Although Yu Li’s current appearance didn’t quite match her initial look when they first met, it didn’t matter much. The shopkeeper only recognized the promissory note, not the person. No matter how she had changed, as long as the note was there, it was fine.
He quickly set the matter aside, invited Yu Li to sit down, and personally poured her some tea.
Yu Li happened to be thirsty and picked up the tea, gulping it down in one go.
This unrestrained manner of drinking tea like a cow devouring a peony left the shopkeeper momentarily stunned. He thought that although this young woman was quite good-looking, she had a rather wild nature and showed no regard for proper etiquette.
However, her unconventional behavior didn’t provoke any dislike.
This was because her every move wasn’t crude but instead carried a clean and crisp straightforwardness, as if people were naturally meant to eat and drink like this, and manners were merely the icing on the cake.
A more refined way to put it would be to say she exuded a sense of genuineness.
The shopkeeper began by saying, “Six days ago, the silver from the auction in the provincial city was sent over, but I hadn’t seen you come to collect it.”
He had estimated that it would take about half a month to settle and had asked Yu Li to come to retrieve the money. Who would have thought that more than twenty days would pass before she finally arrived?
Recently, due to the scholars coming to the shop seeking Master Songhe, the shopkeeper had been quite annoyed. When she didn’t show up, he thought she might have known about the situation at the shop and avoided the trouble, planning to come at a later time.
Yu Li replied, “I was occupied these past days.”
Hearing this, the shopkeeper tactfully refrained from asking further and instead started talking about the auction of the handwritten manuscript.
In an astonished tone, he said, “Master Songhe’s handwritten manuscript was auctioned in the provincial city for four hundred taels of silver.”
Yu Li blinked but said nothing.
This amount was more than she had expected. After deducting the commission for the bookstore, she could still receive over three hundred taels. It was surprisingly close to what Fu Wenxiao had predicted, showing how highly these scholars valued unique manuscripts.
Although it wasn’t an original piece, the manuscript’s content alone made it worthy of collection. If it had been a genuine original, its value would have been immeasurable, something money couldn’t buy.
The shopkeeper, seeing her remain silent and her expressionless face, couldn’t determine if she was satisfied with the price. Her cold demeanor gave off an unapproachable vibe, making it hard to gauge her thoughts.
What if she represented Master Songhe’s opinion, and Master Songhe wasn’t satisfied…
Before the shopkeeper could overthink, Yu Li said, “I understand.”
Seeing that she seemed to have no objections, the shopkeeper asked her to wait for a moment and left the room.
A while later, he returned with a box in hand. Opening it, he took out a stamped and signed contract from the auction.
The contract clearly detailed the sale price of the handwritten manuscript. The black and white document was straightforward and unmistakable, leaving no room for deception.
After reviewing it, Yu Li indicated to the shopkeeper that she had no issues.
As the shopkeeper handed her the contract, he suddenly remembered that he didn’t know whether she was literate.
In these times, it was rare for women to be able to read. If she couldn’t understand it, giving her the contract might be pointless.
But to his surprise, she took the contract, read through it, and even lingered her gaze on the price for a moment, confirming that she was indeed literate.
The shopkeeper was both surprised and unsurprised.
Her destitute appearance when she first brought the manuscript suggested she came from a poor background, where opportunities for education were scarce. Yet, given her association with Master Songhe—a person of such standing—it seemed unlikely that he would entrust an illiterate girl to deliver something so important.
After both parties confirmed the price was correct, the shopkeeper handed her the silver.
“Would the young lady prefer a banknote or physical silver?”
After deducting the 30-tael deposit the bookshop had previously given her, the bookshop still owed her 290 taels of silver. Carrying over 200 taels in physical silver was no small amount, and taking it directly might attract ill-intentioned individuals. Banknotes would be much more convenient.
Yu Li replied, “Silver, please.”
The original owner’s memories didn’t include any experience with banknotes, not even the concept of them. To her, only tangible silver felt real. Yu Li wasn’t sure about the credibility of banknotes in this world and thought silver was safer.
She wasn’t afraid of being robbed either. Anyone daring enough to try could give it a shot.
The shopkeeper brought over the prepared 300-plus taels of silver, wrapped in a floral cloth—a heavy package.
Inside were silver ingots: five hoof-shaped 50-tael ingots totaling 250 taels, plus four 10-tael small yuanbao, making 290 taels in total.
After checking, Yu Li asked him to exchange one 50-tael ingot for small silver pieces and fragmented silver.
A 50-tael ingot wasn’t practical for everyday purchases; smaller denominations like silver bits and fragments were more convenient. Of course, she mostly used copper coins, but since one tael of silver equaled 1,000 copper coins, carrying too many copper coins was impractical. Small silver pieces and fragments were much handier.
