Transmigrating into the Famine Years with a System: I Carried My Family of Villains to Success - Chapter 4

The whole family ate their fill, and every face was filled with satisfaction. With their bellies full, they finally had the energy to think about other matters.

Liu Cuihua spoke up with a heavy heart: “Goudan is already eighteen. In other families, girls her age are already holding their own babies. In Goudan’s situation, she cannot marry a wife, and it is not easy to recruit a matrilocal husband. Is she going to be a bachelor for the rest of her life?”

Shen Dabiao knitted his thick brows: “If we had silver, we could go directly to the labor agency and buy a man to bring home, then the marriage problem would be solved. The key issue is that our family has no silver!”

Liu Cuihua grew angry the moment silver was mentioned: “This is all your fault! No matter if I hide the silver in the soles of my shoes or under the bedding, you always manage to find it. Even the small savings I tucked into the cracks of the wall were gouged out by you to gamble away!”

Shen Dabiao became impatient: “We are talking about Goudan’s marriage. Why are you bringing up those old accounts?”

“We can discuss the marriage later,” Shen Qingyue redirected the conversation. “Can you both call me by my full name, Shen Qingyue, and stop calling me Goudan?”

Shen Qingyue was the original owner’s formal name. It was said that Shen Dabiao had used threats and bribes to get a schoolteacher to choose it, but the name was rarely used. Everyone in the village called her Goudan.

Liu Cuihua was puzzled: “The name Goudan is quite good. It sounds blessed the moment you hear it.”

Goudan, Goudan. Whoever likes the name can take it; no thanks necessary.

Shen Qingyue knew that if she appeared too easygoing, not only would she fail to change her name, but it would also not fit the original owner’s bully persona, which might raise suspicions.

Shen Qingyue raised her chin and imitated the original owner’s annoying tone: “Several wealthy young masters in the county town were talking behind my back, saying my name is rustic. If I tell you to call me Shen Qingyue, then call me Shen Qingyue! Why is there so much nonsense!”

Shen Dabiao said unhappily: “Which young master in the county has such bad taste? I will have your uncle-in-law teach him a lesson!”

Shen Dabiao loved to use Bailiff Zhang’s reputation to act like a tyrant. Powerless villagers were easily intimidated, but people of higher status only looked down on his behavior. His boastful words were best taken with a grain of salt. If he truly offended someone he should not, even Bailiff Zhang could not protect him.

Shen Qingyue knew this well. She did not want to expose Shen Dabiao to his face, so she said simply: “Fine, just call me Shen Qingyue from now on!”

Seeing her firm attitude, the couple had no choice but to nod.

In the afternoon, fearing that Shen Dabiao would sneak off to the gambling house, Liu Cuihua forced him to work in the fields. Shen Er’ya sat in the courtyard embroidering pouches. No one in the house ordered Shen Qingyue to do anything, making her the most idle person in the family.

Shen Qingyue leaned back in a wooden chair, thinking about her livelihood. The food would only last three days. She had to make a trip to the county town to find a way to earn money.

The next day.

Shen Qingyue and Shen Er’ya went to the county town together to sell embroidery. People were coming and going on the streets, the traffic was bustling, and stalls lined both sides. There were vendors selling vegetables, cloth, and sugar figurines. Peddlers shook their rattles while shouting their wares, and the scent of fried oil cakes drifted through the air.

Everywhere she looked, it was a scene of lively activity.

Shen Qingyue looked at the steaming bun stall ahead and swallowed her saliva. She wanted to eat big meat buns, but unfortunately, she did not have a single copper coin on her. She was excessively poor.

“Er’ya, where do you plan to set up your stall?” Shen Qingyue turned to look at her sister.

“Setting up a stall on the main street requires a fee, so we will go to the back street.” Shen Er’ya carried the basket of embroidery in her left hand and pointed toward the back street with her right. She noticed that Shen Qingyue had been staring at the bun stall for a long time. After a thought, she added: “Brother, once I sell the embroidery, I will buy meat buns for you.”

