The three of them stopped tearing at each other.
Aunt Song exclaimed in surprise, “Wan-ge’er? Why did you come here by yourself? Where is your aunt?”
“A guy just let me through, so I squeezed in. My aunt is still waiting for us outside.”
”So, you had an accomplice! A grown man like you isn’t at home embroidering, but instead hanging out with that thieving woman. Did you two steal my money together?”
The woman at the tofu stall lost her money and went mad, starting to bite like a rabid dog.
Finally, someone couldn’t stand it anymore and spoke up, “This young man was clearly buying fabric at the fabric stall. We came over to see what was going on right after each other. How can you be so unfairly accusing him?”
The man at the tofu stall steered the conversation back on track, saying, “I don’t care who that young man is. This woman stole my money. We’ll let her go as long as we get our money back from her.”
His wife was unhappy. “Let her go? That coward dared to steal money from my money box. Next time, will she steal from my family?”
The man at the tofu stall blushed and angrily cursed his wife, “What nonsense are you spouting? Hurry up and get the money back so we can do business.”
“My sixth aunt didn’t steal the money,” Meng Wan interjected at the opportune moment.
The woman at the tofu stall, hands on her hips, laughed angrily: “You say it’s not, so it’s not? Why is there a mark on the money?”
Meng Wan nodded emphatically, “You’re absolutely right, there really are marks on my sixth aunt’s money.”
Aunt Song was dumbfounded. How come she didn’t know there were marks on her money?
”Sixth Aunt, please take out the money.”
Aunt Song gently pulled away the hands of the couple who ran the tofu stall, carefully took out her money bag from her bosom, and held it in her palm.
Today she came to buy a bolt of red cloth to make a wedding robe and quilt for her son. Red cloth is expensive, so Aunt Song brought two whole strings of fine copper coins, as well as a dozen or so loose coins from selling eggs.
”Look everyone, these are the markings. My sixth aunt was afraid of losing the money at home, so she strung them together and put them into her money bag. But the tofu family’s money was all put into their money box in small amounts this morning. Tell me, in such a short time, did my sixth aunt have time to string the money together and put it away properly after stealing all the money from their money box?”
Meng Wan took out the two strings of money and showed them to the people around him. Aunt Song Liu, fearing that someone might snatch them away, followed closely by Meng Wan’s side, protecting the strings of money.
The woman at the tofu stall was also confused, “This…this…”
”besides!”
Meng Wan continued, “My fellow villagers, uncles, aunts and uncles may not know this, but my sixth uncle and brothers are all skilled swimmers. During the off-season, they would go to the dock to fish and earn some extra money. To keep the fish fresh, they would sell them on the spot regardless of the price. So the money they brought home would have a fishy smell that would linger for a long time. If you don’t believe me, just smell it!”
The reason Meng Wan said that Aunt Song’s money was marked was because Chang Jinhua told him that when she gave Aunt Song candy, Uncle Song gave her a fish in return. She also said that although Aunt Song was efficient at her work, her house was not clean, and she should be advised to tidy up the house before getting married.
Meng Wan had seen Song Liu’s house from afar while walking around the village. The fish that Song Liu couldn’t sell were dried and hung in the yard. She was too reluctant to rub salt on them, so there was a fishy smell when she passed by the door. As a result, the coins must have been stained with salt as well.
Meng Wan hadn’t expected that her aunt’s money had been strung together, but this was also irrefutable evidence. In such a short time, how could her aunt have stolen money and strung it together so neatly? With such skills, why would she be a peasant woman? She might as well go to a gambling den.
Aunt Song felt reassured by Meng Wan’s words. She took her money from Meng Wan and placed it in front of the tofu stall couple. “You mean this is the money in your money box? Let you smell it, smell it really hard!”
Forget about smelling it, the moment the money brushed against their noses, a fishy stench filled their nostrils.
”Hmph!” Aunt Song then handed it to the surrounding crowd.
”It really is true!”
”That young man is really clever; doesn’t it really smell fishy?”
”The money they charge at the tofu stall is all sorts of different kinds, how could it all be so fishy? That couple really wronged them!”
”After tearing someone apart for so long, you still have to apologize to them.”
The couple couldn’t bring themselves to apologize, but the man at the tofu stall stubbornly insisted, “She also ruined my tofu, so she has to pay for it too.”
Meng Wan was speechless: “This tofu is so smooth and delicate. It would be crushed if you dropped it or even with a little force. It was clearly the thief who stole the money who accidentally knocked it over in his panic. What does it have to do with my sixth aunt?”
The man at the tofu stall was clearly trying to extort money from Aunt Song, but his wife was still somewhat rational. She knew that the most important thing now was to find the lost money. She tentatively asked Meng Wan, “You just said you could find our lost money?”
