The next day, Liu Ye and Bai Zilin woke up early. The ruined house they lived in was at the edge of the village, and anyone going from the village to the town had to pass right by it. Every passerby would lean in to take a look at their yard.
Everyone had heard the rumors—Bai Zilin had ended up with a “foolish girl.” One cripple, one fool. People were sure the two of them would starve to death soon.
Worried that Bai Zilin might be bullied by the Bai family while she was out, Liu Ye decided not to go up the mountain today. She took two apples from her basket and handed one to him.
“Brother Bai, eat an apple. Are most villagers going to town?”
Bai Zilin took the apple and snapped it in half. He stuffed the other half into his chest pocket.
“They’re probably going to buy grain. Do you want to go? If you do, go ahead. The town isn’t far—just past two villages. I’ll give you some money. If you can carry it, buy grain and clothes too. Grain is probably even more expensive now.”
Liu Ye nodded without hesitation. She did want to go to town—it could count as fulfilling the foolish girl’s wish.
“I’m going. I’ll buy grain too, and a water flask. Oh right… hehe… I climbed over the wall yesterday and brought back your bow and arrows. I hid them in my basket.”
Bai Zilin was surprised. He hadn’t expected her to retrieve them.
“Thank you. I was planning to go get them myself. A bow isn’t cheap.”
He took out a money pouch and gave her three taels of silver.
“This is three taels of loose silver. After you buy clothes, shoes, and a water flask, use the rest for grain. When you go, no one will pay attention to you. But on the way back, be careful. People will see you as a fool… they might try to take your things. Be careful.”
His face suddenly turned red after saying that.
Liu Ye scratched her messy hair. It wasn’t really a habit—her head just itched, like she had lice. She took the silver and tucked it into her clothes.
“Got it.”
After finishing her apple, she grabbed a bag and followed the villagers toward town. A group of gossiping women quickly surrounded her as they walked.
Among them was Aunt Wu, the most notorious gossip in the village. She smiled at Liu Ye and asked,
“Hey, silly girl from the Liu family, are you really living with Bai Zilin now? Hehe… what did you two do? Did he touch you? Did he climb on top of you?”
The surrounding women perked up their ears, eager to hear.
Liu Ye: (._.)
“Damn that woman. Touch your grandmother’s foot! What nonsense are you spouting? Are you running some kind of gossip club? You’re the one who got pinned under the Liu boss!”
From the foolish girl’s memories, she actually knew something shocking—her father had once been having an affair with this very Aunt Wu. One time, they were in the mountains “pulling radishes” when the foolish girl accidentally saw them. Not understanding what they were doing, she walked closer and was slapped and kicked away by her father.
Aunt Wu’s question made the surrounding women burst into laughter, and even the men were secretly amused.
“Hahaha Aunt Wu, you really have a way with words! Did you forget she’s a fool? When has she ever spoken? Go check at night if you want, hahaha!”
Liu Ye rolled her eyes and quickened her pace, quickly shaking off the gossip group.
After passing two villages, she reached the town ahead.
It was a simple, old-fashioned town with clean stone-paved streets. There wasn’t much trash—just a few fallen leaves. Shops lined both sides of the street, though only a few were open. People walked quickly through the streets, all looking tired and drenched in sweat under the heat.
Liu Ye went straight into a cloth shop that was open.
The shop assistant initially thought she was a beggar and was about to chase her out, but her soft, gentle voice stopped him.
“Big brother, I want ready-made clothes. Do you have any?”
The young assistant immediately softened.
“Yes, we have plenty—men’s, women’s, old and children’s clothes. Are you buying for yourself?”
Liu Ye nodded.
“I want two sets for myself, and two sets for my brother. My brother is tall and strong. I also need two pairs of shoes—mine and his. His feet are very big.”
She gestured with her hands, then lifted her own foot.
“My feet are this big. Can you help me choose? I’m not very good at this…”
The assistant nodded.
“I understand. I’ll pick them for you. Are you from a family fleeing hardship? I’ll choose sturdy clothes and won’t overcharge you. Wait a moment.”
He quickly went to gather clothes and shoes, wrapping everything up. Then he brought out a large bundle from the back.
“This bundle of fabric scraps is a gift for you. I secretly saved it. Take it.”
“These are your brother’s two sets, and your two sets. They’re all coarse linen—durable. Four pairs of shoes as well, also linen. I even added two pairs of socks. Business has been bad lately; the shop owner has been ill and hasn’t come for a long time. I’ll wrap everything separately so it’s easier for you to carry.”
Liu Ye was stunned. She hadn’t expected him to be so kind.
She noticed his chapped lips and softened. Fine—she would give him two apples when she left. She couldn’t stand people being kind to her without returning something.
“Big brother, thank you. How much is it?”
“Just 200 wen.”
Liu Ye took out one tael of silver and handed it over. The assistant gave her 800 wen in change and placed it in a new pouch.
“You need a pouch for money. Take this. Be careful on your way. The town isn’t safe—some people will rob things in broad daylight.”
She accepted it, then suddenly took out two large apples from her bag and pressed them into his arms.
“Big brother, these are apples I picked from the mountains. They’ll help you quench your thirst. I’m leaving now.”
She picked up the bundles and left the shop.
The assistant stood there stunned, holding the apples for a long time, unable to speak. In disbelief, he quickly hid them in his chest and ran to the back.
After leaving the shop, Liu Ye turned into an empty alley and stored the large bundle of fabric scraps into her space. The shop assistant really was a good person—he even gave her so much fabric. It seemed there were still many good people in the world.