Chapter 16: Both a Tool and a Toy

He Hu pushed the little cart in his hands, walking slowly along the main road leading out of town.

The wheels of the cart were a full half foot wide, and with its low chassis, it moved very steadily along the dirt road.

The handles were tall enough that he didn’t need to bend over while pushing it—this alone made it far superior to flat carts and single-wheel pushcarts.

The cart used very little wood for its body, so compared to those other carts, it was especially lightweight. Not only could he easily push it—even his five-year-old nephew could manage it.

In fact, once the cart was finished, the kids at home treated it like a toy. The younger ones squatted inside it while the older ones pushed from behind, having the time of their lives. It took quite a bit of convincing before the kids were willing to hand the cart over to him.

Qin Jin’s original idea for the cart was to use it for fetching water. He had tested it using his own water buckets—when fully loaded with two buckets of water, the cart moved without wobbling or spilling. It was not only stable, but also easy to push.

Even his nine-year-old daughter could move it.

Before leaving, Qin Jin had said that if the cart was completed, they should come to the city gate in the morning to deliver the message.

But after the finished product was ready today, He Hu found he couldn’t pick out a single flaw. The more he looked at it, the more he liked it—so he decided to bring it to Qin Jin himself.

Moreover, remembering Qin Jin’s confident words, he deliberately slowed his pace so that passersby on the street could get a good look. With such convenience, how could anyone with the means not be tempted?

Still, no matter how slowly he walked, he eventually reached Qin Jin. He set the cart down in front of the little stall. “Qin Jin, take a look at this cart.”

The cart, like a wheelbarrow, didn’t need to be held—it could stand on its own.

Yet it was so compact.

He Hu stood with his hands on his hips, eyes fixed on the cart, liking it more the longer he looked.

“Let me see.” Qin Jin stepped out from behind his stall, grabbed the cart’s handle, and was just about to give it a push when Gu Nan’s voice came from behind him: “Qin Jin, what are you holding?”

Turning around, he saw Gu Nan carrying a back basket and holding the hand of a little child—the same child he’d seen last time.

This little one was Gu Nan’s younger brother Gu Dong’s child, named Gu Yiyun.

Qin Jin smiled and gave the cart a gentle shake. “This is a new cart I had made—for carrying water.”

“Really?” Gu Nan looked surprised as he led Gu Yiyun around the cart in a circle.

Qin Jin found it amusing and handed him the handle. “Give it a try—it’s very light.”

“Alright.” Gu Nan took it eagerly; it was his first time seeing a design like this, and he was intrigued.

“You can put the back basket in here—these two slots are made for water buckets or baskets,” Qin Jin explained.

Gu Nan did as instructed, placing his basket inside, then pushed the cart about ten meters before turning back. When he saw Gu Yiyun standing there watching with wide eyes, he chuckled and asked Qin Jin, “Can I put Yun-ge in it?”

Yun-ge was small enough to stand inside comfortably.

Hearing that, He Hu couldn’t help chiming in—his own kids had just played with it like that earlier.

Gu Nan listened and then picked up Gu Yiyun, placing him in the bucket holder near the handle.

Gu Yiyun reached out with his little hands and gripped the long handles. Gu Nan pushed the cart back and forth in front of Qin Jin’s stall.

At first, Gu Yiyun seemed a bit scared, but when he got off the cart, he looked reluctant, his big eyes fixed on the cart.

Gu Nan crouched down and pinched his cheek. “Yun-ge, do you like this little cart?”

Upon hearing that, Gu Yiyun immediately nodded, eyes still glued to the cart.

“If you like it, then we’ll buy it!” Gu Nan rubbed his head and looked toward He Hu. “Big brother, this little pushcart…”

“This cart is one hundred wen a piece. If you want to buy one, just go into town and find Carpenter He,” He Hu replied with a grin.

“Alright, I’ll head over in a bit,” Gu Nan agreed, glancing once more at the cart.

Yun-ge’s mother had died early due to complications in childbirth. His father, Gu Dong, was often away from home, and his maternal family only had an elderly mother with limited mobility. So Gu Nan often brought Yun-ge back to Wang family village.

When Yun-ge was younger, he could fit in the back basket, and Gu Nan would carry him that way.

But now that he was growing, and with Wang village being about ten li from his maternal home, it had become difficult to carry him the whole way.

Yet asking Yun-ge to walk it himself was also too much—the thought made Gu Nan’s heart ache.

But with a pushcart like this—one side for the basket, the other for Yun-ge—it felt as if it were made just for him.

He had made up his mind. After saying goodbye to Qin Jin and He Hu, he led Yun-ge into town to visit his in-laws.

Qin Jin watched their backs, then looked at the little cart again. Hmm… could this thing also double as a toy to amuse kids?

At that moment, He Hu spoke up. “Qin Jin, as we agreed before, we’re going to make a few carts for you for free, so this one’s on the house. Once the rest are done, I’ll bring them to you.”

“For free?” Qin Jin was a bit surprised.

“Yes, this one’s free. Whether people come to buy it or not, my family’s making more anyway—we’re keeping some for ourselves. Brother Qin, I really have to thank you for thinking up such a brilliant cart.”

As he spoke, He Hu patted Qin Jin on the shoulder. “Don’t worry, I’ll bring the rest over as soon as they’re done. You keep running your stall. I’ve got to get back—lots to do at home.”

Such a simple cart—even without his father, He Hu could build it himself.

Now his hands itched to get to work, eager to go home and make more.