Meng Wan laughed, “So what if I can find it? You two have humiliated my sixth aunt so much, and you still want me to help you? You’re dreaming.”
The woman at the tofu stall gritted her teeth and said, “If you can help me get my money back, I’m willing to kowtow and apologize to you.”
”Who wants your kowtow and apology?” Meng Wan is a junior, and he can’t accept that. Otherwise, in this era that values etiquette, filial piety, and respect for elders, wouldn’t the onlookers immediately change their attitude and accuse him of bullying the couple?
”How about I give each of you two pieces of tofu?”
Under the disapproving look of her husband, the woman at the tofu stall felt her heart bleed. A piece of tofu cost two coins, so four pieces would cost eight coins. The couple usually only made one board a day in the village, and sometimes they couldn’t even sell them all. This time, they made three boards of tofu for the market, but now this happened after only selling one and a half boards. If they didn’t resolve this soon, the villagers who came to the market would all go home after watching the excitement, and who would stay to buy tofu?
Eight coins is nothing, not much besides the initial investment, but can this young man really catch a thief?
Meng Wan didn’t agree immediately. He first asked Aunt Song, “Aunt Song, what do you think?”
Aunt Song asked him quietly, “Can you really find the thief?”
When Meng Wan took it as his agreement, he didn’t reply. Instead, he waved his finger and pointed in a circle. Everyone followed the movement of his slender white finger. Then, his finger paused and stopped pointing in a certain direction.
”It’s you, stop squeezing out.” Meng Wan was pointing to a short figure trying to squeeze out, about to run away. The crowd around had all come to watch the commotion, and even those who were leaving were just in a hurry to get home after buying tofu. This person wasn’t carrying any tofu, and was in such a rush to squeeze out—who else could it be but him?
The woman at the tofu stall reacted and rushed forward, while her husband remained cowering in place.
The woman at the tofu stall grabbed the short figure, turned him around and revealed his face. It turned out to be an eight or nine-year-old boy. He desperately clutched his bulging chest, but how could he possibly match the strength of the woman who had worked hard at the tofu stall for years?
The woman yanked his hand away, forcefully pulled a handful of money from his pocket, and when she reached for more, she found even more.
The thief was in such a hurry to steal the money that he didn’t even have time to put it into the cloth bag.
”So it was you, young man, who stole the money from my money box!”
The woman at the tofu stall glared angrily, “Call your father here! I want to see which shameless person is letting their son do such despicable things!”
The man at the tofu stall tried to persuade his wife, “Forget it, forget it. This child is so young, just pay back the money and that’s it.” He was actually playing the good guy now.
The woman at the tofu stall glared at him. “Do you know how much money he caught? If it weren’t for this young man helping us catch him, we would have wasted half a day!” The boy was small but had big hands. His two handfuls of copper coins were about forty or fifty copper coins. They only sold a block of tofu for seventy-two coins!
After the woman at the tofu stall finished speaking, she didn’t linger any longer. Seeing that Meng Wan’s hands were empty, she immediately scooped four pieces of tofu and put them in Aunt Song’s basket, thoughtfully placing a piece of oil paper underneath.
”My husband and I lost our money today and went crazy, wrongly accusing this young lady. Thanks to this young man for helping us find it. Don’t think this is too little, take it home and eat it.”
The truth came out, and the people around gradually dispersed. Before leaving, Meng Wan, who had accepted the tofu, kindly reminded them: “This box was right under your noses. I suppose either you or your husband were watching it. You know there are many people in the market, so why was it so easily stolen?”
The woman at the tofu stall was taken aback. Yes, everyone was afraid of having their money stolen when they went to the market, so they set up money boxes. Unlike money pouches or purses, which could be easily picked up, these things were heavy and not easy to move. To get the money, you had to lift the wooden lid on top. Small vendors like them were even busier and sharper. How could someone have grabbed such a large amount of money?
Unless the owner of the money box deliberately cooperated!
The more she looked at the little thief, the more familiar he seemed. Suddenly, she turned around and glared angrily at her husband.
”Isn’t that the brat from the neighboring Li family village?”
”Did you deliberately show him the money?”
”Was it given to that slut from the Li family?!”
”Stop talking nonsense!”
”I only did that because I felt so sorry for them, the orphans and widows…”
”You shrew, stop right now! My face…”
Those who left later witnessed another spectacle, but none of it concerned Meng Wan anymore; he was pulled aside and scolded by Chang Jinhua.
”Who gave you the audacity to meddle in the affairs of adults like this!”
Meng Wan was very polite and bowed his head to admit his mistake, saying, “Aunt Song, I will never dare to do it again next time.”
But what I was really thinking was that I’d go again next time to join in the fun; it was much more fun than watering the garden at home.
Aunt Song also spoke up for him, “Sister-in-law, don’t blame Wan-ge’er. If it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t have been able to escape from those two rascals so quickly.”
