There was no need to turn around to recognize that shrill, biting voice—it was Bai Lian.
Li Miaomiao saw her balancing a shoulder pole, two heavy baskets filled with vegetables dangling from either side. She wasn’t the least bit flustered by the insult; instead, she turned to Li Sanniang with a bright smile. “Auntie San, I thought I caught a glimpse of someone’s eldest son earlier, riding off in a donkey cart with his new bride, leaving his mother to walk. That really is… ‘filial,’ isn’t it?”
Li Sanniang had a long-standing grudge against Lin Dalang’s family, and she took the opening Li Miaomiao provided with relish. “Isn’t that the truth? I’ve seen plenty of people who let their elderly mothers ride while they walk, but I have never seen a son who lets his mother lug goods down the road while he sits in a cart.”
Under the combined fire of their mockery, and noticing the strange, judgmental stares of the other villagers passing by, Bai Lian found her face burning with embarrassment. She shot the two of them a venomous glare, spat onto the ground, and huffed off, aggressively swinging her baskets as she marched away.
Li Sanniang rolled her eyes at the woman’s retreating back. “Look at her, acting all sour and bitter.”
Sensing the depth of the animosity in her tone, Li Miaomiao quickened her pace to keep up. On the way, she decided to test the waters. “Auntie San, judging by your tone just now, it seems you and Bai Lian don’t get along very well?”
Li Sanniang pulled a steamed bun from her small bundle and handed it to her. “Here, have a bite. Let’s talk as we walk.”
Li Miaomiao had already eaten before leaving, but she realized that exchanging small favors and kindnesses was the best way to bridge the gap between neighbors. She accepted it with a grateful smile. “Thank you, Auntie San.”
Li Sanniang waved a dismissive hand. “Don’t be so formal. We’re all from the same village.”
Li Miaomiao broke off a small piece of the bun. The first bite revealed it wasn’t just soft and fluffy—it was sweet, too.
Li Sanniang took a bite of her own bun and let out a long, weary sigh. “Sigh.”
Seeing the shadow of distress on her face, Li Miaomiao asked gently, “Auntie San, what’s weighing on your mind?”
“Li Miaomiao, there’s a lot you don’t know.”
Li Sanniang began to recount the history of her feud with the Lin family. Years ago, when a matchmaker had come to propose a marriage, Bai Lian had tagged along under some pretext. The moment she entered the Li household, she had lavished praise on all the girls, calling them delicate and beautiful—until Li Sanniang served the food. Because she hadn’t placed the bowl of meat directly in front of Bai Lian, the woman had harbored a grudge. Afterward, Bai Lian had run straight to the Village Chief’s house to badmouth Li Sanniang, and as a result, the marriage proposal had been put on hold.
It wasn’t until the Village Chief’s younger brother happened to run into Li Sanniang and they cleared up the misunderstanding that the engagement finally moved forward.
“You tell me, what kind of heart does she have?” Li Sanniang grumbled. “That bowl of meat was placed as close to her and the matchmaker as I could manage without being rude! My parents were sitting in the seats of honor; I couldn’t just shove the bowl right under their noses, could I?”
Ten years ago, Li Miaomiao had only been eight; it made sense she wouldn’t have known. But the memory still stung Li Sanniang. “On my wedding day, she even came over and acted all fake and two-faced. My second sister-in-law warned me not to get too close to her. I didn’t understand why at the time, but after I pressed her, she told me the truth.”
The “second sister-in-law” she referred to was the Village Chief’s wife. Li Miaomiao had met her—she was a gentle, kind-hearted woman.
Watching Li Miaomiao eat the bun so politely, Li Sanniang sighed again. “Li Miaomiao, let me speak to you heart-to-heart: stay away from the Lin family from now on. If they have the nerve to come bothering you again, take a broom to them—beat them hard. People like that are nothing but bullies who fear the strong and prey on the weak.”
