Chapter 54: Benefits of a Time-Traveling Woman

Su Zhi watched as her mother hurriedly left with her younger sister as if escaping, exchanging a knowing glance with Shen Zi’an. Both of them couldn’t help but smile at the situation.

In the end, the purse remained unsold, disappointing the shopkeeper. She mentioned to Su Zhi that if she ever decided to sell her embroidered items in the future, she should bring them to her.

The young couple left the embroidery Store and boarded a cart. Realizing they had nothing else to buy and feeling hungry, they decided to find a place for lunch.

While passing through a street, they encountered Li Shi, who was also shopping and carrying a bunch of items. Shen Zi’an offered to let him place his items in the cart.

“Nice, you’ve got a good deal with that Cow and cart. My land is limited; if I had more, I’d buy an Cow myself. Brother, in the spring, let me rent the Cow for work, and I’ll pay you accordingly,” Li Shi proposed.

Li Shi took over Shen Zi’an’s position driving the cart, skillfully handling the reins, indicating his experience in cart-driving.

“No need to pay, Li Shi. Just take the Cow and use it as you need. We don’t have to talk about money,” Shen Zi’an insisted, grateful for Li Shi’s long-standing care and friendship, unwilling to quibble over a small sum.

Li Shi objected, “No, brothers should be clear about money matters. You bought the cow with money. If I don’t pay, others might take advantage and use your cow for free. Even if i mentioned having limited land, but I have the means to pay.”

Su Zhi smiled gently, adding, “Li Shi, you don’t need to pay. Earlier today, when Zi’an and I passed behind your house, we saw a persimmon tree in your yard. Why not share some persimmons with us?”

Li Shi chuckled, “Feel free to pick persimmons if you want. No need to pay. I was away for a while, and the persimmons may be overly ripe. They’re soft, not my favorite. If you like them, they’re all yours.”

“How about this? Even if you don’t eat them, you can still sell the persimmons for money. We’ll enjoy your persimmons, Li Shi. You can use our cow. That settles it,” Su Zhi proposed.

Su Zhi genuinely enjoyed persimmons and saw that Li Shi wasn’t one to take advantage of others, hence suggesting the trade. Persimmons could be eaten ripe or dried into persimmon cakes, serving as a delightful winter snack.

“Agreed then,” Li Shi replied straightforwardly.

The trio arrived at a food stall, a simple structure with a roof covering a makeshift seating area. Customers sat on old benches and tables underneath, enjoying warm noodle soup despite the cooling weather. Once finished, they would leave without feeling cold.

After Li Shi parked the cart, Shen Zi’an assisted Su Zhi in alighting. As they started walking towards the stall, they heard someone calling out to them.

“Well, if it isn’t Brother Zi’an! Bringing your wife to the market today?”

Su Zhi recognized the two women sitting nearby and realized they were acquaintances. Observing Shen Zi’an’s calm expression, she understood that these women were not unpleasant. Su Zhi greeted them with a smile, acknowledging the importance of social interactions, especially in rural settings where one’s reputation mattered.

“Hello, Aunt Shugen and Aunt Li. What a coincidence. This is Aunt Shugen and Aunt Li, who live not far from the bridge on the west side of the river,” Zi’an introduced politely.

With a warm smile, Su Zhi greeted, “Hello, Aunt Shugen and Aunt Li.”

Impressed by Su Zhi’s gentle voice, Aunt Shugen and Aunt Li found her pleasant to listen to. Su Zhi removed the cloth covering her face at this point. Her neat hair and the slight blemishes on her face didn’t detract from her overall appearance. In the village, most farm women had blemishes and darkened skin, making Su Zhi blend in effortlessly. Her bright eyes, rosy lips, and overall charm made her quite endearing.

Aunt Shugen and Aunt Li couldn’t help but develop a fondness for Su Zhi. Despite hearing rumors about her being an unlucky person, they now saw her as a harbinger of good fortune. Remembering the previous day’s events, they were convinced that she indeed brought luck. This newfound positive perception of Su Zhi deepened their fondness for her.

“Great, it looks like your illness is truly improving. Enjoy a good life ahead; better days are on the horizon!”

Aunt Li, the talkative one from earlier, appeared slightly plump and chatty, while Aunt Shugen had a gentle demeanor, indicating she wasn’t talkative but had a good temperament. Upon noticing Su Zhi’s gaze, Aunt Shugen smiled warmly. Sitting beside Aunt Shugen was a young boy who resembled her, fair-skinned and neat. Next to Aunt Li sat a lively boy with a bold appearance. Both boys were named Huzi and Xiao Suo, and they were now looking at Su Zhi.

“Xiao Suo, Huzi, this is your Uncle Shen’s new wife. Quickly call her Fourth Aunt,” Aunt Shugen instructed the children with a gentle pat, prompting the boys to cheerfully comply. Su Zhi responded with a warm smile.

