Liao Zhifu was rendered speechless and only said after a long time: “Hah-hah, young people are good talkers; I’m not able to outdebate you.” He still kept his words and didn’t tear up the agreement.
Qin Mian made a lot of money that he was in a good mood and didn’t care about being treated coldly. “We still have something to do, so we are going. Manager Liao, you continue on [working].”
Liao Zhifu was not in the mood to say more and waved his hands perfunctorily. He took the blueprint and asked the assistant to hold the noodle maker before he walked quickly into the workshop at the back of the shop.
Qin Mian walked out of the door and looked back. He pulled Lei Tie and walked away quickly. After walking far, he looked behind him and his eyes turned left and right as he secretly looked at the passers-by. He pulled back his gaze only when he didn’t find anything suspicious.
“What?” Lei Tie also turned around and didn’t find anything unusual.Qin Mian whispered: “Nothing. I was just wondering that I made so much money from that man and he would not be willing, so he would send someone to follow us secretly to rob the money back when there was no one around.” He hugged the heavy pouch in his hand and couldn’t help but look back. However, an able-bodied man who had been on the same road with them was puzzled and looked at him suspiciously.
“Hah…..”
There was a chuckle nearby. Qin Mian was stunned as he thought he had heard it wrong. He stood in the middle of the street, staring at Lei Tie with a face of beyond comprehension. Lei Tie actually laughed, but also laughed out loud?
Lei Tie seemed to be surprised by the fact that he had laughed, his upturned lips immediately returned to their usual position. He took away the money pouch before he put it in his bosom and pulled Qin Mian to move forward. Without looking at him, he lightly said: “Don’t be scared.”
When Qin Mian returned to his senses, he felt quite regretful. Couldn’t he (LT) laugh for two seconds at most? Although the man was handsome, he didn’t have any expression and also tongue-tied. Just now, with a laugh, he looked quite eye-catching. Still, he (QM) also didn’t look bad in the previous life!
However, Lei Tie’s word “don’t be scared” really appeased him. He relaxed and didn’t notice that Lei Tie was still holding his wrist.
“What to buy?” Lei Tie asked.When it came to how to spend money, Qin Mian was excited and looked at Lei Tie with bright eyes. “I want to build the house first. Will it be done in time for the New Year?” At this time, he suddenly remembered that he had not visited their home base. Lei Tie didn’t even mention it……
Lei Tie nodded, “After the busy season.” His wife was so capable, did he want to do something about it?
Although the paddy had been harvested, the next step was to cultivate the field and prepare to plant winter wheat. Only after the wheat was planted did the busy season concluded as over. However, Qin Mian still could wait ten days to half a month.
“Roughly, how much is it cost?”
“For three rooms, 12 tael will suffice.” Lei Tie answered without thinking about it.
12 tael wasn’t much for all their property. Qin Mian heaved a sigh of relief and smilingly said: “Can’t buy the cart for the time being, but can buy a calf to use when ploughing. How much is it?”
Lei Tie shook his head, “Should have enough.”
Qin Mian was not surprised. Lei Tie had just come back, afraid that he didn’t know the current market.
The duo inquired about it or some time and went directly to the place where livestock were sold. Because those animals “produced” excrement everywhere and the smell was bad, a special place had been designated in the town. In fact, it’s an open space on the edge of the town. People who bought and sold cattle, sheep, pigs, donkeys and mules all came here. Over time, this place had become a small livestock trading market.
When the duo got to the vicinity, a burst of odor assailed their nostrils. They glanced around carelessly; the ground was full of manure. The sounds of pigs, cows and sheep were mixed together, very lively.
Those sellers were used to this kind of environment. They sat by the wall and looked uninterested as they waited for buyers.
“Buy male or female ox?” Qin Mian asked.
Lei Tie answered: “You decide.”
Hearing these words again, Qin Mian felt helpless while thinking that if he really decided everything at home, he didn’t know whether Lei Tie really didn’t care.
“Then buy a male ox.” He said while looking left and right.
A little donkey kicked the ground anxiously and suddenly took two steps back. Qin Mian hurriedly flashed to the side.
Its master was an old man in his fifties, smiled at him sheepishly and pulled the rope in his hand, dragging the donkey aside.
Qin Mian smiled back to express that he didn’t mind. He saw several people selling cattle in front of him. After he shopped around and compared prices, he finally saw a two-year-old young ox. It’s a water ox. Its horn was thick and flat, and its two big eyes were as clear as glass. It should have been washed by the owner specially; its hair was jet-black and clean, which made people like it. Qin Mian saw such a beautiful water ox for the first time.
After asking the broker in charge of livestock sales in the market to see it and determined the ox had no health and convenience problems, Qin Mian spent 6 tael of silver to buy it and gave the broker another 100 wen.
Lei Tie really let him decide as he said. He had no objection during that time and merely looked at him lightly with those dark and deep eyes. Occasionally with those eyes of his, Qin Mian’s heart beat unstably.
But his attention soon shifted, because he had a lot to buy. Making Lei Tie led the young ox, he went to buy some vegetable seeds, 2 Jin of sugar and 2 Jin of streaky pork. Of course, he didn’t forget to buy the promised snacks. Finally, he went to the cloth shop and picked up their new clothes, and then led the young ox home.
Translator’s rant corner: Do you know how it feels when you have 55 more words to translate but suddenly the connection was lost? Then, when you are about to publish the chapter that’d been delayed, you discovered that you’d translated the wrong chapter? I felt pure frustration…
