Gu Jun held back his anger, quietly watching him.
The shop assistant said, “Take it or leave it. If you don’t want it, just go. Don’t disturb my business.”
Gu Jun pulled on his short jacket and left.
The shop assistant called after him, “To tell you the truth, this is a well-known rule. Anything less than one wen is still charged as one wen! Once you leave our pawnshop, see if anyone else will give you more money! It’s just a worthless piece of junk, why treat it like a treasure!”
Gu Jun ignored him and walked away.
He walked a mile in one breath and this time chose a pawnshop where someone was currently pawning their belongings.
He thought for a moment, didn’t rush in, and waited until the person came out. He secretly followed them for a while, and seeing no regret on their face, he then entered the pawnshop.
The person handling the pawned goods was an old man. He pinched the clothes, looked at them, smelled them, and slowly asked, “Dead pawn or live pawn?”
The interest and redemption period were the same as the previous shop, and anything less than one wen was still charged as one wen. However, the depreciation price was one hundred and sixty wen.
Thus, a live pawn could get sixty-four wen, and a dead pawn could get ninety-six wen.
The interest for a live pawn for one month was exactly 3.84 wen. Even if calculated as one wen, it wouldn’t be much of a loss.
Gu Jun calculated it was worth it and pawned the short jacket as a live pawn here.
The old man instructed the assistant to give him sixty-four wen.
It was the first time Gu Jun held money from this era.
The currency of this dynasty, copper coins, was the same as the well-known copper coins, round with a square hole, golden yellow.
Dozens of copper coins had some weight, enough to buy food for two people for about three days.
If he didn’t eat high-energy foods like Lin Yue.
For example, various pancakes, Lin’s rice (a large bowl of brown rice with salty soup), or mixed soup (soup made from various poultry innards and bones, with tofu and the cheapest seasonal cabbage).
Then these sixty-four wen could last longer.
Gu Jun knew this so well because every time he couldn’t find a job, he would inadvertently pass by a street with various food stalls, satisfying his hunger with just the sight.
Gu Jun retreated to the farthest corner of the pawnshop counter, with his back to the door, and used a sturdy grass rope he had already prepared and put in his pocket to string the copper coins one by one, then put them in his pocket, keeping his hand tightly against them.
He was afraid of pickpockets stealing them.
In this small county, according to Old Huo, there were no less than fifty pickpockets of various sizes.
To avoid looking like he was carrying a fortune, he took a few deep breaths inside the pawnshop to calm down before stepping out.
Whether it was an illusion or not, he always felt someone was watching him from the shadows.
A cold sweat broke out on his back, and he quickened his pace, burying his head and walking forward. He twisted and turned, passing through several bustling or quiet streets, still feeling someone was watching him from the shadows.
He walked even faster.
“Huff, huff, huff—”
His legs felt like they were being pricked by needles, his stomach twisted in pain, and it seemed like a mountain was pressing on his chest, making it hard to breathe.
His breathing grew heavier with each step, and suddenly, his vision went black, the world spinning. He hurriedly used a wooden stick to support himself on the ground.
At this moment, a faint sound reached his ears through the fog.
Gu Jun used all his strength to identify the sound. It was footsteps.
The footsteps grew closer and more frequent, and Gu Jun’s adrenaline surged. Ignoring all discomfort, he used the stick to feel his way forward.
Stumbling a few steps, someone lightly tapped his shoulder, standing behind him.
His ears hadn’t deceived him; someone was indeed approaching him.
At this point, Gu Jun no longer thought his earlier feeling was an illusion. His heart pounded, and he bit his lower lip hard, silently gripping the stick.
If the person dared to rob him, he would stab them in the groin.
If you want to rob me of my life-saving money, I’ll make sure you can’t have children.
But the person made no move.
It seemed like a long time passed before Gu Jun’s vision gradually cleared. He cautiously took a step forward, then suddenly dashed forward.
This was just an unfinished thought, as the person behind him pressed down on his shoulder, pinning him in place.
“Ah Jun?” A familiar male voice rippled through the air.
Gu Jun was startled, abandoning the thought of stabbing someone. He slowly turned around, and the face that came into view was Lin Yue’s, handsome and extraordinary.
Gu Jun released his clenched jaw, his tense body relaxing, and his expression unconsciously softened.
“Husband.”
The thin shoulder, only slightly warm, was separated by a thin and rough hemp cloth, and the five fingers could clearly feel it. Lin Yue withdrew his hand, his gaze indifferent, scrutinizing him, and asked, “Where’s your outer garment?”
Lin Yue didn’t think Gu Jun would leave his outer garment near the bridge hole, letting the sun bake it, as it was still worth some money.
So, where did his outer garment go?
Gu Jun answered irrelevantly, “Come with me.”
