It happened to be market day.
The town was bustling with activity, and a crowd had gathered around Lu Mosheng, asking how much she was selling her rabbits for.
“Ten yuan for a male rabbit and fifteen yuan for a female. The prices are fixed, and I won’t bargain,” Lu Mosheng announced.
For rabbits of this size, ten yuan each was already a bargain.
Rabbit meat was considered a rare delicacy in those days. With the Mid-Autumn Festival approaching, buying a rabbit to enjoy a good meal was perfectly reasonable.
Of course, some people wanted to buy them to raise at home, too.
“I’ll take one!”
“I want two!”
“Give me two as well!”
One rabbit here, two rabbits there, and Lu Mosheng managed to sell quite a few. By the time only two or three rabbits remained and the crowd had thinned out, a woman from Songjia Village finally approached her.
“Mosheng, do you still remember me? I’m Song Jiayan’s second aunt. I live just up ahead. I even attended your wedding banquet when you and Song Jiayan got married!”
“Look at how well you’ve raised these rabbits! They’re so healthy and plump. Since we’re practically family, can’t you give me a little discount?”
The second aunt talked at length, but she had only one goal: to get Lu Mosheng to sell her a rabbit at a lower price.
Lu Mosheng pointed at the sign beside her that clearly read NO BARGAINING.
“Everyone else pays the same fixed price. If I give you a discount, what am I supposed to do if the people who already bought my rabbits come back demanding refunds?”
The second aunt clicked her tongue.
“It’s not as if I’m going to tell the people who bought your rabbits earlier that you sold mine cheaper. If you don’t say anything and I don’t say anything, who’s going to find out?”
As she spoke, the second aunt pulled three yuan from her pocket and handed it to Lu Mosheng.
“I only want that one. Take the rabbit out of the cage and give it to me.”
Lu Mosheng glanced at the three yuan in the woman’s hand, then looked at the rabbit she was pointing at—the fattest female rabbit in the cage.
She was utterly speechless.
“What are you standing there for, child? Hurry up, take the money and give me the rabbit!” the second aunt urged when Lu Mosheng didn’t move.
At least she wasn’t trying to snatch the rabbit outright. She was even offering three yuan for it.
Lu Mosheng couldn’t decide whether to praise her for having enough conscience not to steal openly or condemn her for being shameless enough to think such a deal was acceptable.
“Second Aunt, keep your money. There’s someone selling chickens over there for three yuan each. It’s the perfect price—you won’t even need any change.”
The second aunt’s expression immediately darkened.
The chickens being sold nearby were scrawny, with barely any meat on their bones. Lu Mosheng was obviously mocking her.
After a moment, the second aunt changed tactics.
“It’s been quite some time since Song Jiayan split from his family because of you, hasn’t it? Don’t blame me for speaking harshly, but things might seem fine for now. Just wait until the days get harder. Without his family to support him, how far do you think you two can go on your own?”
“Those rabbits aren’t going to make you much money. You and Song Jiayan are just too short-sighted. You had a perfectly good life, yet you insisted on splitting from the family.”
“Look at the Song family now! Their third son has built a pig farm and started raising pigs. Do you know how valuable pork is? The Song family is going to prosper. By the time you want to go back, they might not even let you return!”
Ha!
Where had the Song family’s third son gotten the money to build that pig farm?
Hadn’t he used the tens of thousands of yuan Lu Mosheng had handed over to Song Jiayan’s father during the family split?
Lu Mosheng let out a long, drawn-out, “Ohhh.”
“If you sell me that rabbit for three yuan, I’ll go back and put in a good word for you with the Song family. No matter what, Song Jiayan still has Song family blood running through his veins. Surely they won’t really refuse to acknowledge the two of you?”
After all that talking, she still wanted to buy a rabbit for three yuan.
Lu Mosheng couldn’t be bothered to argue with her. She simply pointed toward the chicken seller nearby.
“My rabbits aren’t good enough? Those chickens over there are much better than mine. Really, I’m not lying to you.”
Did the second aunt really think she was a fool?
After wasting so much time talking, the second aunt finally read Lu Mosheng’s expression and realized that she had no intention of selling her a rabbit.
She nodded repeatedly.
“Fine, fine! Your rabbits are precious. I can’t afford them anyway.”
She stuffed the three yuan back into her pocket with unnecessary force and turned to leave.
Still fuming, the second aunt returned to Songjia Village after finishing her shopping at the market and immediately went to look for Zhao Xiuli.