The Country Maiden: Fields and Leisure-Chapter 855 - 854: A Real Eye-Opener

Not to mention anything else, the current head of the Tian family, who started as an itinerant vendor, still visits the rouge shop every now and then.

He teaches his two sons that they should never forget their roots, and that if the Tian family hadn’t relied on selling rouge in the early days, they might have had to pack up and return to the countryside.

Moreover, don’t think for a second that the rouge shop only earns a paltry sum and is uninteresting.

Bear in mind, though the rouge shop appears inconspicuous and small in scale, its monthly earnings are no less than other shops.

Especially in Jing County, where every unmarried girl and young wife always buys their rouge from the Tian Family Rouge Shop because their products are fashionable and keep in step with trends from both the Prefecture City and the Capital City.

As soon as something becomes a trend in the Prefecture City or the Capital City, within two months, it can be found in the Tian Family Shop.

This allows the ladies and young misses of Jing County to step out with confidence, always following the latest trends from the capital, never behind the times.

Wang Yongzhu listened and nodded along, occasionally adding a few words, which made Lady Fang speak even more.

When Wang Yongzhu felt she had learned enough, she nodded slightly and said, "I understand. I still have some matters to attend to today, so I’ll be leaving. I’ll visit again another day."

Speaking thus, she prepared to take her leave.

Lady Fang originally thought that her eloquent praise of their rouge shop would certainly move anyone, even older madams.

But Wang Yongzhu didn’t seem very interested? She had been agreeing with everything and asked many questions, indicating a keen interest in the rouge shop, right?

Why did she change her mind the moment it came to making a purchase? Could it be she can’t afford it?

Looking at Wang Yongzhu’s attire, though it was made of plain fabric, it was evidently of good quality, no worse than what they wore.

She saw the medicine package and several packets of pastries Wang Yongzhu was carrying. Those pastries were from a famous old shop in Jing County; even the Tian family only bought them during holidays for a special treat.

Wang Yongzhu didn’t seem to be short on money, but she didn’t buy anything, making Lady Fang wonder if she still resented her mother-in-law.

However, such wealthy customers should not be lost easily.

So she didn’t get angry but instead held onto Wang Yongzhu’s sleeve, saying, "Look, sister, if you really like them, I can give you a couple of items for you to try. If they’re good, you can come back another day."

The Tian Family Rouge Shop had some samples for customers to try. Lady Fang took out two items, a sachet of scented powder and a small tin of rouge, both quite delicate and charming.

She insisted on giving them to Wang Yongzhu.

Of course, Wang Yongzhu didn’t want them. They pushed and pulled for a while, and Lady Fang, somewhat annoyed, raised her voice, "I said it’s a gift, no need for silver. Don’t be embarrassed—"

This outburst drew the attention of everyone in the shop. Their earlier tussle had already attracted some curious glances.

Now all eyes were on them.

Wang Yongzhu, under all those gazes, remained utterly composed, without a hint of embarrassment, her tone very calm, "Because I don’t need them! Even if they’re free, I don’t need them!"

The eyes that earlier held some disdain now showed respect for Wang Yongzhu’s calm composure and straightforwardness.

This made some of the older ladies take a second look and whisper to their companions.

When the people nearby were reminded, they too understood and their gazes towards Lady Fang changed.

Lady Fang wasn’t stupid; she quickly sensed the change in the customers’ attitudes but couldn’t figure out why.

It was the shopkeeper, who had been in the rouge shop for nearly two decades, who immediately sensed something was amiss and came out from behind the counter. He glanced at Wang Yongzhu and immediately understood the situation.

He stepped forward, putting on a smiling face, "Dear young miss, I’m so sorry! This is our negligence! Please accept my apology, truly sorry..." fɾēewebnσveℓ.com

The shopkeeper initially intended for Lady Fang to apologize, but as she was the daughter-in-law of the owner, it wasn’t his place, so he had to apologize himself.

Wang Yongzhu merely sneered, "I heard the lady inside talking up your rouge shop, a decades-old establishment. But who would have thought, the reputation of this decades-old shop is built on forcing rouge on those in mourning! Truly enlightening!"

Hearing this, Lady Fang turned pale, glancing at Wang Yongzhu’s collar and cuffs, finally noticing the white trim of mourning garments.

Nearby customers, unable to stand it, began to speak up, "Indeed, even when pulling customers in, you should at least take a look first. Forcing someone in mourning to buy your goods—how thoughtless."

"But don’t you know, this is the second daughter-in-law of Shopkeeper Tian. She’s only been helping at the shop for a couple of years, married the favored second son. This rouge shop is clearly meant for him!" some gossips analyzed.

Those nearby nodded knowingly. The Tian family clearly favored the second son, leaving the eldest to fend for himself, who eventually lost his ambition, idling at home without care for his wife and children.

"But the second couple, one sharp and one smooth-talker, winning over Shopkeeper Tian’s favor. The Tian family inevitably favors the second son," they analyzed further.

With this backing, the second couple enjoyed a much better life in the Tian family compared to the eldest’s family, who performed all the heavy and menial tasks.

The contrast was clear; one brother prospered while the other despaired.

Especially since the second son often accompanied Shopkeeper Tian to social gatherings, dressed in fine clothing, appearing respectable.

In contrast, the elder brother’s family toiled endlessly at home, enduring constant rebukes from Zhang Qiuju.

Over time, the eldest’s family became invisible, their presence overshadowed by the second son’s prosperity.

Thus, the entire Tian family, especially the savvy shopkeepers, knew who to offend and who not to.

Lady Fang, though ostensibly helping in the shop, was really there to supervise as Shopkeeper Tian’s age prevented him from managing effectively.

The shop assistants, while appearing to flatter Lady Fang, secretly resented her deeply.

Why sell rouge and powders? Shopkeeper Tian’s salary barely provided enough to live on.

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