Seeing this, Gu Yuan immediately became energized.
Forty wen—that was forty wen! The original owner could only earn six or seven wen for embroidering a handkerchief. She worked from dawn till dusk and could make at most two a day, earning just over ten wen in total.
A single jin of cicada pupae could sell for forty wen. Gu Yuan even doubted whether she had heard it correctly.
One should know that at Qingshan Town’s pork stall, a jin of fatty pork cost twenty-five wen, lean meat twenty wen, and bones with some meat around them cost about fifteen wen. Pork offal, which had a strong smell, sold for seven or eight wen per jin and was the favorite of poor families.
In the Gu family, aside from buying pork dumplings during New Year and Mid-Autumn Festival, they would also buy two jin of pork offal on the 1st and 15th of each month to satisfy their cravings.
Cicada pupae had so little meat it wasn’t even enough to fill one’s teeth. If people knew it could be sold for money, let alone forty wen per jin—even ten wen would have people rushing to sell it.
In their eyes, cicada pupae didn’t have enough meat and weren’t even as good as pork offal.
【Detected pure natural, pollution-free cicada larvae. Price: 40 wen per jin. Sell?】
【Yes / No】
Suppressing her excitement, Gu Yuan selected yes.
She licked her lips and said, “Third Brother, can you give me these cicada pupae? I won’t take them for free. I’ll give you three wen, how about that?”
Her third brother only had five cicada pupae, not even enough to make up a full jin. The system valued those five at six wen. Since her brother caught them, and she only resold them, earning three wen in the process, she was actually the one taking advantage.
Gu Laosan stuffed them into Gu Yuan’s hands. “I’m your brother. I caught these for you in the first place. If I take your money, what kind of person would I be?”
He truly cared for his younger sister. He always remembered his mother’s words—his sister had no father from birth, so they had to treat her like their own daughter.
Over the years, he had always done just that. If he bought something, his own children had it, so did his sister. If he could only afford one, it would always go to his sister first.
So how could he take three wen just for a few cicada pupae?
After handing them over, Gu Laosan turned to leave. After a few steps, he turned back again. “Sister, this thing isn’t worth much. If you want more, wait a few days. I’ll go catch more with Nanfeng. Don’t spend money buying them.”
Gu Yuan’s embroidery business was known in the family, and with Old Madam Gu occasionally subsidizing her, Gu Laosan knew she had some money.
He was afraid she would act on impulse, think five wasn’t enough, and go spend money buying more. Even three wen for five pieces was already too easy to earn.
Money wasn’t easy to make. What he feared most was that she would be cheated and later regret it.
Gu Yuan didn’t know how to respond, so she could only vaguely say, “Don’t worry, Third Brother, I know. I just feel bad that you worked hard to catch them for me.”
Gu Laosan bit his lip. “You’re my sister. It’s only right. It’s my fault I’m useless—I can’t even let you eat well.”
Anyone with money wouldn’t go catch cicada pupae. Only families too poor to afford meat would eat them.
And they still had to sneak around, like thieves.
It was embarrassing.
No one knew how Gu Laosan felt when he once saw his sister lying in bed, too poor to buy ginseng, her face pale as she waited for death.
He blamed himself for failing as a brother.
Today, just catching a few cicada pupae, his sister even felt embarrassed to eat them for free. He felt ashamed beyond words.
Gu Yuan didn’t know his thoughts. To her surprise, he wasn’t pretending—he genuinely felt guilty. In her memory, the original owner hadn’t treated him well, often taking his kindness for granted and ordering him around. Yet he still doted on her so much.
Gu Laosan lived in the west side room. After giving her the cicada pupae, he went back to wash up, having spent the afternoon working in the fields and then running into the woods. Only now did he feel uncomfortable all over.
Gu Yuan was still lost in thought when Gu Daya walked in.
She softly called, “Aunt.”
When Gu Yuan turned around, Daya placed something in her hand—more cicada pupae.
“I’m not as good as Third Uncle at catching them. Please don’t dislike them, Aunt.”
Gu Yuan looked down and smiled. “Who says that? You actually caught more than your Third Uncle. He only caught five.”
Daya had brought eight—worth eleven copper coins from the system.
Daya explained, “It’s just because I was cutting grass near the woods. I went early. Third Uncle went after finishing work.”
Gu Daya was a diligent girl, and everyone in the Gu family liked her.
The original owner often used her for errands, and Daya always completed them without complaint.
Gu Yuan felt a little emotional.
“These are your hard work. Aunt won’t take advantage of you. I’ll give you five wen. If you catch more later, I’ll still pay you.”
The system price was too tempting.
But before she could say more, Daya panicked and ran off, refusing the money.
Gu Yuan could only watch her back helplessly.
【Detected pure natural cicada larvae. 40 wen per jin. Sell?】
This time, Gu Yuan decisively chose yes.
Thirteen cicada pupae sold for seventeen copper coins.
This was her first pot of gold.
Not much—but enough to make her smile brightly.
Seventeen copper coins.
She was finally someone with money.