"Brother Ruo Shui, long time no see, are you well? Are you heading into town to buy something?" Yang Qixiang hurried out and stopped Ruo Shui in his tracks, asking with a knowing smile.
The elder of the Ruo Family had died in battle, Ruo Hai had gone mad, no longer a Chiliarch, and the Ruo Family had fallen into decline. Ruo Shui had dropped out of school and was so poor that he resorted to hunting and copying books for a living.
How could he possibly have the silver to buy such fine persimmons? He must be coming into town to sell them.
First, he glanced at the two baskets of persimmons on the cart, then his gaze brushed over Madam Liu's face and body.
Time seemed to have left no traces on her, and she possessed a distinct elegance even in her coarse clothes.
He had been stunned by her beauty at first sight back then!
He just wondered whether she regretted rejecting his marriage proposal back then to marry the penniless Ruo Shui?
He took another look at Xuanbao, the child really was lovely, with a complexion as delicate as jade and snow, but he heard she was simple-minded?
Fortunately, Madam Liu had refused him back then; having a simple-minded child would have been a disgrace he couldn't afford.
Now his own daughter was lively and endearing, bringing him joy. He hurriedly beckoned to his wife and daughter, "Qiqi, come over and pay your respects to your Uncle Ruo Shui and Auntie."
Hen Lan walked out with her daughter, glancing at the clothes on Madam Liu and feeling secretly relieved that she had resolutely broken off the engagement with Ruo Shui. Otherwise, she would be the one wearing coarse clothes today, enduring hardship selling persimmons on the street!
Yang Qiqi took one look at the three of them and then turned to hug Hen Lan's leg shyly.
She didn't want to call a pauper uncle; their clothes were worse than those of the servants in her house.
Hen Lan said with a smile, "The child is shy, please don't mind."
Madam Liu smiled, "It's fine."
She certainly wouldn't let Xuanbao call them uncle and auntie.
Yang Qixiang added, "Brother Ruo Shui, we haven't seen each other for so long, and many Masters at the Academy miss you a lot. Come on, let's go inside and sit for a while. This is my newly bought residence; I just moved in not long ago. Let's catch up properly; we won't return home today until we are drunk."
Then he spoke to Madam Liu, "Sister-in-law, come in as well. You and my wife haven't seen each other in a long time; it's a good opportunity to catch up."
He warmly invited the two, eager to see the expression on Madam Liu's face when she saw his new residence.
Hen Lan casually brushed away the hair from her forehead, the carmine gold hair ornament glinting in the sunlight. She said softly with a smile, "My husband is right; it's been a long time since we've seen Wenyu. It's a rare encounter; let's go inside and gather."
Madam Liu smiled, "Sorry, we don't have time; I have to sell persimmons with my husband."
She was forthright in her statement, seeing nothing shameful in selling persimmons.
She stroked her daughter's head; she was very content with their life today.
Madam Liu's father and Hen Lan's father were both Masters at the Academy. They had known each other since childhood and got along very well. Back then, Madam Liu had no secrets in front of Hen Lan.
It was only later that she discovered Hen Lan had been copying her poems and secretly asking Ruo Shui for guidance, which led to their fallout.
By the time she found out, it was too late; they had already become engaged.
Fortunately, after some events, she still married her husband.
Ruo Shui said, "My wife is right; we're in a rush to sell persimmons, please make way."
Yang Qixiang, surprised, said, "Brother Ruo Shui, why are you selling persimmons?"
Yang Qiqi glanced at the bright red persimmon Xuanbao was eating, "I want a persimmon! Dad, buy me a persimmon!"
Xuanbao could sense her parents' displeasure; she thought they wanted to buy and, after a little thought, nodded her small head. She then flipped open the straw atop the basket, revealing the bright red persimmons below, "Yes, we sell persimmons. Do you want to buy some? Very sweet!"
Yang Qixiang ignored Xuanbao's words, looking regretfully at Ruo Shui, "Brother Ruo Shui, if you have any difficulties, just say so. You were known throughout the Academy for being talented in both literature and martial arts. It's such a pity not to continue your studies and take the imperial examination! Had you continued, by now you probably would have been an Advanced Scholar. Look at me, I only passed as a Scholar two years ago, and I'm preparing for next year's Advanced Scholar exam, but I don't know if I'll succeed."
Upon hearing this, Xuanbao gazed at him earnestly; yes, he would pass the examination, but it would end in vain celebration and even bring disaster.
"You will pass the examination, and my dad will too in the future. Are you buying or not?"
Her father was precisely the kind of person that Lord Literary Star favored, adept in both literary and martial arts.
Hen Lan thought with disdain: So naive as to be ignorant. Her father was too poor to afford studying for examinations. If selling persimmons could finance studying for examinations, the streets would be filled with Advanced Scholars!
Yang Qixiang, pleased with Xuanbao's words, laughed, "Ha ha…such a sweet talker! Is this your little daughter? So clever! How much per pound for these persimmons? I'll take them all!"
