The Country Maiden: Fields and Leisure
Chapter 500 - 498: Opening Apertures

Chapter 500: Chapter 498: Opening Apertures

Wang Yongzhu suddenly realized that this meant her Yellow Pine Mushrooms still had to be sent to the Capital City to see what the price would be, and then Boss Zhang would personally come to settle with her?

Wang Yongzhu truly hadn’t expected the Yellow Pine Mushrooms to be so precious and sought after.

However, this had at least alerted her to the fact that Yellow Pine Mushrooms were indeed rare. This year, she had no choice but to produce so much stock in order to establish a connection with Boss Zhang.

Adding the amount from the first half of the year, her individual output nearly accounted for half of Shiqiao Town’s Yellow Pine Mushrooms.

Too conspicuous!

At the very least, next year, she couldn’t do this again. She mustn’t cultivate Yellow Pine Mushrooms anymore, or else she might attract unwanted attention.

Wang Yongzhu made up her mind, showing nothing on her face as she securely put away the promise note.

Guan Yifei held the basket as if cradling a treasure, his eyes not daring to wander even slightly. After excusing himself, he entered the back courtyard.

Song Chongjin and Wang Yongzhu left the courtyard. They exchanged glances, each aware that the other had something to say.

"Shall we talk while we walk?" Wang Yongzhu suggested.

Song Chongjin nodded and bought a large basket of meat buns at the street corner, then filled Wang Yongzhu’s bamboo tube with hot tea. Only then did they set off for home in the carriage.

Song Chongjin drove the carriage and offered a bun to Wang Yongzhu, "It’s already noon, eat something to fill your stomach first."

Wang Yongzhu took the bun without objection, biting into it. The skin was thin and the filling delicious, with steaming hot and fragrant meat juices—a rare treat indeed.

"These buns are really good. I didn’t even know this place had such tasty buns—" Wang Yongzhu spoke vaguely as she bit into the bun.

Song Chongjin also took a bun and devoured half of it in one bite, "This is an established brand in the town, Zhou Ji’s buns. It’s said that their ancestors made a fortune selling these buns in the Capital City. Later on, however, after offending a noble patron, the whole family had to sell their house and land and simply returned to the town to continue their old trade."

"After several generations, they have bought quite a bit of land in the town. Nowadays, none of their children want to learn the trade; only Old Man Tang makes a few to sell, closing up shop once they’re sold out. Their meat is good quality, genuine, and their prices are higher than others—one bun costs five large coins. Additionally, the shop is not on the busy market street, so unless you really enjoy their buns and your family can afford it, few people come to buy them."

Indeed, most families in the town were of average means; five coins could cover a family’s vegetable expenses for a day. Who would be willing to buy a meat bun that wouldn’t even fill the stomach?

Wang Yongzhu counted the pile of buns—it amounted to about twenty, which cost a total of one hundred coins, just about enough for two people’s meal.

Certainly, ordinary families couldn’t afford this.

After enjoying a few of the scrumptious buns, Wang Yongzhu stopped and thought that Old Granny Zhang must have never tasted them. Given the Wang Family’s previous financial situation, they couldn’t have afforded such buns.

She decided to eat less, planning to take a couple back for Old Granny Zhang to try.

Seeing Wang Yongzhu stop eating, how could Song Chongjin not understand?

He forcefully stuffed two buns into Wang Yongzhu’s hand with an undeniable tone, "You should eat up first. Later, leave a couple for your aunt and uncle to bring back and try. There will be plenty of opportunities to come to the town in the future. When the time comes, bring Jindou and the others directly to the shop to eat. Why starve yourself?"

Wang Yongzhu held the buns, looked at Song Chongjin blankly. This was the first time he had spoken to her with such a tone, yet the undeniable concern in his eyes generated a warm feeling in her heart.

In this time and space, Song Chongjin was the only person, aside from Old Granny Zhang, who cared about her and put her first.

An involuntary smile appeared in her eyes, and Wang Yongzhu nodded her head submissively, a rarity as she took a bite of the steamed bun.

After she had eaten her fill, Wang Yongzhu didn’t sit in the carriage but simply sat alongside Song Chongjin on the outside, shoulder to shoulder.

The autumn afternoon sun, warm on their skin, and as she watched the mountains on either side of the road ablaze with fall colors, Wang Yongzhu felt a relaxation she had never experienced before.

Seeing the content and relaxed look on Wang Yongzhu’s face, unlike her usual tense self, Song Chongjin’s mood also became more tranquil.

However, the words that needed to be said were still said, "Those Yellow Pine Mushrooms, after this year’s batch is delivered, let’s not grow them again next year. The Yellow Pine Mushrooms that pass through your hands are always of top quality and size, as if they have been carefully selected. Yellow Pine Mushrooms are rare to begin with, and it’s not easy to find them in the wild; there are always some imperfections in their appearance."

"If the quantity increases, it could catch the attention of the observant. If people find out the method you use to cultivate the Yellow Pine Mushrooms, and it alarms the people in the Capital City, it could lead to big trouble."

At this point, Song Chongjin paused, "It’s also because my power is still too weak, and I am not yet able to contend with those Noble Patrons, so I have to impose on you, Yongzhu..."

Upon hearing this, Wang Yongzhu turned her head to see Song Chongjin indeed wearing a look of self-reproach and couldn’t help but laugh, patting his arm, "I know you mean well in reminding me. I also understand that this method can’t last. There was no other way this year, but after this last batch of Yellow Pine Mushrooms is sold to Boss Zhang, I won’t use this method again. I will also destroy the ones in the cave, leaving no trace for anyone to find."

Song Chongjin, seeing that Wang Yongzhu understood his intentions, curled his lips into a smile and took out a small box from his embrace, pressing it into Wang Yongzhu’s hands.

Wang Yongzhu looked at the box in her hands with surprise, then looked at Song Chongjin. His normal complexion contrasted with the tips of his ears which tinged red, betraying him.

"What is this?" she asked as she opened the box she held, and a glint of gold met her eyes.

Song Chongjin appeared to focus on driving the carriage intently, but his peripheral vision stayed on Wang Yongzhu, watching as she happily took out the caterpillar-shaped hairpin and held it up to her head, his eyes betraying a smile.

Wang Yongzhu hadn’t expected Song Chongjin to give her a set of jewelry that shimmered golden; she didn’t realize it was silver gilt and thought it was made of pure gold.

She had always found gold jewelry to be gaudy, but the gold set bestowed by the noble lady of the palace last time was so sumptuous that it had taken her breath away.

This time, the jewelry was delicate and exquisite, impossible not to love at first sight.

Especially the two hairpins, a dragonfly and a butterfly, were so lifelike, intricate and adorable. But looking at them, they somehow seemed familiar?

An epiphany struck Wang Yongzhu, recalling the bee-shaped hairpin worn by the girl who served her at Zhou Ji when she was buying a bracelet; it seemed to be from the same series? She had given it more than a passing glance.

At that time, she hadn’t paid much attention, but now, remembering how her lingering gaze on that hairpin had led Song Chongjin to pull the young man into the next room.

Wang Yongzhu had no doubts anymore.

She hadn’t expected Song Chongjin, who had previously been clueless, to surprise her so pleasantly once he got the hang of it.

For him to think of buying jewelry for his fiancée on his own was commendable.

Moreover, this set of jewelry truly hit the mark for Wang Yongzhu.