Shen Qingyue nodded with appreciation: “You really are a good sister. In the future, when I become successful, I will make sure you live in luxury.”

In ancient times, it was more convenient for men to conduct business. Shen Qingyue was actually quite comfortable in her role as a girl disguised as a man.

The siblings did not stop walking and soon arrived at the back street. The back street was mostly populated by small vendors and farmers selling miscellaneous items like vegetables, eggs, and pouches or handkerchiefs embroidered by young girls. Things sold relatively cheaply here, and there were many shoppers.

Just then, two hoodlum-looking youths walked toward them. Their eyes lit up when they saw Shen Qingyue.

“Is this not the Boss?”

Feng Shuanzi hurried forward and said loyally: “Boss, after you lost to Wang Youcai last time, a fire has been burning in my heart! Come, let us go find him for a fight and win back our dignity!”

Zhang Tieshi was equally indignant: “We will definitely beat that Wang Youcai until even his parents do not recognize him!”

The corner of Shen Qingyue’s mouth twitched. The two people before her were the original owner’s hoodlum brothers. The original owner was a notorious bully, and these two were the lackeys who helped her commit misdeeds.

Shen Qingyue was a girl of good character; how could she go looking for a fight at every turn? Without a second thought, she refused politely: “I appreciate your kind intentions, but I am here today to help my sister sell embroidery. I am not doing anything else.”

A lackey is a lackey because they almost always follow the Boss’s orders.

Feng Shuanzi immediately started looking for a place for Shen Qingyue to set up her stall: “Boss, look at how good the business is at that stall over there! If I take over that spot, Sister will definitely be able to sell her embroidery.”

Shen Qingyue looked in the direction Feng Shuanzi was pointing. A beautiful girl was shouting to sell Chinese cabbage. Her complexion was different from that of ordinary farm girls; it was fair, tender, and glowing, much like a young lady raised in a wealthy household.

Shen Qingyue stared at her for a few seconds before recognizing who she was. She was Lin Xi’er, the youngest daughter of the Lin family’s second branch from the east side of the village!

In the original owner’s memory, Lin Xi’er used to be like most girls in the village with dark and thin skin, but half a year ago, she suddenly became beautiful and fair. Even the Lin family’s fields seemed to have been blessed by a deity; they could grow grain and vegetables even during a drought, and the crops grew exceptionally well.

The villagers could not find a reason and simply assumed the Lin family had good luck and was favored by heaven.

Shen Qingyue had no interest in the Lin family’s affairs and did not want to provoke the girl, so she quickly stopped Feng Shuanzi.

“No need to trouble yourself. I will just set up next door.”

“How can that be? When our Boss picks a stall, he naturally chooses the best one!” Feng Shuanzi said with disapproval.

“Boss taking their stall is giving them face!” Zhang Tieshi echoed.

Shen Qingyue’s head ached. She immediately put on a stern face and assumed her authority as the Boss: “I said we are setting up next door, so we are setting up next door! Are you two not listening to me anymore? Watch out or I will beat you both!”

As she spoke, she raised her fist.

Feng Shuanzi did not dare to anger Shen Qingyue. He quickly pulled Zhang Tieshi aside and whispered: “Do you not feel that Boss is being a bit distant with us?”

Zhang Tieshi frowned: “Now that you mention it, it does seem a bit… could it be that Boss has taken a liking to other lackeys and does not want us anymore?”

The more he thought about it, the more anxious he became, and his voice even carried a hint of crying: “What should we do?”

Feng Shuanzi thought for a long time before having a sudden flash of inspiration: “Boss must be testing us. As long as we perform well enough, he will surely see our loyalty!”

“That makes sense!” Zhang Tieshi had a look of realization. “You really are a smart one.”

Feng Shuanzi’s eyes were determined as he clenched his fists: “Next, it is time for us to show our loyalty.”