"If any of you don't listen, you'll get a beating when I find out."
"Uncle, we saw that little girl again today. She was carrying a bundle of branches and we ran into each other."
"Don't worry about her."
The few young men fell silent, but surely they were not convinced.
That night, Yang Hongwen and his wife were lying in bed. "Are you sure about what you said?"
"Yes, indeed. I hadn't paid much attention before, but after seeing that big wild boar, I thought that girl was strange. Then I remembered, when I got into the water back then, it was up to my chest, but that little girl couldn't have been tall enough, yet she was just floating on the surface."
"How is that possible? Honestly, I don't believe such a small girl could kill a wild boar weighing hundreds of pounds, let alone do it all by herself. I even thought about going up the mountain to see.
But now I finally believe it. Still, is it okay to give that little girl so much money?"
"I think anyone who covets her money won't meet a good end.
Besides, I don't want to be suspected. Three hundred yuan is a lot, but it's blood money, so it's not that much really."
"Yes, after all, it was earned by risking her life. I heard from Chunhua that the girl's stomach was bruised. It's a miracle she's okay. If something inside had been damaged, she'd have no chance of surviving."
Next morning, Su Yuanyuan got up early. She couldn't let herself get caught by someone again.
After eating a bowl of fried rice with egg and a glass of milk, she felt truly happy to be full.
Everything was ready, just waiting for Hu Chunhua to arrive.
Su Yuanyuan knew she didn't need any tickets now, so she could buy more things. But she couldn't buy too much at once; anyway, there would be more opportunities in the future.
Hu Chunhua arrived, accompanied by two women.
Su Yuanyuan recognized them as the ones who had brought her brown sugar and ginger the other day.
"Aunties, Third Aunt." She greeted them with a smile.
"Let's go, we're heading to the market. Girl, what do you want to buy?"
Su Yuanyuan smiled, "Third Aunt, I don't have anything, but I want to buy a kitchen knife, an axe, and there's no basin either."
"The blacksmith from the county will be here today. You should also buy a sickle, hoe, pickaxe, spade, flat shovel, crop knife, and a small hoe.
All these are essential for spring planting. Your family used to farm for six people; now even though there's only your plot left, you still have two acres. It will be tough for a little girl like you. At that time, you won't be able to borrow them, everyone will need to use them."
"Third Aunt, got it. You guys help me choose later. I don't know much about these things."
"Sure, we'll help you choose and bargain. By the way, you should also buy a pair of scissors."
The four of them walked along, discussing what they wanted to buy.
Su Yuanyuan felt uncertain inside. Did she have enough money? It seemed she really needed to buy quite a lot of stuff. Wasn't she thinking of buying some grains too?
"Auntie, I only have half a bag of corn left at home. I want to buy some grain."
"You don't have to buy that at the market. You can get it in the village."
Su Yuanyuan nodded. "Auntie, what can I buy?"
"You can buy everything, but there isn't much white flour."
"Just a pound of white flour will do. I want to make dumplings for my grandpa during the New Year."
"Alright, I'll make arrangements for you. I don't have much grain at home, nothing for sale."
"I've got some at home. Girl, what do you need?"
"Auntie, I'll take one pound of white flour, two pounds of millet, fifty pounds of sorghum rice, and fifty pounds of corn."
The little girl remembered that the village had a good harvest of sorghum this year.
"Alright, I'll deliver them to you when we get back."
There were plenty of people heading to the market like them. Since it was the slack season for farming, everyone had been working hard for such a long time. Now they finally had a chance. Of course, everyone wanted to take a little stroll.
"Auntie, is there any cloth for sale at the market? I want to make a set of clothes. It'd be great if there were some cotton.
But first, I have to get the farming tools ready. I also have to set aside money for buying grains. If there's any money left, only then will I consider buying cloth.
Auntie, how much will the grain I just asked for cost?"
"Sorghum rice is ten cents per pound, so fifty pounds is five yuan and fifty cents. White flour is fifty cents. Millet is twenty cents, and corn is also ten cents, so that's another five yuan and fifty cents. You just give me twelve, and I'll give you three pounds of millet."
"Alright, thank you, Auntie," Su Yuanyuan said, handing over twelve yuan and fifty cents to Meng Xiangtian's family. "Auntie, you take it first; I'm afraid I might not hold on to it later and want to buy everything I see.
I actually know that nothing is more important than grain, without it one would starve. You decide on some vegetables for me with the remaining fifty cents." Meng Xiangtian's wife, Zhao Guiying, didn't refuse and accepted the money directly.
She was also afraid that the child might spend it all. There was only sixty-three yuan in total; it sounded like a lot, but the girl lacked everything. She shouldn't be left with no food.
Hu Chunhua didn't say anything either. She also thought the most important purchase was grain. It seemed that the girl understood well.
Now Su Yuanyuan felt much more relaxed.
After an hour, they reached town. This was the largest market.
"Auntie, can you go with me to buy the tools first, then I'll just wait for you nearby."
"Sure. The tool seller is right outside." This way, they wouldn't waste any time.
Su Yuanyuan saw the iron tools laid out on the ground, and she really felt that she might not be able to return; she wanted everything.
Kitchen knife, scissors, sickle, chopping knife, hoe, two iron shovels, large pickaxe, small pickaxe, small hoe, crop knife. A total of eleven items.
"Old Yang, buying so much, how much should we pay?" Hu Chunhua asked.
"For you buying, it's surely cheaper. How about this; it'll be eighteen yuan in total, how about that? Do you think this price is reasonable?"
"Eighteen yuan is fine, but you have to include handles for the shovels and pickaxes, all equipped with handles."
"That's really not possible. You know those aren't my goods. If you get everything equipped with handles, you'd give me two more yuan."
"Then throw in this small knife. You can see this is for the little girl's tools. Her cruel parents left her with nothing, have a little pity on the child."
Su Yuanyuan cooperated with Zhao Guiying's words, looking pitiful.
"Alright, today I'll take the loss." All the iron tools were directly packed into a frame, while the handles were tied together, so they had to be carried.
Su Yuanyuan gave twenty yuan, now feeling at ease. The money was really well spent.
"Auntie, you guys go shop now, I'll wander around and get a few basins."
"Let's go. After we buy for you, we'll continue."
They mainly feared that the little girl's money might get pocketed by someone else.
Su Yuanyuan looked at the aluminum basins, honestly didn't like them, but had no choice. Anyway, it was just for appearances.