The scholar seemed baffled by her question. “Club? What is ‘pranking people’? Is it a type of person?”
His expression didn’t seem feigned. Jiang Ling’s fear surged!
She walked to the door and looked outside. Everything was pitch black, just muddy roads, with only scattered moonlight shining down.
Where were the streetlights from the daytime?
And why were the surrounding buildings gone too?
Why was only her little shop here?!
Watching the scholar’s figure recede into the distance carrying a lantern, Jiang Ling stood at the doorway, holding the ten copper coins in her hand, still finding it unbelievable!
She decisively closed the wooden door.
Turning around, she walked to the other side and opened the rolling shutter door.
Streetlights! Buildings! Cement roads! And the lingering crowds!
More importantly, the sun hadn’t fully set yet!!
Oh my god! The world behind that wooden door actually led to ancient times!
And, she clearly remembered being in the shop for over an hour; it was already dark on that side, so why hadn’t the sun set on this side yet?
Could the flow of time be different between the two worlds?!
Jiang Ling’s mind was in turmoil. She simply closed both doors.
She thought for about an hour before finally calming down.
Then she picked up the thirteen copper coins on the counter and opened the rolling shutter.
She rode her little electric scooter to the nearest antique shop.
The streets outside were just beginning to light up.
Jiang Ling browsed around the shop and finally found various ancient copper coins displayed on the counter.
These coins came in different sizes, some rusted, some severely worn.
The shop owner, a man in his fifties, seeing this young girl looking so intently, walked over and asked,
“Miss, is there something you like? We have copper coins from various dynasties here. If you’re interested, I can introduce them to you.”
Only then did Jiang Ling look up. “Boss, do you buy copper coins here?”
The boss was taken aback. He had thought she was a customer. Well, this could count as a customer too.
Jiang Ling took out one copper coin and handed it to him.
The boss picked up a magnifying glass and examined it carefully.
“Not bad! This coin is exceptionally well-preserved! It looks brand new! Truly a top-grade item! Miss, where did you get this copper coin?”
Jiang Ling made up a quick lie. “My grandfather left it. Boss, how much do you think it’s worth?”
The boss’s eyes never left the coin. His fingers turned it over and over, feeling its texture and examining its patterns.
One so well-preserved was indeed rare. At first, he had thought it might be fake. Such ancient coins had extremely high collectible value.
He pondered for a moment. “For this ancient coin, I can offer 2000. What do you think, miss?”
2000? Jiang Ling was utterly surprised!
She had thought one wen equaled about one yuan now. She originally thought they were children’s toys. Now, directly inflated two thousand times? She was making a huge profit!
“Alright. I have twelve more here. Boss, can you take them all at the same price?”
The boss was so surprised his eyes widened.
Thirteen copper coins, sold for 26,000 just like that.
Jiang Ling seemed to see a unique business opportunity.
Opening a general goods supermarket in modern times was too ordinary. But if she opened a modern general goods supermarket in ancient times, that would be completely different!
Just selling instant noodles earned over 20,000. If she sold other things too, wouldn’t that mean getting rich!
She seemed to see a glimmer of happy hope. This way, she could pay off her debts before long!
How many people in ancient times could resist modern high-tech food!
She decided to act immediately!
Jiang Ling went back and cleared out the area near the wooden door, placing four small tables to create a dining area.
She also rearranged the shelves in the back, putting food and daily necessities at the front, while moving more high-tech items to the storage room for now.
As soon as she finished arranging, she couldn’t wait to open the wooden door.
After working for over an hour, the sky outside the wooden door was already bright.
Now the sun was just rising.
The time flow between the two doors was indeed different!
But what surprised Jiang Ling even more was why there were so many people today, all heading in the same direction?
There were even many horse-drawn carriages on the road.
While puzzled, a familiar voice sounded.
“Shopkeeper!”
Jiang Ling looked through the crowd and saw the old man who had brought the mushrooms yesterday.
Behind him was a little boy, about five or six years old.
“Elder, we meet again.”
The old man performed the chashou bow, and the little boy imitated him earnestly.
“The shopkeeper rested for a few days and is finally open for business today.”
Rested for a few days? But we just met yesterday.
It seemed the flow of time here was far faster than she had imagined.
“I had some matters at home that kept me for a few days.”
“I see. Ever since I ate the noodles you cooked that day, I’ve been dreaming about that flavor. When I got home that night, the aroma of the noodles still lingered on my clothes. My two grandsons smelled it and scolded me for eating alone, making quite a fuss for a while.”
After saying this, the old man immediately regretted it. This sounded like he was hinting for another free meal.
“If the elder still wants to eat, I still have some in the shop. I’ll cook a bowl for you.”
The mushrooms the old man gave had sold for fifty yuan, enough for over ten bowls of instant noodles.
The little boy’s eyes lit up with joy upon hearing this, looking eagerly at his grandfather.
He had been drooling just from the smell that night.
“No, no, I dare not trouble the shopkeeper again. Even if we eat, it should be paid for with real money. I was just passing by with my grandson; I didn’t come specifically for a free meal.”
He restrained his grandson’s greedy impulse. He had to make things clear today, with villagers coming and going and watching.
If people knew he came specifically for free food, his whole family wouldn’t be able to show their faces in the village.
“Of course not. The mushrooms you gave last time, a friend of mine really liked them and sold them for fifty wen. That bowl of noodles isn’t worth much; I actually made a profit.”
The old man was surprised. “Really?”
“Really, really. Since the child wants to eat, elder, don’t stand on ceremony with me. Please, come in and sit.”
The old man hesitated, but unable to resist his grandson’s pleading eyes, he sighed and finally went inside.
The layout inside was somewhat different from a few days ago, looking more spacious.
Jiang Ling had already taken two packets of instant noodles into the kitchen. Considering the child couldn’t eat spicy food, she chose the scallion and pork rib flavor.
Boiled water, cooked the noodles.
The meatballs were finished, so this time she only cracked two eggs into it.
Jiang Ling brought out the cooked noodles. In no time, the aroma filled the entire grocery store.
The old man strictly instructed his grandson to sit properly.
When the noodles were brought out, they were both stunned.
It smelled incredible!
The golden noodles glistened with a golden sheen of oil, topped with two poached eggs!
These were eggs! His whole family might not eat a few eggs from the beginning to the end of the year.
Although they kept five chickens at home, they only got about thirty-something eggs a month. Of those, thirty eggs were fixed to be sold in town for money each month.
The few remaining eggs had to cover the elderly and the children. With eight people in the family, each person was lucky to eat one egg per month.
This one big bowl of noodles contained two eggs!
This was too lavish!
Just as the old man was about to refuse, he saw Jiang Ling bring out two small bowls, dividing the noodles for them.
“Elder, please eat quickly. Noodles don’t taste good if they sit for too long.”
His grandson Zhao Xiao’er was drooling with anticipation but still waited for his grandfather’s permission.
The old man sighed. “Eat.”
Although he knew in his heart that those few mushrooms couldn’t possibly be worth fifty wen. But refusing now would only make things more awkward.