Lin Yue looked around and silently followed. After walking a good distance, Gu Jun stopped on his own, and only then did Lin Yue ask in a low voice for the reason.
Gu Jun hesitated for a moment and said, “I felt someone was following me, but after you appeared, that feeling disappeared.”
Lin Yue said, “Are you suspecting I was following you? I was just heading home and happened to run into you. Why aren’t you waiting for me at home? What are you doing in the county?”
Gu Jun observed Lin Yue’s expression, seeing no guilt. He withdrew his gaze and said, “I pawned my outer garment.”
Lin Yue frowned.
Gu Jun said, “It’s not too cold now. When it gets colder, and you have work, we can redeem the clothes. It’s no big deal.” He looked around, seeing no one, and took out the string of copper coins from his pocket, pressing it into Lin Yue’s hand.
Lin Yue glanced at it and estimated the amount.
“What about my inner garment?”
“I didn’t pawn your inner garment. Before you left, you gave it to me. I watched over it, dried it, and pressed it under the grass mat,” Gu Jun said.
Lin Yue returned the money to Gu Jun, “Even if you pawned it, I wouldn’t blame you. It’s just that I found work, and without a change of clothes, it wouldn’t be good.”
Gu Jun used to care a lot about others misunderstanding him for doing something bad, which made him angry, but now he didn’t. Perhaps the recent days had smoothed his edges. If he explained and others believed him, that was good. If they didn’t, it didn’t matter.
In the long string of words, he caught the words he most anticipated.
“You found work?!” His eyes shone with incredible brightness.
Lin Yue paused, cautiously replying, “I asked a local elder who told me a family was building a new house. I found the craftsman in charge and asked if they needed more people.
“They said they were already full, but their apprentice got injured and wouldn’t recover soon. They had arranged for someone else, but that person didn’t show up, so I filled in. They want me to start work tomorrow.
“But this is just a verbal agreement. Tomorrow… who knows.”
Gu Jun was still very happy and said, “Great!”
Great for what?
Lin Yue was dumbfounded and laughed.
However, in an instant, he reined in his overly exuberant emotions, a reflex even he didn’t notice, but Gu Jun did.
Gu Jun remembered something, “Do you know how to build houses?”
Gu Jun actually wanted to say bricklaying, but he didn’t know how to say those four words, so he just used the words Lin Yue had just said.
Lin Yue said, “No. I’m doing odd jobs, assisting others. The work is simple, just labor-intensive, requiring moving bricks, tiles, wood, and mortar. At the end of the day, I clean up and keep things tidy.
“Twelve wen a day, no meals provided, can be settled daily, provided I work for at least three days. I worked for free for half a day today to advance two wen.”
Lin Yue reached into his sleeve and took out two round copper coins, placing them in Gu Jun’s hand.
One light, one heavy, the two coins and the string of money overlapped, producing a pleasant, crisp sound.
“I originally thought of getting the wages quickly to solve the food problem, but unexpectedly… you solved it too. It’s good. I’ll finish this job steadily, redeem your clothes first, then buy some supplies, and find another job later.”
Gu Jun carefully strung the two coins together and put them away. “Let’s go eat!”
Lin Yue looked at the unfamiliar wife, whose illness hadn’t diminished her color much, pondered for a moment, and said, “Today, you felt someone was watching you. It probably wasn’t an illusion. Whether they were after money or something else is unknown. To be safe, come with me to the county. You don’t have to do anything, just don’t wander off. After work, we’ll go back together.”
Gu Jun was taken aback, “Okay.”
He pursed his lips, hooked his finger around Lin Yue’s sleeve, just like he had hooked Old Huo’s sleeve before.
Gu Jun had wanted to pawn the short jacket for a long time, but Old Huo told him that if he pawned it, he wouldn’t survive long.
Winter was on its way, and with his current ability, once pawned, he wouldn’t be able to get it back. Old Huo wanted him to pawn it only at the edge of life and death.
Gu Jun held on, agreeing.
After Old Huo left, Gu Jun lost that drive and wanted to pawn it, but seeing a group of beggars occasionally passing by the bridge hole, eyeing his clothes covetously, he realized that even if he got money, he would only have days of fear and darkness.
He felt it wasn’t necessary.
He didn’t like it.
He desperately wanted to go back.
Then, the situation turned, and he felt now was the edge of life and death Old Huo had mentioned, and he could pawn it.
“You…” Lin Yue noticed his action.
Gu Jun softly called, “Husband.” His tone was coquettish, pitiful.
Lin Yue’s ears itched, and he turned his face away, “…Let’s go.”
.
Not far away, a slippery little child was talking to a young man, occasionally pointing in the direction where Gu Jun and Lin Yue had left.