RMCF: Chapter 40

 

Chapter 40

“He Ger, going to dig wild vegetables again?”

Early in the morning, after transplanting the vegetable seedlings in the field, Xu He didn’t turn back home but headed straight for the mountains. A hollow gourd hung diagonally at his waist. After the weather warmed up, Zhang Fangyuan bought two gourds from town—one for Xu He to carry water while digging vegetables, the other he filled for himself to take to town.

Villagers seeing him equipped like this knew he was going out to dig wild vegetables.

“Mhm.”

“Wild vegetables selling well lately?”

Xu He said, “There are many farming households near Siyang City selling wild vegetables; prices can't be high. Just enough for some lamp oil money.”

“Having some income is still a good thing.”

Xu He chatted briefly with them before walking further away.

A fulang hoeing the field, across a plot from another villager, gossiped, “Mountains in and around our village are probably all dug through by He Ger. The other day, I said I'd pick some ferns to eat cold. Went to that remote mountain hollow—all stumps from being picked.”

“Hai, that couple acts like they've fallen into a money pit. With just two people at home, what are they earning so much money for?”

“They have a cart; going to town is convenient. Of course they think about making money. Wild vegetables dug are taken to town the next day to sell; unsold ones are brought back, either dried or pickled. The other day, I went to the butcher's to borrow a hoe. You should see their kitchen—several pickle jars, the yard full of dried ferns, spring bamboo shoots, wood ear fungus. Xu He even gave me a handful of dried wood ear.”

“Honestly, never paid much attention before, but Xu He is quite capable. On the other hand, haven't seen his sister do much work.”

“Who knows.”

After the fourth month, the mountains and forests visibly turned greener. Xu He felt spring vegetables could only be dug a couple more times. Once the weather heated up in summer, wild vegetables on the slopes would all grow old and tough, no new ones sprouting. But relying on wild food for a living wasn't sustainable anyway; giving farmers a chance to catch their breath was good enough.

Fortunately, their village was far from town, otherwise many villagers would dig wild vegetables to sell. He wouldn't have been able to pick all the fresh ones freely. Currently, only people from their own village dug here some to eat. Though there was competition, it was nothing like villages close to town.

The next day, he took fresh wild vegetables and the wood ear mushrooms, which grew on the long tung tree trunk at home, and headed to town with Zhangto Fangyuan to set up their stall.

“After rain, mushrooms grow so well. Look, one tung tree at home sprouted enough fungus to fill a basket.”

Xu He held the basket, showing off the soft wood ears to Zhang Fangyuan.

Before, they grew sporadically, not much. When ripe, Xu He picked and dried them. This was the first time there were enough to sell.

Zhang Fangyuan flicked the reins, sounding sour. “I used effort to haul the tree back, but never got to eat the fungus once. Town folks willing to spend money have better fortune than me.”

Xu He sighed helplessly. “There are still some small ones on the tree I didn't pick. When they're bigger, I'll pick them and stir-fry wood ear with shredded pork for you, okay?”

Only then did a smile appear on Zhang Fangyuan's face. “Deal. This time, selling a quarter of the newly bought livestock to the Chen family, we can sell all the remaining meat today. The Chen family also asked me to buy some things and bring back. After I finish selling the meat, I'll come find you, and we'll go shop together.”

He himself was in business but wasn't good at bargaining. This required Xu He—save where possible. Actually, that was just for show. The real, sad reason was he had no money on him to buy things.

His wife, earlier, he had been too embarrassed to manage his money. Every day, he worried Zhang Fangyuan didn't have enough to spend. In the morning, if he went out alone, he prepared lunch and also gave him half a string of cash for unexpected expenses, afraid he'd lose face without money.

After some time, curled in bed, Xu He said counting half a string daily was troublesome, and carrying it was tiring. Why not change half a string to twenty wen? Listen, was that a valid reason? But lying in bed, Zhang Fangyuan naturally agreed to any request.

A while later, again curled in bed, Xu He said the previous twenty wen often had leftovers, and he had already developed a habit for saving. To test if he truly developed this good habit, why not change twenty wen to ten wen and see. If really not enough, increase it back. This time, it sounded reasonable. But reasonable or not, the point was they were in bed, so he agreed again.

Thus, he happily lived half a month, not knowing how many things he agreed to in bed... Now, he received no money at all. For expenses, he used money from selling meat first, then reported back.

The ger said he hadn't considered it before: selling meat meant having money; for urgent expenses, use that money. Seemed fine. After all, each piece of meat sold was at least ten or twenty wen; money in hand never ran out, right?

Zhang Fangyuan thought beautifully. Initially, it was for buying oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, etc. When reporting back, Xu He didn't say much but cross-checked market prices carefully. There was no chance of inflating prices to pocket the difference. He knew everything—the difference between soy sauce from shops east and west of town, clear as day. How could he not know the prices of things in the shops? There was simply no fooling him.

The day before yesterday, he used some money from selling meat to buy two liang of wine. That evening, Xu He checking accounts discovered it, interrogating him thoroughly. Not confessing honestly meant no entry into the room to sleep.

That little face, when it fell sulking, could go three days without saying a word.

Now, his sleeves were empty. Like a courier station—copper coins entered the station, temporarily stored in his pocket, but ultimately destined for the final destination.

Zhang Fangyuan couldn't help but sigh. Though it was like boiling a frog in warm water, having been used to spending freely and suddenly being restrained like this, saying it didn't hurt would be a lie. But he was the one who asked him to manage the money. Could he take it back now?

“Alright, I'll wait for you at the West Market.”

