Chapter Eight: No Room for Negotiation

After pushing open the courtyard gate, Liang Yunqing saw Li Pinghua wiping her face with a basin of water. The wooden chair had already been repaired by Liang Mingxue.

Madam Wang was leaning on the chair, rubbing the bruises on her face. Liang Zhiyan had suffered the worst injury; his occiput was nearly split open. He was lying quietly on the bed inside, resting.

Liang Youyong was drawing water at the well, the bruises on his face still swollen and red.

The group looked toward Liang Yunqing, who was entering with large bundles, and immediately wailed, embracing one another.

“Stop hitting us, stop! We didn’t do anything. I was just wiping my face,” Li Pinghua tearfully said, on the verge of crying. Liang Youyong shrank fearfully into his mother’s arms. Madam Wang, despite her swollen face, could not maintain any pride.

She timidly sat down on the chair, and Liang Mingxue’s apologetic gaze fell upon her.

“Da Ya, you’re back. Why are you carrying so much?”

“Big brother, don’t call me Da Ya, call me Yunqing,” Li Pinghua anxiously reminded him; she did not want to be beaten again.

Liang Mingxue hesitated but then said, “Yun...Yunqing, I’ve discussed with your grandmother. What happened was our fault. Tomorrow, we’ll cancel the engagement. We’re still one family, alright?”

He glanced over at Chu Shi, who was standing by the door.

“Child’s mother, I’ll help you carry your things.”

Liang Yunqing stepped forward to stop him. Li Pinghua, fearing another fight, held Liang Youyong and hurried inside, with the trembling Madam Wang close behind.

“Father, starting today, we remain one family.”

The words “one family” were spoken with heavy emphasis, frightening those eavesdropping in the corner of the room.

“But, the one in charge of family matters should change. I think I’m suitable. How about I take charge from now on?”

“Nonsense!” Liang Mingxue shouted. The family head should always be the grandmother. How could a child take charge?

Madam Wang, hiding inside, cracked the door open and wore a flattering smile.

“It doesn’t matter who’s in charge, it’s all the same.”

Then she quickly withdrew her face.

Liang Mingxue remained firm in his refusal, addressing his daughter sternly.

“Yunqing, I won’t argue about your name change, but the family head must be your grandmother. You’re just a child; you can’t take on such responsibility.”

“Is there a chance I’m not consulting you at all?” Liang Yunqing kicked the sack at her feet forward and spoke loudly.

“Everyone out. From today on, I’m going to start doing business to earn money. But before this is settled, if this gets out—no matter who spreads it—no one will have an easy time. Understand?”

Those who stepped out from the room nodded quickly. Li Pinghua perked up at the mention of earning money and cautiously asked, “Yunqing, what kind of business do you plan to do?”

Liang Yunqing was not hiding anything; after all, she couldn’t run a stall alone.

“I’m going to make steamed dumplings and sell them at the town market.”

“What are steamed dumplings? I’ve never heard of them,” Madam Wang rubbed her face, pondering.

Everyone else looked puzzled. Liang Mingxue felt like his daughter was playing pretend. He quickly looked at the items on the ground.

The sack contained rice, flour, and a small piece of pork. His face turned ashen as he glared at Liang Yunqing.

“How much did you spend on these? What if Chen the Cripple comes looking for the bride price refund? You’re being reckless.”

He moved to take the items to the market to return them. Li Pinghua secretly wished Chen the Cripple would come and take Liang Yunqing away; then the 800 wen spent would be worth it.

“Father, I told you, I’m not consulting you.”

Liang Yunqing felt no respect for the man before her. Such foolish filial piety only made him tough in front of his daughter and wife.

“Do you even know who Chen the Cripple is? If we can’t pay the bride price, he’ll definitely report us to the local gentry.”

Liang Mingxue was truly worried. If the gentry got involved and came to seize their land as compensation, the whole family would starve.

They only had one mu of land to support the household’s food, and Liang Zhiyan’s eldest son needed to pay the enrollment fee to attend school. They were all depending on that land.

Liang Yunqing knew this well. She picked up the items and said calmly, “Father, I have a plan. Besides, do you think Chen the Cripple will be satisfied with just 800 wen?”

Liang Mingxue was stunned. Indeed... Chen the Cripple wouldn’t be content with just 800 wen.

At the possibility of being reported to the gentry, everyone’s nerves tightened, especially the money-hungry Li Pinghua. Even Madam Wang forgot her facial injuries.

The group followed Liang Yunqing into the kitchen.

“Well, Yun...Yunqing, what exactly are these steamed dumplings? If you don’t tell us, we can’t help.”

Li Pinghua wrung her hands, feeling heartbroken looking at the bags of rice and flour—such good ingredients they wouldn’t even dare buy for New Year.

“I’ll make some first for you to try. But first, I have to borrow a steamer…”

Liang Yunqing looked around the stove and realized the family only had a pot with a broken rim, and she had forgotten to buy a steamer in town. So now, she had to borrow one.

She instructed everyone to clean the broken pot and fill it with hot water. Then she took about half a jin of brown rice from a bag and stopped.

“I’ll go ask Aunt Ma to borrow a steamer. You all wait here.”

“Oh my, Yunqing, why are you taking so much rice to borrow a pot?” Li Pinghua’s heart ached. The half jin of rice plus some broken grains and wild vegetables were enough to feed the family for two days.

“Second aunt, do you have a problem with that?” Liang Yunqing shook the bag in her hand and continued.

“If you hadn’t urged grandmother to sell me to Chen the Cripple for money, would I have to do business to raise funds? If I didn’t have to do business, would I need to borrow a steamer? And if I didn’t borrow a steamer, would I need to bring brown rice?”

Her rapid-fire questions left Li Pinghua speechless. The truth was undeniable. In hindsight, she wished she hadn’t sold Liang Yunqing.

Madam Wang reached out and pulled Li Pinghua back, clearing a path. Liang Yunqing then turned to her mother, who was standing in the corner holding firewood.

“Mother, let father and Youyong handle the firewood. You just help second aunt wash the glutinous and brown rice.”

Liang Youyong dared not complain. He was still gasping for breath and hurried forward to take the firewood from Chu Shi’s arms.

“Aunt, I’ll do it.”

Liang Mingxue was somewhat unsupportive but said nothing, weighed down by guilt.

Seeing the family bustling about—even Madam Wang, who usually avoided work, was washing rice—Liang Yunqing left satisfied.

Indeed, it was easier to communicate after a fight. She thought, if only they had fought sooner.

Carrying the sack of rice along the village path, every household was cooking, but none emitted the aroma of meat or even fragrant rice.

Liang Yunqing sniffed around but only caught the smoke from the burning firewood—nothing else.

The village where the former heroine lived was truly hard-pressed. No wonder the system’s first main mission given to her was survival.