Joyful Motherhood in a Rural Family

“Wait, I’ll give you a discount… How about 1,500 copper coins?” The shopkeeper also realized that the beautiful young wife in front of him was not someone to mess with.

“Humph! I’ll offer at most 150 copper coins for one piece of cloth, so six and a half pieces of sub-standard cloth will be 975 copper coins.”

She had seen through the shopkeeper’s shamelessness!

Liu Sisi naturally didn’t want to waste any more words: “These are all inferior products… No! Look at all the damaged places, it’s not a stretch to call them waste products. If you think that 975 copper coins are a good price, we’ll buy them; otherwise, we’ll leave immediately!”

“975 copper coins? You’re robbing me — I won’t sell!”

The shopkeeper was also angered!

A piece of silk was worth 600 copper coins, and now five and a half pieces were only worth 975 copper coins. How could he accept this?

“975 copper coins are already quite a lot. You’re selling waste products for almost one tael of silver, so why not? Moreover, instead of keeping these waste products in the warehouse and taking up space, why not sell them to me early? Next time I want to buy cloth, I’ll definitely come to your shop. What do you think?” Liu Sisi sincerely said.

The shopkeeper still furrowed his brows and shook his head repeatedly: “No, no, the price is too low.”

Liu Sisi’s eyes shifted and suddenly noticed a large pile of scrap cloth in the corner of the wall.

“How about this! You pack up that pile of scrap cloth for me, and I’ll give you one tael of silver, okay? I’ve spent quite a lot of money here today, and for us poor people, we’ve already squeezed out our food money!”

The shopkeeper’s gaze wandered between the pile of scrap cloth and the cloth pieces. The scrap cloth was usually sold for just 2 or 3 copper coins per bundle, which was really not worth much. In the end, he gritted his teeth, closed his eyes, and waved his hand: “Fine! One tael of silver and it’s a deal! Take them all.”

The family happily carried the cloth pieces on their way home. While passing through the street corner, Liu Sisi bought a lot of colorful silk threads.

When they came across a small stall selling rice cakes, Liu Sisi bought two rice cakes for the children.

“Sisi, are you buying these cloth pieces to make clothes? Won’t the colors be too strange to wear?” Di Yelei carefully said.

Liu Sisi smiled mysteriously: “They’re not for making clothes, I plan to use them for…”

The rest of her words were blocked by a group of people that suddenly appeared in front of them.

Not far ahead on the main road, a group of people blocked the way, with Damned Fatty at the head.

Fatty Head Chef had been scolded by Boss He and fined a month’s salary. Upon returning to the kitchen, he couldn’t swallow his anger. In the end, he decided to gather a group of people and waited in a secluded place at the exit of the market to teach them a lesson.

“Yo, you’ve got quite a harvest here, picking up so many things!”

Fatty’s face was full of lewdness, and his greasy, mung-bean eyes kept scanning Liu Sisi’s body.

The lustful gaze made Liu Sisi’s entire body break out in goosebumps. She held the hands of the two children and quietly hid behind Di Yelei.

“What do you want, Head Chef? Boss He said that the matter was already settled. Are you still planning to cause trouble?”

Di Yelei instinctively protected Liu Sisi behind him and suppressed the anger in his heart as he questioned Fatty.

The group of people on the other side laughed loudly. Naturally, the loudest laughter came from Fatty.

“Oh, this is hilarious! You’re still asking what we want now?”

Fatty grinned triumphantly, pointing arrogantly at Di Yelei’s head: “Weren’t you very arrogant at the restaurant just now? Now you know fear, but it’s too late! Hand over the silver you falsely took! Maybe, considering our dealings over the past few years, I’ll spare your life!”

Fatty pressed forward step by step, while Di Yelei shielded Liu Sisi and the two others, retreating step by step. Until there was no place left to retreat, they reached a cliff.

With nowhere to retreat, a fierce light flashed in Di Yelei’s eyes. Staring at the finger pointing at his own nose, he asked softly, “What if I say no?”

“Hahaha… He said no! You actually dare to say no?”

A group of ruffians laughed loudly once more. The arrogant Damned Fatty pointed at someone in the crowd and asked triumphantly, “Do you know who they are? You actually have the guts to say no after eating a leopard’s gallbladder? Do you still want to see tomorrow’s sun, huh?”

“Who they are, I don’t know, and I don’t want to know. Whether I can see tomorrow’s sun is not up to you,”

Di Yelei’s voice was very steady. Even surrounded by the crowd, he seemed to be chatting casually as if there was no intimidation at all.

“Good, good indeed! I see you’re like a cooked duck – stubborn!”

Damned Fatty clearly didn’t expect Di Yelei to respond like this, so he had brought a gang of ruffians who specialized in illicit business and were active in several nearby small towns.

Usually, when he appeared with this group of people, no matter who it was, they would feel some fear. Of course, he had encountered fearless people, but he had never come across a village man who remained so calm.

“Do you really think we are just here for show? Brothers, go! Show him our strength! Rob him of his silver!”

As Damned Fatty shouted, two tall and powerful men stepped out from the surrounding crowd and quickly approached Di Yelei.

“Sisi, take care of the children.”

Di Yelei found the chance to take a glance and casually picked up the shoulder pole used for carrying game.

Liu Sisi hastily nodded. Even if he didn’t tell her, she would take good care of the two children.

“Mom, I’m scared…”

Di Ying’s voice trembled, and Sisi clung to Liu Sisi’s dress, refusing to let go.

“Don’t be afraid, Ying’er, don’t be afraid. Xuan’er, hurry behind mom.”

Liu Sisi tightly shielded the two children behind her, bemoaning this unprovoked disaster.

Just as they were talking, the two ruffians had already strode up to Di Yelei. Each reached out to grab Di Yelei’s shoulders.

“Courting death!”

Di Yelei suddenly spoke. As his words fell, everyone felt their vision blur…

Boom! Boom!

Dust filled the air!

As the two heavy sounds rang out, the spectators saw the two ruffians collapsing to the ground, writhing in pain and wailing.

Yet the lamb in everyone’s eyes still stood tall, his body tense, and the ordinary black shoulder pole, corroded by sweat over time, remained in front of him.

“You, you actually!…”

Unable to hide the fear in his eyes, Damned Fatty sized up Di Yelei as if it was the first time he’d met him. The two ruffians were no match for him alone. Were these people too useless or was the opponent too formidable?

“Go! Everyone together, take him down! In addition to the originally agreed silver, I’ll treat everyone to a big meal tonight!” If he couldn’t put him down, he wouldn’t be able to hang around this small town any longer!

“Brothers, come on!”

Under the promise of a generous reward, the ruffians eagerly pounced at Di Yelei, intending to capture him in one fell swoop!