Getting the first piece of silver, Bai Yaoyu was very happy.
He started mimicking Bai Zhi’er’s way, standing in front of the stall yelling.
More and more people were tasting, but few were buying.
After all, thirty-five cents per pound of potatoes was still expensive.
But Bai Yaoyu listened to Bai Zhi’er say, "This is called Zhi Bao fishing, whoever wants to bite the bait will do so."
He found his sister’s reasoning both funny and exasperating.
It wasn’t long before a trembling old man showed up.
He didn’t even taste the potatoes and just wanted to buy some to take home.
Bai Zhi’er blinked her dense long lashes, noticing his plain clothing.
The little fellow’s eyes were dark, with a clear sheen.
A small hand directly grasped the old man’s wrist.
"Grandpa," Bai Zhi’er lowered her voice and said, "Go buy next door, they’re cheaper, ten coins per pound. Don’t buy from us, ours are too expensive. Save your money."
Upon hearing this, the old man’s beard perked up with a smile.
"If you know they’re expensive, why sell at this price?"
Bai Zhi’er lowered her little head, her voice pitiful: "My brother and I urgently need money to buy medicine."
The old man’s eyes showed compassion, and he asked, "Where are your parents?"
Bai Zhi’er sighed like a little kitten: "Mother is in Heaven, can’t help."
The old man pondered for a moment, tears and sentiment appearing in his weathered eyes.
Perhaps the child has lost his mother.
Such a young age, truly pitiful!
Before he could speak, a shout came from not far away—
"Dad! Wait for me, how did you disappear in the blink of an eye!"
Soon, a portly rich merchant, with seven or eight servants, caught up to the old man.
The old man folded his arms, snorted coldly: "I just wanted to see what this marketplace is like, being brought here from the village by you, it’s really not comfortable!"
Saying this, the old man pointed and said, "Buy all of these, take them back to make porridge, they’ll be delicious."
The merchant glanced and immediately shook his head, "Just a pile of lousy potatoes, what’s so good about them? Dad, come home with me, there’s plenty of delicacies at your disposal!"
The old man slapped him on the head: "You little rascal, don’t think just because you’ve earned some lousy money, you can forget your roots! Back in the day when we had no money, weren’t you eating just this up until you were eight?"
"Buy it!" he ordered, and the son could only fork out the money.
The merchant directly pulled out a silver note worth fifty taels and gave it to Bai Yaoyu.
"No need for change," he hurriedly said, while pulling at his father’s arm, "Dad, let’s go home. Don’t run off again, you really scared me!"
The servants behind the merchant carried the potatoes away with the long cloth.
Before leaving, the old man turned back to Bai Zhi’er and said, "Little one, no matter how tough life is, you’ll get through it; when you grow up, things will get better and better."
Back then, his wife also passed early, leaving him to raise the child alone.
Bai Zhi’er blinked her long lashes, a bit puzzled, but sweetly said, "Thank you, grandpa~ Wishing you long life~"
The old man left smiling, following his son, who didn’t forget to click his tongue, "The little one sure knows how to talk."
After speaking, like a money scattering child, he left behind a silver ingot.
After they all left, Bai Yaoyu stood in the cold wind, perplexed, holding the silver note in his left hand and a silver ingot in his right.
How did it come to this?
Usually, he stood there all day and no one would buy.
Yet, in only an hour after his sister arrived, everything was sold out.
And they got so much money?!
Could that seemingly ordinary middle-aged man be an affluent teahouse owner?
That apparently poor old man actually has a wealthy merchant son?
Bai Yaoyu looked at Bai Zhi’er, who was holding the silver note against the light, examining it.
This little child... is she the Little God of Wealth?