Chapter 52 - 52: The Shadow Area is Too Large

Translator: 549690339

In the end, Qiao Xiaomai did not sign the contract, and instead got a donkey, a board cart, and a large millstone sat on the cart.

Since Qiao Xiaomai didn’t know how to drive a donkey cart, Shopkeeper He had a waiter accompany her back to Anping Village.

To allow Qiao Xiaomai to focus on tofu making, Shopkeeper He said that he would send someone to collect the tofu every day so she wouldn’t have to deliver it to the town.

Touched by such consideration, Qiao Xiaomai naturally expressed her gratitude, and told them about several dishes made with tofu.

By the time they returned to Anping Village it was nearly noon. Qiao Xiaomai enthusiastically invited the waiter to stay for lunch, but he needed to return to the shop. Out of gratitude, she gifted him a bag of pastries she had just bought.

After bidding the waiter farewell and closing the courtyard door, Qiao Changshun finally asked, having contained his confusion for a while, “Xiaomai, what’s going on?”

Qiao Xiaomai briefly explained, “In order for us to make more tofu, Shopkeeper He gifted us a millstone and loaned us a donkey.”

“Wow! Now we have a donkey!” Qiao Dami clapped her hands and circled the donkey cart several times. Her face beamed with excitement as she finally hopped onto the cart and bounced a few times.

These past few days, not only had they been eating well, but they now also had a donkey cart. Her sister was truly amazing!

Unlike Qiao Dami, Qiao Changshun did not share in the excitement, but was rather frowning, “Xiaomai, that Shopkeeper He is so generous. Could there be a trap?”

As he spoke, he limped around the donkey cart. The cart was used for transporting goods from the shop, hence slightly decrepit, but the donkey seemed in fine fettle, robust and energetic.

“Does this donkey have any diseases?” he voiced his suspicions.

If the donkey is sick – and dies – he would have to pay silver.

Qiao Xiaomai”…”

“Dad, don’t worry, Shopkeeper He wouldn’t swindle us for a donkey. Besides, even if he wanted to, he couldn’t. 1 didn’t leave any fingerprints. If there’s really something wrong with the donkey, we just deny it,” she comforted.

Upon hearing her words, Qiao Changshun felt a little bit embarrassed, rubbing his hands together, “I’m poor, so I’m afraid.”

The last time something similar to a pie falling from the sky happened was the fifty taels silver incident, which resulted in him breaking his leg and Luhe running away.

He had a big shadow in his heart about this kind of thing.

His first response was not joy, but horror.

Qiao Xiaomai, unaware of Qiao Changshun’s inner thoughts, reassured, “Don’t worry, things are going to get better and better for our family!”

As she spoke, she picked up the basket she had left in the kitchen and called Dami over, “I bought a lot of food today. Look, this is sugar cane, it’s so sweet and delicious when added to soy milk or tofu pudding.”

“I want to try!” Dami quickly jumped off the cart.

Qiao Xiaomai handed the sugar cane wrapped in parchment paper to him, “Pour it into a bowl. There are a few steamed buns 1 made this morning. It’s delicious when you eat it with the buns.”

Dami crisply agreed, and took the sugar cane into the kitchen.

Qiao Xiaomai then brought out the melon seeds, pork bones, flour, and eggs she bought. She also bought two pieces of silk cloth.

Everyone in the village wore linen, but the linen here was not as light and soft as it was in the future. If the linen here was a bit finer, it was okay. But if it was roughly made, it was almost like a hemp rope, very uncomfortable to wear.

Previously, the Qiao Family could only afford to wear the cheapest type of linen. Later, when they found silver, Luhe bought some finer linen for everyone.

This type of cloth was what people in the village commonly wore.

But for Qiao Xiaomai, even the finer linen was very uncomfortable. Her skin, accustomed to various soft fabrics, couldn’t tolerate it.

So she specifically bought the silk cloth, planning to wear it as undergarments..