Chapter 57: Lü Shisan
Before daybreak, the Li family courtyard became bustling.
Qin Fangci and Li Yulan each carried a basket on their backs. Qin Fangci's basket was filled with the dendrobium that Li Laosan had picked with great difficulty yesterday. Li Laosan carried two baskets on his shoulders, which contained fresh vegetables from his home. Qin Fangci planned to take them with her and ask Li Yulan and Li Laosan to set up a stall, at least to earn back the money they spent on the ox cart ride.
This time when she went to the county town, she not only wanted to buy things but also go shopping.
I don’t know if the old man driving the ox cart has started spring planting at home or was smelled by the shit yesterday, but he still hasn’t come.
"Mom, it's getting late. Let's walk there. We can ride the ox cart when it catches up." Li Laosan suggested carefully.
Qin Fangci looked in the direction of the ox cart again. There was no trace of the ox cart, but the sky was beginning to brighten.
"Let's go."
I hope the old man driving the coach is just delayed by something and can still drive to the county town soon, so that they can still have a car to ride when they come back.
The three of them were not slow walkers, and it took them at least an hour to reach the county town.
"Mom, I know where the market is. My second brother and I went there yesterday. We can set up a vegetable stall on the other side of the pork stall."
"Let's go, you lead the way," said Qin Fangci.
When passing by the bun stall, Li Yulan couldn't help swallowing quietly. The word "mother" was still stuck in her throat when Qin Fangci walked over and bought three meat buns.
"Eat. You must be hungry since you didn't take the bus today."
Li Yulan couldn't wait to take a bite, "Mmm, Mom, it's delicious. I didn't expect their meat buns are even better."
"Did you eat it yesterday?" Why didn't you mention the money for the buns when you were settling the bill yesterday?
Oops, I let it slip. Li Yulan choked on the bun. Meeting Qin Fangci's inquiring eyes, she laughed dryly and said, "It was my younger brother. He bought some for me and my second brother."
The more they spoke, the lower their voices became, for fear that Qin Fangci would get angry and settle the score with them.
Qin Fangci: "..."
Li Yulan carefully glanced at Qin Fangci's expression again, "Mother, it's my younger brother..."
"Well, since it's your little brother's idea, just eat it."
"Mom, aren't you angry?"
"What's there to be angry about? Can I even force the buns out of your throats? It's consensual, there's nothing to say."
"I was so scared. I thought you were going to be angry."
"In your eyes, your mother is the kind of person who gets angry without knowing the truth?"
Li Yulan nodded subconsciously and then quickly shook her head.
"No, no, hehe, mother."
It’s not true. My mother was like that before my younger brother was injured. After my younger brother was injured, she changed a lot. She became stricter and more reasonable.
You still have to be my little brother!
"Little brother, you've suffered a lot. Thank you for your hardship. I've had steamed buns for two days in a row, and today I had meat buns. When I save up a hundred coins, I'll buy you a vegetarian bun too," Li Yulan thought silently.
As I was talking, I felt like I was walking faster, and before I knew it, the bustling vegetable market was right in front of me.
The last time Li Yulan and her friends arrived at the vegetable market, they were even later than this.
Mainly because the ox cart wasn't much faster, it took them quite a while to get to the grocery store.
"Mom, there's an empty seat over there, let's go over there."
"Hey, hey, hey, if you want to set up a stall, you have to go to the pavilion in front and find the mayor to pay the fee and get a number. Only after you get the number can you set up your stall here, otherwise the people in there will come out and knock your stall over."
The young man at the stall next to him took the initiative to talk to Qin Fangci and the other two. He saw them when they came in and it was obvious that it was their first time there.
He, Lu Shisan, is the best guy in this vegetable market. He always hates to see others being beaten for no reason. Alas... It's not easy for country people to earn money.
"We really didn't know. Thank you so much, young man." Qin Fangci thanked him politely.
"It's no big deal. Aunty, go ahead and pick out the vegetables for the people inside to see. Remember to give them a handful of vegetables. Don't be silly."
"Don't I have to pay for the food?" Li Yulan asked foolishly.
Lu Shisan rolled his eyes. "What are you thinking! Giving things will make people talk more easily. When you get there, just point to the location. I'll watch for you. You can come directly here later."
"Why? We have plenty of vegetables at home, and we usually sell them for two cents a bunch." Li Yulan felt very distressed.
You pay and they give you vegetables for free. Is the county vegetable market really at a loss?
"Shh, keep your voice down. Go, go quickly." Lu Shisan waved his hand.
"Thank you, young man," Qin Fangci pulled Li Yulan and Li Laosan and walked towards the small pavilion that Lu Shisan pointed to.
The person in the pavilion just came back from outside and saw the three people who had just walked past turned back and looked in the direction of Lu Shisan.
It’s a good idea to put Lu Shisan in this position. It saves him a lot of trouble.
"Well, Mr. Mayor, we are here to get our license plates." Qin Fangci said with a smile.
The mayor raised his eyes high and asked, "What are you selling?"
"Green vegetables, grown at home. Mr. Mayor, please try some. They were freshly harvested this morning."
"Give me three cents and take the number plate. You must bring it back when you leave."
Qin Fangci handed over three cents and a bunch of vegetables, went over to get a number plate, and then took Li Yulan and Li Laosan back to Lu Shisan.
"Mom, we've already spent money before we even sold anything. Why don't you just mention that we haven't even opened the stall yet? Maybe you could give him a few more vegetables."
That's equivalent to three cents for a bunch of vegetables.
"What are you thinking about? We still have to go buy meat later. Don't make trouble. Lao San, you stay here and watch the stall. Yulan and I will go to the meat stall first."
"Mom," Li Laosan scratched his head, feeling a little worried, "Mom, I don't know how to settle accounts."
"One handful is two cents, two handfuls are three cents. If you hand out one handful of vegetables, you get two cents back. If you hand out two handfuls, you get three cents back. Four handfuls is two three cents each. Count by the vegetables."
Li Laosan was still a little nervous, mainly because he had never done business before. He could work in the fields without saying a word for a whole morning, but he found it difficult to even speak when thinking about doing business.
But after Qin Fangci finished her instructions, she took Li Yulan away.
Lu Shisan patted Li Laosan's shoulder gently and said, "It's okay. I can do the math. If you really can't figure it out later, I'll help you."
Li Laosan breathed a sigh of relief, "That's great, little brother."
Li Laosan is a man of few words, but he cannot stand up to Lu Shisan who talks a lot.
The two of them can chat with each other.
Qin Fangci brought Li Yulan to the meat stall. Li Yulan pointed to the stall where they had been yesterday and said happily to Qin Fangci, "Mom, that's right there. My second brother bought the pig's head there yesterday."
The butcher heard the sound and looked over. Just as he saw Li Yulan and was about to smile, he saw Qin Fangci next to her and immediately became alert.
Are you here to cause trouble?
They wanted to buy the pig offal themselves, but he only charged five cents, while the guy next door charged ten cents!
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