Aunt Li invited them to sit down, saying, “We’ve been chatting away. Please take a seat; there’s room at this table. Let’s eat and chat together.”

She then had Huzi sit beside her, while Aunt Shugen arranged for Xiao Suo to sit next to her on a long bench.

Su Zhi sat down with a smile, realizing that the village’s superstitions about her being a jinx were starting to fade in importance. It seemed that her actions from yesterday had made an impact, and she found amusement in how quickly public opinion could shift based on a single event. People could easily turn black into white, erasing previous negativity as if it had never existed.

Li Shi ordered a bowl of shredded pork noodles since beef was scarce, and lamb was seldom seen, making pork the most common meat available. The bowl of noodles topped with thin slices of meat, sprinkled with fresh green onions, steaming with oil and hot broth, was truly appetizing. Shen Zi’an ordered two bowls as well.

Su Zhi noticed that the noodles served here were broader, not the thin kind, enhancing their appeal. As she was about to eat, she realized the two children were eyeing her meat-filled bowl while they had vegetable noodles. Wanting to share with them, she hesitated considering the limited meat and worried about the children’s mother feeling embarrassed. Glancing at a nearby stall selling pancakes, she asked Shen Zi’an to buy some.

Shen Zi’an bought seven pancakes and distributed one to each person. Aunt Shugen and Aunt Li initially declined, but Su Zhi insisted on giving the pancakes to the children, saying, “Please enjoy these, Aunties. In the future, when I visit your homes, I would love to try the pancakes you make. I won’t refuse them, I promise.”

Huzi happily accepted the pancake handed to him by Su Zhi and took a big bite, thoroughly enjoying it. Seeing Huzi eat without interference, Xiao Suo also accepted the pancake, thanked his Fourth Aunt, and began eating.

Observing the children relishing the pancakes, Aunt Li and Aunt Shugen stopped declining and accepted. In the countryside, this was the norm—children accepted directly, while adults politely refused a few times before accepting. It was considered impolite to persistently decline.

“Dear, let’s not be polite then. You might not have made a profit from this purchase. The pancakes we make at home can’t compare; even if we use white flour, we can’t make pancakes this tasty. When you visit my home, follow the scent, or you might end up with cornmeal pancakes,” Aunt Li remarked warmly.

Aunt Li chuckled, admitting she enjoyed these store-bought pancakes but found them a bit pricey at one wen ^[1]wen- copper coinseach. She recognized Su Zhi’s kind gesture towards the children, realizing that she had bought the pancakes to indulge them. Aunt Li appreciated Su Zhi’s keen eye and kind heart, questioning how someone like her could be deemed unlucky. It seemed like Shen’s family had been deceived by the old Taoist.

Su Zhi responded, “For us rural folks, as long as it’s food, anything goes. I’m not picky. I’m sure Auntie’s cooking is delicious, even cornmeal pancakes would be tasty. I’ll definitely visit to have a taste.”

Aunt Shugen chimed in, “Come to my home too.”

Su Zhi engaged in light-hearted banter with the two women, swiftly establishing a rapport. She didn’t dominate the conversation but skillfully steered it, subtly gathering information about village affairs. Her ability to listen and speak at the right moments endeared her to the women, even prompting the children to chat with her eagerly. Su Zhi’s natural charm and approachability shone through, reminiscent of her role as a personnel manager.

Although Su Zhi found the pancakes rather ordinary, seasoned with basic ingredients like salt, scallions, and garlic, lacking the complexity of five-spice powder or sesame paste, she noted how the locals praised them as the best without mentioning sesame cakes. Reflecting on past experiences, such as mistaking bay leaves for wild herbs during their mountain trip, she wondered if the lack of five-spice powder or thirteen-spice mix was common in this era.

Su Zhi pondered the novel’s portrayal of the female protagonist’s success through selling pig offal, preserved eggs, hotpot, and thirteen-spice mix, wondering if such good fortune would ever come her way.

Contemplating the possibilities, she subtly probed the conversation, secretly hoping for a stroke of luck. Realistically, she knew it might not happen, but the idea of benefiting from the perks of being a time-traveling woman sparked her curiosity about potential business opportunities.

After finishing their meal, Aunt Shugen, Aunt Li, and the children left. Since their cart loaded with goods, leaving no space for more passengers, Su Zhi didn’t insist on inviting them to stay, and the two women bid a friendly farewell.

Li Shi mentioned wanting to buy more pork, and Shen Zi’an thought of bringing some meat back to vary their meals. Su Zhi agreed, eager to explore the concept of pig offal, a topic she had just considered. It seemed like a promising opportunity for her to delve into.

Su Zhi wasn’t aiming to strike it rich by selling pig offal; her interest lay in uncovering whether pig offal in this era matched the novel’s depiction as a discarded item, akin to trash.