After hearing this, the shopkeeper chuckled and immediately instructed the store assistant to weigh the grain for her, chatting warmly as he did so. “Little girl, why are only you two children here to buy things? Where are your adults?”
“Mm, my family went to buy things elsewhere.” Xi Qingyue gave a faint smile and chatted idly with the shopkeeper.
Once the assistant finished weighing, she placed the measured rice and flour into the large basket on her back and took her leave of the shopkeeper.
She led Xi Weilan out of the shop, and once they were out of sight, they ducked into a narrow alley. There, she transferred everything from the basket into her storage space.
After that, she took Xi Weilan to the largest tavern in town, the Full Fortune House.
The waiter, seeing they were just two children in tattered clothes, immediately shooed them away. “Scram, this isn’t a place for kids to play around.”
Xi Qingyue ignored him and instead looked at the accountant behind the counter. “Sir, do you buy wild boar meat here? A whole one, that is.”
“Wild boar meat? You have some?” The accountant lifted his head to look at them, his face full of suspicion.
Xi Qingyue nodded. “Yes, I do. If you want it, I’ll bring it to you tomorrow. Let’s talk about the price first, shall we?”
Hearing her speak so confidently, the accountant stepped out from behind the counter. Seeing they were just children, he asked again, “Did one of your adults send you to ask? If it’s really wild boar, I’ll give you eighteen coppers a catty.”
Xi Qingyue shook her head and haggled with him. “No, it has to be at least twenty-two coppers a catty. My wild boar is sold whole—one weighs over three hundred catties, and the hide is still intact. You won’t lose out buying it.”
The accountant, amused by her serious demeanor, didn’t bargain further. “Alright, I’ll take your word for it. Bring the boar tomorrow, and it’s a deal.”
“Great. Just wait—see you tomorrow.”
Having settled the matter, Xi Qingyue waved goodbye to the accountant and pulled Xi Weilan along to continue their shopping.
They went on a shopping spree at various shops around town, each time stashing purchases into the basket and quietly transferring them to her storage space.
Xi Weilan obediently followed her, nibbling on a candied hawthorn stick. Their youth inevitably drew some attention in town.
A servant from the wealthy Wang household recognized the two sisters and quickly returned to report their whereabouts to his master.
He snorted coldly. “Better to find them now than to search later—saves me the trouble.”
He promptly called for his steward and whispered a few instructions, then sat back with a smug grin, sipping his wine.
Xi Qingyue and Xi Weilan continued to wander around town. They bought twenty roasted chickens, over a hundred flatbreads, a mountain of pastries, vegetables, cooking oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, pots, pans, bowls, and other assorted goods.
The basket she carried was the largest kind, and she visited shops in different spots. The shopkeepers only ever saw her putting items into the basket before leaving; no one realized she had made purchases from over a dozen stores.
By the time dusk fell, Xi Qingyue stopped with Xi Weilan in front of a noodle shop.
“Sis, are we going to eat noodles before heading back?” Xi Weilan was still clutching a piece of pastry, her mouth never ceasing to munch.
Xi Qingyue pulled her to sit down and nodded. “Mm, we’ll eat first. If you’re tired, I’ll take you home by cart.”
At the mention of a cart ride, Xi Weilan’s small face lit up with anticipation, and she sat quietly beside her.
The noodle shop owner’s wife noticed the two little girls and came over with a smile. “Little sisters, would you like some noodles?”
Xi Qingyue smiled back. “Yes, two large bowls, please.”
“Right away, just a moment!” The woman turned and went to work.
Xi Qingyue pulled out a freshly bought roasted chicken from her basket. She tore off two drumsticks, handing one to Xi Weilan and keeping the other for herself.
While waiting for the noodles, the two each devoured a drumstick. When the owner’s wife brought the noodles, she was surprised—these girls had quite an appetite.
Seeing the steaming, fragrant noodles, Xi Qingyue and Xi Weilan dug in with gusto. They truly had hearty appetites, polishing off the large bowls of noodles in no time.
As they ate, a few men lurked in the shadows nearby, glaring with ill intent. When they saw the girls pay their coppers and leave the town, the men immediately followed.
Xi Qingyue sensed the tails and curled her lips slightly. “Looking for death so quickly? Fine, I’ll do them a favor and send them on their way.”
With the basket on her back, now nearly empty without her purchases, Xi Qingyue strolled slowly along, pulling Xi Weilan along as if waiting for the pursuers to catch up.
“Sis, those men keep following us. Are they bad people?” Xi Weilan noticed several burly, menacing-looking men not far behind them; one glance and they seemed like no good.
Xi Qingyue stopped and ruffled her hair. “Mm, Weilan’s clever. Don’t mind them. Evil will be repaid with evil. If they’re bad men, they’ll definitely get their comeuppance.”
They had only just left the town, and there were still other travelers on the road, so the men didn’t make a move yet. But their predatory gazes were unsettling.
After walking a bit further, Xi Qingyue suddenly halted and pulled Xi Weilan to sit by the roadside. “Weilan, we’ve walked so far. You must be tired. Let’s rest a while before going on.”
Xi Weilan was confused and scratched her head. “Sis, I’m not tired. I can still walk.”
“No, you are tired. With your little arms and legs, any more walking and you’ll be worn out. Here, have a candied hawthorn stick and take a break.” Xi Qingyue said, pulling a stick from the basket and handing it over, perfect for helping her digest.
Xi Weilan grabbed the stick, forgot everything else, and took a big bite.
Not far away, the men also stopped and huddled together, whispering.
“Boss, why did they stop? I say we just grab them now—it’s remote here, just two kids. Why all the fuss?”
The leader, a burly man with a dark face, snapped back, “You forget about Li Laz? He got careless and landed himself in jail. Master Wang said we have to bring them back without anyone knowing—he’s clearly planning to torment these kids. No slip-ups. Wait a bit longer. What’s the hurry?”
“Boss, look! They’re moving again.”
The men saw Xi Qingyue and Xi Weilan stand up and resume walking, so they followed once more.
Xi Qingyue’s lips curved into a smirk as she thought coldly, “You lot don’t dare snatch us in broad daylight, so I’ll make sure you meet your fate in front of everyone. Let them witness your doom.”
As the men approached the spot where the girls had rested, they suddenly felt the ground give way beneath their feet, causing them to stumble forward with a loud crash.
“Ah...”
Their screams rang out sharply on the road. Travelers turned around, staring in shock.
There, sprawled on the ground, lay several men. They didn’t move or even utter another cry.
“What happened? They just fell—why aren’t they getting up?” Someone stepped forward tentatively to inspect.
Another person warned, “Could be a trick to shake people down. There aren’t any holes on this flat road. Why would they all trip? Careful.”
