Da Ya turned around. By the base of the wall, the Dwarf Peddler was calling out to her.
The Dwarf Peddler had only started his trade in the last two years. He often sold Rouge and Hair Flowers and the like at the entrance of the Embroidery Workshop. His family was poor; his parents had fallen ill and passed away. He had been short since he was a child, so people called him “Dwarf.”
“Is something the matter?” Da Ya asked, standing where she was.
“I have some head flowers from the county town here. They’re absolutely one-of-a-kind in this town. Come and take a look.” The Dwarf Peddler looked at Da Ya with a beaming smile.
“Thank you, but I don’t like them.” Da Ya had just received her monthly wages, which only amounted to thirty copper coins in total, and the money was needed at home.
She had already cut her hair, so what was the point of wearing a head flower? When she found a new job and earned some money, she could buy one for Er Ya. Er Ya loved pretty things the most.
The Dwarf Peddler walked over, holding a red Velvet Flower. He was a full head shorter than Da Ya and had to look up at her.
“You don’t have to pay for it. I saved this especially for you. Lower your head, and I’ll put it on for you.”
Da Ya took a step back. “No, thank you. You can keep it. I have to go home.”
She thought she might as well head to the Market Entrance to see if she could still help Ye Wan.
The Dwarf Peddler followed Da Ya. “Da Ya, Da Ya, this is a gift for you. I come to the Embroidery Workshop entrance every day just to catch a glimpse of you. You should know how I feel about you. Please accept it. I’ll marry you in the future.”
Da Ya frowned. “I don’t want it. Please leave. We’re not a good match.”
The Dwarf Peddler lowered his head. Just as Da Ya was wondering if her tone had been too harsh, he grabbed her by the wrist.
The Dwarf Peddler’s fawning smile vanished, replaced by a different expression. “What are you pretending for? You’ve already cut your hair, yet you’re still acting all high and mighty. You must have seduced some man, haven’t you? It’s your good fortune that I’ve taken a liking to you! You’re coming with me today!”
“Let go! I’ll scream for help!”
Da Ya never expected the Dwarf Peddler would dare to do this in broad daylight.
The Dwarf Peddler laughed lewdly. “Go on, scream. If you do, I’ll just tell everyone you seduced me. Let’s see who they believe, you or me!”
Da Ya struggled, but she was too weak to break free. She bit down hard on the peddler’s wrist, only to be slapped across the face.
“You damn bitch, I offered you a toast and you chose a forfeit!”
The Dwarf Peddler glanced at a small shed nearby stacked with firewood and planned to drag her inside to force himself on her and settle the matter.
“It’s your good fortune that I’m sleeping with you! Ah—”
Just as he was about to push her down, a rock hit him, making him cry out in pain.
He turned to see a woman with a child staring at him and immediately snapped viciously, “Get lost. This is my woman. Mind your own business.”
Ye Wan, holding San Ya’s hand, had an icy look in her eyes. “This is my daughter. You tell me if I should be minding my own business.”
She had been feeling uneasy all day and decided to come check on Da Ya. She hadn’t expected to run into this exact scene. It could only be said that her arrival was timely.
“Mother!”
Da Ya’s face was deathly pale. Seizing the opportunity, she scrambled behind Ye Wan.
“Aiya, this humble one has eyes but failed to recognize Mount Tai. So it’s my mother-in-law. Da Ya and I are in love. Please betroth her to me. I’ll definitely make sure she lives a good life in the future.” The Dwarf Peddler’s face immediately broke into a smile, and he kept sneaking glances at Ye Wan.
This mother-in-law is so young. If…
Ye Wan was utterly disgusted. “You thing that isn’t even as tall as three donkey droppings stacked together, why don’t you take a piss and look at your own reflection? You think you’re worthy?”
“Mother-in-law is right to scold me. To tell you the truth, Da Ya and I have already been intimate. She’ll have a hard time getting married looking like this anyway. She can only be with me!” the Dwarf Peddler said with a placating smile, but his eyes were vicious.
