Chapter 3: Selling Calligraphy

Li Luo also left the courtyard. With her body type, the lazier she was, the fatter she became—she had to stay active.

She went out jogging, circling the nearby streets at a slow pace until she was drenched in sweat. When she returned, she glanced through the window and saw Qin Mian lying on the upper bunk, asleep.

Quietly pushing the door open, she tiptoed to the wardrobe, took down her calligraphy scrolls, rolled them up, and wrapped them in a cloth bag. At the doorway, she glanced back at Qin Mian once before leaving.

The sound of the door closing woke Qin Mian, who sat up.

What’s she sneaking around for?

His elder nephew had mentioned in a letter that she was prone to stealing. Thinking of the ink scent he’d smelled earlier, he decided to follow her quietly.

From a distance, he saw her step into a calligraphy and painting shop.

After about half an hour, she came out beaming, practically bouncing as she walked.

Her plump body jiggled with every hop.

Qin Mian silently covered his eyes. So this is what they mean by an eyesore!

Everyone else was as thin as bamboo poles—how did she manage to get so fat?

Once she had gone further away, he entered the shop. The owner was admiring the calligraphy he had just purchased.

“Young man, looking to buy calligraphy?”

Qin Mian muttered, “Just browsing.”

The shopkeeper eagerly pitched: “Just got these in today—Study Hard, Make Progress Every Day, Such a Beautiful and Splendid Land. Very fine pieces, haven’t even been mounted yet.”

Qin Mian walked over and studied them. The strokes flowed smoothly, like clouds and water—there was real skill in them.

The signature read: Mu Zi Luo.

Li Luo?

Wasn’t she supposed to be barely literate? Her looks might be plain, but her calligraphy… surprisingly good.

“How much for this one—Such a Beautiful and Splendid Land?”

“Five yuan,” the owner said. “Just look at the form, the brushwork—”

“Two yuan. Take it or leave it,” Qin Mian cut him off.

The shopkeeper: “…”

Qin Mian turned to leave. The owner rushed to stop him. “Fine, fine, I’ll sell! But really, I paid one yuan fifty for it. After mounting, after labor costs—business is tough these days.”

…

Li Luo, meanwhile, had sold three scrolls for the grand total of three yuan. With her earnings in hand, she went straight to the tailor’s shop and bought two sets of undergarments.

She’d been dieting for several days, and her underclothes were already feeling a bit loose.

After leaving the tailor, she headed toward the department store. Before she left home, the old man had not only bought her ticket but had secretly slipped her ten yuan in pocket money.

He had been so kind to her. Now that she was earning on her own, she had to repay that kindness.

At the store, she took a liking to a skein of black wool yarn. From the owner she learned that a scarf would require about two liang of yarn—two yuan.

Li Luo had already spent one yuan on clothes. She pulled out the remaining one yuan eighty and asked hopefully, “Boss, I only have one yuan eighty, is that okay?”

The shopkeeper put on a pained expression. “Ah, fine, I’ll take a loss and sell it to you.”

Li Luo suddenly felt like she’d been swindled, but the man had already packed the yarn. If she backed out now, would he scold her?

She decided to keep it anyway.

When she got home, Qin Mian pointed at the ink, brush, and rice paper laid out on the table, and asked, feigning ignorance, “Why were you sneaking around hiding these?”

Her heart skipped a beat. How did he find them?

Forcing a calm smile, she said, “Sneaking? You’re exaggerating. My handwriting’s ugly. I just wanted to practice, but then you came back, and I didn’t want you to see, so I put everything away.”

Qin Mian gave a mocking smile. Lying without blinking—this probably wasn’t her first time. He didn’t expose her, instead deciding to watch what she would do next. He pointed at the yarn in her hands.

“Planning to knit me a scarf?”

Li Luo thought to herself, Wow, you really think highly of yourself. Out loud, she said:

“It’s for Dad. I want to knit him a scarf to thank the old man for going against everyone’s objections to arrange our marriage. If you want one, I’ll knit it for you after I finish his. Honestly, you didn’t lose out by marrying me. I may not look great right now, but my features aren’t bad—double eyelids, a high nose bridge, and a small mouth. Once I slim down, I definitely won’t be ugly. I’m already dieting. People may gossip about how unlucky you are now, but in a few months they’ll praise you for your sharp eye.

