Exile with Storage Space: Family Fortunes in the Barren Lands-Chapter 485 - 0459 Two Simpletons Are Equal to One Clever Person (1)
The Second Princess looked embarrassed, "Okay... okay?" But she dared not make a decision, since her second brother was here. She asked Li Xingsheng, "Second Brother, he said he wants to help with calculating the money."
It was very busy in the shop now, and Li Xingsheng needed to heat up the stove before he could take over the Second Princess’s shift. He sold the pancakes, while the Second Princess made and baked them.
But the stove had just been lit and needed another quarter of an hour to heat up.
Li Xingsheng had no choice but to say, "Okay, Second Sister, you have to check the calculations carefully. He happened to get it right once, but it’s not always accurate. You need to supervise closely."
Two clumsy youths equal one smart person, Li Xingsheng thought to himself.
Getting Li Xingsheng’s permission, the Second Princess smiled broadly at the chubby boy and said, "My second brother agreed to let you help. Come stand next to me."
She pointed to her side.
"Okay," the chubby boy replied enthusiastically.
Thus, the two began to work together.
The chubby boy looked rather simple-minded, but when calculating prices and greeting customers buying goods, he spoke without stuttering, had a clear logic, was methodical, and calculated accurately and clearly.
He gave a clear breakdown of prices to an elderly lady who came to buy pancakes.
Not one customer failed to praise how efficient he was.
Li Xingsheng blinked, realizing this kid had a knack for business.
Alright, if he can’t work the stove, helping with other tasks is good too.
The stove was finally preheated, and Li Xingsheng took over for the Second Princess. He sold the pancakes, while the Second Princess drank some water and went to knead dough to make more pancakes.
With the three working together, no more errors occurred in calculating the money.
While busy with the business, Li Xingsheng would chat with people, inquiring about unmarried youths from families, aiming to find a husband for his younger sister.
He said his sister was busy making pancakes and earning money every day, leaving her no time to meet others, thus delaying her marriage.
Other girls her age were almost all engaged, except her, who had no sign of a future family.
Li Xingsheng feared that if delayed further, she would become an old maid.
One woman asked in surprise, "Such a hardworking little sister, how can she not have a future family?"
"Exactly, that’s why I’m asking around." Li Xingsheng said with a smile, "Auntie, if you see someone suitable, do introduce them. I’ll make sure to give you a big gift."
The woman lived in a village near the marketplace and laughed, "No problem, no problem."
Besides inquiring from women, whenever a charming young man came to buy pancakes, Li Xingsheng would call the Second Princess over.
But the Second Princess was shy and didn’t dare to say much.
Which made Li Xingsheng quite upset!
As the weather darkened, fewer people were on the marketplace street. Some shopkeepers from far away started to pack up and close shop.
After finishing a customer’s business, Li Xingsheng said to the Second Princess, "Second Sister, shall we head back too?"
Today’s efforts yielded nothing; they would try again earlier tomorrow.
The Second Princess, rubbing her sore arms, agreed, "Alright, let’s return early."
When the chubby boy heard them mention closing up, he helped Li Xingsheng move the jars of pancakes back into the shop. Once everything was tidy, he grabbed a broom to sweep away some scraps of paper and leaves blown in by the wind from the front of the shop.
Li Xingsheng was quite satisfied with the chubby boy’s performance and said, "Temporary helpers on our street earn eighty coins a day; you worked half, so I’ll settle forty coins for you."
The boy was overjoyed, "Hey, thank you, Brother Li."
He heard older people call Li Xingsheng "Brother Li," so he followed suit.
Li Xingsheng chuckled, "You’re quite clever."
He counted forty coins and gave them to the chubby boy.
The chubby boy accepted the coins and carefully put them into a pouch at his waist.
The Second Princess was organizing unsold pancakes.
Some crushed ones, she usually took home as treats for everyone.
While wrapping the pancakes in paper bags, she saw the boy and Li Xingsheng talking and handed him another paper bag with five pancakes in it, "This is for you."
The chubby boy was surprised, waving his hand, "Brother Li already paid my wages; I can’t accept your pancakes."
The Second Princess smiled and said, "These pancakes are a bit crushed, weren’t good for sale. I usually take them home to give away. Today, there are quite a few crushed ones, so please don’t be polite, take them." 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞
Li Xingsheng also said, "Take it, it’s just a few unsold cakes."
The young man then accepted it and thanked him. He asked again, "When will you open the shop tomorrow?"
