Chapter 7
That one glance made him notice the footprint on Lu Liu’s shoe.
The imprint was deep—whoever had stepped on it had done so with great force. Judging by the marks along the edges, they had even twisted their foot intentionally.
Who did it?
Li Feng didn’t know.
After finishing cutting up the lamb and selling it by weight, he glanced back since Old Chen still hadn’t returned.
Lu Liu had changed his sitting position, curling up on the cart’s wooden planks with his arms wrapped around his knees, looking small and vulnerable.
Li Feng was an experienced hunter—he didn’t understand much about other things, but he could recognize a trapped animal when he saw one.
Lu Liu looked like prey that had stepped into a snare, with no way to escape, left at the mercy of others. Absolutely pitiful.
Li Feng thought to himself, He’s my fiancé, after all. Letting someone bully him right under my nose—how does that make any sense?
He wiped his hands again and pulled a bamboo tube from a cloth bag on the ground.
The tube was sealed with a wooden stopper. Li Feng pulled it out and handed the bamboo tube to Lu Liu.
Lu Liu had been lost in thought and was startled by the sudden movement. He flinched, his round, almond-shaped eyes widening, glistening like those of a frightened animal.
Like a fawn.
Li Feng didn’t think much of it and simply extended the tube toward him again.
Lu Liu accepted it, peering inside to find it filled with long strips of dried meat. He looked at it in confusion.
Li Feng gestured for him to eat, then asked, “Who stepped on your foot?”
Lu Liu instinctively pulled his feet back.
He was wearing a short cotton jacket, and his padded trousers only reached his ankles, leaving his shoes visible.
Li Feng had no intention of meddling in the affairs between Lu Yang and his family.
As far as he was concerned, Lu Yang was strong enough to fight his own battles.
“Forget it if you don’t want to say.”
But Lu Liu grabbed his sleeve.
Finally, someone was willing to stand up for him—he couldn’t let this chance slip away.
He said, “My father did it!”
The expectation in his eyes made it hard for Li Feng to refuse.
But that was someone Li Feng couldn’t touch.
Li Feng stared at Lu Liu.
Lu Liu stared back at Li Feng.
Li Feng’s confusion deepened.
Lu Liu’s anticipation grew stronger.
Finally, Li Feng confirmed, “Are you messing with me?”
Seeing his reaction, Lu Liu no longer dared to ask for help.
But he felt wronged.
Why is he being so fierce to me?
“Aren’t you the one who asked? I just told the truth…”
Li Feng was momentarily speechless.
Forget it.
Young masters really are the most unreasonable people in the world.
Not far away, in a small corner, Lu Yang had been quietly observing. Seeing that Li Feng not only helped his younger brother but even offered him food, he finally relaxed. Lowering his head, he counted the eggs in his basket before picking it up and loudly calling out, “Selling eggs!” as he walked toward the eastern side of the market.
Lu Liu heard the call and turned to look in that direction. Sitting down, his line of sight was low, blocked by the crowd, but he knew it was his brother’s voice.
His brother had been watching over him earlier and had only left after making sure he was okay.
Lu Liu’s eyes grew hot, tears welling up.
Li Feng didn’t understand, thinking he had somehow made him cry with his words. Immediately, he felt a headache coming on.
“…Fine. Then I’ll step on your father’s foot later.”
His tone was firm, as if he were merely informing Lu Liu of his decision.
Lu Liu turned to look at him, confirming that this man wasn’t heartless after all.
His tears vanished, replaced by a bright smile. “Then I want to watch.”
Fine, watch all you want.
Li Feng thought, Do I look like someone who would sneak around to do it?
…………………………………………..
Having grown up in the marketplace, selling a basket of eggs was an easy task for Lu Yang.
Egg prices fluctuated. In summer, they were cheap because they spoiled easily in the heat, sometimes going as low as one wen per egg.
Once the hottest months passed, prices would rise, rarely dropping below 1.4 wen per egg.
Winter saw the highest prices since eggs were easier to store in the cold, and with the New Year approaching, every household stocked up on food.
