Qingshan Town was not particularly large. Ding Lan poked her head out and looked at the shops along the road. There were all kinds of businesses, selling just about everything. Uncle Liu drove the donkey cart straight toward the market.
Although they would be doing their business at night, if they did not claim a good spot in advance, the more noticeable places would soon be taken by others.
Once they entered the market, Ding Lan discovered that many people had already set up small stalls along both sides of the road. The calls of vendors hawking their goods rose one after another.
It was the first time Ding Lan had ever seen such a lively scene, and she looked around curiously. Ding Qiao was also entering town for the first time. Her big eyes darted from side to side as she took in everything, finding everything new and fascinating.
Uncle Liu finally managed to find an empty spot. After stopping the donkey cart, everyone hurried to unload the goods.
Since livestock were not allowed to remain inside the market, Uncle Liu still had to drive the donkey cart to a friend he knew in town and leave it there.
Ding Lan and Ding Qiao first helped Auntie Liu set up her stall. Only then did they find a small empty space beside her. They did not need much room. As long as they put their basket on the ground, it could serve as their stall.
While they had been riding in the cart, Ding Lan had deliberately taken a look at the lantern shops along the road. Most of the lanterns had very ordinary designs. At most, the better ones had some flowers or plants painted on them, or a few words written on the surface.
Ding Lan was quite confident in her own lanterns. Once night fell and the candles were lit, she was certain she would not have to worry about finding buyers.
She told Ding Qiao to stay at the stall and keep an eye on the lanterns while she went around the market to find out how much lanterns were selling for.
Ding Qiao obediently nodded.
Ding Lan had nothing to worry about. Auntie Liu’s stall was right beside theirs, so there would be someone to look after her if anything happened.
Since Ding Lan was unfamiliar with the town, she did not wander around randomly. Instead, she simply strolled along the street.
Most of the stalls on this street sold various foods and toys. Only a few stalls, like hers, were selling lanterns. However, those vendors had hung their lanterns on wooden racks, making it much easier for customers to see them.
Ding Lan secretly sighed at her own mistake.
She was too embarrassed to go around asking everyone about their prices, so she simply listened carefully to how the vendors called out to customers and did business.
By the time she had walked through the entire street, she had a good idea of the prices in town.
Ordinary lanterns sold for six wen. Lanterns with writing or paintings usually cost between eight and twelve wen. As for the prices in the actual lantern shops, Ding Lan did not bother checking. They were definitely more expensive.
When Ding Lan returned to her stall, she happened to see a well-dressed woman standing in front of it with a delicate little girl who looked like a porcelain doll. The woman seemed to be asking about something.
Ding Qiao was anxiously pacing around in front of the stall. When she saw Ding Lan coming back, she finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Ding Lan immediately realized that the woman was probably asking about the price and hurried over.
The woman had gentle, pleasant features, and she looked like the kind of person who was easy to talk to. When she saw the owner of the stall return, she asked pleasantly,
“Little girl, how much are your lanterns?”
As she spoke, she pointed at one of the little rabbit lanterns.
Ding Lan had already decided on her prices before returning. Ordinary lanterns would sell for five wen, while the rabbit lanterns would sell for ten wen.
With a bright smile, she replied,
“This lantern is only ten wen!”
The woman looked at the uniquely designed little lantern and thought that it was quite reasonably priced. She paid without hesitation.
The little girl happily took the lantern. She was delighted with the little rabbit and skipped away while carrying it.
Ding Lan had not expected to earn ten wen before nightfall. She could not help feeling rather pleased with herself.
As night gradually fell, more and more people came out to enjoy the festival.
Ding Lan looked at Ding Qiao, who was obediently standing nearby, and suddenly had an idea.
Wasn’t she practically a living advertisement?
After lighting a candle inside one of the little rabbit lanterns, Ding Lan handed it to Ding Qiao and had her stand in front of the stall holding it.
With that, she no longer had to worry about attracting customers.
It quickly caught the attention of several young women walking together. They whispered among themselves as they looked curiously at the rabbit lantern.
After a while, the girls came over to the stall.
Ding Lan greeted them with a smile.
“Miss, what would you like?”
One of the girls dressed in red pointed at the little rabbit lantern Ding Qiao was holding.
“How much is this lantern?”
Ding Lan’s voice rose slightly as she replied,
“You have excellent taste, miss. This lantern is only ten wen.”
As she spoke, she handed over the rabbit lantern with the lit candle inside so the girl could take a closer look.
The moment the girl in red took the lantern, her eyes lit up. She liked it so much that she was reluctant to let go and immediately took out the money to buy it.
The other girls were just as eager.
“I’ll take one too!”
“Me too!”
Ding Lan quickly took the lanterns out of her basket one by one, lit the candles inside them, and sold them to the girls.
