The pears were a golden yellow, large and fragrant.
There were four pears, each as large as a grapefruit. Ye Wan couldn’t hold them with both hands, so she simply used the front of her robe to carry them.
“Pears for sale! Big, sweet pears! Come and have a look!”
After finding a shady spot, Ye Wan began to hawk her wares.
Passersby glanced at her curiously but showed no intention of buying. Some men, however, cast lecherous gazes in her direction.
Ye Wan took a look around and, seeing she was the only one selling things, immediately understood. She decided to go sell her pears where the wealthy frequented, like inns and teahouses.
She still remembered yesterday’s market, but decided against going there. It was too dirty and chaotic.
Just as she was asking for directions, a carriage drawn by two horses ambled over from a short distance away.
Without a second thought, Ye Wan went up to it. “Noble sir, would you like to buy some pears? They are absolutely the biggest pears in this area.”
The driver was a youth of sixteen or seventeen. Because he was driving slowly, he stopped the carriage at once and glanced over curiously.
“Those pears are quite large, but why are you carrying them in your robe? That’s so improper.”
Seeing a potential sale, Ye Wan immediately put on a warm smile. “A beautiful flower needs no green leaves to set it off. These are the only pears that grew on our old tree this year. I was planning to save them for the elders at home, but a family emergency came up, so I had to bring them out. I was in such a hurry that I forgot to bring a basket.”
“How much are they?”
In this sweltering heat, the youth lowered his head and seemed to catch the sweet, refreshing scent of the pears.
He thought that if the young master didn’t eat them, he would eat them himself.
Ye Wan had already sized up the carriage and the youth’s attire. After careful consideration, she named a price.
“What? Ten taels!”
“Are these pears for the gods to eat? How can they be so expensive? You might as well just rob people!”
The youth’s eyebrows shot up when he heard the price, and he raised the whip in his hand, ready to drive the carriage away.
“Yantai, what kind of pear is worth ten taels? Let me see.”
Just then, the carriage curtain was lifted.
The person inside the carriage was also a fair-faced youth, about eighteen or nineteen years old. He was dressed in a sapphire-blue robe, and his voice was lazy, as if he had just woken up.
“Young Master, you’re awake?”
Yantai, the driver, only then realized his voice had been too loud and had woken the young master. He shot Ye Wan a glare.
Ye Wan pretended not to see it, holding her robe as she moved a little closer. “Young Master, take a look. I’m not exaggerating at all. These pears are thirst-quenching and have a soft, smooth texture. They’re especially good for elders at home who might have a cough or a poor appetite. Eating one of these on such a hot day is incredibly comforting.”
Everything she said was the truth; she wasn’t just singing her own praises.
She hadn’t expected that a random branch she had picked up by the kang and planted would grow such delicious pears.
These were the largest pears from the tree, and she was selling them for their novelty and rarity.
Were ten taels expensive? Not at all!
Liu Wenshu looked at the woman before him. Her face was flushed from the sun, and strands of hair at her temples were damp and stuck to her skin. Her smile was enthusiastic, and though she wore old, patched clothes, she didn’t seem dirty.
Even from a distance, he could smell the sweet, refreshing scent of the pears.
“We’ll buy them.”
“Young Master, this… this…”
Yantai wanted to say that the price was too high. Weren’t they going to haggle? Ten taels of silver could buy a servant. They were clearly being ripped off.
However, seeing the look in his young master’s eyes, he didn’t dare say more. He took out a food box from the carriage and placed the pears inside.
Then, with a pained expression, he took out ten taels of silver from his purse.
Tsk, they were being suckers again. When they got back, he and the young master were in for a scolding.
Ye Wan was overjoyed, and kind words flowed from her lips. “Thank you, Young Master! I wish you may one day rise with the wind like a great roc, Fúyáo Zhíshàng Jiǔwànlǐ.”
Sitting in the carriage, Liu Wenshu heard her words and his hand, which was about to take a pear, paused. He lifted the curtain again, but the person was already gone.
“Where did she go?”
“Young Master, who?”
Yantai realized what he meant. “Oh, that woman from just now? She ran off.”
Hearing that Yantai hadn’t seen which way she went, Liu Wenshu shot him a glare.
He happened to be thirsty, so he picked up a pear from the food box and took a bite.
With just that one bite, he froze completely…
Ye Wan had seen people looking over earlier, so to avoid trouble, she had left immediately after getting the silver.
There was a stall selling bone broth noodles by the roadside. The aroma wafted into her nose, and Ye Wan, who hadn’t eaten noodles in a long time, couldn’t help but swallow.
In the private room of the teahouse upstairs.
Zhang Fuhu was sipping tea. He glanced out the window and saw the beautiful woman from yesterday.
The image of Lin An Yuan’s unblemished, otherworldly face immediately surfaced in his mind.
A heat rose within him, and he took a sip of tea. “This truly is good tea. It would be even more wonderful with a fine dish to accompany it.”
Master Zhang always felt an itch for things he couldn’t have.
He had originally thought that after offering fifty taels yesterday, the little beauty would appear in his bed today. But those two paupers actually hadn’t sent her over.
The lackey beside him followed Master Zhang’s line of sight and immediately squeezed out a smile. “Master Zhang, please wait a moment. This humble one will bring the ‘fine dish’ up to you right away.”
Master Zhang didn’t respond, just continued to sip his tea, one mouthful at a time.
Across the street, Ye Wan stood at the entrance of the noodle shop. After a moment’s hesitation, she decided to go to the clinic first and get her husband out.
Just as she was about to turn back, a person suddenly darted out from the side of the road.
“Little beauty, where are you off to?”
“Move!” Ye Wan frowned at the person before her.
Was someone actually harassing a decent woman on the street in broad daylight?
The lackey grinned. “Beauty, our master has invited you upstairs for tea. Come with me.”
Ye Wan looked up and saw the obese figure in the private room. Her face instantly darkened. Why was she so unlucky? It was this black pig demon.
“I don’t know your master. Move!”
Ye Wan sidestepped as she spoke, but just as she was about to leave, her arm was grabbed.
The lackey dropped his playful expression, his tone now threatening. “You little wench, don’t refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit. It’s your good fortune that our master has taken a liking to you. Your parents and family will all get to enjoy the benefits.”
“Why don’t you take this good fortune for yourself! Scram!”
Ye Wan kicked out. As the man cried out in pain and loosened his grip, she turned and ran.
“You little bitch!” The lackey’s face twisted in pain from the kick. He yelled towards the teahouse, “Men, come and tie her up!”
In an instant, four burly men rushed out of the teahouse.
Seeing that things were bad, Ye Wan ran towards a crowded area.
She hadn’t run far before she collided head-on with someone.
She heard a muffled grunt from the person in front of her. The impact sent Ye Wan stumbling back two steps, and she was just about to apologize.
When she looked up, she met a pair of pitch-black eyes.