Upon stepping into the shop, the dazzling array of ornaments left her eyes swimming. The shopkeeper inside warmly came over to greet her.
“Welcome, honored customer! Everything in our silver shop is crafted in the latest styles. Don't let our modest size fool you—we have everything you could possibly want. What would you like to buy? I can offer some recommendations.”
Gu Qingyun cleared her throat. “I'd like to buy a few silver hairpins. Nothing too expensive.”
Without batting an eye, the shopkeeper picked up a plain silver hairpin and handed it to her. “Take a look, honored customer. This is one of our bestsellers: a plain silver hairpin carved with plum blossoms at the tip. It weighs roughly four qian, making it perfect for the ladies of the household. The price is reasonable too—just five hundred wen each.”
Gu Qingyun clicked her tongue, wearing a conflicted expression. “Can you go any lower?”
The smile on the shopkeeper's face didn't waver. “Customer, we run a modest business here. You see, the craftsman spends so much time and effort grinding and polishing each one; we only charge a modest labor fee. This price truly isn't expensive.”
Gu Qingyun stared at him intently, said not another word, and turned straight toward the door.
The shopkeeper was dumbfounded. Wait, this isn't right at all! That's not how bargaining works. Shouldn't she make a counteroffer so I can haggle back? Why did she just turn around and walk away?
“Wait, customer, don't leave! Seeing how sincere you are, four hundred and eighty wen apiece—not a coin less!”
Gu Qingyun stopped in her tracks. Without answering, she walked straight over to where the earrings were displayed, picked up a pair of silver stud earrings, and looked at the shopkeeper. “Five hundred wen for each hairpin—one with plum blossoms, one with peonies, and one with herbaceous peonies. But you must throw in five pairs of these silver studs for free.”
The shopkeeper's face fell. “Customer, that won't do at all! These earrings are twenty wen a pair. You're asking for five pairs straight away—that cuts into my profits by a whole hundred wen! At this rate, I'll be taking far too big a loss.”
Gu Qingyun chuckled softly. “Shopkeeper, at most, these silver studs are worth fifteen wen a pair at best. Do the math yourself—doesn't it come out to just about the same discount you were willing to give me?”
The silver shop's proprietor gave a stiff smile and quietly wrapped up the items she wanted, saying politely, “That comes to one tael and five qian in total.”
Gu Qingyun retrieved the money and handed it over. After packing away the silver ornaments, she turned and pointed at a silver bracelet. “How much is this one?”
“This one is eight qian. If you want it, I can lower the price a bit and let you have it for seven qian.” Gu Qingyun nodded. The bracelet was worth the price; the shopkeeper wasn't trying to swindle her.
After paying the money, she picked up the bracelet and turned to head outside. She was in a hurry to get home and couldn't afford to waste any more time.
After taking a little more time to finish buying everything on her list, Gu Qingyun relied on her two legs to run toward home at a steady pace.
Thinking of how delighted her grandmother and the others would be upon receiving their gifts, she picked up her pace even more.
To onlookers, all they saw was a youngster carrying a basket on her back, running swiftly in one direction without taking even a single breather. Watching until her figure vanished into the distance, they marveled at the sheer stamina of this young person.
Upon finally reaching the village entrance, Gu Qingyun paused to tidy her clothes before briskly walking toward home. Along the way, she ran into other villagers, all of whom greeted her with beaming smiles.
“Qingyun, on your day off?” Seeing her, Li Daquan called out with great enthusiasm. “Qingyun, you're truly the most successful youngster in our village! Look at you in that getup—so sharp and handsome! Not a single person in all the neighboring villages can compare to you. Oh, wait a second! Don't leave just yet; I have something for you.”
Just as Gu Qingyun was about to say it wasn't necessary, Li Daquan had already ducked into his courtyard.
When he came back out, his wife, A-Tang, and his son, Tietou, followed behind him. In his hand, he held two large, flopping fish tied together by straw rope.
