Chapter 6: Get Two Free

Zhou Qing felt genuinely embarrassed this time.

"You already repaid me for saving your life yesterday. How can I accept this? Besides, it wasn't really a life-saving act, just a small favor."

As she spoke, Zhou Qing took half of the stack of paper and hugged it to her chest. "Just give me your shop's worst brush and inkstone."

"A life-saving favor cannot be repaid with mere silver. Please accept this. For you, it was a small favor, but for me, it was a huge help in a time of great need. Accepting it will give me peace of mind. Think of it as a good deed."

Zhou Qing...

This young man knows how to talk.

"Alright, since you put it that way, refusing would just be pretentious."

Zhou Qing placed the silver on the counter.

Just as they were talking, Cheng Wu came in from outside.

"Are you done buying?"

Zhou Qing turned to look at him, "You're done so quickly?"

Cheng Wu wiped the sweat from his forehead, scratched the back of his head, and smiled shyly, "I didn't want to keep you waiting too long."

As he spoke, his ears turned red. Cheng Wu quickly averted his gaze from Zhou Qing and looked at the paper in her arms.

"You bought so much?"

Zhou Qing nodded and pointed at the remaining half-stack of paper and the box containing the brush and inkstone. "This too. Load it onto the cart."

Cheng Wu glanced at Zhou Qing in shock.

When did Sister Qing become so rich!

How much would all this paper cost!

Thoughts flashed through his mind, but Cheng Wu said nothing more. He stepped forward, picked up the items, and turned to leave.

"Thank you, Boss Shen." Zhou Qing nodded to Shen Li, preparing to leave.

Shen Li withdrew his gaze from Cheng Wu's back and smiled, "Is that your brother?"

Zhou Qing was taken aback, "Huh? Oh, a friend."

"Could he be your fiancé?"

Zhou Qing...

What a nice young man, but so nosy!

Old man...

I think I’ve discovered something.

Smiling slightly, Zhou Qing said, "Boss Shen, you’re joking."

"Sister Qing, are you ready?"

Cheng Wu carefully placed the items on the mule cart and called out towards the calligraphy shop.

Zhou Qing bid farewell to Shen Li and came out.

As soon as Zhou Qing left, Shen Li sat down on the rattan chair in the inner room of the shop, lifted his robe, revealing the white trousers underneath stained with blood.

"You shouldn't have said that this shop belongs to you, Milord."

The old man took out a medicine box and began treating the reopened wound on Shen Li's leg.

"With the wound like this, why did you..."

"Uncle Zhong, send someone to investigate her," Shen Li interrupted.

Zhong glanced at Shen Li, "Didn't you say last night that she was just an ordinary farm girl?"

Shen Li leaned back in the chair, closed his eyes, and rubbed his temples, looking tired. "Investigate her anyway."

Seeing him close his eyes, Zhong's lips twitched but didn't say anything. He just bowed his head and focused on treating the wound.

The wound was serious and should have required rest, but Shen Li had to take care of the matter himself.

Sigh~

After bandaging the wound, Shen Li still kept his eyes closed. Zhong quietly exited with the medicine box.

Hearing Shen Li asking if the girl’s companion was her fiancé, he thought Shen Li might have some interest in her...

But he was overthinking it.

In the front, Zhong managed the calligraphy shop, while Shen Li leaned back in the rattan chair with his eyes closed, a faint smile playing on his lips.

Sister Qing.

Her name has a 'Qing' in it?

Which Qing?

The Qing from Qing qing zi jin, you you wo xin?^[1]

...

"Sister Qing, how much silver did all this cost? What will I say if your grandma asks?"

Cheng Wu scratched his head, looking troubled.

Zhou Qing, with a stalk of foxtail grass in her mouth, lied smoothly, "That shop by the city gate has poor business. Whenever someone buys something, they get two free. I bought a brush, and he gave me paper and an inkstone."

Hearing this, Cheng Wu's eyes widened in shock.

"Buy one brush and get so much paper? And an inkstone?"

The shopkeeper must be a fool.

Zhou Qing chuckled, "Exactly."

Cheng Wu...

"Should I go buy a brush too? We could get more paper for Uncle Huaishan."

Zhou Qing almost fell off the cart and quickly said with a laugh, "Paper can't be stored for long. It gets damp."

Cheng Wu didn’t doubt her and just sighed, "What a pity."

Zhou Qing, feeling guilty, said nothing.

Before sunset, Zhou Qing returned home.

As soon as she entered the courtyard, she headed straight to the second room with her items, but still got caught by Sun.

"You little brat, with so much farm work, your father can't work because of his injured leg, and you're out messing around! What's that you're carrying? Stop right there."

Zhou Qing started running towards the second room, and Sun also took quick steps to block her.

"Stop, you little brat! Are you carrying paper? I warn you, if you bought it, fine, but it all goes to your big brother. If you damage even one sheet, I'll skin you alive!"

As soon as Sun finished speaking, Zhou Qing dashed into the room and slammed the door shut behind her.

Zhou Huaishan jumped off the kang and rushed over, whispering, "Daughter, you're back! I have something important to tell you. They want to marry you off to that scoundrel Wang Qiang."

Zhou Qing responded with an "Hmm," placed her items on the kang, and started looking around the room for a place to hide the paper, not responding to him.

Outside, Sun was banging on the door.

"You little brat, open the door! Are you rebelling? Open the door! Open it now!"

Seeing Zhou Qing looking around, Zhou Huaishan couldn't help but look around too, "Daughter, what are you looking for?"

Zhou Qing patted the paper on the kang, "Looking for a place to hide these, otherwise it’ll all go to the first branch."

Zhou Huaishan's eye twitched.

"Daughter, in this room, besides the cabinet, the only place to hide things is under the kang. Why bother looking? Unless you want to hide it in a grave."

Zhou Qing...

Father, you live so transparently!

Seeing Zhou Qing eyeing the kang, Zhou Huaishan quickly blocked it, "That won't do. I'm making beggar's chicken for you tonight, guaranteed to be delicious."

Zhou Qing...

Even if you weren't making beggar's chicken, I wouldn't hide it in the kang. The white paper would turn black.

As for the cabinet, it’s too obvious and will definitely be found.

Zhou Huaishan seemed to guess Zhou Qing's thoughts and chuckled, "Don’t worry, daughter. As long as I'm here, they won’t get a thing out of the cabinet. Trust me."

Zhou Qing...

Zhou Huaishan patted his chest confidently, "Trust me.  I may lack other skills, but I'm great at throwing a fit."

Just then, Sun’s banging on the door intensified.

With a loud bang, the door was kicked down by her.

"Damn! My persona!"

The moment the door fell, Zhou Huaishan jumped onto the kang like an athlete, then put on a desperate expression, leaning against the cabinet.

At the same time, he didn't forget to hug the paper and box Zhou Qing bought.

Zhou Qing...

"You little brat, you’re going to disgrace the Zhou family ancestors."

Sun rushed in, grabbed a broom, and started hitting Zhou Qing with it.

_____

Footnotes:

[1] The line translates to 'You with your green collar, my heart is filled with longing' is a famous line from an ancient Chinese poem found in the "Book of Songs" (《诗经》), specifically from the "Zheng Feng" (《郑风》) section. 

  In essence, the line conveys a deep sense of yearning and affection. The speaker is expressing their deep feelings for someone who wears a green collar, which is often interpreted as a symbol of scholarly attire in ancient China. The phrase captures the emotion of longing and the strong connection the speaker feels towards the person they are addressing.

Btw, I'm trying to keep up with the Manhua. If we get to where it stops, the early chapter will be posted on my Ko-fi and Patreon pages.