Chapter 21: Saving a Life

After all the bustle, everyone had even missed lunch. Now that they had some money in their pockets, Qiao Nian wanted to treat them to a good meal. She pointed to a nearby restaurant and was about to ask what they thought about eating there.

To her surprise, all three of them shook their heads in unison. Even Ping’an, who usually sided with her, didn’t support her this time. Hua Guixiang was the most straightforward, sighing as she said, “Nian Nian, just because we have money doesn’t mean we should spend it like this. That wonton stall at the corner looks pretty good—why don’t we eat there instead? Haizi, you too. Don’t even think about refusing.”

Wang Tiehai had already planned to decline the restaurant invite the moment Qiao Nian mentioned it. Even though they were from the same village, she had paid him for the ox cart ride—there was no reason for him to take advantage of her generosity like that. But hearing Hua Guixiang suggest wontons instead, he figured a bowl of wontons wasn’t much, and he wouldn’t be imposing. So he smiled and agreed, “Alright.”

Qiao Nian… Honestly, their reactions were a bit too dramatic. Oh well, wontons it is then.

At her core, Qiao Nian still carried the mindset of a modern person. But for the three locals who had lived their whole lives in the countryside, a deep-seated deference and awe toward the wealthy and powerful had long taken root in their bones. Even a small restaurant in town felt too lofty for people like them, who scraped a living from the fields year-round. In such places, even a cup of tea came at a cost. They would rather eat at a simple food stall—where the food was filling and the atmosphere far more comfortable.

In the end, the four of them each had a bowl of wontons with thin skins and generous fillings, quieting the protests of their empty stomachs. Qiao Nian and Hua Guixiang discussed that since they had already hired the ox cart for the day, they might as well stock up on more grain for the family. They could also each buy two sets of clean clothes, some cotton, and fabric. The quilts at home were no longer usable, and come winter, someone could freeze to death.

Hua Guixiang disagreed, saying, “Don’t buy ready-made clothes—they’re too expensive and not worth it. Let’s just buy fabric and I’ll make two sets for each of you. Also, the quilt in my room is still usable. Just make one new one each for you and Ping’an. Cotton is really costly.”

Qiao Nian immediately understood that the old woman simply couldn’t bear to part with the money. She gave Ping’an two taels of silver and told him to go with Wang Tiehai to the grain store to buy rice, reminding him to get white flour and polished rice. They still had coarse rice and dark flour at home, so there was no need to buy those. Meanwhile, she took Hua Guixiang to the fabric and clothing shop.

They arrived at a shop called Jinxiu Fang. Though it called itself a fabric store, the place wasn’t very big and mostly sold items that regular folks could afford. The shop assistant was very welcoming, not looking down on the two despite their worn clothing, and enthusiastically introduced the store’s offerings.

Qiao Nian’s eyes quickly landed on a sky-blue, cross-collared short robe. The design was simple, but the cotton fabric looked comfortable, and the cuffs and collar were trimmed with delicate bamboo leaf embroidery. It was perfect for the current season, and the size seemed just right for Ping’an. “Nai, what do you think of that sky-blue outfit? Doesn’t it suit Ping’an?”

Hua Guixiang had been focused on the coarse fabrics laid out on the counter, thinking about which color would be best for making quilts. She turned her head and saw the outfit Qiao Nian was pointing at. Her eyes flickered with interest. She stepped forward to feel the fabric—it was soft and surely comfortable to wear. She turned to the shop assistant and asked, “How much is this outfit?”

The assistant glanced at the set and his smile widened. “You’ve got a good eye, madam. That just came in yesterday. It’s a bargain at three hundred wen.”

“Too expensive. We’ll pass. Better to make it ourselves,” Hua Guixiang said flatly upon hearing the price. She could buy a whole foot of cotton fabric for thirty wen. It would only take a little over two feet to make an outfit for Ping’an. With three hundred wen, she could make clothes for everyone in the family.

“Nai, just buy one set. I really like that blue-and-pink one, and the greenish-purple set would look great on you too. We need decent clothes when we go out, don’t we? You can make the rest when we get home, alright? Pretty please, A-Nai,” Qiao Nian said, switching to her most persuasive, wheedling tone.

