Chapter 75: You’ve Got Quite the Imagination

After a week of running all over the city with Yuan Hang and Sister Li, even Su Qinghu—who used to be a complete stranger to Beijing in this era—could now easily find her way around.

“All right, we’re here.” Su Qinghu braked, hopped off the tricycle, stretched her arms and legs, and looked at the two who’d been silent the whole way. “According to the numbers you two reported this morning, take your share, find a spot, and get started.”

“How do we sell? Who do we sell to? For how much? That’s up to you.” Su Qinghu held up a finger. “Just remember, there’s no upper limit, but you can’t sell for less than five yuan.”

In this heat, making crafts at night and digging up tree roots and moss stones in the early morning is no easy feat.

Er Dan stared at the playful curve of Su Qinghu’s lips and the teasing look in her eyes, took a deep breath, and grumbled, pointing at a silk shop in the alley, “Then can you help me carry the bas—uh, crafts to the tree next to that shop?”

Su Qinghu didn’t mind. She told Da Dan to watch the tricycle, then hooked two baskets with each hand, her slender fingers deftly lifting them. “You take two more.”

Er Dan watched her fingers hook the baskets and couldn’t help but think how nice they looked. “Can we work together?”

“How do you mean, work together?” Su Qinghu was curious.

This kid’s got potential—he already knows about teamwork and win-win cooperation.

“You help me sell. I’ll split the money with you.” Er Dan blinked. “I’ll take all the baskets you brought!”

Su Qinghu: “…”

“Just think of it as me buying your stuff wholesale.” Er Dan didn’t notice Su Qinghu’s eyes narrowing slightly as he kept talking. “Is that okay?”

If Su Qinghu’s hands weren’t full of baskets, she’d probably have smacked him upside the head right then.

Wishful thinking isn’t supposed to be this wild, and trying to get something for nothing isn’t supposed to be this blatant!

Listen to him: “I’ll buy your stuff wholesale, you help me sell it, and then I’ll split the money with you?”

If she’s doing all that, why not just sell it herself?

Besides—

“You want to buy my stuff wholesale?” Su Qinghu’s pretty face broke into an almost motherly smile. “Where’s the wholesale payment?”

“I’ll pay you after I sell everything,” Er Dan said, looking every bit the little boss. “Don’t worry, I won’t short you a single cent!”

Su Qinghu: Heh.

“It’s just that…” Er Dan scratched his head, frowning as he thought, “the wholesale price can’t be the same as the minimum price we set before, right?”

Su Qinghu said nothing, her expression inscrutable.

To Er Dan, that meant she was considering it, so he went on, “We’re all on the same side, and we know the cost, so we can’t count it as five yuan each, right?”

Afraid someone might overhear, he leaned in closer to Su Qinghu and lowered his voice to discuss the wholesale price.

“I think… one yuan? One yuan each for wholesale!” He’d heard from people in the alley that the more you buy, the cheaper the price for small business owners.

Su Qinghu almost laughed in exasperation. “You’re buying wholesale from me, and I’m the one selling?”

“Yeah.” Er Dan looked completely innocent. “I’ll split the money with you.”

Su Qinghu almost kicked him. “So after I sell everything, then you’ll give me the money?”

Er Dan: “You’ll get your money sooner or later, I won’t stiff you.”

“I think—” Su Qinghu took a deep breath, holding back her urge to kick him, and smiled dangerously, “you’re especially beautiful today!”

Da Dan, standing next to Su Qinghu, was frantically signaling to Er Dan, but when he got no response, he quietly moved behind Su Qinghu, trying to face Er Dan directly so his silly brother would notice the warning.

Unfortunately, he’d only taken two steps when Su Qinghu noticed and pulled him back, putting herself between him and Er Dan.

Er Dan finally realized something was off. He looked at his brother, then at Su Qinghu, then at his brother’s hand signals, and suddenly sucked in a breath.

He and his brother had their own secret signals.

Right now, his brother’s signal meant “maximum danger”!

Why was it dangerous?

Er Dan’s mind raced as he replayed everything he’d just said, and finally realized what was wrong!

Oh heavens, he’d tried to get something for nothing!

And that wasn’t even the worst part—the worst part was what his new mom must think of what he’d just said!

He really didn’t think she was a fool!

Er Dan took a step back, swallowed, opened his mouth, but couldn’t say a word.

What to do? What to do? What should he say? What could he say to make his new mom happy and not think he was treating her like an idiot?

“Why aren’t you asking me what’s beautiful about me today?” Su Qinghu held onto Da Dan, ignoring his hand signals to Er Dan, and just smiled at Er Dan.

Her expression was as dangerous as it could get!

Er Dan’s scalp tingled. He couldn’t help scratching his head, then forced a pure, innocent smile. “Beautiful is for describing women; for men, you should say handsome. Mom, your beauty is beyond words!”

That should do it, right?

Er Dan watched Su Qinghu nervously, ready to bolt at the first sign of trouble.

He never used to think his new mom would hit anyone, but now he wasn’t so sure…

“Hurry up and ask me,” Su Qinghu said, smiling sweetly, her meaning clear as day.

No way out!

Er Dan got the message, puffed out his cheeks, and pleaded with his eyes. “Can I run away in a minute?”

He meant: If you hit me, can I run?

Su Qinghu lowered her voice. “Are you going to ask or not?”

“I’ll ask, I’ll ask!” Er Dan surrendered instantly, lips trembling. “What’s beautiful about me today?”

“In your dreams!” Su Qinghu gave him a little kick. “Who do you think you’re fooling? I did most of the work on these crafts, and you want me to sell them to you cheap, help you sell them, and then wait for you to pay me after you’re done? Not even in your wildest dreams!”

Er Dan hung his head. “You’re not the fool, I am. I just say whatever pops into my head, didn’t even think about whether I’d get hit for it…”

Su Qinghu had just kicked him.

It didn’t hurt.

But he felt bad inside!

“And now you’re feeling wronged?” Su Qinghu looked at the tears welling in his eyes, incredulous. “I’m telling you, you’d better not cry! Or I’ll hit you!”

Da Dan crying was one thing, but now there was going to be another crybaby?

She—

So annoying!

Su Qinghu rolled her eyes to the sky. What a mess!

She let go of Da Dan and pushed him. “You go!”

“No.” Da Dan refused. “Whoever made him cry should comfort him.”

“You really won’t go?” Su Qinghu narrowed her eyes. “Then I’ll cry too. Not only will I cry, I’ll write to your dad and tell him you two ganged up to bully me!”

Her shamelessness left Da Dan and the crying Er Dan completely stunned.

Er Dan’s mouth fell open, and his tears stopped in their tracks.

Da Dan saw out of the corner of his eye that Er Dan had stopped crying, and quickly said to Su Qinghu, “He’s not crying anymore.”

Su Qinghu turned to Er Dan. “Still crying?”

Er Dan looked at her, wiped his tears, and rattled off a string of foreign words.

It was the daily vocabulary Su Qinghu had drilled into them before!"