three of them carefully approached the house, inspecting the gate and the surrounding area under the faint moonlight. Everything appeared normal—no signs of forced entry or anything out of place.

Once inside, Madam Wei busied herself lighting the stove while muttering, “What kind of thief doesn’t even try to break in? Just standing outside our door like that… Were they scouting the place?”

Carrying an armful of firewood into the house, Qi Ansheng’s expression darkened further. “We’ll need to be more vigilant for the next few nights. If someone’s really targeting us, they might come back.”

Meanwhile, Xu Shuyue had started preparing the snow fungus, her mind racing with questions. “Father, Mother,” she began, “if someone was scouting our house, wouldn’t they have come while we were at the market? Why come at night? And why run away so quickly? It doesn’t make sense.”

Madam Wei glared at her, exasperated. “If they were brave enough to linger, we’d have a real problem on our hands!”

Realizing she had misspoken, Xu Shuyue quickly laughed nervously and changed the subject, flashing an apologetic smile.

Madam Wei shook her head, tapping Xu Shuyue lightly on the forehead. Her gaze naturally drifted to the snow fungus Xu Shuyue was handling.

“Earlier, you mentioned something about snow fungus soup being good for… what was it? Making your skin glow? Keeping you young? You really think this stuff is that amazing?”

Grinning mischievously, Xu Shuyue nodded enthusiastically. “Just wait, Mother. Once you taste it, you’ll see what I mean!”

Qi Ansheng glanced over curiously as Madam Wei and Xu Shuyue discussed the snow fungus. Seeing them both looking at her, Xu Shuyue sighed and admitted, “Honestly, I don’t know if it’s as magical as I said.”

Madam Wei’s eyes widened. “You don’t know? Then those four taels of silver… that wasn’t wasted, was it?”

“Relax,” Xu Shuyue said with a sly smile. “While I can’t guarantee it’ll make you look ten years younger, the snow fungus and pear soup really does have benefits. It soothes the lungs, relieves coughs, nourishes the stomach, and hydrates the body. And, Mother, think about it—we’re selling food. Flavor is the most important thing. The health benefits? Well, even if they’re not that significant, we can say they are. That’s what sells.”

Madam Wei looked at her incredulously. “You mean… exaggerate? Isn’t that dishonest?”

Doing business meant being trustworthy—if you fooled people, you’d lose customers sooner or later.

Xu Shuyue’s lips curved into a knowing smile. She guided the conversation gently. “Mother, if I told you that a small bowl of snow fungus and pear soup costs 58 wen, would you buy it?”

Madam Wei shook her head firmly. “At that price? Even if I were rich, I wouldn’t waste money on something so expensive.”

Xu Shuyue chuckled, not surprised by her answer. “Alright, then what if I told you that this soup has all kinds of health benefits and helps keep your skin looking radiant?”

Qi Ansheng furrowed his brows and interjected, “It depends. How good are those so-called benefits?”

Madam Wei agreed. “If there’s no real difference between drinking it and not drinking it, I’d rather save the money.”

Their reasoning was impeccable. For a moment, Xu Shuyue faltered, questioning whether her plan to sell snow fungus soup could really work.

In this era, most families were barely getting by. Even spending five wen on a meat bun was a luxury, and an eight-wen bowl of wonton soup was considered a feast. Selling sweet soup for 58 wen a bowl might indeed be too ambitious.

Madam Wei noticed her hesitation and worried that her words might have dampened her daughter-in-law’s spirits. Feeling guilty, she backtracked. “But… if I did have money, I’d probably want to try a bowl. Just once, to see if it’s as good as people say.”

Her words were comforting, but Xu Shuyue knew they weren’t entirely genuine. Madam Wei and Qi Ansheng were frugal people. Even if they had the means, they’d never spend 58 wen on something so indulgent.