Early the next morning, Ye Qingyan placed the ginseng she had wrapped up into her small shoulder bag and set off for the county town, intending to sell it.
When she reached the large banyan tree at the village entrance, several villagers were already gathered there, waiting for the ox cart to take them to the commune.
At the sight of Ye Qingyan, many curious eyes turned toward her.
Since Ji Qiuyun had returned to settle in Xiangyang Village, news of her divorce had spread throughout the entire village. It had become a favorite topic of gossip, and many people had not hesitated to whisper and speculate about the mother and daughter behind their backs.
Ye Qingyan offered them a faint smile, then stood quietly to one side, waiting for the ox cart.
Most villagers had never really looked closely at her appearance. Now that they stood near her, they realized just how beautiful Ye Qingyan was—large, bright, expressive eyes, a tall, straight nose, a delicate, petite face, and skin fairer and smoother than any other young woman’s in the village.
Several women, brimming with curiosity, nudged one another forward, urging someone to strike up a conversation.
One was pushed out to the front. She smoothed her tunic, stepped up to Ye Qingyan, and said, “You must be Qingyan, aren’t you? What a lovely, pretty girl you are.”
“Greetings, Auntie,” Ye Qingyan replied politely with a nod. “I’ve only just moved here and haven’t had the chance to get to know everyone. May I ask your name?”
“You may call me Aunt Guihua.”
“Very well, Aunt Guihua.”
Seeing that Aunt Guihua had broken the ice, the other women stepped forward one by one, introducing themselves to Ye Qingyan.
They had barely exchanged a few words when Chen Bo drove the village ox cart over. The women escorted Ye Qingyan aboard and found seats together.
Once settled, one of them voiced the question weighing on everyone’s mind: “Qingyan, you’ve been living over there for a little while now. How are things treating you? Are you managing all right?”
Ye Qingyan answered with a smile, “Everything is perfectly fine. The house sits near the back hills—it’s quiet and peaceful. We’ve settled in quite comfortably.”
“That’s such a relief to hear.”
“We were hoping you’d say that.”
The women exchanged glances, and a complex look passed between them.
When word spread that Ji Qiuyun and Ye Qingyan had bought the so-called haunted house, the entire village had been stunned. What extraordinary courage those two must have, to move into such a place!
Privately, many had waited to see how it would end—would the mother and daughter flee in terror, or be driven mad by fear? Yet here they were, nearly ten days later, apparently safe and sound. None of the dire predictions had come to pass.
When the ox cart arrived at Hongguang Commune, everyone disembarked. Some headed to the supply and marketing cooperative to shop; others, like Ye Qingyan, boarded the bus bound for the county seat.
As soon as Ye Qingyan stepped aboard, the conductor looked her up and down, spoke in an unsmiling tone, and said, “Thirty cents for the ticket. Pay first.”
“Very well.” Ye Qingyan acknowledged the request, reached into her padded cotton jacket, pulled out thirty cents, and handed it over.
After receiving her ticket, she chose a seat by the window.
In this era, jobs such as bus conductors and cooperative shop clerks were highly coveted “iron rice bowl” positions—one could only secure such work through connections and family influence. Consequently, most such employees carried themselves with great pride and were often discourteous toward the public.
The bus pulled away and, roughly half an hour later, arrived at the county seat of Anping County.
Ye Qingyan, her crossbody bag emblazoned with a red star slung over her shoulder, walked in circles around the neighborhood for a while after getting off, making certain that no fellow villagers remained nearby. Only then did she head toward the pharmacy.
Inside, a handful of customers milled about, attended by two shop assistants. Behind the counter, a middle-aged man reviewing account books appeared to be the proprietor.
Ye Qingyan approached the counter and said, “Greetings, Comrade.”
“Mm?” The man turned to look at her. “Comrade, is there something I may do for you?”
“Are you the owner of this establishment, sir?”
When he nodded, Ye Qingyan asked softly, “I was wondering—do you purchase medicinal herbs here?”
“We do. What herbs have you brought? Let me see them first.”
Ye Qingyan took the ginseng from her bag and gently spread out its fine, branching roots so he could examine it clearly.
The owner studied the ginseng carefully, then looked up at her. “This ginseng is less than fifty years old,” he pronounced. “And several of its rootlets are broken. It cannot be considered top grade. Tell you what—seeing as you’ve come a long way, I’ll give you five hundred yuan for it.”
Five hundred… yuan??
The previous evening, Ye Qingyan and her mother had estimated that although this fifty-year-old ginseng was not as valuable as century-old stock, it should reasonably fetch around one thousand yuan. The price the owner offered was absurdly low.
“Sir, perhaps you would care to examine it once more?” Ye Qingyan said with quiet certainty. “This ginseng is definitely more than fifty years old.”
Noting her simple, worn clothing, the owner assumed she was a naive country girl and tried to take advantage. “It is most certainly not fifty years old. Do you imagine I do not know my trade? This ginseng is worth five hundred yuan. Take it or leave it?”
“The price is far too low.” Ye Qingyan shook her head, carefully rewrapped the ginseng, and placed it back in her bag.
“Wait—hold on!” Seeing her turn to leave, the owner called out hastily. “Six hundred yuan! Would you accept six hundred?”
That was still far below what Ye Qingyan believed it to be worth. She shook her head once more. “Thank you, but I think I shall not sell it here.” With that, she walked straight out the door.
Deciding it was still early in the day, Ye Qingyan resolved to travel to the city proper and find a reputable apothecary to sell her ginseng.
She had not walked far when a deep, pleasant voice called out from behind her: “Comrade, please wait a moment.”
Ye Qingyan turned around. Standing there was a young man clad in a heavy military greatcoat—tall, upright, and striking. His handsome features carried a touch of cool reserve, and his whole bearing was steady and composed.
“Were you addressing me?” Ye Qingyan asked, pointing to herself uncertainly.
Pei Ze nodded slightly. “Yes. Might I have a word with you in private?”
Ye Qingyan regarded him warily. “Whatever you have to say, you may say it here.”
Handsome as he was, she was not about to lower her guard. The world was full of men who bore fine appearances but hid base character beneath them.
Pei Ze fell silent. Not a foolish girl—sharp and cautious.
“I have a particular interest in the item you carry in your bag,” Pei Ze said, raising an eyebrow. “Are you certain you wish to discuss it, here on the street?”
So he knew about the ginseng. Ye Qingyan glanced around at the crowds passing by. He had a point—this was hardly the place to talk business.
“Very well,” she said quietly. “Walk with me.”
Pei Ze fell into step behind her as they turned down a quieter, less crowded lane.
A few days prior, Pei Ze had received a letter from home. It bore news that Old Master Pei, his grandfather in the capital, had been in declining health. He had taken leave from the barracks specifically that day, intending to purchase tonics and herbal supplements to send home for his grandfather’s care.
By pure chance, he had witnessed the entire exchange at the pharmacy. He had watched this young woman—intelligent, self-assured, and remarkably pretty—refuse to be cheated or misled by the greedy shopkeeper. He knew well enough that her ginseng was indeed more than fifty years old, and worth far more than the paltry sum she had been offered.
When she had walked out of the pharmacy, Pei Ze had found himself following, almost against his own good judgment…