Chapter 8
Lu Erbao had no idea that the child in front of him had been swapped out. He said to Lu Yang, “That Xie family kid wanted to apologize to you earlier. He went out looking for you but couldn’t find you. Since they didn’t have much else to say and were just standing around making people uncomfortable, I told them to leave first.”
Lu Yang bluntly exposed the truth, “Wasn’t he forced by his mother to apologize?”
Lu Erbao: “……”
Why did this kid suddenly become so sharp, like a knife?
“It was his mother’s idea. I think he’s just read too many books and doesn’t understand social customs. He does what he’s told, but his intentions are good.”
Lu Yang snorted. “Scholars value filial piety above all else. If he’s read so many books, why would he do something to upset his mother? That just shows he’s not a good person.”
Lu Erbao: …?
Lu Erbao knew that Lu Liu disliked this marriage arrangement. Every time she saw Xie Yan, she would get so angry that she cried, which only made her resentment grow deeper. He didn’t fully understand her temperament but rationalized it—she was still mad, which was understandable.
He took five copper coins from his pocket and handed them to Lu Yang, telling him to buy some sugar cakes.
In the past, when Lu Liu came to the market with him, she would always gaze longingly at the sugar cakes, but he never had the heart to buy them for her.
Their family actually had some savings, but they were poor. Relatives were fickle—when it came to minor favors, they were willing to help, but when money was needed, they would shut their doors.
When Lu Liu was little, she had a severe fever. They begged everyone they could, nearly losing her life. In the end, they had to sell a few acres of good farmland just to afford a doctor and save her.
Since then, both Lu Erbao and Wang Fengnian had been extremely frugal, afraid that any illness or disaster would strike again. No one would help them; they could only rely on themselves.
But now that Lu Liu was about to get married, the couple suddenly felt willing to spend. They got her all sorts of treats—things she had never tasted before, things she never dared to eat her fill of in the past.
Once she married into another family, she wouldn’t be able to eat whatever she wanted.
Lu Yang didn’t know this backstory, nor did he understand what Lu Erbao was thinking. He happily took the coins and ran off to buy sugar cakes.
Today was just too good!
His younger brother bought him meat buns, and now his father was buying him sugar cakes.
Life was simply amazing!
Seeing his joy, Lu Erbao’s furrowed brows relaxed slightly, though the deep wrinkles in the shape of a “川” still remained.
He sighed. “There are still two roosters left unsold. Looks like I’ll have to carry them back home.”
Lu Yang bent down to look into the chicken cage. The two large roosters were well-raised. Even after sitting in the cage all morning, they were still full of energy. Their combs were bright red, and their feathers were sleek and shiny.
The Chen family also raised chickens, feeding them a mix of soybean dregs and vegetable leaves, but they weren’t as well-kept as these.
He said, “They’ll sell. Let me find a buyer.”
Munching on his sugar cake, he scanned his surroundings, examining both the stall owners and the passersby.
Lu Erbao had never seen someone look for buyers like this and thought he was just bragging.
But then, Lu Yang brought Xie Yan over to buy a chicken.
Lu Erbao: “……”
His hands rubbed together uneasily, while Lu Yang remained calm, enthusiastically promoting the chickens.
“You’re a scholar, right? Studying requires early mornings. But who isn’t tempted to sleep in during the cold winter months? That’s why you need a big rooster to crow at dawn! Look at my family’s chickens—smooth feathers, large build, bright red combs. I guarantee they’ll crow the moment daylight breaks. They’ll wake you up on time every day. And roosters crowing toward the east? That’s a good omen—it means you’ll pass the imperial exams and return home in glory!”
The more Xie Yan listened, the more confused he became.
What was happening? Had the Lu family’s little brother gone dumb?
He glanced at Lu Erbao’s anxious fidgeting, then at Lu Yang’s expectant gaze, and finally lowered his head to open his coin pouch.
Hmm. This was probably something he had to do to make amends.
Buying the rooster would mean Lu Yang wouldn’t be mad anymore.
Xie Yan asked, “How much is the rooster?”
Lu Yang, afraid that Lu Erbao would set a low price, reached out to stop him.
Scholars were the easiest to overcharge. These types were clumsy with their hands, unfamiliar with farming, and didn’t even know the price of rice, let alone chickens.
They weren’t regular vendors—so what if they gouged a little?
Hen prices were higher, sold by weight, with one costing around 80 to 100 copper coins.
Roosters were cheaper, also sold by weight, but the most expensive ones went for at most 80 copper coins.
Xie Yan didn’t ask about the weight—he clearly didn’t know the market price.
Since he didn’t know, Lu Yang gave him a flat price.
“Eighty copper coins!”
Xie Yan had already finished shopping with his mother. He checked his money pouch and found he only had 72 coins left—not enough.
Seeing him rummage through his pouch and come up empty, Lu Yang immediately changed his tune. “Since you sincerely want to buy, I’ll give you a lucky deal. Seventy-two coins! From now on, our chicken stall will be blessed by the star of literature!”
Xie Yan hesitated.
He opened his mouth a few times but remained silent.
He really wanted to say again, “Don’t have unrealistic expectations of me.” But thinking about how he had run back and forth twice just to apologize, he swallowed the words.
He handed over the money, took the rooster Lu Yang had tied up with great care, and listened to Lu Yang telling him to spread the word among his classmates. He simply nodded, then asked, “Are you no longer angry?”
Lu Yang: …?
His mind worked fast.
In an instant, he thought of his unlucky fiancé. His peripheral vision caught his father’s nervous gestures—how could he not understand?
Had he known it was this annoying Xie family brat, he wouldn’t have offered a discount!
Lu Yang scrutinized Xie Yan from head to toe. He wasn’t bad-looking, but he lacked energy—his eyelids drooped, the corners of his mouth turned downward, making him look perpetually miserable.
As fortune tellers say, appearances reflect one’s fate. He was destined for hardship—only money could change his fate.
Lu Yang figured 72 coins for a rooster wasn’t really overcharging. After all, he had personally stepped into this mess.
He asked, “On my wedding day, will I get to drink chicken soup?”
Xie Yan thought for a moment. “Yes.”
Lu Yang said, “Alright, I’m not mad anymore. You can go.”
Xie Yan, equally straightforward, simply bowed to Lu Erbao before leaving.
One rooster remained.
Lu Erbao decided not to sell it. He told Lu Yang, “Let’s take it home and make chicken soup for you.”
Lu Yang refused.
Eating three good meals in one day—he feared the heavens would punish him for it.
He said, “No need. Let’s go out and find a restaurant. We’ll offer it at a slightly lower price than the market rate and see if they’ll buy it.”
Restaurants usually had fixed suppliers, but live chickens could be kept until the end of the year when business boomed. If they bargained properly, they could sell it.
Lu Erbao, noticing how efficiently Lu Yang packed up, realized his basket of eggs had also sold out.
Something felt off, but he didn’t dwell on it.
From now on, they would have to rely on themselves. If crying once meant standing back up stronger, then it was a good thing.
He listened to Lu Yang. “Alright, let’s go check it out.”
