Portable Space: Little Miracle Doctor

Chapter 191 – Winning Favor for Third Sister

Seeing Yan Xiaosi’s eagerness for the money, the shopkeeper couldn’t help but chuckle. The young man, probably not yet fifteen, was already so anxious to get married.

Knowing Yan Xiaosi was selling grain to fund a marriage proposal, the shopkeeper didn’t want to delay her important matter. He instructed his clerk, “Hurry up and get the scale for weighing the grain. Let’s weigh these bags of corn for the young man.”

At the shopkeeper’s command, a clerk quickly brought a large scale, and together with another clerk, they efficiently weighed Yan Xiaosi’s bags of corn.

After calculating, the shopkeeper announced that the four bags of corn weighed a total of 220 jin (about 132 kilograms). “Young man, your four bags of corn are 220 jin in total, at eight wen per jin, that’s 1,760 wen.”

The shopkeeper showed the calculation to Yan Xiaosi, who briefly glanced at the abacus and nodded in agreement. “Then, please give me the 1,760 wen.”

With a bag of coins in hand, Yan Xiaosi left the shop in high spirits. On the street, she saw a vendor selling osmanthus cakes and bought some for 100 wen. Then she headed towards Xu Family Fur Store.

Arriving at the store, she didn’t see Ms. Zhong and the others, so she waited briefly.

Ms. Zhong, Yan Shuqin, and Yan Shuxue, after buying what they needed for the next day’s meal, hurried over and saw Yan Xiaosi standing under a tree with a paper bag in her hands.

“Mom, big sister, second sister, I’m here! Have you bought everything we need?” Yan Xiaosi called out joyfully as they approached.

Ms. Zhong, carrying a basket, and her daughters, holding cabbages, were relieved to see her safe. They quickly walked towards her.

“Mom, big sister, second sister, have some osmanthus cakes.”

Yan Xiaosi handed each of them a piece of the sweet and fragrant cake.

After enjoying a piece, Ms. Zhong noticed the large quantity Xiaosi had bought and couldn’t help scolding her, “Why did you buy so much? If you girls wanted to eat, half a pound would have been enough. Buying so much is a waste of money.”

“I didn’t buy all these cakes just for us,” Yan Xiaosi replied with a smile.

Ms. Zhong grew curious. “Then why did you buy so many?”

“You’ll see soon, mom. Let’s go in and see third sister first.”

Upon entering Xu Family Fur Store, a clerk recognized them immediately. “Madam Yan, are you here to see Miss Yan Shuyun?”

Ms. Zhong nodded with a smile. “Where is Yun’er now? We just want to see her for a moment. Could you please show us the way?”

“Miss Yan is learning crafts in the backyard. Please follow me,” the enthusiastic clerk led them to the back of the store. Yan Xiaosi handed him an osmanthus cake. “Thank you for showing us the way. This cake is freshly bought and still warm. Please have a taste.”

The clerk happily accepted the cake, hiding it in his sleeve, and whispered to Yan Xiaosi, “Don’t worry, Miss Yan Shuyun is doing well with us.”

“Thank you for looking after her,” Yan Xiaosi replied gratefully.

“No problem, no problem,” the clerk responded.

Ms. Zhong seemed to understand why Yan Xiaosi had bought so many osmanthus cakes. After the young clerk left, she quietly asked Xiaosi, “Did you buy all these cakes to help your third sister win the favor of the workers at Xu Family Fur Store, so they treat her better?”

Yan Xiaosi smiled slyly. “Mom, you see through everything.”

Seeing her daughter being thoughtful for her sister, Ms. Zhong felt a sense of gratification. Siblings should indeed look out for one another. “Xiaosi, you are a good child.”

Seeing Ms. Zhong’s eyes red, probably thinking about the cause of their father’s death, Yan Xiaosi quickly changed the subject, “Mom, third sister is inside. Let’s go in quickly.”

The backyard of Xu Family Fur Store resembled a workshop. The ground floor had several spacious rooms used for dyeing, cutting, and sewing furs.

Yan Shuyun was assigned to learn fur sewing. Xiaosi, having visited once before, knew where her sister was working and led them directly there.

“Shuyun, it’s better to use orange thread for sewing this color of fox fur.”

“Thank you for the reminder, Master Liu.”

Yan Shuyun, while sewing a tangerine-colored fox fur, pricked her finger. Liu Xu, hearing her soft yelp, looked down, saw the bead of blood on her finger, and anxiously took the fur and needle from her.

“It’s okay, take it slow. Don’t hurt yourself working in a rush.”

Yan Xiaosi and Ms. Zhong arrived just in time to see Liu Xu caring for Yan Shuyun, wiping the blood from her finger with a handkerchief.

Yan Shuyun’s face flushed, and she quickly withdrew her hand. “It’s common for girls to prick their fingers while sewing. Master Liu, you don’t need to be so worried. The store must be busy with increased business these days. You should help out in the front.”

“Ahem.”

Yan Xiaosi coughed lightly at the door, drawing Shuyun and Liu Xu’s attention.

Seeing her mother, sisters, and younger sister, Shuyun blushed even more.

Liu Xu greeted them politely. “Madam Yan, Young Master Yan, you’ve arrived.”

Yan Xiaosi nodded and handed an osmanthus cake to Shuyun, “Third sister, I bought some osmanthus cakes. Share them with everyone.”

“Oh.”

Shuyun took the paper bag and offered a piece to Liu Xu, “Master Liu, this is from my brother. Please try it.”

Yan Xiaosi noticed Liu Xu’s happy acceptance and his admiring gaze at her sister. It seemed Master Liu had taken a liking to her third sister. However, they needed to see if he was truly a good person; she wouldn’t allow her sister to marry a reckless and dissolute young master.

“Third sister, I bought a lot of cakes. Take some to the other workers too.”

After distributing cakes in the sewing room, Yan Shuyun left with the remaining cakes for the others.

Seizing the opportunity of Yan Shuyun’s absence, Yan Xiaosi said to Liu Xu, “Master Liu, may I have a word with you?”

Seeing Liu Xu nod, she told her family, “Mom, big sister, second sister, please wait here. I’ll be back after a brief chat with Master Liu.”