"Mom, I know you mean well, but I'll find a way. Things will get better." Yuan Doudou didn't think she had any great qualities, but she was an optimist by nature. Even though she was penniless now, she firmly believed that fortunes change, and as long as she worked hard, she would be rewarded sooner or later.
With tears welling up in her eyes, Wang wiped her eyes with a handkerchief and said slowly, "Dou Dou, listen to your mother. Let's get through this difficult time first. If we have money in the future, it's not impossible to redeem her."
She unfolded her handkerchief and looked at the gleaming silver bracelets, one with a dragon and the other with a phoenix. They were given to her by her maternal grandmother when her mother got married, and were considered a family heirloom.
Yuan Doudou thought about it and realized that her mother-in-law's words made sense. Anyway, it was just a matter of pawning the money and using it for cash flow, so it didn't seem like a big problem.
"Alright, then I won't stand on ceremony with Mother." Yuan Doudou grinned and happily accepted the bracelet.
Wang breathed a sigh of relief, picked up her rice bowl, and began to eat in small bites. Although it was still dark buckwheat porridge, she found it very delicious.
"Anji, here, have some sweet potato. Grandma can't eat anymore." Wang put the only small sweet potato in her bowl into Anji's bowl.
There was only one sweet potato left in the house, and it was in Wang's bowl.
Anji smiled, revealing his white teeth, glanced at his mother, and then took the sweet potato away. "Grandma, Anji doesn't like sweet potatoes."
The sweet potato was returned to Wang's bowl, and Yuan Doudou also advised from the side, "Mother, it's not easy for children to digest too much sweet potato, you should eat it."
Breakfast was even simpler than dinner; there wasn't even a buckwheat pancake.
There wasn't enough flour left at home for the next meal, so she had to go out after dinner.
"Okay, then I'll tease you with some." Wang tried to pick out the sweet potato again.
However, Yuan Doudou was quick. She finished the porridge in her bowl in one go, put it on the table, and deliberately let out a burp, saying, "Oh, I'm so full, I really can't eat anymore."
Wang smiled helplessly, picked up a sweet potato, took a small bite, and found it strange that the sweet potato was exceptionally sweet today.
After breakfast, Yuan Doudou cleared the dishes and prepared medicine for Wang Shi, just enough for one meal.
"Mother, please watch over Anji for me. I'm going to the market." Today is the third day of the Lunar New Year, which happens to be market day.
"Alright, go ahead without worry." Madam Wang beckoned Anji to come to her side.
When Anji heard that his mother wasn't going to take him, his lips turned down, and he looked like he was about to cry.
"Anji, be good. Mommy is going on a long trip and can't take you with me. Stay home and listen to Grandma. When Mommy comes back, I'll make you something delicious." Yuan Doudou hugged Anji and comforted him.
Anji forced a smile and said in his childish voice, "Mommy keeps her word."
Yuan Doudou was amused by his mature demeanor and pinched Anji's soft cheek, saying, "Mother's word is as good as gold."
When she came out of the house, Yuan Doudou looked utterly dejected.
It takes about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea to get out of the village. And the road from the village entrance to the market is like a sheep's intestine, winding and endless.
How long will it take to get here? In the past, when the original owner went to the market, he always walked. There were post carriages on the road, but a trip cost ten coins, which ordinary people couldn't afford. Ten coins were enough to buy a pound of flour.
I ran into an acquaintance as soon as I reached the village entrance.
Wang Qiqiang stood at the village entrance, next to a bulging burlap sack from which blood was seeping.
Yuan Doudou felt her hair stand on end and her eyes darted around, afraid that Wang Qiqiang would discover that he had discovered her crimes.
She walked past Wang Qiqiang as if she were blind, completely oblivious to his presence.
He appeared nonchalant on the surface, but inside he was panicking.
"You can't see me, you can't see me," Yuan Doudou kept repeating to herself.
However.
“Sister An.” Wang Qiqiang’s deep voice sounded from behind.
Yuan Doudou's heart skipped a beat. She had been trying to be discreet, so how did she still get discovered?
Having no other choice, Yuan Doudou could only bite the bullet and turn around, forcing a smile as she said, "Huh, I didn't see anyone here just now."
Wang Qiqiang remained calm and nonchalant, saying, "I'm waiting for the bus. If you're going to town, we can go together."
It's really unsafe for a young woman to walk such a long distance alone.
"I'll walk there. You wait here. I'm leaving now." Yuan Doudou waved her hand, thinking to herself: You dare to take a car while carrying a blood-stained sack, not even afraid of being discovered in broad daylight. Looks like you're a repeat offender.
Thank goodness, she'd better make a quick getaway and stay away from Wang Qiqiang in the future.
"Hey," Wang Qiqiang said hesitantly from behind, but Yuan Doudou was running too fast, and no matter what he said, she couldn't hear him.
Strange, she was carrying water for me yesterday and even smiled at me, but today she looks at me like I'm a ghost.
A woman's heart is like a needle at the bottom of the sea.
Yuan Doudou walked for a mile, and all that was ahead was lush greenery. The spring scenery was beautiful, but she wasn't in the mood to appreciate it.
She was worried about when she would be able to get to town.
Thinking back, she used to be someone who would take a taxi whenever she went out and didn't want to walk a single step.
The sound of bells came from behind. Yuan Doudou turned around curiously and saw the carriage from the post station.
Wang Qiqiang sat on it, with other people beside him.
"Sister An, get in the car, it's still twenty li to town," Wang Qiqiang said to Yuan Doudou, gesturing for the driver to stop.
What? There's still twenty li to go, which is five kilometers. Walking ten kilometers is going to kill someone!
"But I have no money," Yuan Doudou said, too embarrassed to say it aloud.
"You didn't bring any money? It's okay, I'll lend you some first, and you can pay me back when you get back." Wang Qiqiang saw through Yuan Doudou's predicament at a glance.
Yuan Doudou looked up and met Wang Qiqiang's deep eyes. He was surprisingly thoughtful.
"Thank you then." Yuan Doudou chose to compromise in order to avoid breaking her legs.
After getting on the bus, Yuan Doudou sat on the outer side, but she could still smell a bloody odor.
She endured the discomfort, covering her mouth and nose with her sleeve, and remained silent the entire way.
After an unknown amount of time of torment, the carriage finally stopped at the town's post station.
Yuan Doudou got off the car first, looked around, and sure enough, it was market day; the market was extremely lively.
Not only were there small vendors, but there were also acrobatic performances – something you only see on TV.
"Sister An, I'm going to sell my goods now. We'll come back here to catch the carriage later. Don't forget, there's only one carriage going back. You must be here before noon."
Yuan Doudou overheard this, waved to him, and turned to leave.
It's 3:45 AM now, time is of the essence, she needs to hurry and find a pawnshop.
Using her memory, Yuan Doudou found the pawnshop on the second street, which was also the only one in town.
As soon as they entered, there were three people in front of them. Yuan Doudou followed behind, observing how the people in front of her were pawning their items.
The first person took a silver hairpin. The shopkeeper held the hairpin, examined it for a while, weighed it in his hand, then threw it on the ground, picked it up, scratched it with a pin, and nodded.
Yuan Doudou realized that he was distinguishing the authenticity of things; it turns out that even in ancient times, people were so particular about authenticating things.
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