"Do you want a big jar? What do you think of this one? This is the largest jar in our store." The young shopkeeper pointed to a big jar in the room.
Ji Xinhe took a look, the jar was almost as tall as half a person. She guessed it could hold up to two hundred kilograms of water.
Ji Xinhe laughed, "This one. I want ten of these big jars, can you deliver them to my place?"
"That’s easy! Miss, since you’re buying so many, we can certainly deliver them for you. But, you need to pay half the deposit first. The price of our jar is 42 wen, so ten will cost four taels of silver and twenty wen."
Ji Xinhe scrunched up her little face, "I am buying so many at once, so there should be some discount, right? How about offering each jar for 40 wen? I might need to buy more in the future. If your jars are good and reasonably priced, I will come again and bring more business to you. Can you give me a little discount?"
The shopkeeper hesitated, "Well, I’m afraid..."
"If I don’t get any discount for buying so many, I might as well go and check out other stores. People always say that businessmen prefer dealing with big customers as they are straightforward." Ji Xinhe was about to leave after saying that.
The young shopkeeper couldn’t afford to lose such a big deal. He hurriedly stopped her and laughed, "Alright, alright, 40 wen it is. Miss, you will have to bring more business to our store in the future. I am really selling these to you at a loss today!"
Ji Xinhe didn’t believe him, yet she still smiled sweetly and said, "Of course, I will!"
After paying two taels of silver as a deposit, the young shopkeeper immediately sent someone to deliver the jars to Ji Xinhe’s village. She left early that day and the tasks were carried out smoothly. When she returned home, the sun hadn’t set yet.
Upon arriving at the village, the villagers were surprised to see Ji Xinhe returning with several carts, "Hey, Ji Xinhe, what have you bought? You have brought so many things."
"Nothing much, just a few large jars," Ji Xinhe replied nonchalantly.
"Why did you buy so many?"
"Hehe, it’s nothing." Ji Xinhe laughed and slipped away. The villagers didn’t ask any further, but they couldn’t help but marvel at the jars on the carts.
When she got back home, Ji Dong had already brought back the grapes. A cart was piled high with grapes, and Ji Xinhe laughed so hard that she could barely keep her eyes open.
"I’ve also bought the jars and sugar. We can start making wine tomorrow!" Ji Xinhe said, excited.
"Hmm, good!" Ji Dong began unloading the jars efficiently, moving them into his courtyard.
Thin as she was, Ji Xinhe could not help with the heavy lifting. Suddenly she noticed Xiao Bei was missing and became worried, "Brother, where’s Xiao Bei?"
"Gou Dan came by earlier and Xiao Bei went off to play with him and the other kids," Ji Dong replied, while moving jars. "That kid forgets about time when he’s playing. You go call him back, it’s almost time for dinner."
"Alright!" Ji Xinhe was also worried, she hasn’t been very comforted about leaving Xiao Bei on his own ever since he was exploited once.
Gou Dan and his friends usually liked to play in the small bamboo grove in the village. Ji Xinhe headed there to look for Xiao Bei.
"Xiao Bei, Xiao Bei!" Once Ji Xinhe was in the bamboo grove, she began shouting.
A reply came not long after, "Sister! I’m over here!"
Ji Xinhe immediately ran towards the direction of the voice. From afar, she saw five or six children huddled together. Xiao Bei happily ran towards Ji Xinhe and leaped into her arms, his little face covered in sweat, "Sister, why are you here?"
Ji Xinhe wiped the sweat from his face and laughed, "You’ve lost track of time playing. The sun is about to set and you’re still not home. Your brother asked me to come get you for dinner."
Xiao Bei looked down, a look of hesitation on his face, "But..."
"What’s wrong?" As Ji Xinhe asked, she followed Xiao Bei’s gaze to Gou Dan and his friends.
Seeing Gou Dan’s anxious face, he seemed on the verge of tears.
"What happened?" Ji Xinhe was after all the only adult around, so it was only natural for her to ask.
"Gou Dan’s vine ball was kicked away," Xiao Bei explained, "His dad just bought it for him, it’s really expensive. If his dad finds out it’s gone, he’ll definitely beat him."
Ji Xinhe could not help but laugh, they were just being kids thinking everything was a big deal.
"If it’s lost, then look for it. Do you think the vine ball will fly back by itself if you just wait here?" Ji Xinhe scolded them.
Gou Dan’s eyes were red, he bit his lip and said, "No, the ball... the ball flew into the courtyard over there..."
"Which courtyard? Just go in and say sorry, then ask if you can retrieve it..." As she was speaking, Ji Xinhe followed the direction Gou Dan was pointing at and turned her head only to see the quiet and grand mansion outside the bamboo grove.
Ji Xinhe frowned slightly, this wasn’t exactly a good place.
Gou Dan twisted his fingers and said, "We don’t dare to go in, there are strong men guarding the gate. I’m afraid, but my ball..."
He really couldn’t bear to part with it. For a countryside child, how extravagant it was to own a toy? Compared to that, the beating he’d get after returning home wasn’t such a big deal.
As Gou Dan was speaking, he looked at Ji Xinhe with tearful eyes, his expectations clearly pinned on her.
The other children also turned their eager eyes on Ji Xinhe, as if the newly-adult young lady was their savior.
Helpless, Ji Xinhe finally nodded, "I’ll give it a try."
She knew if she refused outright, she would hurt the children’s feelings and leave them with a regret. It was better to say she would try. She would ask the gatekeeper if they would allow her in. If they said no, then it would end there. She wasn’t interested in causing trouble. If need be, she would buy another vine ball for Xiao Bei later so he could continue playing with Gou Dan and the others.
The children nodded joyfully, extremely excited.
Under the hopeful gaze of the children, Ji Xinhe, in face of the strong men’s stern stares, calmly walked up to the gate, "My vine ball fell into your master’s courtyard, can I go in to retrieve it?"
The strong men’s faces hardened, as if they were about to refuse.
Yet at this moment, a man dressed in black stepped out, "You can."
Ji Xinhe looked at him in surprise, "Huh?" She was utterly incredulous.
Ling Feng moved aside to open the way, "Please."
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