Li Sanniang had been married for ten years without children and was only eight years older than Li Miaomiao. If not for the social hierarchy of their generations, she would have liked to adopt Li Miaomiao as her own younger sister. If nothing else, she could at least shield her from the worst of the village gossip. As for why she was so kind? Perhaps it was because Li Miaomiao’s current predicament looked all too much like her own past.
Hearing her heartfelt advice, Li Miaomiao swallowed the last of the bun and offered her a bright, sweet smile. “Auntie San, I’ll take your words to heart.”
Seeing her beaming face, Li Sanniang reached out with her free hand to help shift the heavy basket higher on Li Miaomiao’s back. “Let’s pick up the pace; we’ve got a long way to go.”
Wuhe County was always bustling on market days. Once they reached the town, Li Sanniang and Li Miaomiao parted ways to attend to their errands, agreeing to meet at the city gate once they were finished.
Li Miaomiao headed straight for the woodshop. Shopkeeper Wang was waiting at the entrance; the moment he saw her basket, he hurried over to greet her. “Li Miaomiao, you’re finally here!”
Seeing the hopeful gleam in his eyes settle into a look of relief, Li Miaomiao glanced into the shop, which was as packed as it had been on her last visit. She smiled at the shopkeeper. “My apologies for being late.”
“Not at all, not at all! Your timing is perfect. Young Master Liu and Miss He have only just arrived.”
“Shopkeeper Wang, who are they?”
Shopkeeper Wang helped her take the basket off her back and beckoned a clerk to carry it inside, then gestured for her to follow him. As they walked into the store, he explained, “One is the second young master of the Liu family, and the other is the eldest daughter of the He household. Miss He is the younger sister of the Young Master He who bought that multifunctional box from you last time.”
It was a bit of a mouthful. Li Miaomiao pondered for a moment as he continued.
“Ever since Young Master He bought that box, he’s been telling everyone he has a one-of-a-kind treasure. After his boasting, his friend Young Master Liu wanted one, too. They came to my shop to ask when you’d be visiting, and they’ve been waiting here since early this morning.”
A small smile played on Li Miaomiao’s lips. “Well then, I must find a way to thank Young Master He for the publicity.”
As they entered the shop, they were immediately met with the sound of a man and a woman arguing, neither willing to yield.
“He Yue, let go! I’m taking this back for my sister!”
“Liu Youxing, do you have no shame? I clearly touched it first!”
A crowd had gathered to watch the spectacle. Li Miaomiao couldn’t see them clearly, but she could distinguish the two from their voices. Shopkeeper Wang, seeing the pair bickering again, whispered to Li Miaomiao, “Young Master Liu and Miss He have been at odds since childhood. You’ll get used to it.”
Li Miaomiao nodded slightly, then followed him through the crowd. A maid noticed them approaching and quickly nudged He Yue. “Miss, the shopkeeper is here.”
Hearing the maid, the two stopped bickering, shot one last glare at each other, and handed the wooden box to a clerk. Liu Youxing reluctantly let go and turned his attention to the person beside Shopkeeper Wang. He cleared his throat and asked, “Shopkeeper Wang, is this the Miss Li Miaomiao you spoke of?”
Shopkeeper Wang grinned and made the introductions. “Young Master Liu is correct. This is Miss Li, the creator of the multifunctional wooden boxes.”
Under their scrutiny, Li Miaomiao offered a polite, graceful nod.
Liu Youxing rubbed his chin and walked toward her, looking Li Miaomiao up and down. His clear, youthful voice held a hint of playful insolence. “You don’t look much older than me—I never expected someone so young to have such impressive craftsmanship…”
Before he could finish his sentence, He Yue walked over and gave his arm a sharp elbow, sending him stumbling to the side. She leaned her bright, charming face toward Li Miaomiao, blinking her large, round eyes as she inspected her.
“I didn’t expect the ‘impressive girl’ my brother keeps raving about to look… like this.”
Her words were phrased politely enough, but everyone in the shop could hear the subtext.
She was implying that Li Miaomiao was… plain.