Chapter 34: Wife Pawning

Xie Jiu’er thought about the pork, lard, ground moss, and mushrooms that went into the buns, which probably cost about one hundred wen.  The lard was expensive; they hadn’t added much meat, and the ground moss and mushrooms weren’t very valuable.

“Flour is very expensive now. The flour used in the past two days cost two hundred wen, plus the filling, we only earned sixty wen in total.”

After Xie Jiu’er finished calculating, the three of them looked disappointed.

Zhou shi sighed: “That is to say, I worked for two days and only earned seven buns!”

Xie Jiu’er nodded: “But seven buns is already amazing! Many people can’t even earn that. Those are made from white flour. Many people are still drinking wild vegetable soup. We’re already very lucky.

And look now, just after the New Year, charcoal is not selling well, and we’re not the only ones selling buns and steamed buns. There are also restaurants. This result is already very good. In half a year, when the weather warms up and there are green vegetables, I will find a way to make other food.”

After being reassured by Xie Jiu’er, Zhou shi’s mood suddenly improved: “That’s right. Wu Yang and I can support ourselves at home, and you eat at the Zhu residence. Your monthly salary, besides rent, leaves half a tael.  If we’re careful with our money, we can always get by.”

On the third day, when Zhou shi went out to sell buns, a middle-aged man with a fierce expression approached: “How much are the buns?”

Zhou shi quickly replied with a smile: “Buns and steamed buns are eight wen each.”

Upon hearing this, the man frowned and began to scold: “You dare to sell a bun for that much? Why don’t you go rob someone?”

Zhou shi’s grip on the basket tightened, but she still restrained her temper: “You can ask around.  They’re all this price, and my buns have lard and a little pork.  At the restaurants, whether it’s plain buns or steamed buns, they cost ten wen each, and meat buns cost fifteen wen.  In this world, grain is scarce, so the price is naturally high.”

The man listened impatiently: “I want two steamed buns and two buns. Thirty wen. You’re already making a profit. Don’t be greedy. There are many people who can’t eat. You’re so heartless, be careful someone robs you.”

The man looked around. Zhou shi looked around; many people around were thinly clad, staring at the restaurants and the few steamed bun stalls, swallowing their saliva.

Zhou shi’s heart pounded, instinctively hugging the basket: “Don’t scare people here. The court has already issued an order; robbery is punishable by imprisonment.”

The man impatiently threw down thirty wen: “Hurry up, two buns, two steamed buns.”

Zhou shi looked at the copper coins: “Not enough, two wen short.”

The man was furious, pointing at Zhou shi’s nose: “You woman, you’re so stubborn in business, no wonder you can’t sell anything.”

Zhou shi glared at him: “Don’t interfere, I’ve already sold them.”

The man was about to say something when the woman behind him stepped forward, timidly glancing at Zhou shi, then exclaimed joyfully: “Second Aunt, it’s really Second Aunt! Save me, Second Aunt, I’m Er’ya!”

Zhou shi looked at the woman, bruised and emaciated, stammering: “Oh, it’s really Er’ya, what are you doing here!”

She grabbed her frostbitten hands: “What’s going on? Why is he tying you up?”

Remembering what Jiu’er had said the other day, Zhou shi realized that Er’ya must have been sold by her father to this man.

“How can you treat her like this? You’ve beaten her up so badly.”

Zhou shi angrily stared at the man, no longer afraid. Xie Laoda and his wife were terrible people, but the children were innocent. The two girls were especially obedient, but this was their fate.

The man sneered after hearing Zhou shi’s words: “I treated her badly? If it weren’t for me, she would have been eaten alive. I exchanged my own daughter for her. They ate my daughter, and I didn’t eat her. I just let her bear me a son. Am I being excessive?”

Zhou shi was shocked. Besides feeling sorry for Er’ya, she felt fortunate that she and Jiu’er had desperately prevented them from taking Wu Yang away: “Beast, how could your father do this to you?”

Er’ya tightly held Zhou shi’s arm: “I beg you, save me! He said that after my child is born, he will pawn me off to another man to bear children. I don’t want to, Second Aunt, save me.”

Zhou shi looked at her gaunt body: “You’re pregnant?”

Er’ya nodded resignedly. The man laughed heartily: “So it’s her second aunt! We’re family, why bother with money? Just give me four buns.”

Zhou shi wiped her tears: “I won’t give them to you. Don’t call me family. You’re just like her father, heartless.”

Then, she quickly took a bun from the basket and put it to Er’ya’s mouth: “Eat quickly, girl.  Live well, it will get better.  I’m not capable of saving you, but I can give you a warm bun.”

Er’ya’s tears fell onto the bun. The bitten bun released an aroma. Seeing this, the man was about to snatch the bun from Er’ya’s mouth. Zhou shi suppressed her anger: “Stop. You said she’s carrying your son. If you don’t let her eat, she won’t last long, and your son won’t be born.”

The man wiped his mouth angrily, cursing: “Damn it, fine.  Give me the extra money. I only want two buns. That one is yours, it’s none of my business.”

Zhou shi quickly gave him two buns and the extra money. Then she watched as Er’ya was dragged away crying, eventually entering a small alley not far from their house.

…….

“Wife pawning?” Xie Jiu’er, after finishing work at noon, returned home and was shocked to hear Zhou shi’s words. She didn’t expect Er’ya to end up with such a man after being sold by Xie Laoda.

Zhou shi wiped her eyes: “Watching her being dragged away, I was thinking, spending the rest of her life like livestock, bearing children for different men… it’s better to die on the road while fleeing. At least she wouldn’t suffer like this, facing such filth.”

Xie Jiu’er pursed her lips, ultimately saying nothing. She knew Er’ya was innocent, but they currently didn’t have the ability to redeem her.

Besides, even if they redeemed her, she could be sold again. That’s not something they could control. In that world, as orphans and widows, surviving that winter was already fortunate.

“Mother, don’t think too much. Be careful next time you go out, don’t let that man know where we live. I’m worried he’ll use Er’ya to blackmail us for food and drink.”

Zhou shi nodded and didn’t set up a stall in the afternoon.  Wu Yang went to the mountain to collect firewood every day. Xie Jiu’er worried that he would be followed. Er’ya lived not far from them. If they were discovered, it would cause trouble: “Wu Yang, when you go out, wear your rabbit scarf, don’t let people recognize you, to avoid trouble.”

Wu Yang nodded: “Mother, when Uncle wanted to take me away, Big Sister and Aunt helped Uncle stop you from saving me.  At home, they always fought with me for food. I don’t think Big Sister Er’ya is that pitiful!”

Xie Jiu’er looked up in shock. She didn’t expect Wu Yang, at such a young age, to see things so clearly: “Do you hate her?”

Wu Yang tilted his head and thought for a moment: “Not exactly. But in my heart, only Mother and Sister are the most important people. I don’t really care what happens to others.”

After speaking, worried about Xie Jiu’er criticizing him, he shrunk his neck.

“Wu Yang, you’re right. When we’re able, we can help others. When we’re not, it’s good enough to take care of ourselves. Sister Er’ya isn’t bad, but she’s pitiful now. Mother gave her a bun because she’s kind, but it’s not because we owe her.”

Wu Yang felt his sister approved of his thoughts, and smiled shyly. His sister always supported him.