If the child could speak so well, perhaps she wasn't the simple-minded one. Had they had another daughter so soon?
Ruo Shui, seeing his daughter so diligently promoting their persimmons, didn't refuse and let her take the lead, "Xuanbao makes the call; how much do you want to sell them for per pound, Xuanbao?"
Xuanbao remembered her uncle saying not to sell for less than fifteen coins per pound.
She looked at Yang Qixiang; since they had made her parents unhappy, she couldn't sell to them cheaply.
"Fifty wen per jin," Ruo Xuan lifted her fair little paw.
Upon hearing this, Hen Lan couldn't help but shriek, "Fifty wen per jin? Those who don't know might think you're selling some sort of Immortal Fruit!"
Ruo Xuan gave her a surprised look. Could her mortal eyes actually discern that this was an Immortal Fruit?
She nodded her little head, "Although you don't seem smart, you do have some discernment. These persimmons..."
She intended to say that these persimmons had been ripened with Immortal Technique, but remembering her grandmother's words, she corrected herself, "These persimmons have absorbed the essence of the sun and moon, filled with an abundance of spiritual energy. Eating them can strengthen the body and health, plus they're as sweet as Immortal Fruit!"
Hen Lan was directly angered into laughter. What did she mean by saying she didn't seem smart but had some discernment? Was this insulting her intelligence, suggesting she was easy to deceive?
Just like Liu Wenyu's daughter, equally detestable!
"Which persimmons aren't grown by absorbing the essence of the sun and moon? And full of spiritual energy? Will you sell for five wen per jin? If not, forget about it! Soon the streets will be flooded with persimmons, no one will want them even for one wen per jin. Fifty wen per jin, are you trying to rob me?"
"Not selling," Ruo Xuan shook her little head decisively. She clearly remembered her uncle saying not to sell for less than fifteen wen per jin, "You can go find those selling for one wen per jin elsewhere! Five wen per jin, now that's a robbery!"
Ruo Xuan threw her words right back at her!
Hen Lan's face turned black with anger. Indeed, Liu Wenyu's offspring, lacking in manners, "If you're not selling, then forget it!"
It's just persimmons, not Immortal Fruit, who would be desperate for them?
When Yang Qiqi heard the commotion, she started writhing vehemently, "I want to eat persimmons! I want to eat persimmons..."
Yang Qixiang hurriedly hugged her tightly, cooing, "Alright, Qiqi, don't cry, Daddy will buy them for you! It's not like we can't afford them! We could buy them all!"
Yang Qiqi quieted down upon hearing this.
Yang Qixiang looked towards Ruo Shui, "Brother Ruo, how much for a jin of these persimmons? If you could make it a bit cheaper, I'll buy the whole lot. Fifty wen per jin, that was just the child not knowing any better and spouting nonsense, right?"
Hearing him say that Xuanbao didn't know any better, Ruo Shui was displeased. He said indifferently, "Xuanbao doesn't talk nonsense. What she says goes in our house. Fifty wen per jin, not a wen less."
Yang Qixiang was speechless...
So much for giving him face, and yet he was behaving shamelessly!
At this moment, a woman dressed like a butler came out from an alley and was delighted to see a basket full of bright red persimmons.
She was quite surprised—persimmons for sale this early?
With her young master's birthday around the corner and Madam planning to host guests, she had been worried about where to buy some fresh fruit, but to think the fruit would come right to her door!
After all, many fruits weren't ripe at this time of the year.
She stepped forward immediately, "These persimmons look really good, how much are you selling them for?"
Ruo Xuan considered for a moment. Fifty wen per jin was the price for those who bullied her parents; others were naturally different. She said, "Twenty-five wen per jin."
"I'll take them all," said the woman upon hearing the price of twenty-five wen per jin.
She had just heard them offer the persimmons to the couple in front of them for fifty wen per jin, non-negotiable.
Twenty-five wen per jin wasn't cheap, but if this fruit was in the imperial capital, it would indeed sell for fifty wen per jin, and people would scramble to buy it.
"Okay then!" Ruo Xuan was very happy—she could buy some candied haws now!
Madam Liu cheerfully said, "May I know where you live, Auntie? We will deliver the persimmons to you."
Hen Lan felt overtly targeted, "Why sell it to someone else for twenty-five wen, but to us for fifty wen?"
Yang Qixiang was also displeased, "Brother Ruo, we were classmates. We have to pay fifty wen per jin, but someone else only twenty-five, isn't this a bit improper?"
Ruo Xuan looked at them in surprise, "Fifty wen per jin, didn't you find that too expensive? Of course I had to lower the price because I was afraid they wouldn't sell!"
Struck by the logic of her words, the couple found themselves at a loss for words.
Could these words really come from a person?
It was like being slapped in the face on the spot!
Did she not understand human relations and social etiquette at all?
Ruo Shui nearly laughed out loud, kissing his beloved daughter's face, "Xuanbao is right; Xuanbao is truly smart."
The couple, speechless...
Infuriating!