The temple fair of the Koi Temple was held on every first and fifteenth day of the month. It was extremely crowded to the extent that everyone was almost shoulder to shoulder.
The bargains that go as cheap as only a few cents made the fair a crowd favorite, thus causing the entire place to be jam-packed with people.
Erniu suddenly noticed something. A raggedly dressed and bearded man who looked as poor as them was looking in their direction. She nervously pulled the corner of Dabao and Xiaobao’s clothes.
“Dabao, Xiaobao, you two look over there.”
Dabao and Xiaobao curiously looked over at the same time.
Dabao cocked his head and said, “That strange old man keeps staring at Mother!”
Xiaobao pondered for a moment. “Maybe he’s just hungry and wants to buy meat…”
Just after she finished talking, the old man looked towards them with envy in his eyes. He then felt his pockets, looking conflicted. He looked up at the last few pieces of meat Qi Qingyao was selling, smacking his lips. Finally, he started making small hesitant steps until he was in front of Qi Qingyao’s stall.
Qi Qingyao looked up from the money she was counting. She did not discriminate against the old man because of his tattered clothing, but asked with a smile, “How many catty of meat do you want to buy, uncle?”
“I, I don’t have any money,” The poor old man said.
“…”
‘Are you joking around with me? I assumed that you could afford the meat despite your tattered clothing, but you can’t and you’re telling me that you don’t have the money! What now? Are you asking me to do charity?’
Qi Qingyao’s expression was stone cold.
If she was rich now, she could give him a catty of meat without a problem. Unfortunately, she was now as poor as he was. She had not cleared all her debts and she had nowhere to live for the night. The money she earned today was not even enough to pay off her debts! There is no way she can give him the meat for free!
Qi Qingyao would not reveal her honest thoughts to the old man, as he had to her, of course. She calmly replied, “Uncle, you’re such a charming man. You’re so unique, so extraordinary! Look at your melancholy eyes, your stubble, and not to mention your elegant and bold fashion choice! They are all deeply astonishing to me! I am fairly confident that you are not completely devoid of any valuables!”
Jiang Yeqian, “???”
Sijin, “…”
The three children, “Wow!”
Mother is so good at praising other people!
The old man was so touched upon hearing that. He puffed up his chest and stopped slouching. He said, “If I don’t have money, can I exchange the pork with something?”
“Exchange?” Did the old man really have something valuable? Qi Qingyao said calmly, “Of course I can, but I have to see if what you have is valuable enough.”
“How about this?” The man rummaged around in his clothes for a while and took out a dragon jade pendant.
Qi Qingyao’s brow twitched.
A dragon jade pendant!
The old man handed the pendant to Qi Qingyao. “I came across this a while ago. I want to exchange it for two catty of meat. It should be no problem, shouldn’t it?”
Qi Qingyao took it and checked it over repeatedly to ensure that it was real jade. “Old man, I can’t be sure of the origin of this pendant.” She asked cautiously, “Are you sure you didn’t steal it?”
“Do I look like a thief?” The old man exclaimed confidently, “I picked it up by the river some time ago!”
“…” Qi Qingyao smiled and said nothing.
Just when she wanted to speak…
“You can exchange this for meat.” Jiang Yeqian tied up some meat with rope for the old man. “Two catty of meat, take it.”
“This… man with a bull’s head is better at doing business,” The old man praised Jiang Yeqian, and then left happily.