Village Belle is Trying to Cause Trouble Again Chapter 43
Translated by Digitalian (ko-fi)
Chapter 43: The Xie Family Was Grateful To Her When All She Did Were Unkind Things
Seeing that Xie Yuntang was indeed in good spirits, Su Tao let him be and sat down on the ground to take a break.
She found that as long as it had something to do with making money, it would not be easy.
It couldn’t go on like this. She could still pick cicada shells now, but she wouldn't be able to pick them after some time.
She didn't even know what to do to make money. Back then, she chose to study management to inherit her father's company. Well, now, she was "managing" in the countryside.
Apart from giving warnings, the wretched system was just like dead at other times. Other people’s systems helped with food and strategies, whereas her system only did unkind things.
Suddenly, there was a slight breeze. She turned and looked over. The delicate and cute boy was fanning her with his hands. "..."
He was really good to her unconditionally.
She was a little confused. "Milksop, are you so kind to others?"
Xie Yuntang shook his head and said seriously, "I’m only good to Sister Taozi. The others aren’t as good as Sister Taozi."
Su Tao, "..."
She really didn’t know how he arrived at the conclusion that “the others weren’t as good as Sister Taozi.”
She didn't do anything good. All she did was bully him.
"How am I good?"
"Sister Taozi, you're very good. You caught butterflies and stepped on insects for me, and took me to catch crayfish and crabs..."
"Stop!"
It was all the fault of the system!
As it was time for school, Su Tao and the others came down the mountain. Zheng Duoyin and the others went to get their school bags, and only Su Tao and Xie Yuntang were left.
Su Tao turned around and looked at Milksop. She saw that he got a stain from somewhere, so she subconsciously raised her hand and wiped it for him. "Go to school now."
Geez, why did she have to wipe it for him? Bad hand, bad hand! Did you not want to go home?
Xie Yuntang was stunned for a moment, then he blushed. He said softly, "Thank you, Sister Taozi."
"Cut the crap. Come on, let's go."
After Su Tao sent him to school, she ran back to the Xie family's house with a basket of cicada shells.
Xie Qing was at home today, accompanying Mrs. Xie-Qin while she was doing embroidery work.
Mrs. Xie-Qin saw her coming and smiled. "Has Yuntang gone to school?"
Su Tao nodded. "Uncle Xie, Auntie Xie."
Xie Qing nodded lovingly. "I heard from the teacher that Yuntang has become more bubbly these days. Thank you, Taozi."
In the past, Yuntang had a docile temperament and didn't like to talk much. Xie Qing was a little worried that all the studying had made Yuntang a nerd.
Su Tao, "..."
His words made her feel embarrassed.
The Xie family was grateful to her when all she did were unkind things.
Xie Qing smiled and said, "When Yuntang comes home, take him out more often, and I'll increase your wages next month."
When Su Tao heard that her wages would be increased, her eyes lit up and she said sweetly, "I'll take Brother Yuntang out."
……
In the evening, at school.
"Yuntang, does it hurt? I didn't mean it." Zhou Sheng looked at Xie Yuntang's arm where there was a mild abrasion, his chubby face filled with worry.
He would definitely get beaten by his mother when he got home.
Zheng Duoyin was also a little scared. "I'll go home and get some ointment."
Xie Yuntang shook his head and said anxiously, "I'm fine. There’s no need."
"Oh no, my mom will definitely beat me. Yuntang, I really didn't mean it..." Zhou Sheng's face wrinkled into a ball.
"I'm really fine. I won't tell others," Xie Yuntang assured him softly.
Zhou Sheng was still afraid. He had hurt Yuntang.
Su Tao didn't see Xie Yuntang outside, so she craned her neck to glance inside the classroom. When she saw several children surrounding Xie Yuntang, she walked over and said, "Milksop, why aren't you coming out yet? It's time for dinner."
"Big Sister, I broke the skin on Yuntang's arm," Zhou Sheng said in a tearful tone.
Hearing that, Su Tao grabbed Xie Yuntang's arm and looked at it. The skin just broke, and there was no bleeding. She heaved a sigh of relief. "It’s just an abrasion, and there’s no bleeding. Why are you crying like a girl?"