From Lu Yang’s experience, winter eggs could reach up to 1.7 wen per egg, with market prices typically around 1.5 or 1.6 wen depending on size and freshness.
It was inconvenient to sell in small quantities, so eggs were usually sold in sets of ten.
Lu Yang priced his eggs at 16 wen for ten, offering one free egg for those buying twenty. This kept his price competitive within the standard range.
He targeted county residents rather than villagers, since rural buyers could easily get eggs back home without the hassle of carrying them around.
His sharp ears, keen eyes, and quick tongue made him a natural at sales. Spotting cheerful-looking middle-aged folks or young couples, he eagerly struck up conversations.
With weddings and childbirths common during the New Year season, he knew exactly how to pitch his product:
“For those trying to conceive, eggs are great for boosting your health! And if you’re already expecting, eating eggs will make sure your baby is born healthy and chubby.”
“For those without a special occasion, parents and elders deserve some extra nutrition after a long year of hard work. Treat them to some eggs—they’ve earned it!”
He even shared cooking tips:
“See the size of these eggs? Beat them up, add two scoops of warm water, and just two eggs can make a whole plate of scrambled eggs! Right now, fresh vegetables are scarce, and food lacks flavor, so here’s a simple recipe—buy some chili peppers, stock up on green onions, ginger, and garlic, and use the household soybean paste. Heat the pan, add oil, stir-fry the eggs until fragrant, then sauté the aromatics. Add a spoonful of soybean paste for flavor, mix in the eggs, and stir-fry—better than braised pork! Nutritious and perfect with rice! Your family will love it, and even the neighbors will be jealous of the smell. Everyone will praise your cooking skills!”
His eloquence, honed over years of market dealings, charmed many customers.
People in town bought eggs regularly, so they might as well buy from someone pleasant to talk to.
Many asked for details about the egg sauce recipe, and Lu Yang patiently explained:
“It’s just like regular stir-frying, but instead, you’re stir-frying a sauce. Want it richer? Add another egg. Want it more flavorful? Add more paste.”
He had fifty eggs in his basket. Following his pricing strategy, selling twenty at a time with one freebie left him with eight eggs at the end.
No rush—if one customer didn’t take them all, he would switch streets and advertise that he had just a few left, selling them off at a discount.
At a final price of 1.4 wen per egg, he rounded it off—selling the last batch for 11 wen altogether.
In total, he made 75 wen, averaging 1.5 wen per egg. Not a loss.
With his eggs sold out, Lu Yang made his way to Lu Erbao’s chicken stall.
It was his first time meeting his birth father, and he couldn’t help but feel nervous. Like with his younger brother earlier, he crouched in a corner, quietly observing for a long time.
Lu Erbao was easy to recognize—an honest, reserved man, standing stiffly by two stacked chicken cages. Even his sales calls sounded flat and uninspired.
He was an aging man, with graying temples and weathered, dark skin marked by years of hardship. He was tall but slightly hunched.
Lu Yang had seen many men with hunched backs—shopkeepers and assistants constantly bowing to customers.
But this trip home had made him realize that farmers had even worse posture.
Lu Erbao wasn’t that old, but he had the posture of a much older man. He was clearly burdened by a hard life.
Lu Yang had once harbored resentment toward the father who abandoned him.
But seeing this, his feelings grew complicated.
Forget it.
If he hadn’t given me away, I might not have survived.
Even after eighteen years, the Lu family was still struggling. They must have been unable to afford raising two children back then.
With that thought, his resentment toward Old Chen also lessened.
Lu Liu was more soft-hearted. As long as Old Chen kept his greed in check and didn’t let his sons go astray, Lu Liu would surely repay him with filial piety.
And if he got too greedy? No problem.
Li Feng wasn’t someone to be trifled with. The Chen family wouldn’t even be able to set foot in Li Village, let alone stir up trouble.
Lu Yang dusted himself off, straightened up, and walked over to Lu Erbao.
Standing beside him, he softly called out, “Father.”
