Chapter 60 The Persistent Drunkard 

The sudden turn of events caught everyone off guard. Thankfully, Shen Dong reacted quickly, rushing over to grab Shen Nian and rolling on the ground to narrowly avoid the falling man. 

With a loud thud, the man hit the ground, cursing in pain. 

“Ah! Where did this little brat come from, scaring me and making me fall? Pay up! Pay up!” 

Shen Dong immediately caught a whiff of strong alcohol. 

“So, you’re just a drunk!” Shen Dong handed Shen Nian to Wei Shi and turned to punch and kick the drunkard. 

“You want to drink, fine, but what are you doing climbing a tree? And aiming to land on my daughter? If you’d hurt her, could you afford to compensate? Almost injuring someone and not even apologizing, yet you still run your foul mouth!” 

Shen Dong was furious. Last time, his daughter had narrowly avoided being hit, and he had regretted not saving her in time. This time, she almost got hurt again. His anger was uncontrollable. 

One after another, people seemed to target his gentle, innocent, and well-behaved daughter. It was intolerable! 

The drunkard, an old man with gray hair, was too inebriated to fight back. He rolled on the ground, wailing and cursing in pain. 

The drunkard’s pitiful cries attracted a crowd, and some started criticizing Shen Dong for hitting him. 

“How dare you beat someone in broad daylight! And an elderly man at that! Heartless!” 

One self-proclaimed righteous bystander even tried to intervene. 

“Stop it! If you don’t, I’ll report this to the authorities!” 

Shen Dong stopped, his voice icy. 

“Report me? This drunkard fell from a tree and almost injured my daughter. Instead of apologizing, he insulted us. I’m going easy on him.” 

Right on cue, Shen Nian nestled in Wei Shi’s arms and began to cry. Her soft, pitiful sobs tugged at Wei Shi’s heartstrings. 

Wei Shi started crying too. “My poor daughter! She’s so scared! How long will she have nightmares about this?” 

The crowd froze, realizing they had misunderstood. 

“So it was the drunkard causing trouble! Brother, our apologies for accusing you. That drunkard deserved to be beaten!” 

“He’d deserve it even if he was beaten to death.” 

“Why get drunk and climb trees to hurt people? Go home and sleep instead!” 

“Last time, a drunkard in the county went on a rampage and killed someone. Now this one nearly injured someone. Drunkards are disgusting!” 

Understanding the situation, the onlookers felt indignant on Shen Dong’s behalf. 

The drunkard, lying on the ground with a wine gourd in hand, responded to the crowd’s insults by cursing them, behaving like a madman. 

Shen Dong, having vented his anger, wasn’t planning to kill the drunkard. After issuing a stern warning, he left with his wife and daughter. 

The crowd dispersed as well. 

Shen Nian clung to Wei Shi’s neck, stealing a glance at the drunkard. 

The drunkard got up from the ground and met Shen Nian’s gaze. He grinned. 

It was eerily unsettling. 

Shen Nian frowned, looking away. She glanced at the medical book in her hands. 

Had the drunkard seen this book when he was up in the tree? 

Nearby, the pancake stall was bustling with five or six customers in line. Shen Bo and Shen Xue were overwhelmed with orders. 

Looking at the bamboo basket where the strawberries had been, Shen Nian noticed they were sold out. 

Shen Bo smiled. “All the strawberry buyers were regular customers. They loved them but thought they were a bit pricey.” 

Shen Xue added, “That little girl who bought strawberries last time came again. She bought ten and said the money was her own savings.” 

Shen Nian grinned proudly. “See? I knew the strawberries would sell! I’m just amazing!” 

Wei Shi chuckled. “There she goes again, praising herself without a hint of shame.” 

Shen Dong didn’t mention the incident with the drunkard to Shen Bo and Shen Xue. Instead, he updated them on the Shu and Wan families. 

By the third quarter of the hour of the Goat (1:45 p.m.), the family had sold all their scallion pancakes and headed to the market to buy ingredients. 