She rummaged through her basket to show Chang Jinhua, “The tofu stall owner gave it to me. Thanks to Wan-ge’er today, you can take these four yuan home.”
Chang Jinhua declined, saying, “My family only has a few people, how can we possibly eat so many? You should keep them for yourself.”
”I can’t keep this. If you’re too embarrassed to take it all, just leave me one piece, and put the remaining three in your basket.”
Upon hearing this, Chang Jinhua did not refuse. “That just so happens that I wanted to buy two rough bowls to take home. I’ll bring them in after I buy the bowls.”
Chang Jinhua bought two large, thick bowls from a stall selling bowls on her way. Her family had a new mouth to feed, and they were running out of cooking utensils. In addition to the bowls, she also picked out a deep plate.
Thus, Chang Jinhua had everything she needed to buy at the market. She and Meng Wan accompanied Aunt Song to buy two bolts of red cloth at the cloth stall, and Aunt Song spent the money without hesitation.
The three of them went home together. That evening, perhaps Aunt Song told her husband about it, because the next morning Aunt Song brought over another fish.
”This fish is so fresh!” Meng Wan said, filling a large wooden basin with water. The fish could swim a little in it.
Aunt Song Liu and Chang Jinhua sat on the kang in the main room, talking about the wedding in October and how much dowry they had given to the Tian family. When they heard Meng Wan’s words, she laughed and said, “Your Sixth Uncle went out early this morning to catch it fresh; he had your Brother Zhuzi bring the biggest one over here.”
Meng Wan plucked a scallion from the vegetable garden. “Aunt Song, let’s have fish stew with tofu for lunch when my cousin comes back!”
Chang Jinhua asked in surprise, “Fish and tofu cooked together? I don’t know how. Why don’t you do it?”
Aunt Song pulled her aside, “You’re just letting the kids squander such good stuff. The fish is fine, it’s our own stuff, but that tofu costs two coins a piece.” Farm boys can cook, do laundry, and do needlework, but the adults always watch them cook the expensive meat and vegetables, afraid they’ll waste the good stuff.
Chang Jinhua, however, was more open-minded than the average farm woman. “It’s his own money, so let him do it. I’ll stew the meat later.”
Meng Wan smiled, the autumn morning light shining on his fair and smooth face, making his features even more handsome. “That’s great, I love Aunt Song’s braised pork the most.”
Aunt Song watched him picking vegetables outside through the open window. “Tsk tsk, your boy is really good-looking. You can’t find such a handsome person even in the whole town.”
Chang Jinhua took out the indigo fabric she had just bought yesterday from the cabinet and asked Aunt Song to stretch the fabric so she could cut it.
”He’s just a bit fairer than other people’s. Wan-ge’er is thin. Do you think this piece of cloth can be used to make him a short jacket and cotton trousers, and maybe even a skirt and a dress?”
Aunt Song was interrupted, “That’s enough, that’s enough. I think there’s still some left over.”
The two discussed tailoring the clothes, and every now and then they would call Meng Wan in to demonstrate.
As the sun rose higher after the meeting, Meng Wan picked up a basket, filled it with fish and knife, and prepared to go to the river to clean the fish.
”Auntie, Sixth Aunt, I’m going to the river. I’ll be back in a bit.”
The two women inside responded, and Chang Jinhua instructed him, “Wan-ge’er, kill the fish before carrying it over; if it flips over into the river, you won’t be able to catch it again.”
”Okay, Auntie~” Meng Wan’s voice faded into the distance.
A three-meter-wide stream runs through the entire village. The section closest to his house is in the middle of the river, but Meng Wan was worried about not cleaning the fish properly, so he went downstream to do it.
Downstream, two people were washing clothes together. One of them, a girl who looked to be only sixteen or seventeen, tilted her head and looked at Meng Wan. She was wearing a bright red cloth dress and had her hair tied up in a woman’s style. She said in a charming manner, “Hey, are you Aunt Song’s nephew?”
Beside her was a young man in his early twenties, whose clothes were dusty and gray, not because they were dirty, but because the colors were old and worn, a stark contrast to the young bride.
Since they lived next door, Meng Wan naturally knew who they were. The one speaking was the wife of Tian Wang, the second grandson of the Tian family. The eldest grandson, Tian Xing, had married a few years ago. They were all of the same generation. Tian Xing was older than both Song Tingzhou and Meng Wan, so Meng Wan had to call him “brother” and his husband “sister-in-law.” The second son, Tian Wang, was younger, so Meng Wan could call him by his name.
”Sister-in-law, Xiaomei, are you doing laundry here?”
Tian Xing and his wife were taciturn, and he simply nodded. Xiao Mei, who was bored working with her sister-in-law, couldn’t wait to strike up a conversation with Meng Wan, “You still know my name? They all call you Aunt Song’s nephew, what’s your name?”