Chapter 21: Talking Big

Li Luo left with the freight slip, handed it to the scrap collector uncle, and headed home. On the main street, she ran into Liu Erwang and Cheng Jianshe.

Back when she used to hang out with them, she always wore loose long robes and pants. Because she often sweated while running, she looked messy, with damp clothes and loose hair. Now her hair was neatly tied, her whole face showing, dressed in a bright red dress—clean and sharp. The two didn’t recognize her and went up to tease her:

“Hey, where’d this little chubby girl come from? You look familiar.”

“Scram!” Li Luo shouted from her diaphragm.

Liu Erwang shivered. “B-Big Sis? Just one day apart and you’ve turned into a whole new person? Other than being fat, you’ve got no flaws at all.”

Beautiful!

Really beautiful!

He often heard storytellers describe Yang Guifei, one of the Four Great Beauties of ancient times, with her plump and graceful charm.

This must be what they meant.

“What’s it to you? I’m not setting up a stall with you guys today,” Li Luo said.

The two little rascals were too greedy. If one day they schemed to snatch the stall’s earnings, she, as a woman, might suffer a heavy loss if unprepared.

“Don’t be like that,” Liu Erwang said, already planning to set up stalls with her for a month—he’d earn 180 yuan in that time, enough to think about getting a wife. Thick-skinned, he went straight to the point: “Big Sis, whether I get a wife or not depends on you.”

Li Luo grew alert. “What’s that got to do with me? My man is a super handsome guy. You think you compare? You’re just a little thug, ugly as sin!”

Liu Erwang mocked: “Didn’t you say before you’re thirty-eight, never married, no kids? But you look like eighteen to me. I don’t mind you being old, and you don’t need to ask for a bride price. Let’s just make do. After all, you’re a female rascal—no one else will want you.”

Li Luo: “…” Hah? Who’s a rascal? She raised her fist. “Stay away from me!”

Liu Erwang quickly backed up two steps, afraid of her punch. “I was just joking! I just want to set up stalls with you.”

Li Luo snorted, then said, “If you wanted to set up a stall, you should’ve said so earlier. Tomorrow morning at 8:30, tell the uncle at the scrap factory how much stock you want. I’ll help you get it. After that, you sell it yourself. You can only get one box on credit—sell it, then pay me back. More than two boxes, you pay in full. Think about it.” She gave them the scrap factory’s address and left.

Cheng Jianshe stared at her for a moment, then asked Liu Erwang: “You really plan to sell her goods?”

“If I don’t, will you find me a wife?”

“I don’t even have a wife myself.”

“…”

Li Luo passed a shop selling firecrackers, bought two buckets of fireworks, and carried them back to the Qin household. The banquet had already begun.

Neighbors sitting outside called out:

“Luoluo, what’d you buy?”

“Luoluo, where’d you run off to this morning? When the banquet started, everyone was looking for you.”

Li Luo laughed. “I suddenly remembered we didn’t buy fireworks, so I went out to get two buckets. We’ll set them off tonight for fun.” She had suggested buying them earlier—1.5 yuan a bucket—but Old Madam Qin thought they were too expensive and refused. Now they served as her perfect excuse for being away.

Qin Mian sat at the main table beside Old Master Qin, with an empty seat clearly saved for her. Li Luo placed the box down under the eaves and sat next to him.

At the same table sat a middle-aged couple.

From the family portrait in the living room, Li Luo recognized them as Qin Mian’s second sister and brother-in-law. She immediately greeted them: “Second Sister, Second Brother-in-law.”

“Ah, hello,” Second Sister Qin replied with a smile. She remembered how her elder sister-in-law had written that this girl was dark-skinned, fat, and ugly. Seeing her in person, only the fat part was true. “This is the first time I’ve seen someone this pretty while being plump.”

Li Luo was stunned. Pretty? Was her eyesight okay? She grumbled inwardly but kept a polite smile. “I’ll take that as a compliment then.”

