Chapter 58: The Biggest Loser Is Herself

Liu Xiuhua thought the plan was feasible. These past few months had been busy with the New Year and preparing things, leaving her no time to patiently wait for anyone.

Now that the ginseng still hadn’t sold, she decided she might as well take it straight to the county town later.

After staying a while longer, seeing that it was already seven o’clock and only a small portion of the vegetables she brought had been sold, Liu Xiuhua packed up her things, shouldered her basket, and left the black market.

Fang Mingxi was in a similar situation. She had just sold out all her cabbage and even sold a small basket of wild strawberries. This month’s earnings would be around ten yuan, not bad at all.

She first went to the state-run restaurant to buy breakfast, then turned into another alley. Just as she stepped out and before she could make the turn, she saw Liu Xiuhua, now without her face covering, pass by.

Fang Mingxi stopped in her tracks and watched quietly for a moment, her gaze following Liu Xiuhua’s retreating figure.

Liu Xiuhua walked across to the state-run restaurant and found the He family’s three siblings playing under a large tree in the back.

The three siblings were overjoyed to see her return and quickly gathered around her, anxiously asking if she had sold everything.

Liu Xiuhua shook her head, and the siblings immediately understood.

He Lei wasn’t disappointed. Instead, he comforted her: “Grandmother, it’s fine. If it doesn’t sell, we can just keep it ourselves.”

He Xi looked a little sad but said along with him, “Grandmother, let’s just keep it ourselves. We won’t sell it. I won’t eat candy.”

“Let’s try again. If it still doesn’t sell next time, then we won’t sell it anymore.” Liu Xiuhua, cheered up by her grandchildren’s encouragement, held He Xi’s hand and walked to the state-run restaurant to buy food.

Fang Mingxi watched them closely. The earlier conversation hadn’t been loud, but she had heard it.

Something about this didn’t feel right. Based on novels she had read before, when He Xi’s family didn’t get anything good, or if their current plan was disrupted, fate would compensate He Xi in some other way. People wouldn’t just be left at a loss.

Before she could figure it out, Liu Xiuhua emerged from the restaurant holding her purchases.

When the group stepped down the stairs, He Xi suddenly exclaimed and bent down to pick up some coins from the ground.

“Grandmother! I found money!”

See! That’s exactly how it was. Fang Mingxi had the expression of someone thinking, just as I thought.

The novels she had read before were useful, at least in showing that if He Xi didn’t receive something good, that thing would manifest in another form in her hands.

Yet she still didn’t understand why the ginseng hadn’t sold in the He family’s hands. Could it be because she had sold ginseng too?

Fang Mingxi considered it and realized it was possible. After all, the town was only so big, and not every household could afford to buy ginseng. One family buying ginseng might be luck, a second family buying it could be a coincidence, but a third family? That was impossible.

If that were the case, it made sense: Fang Mingxi had sold ginseng and accidentally interfered with He Xi’s business. Fate would definitely make it up to her later.

The ginseng hadn’t sold for a reason; there had to be an even bigger surprise waiting for He Xi. The town had no one else left to buy ginseng; perhaps next time, they would have to go to the county town.

Fang Mingxi’s gaze drifted off. When will I ever get a chance to go to the county town?

…

When Fang Mingxi’s consciousness returned, her grandparents and her maternal grandparents were already up. They were in the next room helping tidy things up, and from the sound of it, Wu Granny was helping clean as well.

She quickly pulled out a handful of money from her backpack, knelt down, and covered her head with a quilt to count it in secret.

She had sold five yuan in this period, and ten yuan in the previous two days. A month’s earnings totaled fifteen yuan.

Fang Mingxi separated coins by denomination: cents, dimes, and yuan and began counting.

“One… two… five…”

After the first count, she felt something was off and counted again.

But even after the second count, something was still wrong. The money was short, at least seven or eight yuan.

She remembered that she had received a five-yuan note this month, and she had nearly emptied her belongings to get small change. Now that five-yuan note was missing, along with two or three fifty-cent coins.

Fang Mingxi’s face went dark. Damn it, she knew what had happened.

After selling vegetables, she had gone to the state-run restaurant to buy meat buns. Before entering, she must have taken out some money, and He Xi happened to pick up the coins at the door. The amounts matched exactly.

Fang Mingxi: !!!

She pounded the bed with her fist. At first, she had felt sorry for whoever the unlucky person was who lost the money but now she realized that the biggest loser was herself.

Damn it, He Xi’s luck was truly strange, she hadn’t even been touched and still got caught in it.

Having lost her money, Fang Mingxi got up angrily and dressed.

Today she wore the new outfit her cousin had brought: a black cotton jacket and pants. She first put on her underwear and socks, and as soon as she was dressed, she felt warmth spread through her body.

She ran her hands over the fabric, thinking that her family really had some connections. Her cousin’s clothes were indeed extraordinary. The material alone made her body feel warm the instant she put it on.

No wonder people said wealthy people didn’t feel the cold in winter. Wearing these clothes felt genuinely warm, as if she didn’t need a coat at all.

On the bedside stool was a plate of snacks, breakfast prepared by her maternal grandmother.

Fang Mingxi stared at the delicate treats and the steaming cup of malted milk, swallowing shamefully. She drank the malted milk first, then took a piece of pastry to fill her stomach.

The snacks didn’t look like those from Hongqi Town; they seemed more like pastries from Jing City, similar to the ones from her previous life in Daocun Village. They weren’t crumbly, had a salty-sweet taste, and she really enjoyed them.

Just as Fang Mingxi was eating breakfast, Tang Yao knocked and entered.

“Little sister, are you awake? Let’s go up the mountain. Little Yu came looking for us again.”

Fang Mingxi wiped the crumbs from her mouth and handed a crisp pastry to Tang Yao. “Sister, you eat this. I’ll be ready soon.”

“Snacks? Did your maternal grandparents bring these?” Tang Yao asked curiously.

Yesterday, she had heard that Fang Mingxi’s maternal grandparents had also been sent here from Jing City. Looking at the snacks, it seemed only Jing City had them.

Fang Mingxi nodded. “Yes, my maternal grandparents brought them. Sister, eat quickly. I still have more here.”

“Mm, thank you, little sister.” Tang Yao ate half a piece, then stopped and wrapped the rest in a cloth, putting it in her pocket to take home for Grandma later.

Fang Mingxi didn’t stop her and picked up another pastry, following behind Tang Yao as they went out.

He Yu, bored while waiting, immediately ran over and grabbed Fang Mingxi as soon as she stepped outside.

“Let’s go, little sister. It rained last night, will the mushrooms grow today? Huh, what’s this? Is it for me?”

He Yu stared at the crisp pastry Fang Mingxi handed her, unable to believe it at first.

Fang Mingxi smiled sweetly. “Sister, eat. Grandma gave it to me.”

“Eh!” He Yu quickly took it.

The pastry was exquisite, even more refined than the snacks their little aunt had brought from the county.

Taking a bite, crumbs fell immediately, and He Yu’s eyes lit up. It was savory, and she loved it.

She only ate one bite, carefully wrapped the pastry in a handkerchief, and placed it in the basket.

“Thank you, little sister. Let’s hurry up the mountain. We’ll pick more mushrooms today.”

Fang Mingxi nodded and took the initiative to hold her hand. “Let’s go!”