Lai Yi carried the pears and apples on his back while Neil obediently followed beside him as they walked to the market.
The neatly paved stone streets made Neil marvel inwardly – these roads were so well constructed that shoes definitely wouldn’t get muddy even on rainy days.
The village mostly had dirt roads, with only the main road paved with a thick layer of crushed stones. This was done when the Clan Elder first took office, leading the villagers to pave it together for easier grain transportation. This road had greatly facilitated the villagers’ daily travels.
“Brother,” Neil tugged at Lai Yi’s sleeve.
“What’s wrong, Neil?”
“Brother, was that person just now… not human?”
Neil asked quietly.
Lai Yi felt somewhat surprised, but then thought that Iru’s strange appearance would naturally make Neil suspicious. Yet why did he conclude Iru wasn’t human rather than just being an eccentric teenager?
He decided to ask Neil.
“Why do you think that?”
Neil hesitated before answering Lai Yi’s question.
“Brother, please don’t think I’m being rude.”
“Mm, go ahead.”
“That person smells strange. Very different from everyone else.”
“What kind of smell?”
Lai Yi continued asking.
“It’s like a damp, earthy smell, somewhat pungent. I’ve never smelled it on any villager before.”
“What about other people?”
“Other people smell like dried sunshine. Aunt Linda carries a hint of bread fragrance, Uncle Heger has a fresh wheat scent. But you’re the most different, brother – you have this pleasant wooden aroma that nobody else has!”
Lai Yi frowned. Neil’s nose seemed overly sensitive. While Iru did have some sweat odor, it certainly wasn’t the earthy smell Neil described.
“Since when could you smell like this?”
“Since I was little. Mother said I shouldn’t tell others.”
Neil looked around nervously, afraid other pedestrians might hear.
“Don’t tell anyone else besides me from now on, understand?”
Lai Yi looked at Neil, who nodded heavily. Lai Yi’s sudden seriousness made him somewhat anxious.
“Brother, did I do something wrong?”
“No, Neil. Just remember this saying – ‘Never be without caution against others.’ Never share your personal matters with other people.”
“Okay, I’ll remember, brother.”
Seeing Neil’s tense little body, clearly showing his nervousness, Lai Yi didn’t want to spoil the child’s cheerful mood and changed the subject.
“Iru is a Goblin. Are you scared?”
“Not scared!”
Neil puffed out his chest, indicating he was already a little man who feared nothing.
Lai Yi chuckled softly and patted his shoulder twice.
Hmm, he’s gained quite some muscle. Seems I have some talent for raising kids after all.
Lai Yi led Neil through several blocks to the market, spending ten copper coins at the management office at the street end to register and rent a small stall. The good spots had already been taken by others, so they got a location toward the back.
Lai Yi found their spot using the registration wooden tag, set down the carrying basket, and spread a dark-colored felt cloth on the ground. Then he neatly arranged the pears and apples on the felt cloth.
The best ones were placed on top, while the slightly inferior ones were hidden underneath. After arranging them, Lai Yi covered the fruits on the inner side with grass leaves, leaving only the front ones exposed to prevent the sun from wilting them all.
The golden hue of the pears created a stark visual contrast against the dark gray of the felt cloth, making them stand out conspicuously among the stalls.
“Neil, why don’t you take a stroll around the market? I can handle things here.”
“No. Brother, I want to stay and help you sell.”
“Alright, after we’re done, I’ll take you around.”
Lai Yi let Neil do as he pleased. The two brothers sat cross-legged on the ground like the other vendors, each with a leaf perched on their head. Just like when they were selling Mung Bean Soup, Lai Yi had Neil handle the money.
“Little brother, is this your first time here? Which village are you from?”
The vendor at the neighboring stall struck up a conversation, his face shrewd, eyeing the pears on Lai Yi’s stall with envy.
“Yes, I’m from ‘Little Mountain Village.’ I happened to pick some wild fruits in the mountains a few days ago and came to town this morning by oxcart to sell them for some copper coins.”
“‘Little Mountain Village’—that’s quite far.”
Lai Yi noticed the vendor withdraw his gaze, and the other idle vendors eavesdropping also lost interest.
In markets like this, people from the same village tended to cluster together when selling goods. Firstly, they could look out for one another, and secondly, it helped avoid being bullied by people from other villages.
The Clan Elder of “Little Mountain Village” was famously protective of his own, making the entire village more united than others. Vendors from there were generally not easy targets for exploitation.
Lai Yi silently pondered what schemes they might be plotting.
When away from home, one had to stay vigilant—a single misstep could lead to being cheated by someone.
“How much for these pears? They’re golden and look really good.”
Soon, someone approached the stall to inquire about the pears.
“Eight copper coins each.”
This was the standard price. While villagers found it too expensive and rarely bought them, townsfolk often purchased a few to taste. However, the potential buyer seemed to think it was pricey and left shaking his head.
The two brothers sat for a long time without selling any pears. The apples, being cheaper, had sold over a dozen.
This wasn’t working—they needed to come up with a plan.
Lai Yi cleared his throat and began to hawk his wares.
“Pears for sale! Pears for sale! Sweet and crisp Golden Pears! Eight copper coins each, fifteen for two. Buy ten, get one free! Taste before you buy—if it’s not sweet, it’s free!”
The catchy spiel rolled off his tongue, leaving the other vendors stunned.