This was a bookstore, so there was no shortage of physical silver on hand, and her request was easily fulfilled.
The shopkeeper quickly exchanged it for her. Now, the cloth bundle looked even fuller—a large, heavy package.
Watching her tie up the bundle and casually toss it into her basket, her movements were swift and nonchalant, as if she didn’t care much about the money. The shopkeeper couldn’t help but marvel. As expected of someone sent by Master Songhe—calm and composed, unbothered by wealth or fame.
If Yu Li had known his thoughts, she might have said she cared very much about this money.
Her family’s grain supply was completely depleted, and this money would soon be used to buy food—and some good food to bring back home. With this sum, she could shop more generously.
After securing the money, Yu Li prepared to leave.
The shopkeeper hurriedly asked, “Young lady, are you leaving already?”
“Yes,” Yu Li replied, puzzled at his question. Why wouldn’t she leave after collecting her money?
The shopkeeper explained, “You must have noticed the situation in the bookstore when you came in?”
Yu Li responded with a simple “Mm.”
“Those people are all here to see Master Songhe…”
Yu Li remained indifferent. If they wanted to see Master Songhe, that was their business. It had nothing to do with her. After all, she wasn’t Master Songhe.
And with so many people, she wasn’t about to casually divulge Fu Wenxiao’s whereabouts to them. She didn’t want them disturbing his rest. The “golden lump” was still physically weak and couldn’t afford any disturbances.
Seeing her unmoved, the shopkeeper realized she had no intention of revealing Master Songhe’s whereabouts. He suggested, “Young lady, perhaps you should leave through the bookstore’s back door. That way, they won’t notice your connection to Master Songhe and trouble you.”
If she caught the attention of any malicious individuals who realized she had come to collect silver, it could spell trouble.
The shopkeeper couldn’t bear to see a young, beautiful woman face such dangers.
Yu Li nodded. “Sure.”
The shopkeeper then got up and led her toward the backyard.
As they walked, he chatted with Yu Li. “I wonder, what is your relationship with Master Songhe?”
Yu Li glanced at him but said nothing.
The shopkeeper realized he had overstepped and quickly said, “I’m not trying to inquire about Master Songhe’s whereabouts. I just wanted to ask if you know when Master Songhe might send another handwritten manuscript. Of course, even if it’s not a manuscript, it’s fine. The gentleman’s calligraphy has the grace and dignity of a true master. If he could send a few pieces of calligraphy, many people outside are eager to acquire them…”
Yu Li was slightly surprised and asked, “Even just casually written characters would be fine?”
“Yes, absolutely,” the shopkeeper said with a smile, secretly thinking that if Master Songhe truly possessed such talent, how could he merely “casually write a few characters”? Surely, anything he wrote would be a masterpiece.
Even if he did casually write something, given his reputation, there would likely be no shortage of people scrambling to collect it.
Yu Li gave a simple “Oh” in response, neither refusing nor agreeing.
The shopkeeper pressed on, determined to convey his hopes. He wanted her to pass the message to Master Songhe, urging him to send more handwritten manuscripts or write more calligraphy pieces in the future.
When they reached the small door to the backyard, the shopkeeper sincerely said to Yu Li, “Please tell Master Songhe that as long as he is willing to send his calligraphy here, regardless of how much the buyers offer, our bookstore will not take any cut.”
He meant that whatever price the calligraphy fetched, the entire amount would go to Master Songhe, with the bookstore not keeping a single coin.
All they wanted was for him to sell his calligraphy through the bookstore. Even if the bookstore didn’t make money from it, Master Songhe’s reputation could boost the store’s standing and attract more scholars.
This was a clever business strategy to leverage Master Songhe’s fame to enhance the bookstore’s renown. Many businesspeople understood this approach.
Yu Li nodded, said she would pass on the shopkeeper’s message to Master Songhe, and then left.
The back door opened to a quiet, secluded alley, which led to a bustling street.
Yu Li spotted a rice shop nearby and went in.
There were plenty of grain shops in the county town, and she wasn’t particular about which one to buy from. For convenience, she usually just entered whichever one she came across. Since she bought in bulk, the shopkeepers often gave her a discount.
After purchasing the grain and preparing to leave, she happened to see Yu Laoda walking out from the rice shop’s backyard.
Yu Laoda was holding an account book and heading toward the shopkeeper. His gaze casually swept across the store, and when he saw Yu Li, his eyes didn’t linger, nor did his expression change.
He didn’t recognize Yu Li at all.
Yu Li hadn’t expected this rice shop to be where Yu Laoda worked, but she felt no particular emotions about it. After buying her grain, she left without hesitation.
As long as these people didn’t cross her path, she couldn’t be bothered to deal with them.
