From Hoarding to Time-Travel: My Supplies Saved Him-Chapter 17: The Myriad Faces
Li Cuicui’s eyes lit up as she stared at the large basket on their backs. They hadn’t had that before entering the city.
"Did it work?"
Wenheng was beaming with joy. "It worked! We finally don’t have to starve anymore."
Li Cuicui slapped him on the back. "What are you yelling for? You think we’re not conspicuous enough?"
As she spoke, the old woman glanced around and noticed many people craning their necks to look. Her other sons and daughters-in-law were also heading their way.
She didn’t bother asking any questions. She simply thrust her palm out in front of Wenheng and raised her voice. "Since you pawned something at the pawnshop, hurry up and return the copper coins you borrowed from me. Can’t you see your brothers and sisters-in-law are all staring?"
"Oh, I wonder what our Seventh pawned? It couldn’t be his child student document, still warm in his hands, could it?" Wang Caiyue covered her mouth with a hand, laughing exaggeratedly. Given Seventh and his wife’s pathetic, poverty-stricken appearance, that piece of paper was probably the only valuable thing they owned.
Now that the couple was finally back, she was in the mood to mock them a little.
Jin Qianqian covered her mouth and smiled. "Second Sister-in-law, at least my husband has some scholarly honor to his name. Even if it’s just a document, it’s something many people can only dream of."
Seeing the other woman’s indignant expression, Jin Qianqian continued with a regretful sigh, "Alas, it’s a pity we have other valuables in the family. I suppose some people’s wishes won’t be coming true."
"You..."
Wang Caiyue had just started to speak when she was interrupted by Wang Cuicui’s voice. "You’re always causing trouble! If you don’t know how to talk, then shut your mouth. Can’t you wish for your family to do a little better?"
’Every one of them, their wings have grown stiff. They have no sense at all.’
Wenheng’s heart filled with joy as he savored the term Jin Qianqian had used for him. ’She’s finally acknowledging our relationship!’ he thought. That one word, "husband," sounded so melodious.
"Hurry up and give me my money back." Li Cuicui didn’t understand why her perfectly fine son was suddenly grinning so creepily, but that didn’t stop her from holding out her hand for the money.
Wenheng was in a good mood and didn’t mind her ruining the atmosphere. He magnanimously took out two silver coins and quickly pressed them into her hand. "I said I’d pay you back double. Consider this a token of your son’s filial piety."
After speaking, he didn’t forget to wink at the old woman, which startled Li Cuicui so much that she didn’t dare open her hand. She turned her back, snuck a peek, and then her eyes widened. She turned back to her son, seeking confirmation.
Wenheng nodded cooperatively. "Don’t you worry, Mother. Your son won’t starve, and I won’t let you starve either."
The rest of the Gu family were all curious about the silent exchange between mother and son. What had Seventh just given her?
However, the more astute ones among them secretly exchanged glances. What Seventh gave the old woman definitely wasn’t copper coins.
Gu Yuanshui stared directly at the basket Wenheng carried on his back. "Seventh, what’s that you’re hauling from the city? If you’ve struck it rich, don’t you forget about your brothers."
Wenheng replied, "Third Brother, you jest. Which one of us isn’t struggling to survive right now? Otherwise, why would I have been tightening my belt for so many days, too afraid to ask my older brothers for help?
I was only forced into a corner, so I had to grit my teeth and pawn an heirloom passed down from the Jin Family.
I thought I could get a good amount of Silver Coin to have on hand, but who knew that after paying back what I borrowed from Mother, all I had left was this one basket of grain.
If my dear brothers and sisters-in-law don’t look down on it, then please, each take a bowl back with you. Consider it a small token from your younger brother."
Jin Qianqian secretly gave him a thumbs-up. ’What a beautiful speech,’ she thought. ’He clarified the matter of borrowing money from the old woman, subtly jabbed his other brothers, and pleaded poverty all at once.’
Gu Yuanjin, as the eldest and the one with the most grain stored away, hadn’t offered Seventh a helping hand before, and he certainly wasn’t going to now. Besides, he didn’t have the face to take anything from him.
He took the lead and waved his hand dismissively. "We were just worried about you. Since you’ve managed to trade for some grain, just be a little more frugal from now on. The road ahead is still long."
"Understood," Wenheng said. Seeing that the others were still lingering and unwilling to leave, he simply lifted the cover of his basket, revealing the rice bran inside a burlap sack to everyone.
"This stuff is deathly expensive now. Even yellow millet used to be cheaper than this is today. I had to grit my teeth to trade for it. If my brothers find it acceptable, please take some back with you. It’s a small token of our goodwill."
Gu Yuanjin and the others had already heard from people who had been to the city earlier that the further they traveled, the less grain was available for purchase.
Unfortunately, the city gates were now closed, and the entire group was in a hurry to get back on the road tomorrow. Otherwise, all of them would have wanted to secure a fallback for themselves.
Places like this that still allowed refugees to enter the city were becoming fewer and fewer. This made many people deeply regretful, and they all considered pleading with the village chief leading them to see if they could stay here for one more day.
When the other sisters-in-law saw the rice bran, a flicker of ridicule crossed their eyes. Even Hong Daya disapproved, pulling Jin Qianqian aside. "You two are really foolish. Why did both of you have to go in? The money you paid for city entry was enough to buy more grain and last you a while longer."
No one thought much of the sack of rice bran. Even mixed with wild vegetables, it wouldn’t last long.
Gu Yuanhuo still had something else on his mind. "Seventh, what did you two really bring back? Are your finances a lot more comfortable now?"
Everyone’s attention was drawn back to the matter. They all silently did the math in their heads. Seeing the old woman still grinning foolishly, they could guess she had definitely gotten the better end of the deal this time.
Moreover, Seventh Wife was holding an unfamiliar cloth bundle, and no one knew what was inside.
"That’s right! Seventh Sister-in-law, what’s in there? Seeing how you’re treasuring it, let your sister-in-law have a look!" Acting in concert with her husband, Li Xiaohua also stared intently at Jin Qianqian. ’Seventh really has struck it rich,’ she thought. ’Look how stuffed that bundle is. There must be a lot inside.’
Jin Qianqian looked at the sisters-in-law surrounding her with a bashful expression. "It’s just that my clothes were in tatters. My husband felt sorry for me and bought me two sets of coarse linen clothes."
"What? You bought clothes besides the bran?" Li Xiaohua took a deep breath. "You can’t eat or drink clothes! What a waste of money! Every single coin should be spent where it counts most. How could you be such a spendthrift?"
Jin Qianqian pointed a finger at Wenheng. "It was all my husband’s idea. I couldn’t change his mind."
In this dynasty where the husband was heaven, the two of them had already discussed it. Wenheng would be their designated scapegoat. Good or bad, they would just push all the responsibility onto him. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺
"Oh, you," Li Cuicui, having snapped back to reality, said with a hint of exasperation, as if disappointed in someone with potential. "That was bought with money from your dowry. You should have been the one to decide. Seventh is a grown man, but he’s not used to managing a household. How could you just let him do whatever he wants?
There’s still a long life ahead of you. With him being so extravagant, your little bit of dowry will be squandered sooner or later."
