Chapter 11: What You Have, I Have, the Whole Family Has

Chapter 11: What You Have, I Have, the Whole Family Has

Market day brought in big crowds. If they set up their own stall and set their own prices, the clothes in their hands should fetch a good price.

But Yan Fengan was, after all, a scholar, and the Yan family had some standing in the community. If villagers saw them selling old clothes at a street stall, who knew what people would whisper and laugh about behind their backs.

Chen Lanfang had always been big on saving face. She'd rather take less money than be caught out in public doing something like that.

The secondhand shop was pretty dead at this hour. As the three entered, the shopkeeper greeted them warmly, "Three customers, what can I do for you?"

Chen Lanfang brought out the clothes and shoes, asking him, "Shopkeeper, can you take a look and tell me what these clothes are worth?"

The shopkeeper picked up the clothes and shoes and examined them carefully, his eyes occasionally drifting over to the three of them. "If you don't mind my asking, where did you get these items?"

Country folk and rich folks dressed completely differently. Though the tall man was dressed as a scholar, the fabric of his clothes was cheap, rough stuff. Those silk clothes didn't look like anything they'd wear.

Chen Lanfang said, sounding annoyed, "Where did we get them? Of course we bought 'em ourselves. These were all worn by my son. Take a look yourself—aren't these made to fit him?"

"Don't get upset, ma'am. I was just asking as a standard thing. Our shop has its rules—we don't dare take stuff of shady origin. Since these belonged to this young gentleman, I feel better about it."

Even so, the shopkeeper still held the clothes up against Yan Fengan to check the fit.

The fabric of the clothes was decent, and the shoes were in good condition. But since his was the only secondhand shop in town, the shopkeeper naturally planned to lowball them hard.

"Tell you what—five taels of silver, and I'll take all these clothes and shoes off your hands, no questions asked."

Wen Xi hadn't seen much of the world and didn't have a single coin to his name. Five taels sounded like a fortune to him. If they could get that much, he figured that was a pretty good deal.

"What? Five taels!" Chen Lanfang's mouth turned down. "Now shopkeeper, don't take me for some fool. Look at this fabric, this condition, and the stitching on these patterns. I don't know how you can say five taels with a straight face."

The shopkeeper looked troubled. "That's not a bad price. The fabric of these clothes is good, but this young gentleman is quite tall. Even if I take 'em, it won't be easy to find a buyer. And these shoes—his feet are bigger than most, so those'll be even harder to move."

Wen Xi nodded quietly. Yan Fengan was slender but tall. The shopkeeper could only sell his clothes to someone built the same way.

"Since when is it my son's fault for being tall? I heard around town that you run an honest shop, which is why I brought these clothes here to sell to you. But instead, you're out here fleecing honest folks like us."

"Oh now, listen to you. How about this—I'll throw in another tael. Six taels, deal?"

Chen Lanfang held up a hand. "Eight taels, minimum."

"Good heavens, eight taels!" the shopkeeper exclaimed. "Ma'am, that's highway robbery! I run a small shop, just scraping by to feed my family. I couldn't even get eight taels for these myself."

Seeing how troubled he looked and how sincere he sounded, Wen Xi figured the price was probably fair enough. He was afraid that if Chen Lanfang kept haggling, the shopkeeper might really back out.

Yan Fengan, who hadn't said a word until now, spoke up gently: "Mother, let's not give this shopkeeper a hard time. I remember a classmate mentioning a secondhand shop on Luoxing Bridge Street in the city that gives very fair prices for used clothes. Next time I head into the county on business, I'll ask around. I bet we could get the price you're after there. Xi Geer, pack the clothes up. We're not selling today."

If Yan Fengan said so, the price really must be too low. Wen Xi stopped feeling bad about losing the deal—he'd actually thought the shopkeeper was being straight with them. He shot the shopkeeper a quiet look and quickly repacked the clothes into the bundle.

Seeing that they were truly about to leave, the shopkeeper hastily called out, "Hey, don't go, don't go! Let's talk it over more. Eight taels it is, then."

Yan Fengan continued to decline. Only after the owner gritted his teeth and raised the offer by another hundred coppers did he agree to sell the clothes.

Even after leaving the shop, Wen Xi's head was still spinning. He'd never done business before. In his understanding, old clothes and shoes were only good for throwing away if not sold. If it had been up to him, he would have sold them the moment the owner offered five taels.

Walking beside him, Yan Fengan held his hands behind his back with a leisurely, self-satisfied expression. Wen Xi finally couldn't hold back his curiosity and asked, "How did you know the shopkeeper would definitely take those things?"

Yan Fengan said, "My clothes are in good condition. Of course he'd want them."

"But the shopkeeper said your things would be hard to resell."

"You believe lies like that?" Yan Fengan stepped aside to let a passerby who nearly bumped into him pass, then casually explained to Wen Xi, "Silk and gauze clothes never lack buyers. Servants of wealthy households, poor scholars—people like that occasionally need a decent outfit to save face. New ones are too expensive, so old clothes in good condition at reasonable prices become their first choice. As long as no one says anything, who would know they're wearing someone else's hand-me-downs?"

Wen Xi had been projecting his own perspective onto others. In his mind, these clothes were flashy and impractical, inconvenient to wear—but he'd forgotten that there were people in this world who didn't do farm work.

Chen Lanfang, overhearing their conversation, said to Wen Xi, "You're too honest. You don't know how cunning those merchants can be. There's all sorts of trickery in this business."

