After the constables left, Wu Rong and Gu Shaoning also slunk away.
Li Xingyue’s mood was ruined, so she decided to pack up and head home.
She sorted through the unsold vegetables.
Rotten leaves and potatoes or tomatoes that didn’t look good were either given away or thrown out.
She picked out the slightly stale carrots, potatoes, and tomatoes, placed them in a small bamboo basket, and then loaded the rest onto the cart.
Gu Wan’er pushed the cart, and the three of them prepared to leave.
Li Xingyue felt as if a pair of eyes were watching her intently.
She turned and scanned the western side, noticing a little girl staring at them from a short distance away.
The girl looked about thirteen years old, with dark yellowish skin, worn clothes, tall and lanky, her limbs thin like bamboo poles.
The key was—Li Xingyue didn’t recognize her.
At first, she didn’t know why the girl was staring, until she saw the bright, hopeful look in the girl’s eyes when she looked at the tomatoes.
Li Xingyue waved at her.
The girl hurried over, her clothes far too short, and it was a wonder how they stayed on her.
Li Xingyue handed her the small bamboo basket, speaking gently,“Little girl, these are for you.”
It was the slightly less fresh vegetables she had set aside—one carrot, two potatoes, and two tomatoes.
She had originally planned to take them home for herself.
The girl’s eyes shone, but she didn’t dare reach for the basket.
She pointed at the ground, and Li Xingyue looked—those were the scraps of leaves and rotten tomatoes she had just discarded.
So the girl had come to pick up what Li Xingyue had thrown away.
Li Xingyue waved her hand and placed the basket into the girl’s arms.
“Miss… I can’t take this,” the girl finally said.
“It’s okay. I don’t need these anymore. Take them home and eat them,” Li Xingyue said casually.
The girl finally took the basket and bent down, ready to kneel.
In ancient times, people knelt for everything—it was exhausting to watch.
Li Xingyue reacted quickly, helping her up.
The girl was so thin it was alarming. Li Xingyue felt pity and quietly added,“You can come back at this time tomorrow.”
After all, she sorted out vegetables daily. She couldn’t finish them herself, so it was better to give them to this girl.
It was clear the girl came from a poor family, and she looked pitiful.
Tears welled up in the girl’s eyes as she nodded repeatedly.
As Li Xingyue and the others pushed the cart away, the girl squatted down and picked up the discarded leaves and tomatoes.
..
The next day, two familiar faces appeared at Li Xingyue’s stall—her mother, Liu Hongmei, and her second brother, Li Xinghe.
“Yue Niang, you’re doing business in town and didn’t even tell me?” Liu Hongmei asked straight away.
Li Xingyue just looked at her mother without replying.
In the original life, the previous Li Xingyue feared her mother.
To be precise, the old Li Xingyue became submissive because her mother was biased toward sons and expected her daughter to support the maternal family, so the girl had no choice but to obey.
But Li Xingyue couldn’t stand gender favoritism.
A man who didn’t support the household—what use was he?
Seeing her daughter still silent, Liu Hongmei’s face darkened.
Had the villagers not told her that her daughter was seen selling vegetables in town by her in-laws and sister-in-law, she would never have known.
She grew impatient, “Girl, I’m asking you something! Why aren’t you answering? I hear your business is good—is that true?”
Looking at this mother, Li Xingyue felt a twinge of frustration.
She replied coldly, “You’ve asked so much. Which question do you want me to answer first?”
Liu Hongmei was momentarily speechless.
Li Xinghe added, “Mother, you just arrived—why ask so many questions? Aren’t you here to see your sister?”
Liu Hongmei glared at her son but said no more.
The vegetables sold quickly. Seeing the pile of copper coins, Liu Hongmei grinned as if the money were hers alone.
When most of the vegetables were sold, the little girl from before appeared again, still in her worn clothes, timidly clutching the small bamboo basket.
Seeing Liu Hongmei and Li Xinghe, she instinctively shrank back.
Li Xingyue smiled, took the basket from her hands, and handed her a fresh basket of vegetables. The girl took it.
She immediately knelt, banging her head on the ground.
Li Xingyue hurriedly helped her up.
Tears in her eyes, the girl said, “Miss, you are a benefactor to me and my mother. I’m willing to serve you like a beast of burden.”
Li Xingyue quickly said, “You don’t need to serve me. Just take the vegetables home.”
Liu Hongmei suddenly realized what was happening. She stepped forward and snatched the basket.
“These vegetables are good. Take them home for your brother, sister-in-law, and nephews.”
The girl’s eyes welled up, and she lowered her head, not daring to speak.
Li Xingyue frowned, “Mother, I promised to give these to this girl.”
Liu Hongmei rolled her eyes, “She’s a scavenger—why should she get such good vegetables? Your nephews and sister-in-law are still waiting at home.”
Li Xinghe nodded in agreement.
Li Xingyue was furious. She snatched the basket back and handed it to the girl again.“Take them and go home quickly.”
The girl looked at her gratefully and ran off with the vegetables.
Liu Hongmei and Li Xinghe both looked displeased.
When packing up, Li Xingyue put a portion of each vegetable in Liu Hongmei’s basket for them to take home.
But Liu Hongmei and Li Xinghe had no intention of taking it—they followed Li Xingyue and the others back to their rented small courtyard.
Since they stayed, they had to eat.
Li Xingyue didn’t plan to buy more vegetables; they ate whatever was at home.
If her mother found out she had money, she would try to take it.
At noon, Li Xingyue only had Gu Wan’er cook while she rested on a lounge chair.
Liu Hongmei looked around the courtyard and asked repeatedly,“Yue Niang, how much is the rent for this courtyard per month?”“How much silver did you earn selling vegetables?”“How much grain do you have left?”
Li Xingyue was speechless and didn’t want to answer a word.
Seeing this, Liu Hongmei said seriously,“Yue Niang, with this drought, grain prices keep rising, and we don’t have much left. Our family is large, unlike your in-laws. Can’t you bring some grain to me?”
Li Xingyue replied coldly,“If there’s no grain, buy some quickly. I’m not a grain seller.”
After thinking a moment, she added,“Mother, you know prices are rising. I suggest you stock up soon. With the drought, prices may rise further.”
Liu Hongmei sighed, “I know, but I don’t have extra money!”
Li Xingyue didn’t respond.
Seeing her silence, Liu Hongmei pressed on,“Yue Niang, give me some of the silver you earned from selling vegetables.”
Then she added,“Give me all the money you made. If the Gu family asks, just say you didn’t earn anything.”
She spoke as if it were entirely justified.
Li Xingyue looked at her mother with a strange expression.
Liu Hongmei remained calm, “What, is it wrong for me, your mother, to ask for some money?”
People like Liu Hongmei were the last Li Xingyue wanted to deal with, but ignoring her now wasn’t an option.
She sneered, “Mother, a daughter married out is no longer your concern. I have my own family. Why should I give you money I earned?”
Li Xinghe spoke from the side,“Little sister, I heard your husband will be back soon. Once he returns, we won’t ask you for money anymore. Is that not enough?”