Ye Wan grabbed a nearby carrying pole and swung it at him. One second the dwarf was standing, and the next his head was split open and bleeding.
Da Ya was stunned and quickly covered San Ya’s eyes.
“Let’s go.”
Ye Wan’s stomach was churning with rage. The blow from the carrying pole had vented some of it. She took Da Ya and San Ya’s hands and left.
Once they reached a place with people, she finally looked at Da Ya and spoke. “Why didn’t you call for help? You just let him bully you?”
“It’s useless. No one would have meddled,” Da Ya said with her head down, her voice barely louder than a mosquito’s buzz.
In the past, perhaps someone might have, but now, the moment people saw her hair, they wouldn’t want to get involved.
Ye Wan’s tone was stern. “How do you know if you don’t try? You should never give up on yourself, no matter the situation. You still have your father, and you have me. If all else fails, your two younger sisters also care deeply for you.”
As she spoke, she took the cloth strip tying Da Ya’s hair and braided it with a hair tie that had a bead dangling from it.
“Let’s go. I still have to set up my stall.”
Da Ya touched the braid on her head, the bead dangling at the end, and smiled as she watched Ye Wan walk ahead. The ache in her heart seemed to have lessened.
“Hey, I’ve finally been waiting for you! If this young man selling vegetables next to me hadn’t told me you were coming, I would have been angry enough to start cursing.”
When they arrived at the stall, several people were already waiting, most of whom had eaten there the day before.
“Uncle, thank you. I’ll give you some extra noodles today.” Ye Wan apologized while working with nimble hands and feet.
“What about us? We’ve been waiting for a long time too. You can’t not give us extra, madam.”
“Extra for everyone, extra for everyone.”
Da Ya stood to the side, and Ye Wan had her help collect the money. She had made more today, and it sold out even faster than the day before. Those who didn’t get any sniffed the air before walking away.
Finally taking a moment to rest, Ye Wan took a sip of water and spoke to Da Ya, who was tidying up.
“Starting tomorrow, don’t go to the Embroidery Workshop. Come work with me. You’ve seen how busy I am. I’ll pay you a wage.”
It wasn’t safe for a young girl like Da Ya to be out on her own, and after what happened yesterday, it was even less safe.
An eleven-year-old girl had almost been…
The mere thought of it made Ye Wan feel that her blow with the carrying pole had been too light. She shouldn’t have aimed for his head; she should have aimed for his crotch.
Da Ya nodded. “Thank you, Mother.”
“Pfft!”
Ye Wan nearly spat out a mouthful of water. She was already calling her Mother?
It was one thing for a little girl like San Ya to call her Mother, but Da Ya was already so big. Could it be because she had just saved her?
“Mother, are you alright?” A trace of unease flickered in Da Ya’s eyes as she stepped forward to pat Ye Wan’s back.
Her father had originally wanted them to call her Mother, but she had never been able to bring herself to say it. Now that she had, it wasn’t so difficult after all.
Just as Ye Wan was about to say she didn’t have to force herself, a customer arrived.
“What are you selling? I’ll have a bowl.”
Chu Xiujie tugged at his clothes and sat down on a small stool that was barely big enough for his bottom.
Ye Wan quickly spoke up, “Big Brother, we’re sold out of both Suan La Fen and Liang Fen. If you want some, please come back tomorrow.”
“Sold out? Can you make a bowl for me now?” He had been passing by and was drawn in by the fragrant aroma.
“It’s really all gone. Not a single bit left.” Ye Wan lifted the lid of her pot, which contained only the soup base.
Chu Xiujie stood up, but he still wanted to eat. He pointed to the vegetable stall next to them. “Wash some of those vegetables over there and cook a bowl for me. I’ll pay extra.”
“Please wait a moment, customer.”
Da Ya deftly paid the vegetable seller and bought a handful of bok choy and a few other things.