If they had listened to their daughter, their family would have been considered lucky.
Seeing that some people were still watching, Fu Xin Ci suggested that Madam Fang take Yu'er to wait with her grandfather and father, while she and Qi He went to buy things.
"How can that be? You're still young."
"Mother, I'm not young anymore." Fu Xin Ci said, and without waiting for Madam Fang's agreement, she tugged at her sleeve and walked towards where her father and grandfather were resting.
Qi He, holding Yu'er's hand, quickly followed.
"What's going on?" Fu Yu asked, somewhat surprised to see the mother and daughter return empty-handed.
"I..." Madam Fang felt it was all her fault, but with her father-in-law present, she didn't know how to speak.
Fortunately, Fu Xin Ci was decisive and briefly explained what had just happened.
Fu Yu hadn't expected that Madam Fang would weep in front of so many people.
Meng Qing Ping, however, could understand. "Our family is used to a peaceful life. To suddenly encounter... this, it's hard to accept emotionally. Yu'er's wife is not entirely to blame; it's just that thinking about the two children suffering, as a mother, she couldn't help but be overcome by emotion."
Hearing her father-in-law's understanding words, Madam Fang thought of her mother-in-law who treated her like her own daughter, and her eyes welled up with tears again.
Fearing she would cry endlessly, Fu Xin Ci quickly interrupted, "Mother, what does our family need to buy? Give me the money, and Qi Ge and I will go."
"How can just the two of you go?" Fu Yu was worried about his daughter and Qi He going to buy things together.
"Let Ci'er and young Qi go together, Yu'er's wife, give the money to Ci'er."
"Father."
"Ci'er is stronger than I imagined, in handling matters..." Meng Qing Ping wanted to say that his granddaughter was better at handling matters than his daughter-in-law. However, he couldn't say this sentence, for fear of offending his daughter-in-law.
Madam Fang was accustomed to obeying her father-in-law and mother-in-law. Since her father-in-law had suggested that Ci'er go shopping, she didn't object. She took out a silver ingot from her sleeve, and hidden by her sleeve, she grabbed her daughter's hand and placed the silver ingot into her hand.
Fu Xin Ci hadn't expected her mother to be so agreeable; her grandfather's words hadn't been met with any opposition.
She later thought that before the family's misfortune, the inner chambers had always been managed by her grandmother. Her mother, apart from cooking with her grandmother, had enjoyed a comfortable life and had no opinions of her own.
"......?"
Before she could sigh, her grandfather spoke, "Ci'er and young Qi, hurry back. We'll wait here."
"Father." Fu Yu was still worried about his daughter going to the market, even with young Qi accompanying her.
Meng Qing Ping had no intention of changing his mind, but continued to instruct his granddaughter, "Ci'er, buy some grain, and try to buy flour as it cooks easily. As for what else to buy, Ci'er can decide."
"Yes. Please don't worry, grandfather, we'll be back soon." Fu Xin Ci said, glanced at Qi He, and then walked towards the market. Looking back, she reminded Yu'er, "Be good and wait here, and I'll bring you delicious food when I get back."
"Okay." The last sentence greatly touched Yu'er.
Fu Yu watched his daughter's receding figure, but kept replaying his father's words, "As for what else to buy, Ci'er can decide."
"Ci'er can decide?" With just this sentence, Fu Yu perceived something different: his father's trust in Ci'er surpassed that of his own wife.
Indeed, Xiao Yun grew up in a farming family. The Fang family was simple, and their finances were sound, raising Xiao Yun to be pure and kind.
Gentle and kind Xiao Yun could be a good daughter-in-law, a good wife, and a good mother, but she was simply not good at managing a household.
Before the family's misfortune, no one had noticed this shortcoming of Xiao Yun. Now, it seemed to be Xiao Yun's biggest weakness.
Meng Qing Ping saw that his son had come to understand and said out of the blue, "It's alright, there's still time. Ci'er will be married in seven or eight years. She will teach your wife."
Madam Fang suddenly heard her father-in-law mention her and looked at her husband somewhat bewildered.
Fu Yu gave her a comforting smile and said no more.
Fu Xin Ci and Qi He arrived at the market, and Qi He seemed to have transformed back into a slippery fish.
However, the little fairy in his eyes never looked back until they reached an old woman selling duck eggs. Fu Xin Ci politely asked, "Grandma, how much are your duck eggs?"
"Three large coins for two. Child, do you want to buy? I'll pick the big ones for you."
Faced with the old woman's enthusiasm, Fu Xin Ci was a little overwhelmed. Her intention was merely to ask the price of duck eggs. In her space, salted duck eggs were counted by the vat.
Seeing that the little girl didn't reply, the old woman was disappointed. However, facing a polite child, she didn't say anything inappropriate. She simply waved them away, telling them not to delay her business.
Fu Xin Ci didn't say any more, and pulling Qi He along, continued to walk forward.
"Fu sister, what do you want to buy?" Qi He had originally wanted to buy a pair of shoes for Sister Fu. He had secretly looked at two pairs just now. The workmanship of the shoes was passable, but the embroidered morning glories on the shoe uppers were a bit unworthy of Sister Fu's small feet.
At this moment, he secretly took another glance while Sister Fu wasn't paying attention. The fine cloth, hard-soled embroidered shoes with pink peonies on Sister Fu's feet completely dispelled his thought.
Indeed, Uncle Fu and Auntie Fu had arrived and brought Sister Fu's clothes and other items. Sister Fu no longer had to wear shoes with her toes showing.
For some reason, when Qi He thought of this, he felt a sense of happiness for Sister Fu, along with something he couldn't quite explain.
Fortunately, he was good at persuading himself. If he didn't understand something, then he didn't understand it. He would definitely learn from Grandpa Meng well in the future, and one day he would understand it all.
Fu Xin Ci continued to walk forward, occasionally asking for the prices of various items, until she reached a stall selling woven bamboo goods. She squatted down, picked up a small back basket, examined it thoroughly inside and out, and then, concealing the smile on her face, asked the stall owner, "Uncle, how much is this back basket?"
Seeing that the questioner was a young lady, the stall owner didn't think much of it and casually replied, "Ten large coins each."
"What? How can you just make things up? No one would want such a broken back basket for even eight large coins." Qi He was speaking the truth. This type of back basket was clearly meant for children.
In the countryside, no adult would be willing to spend eight large coins to buy such a back basket for their child.
After all, coarse flour cost three large coins per jin. Eight large coins was almost enough to buy three jin of coarse flour.
If three jin of coarse flour were used sparingly, by adding half a ladle of water to the pot each meal, three jin of coarse flour would be enough for a family to eat for two to three days.
Therefore, even if it were a wasteful act, no one would spend eight large coins on such a back basket.
The stall owner hadn't expected that his casual remark would be seized upon by this young man, leading to his lecture.
However, he had indeed said something unreasonable just now, so he endured it and intended to let the matter rest.