Just as Jia Zhangshi left the market, a middle-aged man with graying temples and drenched in sweat rushed into the market.

Once inside the market, he didn't buy anything. Instead, he stared at the ground, searching for something. Even when sweat got into his eyes, he didn't rub them, afraid of missing something.

"Where did they go? Where did they go?!"

"I just received this money today, how could it be gone!"

The middle-aged man's actions quickly attracted the attention of those around him.

"Old Zhong, what are you looking for?"

One of the vendors, who was familiar with the middle-aged man, couldn't help but ask.

"I...I've lost my money!"

The middle-aged man hesitated for a moment, then replied in a low voice.

The middle-aged man couldn't let too many people know about the lost money, otherwise they would all go looking for it and he would be in big trouble. But if he didn't tell anyone, he was worried that the vendor he knew would find out about the money.

"You lost your money? Brother Zhong, don't panic. Think about where you went when you came to the market," the vendor said.

The middle-aged man thought for a moment, pointed to the route he had just taken, and said anxiously, "I just went over there to pick out some dishes, paid, and left."

The vendor looked in that direction, then, as if remembering something, suddenly said, "Just now, an old lady came to pick up the leftover vegetable leaves. At first, she was picking and choosing, but then she hurriedly stuffed some in and left."

"Could it be that the old lady picked up your money?"

"Auntie? What auntie? Brother, do you know that auntie?"

Upon hearing these words, the middle-aged man suddenly felt a glimmer of hope.

This money was what he had worked hard for a month to earn. His family of four depended on it for their livelihood. If the money couldn't be found, this month would be very difficult.

"Let me think." The vendor scratched his head. He vaguely remembered recognizing the old lady who picked up vegetable leaves, but he couldn't recall who she was for the moment.

"Brother, if you help me find the money, I'll treat you to a meal at a restaurant!" The middle-aged man was a little agitated. "I'm the only one in my family who goes out to earn money. If this money isn't found, all four of us will go hungry. My daughter is only two and a half years old."

"When she passed by me just now, I smelled a foul odor. If I remember correctly, it should be the old lady who pulls the manure cart." The vendor pointed in a direction to the middle-aged man: "I don't know exactly where she lives, but if you ask around there, you should be able to find her house."

There are only a few public toilets in Nanluoguxiang, and even fewer people carrying septic tanks. Once you know the general area, finding the person is just a matter of time.

"Thanks, brother. I'll definitely treat you to drinks once I get my money back!"

The middle-aged man nodded his thanks to the vendor, then jogged away from the market.

On the other side, Jia Zhangshi walked smugly into the courtyard, carrying a vegetable basket in one hand and a piece of meat in the other.

"That's right, we're having a special meal today, braised pork."

"No, who asked you?"

Xu Damao looked at Jia Zhangshi with disdain, then strutted around the yard several times with a piece of meat he had bought, as if afraid others wouldn't know.

"Heh, I don't have time to deal with you today."

Jia Zhangshi snorted coldly and carried the meat home.

"My dear grandson, look what Grandma bought for you: pork, pork that's seven parts fat and three parts cooked, it's the best for making braised pork."

"Meat, eat meat, Grandma is the best!"

The skewer happily circled around the pork.

I've been craving meat for so many days, and today I can finally have some!

"Haha, Grandma is definitely the best. My dear grandson, when you grow up, you must take good care of Grandma."

Qin Huairu, who was cooking porridge nearby, was completely dumbfounded when she saw the pork belly.

That piece of pork is so big, it must cost at least three pieces.

Where did Jia Zhangshi get the money?

The Jia family now has two sources of income: one is the money from the installment payments on the previous sale of workstations, and the other is the money from Jia Zhangshi's manure cart.

Together, these two add up to a little over forty yuan per month.

Forty-odd yuan seems like a lot, but Qin Huairu saved all the money from selling the workstation. The family's expenses all depended on Jia Zhangshi's dozen or so yuan, which is why the family lived a very frugal life.

But today, Jia Zhangshi bought so much meat as if she had gone mad.

Are we just fed up with life?

"Mom, how could you waste money like that? How are we going to get by in the next few days?" Qin Huairu couldn't help but scold.

When Jia Zhangshi ran out of money, she had to use the money she had saved.

That money was her backup plan.

In case an irreconcilable conflict arises between her and Jia Zhangshi, she could simply take the money and run away. Therefore, Qin Huairu doesn't want to touch a single penny of it.

"Tsk, Qin Huairu, what do you mean? You're stopping my precious grandson from eating braised pork?"

Taking the opportunity, Jia Zhangshi said to Banggeng, "My dear grandson, did you see that? Your mother doesn't want you to eat meat."

Qin Huairu was speechless.

"Mom, that's not what I meant. I meant that you bought so much meat, we'll go hungry for the next few days!"

Hungry?

Madam Jia snorted coldly and glanced disdainfully at Qin Huairu: "With me here, there's no way you'll go hungry. Alright, stop talking nonsense and hurry up and prepare the meat to stew. My dear grandson is waiting to eat braised pork!"

Having money in your pocket makes you confident.

Although it's not a huge sum of money, it's enough for the family to eat braised pork for many meals.

Qin Huairu was puzzled, but since the meat had already been bought, she decided to eat it first.

Seeing that Qin Huairu had gone to make braised pork, Jia Zhangshi finally took the vegetable basket with satisfaction, picked out some whole green vegetables, and rinsed them by the sink.

Braised pork is a must, but vegetables are just as important.

She has a little over twenty yuan in her pocket right now, and dinner must include both meat and vegetables.

Aunt Erda, who was also washing vegetables by the sink, glanced at Jia Zhangshi, who was grinning foolishly with her big teeth showing, and was a little confused for a moment.

What joyous occasion has Jia Zhangshi encountered?

Since he came back, his mouth hasn't closed.

"Mrs. Jia, where did you buy these vegetables? They look all wilted and broken. Did you pick them up somewhere?" Auntie Er casually started a conversation.

Um?

Upon hearing this, Jia Zhangshi angrily threw the vegetable leaves into the basin: "Picked them up? I, Jia Zhangshi, have plenty of money, why would I pick up vegetable leaves that others don't want?"

"Go to my house now and see if Qin Huairu is making braised pork!"

When she was broke, Jia Zhangshi didn't care about saving face.

But now that she has money, if Jia Zhangshi still doesn't care about saving face, then wouldn't all this money have been for nothing?

"If it's not true, it's not true. Why are you getting so worked up?"

Auntie Er wiped her hands on her apron, picked up the vegetable washing basin, and went home.

These days, picking up vegetable scraps isn't shameful; many people do it.

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