The Country Maiden: Fields and Leisure
Chapter 299: Lady Sun

Chapter 299: Chapter 299: Lady Sun

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Jing County.

The bustling marketplace was filled with hawkers loudly peddling their wares and a steady stream of people moving about in the early morning hustle.

At the crack of dawn, the time-honored Liu Ji Baozi Shop was doing brisk business.

"Hot and steamy meat buns here! Freshly baked traditional mantou here! Mantou for one Copper Coin each, vegetarian buns for two Copper Coins, meat buns for three Copper Coins..."

The owner of the steamed bun shop shouted enthusiastically.

A young woman dressed in a plum-red skirt, her face painted with makeup, approached, "Big Brother Liu, give me one vegetarian bun and three meat buns. How many Copper Coins?"

"Lady Sun, good morning. Thank you for your patronage. That would be eleven Copper Coins in total," responded Old Liu as he efficiently picked out four buns, wrapped them in oiled paper, and handed them over.

The young Lady Sun also handed over a clutch of Copper Coins.

As he took the coins, Old Liu’s fingers brushed against Lady Sun’s soft hand, and he couldn’t resist giving it a gentle squeeze.

He only took ten Copper Coins, leaving one in the palm of Lady Sun’s hand.

Lady Sun was known for her delicate beauty, with a small, melon seed-shaped face, a dainty nose, and a pair of enchanting, foxy eyes. She was a famous widow on East Main Street of Jing County, with a face that could ensnare souls. As a widow, she lacked propriety, donning bright, colorful outfits and flirting coquettishly whenever she stepped out, drawing both intentional and unintentional words from many men on the street who sought to gain a verbal advantage or a chance to touch her hand.

Lady Sun never seemed annoyed, and at most, she would respond with a smile and a scolding. Even the glares she threw back carried hooks that tantalized the heart.

Whenever she left her house, those attentive men couldn’t help but let their eyes linger on her.

In this instant, Lady Sun wasn’t troubled by Old Liu’s cheeky tofu-snatching either.

With a smile that was not quite a smile, she glared at Old Liu and withdrew her hand.

The interaction between the two went unnoticed by the yellow-faced woman kneading dough and steaming buns behind Old Liu; she only caught a whiff of a fragrant breeze and heard her husband call out to Lady Sun, immediately raising her head with suspicion.

Seeing Lady Sun, she greeted her with a strained smile that did not reach her eyes, "Oh, Lady Sun, you’re up early today! Is that a new outfit you’re wearing? Dressed up like this, are you going to meet someone?"

"Look at you, Sister-in-law Liu! I’m just wearing a new dress. Isn’t the color lovely? It’s from the new Auspicious Fabric Store that just opened up in Jing County. So pretty and so cheap. If you like it, you should have Big Brother Liu get you one too!" Lady Sun said with a giggle, covering her mouth.

Then, turning to Old Liu, "I’m telling you, Big Brother Liu, with the business of the baozi shop going so well, surely you wouldn’t be too stingy to get Sister-in-law Liu a new dress? A woman needs to know how to dress up, after all—"

The face of Old Liu’s wife darkened immediately.

Seeing her husband gazing at Lady Sun as if transfixed, with a smile barely clinging to her face, her hand stealthily twisted his waist from beneath the counter, causing Old Liu to shudder.

A young daughter-in-law who had come to buy buns joined the conversation, "Lady Sun, did you buy that fabric from Auspicious Fabric Store? Is it the newly opened one?"

Lady Sun was about to leave with her buns but stopped when she heard the question, hitting a sweet spot in the conversation, "Exactly, the Auspicious Fabric Store might be new, but they produce such vibrant and beautiful fabrics. I’ve heard that even the ladies in the palace praise their fabric with blue background and multicolored flowers. They said this fabric was available for purchase when they opened, just that it was in short supply. By the time I heard about it and went there, it had all been snatched up..."

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Speaking of this, there was still a bit of resentment.

As soon as the topic turned to the Auspicious Fabric Store, it immediately attracted the attention of big daughters-in-law and younger sisters-in-law passing by to buy vegetables, rice, and food.

"Indeed, the Auspicious Fabric Store is so popular now, there’s a line at the door from morning to night," someone remarked.

"Not only are there lines, but there’s also a purchase limit. That fabric said to be favored by the ladies in the palace gets snatched up as soon as it comes out. It gets to the point where, for slightly better-looking fabric, each person can only buy three feet, and even then, they can’t keep up with the demand."

"A few days ago, my daughter and son-in-law came back for a family visit and brought us a few feet of that indigo fabric from the Auspicious Fabric Store, it cost them more than a tael of silver. I told them not to waste their money, but they insisted on showing their respect to this old woman, it really gives one a headache. But that fabric is really strong and durable, and the color so dignified, it made this old woman extremely happy!"

...

The women around couldn’t help but envy Lady Sun’s clothes; the more they looked, the better the color seemed, bright and rich without being gaudy, enhancing Lady Sun’s looks from average to above average.

Especially Lady Sun, who wasn’t the least bit shy with so many eyes on her, but instead stood there gracefully, even occasionally turning around and swaying her hips, for a clear view.

Now, it wasn’t just the women looking; quite a few men gathered around, swallowing their saliva as they gazed at Lady Sun’s slender waist and enticing figure.

Old Liu’s family had wanted to mock Lady Sun, but this widowed "Vixen Spirit" wasn’t bothered in the slightest and stood there with her hips cocked and bottom twisted in front of their shopfront, letting everyone stare.

With so many people crowding around to look, very few came to buy buns, instead blocking those who wanted to buy from getting close.

Old Liu’s wife felt a surge of silent fury, thinking this widow was nothing but trouble.

But in a street where you see everyone day in and day out, it wouldn’t do to make enemies of everyone and affect their own business.

So, Sister-in-law Liu, grinding her teeth, managed to force an ugly smile and said, "Gosh, only a beauty like Sister Sun can do justice to such fine fabric and color. If burnt baozi like us wore it, it would be a waste of such beautiful colors."

Lady Sun modestly brushed off the compliment with a proud flick of her wrinkle-free clothes, "Sister, you’re too kind. I can only dare to wear this color because I’m young; in a few years, I wouldn’t dare. Besides, the Auspicious Fabric Store has colors suitable for sisters like you, sky blue, earthy yellow... When you have time, have a look around, and don’t just stick to the baozi shop every day..."

"Lady Sun, if you have things to do, go on; the baozi don’t taste good cold," Sister-in-law Liu finally couldn’t hold back and reminded her.

Lady Sun smiled with pursed lips, "Oh dear, my apologies for blocking your shop and holding up business. I’ll get out of the way now. Brother Liu, Sister-in-law Liu, carry on with your work."

She sashayed off, swaying like a willow in the breeze.

As the wind blew, a faint scent still wafted over.

Old Liu squinted his eyes and sniffed a few times in the air, his face showing a look of delight.

Sister-in-law Liu spat disdainfully and kicked Old Liu, "What are you smelling? Get to kneading the dough!"

She turned her head and muttered, "Shameless hussy, ’Vixen Spirit,’ flaunting herself every day, luring men. Look at how she walks, her butt almost twisting up to heaven, pah—"

The older woman selling vegetables next door had been disapproving for a while, "She used to work in that sort of business, the coquettishness is ingrained in her to the bone, can that ever change?"