Chapter 647: Chapter 647: Shopping Separately
Instructing the Da Lang brothers and sisters to stay close to Mother and not to run off, Liu Ji grabbed Ah Wang and was the first to leave the teahouse.
"Let’s go too." Qin Yao took the hands of Sanlang and Si Niang, and the group headed towards the market Liu Fei mentioned.
Young and carefree, they had parents to shoulder the burdens even if the sky fell; the siblings were quickly captivated by the novel scenes surrounding them.
"Second Brother, Second Brother!" Upon seeing a curly-haired foreigner, Si Niang excitedly grabbed Second Lang’s hand, pointing to show him, as the two quietly observed the person.
Second Lang was amazed, "His hair is red!"
Though the street was bustling, it wasn’t deafening; the siblings’ reactions were so exaggerated that the foreigner frowned and looked over, scaring the siblings into hiding behind Mother and their teacher.
Qin Yao nodded at the siblings’ heads, giving a friendly smile and nod to the foreigner.
The person chuckled, deliberately puffing his cheeks and making a funny face at Second Brother and Fourth Sister, which made them yelp in surprise, both curious and frightened, yet a bit exhilarated.
Even when the person went far away, the four siblings kept turning their heads back to look until they could no longer spot him. Then they turned back around, huddling together to excitedly discuss the different appearance traits they observed.
Yin Le, much like the children, was experiencing such a vast place for the first time; everything seemed fresh and intriguing, prompting occasional exclamations of awe.
Among the six, only Qin Yao remained composed, having seen numerous big cities; it was all rather mundane.
Nevertheless, the streets steeped in ancient charm had their unique flavor. Though Qin Yao didn’t show it, her light steps indicated she was in a good mood.
The market was easy to find, they arrived just following the flow of people.
Unlike the South Market’s row of towering buildings, the architecture here was much simpler and lower. Most of the street vendors and civilians wore ordinary attire, and the snacks and foods sold along the street were predominantly affordable.
Qin Yao intended to buy some furniture and soft furnishings to spruce up Qin Feng’s empty home, to make it look like a proper abode.
Finished furniture was rare and costly, with most carpenters fulfilling custom orders, which Qin Yao couldn’t wait for, so well-crafted second-hand furniture became her first choice.
The market, true to its name, offered a wide variety of items, everything imaginable.
Regardless of the era, there’s always a massive market demand for second-hand goods. Here, in the market, there’s an entire street of second-hand shops, ranging from canopy beds to candlesticks — everything you need.
Upon arriving, Qin Yao’s shopping instincts began stirring.
The children also relaxed from the excitement of seeing the foreigner, and Qin Yao called out to Yin Le to take out the burlap bags she’d carried all morning, distributing them to Da Lang, Second Lang, Sanlang, and Si Niang.
Qin Yao assigned them tasks: "We’re spending the afternoon on this street; I’m giving each of you two taels of silver as your budget to supplement whatever you’re missing. Meet at the end of the street in an hour. Don’t get lost."
The four siblings suddenly brightened at this, nodding eagerly, hurriedly slinging the burlap bags handed over by Yin Le, and waited for Qin Yao’s command to begin their actions.
Qin Yao retrieved the silver she’d exchanged at the money shop that morning, handing each of them two taels of broken silver, including a share for Yin Le.
"I have my own too~" Yin Le was ecstatic, yelling out to Qin Yao: "Master, you’re the best!"
Qin Yao made a shushing gesture since others were watching them, suggesting they keep a low profile.
Yin Le mouthed a silent "oh, oh," nodded, and stood with the Da Lang siblings as her eyes already drifted to an old vanity table by the street, determined to acquire it later!
Qin Yao stood with her hands behind her back before the five, looking earnest, "Begin your mission!"
The five responded in unison: "Yes!"
Their voices were so loud that it drew some attention from bystanders, but the mother and children didn’t feel embarrassed as they each held their burlap bags, embarking on their first independent shopping trip.
Among the four siblings, Second Lang and Si Niang were the most clever. Sanlang clung to his sister, the Dragon and Phoenix twins, holding hands as they led the way into the market, intending to inspect the entire street before deciding what to buy.
Worried the shopkeepers might deceive little kids, they enlisted Yin Le, the oldest, into their group.
The Dragon and Phoenix twins in front and Yin Le behind, now eight years old, the street had no intersections, and the environment was safe, which Qin Yao deemed perfect for training the kids’ independence.
Da Lang teamed up with Second Lang; the brothers had a plan, discussing in advance what to purchase and allocating the budget to the most critical items before entering the nearest bed shop.
Currently, there’s only one bed at home; Sanlang’s rolling around at night makes Second Lang particularly unhappy. Tonight, he’d rather die than sleep with him again.
However, upon entering the shop, they were startled by the owner’s price announcement. An ordinary old bed was priced at five taels, truly treating them as gullible kids.
Da Lang wanted to haggle, but Second Lang pulled him away, turning to leave.
"Hey, hey! Why are you leaving? If the young gentlemen truly wish to buy, four taels of silver would do as well..."
The shopkeeper called behind them to keep them, and Da Lang was tempted. Second Lang furrowed his brow and solemnly declared:
"This shopkeeper is insincere in business, full of lies; obviously shady. Let’s try another place."
His voice was loud enough for the shopkeeper to hear clearly, who was furious, uttering some words in dialect. Da Lang and Second Lang didn’t understand but could tell by the expression it wasn’t anything good.
Da Lang and Second Lang immediately retorted with a couple of hometown curses, seeing the shopkeeper’s puzzled face, they laughed and continued to the next place.
Most people bully the weak and fear the strong; upon witnessing the two outsider kids daring to fight back, the shopkeeper grimaced and didn’t pursue further.
Sanlang and Si Niang, accompanied by scar-faced Yin Le, attracted many odd gazes. A mask shop enthusiastically invited them over, offering various masks and veils for them to choose from.
Yin Le’s original plan to acquire the vanity was instantly forgotten. The twins each spent 180 cents buying masks before any serious item was purchased.
Yin Le spent even more, 500 cents on a mask that only covered half her face, perfectly fitting her features and concealing the scarred side.
Gazing at the tin mirror at her flawless face with no scar visible and slightly beautiful, Yin Le’s eyes shone unimaginably bright, as if discovering a magnificent new world.
So, how could she resist taking this custom-made mask home for herself?
However, happiness was brief; seeing the exquisite pottery bowls, cups, embroidered stools, lamp stands, and tables, she realized the budget was barely enough.
Two taels of silver in the Capital City meant something entirely different from two taels back in Kaiyang County!
"A single old table for one tael of silver? Why not rob instead; with such poor material, I could craft a whole set for that price! 200 cents, give it to me, or forget it."
Her days at the stationery factory weren’t wasted; Yin Le knew the market prices for various wood materials like the back of her hand, even considering transport fees in the Capital City, a modest rise of up to twenty percent at most.
Thus, her haggling was reasonable and logical, effortlessly trapping the shopkeeper.
By their side, Sanlang and Si Niang, donning two identical cute faces, nodded and echoed: "Exactly, exactly."
The shopkeeper surrendered, "Take it away!"
One big and two little happily celebrated, finally securing their first piece of furniture.
Seeing the shopkeeper’s unhappiness while packing the table for them, Si Niang pulled Sanlang over, sweetly bowing to the shopkeeper: "Thank you, kind shopkeeper. May you prosper and have good fortune!"
"Oh dear~" The shopkeeper grinned broadly, today’s unprofitable transaction felt worthwhile!