Plus, I’m hardworking and capable, and most importantly, I have a kind heart. I’m also ambitious and eager to improve myself.”

Qin Mian: “…”

What is this, a speech she memorized? She’s reciting it like a schoolbook—line after line.

Her mind was quick and her courage bold. On her very first day, she was already selling calligraphy.

This was nothing like what his nephew had written in his letter—lazy, unkempt, and useless.

For now, he would keep watching her. Then, pointedly, he said, “The day before yesterday, a man in the next courtyard secretly sold marinated meat. He was caught and paraded through the streets with a sign around his neck.”

Li Luo tilted her head. “And why are you telling me this? I don’t sell marinated meat.” She carried her brush to the well to wash it.

Qin Mian: “…”

He had clearly been warning her not to secretly sell calligraphy.

…

Auntie Liu called over, “Luoluo, want to go to the bathhouse together?”

“Sure!” Li Luo hadn’t been to the bathhouse since arriving here. A good soak sounded wonderful. “Where is it? How much does it cost?”

“Not far, a three- or four-minute walk. Xiao Qin should have tickets.”

Li Luo hurried home to ask her husband for bath tickets, grabbed her toiletries, and went with Auntie Liu.

…

Across the courtyard, Han Qiuyu noticed Li Luo leaving. She sat in front of the mirror, combed her hair, dabbed her lips with red paper, and smiled at her reflection, satisfied. Then she carried a plate of roasted peanuts to Li Luo’s house. At the door, she deliberately called out, “Li Luo, I fried some peanuts for you to try.”

Without looking up, Qin Mian said flatly, “She’s not home. Eat them yourself.”

Han Qiuyu pushed the door open with a smile. “I’ll just leave them here, then.” She set the plate on his desk and plopped down on the edge of his bed. “Qin Da—”

“There’s a chair. Why aren’t you sitting on it?” Qin Mian’s face immediately darkened as he yanked the quilt off the bed.

Han Qiuyu quickly stood aside, putting on a pitiful look. “That’s just how I sit at home…”

Qin Mian shot back, “And is this your home?” He shoved the plate back into her hands and barked, “Take it away!” Then, almost like he had a cleanliness obsession, he began stripping off the bed cover.

Han Qiuyu’s face flushed red, then turned pale. With tears welling in her eyes, she spun around and ran out.

How could he choose someone as ugly as Li Luo over her, when she was clearly prettier and better in every way? Was he blind?

…

Just as Qin Mian tossed the quilt cover into a basin, Li Luo returned.

“Weren’t you going to the bathhouse?”

“I didn’t feel like it anymore.” Li Luo couldn’t accept the idea of everyone going in naked together like dumplings in a pot. To make it worse, some even brought five- or six-year-old boys who babbled nonsense.

She decided she’d rather buy a large tub and bathe at home.

“Why’d you change the bedding?” she asked. “It was clean enough, wasn’t it? Or is it because you dislike that I slept on it? Looks like I’d better save up quickly to buy my own sheets and covers.”

Expressionless, Qin Mian said, “Changing it often keeps mites away. There are new sheets in the wardrobe—put them on.”

Her doubts vanished. “Oh.”

She changed the sheets, tidied the desk, wiped down the windowsill and glass, then sprinkled some water on the ground before sweeping. Under the bed, she found two unshelled peanuts.

The courtyard wasn’t big—just staying at home, she could still keep track of what was happening outside. It seemed Han Qiuyu had been roasting peanuts.

Did he secretly eat her peanuts? Could something really be going on between them?

And he even washed the bedding—did they roll around while I was gone and then clean up the evidence?

But she had only been away for ten minutes or so… could it have happened that fast?

While Qin Mian hung the sheets to dry under the eaves, he caught sight of her out of the corner of his eye, popping something into her mouth. Walking closer, he realized it was raw peanuts—the same ones that had rolled out earlier.

No wonder she’s so fat—she’s eating raw peanuts off the floor.

Li Luo dumped the dust into a basket and headed outside to empty it. As she passed Qin Mian, she shot him a sideways glare. Lecher!

When she came back, she found herself face to face with Han Qiuyu.