However, after she left, Yu Laoda, who was speaking with the shopkeeper, glanced curiously at her disappearing figure outside the door.
This young woman seemed familiar; that face looked like someone he’d seen before.
He thought hard for a moment but still couldn’t recall where he might have seen her. Such a beautiful young woman—if he had met her, he should have remembered.
If only he paid more attention to his family, particularly his brothers, he might have realized that Yu Li’s face bore a striking resemblance to the youthful features of Yu Lao’er and Liu Shi. She had inherited the best features of both parents.
This resemblance was precisely why he found her familiar.
The Yu family was known for their outstanding looks. Otherwise, back in the day, Yu Laoda wouldn’t have been able to win the affection of Chen Shi, the daughter of a scholar. At that time, he was diligent in his studies, and the Chen family believed he had a promising future, which led to their marriage.
Who could have known that despite years of effort, he would fail to pass even the Tongsheng scholar’s exam?
Chen Xiucai privately grumbled to his wife that they had misjudged, but since their daughter was already married, there was no turning back. All they could do was devote themselves to nurturing their grandson.
Yu Lao’er and Yu Laosan were also handsome in their youth, and none of their children were unattractive.
What’s more, Liu Shi was renowned for her outstanding beauty in her younger days. The daughters of the second branch inherited their parents’ good looks. If they hadn’t been so emaciated before, their once remarkable beauty wouldn’t have been reduced to just a fraction. Among all the Yu family children, they likely would have been the most attractive.
Yu Laoda had never seen the transformed Yu Li before. When he caught a glimpse of her on the street, he truly didn’t recognize her.
It wasn’t just him; the rest of the first branch’s family was the same.
—
Yu Li bought many items, filling her basket to the brim.
She also went to Fulai Restaurant to pick up a braised pig’s head, which she had reserved with Chef Bao that morning while delivering goods.
The braised dishes at Fulai Restaurant were incredibly popular, attracting a steady stream of customers, including many who came specifically to buy food to take home.
Unfortunately, the amount of braised meat prepared each day was limited, and it would sell out quickly after being served.
These braised dishes had become a signature item for Fulai Restaurant, making their business increasingly prosperous.
Yu Li was a frequent delivery person and had become well-acquainted with Chef Bao. When she mentioned she wanted a braised pig’s head, he easily set one aside for her—it was just a matter of braising an extra one.
Sometimes, Chef Bao would also give her some of his newly made dishes to try. Aside from wanting her feedback, he also thought she looked too thin and pitiful.
Yu Li headed home with her purchases, fully loaded.
She had spent a bit more time in town today. By the time she left, it was already midday, and the road was mostly empty.
While walking, Yu Li pulled a tough vine from the roadside and casually twisted it as she went, practicing her control over her strength. She was also pondering martial techniques.
In her opinion, this body’s strength was still insufficient. She needed to practice martial arts to improve it. Previously, during her awakening period, her body had felt too uncomfortable to train properly, so she had put it off.
Recently, she had been training in the courtyard for an hour every evening after dinner.
By then, it was already dark, and the twilight shadows concealed her activities. Neither Zhou Shi nor the two children could tell what she was practicing.
As she walked, she suddenly heard the thunder of galloping hooves and panicked shouting behind her.
Turning her head, she saw a runaway carriage barreling toward her. Several strong servants were chasing after it, shouting something.
Yu Li’s sharp ears caught their cries for help, hearing them yell, “Save the old madam!” Along with the servants’ shouts, a woman’s shrill screams came from inside the carriage.
She remained still, standing in the middle of the road like a highwayman.
The coachman on the shaft was desperately pulling the reins, trying to stop the horse. When he saw someone standing in the road, he shouted hoarsely, “Get out of the way! Move! Move—!”
Yu Li’s expression remained calm. Just as the carriage was about to hit her, the horse’s legs suddenly buckled, and it collapsed to the ground.
As the carriage threatened to topple over from the momentum, Yu Li reached out her hand, steadied the compartment, and gently set it upright.
Everyone was utterly stunned.
The servants chasing behind saw the scene and collapsed to the ground, their legs giving out beneath them.
Panting for breath, they dragged their wobbly legs over and cried toward the carriage, “Old Madam, are you alright?”
Ignoring everything else, they hurriedly opened the carriage door.
Inside sat an elderly woman with graying hair, dressed in luxurious clothing. Beside her were a maid and a matron, both clutching her protectively.
The old madam’s hair was disheveled, her face pale, clearly shaken from the ordeal.
Seeing that everything was under control, Yu Li turned and walked away.
“Miss, wait!”
The coachman, having come to his senses, called after her, but Yu Li was walking quickly and didn’t stop.