Old Madam Qin cut in: “You went out just to buy fireworks? They’re expensive.”

Li Luo thought, Are you worried about me spending Qin Mian’s money? She wanted to say she used her own earnings, but swallowed the words instead. “A-Mian told me to buy them,” she said with a smile at Qin Mian.

Qin Mian studied her expression. She was smiling, but her eyes darted around—proud, excited. It was the same as when she came back after selling a painting. Had she gone off to make some shady business deal again?

“Let’s eat,” he said.

Li Luo picked up her chopsticks. Her bowl already had a nice mix of meat and vegetables, perfectly balanced for someone trying to lose weight. It must have been Qin Mian who sneaked them in while others were serving themselves, since some plates were nearly empty. She couldn’t describe the feeling—only that it was warm. She gave him a sweet smile.

Qin Mian’s lips curved in a faint smile.

At another table, the grandchildren toasted Old Master Qin for his birthday.

Some said, “May your blessings be as vast as the Eastern Sea.”
Some said, “May your life be as long as the Southern Mountain.”
Some wished him “bright sun and moon, everlasting spring.”
Others said, “May sun and moon shine together, and autumn and spring never fade.”

When most of the idioms had been used, Qin Xinyi spoke up: “Little Aunt, since you just joined the family, you should also give Grandpa a birthday blessing.” She almost choked on the word Little Aunt.

Qin Mian’s face darkened. “Do you need to remind her?!”

Qin Xinyi lifted her chin. Of course she did—Li Luo had offended her, so today she’d make her lose face.

Li Luo simply smiled. “Of course I should give a blessing.” She ran inside and brought out something she had prepared earlier.

Qin Xinyi’s smile froze. That fat cow had prepared something in advance?

And even had it framed!

Old Master Qin read aloud: “From this day forth, may spring breezes always bring smiles, and may you live like a long-lived immortal among mortals.” Beneath it was a small seal stamped “Li Luo.” He was astonished. “You wrote this? The calligraphy is excellent—I thought you bought it.”

“I wrote it. I started practicing as soon as I arrived in the northwest. After a month of diligent effort, I made this especially for today,” Li Luo said earnestly.

Qin Mian: “…” A month of diligent effort? She’s talking big again!

“This is excellent.”

“Better than what’s sold in calligraphy shops.”

The others gathered around, all praising it.

Old Master Qin was beaming. Everyone said the youngest daughter-in-law was useless, but look at her—so capable! “I like this gift. Much better than the empty words from you nephews and grandsons.”

Li Luo giggled.

She had deliberately come home for the old man’s birthday. How could she show up without a gift prepared?

Qin Xinyi stomped her feet in frustration.

Liu Qian found it unbelievable. Li Luo’s father was a drunk, her mother played mahjong, her brother was a known delinquent. She had barely gone to school. How could she possibly write such fine calligraphy after just a month?

When the banquet ended, Li Luo helped clean up. Since the benches and tables were borrowed, the men were tasked with returning them.

Qin Xinyi brought up last night’s issue. “Little Aunt, didn’t you say you could recite An Account of Master Dongyang fluently? Why don’t you recite it now so I’ll be convinced?”

Li Luo was speechless. She had already recited a section smoothly yesterday—wasn’t that enough?

Liu Qian interjected: “Xinyi, hurry up and help clean. Luoluo hasn’t studied much, how could she recite it?”

“I can recite it, and I also understand it,” Li Luo said firmly. “When I first read it, I felt especially moved. Only after years slipping away did I realize how heartfelt the author’s words were. Alas, while dead wood can revive in spring, people can never live their youth twice. You should study hard while you can.”

She spoke to Qin Xinyi with deep meaning.

Back in college, she had been too playful, and not very bright, so she fell behind in her studies. Otherwise, she might’ve gone abroad to study business management. With this time-travel, she could have made a brilliant career.

Now, at best, she could only become a nouveau riche.