The next day, it was still pitch black when Sun Linglong was woken up by Sun Youyong.
She hurriedly washed up and quickly drank two mouthfuls of congee.
"Little sister, don't rush, eat slowly."
Sun Youyong was sorting Solomon's seal roots. He took out the greater part of them and packed them into his own back basket, covering the top with a tattered cloth.
"It's still early, but I was afraid you'd oversleep, so I woke you up ahead of time."
After finishing her breakfast, Sun Linglong looked puzzled. "Second Brother, what are you doing?"
"Little sister, between us there's no need for pretense. Do you know what kind of business I've been running?"
Sun Linglong's expression stiffened. After a long moment, she nodded.
In her past life, after her second brother was arrested for going to the black market, she had begged everywhere to save him, only to discover that he had started speculating and profiteering on the black market long ago.
She had not brought this matter up.
She knew her parents' temper very well; if they found out, they would surely worry themselves sick.
"Second Brother, you..."
"Little sister, you know our family's situation. Two years ago, things were so poor we couldn't even afford to eat, so I had no choice but to take a desperate risk. By now I fully understand both the dangers and the opportunities of the black market, so I simply have to go."
Sun Linglong sighed. "Second Brother, be careful."
She did not want to lose her family the way she did in her previous life.
She lowered her head, her face carrying dejection and lingering fear.
Sun Youyong forcefully ruffled Sun Linglong's hair. "Why are you overthinking things at such a young age? You're our family's lucky star. Since you already know what might go wrong in the future, I'll only be all the more careful. Don't worry."
"You take the ox cart to the market later, you hear? I'll walk ahead."
Walking from the village to the town took an hour, so Sun Youyong had to set out early.
Watching her second brother carry his back basket into the boundless night, Sun Linglong felt a pang in her chest, as if her heart were being squeezed.
She shook her head, banishing the worry from her mind.
Once her second brother's figure was completely out of sight, Sun Linglong began to pack up the remaining Solomon's seal roots.
She took out a basket and placed the roots inside. After a moment's thought, she stuffed a rice sack in alongside them, finally covering the whole thing with a piece of cloth.
When dawn was just breaking, she picked up her basket and headed out.
At the entrance of the village, Uncle Ma was already waiting on the ox cart, and a number of older village women were already seated upon it.
"My, if it isn't the Sun Family's third girl! What made you decide to head out today?"
"What good things do you have in that basket? Let Auntie have a look."
With that, the woman reached out to flip aside the cloth covering the basket.
Sun Linglong quickly dodged back, brushing right past that wrinkled hand.
Her smile carried a trace of aloofness. "Auntie Liu, the basket just holds a rice sack. We're out of rice at home, and my mother asked me to go buy some."
Auntie Liu pursed her lips, malice flickering in her slanted eyes.
"Who knows if you're sneaking around and hiding some good stuff from the rest of us, not even daring to let anyone look."
Sun Linglong dropped her smile.
Auntie Liu had never gotten along with her family. They were neighbors, and back when her father wasn't yet the brigade captain, Auntie Liu's eldest son had made some money and prepared to build a new house, but the foundation had encroached upon their family's private plot of land.
Her mother had strongly opposed it at the time, and the two families had quarreled fiercely.
Later, when Auntie Liu failed to win the argument against her mother, she had held a grudge ever since.
Ever since her father became brigade captain, Auntie Liu had been even more resentful, constantly watching their family in an attempt to drag her father down.
Sun Linglong had originally intended to keep the peace since they were all fellow villagers.
Now she realized she had been far too naive.
"Auntie Liu, what an interesting thing to say. Nowadays, no family has it easy, and everyone knows what our situation is like. Since you claim my family is sneaking around hiding good things, let's let everyone judge the matter."
As she spoke, the corners of Sun Linglong's eyes turned red. Naturally cute-faced to begin with, this aggrieved look of hers made her all the more sympathetic.
"Our Wanwan is nothing but skin and bones, does she look like a five-year-old child?"
"Auntie Liu, saying things like that is driving a knife straight into my heart!"
Clutching her chest with a self-pitying expression, Sun Linglong pulled back the cloth and turned slightly aside so that everyone could clearly see that there was nothing inside except for a single rice sack.
Someone couldn't bear to watch any longer. "Linglong, stop crying. Auntie Liu had no right to say such things."
"That's right, Auntie Liu. Who doesn't know your family has bad blood with the Sun Family? You're old enough, why are you bullying a young girl?"
Auntie Liu trembled all over with anger, gave a vicious wave of her hand, and glared fiercely at Sun Linglong. "Little hussy, all you know how to do is put on a pitiful act!"
With tears welling in her eyes, Sun Linglong looked utterly pitiful.
Auntie Zhang, who had spoken up for her, felt a pang of sympathy. "Stop crying now, or that flower-like face of yours will really get ruined by all these tears."
Comforted by Auntie Zhang, Sun Linglong gradually steadied her emotions. She pulled the cloth back over the basket and sat down next to Auntie Zhang.
By now, the sun had climbed over the mountaintop.
Uncle Ma flicked the whip in his hand, preparing to drive the ox cart forward.
"Wait! There's still people coming!"
Li Hongmei shouted loudly as she ran over at a sprint, followed closely by Wen Ruocheng and Ji Wenrou.
When enemies meet, their eyes turn red with hatred.
Watching the two figures draw closer, Sun Linglong clenched her fists.
"Hey, make some room."
Li Hongmei strode right up to Sun Linglong and shoved her aside, squeezing herself onto the seat.
As for Wen Ruocheng and Ji Wenrou who arrived right after, there were no seats left for them.
Both of them frowned, sweeping their gazes across everyone on the ox cart.
Wen Ruocheng wore an expression of undisguised disgust.
The two of them stood stiffly by the side of the ox cart.
"Are you getting on or not? I'm about to leave." Uncle Ma turned his head toward them impatiently.
Ji Wenrou tugged at Wen Ruocheng's sleeve, smiling ingratiatingly. "We're getting on, we're coming right now."
Half-pushed and half-pulled, Wen Ruocheng got onto the ox cart.
The two of them stood awkwardly in the middle of the cart. Ji Wenrou nearly crushed her own teeth in frustration—why didn't these country bumpkins know enough to offer up a seat?
The ox cart rumbled forward, swaying back and forth. The two of them could barely keep their balance, having to rely entirely on their own muscle power to steady themselves.
Before long, Ji Wenrou couldn't take it anymore. Her back ached, her waist hurt, and her calves were starting to cramp.
Wen Ruocheng found it equally agonizing.
He had never suffered this kind of hardship in his life, and having to hunch over in front of these country folk whom he looked down upon was completely unbearable to him.
Wen Ruocheng raised his head and unexpectedly locked eyes with Sun Linglong.
It's her?
Looking at the most dazzling presence in the crowd, Wen Ruocheng tried hard to adjust his expression, flashing a gentle and handsome smile.
Could this country girl have fallen for me?
The next second, his expression stiffened, because the country girl in his mind had disdainfully looked away.
Wen Ruocheng clenched his fists.
How dare she?
Ji Wenrou also noticed the change in Wen Ruocheng's mood. Following his gaze, a flash of disgust crossed her eyes.
Why is this cheap woman everywhere she goes?
Dressing up so cleanly on purpose—isn't it just to seduce Brother Ruocheng?
Who is she playing hard to get for?
So disgusting!
Cursing inwardly, Ji Wenrou put on a fragile expression and spoke up. "Comrade, would you let me sit down for a moment?"