Wen Xi had only been to the street once or twice, and each time he'd come and gone in a hurry. Not to mention doing business—he didn't even know what the whole town looked like.

Seeing his dejected expression, Yan Fengan said, "It's fine. Xi Geer is a clever one. Let him follow you to the street a few more times and he'll understand."

Chen Lanfang laughed teasingly, "I didn't say anything, and you're already defending him."

Yan Fengan smiled and rubbed his nose. "He's the husband I worked hard to marry—of course I have to protect him well. Just like my father—doesn't he protect you just as well?"

"Rascal, you dare tease me about your father and me." Chen Lanfang made as if to pinch him, and Yan Fengan pretended to dodge behind Wen Xi.

Just as Wen Xi, caught between the two, was feeling at a loss, mother and son suddenly stopped short.

Chen Lanfang composed herself. "Enough fooling around in the street. Let's go look at the fabric shop."

It wasn't that she'd suddenly turned cold—it was just that in that moment, she'd suddenly remembered that Yan Fengan hadn't been this playful and carefree around her in years.

Except when he needed money, he'd always kept his distance from her. Now he seemed to have regained a bit of his childhood self, which inevitably stirred a sense of unreality in her heart.

Yan Fengan also felt a hint of awkwardness. Though he deliberately avoided dwelling on certain things, there was still a barrier in his heart.

Wen Xi's feelings were even more complicated. He didn't know why mother and son had suddenly changed expressions, and he was also unsettled by Yan Fengan's attitude toward him.

Yan Fengan said he was clever, but Wen Xi thought himself quite stupid. Having lived under the same roof with Yan Fengan for so many days, he still couldn't guess what was going on in his mind.

He couldn't believe it, and he couldn't fathom it—would this man truly set aside the past and live well with him?

Winter was approaching, and Wen Xi still had no proper clothes. Upon entering the fabric shop, Chen Lanfang first had the shopkeeper bring out a bolt of hemp cloth.

Hemp cloth was plain in color and rough in texture, but it was cheap and practical—the first choice for farming families.

One bolt could make about two garments, giving Wen Xi something to change into.

Hemp clothes were for everyday work. But Wen Xi was a scholar's husband—he should at least have something a bit more presentable to save face. And since her son had just sold his old clothes, he needed a couple of new sets as well.

Chen Lanfang thought ahead. After buying the hemp cloth, she had the shopkeeper bring out several bolts of coarse cloth for them to choose from.

Wen Xi was dazzled by the options. When Chen Lanfang asked his opinion, he thought every one looked good. She had to let Yan Fengan make the choice instead.

The fabric shop in town had limited colors and materials. In the end, Yan Fengan picked out bolts of blue-green and yellow from among the dull selection.

Chen Lanfang held the chosen fabrics up against the two of them and laughed. "These colors suit you both. Once the clothes are made and you wear them out, people will know at a glance you're a couple."

Wen Xi didn't know how to respond and glanced sideways at Yan Fengan.

Yan Fengan didn't pay much attention to such teasing. Learning that each bolt cost around four hundred coppers, he did some quick mental math and said to Chen Lanfang, "You, Father, and my brothers and sisters-in-law haven't had new clothes made this year. Why don't we buy a few more bolts and make some for everyone?"

"No need, we all have clothes to wear." Chen Lanfang still held the farmer's mindset, always feeling money should be spent where it mattered most. Making new clothes for the whole family would cost who knows how much.

Yan Fengan coaxed her, "These past few years, I've devoted myself entirely to studying. I didn't understand social graces, nor did I pay much attention to farming matters. You and Father have relied on my brothers and sisters-in-law for support, and they've managed the household. If only I and Xi Geer get new clothes, how could I feel right about that in my heart? With so many people in the family, if the water isn't poured evenly, trouble is bound to arise sooner or later."

Chen Lanfang was moved, tears welling up in her eyes. "You never used to consider such things."

"You said yourself—that was before." Yan Fengan didn't want to dwell on it. He took out some of the silver from selling the old clothes. "Shopkeeper, wrap up those bolts of cloth as well."

"Sure thing, sir, just a moment." It was rare to land such a big sale this early in the day, and the fabric shop owner was grinning from ear to ear.

Chen Lanfang wiped her tears and turned to the shopkeeper, saying, "Since we're buying this much fabric from you, you ought to cut us a deal, right?"

The fabric shop owner nodded repeatedly, "Sure thing. Tell you what—I'll throw in an extra half bolt of linen, and I'll have someone deliver it all for free."

That suited her just fine. Since the big money was already spent, Chen Lanfang didn't fuss over the small stuff. She picked up a few more things, and once the shopkeeper had loaded the cart, the three of them headed home together.

The shopkeeper was sharp—he knew that much fabric could draw unwanted attention, so he covered it with a plain, unassuming cloth.

Chen Lanfang had the cart driver take them right to their doorstep, without letting a hint of it slip to anyone else.

When He Jin and the others came out to haul the stuff inside, their eyes nearly popped out. Although Wen Xi didn't have many clothes, there was no need to buy this much fabric, was there? How much money had that cost?

Just as they were wondering, they heard Chen Lanfang say, "Your third brother said that no one in our family has had new clothes made this year, so this time he's footing the bill for everyone."

Hearing that, He Jin and Li Wan could hardly believe it.

When had their third brother become so generous and considerate?