Chapter 15.1

Translated by Aviana

The next day, early in the morning, Yang shi took Lin Qingwan along with her to go to the town.

As Luoyun Town was almost an hour away from Luoxia Village, they got up very early in the morning.

After having breakfast, both of them left the house.

At this moment, the sky was slightly brightened. Not a single person could be seen on the village path.

This day, Lin Qingwan was dressed in an old cyan-colored dress that Yang-shi specifically had found for her. When she put it on, at first glance, she looked like an ordinary rural married woman.

Lin Qingwan understood Yang shi’s meaning. It wasn’t proper for an unmarried woman to walk outside too conspicuously. Thus, this day, she didn’t comb her hair in a bun; instead, she casually tied her hair and wrapped with a green coarse cloth headscarf like many young married women.

After walking to the outskirts of Luoxia village, both of them walked even further for a while until Yang shi stopped under a willow tree.

“An ox cart will arrive in a moment. Let’s wait here for a while.” Yang shi said to her.

The early morning fog hadn’t cleared yet and was lingering at the tip of people’s nose.

When Lin Qing Wan took a deep breath, her lungs seemed to have become entirely alive. The air here was excellent, fresh, natural, and pollution-free.

They haven’t stood there for even a quarter of an hour when a chime of little bells was heard from far away.

After a moment, an old man appeared in front of them in an ox cart.

“Sister Yang, going to the town.” The old man greeted Yang-shi. Although both of them weren’t from the same village, every time Yang shi went to the town, she would take his ox cart. Thus, after a long time, both of them became familiar with each other.

“I am taking my niece to the town for her to take a look.” Yang-shi gave him a copper coin before taking a seat in the ox cart along with Lin Qingwan.

There were a lot of people sitting in the ox cart. However, none of them seemed to be from Luoxia Village, as Lin Qingwan didn’t see Yang-shi greeting anyone. Lin Qingwan couldn’t help but put her heart at ease. After all, her identity at this moment was still quite awkward.

“Hai, all of you sit tight.” As the old man lashed his whip in the air, the ox cart slowly started to move.

By the time they reached the town, the sun had already risen.

After getting off the ox cart, Yang-shi, akin to an old horse who knew the way, took Lin Qingwan and shuttled through the town.

T/N: an old horse knows the way (idiom); an experienced worker knows what to do / an old hand knows the ropes

After walking for a while, they finally stopped at the entrance of an embroidery workshop called ‘Jinxiufang’ before walking in.

The embroidery shop was not very big but had all kinds of stuff. The shelves were densely packed with various fabrics of different sizes. Some shelves were also filled with embroidery products, purses, and all kinds and sorts of Laozi .

T/N: [pinyin: lào zi] It is a traditional Chinese handcraft, similar to the Chinese knots. I have included a picture below…

“Auntie Yang has come…” The lady boss standing at the front desk was very young. She appeared to be in her 30s and seemed to be very familiar with Yang-shi. When she saw Yang-shi coming in, she greeted her with a warm smile.

“Hello, shopkeeper Su.” Yang-shi also smiled cordially as she put the baggage in her hands on the front desk. “I’m here to hand over the work, shopkeeper Su, please check it.”

After Lin Qingwan entered the shop, she wandered around and looked at the fabrics and the embroidery products on the shelves.

The embroidery products were very beautiful, colorful, and festive, but Lin Qingwan could see that the embroidery skills of these embroideries were not quite good.

How to say? One could simply say that these embroidery products were merely embroidery patterns. They were embroidered without appeal. Moreover, some stitches were also wrong.

She could practically feel an innate sense of familiarity. When Lin Qing Wan saw these embroidery products, at once, the embroidery method and stitches used in these embroideries appeared in her mind. To the extent that even how these embroidery products could be improved, make them even more perfect and exquisite, appeared in her mind.

After watching it for a while, Lin Qingwan became determined, thinking that she should be able to receive work here with her own craftsmanship. Thus, she turned around and went to Yang-shi’s side again.

Shopkeeper Su took the bundle, opened it, and started counting the purses inside whilst casually chatting with Yang.

“Auntie Yang, it has been quite a while since you have come here. I missed you.”

“I have become old, my eyes are no longer good, and the work is getting slower and slower. Fortunately, you don’t disdain me for slow work, and don’t rush me.” Yang-shi replied with a smile.

It could be seen that Yang-shi had quite a good relationship with the shopkeeper Su, as she casually spoke, without being reserved.

“Look what you’re saying. For how many years have we been friends.” Shopkeeper Su checked the purses and settled Yang shi’s account. “Auntie Yang, there are forty purses altogether, four wen for one purse, totaling 160 wen.”

T/N: Wen was copper cash used in ancient china.

Shopkeeper Su bent over and took out two strings of copper coins from the drawer. She then handed them over to Yang shi after counting them.

“You don’t need to give me the money. I still have to buy some fabrics from you. Oh, by the way, I also wanted to ask you for some help…” Yang-shi didn’t take the copper coins; instead, she turned around and pulled Lin Qingwan.

“Wan’er, come, let me introduce you–this is shopkeeper Su, she is Jinxiufang’s owner.”

“Hello, shopkeeper Su.” Lin Qingwan smiled and slightly greeted shopkeeper Su.

“This is my niece Qingwan. I wanted you to give her some work for her to take back home. Do you think it’s okay?” Yang-shi was afraid that the shopkeeper Su would not be at ease, so she added a few more words. “My niece’s craft is really good. I guarantee you.”

Shopkeeper Su smiled but looked displeased, “Look what you are saying, are we friends or what? When you are the one introducing the person, would I still not be at ease.”

After saying so, she turned her head and asked Lin Qingwan, “What work does this young sister wish to do?”

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