Chapter 27: Wu Kuan

She stepped outside and saw a young man standing there, about fifteen or sixteen years old. His hair was neatly tied, and his clothes were proper and tidy. When he saw her come out, he grinned, showing her a shy, silly smile.

Lin Sangqian remembered—this was none other than Aunt Wu’s son, Wu Kuan.

Wu Kuan was considered one of the more handsome lads in the village, sturdy and hardworking. Many girls in the village seemed to fancy him, but he had just turned sixteen, and his mother hadn’t started searching for a wife for him yet.

“Brother Wu Kuan,” Lin Sangqian called out, “what brings you here? Come inside and sit for a while.”

“No, I can’t. I still have to help Grandpa Qin later,” Wu Kuan waved his hands repeatedly, handing her a cloth bundle. “My mother asked me to bring this to you.”

Lin Sangqian opened it and found three cooked ears of corn, sprinkled with sugar—she could smell the sweetness.

“This corn is from our own field. My mother boiled some today and told me to bring three over for you,” Wu Kuan scratched his head, “and thank you for the braised pork and steamed buns you gave us before. They were delicious.”

Lin Sangqian replied, “It’s nothing, really. We’re all from the same village; looking out for each other is only right. Brother Wu Kuan, if you thank me, you’ll make things too formal between us.”

“Heh, my mother said you’re a good girl, and she was right,” Wu Kuan said.

He glanced around, lowered his voice, and said, “Actually, yesterday I saw you talking to Lin Shuimei.”

Lin Sangqian’s heart skipped a beat.

She’d thought no one had seen her speaking with Lin Shuimei, but it turned out Wu Kuan had caught sight of them?

“But don’t worry, your family and mine get along well. You’re like a younger sister to me—I’ll always be on your side,” Wu Kuan assured her sincerely. “Besides, Lin Shuimei is always so arrogant; none of us think much of her. So, I’ll keep your secret.”

Lin Sangqian breathed a sigh of relief, “Thank you, Brother Wu Kuan.”

Luckily, it was Aunt Wu’s son who saw them and not someone else.

Aunt Wu was such a kind person; her son must be honest and trustworthy as well.

“Heh, didn’t you just say thanking me is too formal? You don’t need to thank me either.”

Lin Sangqian couldn’t help but laugh, a sweet sound, her cheeks dimpling into shallow pear-shaped hollows.

Wu Kuan’s face suddenly flushed, and he didn’t dare look at Lin Sangqian anymore. He lowered his head, stammered, “I—I have to go help now, Sangqian, I’ll be off.”

With that, he turned and ran.

Lin Sangqian stared blankly at his retreating figure. What was the matter with Wu Kuan? He looked as if someone was chasing him.

Wu Kuan ran a long way before stopping, leaning against a tree, gasping for breath.

Wu Kuan, oh Wu Kuan, Sangqian is only ten years old, what are you thinking!

At the very least, you’ll have to wait until she grows up a bit more...

Lin Sangqian carried the corn back into the house. It happened to be just right—she and her mother would each have an ear for lunch, and when Lin Hongda returned in the evening, she could cook a pot of noodles.

Lin Hongda didn’t return until sunset, drenched in sweat. Lin Sangqian poured him a glass of water, which he drank in one gulp.

“Tired?” Liao Shuxia asked, concern in her voice.

“It’s not too bad,” Lin Hongda slumped into a chair. “After all, we’re helping neighbors. Building good relations never hurts.”

“How many more days do you need to help?” Lin Sangqian asked.

“Probably another three or four days,” Lin Hongda replied. “If you need to go to town, I won’t be able to go with you.”

“That’s fine, Mom and I can go together.”

Lin Hongda frowned, “I’m just worried—if some pie-snatchers show up again, what if you two can’t handle it?”

“You underestimate me. I’m not completely powerless, you know!” Liao Shuxia protested.

Lin Hongda fell silent.

Her sharp tongue was formidable, but if it came to physical confrontation with men, she wouldn’t be able to manage.

“Don’t worry, there are government officers in town. In broad daylight, surely there’s still law and order?” Lin Sangqian said, smiling.

Lin Hongda thought it over and realized she had a point.

Lin Sangqian boiled plenty of hot water so Lin Hongda could wash up thoroughly, then began cooking noodles, adding eggs and tender greens.

As for vinegar and chili oil, those could be added to taste.

The noodles were springy, the eggs fragrant, the vegetables crisp. Lin Hongda and Liao Shuxia each ate two big bowls and finished all the broth.

“This is so much better than the noodles we had in town!” Liao Shuxia exclaimed. “Little Dog, if you set up a noodle stall in town, you’d surely make a good profit.”

Lin Sangqian smiled.

A noodle stall was too small for her ambitions.

If she was going to do something, she’d go big.

Two days later, Lin Sangqian’s pickled chicken feet were ready, and Liao Shuxia had embroidered eight handkerchiefs.

This time, the patterns on the handkerchiefs were larger than before.

Over the past few days, Lin Sangqian hadn’t exchanged anything from the system; they still had some rice, flour, and eggs at home, so they made do.

But this morning, Lin Sangqian exchanged ten eggs and a pound of flour from the system space, made ten egg pancakes, packed them in a basket along with the chicken feet and handkerchiefs, and set out for town with Liao Shuxia.

When they reached the spot where they’d set up their stall before, Lin Sangqian immediately spotted the aunt selling sweet potatoes and hurried over.

“Auntie!”

The woman looked up, her eyes lighting up at the sight of Lin Sangqian. “Girl, I thought you weren’t coming back! You said you’d be here the next day, so I saved a spot for you!”

Lin Sangqian felt a pang of guilt. She’d told Auntie she’d return the next day, but then completely forgot...

That wasn’t right at all.

“I’m sorry, Auntie, I forgot,” Lin Sangqian apologized sincerely.

The woman had meant it as a joke, but seeing Lin Sangqian so earnest, she felt a bit embarrassed herself. “Girl, I was just joking, don’t take it to heart.”

“No, it really was my fault,” Lin Sangqian said as she pulled an egg pancake from her basket and handed it over. “Please accept this pancake as my apology.”

The woman took it happily and took a bite, savoring the lingering flavor.

She hadn’t tasted Lin Sangqian’s pork pancakes, but she was sure these egg pancakes were just as good!

“Your father didn’t come today?”

“No, my mother came with me.”

Liao Shuxia greeted the woman, and then mother and daughter settled beside her to set up their stall.

Just as before, Lin Sangqian’s egg pancakes and Liao Shuxia’s handkerchiefs were popular, selling out quickly.

Each egg pancake was two coins, and the handkerchiefs—because the patterns were bigger—were a bit pricier, twelve coins each.

Altogether, they earned a hundred and fourteen coins.

The mother and daughter were delighted. At that moment, they didn’t notice a pair of eyes watching them from the shadows, filled with bitter resentment.