A Maiden's Land

"What business?"

"I'll tell you in detail when I get back."

"But your foot"

"It's nothing serious. I might not come back so soon. There are two eggs hidden in the rice storage; let Tang Li cook them for your lunch."

After finishing the instructions, Tang Huai left the house.

From Shuanglong Village to the town, it would take about forty minutes by bicycle.

But to get to the county town, it would take more than two hours by bicycle.

Shuanglong Village was a large village with fertile fields; the peasants there all had good harvests and belonged to the higher-living-standard category.

Leaving the village and walking along this road for about ten minutes, there was a main highway, where one could wait for the once-daily bus to the county town.

At the bus stop, there was an old man sitting under a metal shelter, guarding bicycles and selling cigarettes and drinks.

Tang Huai had wanted to give the old man twenty cents to watch over her bicycle while she took the bus to the county town.

But the old man told Tang Huai that she had already missed today's bus and would have to wait until eight o'clock the next morning.

Tang Huai couldn't wait until tomorrow; she needed to get to the county town today!

If she had to ride her bicycle, then so be it—two hours were just two hours!

Thinking about how Tang Youqian wanted to poison her pigs, no amount of pain could deter Tang Huai.

What was a foot pain?

In her previous life, she had experienced heartache!

It was summer, and the weather was sweltering. Soon, Tang Huai was drenched in sweat.

Because of the pain in her foot, she had to stop and go repeatedly, and by the time she reached the county town, it had been three hours.

She was very familiar with the county town. After Tang Youxin passed away in her previous life, she didn't go to junior high but came to work in the county town.

Because she was young, she could only wash dishes in restaurants and do odd jobs on construction sites.

Guided by her memory, she arrived at a "pig broker's" home in the county town.

The "pig broker's" house was located on a street, a small two-and-a-half-story building.

When Tang Huai reached the entrance, she shouted inside, "Is Master Chen here?"

A middle-aged woman came out, standing on the gallery and asked Tang Huai, "He's using the bathroom. Do you need something from him?"

Tang Huai smiled at the woman, "Hello sister, I have three pigs at home that I want to sell right away."

Women were usually addressed as 'auntie' or 'aunty'. It was the first time a strange young girl had called her 'sister' and added 'you'. The woman felt a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction.

Her smile broadened immediately, and she said to Tang Huai, "Leave your bicycle at the entrance and come in for a cup of water."

Tang Huai entered Chen Haiqiang's house, which was neatly furnished and clean.

There was a wooden sofa, a coffee table, and tea was placed on the coffee table. The woman enthusiastically brought her a cup of water.

Seeing Tang Huai sweaty, with damp bangs, she also turned on the table fan and aimed it at Tang Huai.

Tang Huai instantly felt much cooler all over. She smiled at the woman, "Sister, you are so thoughtful. Master Chen is very lucky to have you."

The woman's husband treated her well indeed, and the woman seemed very happy with Tang Huai's words.

She asked, "Would you like some candy?"

Tang Huai shook her head and smiled, "I'm not fond of candy, but my younger sister loves it. Sister, if you have some, please give me two pieces."

Hearing this, the woman laughed even more heartily, "I like straightforward young girls like you."

"As she spoke, the woman took out seven or eight pieces of candy from the drawer of the TV cabinet for Tang Huai, "Put them in your pocket and take care." "

Tang Huai accepted them without hesitation, but thanked her very politely, "Thank you, big sister. My little sister will definitely be happy to see these."

Whoosh

The sound of the toilet flushing arose.

Tang Huai knew Master Chen had gone to the bathroom.

She sat respectfully, gauging the location of the restroom by the sound of running water, yet her gaze didn't wander in that direction.

Some men, when they leave the restroom, tuck in their shirts and fasten their belts as they walk out, which can make for an awkward sight.

With a smile, she gazed out at the street, and as the woman observed her careful demeanor, her impression of Tang Huai grew quite positive.

After a while, a middle-aged man came out.

True to form, he was buckling his belt as he appeared. Noticing a strange young girl sitting in the living room, he hurriedly fastened his belt, then asked, "Here to sell pigs?"

Tang Huai looked back at him, admiration evident in her eyes, "Yes, Master Chen."

Chen Haiqiang sat down in a chair opposite her and asked, "How many pigs? Are they fat? Which village?"

"Three, they are fat, from Shuanglong Village in Dahui Town." Tang Huai replied with a smile.

Upon hearing this, Chen Haiqiang was surprised, "Such a long way? Young girl, there are pig traders in Dahui Town, why come all the way to An County to find me?"

Embarrassed, Tang Huai smiled, "I've long heard of Master Chen's honesty and efficiency. I want to sell the most valuable three pigs from my home through you."

In her past life, Tang Huai worked in a restaurant in the county town, where she met an aunty who introduced her to Chen Haiqiang.

Chen Haiqiang was a fair and trusted middleman and many nearby people liked to go through him for selling pigs; he was fast and never cheated either buyer or seller.

The reason Tang Huai had come all this way to find him was because once he agreed, he would trade with you right away.

Other traders, in an attempt to make more money, would point out every flaw in the pigs before telling both buyer and seller, often dragging out the deal for two or three days to lower the price.

If Tang Huai had gone to a local trader, the delay could give Tang Youqian enough time to poison the pigs.

Initially, she wanted to stay by the pigsty, to catch Tang Youxin in the act.

But what good would that do?

If she caught him, he wouldn't be able to poison her pigs.

But who knew how he would bully her family afterwards?

Even if the village chief intervened, it would only solve the immediate problem, not the long-term ones.

After much thought, the best course of action seemed to be to sell the pigs and get the money safely.

"You're quite the sweet talker, kid." Chen Haiqiang said with a chuckle, seeing genuine admiration in Tang Huai's eyes, convinced she wasn't just flattering him.

He asked, "Why did you come? Why not your father or mother? It's not safe for you to bike back when it's dark."

Upon hearing this, a pained expression briefly crossed Tang Huai's thin, sallow face, "My father passed away last week, and my mother is currently recovering from childbirth."

Upon hearing this, Chen Haiqiang and his wife's expressions changed, especially his wife, who looked at Tang Huai with a sympathetic gaze. What a pitiful child.

Tang Huai was eighteen, but because of her short stature and years of malnutrition, she looked much like a fifteen-year-old girl.

"Alright! Since you've come to me with such respect, I cannot refuse you. I'll come to see the pigs the day after tomorrow," Chen Haiqiang said.

"No, it has to be tomorrow!" Tang Huai exclaimed with wide eyes, "I overheard my uncle talking to my aunt; they're planning to buy pesticide to poison our pigs in the next couple of days."

"My goodness, how can people be like this?" the woman cried out in shock, "They're not human! Why do they want to poison your pigs?"

Tang Huai looked down and spoke softly, "Uncle said that if our pigs died, my father being gone, we would surely ask him to butcher them, and the unsellable pork could be made into sausages."

At that point, Tang Huai looked up with tear-filled eyes, pitifully pleading with Chen Haiqiang, "Master Chen, my family is very poor. All our savings were spent on my father's illness, and in the end, he still passed away. My mother is in poor health and recovering from childbirth, and the only thing of value we have left are the three pigs. If they get poisoned, my younger sister and I will no longer be able to go to school. Master Chen, can you come tomorrow?"