Yun Ruoxia kindly explained, "This is also thanks to Manager Zhou. Other restaurants have also been asking us about the black mushroom. As for the price, it's five copper coins per tael. We young ladies are short-sighted and only think that the extra two copper coins can help us sisters buy a hair tie or a silk flower to wear."
Manager Zhou realized that he had been negligent. Last time, they had only agreed to three coins per tael because they were doing him a favor. He had simply forgotten about that. Five coins per tael would not have been a problem, but he couldn't agree so readily, lest they take advantage of him in the future.
Shopkeeper Zhou frowned, put his hands behind his back, looking quite troubled. After a while, he sighed, "Your black mushrooms are indeed different from those on the market, but we are just trying to make a living. Originally, we were thinking of selling them for four coins per tael, each of us keeping our own. Well... five coins it is, just don't sell them to others."
Yun Ruoxia saw through his trick immediately. His expression and tone when he spoke were just like those men in the village who were found to have hidden money. She didn't expose him, but simply replied, "I'll keep it to myself."
After setting the price at five copper coins per ounce, Yunling and Yunruoxia returned to the village and went up the mountain to collect dead branches. They even built a shed in the yard to vigorously cultivate mushrooms.
Hearing the commotion from the third branch of the family, and seeing that Yunling and Yunruoxia were always driving the donkey cart and going nowhere, Liu waited for Zhang to go out to deliver the food before sneaking into the house. However, Xiaobai was not one to be trifled with and barked wildly at her, even trying to bite her.
Liu panicked and quickly grabbed a broom by the door for self-defense, yelling, "If you're any more aggressive, you damn dog, I'll stew you and make dog soup!"
Xiao Bai bared its fangs. Yun Chu, who was inside the house, heard the noise and rushed out. Usually, her mother would close the main gate when she went out, but now, because Xiao Bai was guarding the gate, she only closed the middle gate. She didn't expect Liu Shi to come in.
"Don't call me 'Grandma,' Little White."
Upon hearing the sound, Little White went back to its den, but it was still worried about Liu and continued to bare its teeth at her.
When Liu saw Yun Chu, she was secretly delighted. Yun Chu was just like Zhang Shi, a soft-hearted pushover who was easy to manipulate.
"Oh dear, Sister Chu, why did you set up a shed in the yard? What's it for?"
As Liu asked the question, she walked toward the shed. Yun Chu cried out "Ah!" and ran far away, shaking her head in fear and pursing her lips.
Seeing this, Liu was caught in a dilemma, unsure whether to advance or retreat. She felt a little apprehensive; could there be something dirty inside?
"Chu-jie, what's wrong?"
Yun Chu shook her head again, but her eyes kept glancing behind Liu Shi, and she murmured, "Grandma clearly said that it wouldn't come out during the day."
"W-what? Come out? What come out?"
Liu got goosebumps all over and hurriedly moved closer to Yun Chu, asking again, "Did your grandmother put this up?"
"yes."
She's only seven years old, how could she lie?
Liu knew that Pan always hung out with those sorceresses and such, and she didn't know what she had brought into the house. No wonder she felt a chill when she approached the shed.
Liu stopped approaching the shed and turned to walk into the kitchen. Zhang had kept the kitchen very clean; the stove was not slippery, and the floor was dry, much better than her daughters-in-law's.
There were several seasoning jars next to the pot. Liu opened them one by one, saw that there was rock sugar inside, grabbed a handful and stuffed it into her pocket, and then said casually, "Chu'er, why are you the only one at home? Where are Ling'er and the others? Did they go to the county town?"
Yun Chu shook her head. "I don't know."
Seeing her naiveté, Liu harbored thoughts of sowing discord.
"It's not that Grandma is gossiping, it's just that you two sisters don't get along very well, especially that Ling'er. You two are clearly sisters, but she insists on playing with her aunt. She must be trying to neglect you."
"No, that's not true!"
“Where is she not? Goodness, doesn’t your family all favor her? They even stopped going to the county town because of her? How worried your mother was during the few days she disappeared? If this continues, where will you find a place in this family?”
Yun Chu envied Yun Ling, who could grow mushrooms and go to the mountains and the county town, and whose mother doted on her. But while she could envy her, it would be wrong to let jealousy arise from it.
Zhang once said that everyone is born with their own strengths. The eldest aunt has superhuman strength, the second aunt can do accounting, Yunling can grow mushrooms, and she can also embroider handkerchiefs and make a living.
Liu's actions were undoubtedly intended to sow discord, and Yun Chu immediately decided to ignore her.
Seeing that Yun Chu remained silent, Liu assumed she had persuaded her, and promptly grabbed another handful of star anise and stuffed it into her pocket, her face full of earnest concern.
"Oh, Grandma's family is full of grandsons. Grandsons are good, but they are not as considerate as daughters. They always think of Grandma when they have something good to eat or use. Oh, Grandma really wants a granddaughter."
"oh."
Seeing that Yun Chu was not following her lead, Liu thought to herself that Yun Chu was a blockhead and that she would rather rely on herself than on Yun Chu. Since Yun Shenghua's room was locked and it was difficult to enter the rooms of Pan Shi and Yun Ruochun, she went to Yun Chu and Yun Ling's room instead.
The two children's room was small, just a few steps away. There were some needlework on the small table and a small box, the contents of which were unknown.
She didn't know, but Yun Chu did—it was all money earned by Yun Ling!
If Liu knew this, she would probably make a huge scene again. Just as she was about to reach out, Yunling shouted, "Grandma, you're back!"
Liu was scared half to death. Her back was covered in sweat, and her hands and feet were weak and sore. This Pan was a ruthless old fox. If she set her sights on someone, they would be skinned alive, if not killed.
Liu was trying to come up with an explanation, but when she left the room, she couldn't find Pan. She breathed a sigh of relief, but then frowned and looked at Yun Chu, "Where's your grandmother?"
"She was there just now, but she went in that direction again, probably looking for something. When she comes back, Grandma can ask her."
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