Was this even allowed?
Ignoring their stares, Lai Yi continued his sales pitch. Neil watched with an expression of having learned something new.
In truth, the pears Lai Yi was selling weren’t the modern variety of Golden Pears; he had simply named them based on their color, figuring no one would mind.
Soon, a few aunties carrying baskets for grocery shopping approached. Drawn by Lai Yi’s handsome appearance and the one-copper-coin discount, they ended up buying a few. As they picked out pears, they teased Lai Yi playfully among themselves.
Lai Yi didn’t take offense. He responded to their banter with a smile and thoughtfully retrieved the un-sunned pears from under the grass leaves. His attitude won over the aunties, who, pleased, bought two extra pears.
“Brother, let me help you attract customers.”
Neil began hawking using Lai Yi’s lines. His voice, still that of a young boy before puberty, rang out clearly and drew in more customers.
No one knew whom Neil had learned it from, but he had a sweet way with words, charming the uncles and aunties who came to buy pears and making them quite happy.
“That pear of yours looks quite good. Pick out twenty nice ones for me.”
A well-dressed middle-aged man approached, his garments embroidered with golden threads depicting a wild boar with tusks. He wore a pair of glasses and was followed by two servants.
Although Lai Yi knew it wasn’t actually a wild boar, he couldn’t name what it was, so he simply thought of it as one.
The crowd respectfully made way for him. A lady with some knowledge of etiquette curtsied, and he tipped his hat in acknowledgment.
“Good afternoon, Butler Claire.”
“Good afternoon, fair lady.”
“Greetings, Butler Claire!”
“Hello to you all.”
The servants placed a large vegetable basket at the stall. Lai Yi carefully selected twenty-two good pears and added four extra apples as a gift.
“How much?”
“One silver coin and sixty copper coins in total, sir.”
Another servant stepped forward and handed Lai Yi two silver coins.
“Keep the change.”
With that, Butler Black turned and left without waiting for Lai Yi’s reaction.
More customers came to buy pears. For those who purchased larger quantities, Lai Yi threw in an extra apple. After a busy period, this wave of customers finally subsided.
“Who is Butler Claire?”
Lai Yi asked the stall owner who had spoken to him earlier.
“You don’t know?”
The stall owner looked at him as if he were a country bumpkin.
“Butler Claire is the chief steward of Edmundson Baron’s household. The baron owns a large fiefdom in Eaton City and has come to town mainly to stay at his mansion for the summer.”
Lai Yi and young Neil’s attentive expressions satisfied the stall owner’s vanity, and he continued.
“I heard the baron will be staying for quite a while. He won’t leave until after the festival ends. He’s already hosted two proper balls. Oh, bless these generous lords.”
Clearly, Butler Claire’s shopping trips had already allowed many to benefit from his lavish spending.
Lai Yi and Neil exchanged glances. Young Neil’s eyes reflected pure innocence—he was too young to fully grasp the relationships among the nobility.
“Thank you.”
Lai Yi expressed his gratitude, and he and Neil continued hawking their pears and apples.
They hadn’t actually brought much fruit. After selling out, they packed up their stall, returned the wooden sign, and retrieved their five-copper-coin deposit.
Lai Yi took young Neil on a leisurely stroll through the entire market.
Most villagers’ stalls were piled high with seasonal vegetables, all neatly arranged and cleaned.
There was a stall selling wood carvings, displaying many exquisitely carved small animals, some painted in bright colors. Lai Yi noticed Neil slowing down, even glancing back several times as they passed.
“Do you like them?”
Neil hesitated before speaking.
“I’d like to buy one for my little niece Luna. Her birthday is coming up.”
“Let’s take a look.”
They turned back. The stall owner greeted them briefly before lowering his head to continue carving.
Neil carefully examined the selection and finally picked a cute little monkey carving with two round red painted bottoms.
“How much for this?”
“Fifteen copper coins.”
Neil thought it was somewhat expensive but decided to buy it anyway.
“Pick one for yourself too. We made good money today—I’ll pay for it.”
“Okay.”
Neil crouched down again and selected a crouching kitten carving for himself. Among three kitten carvings, he chose the only unpainted one.
“I’ll take this!”
After Lai Yi paid, Neil carefully wrapped both carvings in a handkerchief and treasured them in his pocket.
The two continued their leisurely stroll when a rich, fragrant aroma wafted from an inconspicuous little shop. A wooden board painted with a bread illustration hung on the wall. Though small, the shop was fully equipped, with shelves displaying bread, biscuits, fruit pies, and similar items. The quantity wasn’t large, but there were several varieties to choose from.
“What would you like, sir? My father’s butter bread is the best in town. Just fifteen copper coins for a loaf.”
A young girl in a clean apron greeted them, her light blue eyes quite captivating.
A pound of wheat flour cost twenty copper coins, enough to make three baguettes—still somewhat expensive—but Lai Yi bought Neil a loaf anyway. He also purchased ten-copper-coin milk-scented finger biscuits that were incredibly hard. It was unclear how they were made, but they didn’t crumble and were very firm. Difficult to bite through and slightly grating when chewed, yet they grew more fragrant with each chew. They suited Lai Yi’s taste perfectly.
They soon reached the end of the street, but today, Mu’s meat stall was nowhere to be seen. After asking shopkeepers for directions to other markets, Lai Yi took Neil to another location.
Author’s note: