Wang Yonggui raised his badly swollen face and spoke sincerely,“We were blind before and failed to recognize your worth. I beg you to show mercy and spare us.”
“I guarantee, as a representative of the main family, that we will never cause you trouble again.”
Shen Qingyue weighed the wooden stick in her hand, used to it, and said lazily,“Just a light promise like that—you expect me to trust you?”
Wang Yonggui continued pleading,“Enemies should be reconciled, not made worse. We’ve experienced your skill and won’t dare invite trouble again. We’re willing to offer a thousand taels of silver notes as a token of sincerity and an apology.”
Hearing this, Wang Shunfa’s anger flared up:“Big brother! He beat us up so badly, and you still want to pay him? We have backing; he wouldn’t dare really take us down!”
Shen Qingyue tightened her grip on the stick and stepped toward Wang Shunfa coldly,“Believe it or not, I can cripple you right now! Leave you half-dead in bed for life, unable to even care for yourself.”
Wang Shunfa felt a chill down his spine and finally gasped,“I—I’ll report you to the authorities!”
Shen Qingyue’s tone was calm and measured,“You guys captured me and assaulted me at the gambling den first. Do you think reporting to the authorities will help?”
“Besides, if this spreads, the reputation of Changsheng Gambling Den will be completely ruined.”
Before she finished, she twisted her wrist, and the stick pressed sharply against Wang Shunfa’s throat.“A cornered rabbit bites. Push me too far, and I’ll really take your worthless lives.”
Her words, full of killing intent, echoed sharply in the cramped woodshed.
Wang Shunfa broke out in cold sweat, no longer daring to say a word.
Wang Yonggui quickly interjected,“Three thousand taels! We’re willing to pay three thousand taels as compensation! From now on, anyone from Changsheng will definitely avoid you!”
Shen Qingyue’s lips curled up.“Good. Remember what you said.”
The woodshed door opened, and Wang Yonggui sent someone to fetch three thousand taels in silver notes from the accounting office.
Shen Qingyue pocketed the silver notes and walked out of the gambling den openly and confidently.
Three thousand taels was a huge sum.
Exchanging that much gold in Pingyang County was bound to draw unnecessary trouble.
Shen Qingyue planned to exchange it at a money house in the prefectural city another day.
Earlier, she had arranged for Feng Shuanzi and Zhang Tieshi to buy the old woman’s glutinous rice; now she only needed to buy some ingredients for the sweet cakes at the shop.
After shopping, she went to retrieve the ox cart from the place where the horses and carts were kept.
Returning to Qingshui Village, the sky was darkening.
The three members of the Shen family waited anxiously at the village entrance. Seeing Shen Qingyue, they hurried over.
“Qingyue, you’re finally back!”
“Your friend told us you got into a fight with the local thug and then were called by your uncle—I was so worried!”
Liu Cuihua looked her over thoroughly and sighed in relief.
Shen Erya’s eyes reddened.“That thug is really ruthless. Try not to provoke those kinds of people anymore.”
Shen Dabiao pulled Shen Qingyue aside, lowering his voice seriously,“Did you forget? We offended the gambling den. Right now, keep a low profile and avoid trouble as much as possible.”
Shen Qingyue patted his shoulder,“Don’t worry. The gambling den probably won’t bother us again.”
“Really?” Shen Dabiao furrowed his thick brows, suspicious.“Did something happen when you went into town today?”
Shen Qingyue didn’t reveal details and replied lightly,“Nothing much, just made some money.”
Hearing the word “money,” Shen Dabiao immediately changed the subject, rubbing his hands curiously.“How much silver did you make?”
“All small change, of course spent it. If you want to make money…” Shen Qingyue gestured to the ingredients on the ox cart, “…help Erya make the sweet cakes. You’ll get a share of what we earn.”
Shen Dabiao looked doubtful,“Can you really make sweet cakes with just these materials?”
“How do you know if you don’t try?”
The family chatted as they slowly headed home in the twilight.
**
The next day.
To earn silver, Shen Dabiao volunteered to push the heavy stone mill, grinding the glutinous rice into flour.
Shen Erya and Liu Cuihua handled the rest of the preparation.
Shen Qingyue was in charge of the fire and watching the stove—an easy job.
After a long while, steam finally billowed from the steamer, and the sweet aroma of rice spread through the air.
The family gathered around the stove, swallowing hard.
Shen Dabiao couldn’t resist lifting the steamer lid,“The sweet cakes should be done, right?”
Shen Erya hurried to stop him,“Dad, wait a bit longer! Though it’s our first time steaming sweet cakes, it’s just like steaming buns—after turning off the heat, you have to let it steam a bit more so they don’t collapse or stick and turn out fluffy and soft.”
And sure enough, when they opened the steamer, the sweet cakes were soft and fluffy.
They looked as delicious as the ones sold on the street, with an extra faint herbal fragrance.
Shen Erya cut the sweet cakes into small pieces, filling two large bowls.
Shen Qingyue remembered the food deliveries from Chen the hunter and Xu Sanlang and instructed,“Erya, wrap two portions of sweet cakes in oil paper, three catties each. I’ll deliver them to the Chen and Xu families later.”
Shen Erya responded softly,“I’ll wrap them right away.”
No one objected.
The glutinous rice and ingredients had been bought by Shen Qingyue anyway, and returning the favor for the food gifts was only proper.
Shen Qingyue first went to Chen the hunter’s home.
Just as she arrived, harsh voices came from inside.
“If you ask me, your Chen the hunter is way too honest! Seeing the Shen siblings digging up roots on the mountain, he rushed to bring food to them.”
Aunt Zhang sat opposite Old Madam Chen, clicking her tongue.
“You have no idea—you’ve been tricked.”
“The Shen family bought an ox cart, raised chickens—they must have made big money!”
“The Shen people are no good! They have plenty on hand, yet still accept food from Chen the hunter.”
“Poor you, with old and young alike starving.”
“Chen the hunter’s wounds aren’t healed yet and he can’t go hunting. I bet your family’s barely making ends meet.”
“Look at these three kids—skin and bones, eating only one meal a day. Such suffering!”
Old Madam Chen looked at her three grandchildren with pain, then pinched Chen the hunter’s arm angrily.
“You’re too kind-hearted! Don’t you see how poor we are?”
Chen the hunter’s wife quietly defended,“If it weren’t for the Shen family when we were deep in the mountains, my husband might’ve lost his life… It’s only right to give some food as thanks.”
Chen the hunter agreed,“Yes, mother. If not for Shen Qingyue, I wouldn’t have made it back alive.”
Old Madam Chen sighed, worry in her voice,“True, but our rice stores are almost empty. What do you think we should do?”
Chen the hunter gritted his teeth,“My leg is almost healed. I’ll go up the mountain tomorrow and see if I can hunt some game.”
“No!” Chen’s wife’s eyes reddened.“You’re injured—what if something happens? How will our family survive?”
Old Madam Chen’s cloudy old eyes stared hard at Chen the hunter and said firmly,“As long as I’m still alive, you won’t set foot on the mountain again! At worst, from today on, I’ll give my share of food to the children.”
The knocking at the door interrupted the heavy atmosphere.
Shen Qingyue carried a large bundle of sweet cakes wrapped in oil paper into the yard, smiling warmly.
“Last time, thanks to Chen the hunter for bringing food to my family. We made some sweet cakes and wanted to give you some to try.”