Translator: 549690339
“Well…” Li Wangcai chuckled, “Considering that we both have the surname Li, and my name is similar to your second brother Li Cai, please don’t tell anyone.”
Li Gui held out his hand, “Give it to me.” “Give what?” Li Wangcai was puzzled.
“Your remaining eight copper coins.”
Li Wangcai widened his eyes, “Li Gui, are you joking? Your family is so rich, much richer than the Zhu Family. You wouldn’t miss eight copper coins, would you?”
“It’s not about the money. It’s about the principle. Su Qingyue took the payment for her service, and I want mine too.”
“But she made a contribution; she beat Zhu Nengwen. He was afraid of being laughed at for not even being able to beat Su Qingyue, so he gave the money because of his pride. But you…”
“Exactly because I didn’t make any contribution, and merely overheard, so I get fewer copper coins than Su Qingyue.”
“You can’t be serious…”
“You can choose not to give.”
“Well…” Li Wangcai put on a sullen face, “Here you go!” He handed it over.
Li Gui actually pocketed it and reminded Wangcai, “Don’t forget, you’re not allowed to tell anyone.”
“I won’t say a word. Even if you hadn’t given me the money, I’m not the type to be a gossip.”
“So I gave you the money for nothing?”
“Yeah.” Li Gui nodded and left. He touched the eight copper coins in his sleeve pocket, thinking of Su Qingyue’s calm and reasonable demeanor while extorting others, the corner of his mouth involuntarily lifted.
Li Wangcai couldn’t laugh at all. He had just collected forty-two copper coins, but they were gone in the blink of an eye. If he had known, he wouldn’t have blackmailed Zhu Nengwen. Not only did he earn Zhu’s enmity by doing so, but he also didn’t get even one copper coin from it, which was really unlucky.
Su Qingyue arrived at Aunt Zhang’s house and saw Aunt Zhang weighing food with a scale for another woman.
She called out at the entrance of the courtyard, “Aunt Zhang.”
“Ah, it’s the wife of the Xiao Family.” Aunt Zhang looked over, “Come on in.” Su Qingyue walked into the yard, “You’re busy.”
“I have some surplus food to sell at home. I’m weighing some flour for Auntie
Su Qingyue glanced at the other woman, memorizing her appearance so as not to forget next time, and greeted Auntie Hua. She asked, “How much is the flour per jin?”
“Same price as in the town, seven cents per jin.” Aunt Zhang replied.
Su Qingyue calculated in her heart that she had earned a total of 136 cents by selling medicinal mud toothpaste, plus the thirty-four copper coins earned, for a total of 170 copper coins. With the 128 copper coins she still owed as debt, minus the ten cents owed for the ginger, she had thirty-two copper coins left as flexible funds. “Aunt Zhang, I also want to buy three jin of flour, can you weigh it for me?”
“Do you have any ginger at home? I’d like to buy another five jin.” “Yes, we have it, but it’s in the field. We have to dig it up.”
Su Qingyue looked at the sky. It was getting dark, and Granny Sun was probably at the Xiao Family to collect her debts. “Aunt Zhang, the flour costs twenty-one cents for three jin, and I’m paying back the ten cents for the ginger I owe you. Now I’m buying another five jin, for a total of forty-one cents. I’ll
give you an extra cent. Can you please deliver them to the Xiao Family later for me? Otherwise, we’ll have no food to eat tonight.”
She handed her forty-two copper coins.
Aunt Zhang wanted to return one, “Wife of the Xiao Family, no need to give extra…”
“It’s fine. My third brother often asks you to send vegetables, and I borrowed your jar. It’s always been a trouble for you. Now that I’m asking you to deliver things again, it’s proper. It’s just that I don’t have much money, only this much for now; otherwise, I would have liked to give you a few more cents. I’m leaving the jar I borrowed from you here.” After saying that, Su Qingyue left..