Chapter 4: Song Yuntang, You’ve Gone Mad!

During his moment of stunned silence, Song Yuntang had already stopped an ox cart and paid the old man four copper coins, then turned to Song Jinsheng.

“If you’re coming with me, hurry up.”

Song Jinsheng climbed onto the ox cart, placing his carrying pole beside him, holding it to prevent it from falling.  “It only takes a little over half an hour to walk from our Rongshu Village to Cile Town. Four copper coins! That’s enough to buy two big meat buns. You really don’t understand the value of money when you’re not the one managing the household.”

Song Yuntang merely glanced at him indifferently.

“You can get off.”

Song Jinsheng raised his chin. “How can I? You already paid.”

“Then complain less. At least you didn’t have to pay.”

Clutching the money pouch hidden beneath her clothes, Song Yuntang felt a little worried. Yesterday, she had searched her room thoroughly and found only forty-two copper coins. After paying the four coins for the cart, she had only thirty-eight left.

The previous Song Yuntang truly hadn’t left herself any leeway.

Selling old clothes and jewelry wouldn’t earn much money. For long-term development, she had to resume her old profession.

The ox cart was slow and bumpy.

By the time they reached Cile Town, Song Yuntang’s bottom was numb from the jolting.

She hopped off the cart, stretched her legs, and looked up at the sign with the three characters “Cile Town” carved on it, feeling a sense of detachment from reality.

Song Jinsheng, carrying his carrying pole, stood behind her. Watching her expression, his brows furrowed slightly.

“Looking won’t help.  What doesn’t belong to you, don’t covet.”

Song Yuntang turned to him.

“Do you know what I’m thinking about?”

Song Jinsheng snorted. “I’m not stupid.”

“Not overly intelligent either.”  Having blurted out this sentence, Song Yuntang smiled and entered Cile Town, heading towards East Street.

East Street had a market, bustling with people daily. It was the most suitable place to sell clothes and jewelry.

After pondering Song Yuntang’s words, Song Jinsheng jogged to catch up with her. “You have the nerve to call me unintelligent? You’re not much better.”

Song Yuntang’s voice was calm. “Not being much better is fine; being better than you is enough.”

Song Jinsheng was speechless for a long time, but he wasn’t angry. In the past three years, the number of times his sister had spoken to him could be counted on one hand.

Today, the fact that she spoke to him so much was unprecedented.

Moreover, she didn’t seem as rigid as he imagined. After their conversation, he even found her quite interesting.

…

As the two reached East Street, a familiar figure approached. It was Lin Gengshi, the second brother Song Yuntang had called so for thirteen years. He was carrying a freshly baked jujube paste cake.

When Song Yuntang was at the Lin family, she loved jujube paste cakes. The ones from the East Street market were the best, especially the ones freshly baked in the morning, still warm with the rich aroma of jujubes.  A jujube paste cake and a cup of Longjing tea—she could spend half a day at the moon gate, watching the clouds drift by, observing the fish in the artificial pond. An occasional gentle breeze would leave one feeling refreshed.

Back then, Lin Gengshi would personally buy the jujube paste cakes for her from East Street.

Now, times had changed. Fortunately, Song Yuntang’s body now housed a different soul; otherwise, the original owner would have been heartbroken to see this scene.

Song Yuntang didn’t want to encounter him. Just as she was about to turn around, Lin Gengshi’s gaze happened to fall on her.

Song Yuntang pretended not to see him and turned to leave.

Lin Gengshi chased after her.

“Song Yuntang, wait.”

Song Jinsheng looked at the girl beside him, his brows furrowed so tightly they seemed to drip water. “Are you still insisting you didn’t come here for the Lin family?”

Song Yuntang’s face didn’t flush, her heart didn’t beat faster. “If I say it was a chance encounter, would you believe me?”

“The key is, do you believe it yourself?”

“Yes, it’s the truth.” Song Yuntang turned to Lin Gengshi, who had caught up, and gave a slight nod. Unlike her previous intimacy and dependence, her expression was extremely cold. “I’ve met Second Young Master Lin.”

Although Song Yuntang had been sent back to the Song family, she had never changed the way she addressed the Lin family members. Hearing this formal “Second Young Master Lin,” Lin Gengshi’s brows furrowed.

Then, a word popped into his mind—playing hard to get.

Realizing this, his dislike for Song Yuntang resurfaced. Zhaozhao was right. It’s easy to go from frugality to luxury, but difficult to go from luxury to frugality. Song Yuntang had been pampered by the Lin family for over ten years. How could she easily give up the chance to return to the Lin family?

“Why are you here again?” His tone was clearly impatient.

Song Yuntang seemed to have heard a funny joke.

“Second Young Master Lin, you say that as if I’m not allowed to be in Cile Town?”

Lin Gengshi looked at her coldly. “Didn’t I tell you to come to town less? Now that you’ve returned to the Song family, be more sensible. Zhaozhao is more understanding than you. After returning to the Lin family, she only visits the Song family when she misses them terribly. Usually, she stays home and learns etiquette.”

Song Yuntang remained silent.

“So, Second Young Master Lin, go back and keep your sensible Zhaozhao company. I have things to do, so I won’t keep you.” She looked around, pointed to an empty space, and smiled at Song Jinsheng. “Second Brother, let’s go there?”

Hearing Song Yuntang call him “Second Brother,” especially in front of Lin Gengshi, Song Jinsheng felt a secret thrill.

He glanced triumphantly in Lin Gengshi’s direction, then followed Song Yuntang to the empty space she had indicated.

“Here we are.”

Song Yuntang ignored Lin Gengshi, taking down Song Jinsheng’s carrying pole. She placed an old cloth on the ground, then took out the items one by one and laid them out neatly.

Then, she began to call out, “High-quality silk and satin, like new, all at bargain prices!”

Song Yuntang had spent over ten years as a young lady of a wealthy family in the Lin household.  Her governess always demanded that she smile without showing her teeth, sit without revealing her knees, walk without shaking her head, and stand without leaning against doors.

She had learned the rules perfectly and always spoke softly in public. This scene of street hawking astonished not only Song Jinsheng but also Lin Gengshi.

He stepped forward, grabbing Song Yuntang’s arm, his voice laced with anger.

“Song Yuntang, have you gone mad?”

“I don’t understand what Second Young Master Lin means,” Song Yuntang freed her arm, pointing to the clothes in front of her. “But do you think these things came from the Lin family, and therefore it’s inappropriate to sell them in the market?”

Lin Gengshi didn’t answer her question but asked instead, “Do you know that this way of seeking attention is repulsive? If you want to play hard to get, there’s a limit. If you really want to go back to the Lin family, I can take you there now!”

“First, I don’t think I’m seeking anyone’s attention,” Song Yuntang looked at him calmly, her posture straight. “Secondly, I have no intention of going back to the Lin family.”

“Second Young Master Lin also said that since I’ve returned to the Song family, I am a Song family member from now on, and have nothing to do with the Lin family. The Lin family is a wealthy household, their demands on their children are naturally high, but Second Young Master Lin knows the Song family’s circumstances. If I maintain my previous demeanor, I would be out of touch with reality, which would benefit me in no way.”

After a pause, she continued, “But I still thank the Lin family for raising me. If the Lin family needs anything, I will repay them. But right now, I’m dealing with my own affairs. Second Young Master Lin and I are not related, so I hope you won’t interfere.”