Chapter 20 The Taste of Golden Pears, Selling Pears, Butler Claire...
Ray carried pears and apples on his back, and Neil obediently followed beside him as they walked to the market.
The neat cobblestone streets made Neil secretly admire how well the roads were built; his shoes would never get covered in mud on rainy days.
The village roads are mostly dirt roads, except for the main road, which is paved with a thick layer of gravel. It was paved by the village elders when they first took office, to make it easier to transport grain. This road has greatly facilitated the villagers' daily travel.
“Brother.” Neil tugged at Ray’s sleeve.
"What's wrong, Neil?"
"Brother, was that person not human?"
Neil asked in a low voice.
Ray was somewhat surprised, but then he thought that Iru's strange attire made Neil's suspicions understandable. But why was he so certain that Iru wasn't human, and not just a teenager?
He planned to ask Neil.
Why do you think that?
Neil hesitated for a moment before answering Ray's question.
"Brother, please don't think I'm being rude."
"Okay, go ahead and say it."
"That person smelled strange. Very different from everyone else's."
What does it taste like?
"Then Ray asked," Leigh continued.
"It's a damp, earthy smell, a bit pungent, that I've never smelled before on the villagers."
"What about the others?"
"Everyone else smells like dried sunshine. Aunt Linda smells a bit like bread, and Uncle Hagrid smells a bit like wheat. But you're the most unique, brother. You smell like nice wood, which no one else smells like!"
Ray frowned; Neil's nose was a little too sensitive. Iru did have a slight sweaty smell, but it was definitely not the earthy smell Neil described.
"When did you begin to be able to hear the Dao?"
"It was okay when I was little, but my mom said I couldn't tell anyone else."
Neil looked around, afraid that other pedestrians would hear him.
"You can't tell anyone else besides me, understand?"
Ray looked at Neil, who nodded emphatically. Ray's sudden seriousness made him somewhat uneasy.
"Brother, what did I do wrong?"
"No, Neil. Just remember this: 'Always be wary of others,' and never tell your secrets to other people."
"Okay, I'll remember that, brother."
Seeing Neil's tense little body, it was obvious that he was nervous. Not wanting to spoil the child's happy mood, Ray changed the subject.
"Iru is a goblin, are you scared?"
"I'm not afraid!"
Neil puffed out his chest, indicating that he was already a little man and was not afraid of anything.
Lei chuckled softly and squeezed his shoulder twice.
Hmm, I've gained quite a bit of weight. Looks like I have a knack for raising kids.
Ray led Neil through several blocks to the market, where they paid ten copper coins at the management office at the end of the street to register and rent a small stall. The good spots had already been taken, so they got a less desirable location at the back.
Lai found his spot with the registration sign, put down his basket, and spread a dark felt cloth on the ground. He then neatly arranged the pears and apples on the cloth.
The best fruits were placed on top, and the less desirable ones were hidden at the bottom. After arranging them, Lai covered the fruits further inside with grass leaves, leaving only the ones in front exposed to prevent them from wilting in the sun.
The golden yellow of the pears and the dark gray of the felt cloth created a strong visual contrast, making them stand out among the other stalls.
"Neil, you can wander around the market, I'll take care of things here."
"No. Brother, I want to sell with you."
"Okay, I'll take you for a walk after I sell them all."
Ray let Neil do whatever he wanted. The two brothers sat cross-legged on the ground like the other stall owners, each with a leaf on their head. Just like when they were selling mung bean soup, they let Neil collect the money.
"Young man, is this your first time here? Which village are you from?"
The stall owner next door struck up a conversation, his face shrewd and his eyes gleaming as he looked longingly at the pears on Lai's stall.
"Yes, it's from that 'small mountain village' area. I picked some wild fruit on the mountain a few days ago, and this morning I took an oxcart to town to sell it and exchange it for some copper coins."
“‘Small mountain village’, that’s quite far.”
Lai noticed that the stall owner had withdrawn his gaze, and the other stall owners who had been eavesdropping on the commotion but had no business also withdrew their ears.
In markets like these, people from different villages like to gather together to sell their goods. This serves two purposes: firstly, it allows them to look out for each other, and secondly, it prevents them from being bullied by people from other villages.
The elders of this small mountain village are known for protecting their own, which makes the entire village more united than other villages. Villagers who come to the market to sell their goods are generally not dared to be overcharged.
Ray wondered to himself what they were up to.
Be careful when you're out and about; you might get scammed by someone if you're not careful.
"How much are these pears? They're golden yellow and look really good."
Soon, people came to the stall asking how much the pears cost.
"Eight copper coins each."
This is the normal price; the villagers think it's too expensive and don't buy it, but people living in town often buy a few to try. However, the visitor felt it was a bit pricey, shook his head, and left.
The two brothers sat for a long time but no one bought pears. Apples, which were cheaper, sold more than a dozen.
This can't go on like this; we need to think of a solution.
Lai cleared his throat and began to call out.
"Pears for sale! Pears for sale! Sweet and crisp golden pears. Eight copper coins each, fifteen copper coins for two, buy ten get one free. Try them first, or you don't have to pay if they're not sweet."