At the same time, Master Wan returned home to find Wan Baocai staring intently at a plate of strange red berries. Curious, he asked, 

“What are those?” 

“Father, you’re back!” Wan Baocai called out and then explained, “These are strawberries. Nian Nian grew them herself, and they’re delicious. She told me not to finish them all and to save some for you to try.” 

Master Wan picked up a strawberry and inspected it. “So this is a strawberry. It looks pretty good.” 

He asked Wan Baocai, “How many did Nian Nian bring over?” 

Wan Baocai popped a strawberry into his mouth before answering, “Three jin, less than a hundred of them. She said she didn’t grow many this time, so she could only send me a small amount. She promised to give me more when she has a bigger harvest.” 

“She sent you nearly a hundred strawberries, and yet there are only twelve left on this plate? Are you a pig? You ate that many?” Master Wan chided while tasting one. As soon as he bit into it, his eyes lit up. “This tastes amazing!” 

It was unlike any fruit he had ever eaten before. 

He ate two more, savoring them more with each bite. 

Wan Baocai grew anxious. “Father, slow down! Don’t eat them all—I haven’t had enough yet!” 

Master Wan snatched the plate. “Shoo! This is what you saved for me. You’re out of luck.” 

“You brat! How dare you fight me for food? You’re asking for a beating!” 

The father and son wrestled over the plate and eventually finished all the strawberries. Master Wan licked his lips, unsatisfied. “Such a delicious fruit would sell well in our family’s restaurant. Go talk to your little friend. Tell them to stop selling strawberries at their stall and send all the ripe ones directly to the restaurant.” 

Wan Baocai’s eyes lit up with mischief. “Father, the strawberries sell for ten copper coins apiece. Are you sure you want to buy them?” 

Master Wan glared. “That expensive?” 

Wan Baocai crossed his arms confidently. “Exclusive strawberries like these are naturally pricey. Even at twenty copper coins each, people would buy them.” 

Master Wan smacked him on the head. “Brat! I’ve eaten more salt than you’ve eaten rice. You dare try to trick me?” 

“I’m telling the truth! I swear! Ow! Father, stop hitting me! I was wrong, I was wrong! Not ten copper coins—five copper coins! But you can’t haggle with the Shen family, or I’ll stop Nian Nian from selling strawberries to you!” 

“You ungrateful little scoundrel!” 

— 

After buying ingredients, the Shen family arrived at the city gate and saw Old Liu waiting for them again. 

Shen Nian called out sweetly, then hopped onto the ox cart, handing Old Liu two pieces of osmanthus cake they had bought at the market. 

When they reached Qingshi Town, Old Liu picked up another seven or eight passengers. Once everyone was seated, the ox cart slowly made its way through Qingshi Town and headed toward Liu Family Village. 

Not long after leaving the town, someone suddenly rolled down the slope on the right side of the road and landed in front of the cart. 

Fortunately, Old Liu was skilled at handling the cart and stopped just in time, avoiding running over the person. 

“What’s going on? Why did the cart stop?” 

“Someone rolled down the slope and blocked the road?” 

“Is this another scam for money?” 

Old Liu had encountered this sort of extortion before, so he calmly got off the cart to check on the person. 

Shen Dong also stepped down and walked over. 

When he saw the person lying on the ground, his eyes widened in disbelief. “It’s you again, you drunkard!” 

The drunkard immediately got up and clung to Shen Dong’s leg. “You took advantage of me being drunk and beat me in the county! You owe me money, medical treatment, and a lifetime of care!” 

Old Liu glanced at Shen Dong. “You know him?” 

While shaking off the drunkard, Shen Dong explained how this man had almost injured Shen Nian earlier. 

Hearing this, Old Liu became furious. 

Shen Dong had spoken loudly enough for the passengers on the cart to hear. They were equally outraged and climbed down one by one, glaring angrily at the drunkard. 

The drunkard: “…”