Candles were still rather expensive at this time. To keep her costs down, Ding Lan had only placed a small piece of candle inside each lantern. It could burn for about half an hour at most.
After finishing this sale, Ding Lan had earned several dozen more wen.
Before long, another little girl came along, tugging at an adult’s sleeve and insisting on buying a little rabbit lantern.
Ding Lan’s lanterns sold incredibly quickly, especially the rabbit-shaped ones. They were practically flying off the stall.
By the time the two sisters had sold every single lantern, they were both so hungry that their stomachs were growling.
Ding Lan counted the money.
The lanterns had brought in a total of 320 wen.
Now that Ding Lan was carrying what felt like a fortune, the first thing she naturally wanted to do was take Ding Qiao out for a proper meal.
She held Ding Qiao’s hand and walked along the street looking for something to eat.
Not far ahead, they happened to see a wonton stall. The delicious aroma drifting through the air made it impossible for the two sisters to keep walking.
Ding Lan immediately took Ding Qiao over and ordered two bowls of wontons.
The wonton stall was run by an elderly husband and wife. Just by looking at the generous portions, Ding Lan could tell that the owners were honest and generous people.
A bowl cost only two wen, and there was meat inside the wontons as well.
Ding Lan thought it was an excellent bargain.
There were tables and chairs arranged around the wonton stall. Ding Lan pulled Ding Qiao over and sat down, and the two sisters eagerly waited for their food.
Ding Qiao stared intently at the elderly couple as they cooked the wontons.
This was the first time in her life she had ever eaten wontons.
Although the couple were already quite old, their movements were surprisingly quick and efficient.
A moment later, the wontons were finally served.
The two sisters were so hungry that neither of them said a word. They simply buried their heads and ate.
The bowl was generously filled with wontons.
Unexpectedly, Ding Qiao was the first to finish. She even drank every last drop of the soup.
Ding Lan stared at the thin, tiny Ding Qiao in astonishment.
She really had not expected such a small girl to have such a big appetite!
Ding Lan twitched the corner of her mouth and tentatively asked,
“Little sister, how about we order another bowl?”
Ding Qiao’s ears turned red with embarrassment. She touched her stomach and said,
“This is the fullest my stomach has ever been.”
Hearing those words, Ding Lan felt a pang in her heart.
She silently picked several more wontons from her own bowl and put them into Ding Qiao’s bowl.
“I can’t finish mine anymore. Help Big Sister eat some more.”
Ding Qiao looked at her sister in confusion.
How could Big Sister possibly not finish something this delicious?
She did not think about it for long, however. Her attention was soon drawn back to the delicious food in her bowl, and she continued burying her head in her wontons.
After the two sisters finished eating, Ding Lan paid the bill and took Ding Qiao back out to continue shopping.
There were all kinds of snacks being sold along the roadside. Ding Lan bought several kinds of pastries to take home.
Unfortunately, there were no meat vendors still open. Otherwise, she would have bought some meat to take home and improve their meals.
Because of the festival, several shops along the street were still open.
Ding Lan took Ding Qiao into a grain and oil shop.
Her first priority was rice.
She really could not stand living without rice any longer.
Fortunately, they were in the southern part of the country, where rice was the main crop.
Ding Lan bought two dou of rice and one dou of white flour. She also bought reasonable amounts of various seasonings.
All of that cost her 85 wen, and the basket on her back immediately became much heavier.
Ding Lan thought about it.
If she had bought food, then she might as well buy clothes too.
Looking at their patched and worn-out clothing, she decided to visit the cloth shop ahead.
Ready-made clothes were very expensive here. Ordinary families usually bought fabric and made their own clothes at home.
Before Ding Lan even entered the cloth shop, she spotted an elderly woman selling cloth shoes by the roadside.
She immediately bought two pairs for herself and two pairs for Ding Qiao.
The current Ding Lan could truly be considered flush with cash!
Once inside the cloth shop, Ding Lan looked at the dazzling array of fabrics—and then at their prices.
She could not help clicking her tongue in disbelief.
In the end, she only bought enough coarse cotton cloth to make two sets of clothes for each of them before leaving the shop.
Even that little bit of coarse cotton cloth cost 75 wen.
Ding Lan could not help complaining about how expensive everything was.
By the time the two sisters returned to Auntie Liu’s stall with their arms and baskets full of purchases, Auntie Liu and Uncle Liu were still busy.
Ding Lan put down her basket and immediately took Ding Qiao over to help them.
Only after they had sold all the spring pancakes they had brought did everyone finally begin packing up and preparing to return to the village.
Uncle Liu went to fetch the donkey cart that he had left with his friend.
Everyone worked together to load all their things onto the cart.
Ding Lan lifted one foot, preparing to climb onto the donkey cart and return to the village.
But just then, she saw her cheap little brother, Ding Jing.