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Wei Lan stepped out of the restaurant, carrying a neatly packed box of pastries. Just as she crossed the threshold, a dirty little beggar suddenly darted out from the street corner and collided directly into her arms.
“Oh! Be careful!” Wei Lan instinctively steadied him. Looking down, she saw that the little beggar was about ten years old, dressed in tattered clothes, and his face was covered in dirt. But his bright, clear eyes, like those of a small puppy, reminded her of Jiabao.
The little beggar stared blankly at her, seemingly unaffected by her exclamation.
Feeling a pang of sympathy, Wei Lan softly asked, “Are you alright? Did you get hurt?”
The little beggar remained silent, just staring at her in a daze.
Wei Lan wondered if the child had some cognitive issues. Seeing his pitiful state, she took out a bag of Fish Jump Cake and handed it to him. “Here, try this.” She smiled.
The boy took the cake and immediately started gobbling it up, crumbs scattering around his mouth.
Seeing this, Wei Lan felt slightly relieved. “At least he knows how to eat,” she thought.
She was in a great mood today, carrying fifty taels of silver and planning to find a good storefront in this bustling city to bring her plans to life. The Old Tang Restaurant, where she had just eaten, was at the intersection of two busy streets—a prime location filled with shops and bustling crowds.
As she strolled through the streets, her gaze swept over storefronts with signs advertising “For Sale” and those with long lines of customers. She calculated that while rent here was expensive, the high foot traffic made it a worthwhile investment.
Later, she wandered into a quieter area. Here, the city’s noise faded into a peaceful atmosphere. Modest homes lined the street, with residents chatting outside and children playing at street corners.
Her eyes finally settled on a teahouse with a “For Sale” sign. It was a two-story building with four spacious storefronts. The front yard was wide, while the back was an undeveloped field overgrown with wild grass. Though untamed, Wei Lan saw great potential in it.
She envisioned opening a medical clinic here—patients could be received in the front, while the back could be converted into a herb garden. Such a setup would allow her to provide medical services while cultivating her own medicinal herbs. It seemed like the perfect place.
Just as she was about to step into the teahouse and negotiate, a small hand suddenly hugged her leg tightly. Looking down, she chuckled—it was Zhou Xiaosi, the boy she had once saved using the Heimlich maneuver when he nearly choked.
“Big sister, I caught you!” Xiaosi said gleefully.
Wei Lan knelt down and pinched his cheek. “Xiaosi, what are you doing here? Are you helping me find a storefront?”
Xiaosi shook his head and gripped her sleeve. “Mom told me to find you.”
“Me? Is there something urgent?” Wei Lan frowned slightly, sensing a possible problem.
But Xiaosi couldn’t explain further. He only kept repeating, “I caught you! I caught you!”
Amused by his innocence, Wei Lan patted his head. “Alright, take me to your mother.”
To her surprise, the house she had just been interested in was not far from Xiaosi’s home.
Upon arriving, Zhou Daniu, Xiaosi’s mother, warmly welcomed Wei Lan, treating her like an honored guest.
“Daniu, don’t fuss. Did you call me here for something urgent?” Wei Lan asked, hoping to resolve the matter quickly if it was a medical emergency.
Smiling, Zhou Daniu brought out a roll of raw-colored gauze. “Doctor Wei, you came just in time! I was going to send you some wool fabric, but Dr. Liu said this undyed gauze would be more useful for you. So, I specially prepared this for you—see if it’s suitable.”
Wei Lan felt a wave of warmth in her heart. She had casually mentioned her need for medical gauze before, but Liu Mingyi had remembered and even arranged for Zhou Daniu to prepare some for her.
“Daniu, I’ll buy it from you,” Wei Lan said, reaching for her purse.
“No, no need!” Zhou Daniu waved her hand dismissively. “You saved Xiaosi’s life—we haven’t even properly thanked you yet!”
But Wei Lan insisted. She knew the fabric’s value and appreciated Zhou Daniu’s kindness. “Daniu, I’ll be using these for my patients, and I’ll probably need more in the future. I’ll buy them from you at the regular price. I won’t let you suffer a loss.”
Zhou Daniu eventually agreed, unable to refuse Wei Lan’s sincerity.
However, when Wei Lan reached for her purse, she froze. The silver was gone. In its place was a stone.
She was dumbfounded. What happened?
Xiaosi giggled, pulling out his own play stones. “Big sister, my stone is prettier than yours!”
Wei Lan thought she was hallucinating. She tightly gripped her purse, reopened it, and still—it was just a stone.
Then it hit her. The only person who had been close enough to steal from her was that little beggar! He had swapped her silver with a stone in an instant without her noticing. Such skill—he was definitely a seasoned thief!
Frowning, Wei Lan muttered, “That little beggar… he must’ve taken it.”
Zhou Daniu’s face darkened. She was a straightforward woman and valued justice. Upon hearing that Wei Lan’s silver had been stolen, she immediately rolled up her sleeves. “Unbelievable! Even a doctor’s money isn’t safe? Doctor Wei, do you remember what that little thief looked like? Let’s go to the City God Temple and get your money back!”
With that, she stormed ahead, and Wei Lan followed.
The City God Temple was in a state of disrepair. Its eaves hung with tattered wind chimes, clinking eerily in the autumn breeze. The stone steps were covered in moss, and the once-grand stone lions at the entrance now looked weathered and forlorn.
Inside, beggars huddled together against the cold. They were a mix of old men and young children—no strong adults among them. Their clothes were ragged, their faces malnourished. Some leaned against the walls, others sat on makeshift mats, and a few shared what little food they had.
Scanning the crowd, Wei Lan quickly spotted the little beggar. He was playing with a wooden top, a bright smile on his face, completely different from the dazed expression he had shown earlier.
Zhou Daniu’s booming voice broke the silence. “Which brat stole my friend’s silver? If I catch him, he’ll wish he never tried!”
The beggars shrank back in fear.
Then, a boy stepped forward. He looked about thirteen, noticeably taller than the others. Though his clothes were ragged, his face was clean. Unlike the others, he didn’t appear afraid. Instead, his gaze was calm and steady—mature beyond his years.
“What do you want?” he asked, his voice steady.
Wei Lan quickly stopped Zhou Daniu’s outburst. “Daniu, let’s not jump to conclusions. Maybe I was mistaken. We shouldn’t wrongly accuse anyone.”
Though she was frustrated, Zhou Daniu reluctantly relented. “Hmph, these little thieves will get caught sooner or later.”
As they left, Wei Lan sighed, knowing she had to find another way to make money.
That night, she confided in Liu Mingyi, who simply chuckled. “I thought something serious happened. The second Miss Tang got her ginseng, and a beggar got his winter money. Isn’t that a win-win?”
Wei Lan pouted. “But now I can’t buy my shop! What, am I supposed to go dig up another ginseng?”
Liu Mingyi reassured her, “Don’t rush. You just got here. Money will come in time.”
Lying in bed, Wei Lan decided—tomorrow, she would find another way to earn silver.
And with that thought, she drifted into sleep.