Chapter 4

Mrs. Zhang was plump and prosperous-looking; she blocked the doorway with no intention of stepping aside. "And who is this?" Her gaze fell on Zhou Chengkang, a teasing smile on her face. "Good times are coming, eh?"
When a young man and woman went out together these days, even without the strict separations of wealthy households, people assumed matchmaking intent; outsiders took them for a couple. Take Xu Changjie and Yang Lanrou, for example, the Yangs opposed the match, but with the two courting so openly they might be forcing people to accept them first, leaving the Yang family little choice later.
Of course, some courtships failed. But if the meeting wasn't in some remote spot, like meeting on market day while shopping, outsiders wouldn't gossip even if it didn't work out.
Zhou Chengkang hurried to explain, "No, Miss Li paid me silver to accompany her. Madam Zhang, please don't misunderstand!"
Li Qinghe had meant to play along, but his words silenced her. She knew he was protecting her reputation, keeping Madam Zhang from suspecting anything, but his haste to distance himself stung.
Outside the cloth shop, Li Qinghe checked the sky, pinched the silver in her pocket, and asked, "Is there anything you want to buy? If not, I'd like to go see the teahouse."
When Mrs. Zhang had swept her gaze over Li Qinghe earlier, Li Qinghe had understood her meaning: she was checking whether Madam Xu had slipped any silver or goods to bring back.
But Mrs. Zhang worried unnecessarily. Madam Xu rarely handed her money. Even in the previous life, when she married, Madam Xu had only given a few bolts of cloth as dowry. Those fabrics were end-of-line, largely flawed and cheap, fine for a peasant household, but they weren't worth much silver.
Zhou Chengkang shook his head. "I'll go with you."
The restaurant Li Qinghe mentioned, before she was injured, was where she used to work in the back kitchen. Because of that she traveled daily between the village and the town, which is how she came upon Xu Changjie being stabbed.
If there was one right thing Madam Xu had done for her, it was getting her that job at the restaurant. Li Qinghe had worked there for two years and seen a lot; her cooking was actually quite good now.
When she arrived at the restaurant, Li Qinghe went into the back kitchen and exchanged a few words with the head chef. The owner came over and, as in her previous life, handed her a purse. "I heard you were hurt. You need some time to recover, so don't come in for now."
In her last life she would have argued with him for ages, but this time she took the purse without complaint, she knew arguing was pointless. The owner's niece had long been eyeing her position.
Leaving the restaurant, Li Qinghe sighed. "Anything else? I want to head back."
Zhou Chengkang shook his head and walked with her toward the town gate. Passing a steamed bun stall, he bought a few. Seeing that, Li Qinghe bought a few to take back to Li Fu and the others.
They returned to the village with daylight to spare, and Li Qinghe went straight to the town chief's house. Her ten taels of silver were untouched, and she had no wish to save them, she might as well buy some land.
The town chief shook his head. "It's only August; the crops aren't harvested yet. People aren't selling land now, and even come October there probably won't be anything suitable. Around here we haven't heard of a single household selling land."
Li Qinghe understood that. People here cared about ancestral inheritance. If land passed down from the ancestors was sold, however justified, the sellers would be called disgraceful.
She hesitated, then said, "I want that patch of wasteland on West Hill."
The town chief was surprised. "Wouldn't it be better to keep the money? That land... it's uneven and full of brambles; even the cowherds won't go near it. What is it worth? What would you buy it for?"
"Just ask for me, how much of it my money can buy. I want to buy it as soon as possible." Li Qinghe was resolute.
The town chief, helpless, probed, "Child, for something as big as buying land, you should discuss it with your father."
"No." Li Qinghe said earnestly. "My father and I can no longer speak calmly. The money is mine; I will decide. Please, will you ask around for me?"
Her final words were sincere, and the town chief agreed reluctantly.
After a long delay she left as the sun was setting and twilight gathered. Li Qinghe turned and looked at Zhou Chengkang against the sunset. "Do you think buying that wasteland would be a waste of silver?"
Zhou Chengkang shook his head, his gaze gentle. "You always have your reasons."
Pleased to hear that, Li Qinghe felt even more satisfied with him and climbed back into the cart to go home.
After seeing Zhou Chengkang off at the gate, Li Qinghe went inside and found Li Fu standing in the yard, watching the direction Zhou had left toward. He disapproved. "You're a young woman. Don't get too close to a man. Don't let yourself think of him that way."
Li Qinghe raised an eyebrow. "Isn't that fine?"
Li Fu sighed. "They're too poor. I'm afraid you'd suffer."
Madam Qian came out from the back yard, saw the father and daughter, and smiled. "Qinghe's back?"
Li Qinghe nodded and was about to go in when Madam Qian glanced at Li Fu. "I hear you ran into the Xu family in town today?"
They already knew?
Li Qinghe had no intention of hiding it. "Yes. Young Master Xu was having breakfast with Miss Yang."
"Did Young Master Xu return the money?" Madam Qian asked casually.
"He did." Li Qinghe replied offhand. "It was actually Miss Yang who lent it to him."
Li Fu listened in silence, frowning at her words. "How could you take money from the Yangs?"
"Isn't silver just silver?" Li Qinghe waved it off. "So many people saw Xu Changjie return it to me, anyway."
Madam Qian agreed. "If it hadn't been lent, the Xus would never have repaid; by himself, who knows when he'd ever pay it off? Right..." She looked at Li Fu and probed, "Qinghe is young, ten taels is a lot. Shouldn't we keep it for her so she doesn't lose it?"
Those words surprised Li Qinghe. She had worked in the town restaurant two years earlier, and Madam Qian had never minded her monthly pay or mentioned it. Li Qinghe would bring back scraps from the kitchen, sometimes lean meat or big bones the restaurant couldn't sell, divided up by the cooks. It was for reasons like that the owner wanted to put his niece in the job.
Li Qinghe had assumed Madam Qian was indifferent because the woman had told neighbors and relatives more than once to let her keep the money; that money would become her dowry and, in turn, save Madam Qian trouble later.
It turned out Madam Qian wasn't heartless, just not tempted enough by the small sum.
Li Fu frowned. "If you like, I'll keep it for you and put it at the bottom of your trunk when you marry."
"No." Li Qinghe refused at once. "I can safeguard it myself. No need to trouble you."
Her tone was stiff, and Madam Qian looked hurt. "Qinghe still doesn't trust me enough."
Li Fu shot Li Qinghe a sharp look and hurried over to comfort her.