In no time, she had worn Hua Guixiang down. However, the old woman flatly refused to buy a set for herself. In the end, she agreed to buy one set of ready-made clothes each for Qiao Nian and Ping’an, along with shoes to match their outfits.

They also bought five bolts of cotton fabric suitable for making clothes for the three of them, and eight bolts of coarse fabric for bed sheets and quilt covers. It was more than enough for now, but Hua Guixiang had other uses in mind, so they bought extra while they had the chance.

When it came to the cotton, the shop only had about twenty jin of last year’s stock left, priced at fifty wen per jin. Qiao Nian and Hua Guixiang asked the assistant to bring it out for inspection. After confirming there were no issues, they asked for a discount since they were buying all of it.

The assistant was practically beaming—he’d struck gold today with such a big-spending customer. He hurried to the back to consult the shopkeeper, and when he returned, he cheerfully offered a discount of ten wen per jin. Qiao Nian felt that was quite generous, considering they’d asked on the spot, and glanced at Hua Guixiang for her thoughts.

With a decisive slap to her thigh, Hua Guixiang said, “Deal. Wrap everything up for us. How much altogether?”

The assistant quickly bundled up all their goods in two large sacks made of coarse cloth and tossed in a small bundle of leftover fabric scraps as a gift—perfect for making shoes at home. After totaling the price, he quoted three taels and one hundred wen.

Qiao Nian handed over the silver. Each woman slung one large bundle over her back. Qiao Nian tucked the fabric scraps into her own sack, and together they stepped out of the fabric store, ready to meet up with Ping’an and Wang Tiehai.

They had just reached the mouth of an alley when the sounds of shouting and scuffling caught their attention. Turning toward the noise, they spotted a group of older boys kicking and punching a younger child. Without hesitation, Hua Guixiang shouted, “You little rascals! Ganging up on someone like this? Keep it up and I’ll call the town patrol!”

Startled by her voice—and especially the threat of patrol officers—the boys scattered immediately, disappearing around the corner in a flurry of footsteps.

When Qiao Nian and Hua Guixiang approached, they found the young boy curled up in the corner, bruised and battered, barely conscious. His face was swollen and bloodied. He glanced up at them pleadingly but said not a word before fainting dead away.

Hua Guixiang’s heart ached. She had always had a soft spot for children, and seeing this boy like this was unbearable. “Nian Nian, let’s help him. He’s clearly just a poor, pitiful child.”

The boy was not only injured from head to toe—his clothes were ragged, and he was barefoot. His soles were covered in blisters and blood. Qiao Nian wanted to remind her grandmother that this might not be a simple rescue. The boy could be a beggar child. Taking him in could mean trouble. But she couldn’t just leave him to die either. She could only hope the child wouldn’t bring misfortune to their household later on.

“Nai, let’s take him to the clinic first and get him checked. We’ll figure things out once he wakes up.” As she spoke, she shifted her sack further back and bent down to lift the boy into her arms.

“Alright, let’s see to his wounds first,” Hua Guixiang agreed quickly.

Just as they exited the alley, they saw Wang Tiehai approaching in the ox cart, calling out as he came. The cart held four large sacks of grain, and Ping’an sat in the back with his basket strapped to his back.

“Aunt Hua, are you two alright? Er Ya, why are you carrying a child?” Wang Tiehai had been worried when he couldn’t find them and now was clearly startled by the scene.

“We’re fine, Haizi. A bunch of kids were beating this boy up, and we stepped in to help,” Hua Guixiang explained simply. Qiao Nian gently placed the unconscious boy in the cart, and the group turned back toward Ji Ren Tang.

At the entrance of the clinic, Laifu had just seen off the steward from the household of a local town official when he spotted their familiar ox cart pulling up again. Smiling, he stepped forward and asked, “Madam, Miss Qiao, Young Master Ping’an—back again so soon? Did you forget something?”

Qiao Nian was already climbing down from the cart. She pulled back the cloth to reveal the battered boy and said, “Is Manager Chen inside? We rescued this boy on the way—can you help him?”

Startled, Laifu cried out, “Oh heavens!” He immediately turned and led the way. “Our manager just stepped out, but Doctor Zhao is on duty today. Quick, this way.”

Hua Guixiang and Ping’an followed behind as they entered the clinic. Wang Tiehai moved the ox cart to the side and stayed outside to keep watch over the goods.