Chapter 108: Chapter 108 The Horse Goes Mad
Xuexue understood her mother’s worries and stepped forward, speaking in a low voice, “Mother, don’t worry, the money we spend can be earned back. We have no rice left at home, and we cannot live on sweet potatoes every day. Even if we can endure it, Chuner is weak and cannot bear it.”
Old Lady Mo, that stingy ghost, only divided a few bags of sweet potatoes for them when they separated the family’s assets. Even the rice they had just finished eating was fiercely reclaimed by Xuexue, which helped them survive the past ten days.
Hearing this, Madam Xie turned back to look at Chuner, and it was true, her little daughter had just recovered from a serious illness, and her body had not yet recovered. Suddenly, her heart softened, and she nodded, “Mhm.”
Having persuaded Madam Xie, Xuexue didn’t wait even a moment longer, promptly calling the shopkeeper of the grocery store over to weigh what needed to be weighed, and even totaling up some prices without measuring, because she was afraid that Madam Xie might change her mind later, which would mean they would have suffered for nothing, holding onto the Silver.
Seeing the two baskets she had carried now filled to the brim, Madam Xie had a troubled look on her face as she said with a pained expression, “Oh my! Xuexue, how much Copper Coin did these things cost? You are young and don’t know the hardships of life. Now we, mother and daughters, worry about each meal as it comes, we should still try to save where we can.”
“Mother, look for yourself, these are all daily essentials like rice, oil, salt, lamp oil, and candles; there has been no wasteful spending.” Xuexue said, handing over all the remaining Copper Coin to her, “Here, you keep this for self-defense; that should be okay, right?”
With a big bundle of Copper Coin in hand, Madam Xie became puzzled again, “Xuexue, where did the money for buying these things come from?”
“From the money we earned last time, wasn’t I holding on to it?”
“Oh!” Only then did Madam Xie feel assured.
Madam Xie, carrying two baskets full of items, walked ahead, while Xuexue and Chuner, holding hands as sisters, followed behind.
As they passed by a cake shop, the scent of cakes wafted out, and Chuner paused in her steps, looking longingly in that direction, and Xuexue immediately understood.
“Chuner, wait for me here, Big Sister will be back in a moment.” After speaking, she let go of Chuner’s hand and ran quickly into the cake shop, “Shopkeeper, how much are the pork lard cakes sold for?”
“Six wen per pound.” The shopkeeper was a plump middle-aged woman who, seeing a customer, greeted her with a friendly smile spread across her face.
“I’ll take three pounds.”
The woman cheered up upon hearing the order, picked up a piece of greased paper, swiftly wrapped up the cakes, and handed them to Xuexue.
“Shopkeeper, here are eighteen Copper Coins, please count them.” Xuexue, receiving the cakes with one hand, placed the Copper Coins on the counter with the other.
“Eh!” The woman acknowledged, actually counted them, looked up with a beaming smile, and said, “Hehe, young lady, the amount is correct.”
Xuexue, carrying the bag of cakes, called out from a distance as she walked out, “Chuner, Big Sister bought you pork lard cakes!”
Chuner turned her head and saw Xuexue smiling radiantly.
“Move aside, move aside, the horse has gone mad, it’s out of control, everyone quickly get out of the way.”
“Clip-clop, clip-clop…!”
Suddenly, a rapid sound of horse hooves accompanied by frantic shouting filled the entire street.
By the time Xuexue realized what was happening, the rampaging horse was already charging beside Chuner, and it seemed as if her young life was in jeopardy.
Passersby on the road exclaimed in shock.
“Chuner, run away quickly,” Xuexue called out in panic.
Chuner, seeing her sister’s terrified face, didn’t understand what was happening. By the time she heard the horse hooves behind her and turned around to see a horse charging wildly at her, she was petrified with fear…
Madam Xie, who was nearby waiting for them, also froze in shock. She dropped the burden she was carrying and wanted to rush forward to save Chuner, but she was too far away, and it wasn’t that easy.
As the horse raised its front hooves high, about to trample on Chuner…
Just when everyone thought the innocent little girl would surely die under the horse’s hooves, at this critical moment, a shadow flashed by, swept up the frightened Chuner in an embrace, and rolled away, narrowly avoiding disaster.