Chapter 148: Peddler
A pair of cat-like eyes were truly lively. Shang Wan actually understood Chu Xu’s gaze, and the corners of her mouth couldn’t help but twitch. This kid had the potential to be a great nanny.
Yuan Yuan lay on the soft cushion in a pancake pose for a while, her little feet kicked up and swayed, then she rolled over with a gurgle, propped herself up with two small hands, and bent herself into a triangle shape again.
Chu Xu blinked in surprise. She had fallen down, so why wasn’t Yuan Yuan crying?
Shang Wan secretly gave her own child a thumbs up.
The rain gradually lessened, and a ray of sunlight pierced through the clouds, dispersing the dark clouds around.
The sky cleared up.
But it brought bad news: a child from the village was missing.
“Who is missing?”
Zhang Er said without catching his breath, “The Wu Family boy, the Yuan Family boy, and the Li Family girl—three… three kids are all gone. Everyone is helping to search. They aren’t with you?”
“I haven’t seen them.” Shang Wan asked with concern, “When did they go missing? Where did they go missing?”
“Just this morning, during that heavy rain.” Zhang Er said, “The Wu Family boy and the Yuan Family boy had agreed to go to the riverside to fish, and the Li Family girl went to the field to pick vegetables. The three kids never came back. The adults at home got worried and went out to look, then discovered they were missing. Everyone is nearly going crazy with worry now.”
“We’ll go help search too.” Shang Wan called Shi Tou and Xiao Huan to follow, then turned to Lu Chengjing and said, “Husband, watch the two kids.”
“Okay.” Lu Chengjing didn’t want to reveal that his legs had healed, and going in the wheelchair would just cause trouble.
The village was filled with voices calling for the children everywhere. Li Dashan led some people to search in the mountains, worried that wild beasts might come down during the rainy weather and carry the children into the mountains.
The village bordered the mountains, and such incidents had happened before. Fortunately, the child was fine in the end.
Rong Niangzi was so anxious she kept crying, and the Wu Family wife had already cried herself into a tearful mess, worried that something bad had happened to her child.
Xiao Huan had a good relationship with the two women, so she went over and softly comforted them.
Everyone searched inside and out of the village, knocking on doors at every household to look, even checking the usual nooks and crannies. They didn’t catch a glimpse of even the shadows of the three children.
At the riverside, there were two fish baskets and a fishing net—things that Er Pang and Yuan Lang had brought together. There were still half a basket of small fish in the fish baskets.
Someone looked at the turbulent river water and guessed, “The two kids probably weren’t swept away by the flood, right?”
“I said not to let the kids come to the riverside to fish. Just for a bit of food, they risked their lives.”
“What did you say? Whose life is lost? Say it again!” Having lost his son, Wu Mingli was so frantic that bloodshot veins filled his eyes. Hearing this, he couldn’t hold back and clenched his fist to rush forward and fight.
Luo Da quickly hugged him and dragged him back, while others pulled away the speaker.
“Everyone is just anxious to find the kids. When you’re this worked up, words can come out harsh. Why get angry? Finding the kids is the most important thing now.”
Wu Mingli broke free from his grip and walked downstream along the riverside, searching while loudly calling the names of the two boys.
Yuan Musheng arrived leaning on his cane, with Rong Niangzi supporting him. They also called for Lang’er along the riverside.
Shang Wan gave Shi Tou and Xiao Huan a look and softly instructed, “Search a bit longer, then go home and check. Don’t go too far. With two kids at home, I’m afraid your brother-in-law can’t handle it.”
Xiao Huan nodded. Shi Tou wanted to ask something, but Xiao Huan tugged him and pulled him aside to help call out.
Shang Wan gradually fell behind the crowd. Seeing that no one was paying attention to her, her figure flickered and she vanished from the spot.
Since she had guessed that something might happen in the village, she naturally wouldn’t be unprepared.
Yesterday, over half of the wolves in the mountains had come down and were quietly ambushing around the village, keeping watch.
“Xiao Hui, let’s go find them.”
Spreading her hearing to the maximum, Shang Wan took Xiao Hui and ran swiftly, gradually moving away from the village.
At the same time, a peddler carrying a carrying pole entered the village. The two bells hanging from the carrying pole jingled all the way.
He hawked as he walked, but few paid him any attention.
The peddler shouted until his throat was dry. Only when he asked villagers for water did he learn that kids from the village were missing, and everyone was busy searching, with no time to buy his goods.
The peddler muttered about his bad luck but still wanted to try his luck. What if someone wanted to buy?
“Pinwheels, silk flowers, malt candy! Not sweet, no charge!”
The hawking voice came from far to near. Lu Chengjing turned his wheelchair to go out and look, discovering a peddler with a carrying pole.
The peddler had an average build and an honest-looking face, with somewhat dark skin—he clearly traveled often.
His hawking voice was loud and drawn out, audible from far away.
Seeing Lu Chengjing, the peddler’s eyes lit up, and he quickened his steps.
“I have all sorts of goods here—for old folks and kids, things young wives like, like silk flowers, hairpins, silk thread. Better than city goods. Also kids’ toys, this rattle drum, little pinwheel—they all love playing with them. Won’t you get one for the kids at home?”
Seeing that Lu Chengjing was well-dressed, the peddler eagerly took things out of the basket to show him, hoping to sell a couple items.
Lu Chengjing glanced over them briefly. The peddler’s words were too exaggerated; these things really couldn’t be called good.
He hadn’t wanted to buy anything to begin with, and after seeing them, he wanted it even less.
“Look at how cleverly these clay figurines are made—all from the south, nowhere else has them.” The peddler tried hard to sell, “Just ten copper coins each, so cheap. Buy some for fun, and let me make a sale. I carried them all this way, and if I don’t sell a single thing, that shrewish wife at home won’t let me off.”
The peddler spoke pitifully, his tone earnest. Lu Chengjing thought of the two kids at home and took out twenty copper coins. “Two clay figurines.”
The peddler quickly packed them up and said with a smile, “You have two kids at home? Such good fortune. How about taking a look at this rattle drum and pinwheel? Kids love them.”
Lu Chengjing glanced at the hand holding the clay figurine, his eyes narrowing slightly. He nodded and said, “One more rattle drum, one pinwheel, and half a catty of malt candy.”
The peddler hadn’t expected to meet such a big customer and grinned from ear to ear. He swiftly weighed half a catty of malt candy and told Lu Chengjing to get a bowl for him to pack it in, or else the jar would cost extra.
Lu Chengjing told him to wait here and prepared to turn the wheelchair to fetch a bowl, but the peddler said, “How can I make you go twice? I’ll follow you and pack it right into your bowl.”
Lu Chengjing turned to look at him, a flash of dark light quickly passing through his eyes.
Just then, Xiao Huan and Shi Tou returned, one after the other.
Xiao Huan glanced at the peddler. “What do you do?”
“I travel the countryside selling goods.” The peddler pointed to the two baskets on the ground and smiled warmly. “I have plenty of silk thread and silk flowers here. Take a look—see if you like any. This gentleman has bought quite a bit from me. Since you’re family, I’ll give you a discount.”
Xiao Huan wanted to make clothes for Yuan Yuan and did need silk thread; there wasn’t much left at home. Since it was available, she picked some.
She squatted down to select from the basket, and the peddler enthusiastically introduced them.
Lu Chengjing looked at Shi Tou. “I bought half a catty of malt candy. Go in and get a bowl to pack it.”