Coming back to his senses, Zhang Fangyuan nodded. He knew where Xu He sold vegetables. Driving the cart, he didn't take him to the meat market but directly to the West Market entrance, helped him unload, then went to set up his meat stall.

Now, each with their own stall, it’s quite harmonious.

“Was that a cart driver just now, or your husband?”

Xu He carried his vegetables to his usual spot. A woman who arrived early asked cheerfully.

“My husband,” Xu He didn’t hide it.

“How nice, sending you over.”

Xu He smiled. The greeting stall owner seemed to want to say more but closed her mouth. Xu He found it strange but didn’t press.

As soon as the stall was set up, regulars came to buy. A basket of fresh wood ear immediately attracted city dwellers. Mushrooms were rarely sold; encountering them wasn’t easy, especially fresh after rain. Stir-fried with meat or in cold salads were very crisp and fresh.

Knowing they’d sell well, Xu He raised the price a bit. This mountain delicacy wasn’t cheaper than pork. Buyers picked a handful or two for a fresh taste. Even if bought little, many buyers meant the basket bottom showed within half an hour.

Over three jin of wood ears, at twenty wen per jin, sold separately for over sixty wen.

If one more person came, he'd sell the remaining bit at a lower price to clear it out.

Xu He’s lips curled. Rare things at the market indeed sold well. Too bad, like winter bamboo shoots, they couldn’t be sold continuously. But that also brought unexpected joy.

He thought with so much money, he could buy fabric to make clothes for Zhang Fangyuan later.

Before his thoughts settled, his basket was suddenly kicked away, remaining wood ear scattering on the ground.

He looked up to see two shifty-eyed men standing by his stall, hands behind backs, legs shaking, chewing something as they glanced around.

Before Xu He could speak, one man kicked over his basket. A few bundles of spring shoots inside rolled out, were stepped on and ground into mush underfoot.

“Who said you could set up a stall here?”

Xu He was furious. The sudden trouble caught him off guard. He knew these two were here to pick a fight, so his tone was far from friendly. “Everyone sets up stalls here! Why can't I!?”

“Little guy, big temper. Others can set up here, but you can't.” The man reached out and jabbed Xu He's shoulder with each word, his face the picture of a ruffian.

“Why not!”

The man kicked the basket again, his face full of hostility. “Do I need a reason to dislike you?”

The nearby vendors saw the trouble but none stepped forward to intervene. They were all small-scale farmers, afraid to stick their necks out. They quietly moved their stalls further away.

Xu He guessed he was blocked someone's business, and they had sent people to cause trouble. He suddenly recalled that young ger from before who had threatened to get someone.

Sure enough, that ger appeared, arms crossed, watching the scene with amusement. He looked Xu He up and down. “Yo, sold a lot today? Tsk, tsk, look at this mess on the ground. Better clean it up later. Otherwise, if the market officers see it dirty, they’ll drive everyone away, no stalls allowed. Don’t ruin it for everyone.”

Xu He's chest heaved rapidly. Though bullied in the village before, he’d never encountered such unreasonable people in the town’s market. He retorted, “If officials come, I’ll report you for causing trouble without reason!”

“Oh, still thinking of reporting us, huh? Not dealing with you properly today, you won't learn your place.”

The two men laughed lewdly, intending to grab Xu He.

Xu He never imagined city chaos could be this terrifying. Instinctively wanting to run, he turned and dashed, only to bump solidly into a human wall.

Zhang Fangyuan rubbed his chest. “That hurt.”

He steadied Xu He by the waist, holding him protectively at his side.

Xu He didn't even notice as he let out a sigh of relief. He was fine just now, but seeing Zhang Fangyuan, suddenly brought on a wave of grievance. He looked up at the man, his eyes slightly pitiful and uncontrollably reddening.

Seeing this, Zhang Fangyuan felt as if he had been punched in the heart, and immediately cursed, “Who the hell is so blind as to bully my wife!”

The two men, seeing the newcomer, instantly froze like frost, their faces stiff and devoid of expression. Reflexively backing away, they almost stepped on the troublemaking ger behind them.

“What are you doing? Three of us can’t handle two? Brother Gou, didn’t you say you’d back me?!”

Ignoring the ger's protests, the man shoved him aside, and forced out a smile uglier than crying.

“Zhang… Brother Zhang…”

“Brother Zhang? Kicked my wife’s stall, and you still call me brother? You sick?!”

Zhang Fangyuan’s smile vanished, expression turning fierce. The two men’s legs went weak. “Yes, yes, sick, we’re sick.”

“Not teaching you a lesson today would waste our acquaintance!”

Zhang Fangyuan suddenly grabbed one man’s collar, then the other, dragging them straight into an alley. Xu He chased a couple of steps but was stopped by Zhang Fangyuan. Moments later, sounds of punches, kicks, and wailing came from the alley.

The previously arrogant ger paled. Everyone in the market swallowed hard. Earlier, no one dared intervene when trouble started; now, no one dared make a sound. Hearing the terrifying screams, they all huddled like quails at their stalls.

Roughly a quarter of an hour later, the two men, bruised and battered, covering their chests and protecting their heads, ran out. They repeatedly apologized to Xu He, “Sorry, Sister-in-law, sorry… really sorry. We were truly blind. From now on, set up your stall here whenever you want.”

Seeing their abrupt attitude change, Xu He lowered his gaze, glancing sideways at Zhang Fangyuan for help.

“Get lost!”

The two men, relieved, grabbed the troublemaking ger and vanished in a flash.

 

***

 

T/N

A-Yuan's a henpecked husband indeed

anyone still remembers Fangyuan's dream at the begining? it seems to have come true

 >⩊<

 

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