Proud Farm Girl With A Space

Chapter 12

There was a little girl who had her hair tied in a neat bun with two white flowers in it. She was standing in the shade of some trees by the side of the street. Although her clothes were shabby and crudely patched, her little face was clean and bright.

When the young man happened to look over, he saw the little girl smiling sweetly at a man who seemed undecided about buying her apples. "Uncle, if you take one home and give it to your children, they will certainly like it. My apples are sweeter than sugar."

When the man heard her words, he smiled and laughed. Then he took two apples and gave her the money, meanwhile, the girl's eyes seemed to shine brighter and brighter.

Huh, what a little money-grubber!

The young man snorted disdainfully. He was about to move on when he suddenly heard an old man's voice from inside the carriage, "Hold on, Pengmo, go and buy me some apples."

The young man looked surprised as if he did not expect that the old man would speak. He saw the old man in the carriage pull the window curtain to one side and then peer out in the direction of the two siblings, "Qinghe Town really is full of outstanding people, there is even such a clever little girl."

The young man was a little surprised at the importance that the old man attached to the little girl and his lips flattened into a line. That girl was so 'clever' that her eyes were wide like two little lamps whenever she saw money.

How could she compare with any of the noblewomen they knew? It seemed his master was old, his eyes were not as good as they used to be.

The old man only took a brief look outside before looking over at the young man, "I came to the countryside to recuperate. You go back to Beijing in a few days."

When the boy heard the old man say this, his face became gloomy. "I will stay and study with you, teacher."

The old man saw the young man's stubborn face and sighed. He wanted to say a few more words but before he could he saw that Pengmo had come back with a few apples. "Master, it's rare to find such fresh fruit at this time of year. This small one thought they looked good, so he bought all the rest of them back."

Su Tang had taken a total of thirty-five apples and five radishes with her this time, mainly because she and Su Nuo were two small children and people would have been skeptical if she had brought out too much. But her apples looked fresh and juicy, and because they were slightly out of season they all sold quickly.

When Pengmo came over, there were only six apples left in Su Tang's little bamboo basket. Since Pengmo thought the apples looked good he bought them all.

When the old man heard what his servant said, he nodded but then reminded, "Don't call me 'master'."

"Yes, I'm sorry, I forgot for a moment, old sir*, shall we continue on home now?" After being reprimanded Pengmo immediately changed his way of addressing the other man. Then when he saw the old man's nod, he rushed up to the coaches' seat and began guiding the carriage home.

The young man saw that the old man did not say anything more so he also did not speak. But as they were leaving, he took one last glance back at the siblings on the side of the road and saw them exchanging wide smiles.

Su Tang suddenly had a vague sense that someone was looking at her. But when she turned around she didn't see anyone there except a distant figure riding on a horse next to a carriage that was leaving. Su Tang frowned. Was her feeling wrong?

"Sister!" Su Nuo didn't know what his sister was thinking about, he was just looking down at the empty bamboo basket with a face full of excitement.