The others helped the old madam out of the carriage. Hearing the coachman’s shout, they all turned to look and caught a glimpse of Yu Li’s departing figure.
The coachman said, “Old Madam, just now, when the carriage was about to overturn, it was that young lady who kindly steadied it.”
The other servants quickly chimed in, “Yes, yes, we saw it too. Fortunately, she stepped in to help. Otherwise…”
If the carriage had toppled, who knows what would have happened to the old madam inside? Just thinking about it sent chills down their spines.
The old madam, still shaken, squinted in the direction the coachman pointed, but all she could see was a figure walking away—she couldn’t make out the young lady’s appearance.
The coachman, however, remarked, “I caught a glimpse. She’s a very striking young woman.”
Though she appeared thin, her strength was astonishing. To directly steady the carriage like that left him in awe.
The coachman was deeply grateful to Yu Li. Without her intervention, if anything had happened to the old madam, they would have been held accountable.
The others shared his sentiments.
—
By the time Yu Li returned to the village, it was already late.
Zhou Shi, seeing her return, sighed in relief, helped her remove the basket from her back, and asked if she was tired.
As Yu Li set the basket down, Zhou Shi nearly dropped it, and Yu Li had to reach out to support it.
“Why is it so heavy?” Zhou Shi exclaimed in surprise.
“There are fifty pounds of grain in there,” Yu Li replied. “The rice jar at home was almost empty, so I bought some to replenish it.”
Hearing this, Zhou Shi smiled and said, “The autumn harvest will begin next month. By then, we won’t need to buy grain anymore.”
Yu Li replied, “We’ll still need to buy some. I eat a lot.”
Zhou Shi: “…”
It seemed the autumn harvest wouldn’t last long, so they would indeed need to buy more grain. She resolved to work harder on her embroidery to earn more money.
The two children obediently brought tea and water to Yu Li.
After drinking some water, Yu Li gave each of them a piece of pastry. Once they had eaten, Zhou Shi instructed them to rinse their mouths and take an afternoon nap.
Young children needed plenty of sleep to grow up strong.
After lunch, Yu Li took the bundle of silver back to her room.
Fu Wenxiao was sitting by the window, holding a book in his hand. His elbow rested on the desk as his eyes drooped slightly. When he heard her enter, he opened his eyes.
Yu Li glanced at him and casually said, “Xiao Ge’er, if you’re tired, get some rest. Don’t overwork yourself.”
She had returned later than usual today. Normally, at this hour, he would already be lying down, like the two children, taking an afternoon nap to recuperate.
Seeing him still awake, she reminded him to take care of his health.
Fu Wenxiao smiled but didn’t mention he had been waiting for her. Instead, he asked, “Was everything smooth today?”
“Very smooth,” Yu Li replied, her eyebrows arched with a bright smile. She looked to be in excellent spirits. She placed the bundle of silver on the table, opened it up, and showed him. “Look, three hundred and twenty taels!”
Fu Wenxiao glanced at the pile of silver, his expression calm. However, seeing the smile on her face, he couldn’t help but smile slightly as well.
Yu Li then relayed the words of the bookstore’s shopkeeper to him and curiously asked, “Can you really make this much money just by casually writing a few words?”
She didn’t understand much about calligraphy and paintings, nor their value. Since these things couldn’t be eaten or drunk, she had never paid attention to them.
“It depends on whose calligraphy it is,” Fu Wenxiao said modestly. “If the writing is excellent and the person is well-known among scholars, even a casual piece can fetch a high price.”
He then explained the value and significance of calligraphy and paintings to her.
Yu Li was amazed, exclaiming, “Scholars really know how to make money!”
Fu Wenxiao couldn’t help but chuckle, clearing his throat. “If you’re interested, I can teach you to write and paint.”
He knew she could recognize characters, but he had never seen her write before. Given her lack of understanding about calligraphy and art, he could tell she likely hadn’t learned it. Her previous world must not have valued such things.
“Forget it,” Yu Li refused without hesitation. “Brushes are too soft. I can’t use them. Hard-tipped pens are more my thing.”
In the post-apocalyptic world, humans primarily used electronic devices, and handwriting had become rare. Yu Li was no exception.
Fu Wenxiao didn’t know what “hard-tipped pens” were, but from the name, he surmised they were pens with sturdy tips. Curious, he asked her about them.
Yu Li gave a simple explanation. Unfortunately, she hadn’t done much handwriting herself, so her knowledge was superficial.
Even so, Fu Wenxiao’s eyes sparkled with intrigue. “These hard-tipped pens seem quite useful. I wonder how they’re made.”
Yu Li shrugged innocently.
She didn’t know either. If he was interested, she could describe pencils and other similar tools for him to figure out on his own.