Seeing how rushed He Hu was, Qin Jin didn’t try to stop him. Once he left, Qin Jin placed two baskets on the cart.

Judging by He Hu’s urgency, he was clearly confident in the cart’s potential.

Just then, the bun seller from nearby walked over. He’d bought pea cakes and tofu sheets from Qin Jin several times before. While they weren’t exactly close, they could hold a conversation.

He’d seen the whole scene just now, and the cart piqued his curiosity.

Not just him—many of the nearby stall owners had their eyes glued to the cart. Those close by and without customers wandered over to get a closer look.

Soon enough, a crowd had gathered again around Qin Jin’s stall.

Qin Jin simply took the baskets off and let them push the cart around to their hearts’ content.

Once everyone had had their fill and returned the cart, Qin Jin updated his pitch: Buy a pea cake and try out the convenient double-bucket pushcart!

With the actual cart right there in front of the stall, the new pitch drew even more foot traffic. For people in this era, the cart’s appearance was novel—and also practical.

Thanks to the cart’s appeal, today’s pea cake sold quickly.

After packing up, Qin Jin loaded the two baskets and a stool onto the cart and strolled slowly back to the village.

It was dinnertime, and country folk liked to squat at their doorsteps to eat. As he passed by, he drew a lot of attention. When he got home, Ye Miao had already finished making lunch: noodle soup.

The handmade noodles were thin enough to be translucent, yet chewy.

The sauce was made of stir-fried eggplant and green beans, with large golden chunks of scrambled egg glistening in oil—rich and mouthwatering.

Ye Miao had been in the kitchen, but upon hearing Zhao Feng in the yard say that Qin Jin was back, he hurried to the doorway. Seeing the cart in Qin Jin’s hands, his eyes lit up.

“It’s finished already?” he walked up with amazement on his face.

Zhao Feng was curious too, but seeing Ye Miao go to check out the cart, he returned to the kitchen to ladle the noodles into bowls and set the table in the courtyard.

He picked out a few pieces of fermented tofu for the bowls and placed the rest of the tofu on the table.

Fermented tofu not only had the taste of alcohol, but also several types of spices added. Miao-ge didn’t like it, but he loved it. Even though there was already sauce for the noodles, he still picked up a few pieces to eat with the noodles.

Ye Miao curiously pushed the small cart around the courtyard, growing more and more fond of it. When he found out the cart was free, he liked it even more and immediately wanted to take it to the old courtyard to fetch water.

“Eat first,” Qin Jin grabbed his arm.

Why was he acting like a kid—so taken with a new toy that he didn’t even want to eat?

“Exactly, come eat,” Zhao Feng called to him too.

Reluctantly, he left the small cart by the door, washed his hands, and sat down at the table.

But his eyes were still fixed on the small cart, thinking only about going to fetch water.

He was determined to fill the water vat in one go!

Qin Jin took in his expression and had only one thought: This time I’ve really taken a loss.

Modern people were used to these little carts used for groceries or deliveries, but the ancient folks here had never seen such a thing.

To them, the small cart wasn’t just a tool—it was a toy.

That was something he hadn’t foreseen.

Really, who would’ve thought that a work cart could double as a toy? But clearly, the He family, Gu Yiyun, and Ye Miao all treated it as one.

With its dual purpose, this time he really had lost out.

If he’d known earlier, he definitely would have negotiated better terms with Carpenter He.

But now it was too late for regrets. The He family had already given this one for free, and if he went back now to haggle… forget it. Consider it a lesson learned. Anyway, he had other cart designs in his head. He’d negotiate better next time.

After finishing the noodles, Ye Miao immediately pushed the cart next door to the old courtyard to fetch water. The Qin family saw the little cart and quickly asked where it came from.

After Ye Miao explained, each of them came forward to try pushing it. Their level of affection for it was no less than Ye Miao’s.

That afternoon, Zhao Feng took the cart out to the fields.

The work that day was still irrigation. Since there was only one cart, Qin Jin let him use it, and carried water himself with a shoulder pole.

The small cart rolled freely between the fields and was no slower than walking. It saved a lot more energy too. By the time they got home in the evening, Zhao Feng was far less tired than usual—Ye Miao didn’t even need to massage his shoulders.

Proven in action: the cart was indeed practical.

Meanwhile, the men of the He family all got to work and produced four small carts in one day, delivering them to Gu Nan the same day.

Gu Nan bought two—one for himself and one for his elderly mother. She had bad legs and had to care for Yun-ge. With a cart like this, she could save a lot of effort.

The remaining two carts the He family kept for themselves. Their children treated the carts like toys and were obsessed with them, clamoring to play.

The next day, now more skilled, the He family made seven more carts. By then, neighbors had started coming to buy them—their kids had seen the carts being played with in the alley.

They sold four and kept three.

Actually, they could’ve sold them all since more than one neighbor came, but due to their agreement with Qin Jin, they had to honor their commitment first.

Anyone with sense could see the He family got the better end of the deal this time.

When they reached a total of ten carts, He Hu led a few of his children to deliver them to the city gate.

The original agreement with Qin Jin was that once thirty carts were sold, they’d give him six for free. So far, they’d only sold a little over ten, but these ten were given willingly.

This was just the beginning. If the carts sold even better than expected in the future, they’d need to renegotiate with Qin Jin.

It was a good business, but they couldn’t afford to ruin their family’s reputation.

Besides, Qin Jin may be a young man from the countryside, but he did business well—first with tofu skin, now with small carts—all in a short time.

He even knew Gu Nan.

Their family valued harmony above all, and wouldn’t offend someone if they could help it.