"Milksop, let's go, I'm almost starving to death."
Xie Yuntang nodded obediently, then looked at Zhou Sheng, and said seriously, "I won't tell other people."
Sister Taozi was really different from the others.
Probably because Zhou Sheng accidentally broke Xie Yuntang's skin, when they were picking cicada shells at noon the next day, Zhou Sheng and the others seldom played with Xie Yuntang.
Su Tao sensed it. She glanced at Milksop who was bending down and silently picking cicada shells. She said angrily to the children in front of her, "What's wrong? Are you fighting with ghosts? Why are you running so fast? Wait for us!"
"Milksop, hurry up."
She walked over and grabbed him, then walked forward.
Xie Yuntang followed her obediently, his bright eyes reflecting the girl's profile.
He knew that Sister Taozi was concerned about him.
Sister Taozi might always look fierce, but she wasn’t fierce.
……
For several days, Su Tao and the other children searched all over the mountain and plains for cicada shells. The cicada shells they found filled up almost half of the basket, and combined with the ones picked by Lin Sanzhu, there was almost a basket full of cicada shells.
It was already September, the season of hot summer.
Early that morning, Lin Sanzhu got someone to collect the cicada shells. The person who collected cicada shells looked at the cicada shells and frowned. "They aren’t in a good condition. I'll give you 30 coins per 1.1 pounds."
"Don’t they buy them for 35 coins per 1.1 pounds in town? Madam, you’re offering too little." Lin Sanzhu was a little unwilling to accept the price. It was five coins less.
The person who collected cicada shells had a bad temper. "Your cicada shells aren’t in a good condition. 30 coins is already a high price that I’m offering. If you don't want to sell them, forget it. I'll buy the cicada shells from other people."
Su Tao felt frustrated. This woman was trying to lower the price because she knew that their family was poor.
She refused to accept that price. She got all tanned from collecting the cicada shells.
"Then we won't sell them. The medicinal hall in town offers a higher price."
She paused. "I pick cicada shells every day in this village. Other families don't have as many as we do."
"We merely don't want to go to the town. Auntie, if you want to buy them, offer us 33 coins. If you don’t want to buy them, forget it.”
The woman who collected cicada shells hesitated after what Su Tao said. It was indeed rare to be able to collect so many cicada shells. After all, it was the busy farming season.
She was in a dilemma. After some deliberation, she finally said angrily, "33 coins then. You can't tell anyone else."
Lin Sanzhu didn't expect that her wretched daughter would be good at bargaining. She was a little surprised. "We won’t tell other people. We definitely won’t."
The woman who collected cicada shells didn't make a big profit on the price, so she wanted to tamper with the scales. However, the tanned girl was standing at the side and watching her weigh the cicada shells.
She couldn’t tamper with the scales.
She glared at Su Tao angrily. "2.98 pounds, 87 coins."
While Lin Sanzhu was still calculating in her mind, she heard her daughter say, "2.98 pounds should be 89 coins. Auntie, you’ve counted two coins less."
She wouldn't even be cheated of half a coin, let alone one coin.
They were already poor, yet these people were so unkind as to try to steal their money.
The person who collected cicada shells did not expect that this tanned girl could actually calculate. She said with an ugly expression, "I’m getting old. I miscalculated. It should be 89 coins."
Then, she paid the copper coins.
Lin Sanzhu didn't trust her anymore. She only let the woman leave after counting the coins one by one. Lin Sanzhu glanced at her tanned daughter and said, "Wretched girl, you’re really smart. I thought you were like a fool."
Su Tao, "..."
To Lin Sanzhu, she was either stupid or crazy!
"In any case, I’m still your child." After saying that, she ran away.
Lin Sanzhu was stunned for a moment before she realized what Su Tao meant. Her wretched daughter was saying that she was like a fool.
She took off her shoe and threw it over. "Wretched girl, you’re so disrespectful now! Do you believe I’ll beat you to death?"
"Go down the mountain slowly!"
Fortunately, Su Tao ran fast. Otherwise, the shoe would have hit her.
Lin Sanzhu hopped to pick up her shoe. She stared at the short figure, and muttered, "That wretched girl's temperament seems to have changed. She’s now more likable."