The Second Princess said, "If there are no other matters at home, we will come at dawn."
Li Xingsheng thought about the recent happenings at home, likely the Great Princess won’t come tomorrow either. He patted the young man’s shoulder, "If you don’t have anything else to do tomorrow, come help again, and the wages will be settled the same."
The chubby young man nodded happily, "Okay, I’ll wait for you here in the morning."
Li Xingsheng closed the shop and left with the Second Princess by carriage.
The chubby young man watched them go far away, sighed, and sat down in front of the shop again.
The wind was blowing a bit stronger.
He wrapped his robe tighter and huddled in a corner by the door of the shop.
The cakes in his arms were still somewhat warm. The chubby young man wiped his hands on his robe and took a piece to eat.
The cakes were pumpkin-flavored with some black sesame on the outside, crispy on the outside and soft inside, very delicious.
The chubby young man was secretly amazed, not expecting that the little girl, despite her young age, made such delicious cakes—no wonder the business was good.
He hadn’t eaten anything from last night till now and was too hungry, so he finished all five cakes.
Feeling thirsty after the cakes, he took five coins to a nearby noodle shop that hadn’t closed yet and ate a bowl of hot vegetable soup noodles.
By this time, it was dusk.
On the market street, there was a small inn that didn’t provide food, and staying one night cost two hundred coins.
The chubby young man’s money wasn’t enough, so he shouldered his big bundle again and returned to the Second Princess’s shop.
The roof of the shop extended enough to block some of the cold wind.
The chubby young man placed his bundle in a corner and huddled himself there to rest.
He watched the snowflakes falling thicker in the sky, frowned, and said, "Stop mocking me, I will achieve something great, just wait and see!"
.
After the Second Princess and Li Xingsheng left the shop, they bought some beans from the grain shop that were not at home and brought them back.
Li Xingsheng parked the carriage, and carried a few small cloth bags filled with beans to the kitchen.
The Second Princess, holding the money bag, went to the North Courtyard Main House to see Princess Consort Luling.
Princess Consort Luling was playing with Guoguo. Xiao Guoguo was not very sensible and spoke unclearly, but the Princess Consort did not avoid her and directly asked the Second Princess, "Yu En, did you meet any good young men at the market today?"
"No." The Second Princess sighed, "But Brother has asked several people to inquire for me."
Things couldn’t be hurried, and pushing her would make the Second Princess, who was already prone to crying, cry throughout the night.
Princess Consort Luling didn’t rush her, instead coaxing her, "Alright, alright, let’s not be too anxious, let’s take another look tomorrow. Your father gave us two more days."
"Hmm." The Second Princess nodded.
Guoguo was playing with two walnuts, knocking them playfully. She played for a while, then looked up at the Second Princess, her small brows furrowed like twists.
The Second Princess and Princess Consort Luling talked about today’s shop business, "Business was good, lots of people."
She poured out the day’s earnings on the table, "Mother, I counted on the carriage, earned two thousand three hundred fifty coins. Originally, we earned two thousand three hundred ninety coins, but Brother hired a helper for half a day, and we paid forty coins in wages."
The earnings were indeed high today, half a day’s sum surpassed the usual earnings of one or even three days, possibly due to the year-end as people bought goods in bulk for New Year.
Ordinarily, Princess Consort Luling would be pleased and praise the Second Princess a bit, but today she only said lightly, "Good, good."
The Second Princess, delighted, gave two thousand coins to Princess Consort Luling, keeping the rest for herself.
Aside from Chai Eying and Li Xingmao’s couple, the rest of the family’s money would all be given to Princess Consort Luling to manage, each taking the remainder, and giving the total to her for safekeeping.
Princess Consort Luling stored the full amount safely, and the Second Princess went to her room to change clothes while Li Xingsheng entered the North Courtyard Main House.
Princess Consort Luling immediately asked him about the matchmaking situation.
Li Xingsheng said about the same as the Second Princess.
"Yu En doesn’t seem anxious at all; she was just happily counting money earlier, silly girl." Princess Consort Luling, unable to complain to the Second Princess, grumbled to her second son, "Tomorrow, keep your eyes peeled and do your best. If we can’t find anyone, she’ll have to go through with the arranged marriage!" After a pause, she added, "I won’t let her go through with the marriage. I... I’ll pack you into a sedan and send you to Li Can instead!"
Li Xingsheng frowned, "Mother, I am a man."
"I don’t care, if you don’t solve your sister’s problem, you’ll go to the marriage instead!"