Xiao Ci's words flowed effortlessly, leaving the other stall owners speechless.
Is this even possible?
Ignoring the stares of others, Ray continued his hawking. Neil wore a knowing look on his face.
Actually, the pears that Lai sold weren't the modern golden pears; he just gave them a name based on their color, and nobody really cared.
Soon, some aunties carrying baskets came to buy groceries. Drawn by Lai's handsome appearance and the discount of one copper coin, they bought a few. While picking out pears, they teased Lai with their companions.
Lai wasn't angry at all. She listened to whatever they said, greeted them with smiles, and even thoughtfully rummaged through the grass to find some that hadn't been exposed to the sun. She won the favor of the aunties and, in her happiness, bought two more.
"Brother, I'll take care of it for you."
Neil started calling out, mimicking Ray's words. He hadn't even started puberty yet, but his clear, boyish voice rang out, attracting a few more customers.
Neil, I don't know who he learned it from, has a very sweet tongue, and he makes the uncles and aunts who come to buy pears very happy.
"These pears look good. Pick out twenty of the best ones for me."
A well-dressed middle-aged man approached, his clothes embroidered with gold thread depicting wild boars with tusks, and he wore glasses. Two servants followed behind him.
Although he knew it wasn't a wild boar, Lai couldn't name it and just assumed it was.
Others respectfully made way for him, and a well-mannered lady curtsied to him, to which he returned the gesture by removing his hat.
"Good afternoon, Butler Claire."
Good afternoon, beautiful lady.
"Good morning, Claire!"
Hello.
The servant placed the large basket of vegetables on the stall, and Ray picked out twenty-two pears and added four extra apples.
"How much?"
"One silver coin and sixty copper coins in total, sir."
Another servant stepped forward and gave Lai two silver coins.
Keep the change, please.
After finishing his sentence, Butler Blake turned and left, not caring about Ray's reaction.
More people came to buy pears, and Lai gave an extra apple to those who bought a lot. It took a while to see this group of people off.
"Who is Claire, the butler?"
Ray asked the stall owner who had spoken to him earlier.
"You don't know this?"
The stall owner looked at him with the same eyes one would give a country bumpkin.
"Butler Claire is the head butler of the Edmondson family. The baron's family has a large fief in Eton, and they came to town mainly to escape the summer heat at the mansion."
His vanity was satisfied by the way Ray and Neil listened attentively, and he continued.
"I heard the Baron will be staying for a long time this time, and he won't leave until after the celebration is over. He's already hosted two decent balls, oh, praise to these generous gentlemen."
Clearly, Claire's housekeeper, who goes out to shop, has already benefited many people.
Ray and Neil exchanged a glance. Little Neil's eyes revealed a clear naiveté; he was too young to understand the social relationships between the noble lords.
"thank you."
Ray thanked him and continued selling pears and apples with Neil.
They didn't bring much fruit, and after selling it all, they packed up, returned the wooden sign, and got their deposit of five copper coins back.
Ray took little Neil on a leisurely stroll through the market from beginning to end.
The villagers' stalls were mostly filled with seasonal vegetables, piled high and kept very clean.
There was a stall selling wood carvings, displaying many lifelike little animals, some even painted with colorful lacquer. Ray noticed Neil slowing his pace and glancing back a few times as he passed.
Do you like it?
Neil hesitated before speaking.
"I want to buy one for my niece Luna; her birthday is coming up soon."
"Let's go take a look."
The two returned, and the stall owner greeted them briefly before continuing to carve the wood in his hands.
Neil looked and looked and finally chose a cute little wooden monkey carving with two round red bottoms painted on it.
How much is this?
"Fifteen copper coins."
Neil thought it was a bit expensive, but he gritted his teeth and bought it anyway.
"Let me pick another one for myself. I made a lot of money today, so I'll pay for it."
"good."
Neil crouched down again and chose a wooden cat carving of a cat lying down. He picked the only unpainted one among the three cat carvings.
"I want this one!"
After paying, Neil carefully wrapped the two wooden carvings in a handkerchief and put them in his pocket.
The two continued strolling forward, when a rich aroma wafted from an inconspicuous little shop. A wooden board with a bread pattern hung on the wall. Though small, the shop was well-equipped, with shelves displaying bread, cookies, fruit pies, and the like. The quantity wasn't large, but there were several varieties to choose from.
"What would you like to buy, sir? My father's butter bread is the best in town. It'll only cost fifteen coins."
The young woman, wearing a clean apron, greeted the two men; her light blue eyes were quite captivating.
A pound of wheat flour costs twenty copper coins and can make three baguettes, which is a bit pricey, but Rye still bought one for Neil. She also bought ten copper coins worth of very hard, creamy ladyfingers. She didn't know how they were made; they didn't crumble and were very hard. They were difficult to bite through and a little tough to chew, but the more she chewed, the more fragrant they became. They suited Rye's taste perfectly.
They quickly finished exploring the street, but didn't see Mu's butcher stall today. After asking the shopkeepers for directions to other markets, Lai took Neil to another location.
A note from the author:
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