"Yesterday he was already able to eat a bowl of porridge with fermented bean curd, and his complexion was also better than before, but unfortunately we finished the last of the fermented bean curd yesterday, and you did not go out to sell any more. This morning my father had no appetite again. After asking around, I found out that you live in Jiuping Village, so I shamelessly came here, hoping to buy some fermented bean curd from you."
An Jing exchanged a look with Xiao Changyi before smiling and saying, "Young Master Wang, we do have some fermented bean curd stored, but it is saved for our own consumption."
Wang Youbao immediately got up and bowed, saying, "You can set the price; I’ll pay however much it costs. Please, you must sell some to me! My father really wants to eat this fermented bean curd!"
Indeed, a filial son.
An Jing’s smile then became much more genuine. "I can spare about two taels of the fermented bean curd we have saved for our own use. My husband and I are already making new batches. It should be ready in about five or six days, and then we’ll go to the market to sell it. If you want more at that time, you can buy from me at the market or come to our house."
"I am truly grateful," Wang Youbao made a bow again before sitting down, his sincerity evident. After a moment, he asked, "Then, how much for the price...?"
Wang Youbao was startled. He had thought he’d be charged an exorbitant amount, but the price was still the same as usual.
Yu Daming was also astonished. If it were him, he would have taken the opportunity to fleece Young Master Wang thoroughly!
An Jing did not look at them any longer but took Xiao Changyi to the kitchen and weighed out two taels of fermented bean curd before returning.
An Jing: "Two taels, twenty coins."
Xiao Changyi handed over the neatly wrapped two taels of fermented bean curd to Wang Youbao, who immediately stood up to receive it with both hands.
Receiving it, Wang Youbao felt somewhat apprehensive.
For some reason, even though the man had not said a word, he couldn’t ignore his presence. He felt an air of authority from him that made him unable to feel comfortable receiving it while sitting, and he was even a little afraid.
As soon as he took the fermented bean curd, Wang Youbao handed it over to Yu Daming to hold.
"Are you two really only asking for twenty coins?" Wang Youbao still found it hard to believe that these two weren’t taking the chance to fleece him. It seemed like a good opportunity.
An Jing found it rather amusing.
If this person had been disagreeable, she wouldn’t have fleeced him—she would have told him to leave and not sold him the fermented bean curd at all.
But this man was not only a filial son but also quite cultured. He had never looked down on them, despite them being farmer’s children; of course, she would sell to him and fulfill his act of filial piety.
"What, you want to haggle with me? I’ll have you know, ten coins a tael is already the lowest price!" An Jing said teasingly.
Wang Youbao immediately waved his hands in panic, "No, no, no, that’s not what I meant. I just thought that since you’re selling from your personal stock, it should be a bit more expensive."
An Jing casually adjusted her sleeve and spoke indifferently, "That’s what you think, but it has nothing to do with us."
Wang Youbao fell silent at once, his gaze shifting back and forth between An Jing and Xiao Changyi.
Ever since he had seen them, even though they were both dressed in simple cloth clothes, he felt that they were different, not at all like the children of a farmer.
As he brought his gaze back, Wang Youbao quickly took out twenty coins from his money pouch and placed them on the table, adding, "I have opened an inn in the town. I would like to buy fermented bean curd from you in the future to serve as a dish in my inn. What do you both think of this idea?"