He scratched his head. “Qingyun, take these home to eat. I caught them a few days ago and kept them alive in the water vat, just waiting for the day you came back so I could give them to you.”
Gu Qingyun waved her hands repeatedly. “Uncle Li, there's no need to be so courteous. You should keep them for Tietou to build up his health.”
“There's more at home, Qingyun, take them,” Tietou's mother chimed in with a warm smile, her cheerful expression bearing no trace of her previous exhaustion.
“Sister Qingyun, thank you for saving me. Please take the fish Daddy caught and eat them! Daddy said that one must repay kindness. If not for you, Tietou wouldn't have had the chance to grow up.”
Gu Qingyun ruffled Tietou's head. A wisp of qi, invisible to anyone else, flowed from her palm into Tietou's body—her way of returning the kindness.
She then took a piece of candy from her pocket and gave it to little Tietou before accepting the two fish. “Thank you, Uncle Li, Aunt Li, and little Tietou. I'll head home now.”
“Go on, go on! You only come back once a month, so you must spend good time with your family.”
Gu Qingyun nodded vigorously, waved to them, and continued toward home.
Watching Gu Qingyun's retreating figure, Tietou's mother looked on with deep admiration. “Qingyun has truly made something of herself. Look at her posture, so straight and proper; not a single young lad in our village can hold a candle to her. If she were a boy, she could easily marry a young lady from a wealthy family.”
Li Daquan looked down at her and said testily, “You're more than twelve years older than her. Even if she were a boy, she wouldn't have anything to do with you.”
A-Tang spat at him. “What are you saying in front of the child? I was just making a casual comment—where on earth did your mind wander? What a dirty mind you have! Tietou, don't listen to your father, and don't take after him. Come on, let's go inside.”
Li Daquan: “...”
...
Gu Qingyun's return was met with a flurry of doting questions from the Gu family, as if they hadn't seen her in ages. Her niece, Xiao Guai, also wrapped her arms around Gu Qingyun's lower leg and called out sweetly, “Auntie!”
Gu Qingyun set down the basket, handed the fish to her elder brother, Gu Yihan, and took out a stick of tanghulu for Xiao Guai, which earned her a sweet smile.
In just a few short days, the little girl's complexion had grown much rosier than when they had first brought her back.
Old Lady Zhang even pulled her into an affectionate embrace, making Gu Qingyun's face flush crimson. She was already a head taller than her grandmother, so the sight was so awkward she could hardly bear to imagine it.
Beside them, her siblings were either stifling their giggles behind their hands or looking up at the ceiling, leaving Gu Qingyun feeling utterly mortified.
“Mother, let Qingyun go inside and rest for a bit. Anyone can tell this child ran all the way back; we didn't have an ox cart heading to the county seat today.”
In the end, it was Lady Su who doted on her daughter most and quickly spoke up.
“Right, right, look at me!” Old Lady Zhang let go of Gu Qingyun and pulled her into the house.
Gu Qingyun let her gaze sweep over everyone and said with a smile, “I'm doing very well in the county seat. A few days ago, we even caught a gang of criminals, and the County Magistrate gave us a silver reward. My colleagues take great care of me and are very friendly, and I get along well with several constables around my age.”
Hearing this, Old Lady Zhang and the others beamed with delight. “Our Qingyun truly is capable. How long has it even been, and you've already received a silver reward again!”
Looking at the smiling faces of her family, Gu Qingyun smiled along with them. She took Old Lady Zhang's hand, slipped the silver bracelet onto her wrist, and asked with a grin, “Grandmother, I bought this especially for you. Do you like it?”
Staring at the bracelet on her wrist, Old Lady Zhang caressed it back and forth, tears mingling with her smile. “Grandmother loves it.” In the past, she had once owned a silver bracelet too, but had pawned it when times grew tough for the family. She never expected that her granddaughter would buy her another one now, and her heart swelled with joy.
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