At that moment, his heart ached immensely. The domineering Tiantian from his past life was gone, and he wanted to question her, to ask who she was.
But then, images flooded his mind: her carrying kudzu vines and pumpkins, dragging a wild boar; her serious face as she declared she would make two new quilts; her teaching Minmin how to make kudzu powder; her teaching Minmin how to make pumpkin cakes; her directing Minmin to sift soil; her telling Minmin that if she regretted it, she should go to the Tian family and break off the engagement; her unhesitatingly pinching ginseng root to make water for his mother; her protecting Minmin at the foot of the mountain; her dragging Minmin to Accountant Li's house to demand justice; her rolling around on the kang; her stuffing an egg into his mouth.
It was her, all her!
Only six days!
Just six days!
His mind was filled with her!
It was all her various expressions when she was with him, with Minmin, and with his mother.
It was so profound!
So profound that he could barely remember the domineering Tiantian from his past life.
So profound that even his breath carried the scent of this vibrant young woman before him.
Then, he thought of Tiantian knowing about her father's situation. What did this mean?
It meant that the current Tiantian had memories of her past life;
It meant that the soul within Tiantian's body was Tiantian herself;
It was the integrated Tiantian, his Tiantian, always his, and he would never let her leave him alone again.
Therefore, when Tiantian said they should part ways, he felt as though Tiantian was saying goodbye to him.
This thought terrified him. He worried that if Tiantian knew he had guessed her identity, she would leave him, to a place where no one knew her, where no one would expose her.
So, he had to be careful, absolutely not giving Tiantian any chance to escape him.
Thus, he didn't want the opportunity Tiantian offered him to inquire.
He would rather spend more time winning Tiantian's heart than risk losing her.
Given her displayed martial prowess, leaving the Li family and the Kùshan Mountains would be easy for her. He didn't want that; it would break his heart.
Tián Jìng smiled and placed her rough, small hand into his equally rough and trembling large one. "Okay."
"You, you agree?" Lǐ Zhèngguó asked excitedly.
"Agree to what?" Tián Jìng asked, feigning ignorance.
"You said 'okay,' meaning you agree to me staying by your side, right?"
"This matter needs further discussion."
Tián Jìng felt that things were unpredictable and couldn't make a decision too soon. "My 'okay' was in response to you saying you don't regret it. As for your request, it still needs to be tested. After all, there's plenty of time in the future, right?"
"Right, right, plenty of time in the future." Lǐ Zhèngguó showed Tián Jìng the smile she loved the most.
Ōuyáng Léi finally understood the relationship between the two. It was a shame that he was older than this foolish boy. Although he was still single, it was no longer suitable. He couldn't force anything, and his martial arts were not up to par.
Oh dear, he was getting sidetracked. If his martial arts were better, how could he possibly yield?
"Miss," seeing Tián Jìng holding onto the foolish boy and about to leave, Ōuyáng Léi quickly scrambled up. "Miss, aren't you here to sell ginseng?"
"But I don't think you want to buy. Otherwise, in such scarce times, where would a buyer bully a seller?"
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Ōuyáng Léi apologized repeatedly. "I'll buy it. A ginseng root is not cheap. Selling it outside would attract too much attention."
"Alright then."
Tián Jìng withdrew her hand from Lǐ Zhèngguó's, put down the bamboo basket on her back, opened the lid, took out the bundle of clothes, and casually handed it to Ōuyáng Léi. "Take a look before you offer a price."
Ōuyáng Léi opened his mouth to quote a price, but Tián Jìng interrupted him. He could only open the clothing bundle. A ginseng root of only ten-odd years wouldn't be much to look at, would it?
But as soon as he opened the bundle and smelled the aroma, he immediately dropped his dismissive attitude. This strong scent indicated it was at least twenty years old, if not more!
He carefully peeled back the leaves, saw the root and its rings, and was so astonished he couldn't close his mouth. A ginseng nearly forty years old?
Coupled with its rich fragrance, this root could probably fetch a thousand or eight hundred yuan in the city.
Ōuyáng Léi cautiously asked Tián Jìng, "What is Miss's expected price?"
Tián Jìng looked at Lǐ Zhèngguó.
Lǐ Zhèngguó extended his thumb and pinky finger. "Six hundred yuan, plus one hundred jin of grain coupons, ten jin of salt and sugar coupons, some shoe coupons, and coupons for various daily necessities, plus industrial coupons worth about one hundred yuan."
In other words, seven hundred yuan. Su Dan Novel Network.
This was a fair price; he wasn't being cheated. Ōuyáng Léi agreed. "Okay, please wait a moment while I go prepare the money and coupons."
"We need to buy things. The market is about to close, isn't it?"
Lǐ Zhèngguó was anxious. He had seen people selling grain earlier. Other items could be bought at the supply and marketing cooperative, but grain could only be obtained at the grain station, or through the black market.
The grain station would close soon, and they wouldn't have enough time. Even if they had time, they might not be able to buy any.
The grain station often ran out of stock. It wouldn't be empty at the beginning of the month, as that was when people received their salaries and coupons. At other times, it depended on the mood of the shopkeeper, whether it was available or not.
"Then I'll have Little Tiger accompany you first. I'll find you at the market after I get the money and coupons," Ōuyáng Léi suggested.
Lǐ Zhèngguó looked at Tián Jìng.
Tián Jìng nodded. "Okay."
Ōuyáng Léi would certainly not dare to abscond with her ginseng.
Little Tiger, the man who brought Lǐ Zhèngguó and Tián Jìng to find Brother Léi, had watched the entire scene from the doorway. The changes in between had made his heart pound, especially when his boss knelt and begged for mercy. He was terrified.
If the master didn't spare his boss, he would suffer the same fate. If his boss spared his boss, would he be silenced after seeing his boss beg for mercy?
Just as he was contemplating whether his own life could be saved, he heard his boss call him. Terrified, he immediately begged for mercy, "Boss, spare me, boss, spare me."
"Hahaha."
Tián Jìng laughed. This person was quite amusing. Since Ōuyáng Léi had asked him to do something, why would he still want to take his life?
Ōuyáng Léi: "..."
"Where has your soul wandered off to? Hurry up and take the great hero Tiantian to buy things. Pay on credit first, and I'll come over with the money and coupons."
"Cough, cough." Great Hero Tiantian? Tián Jìng corrected him. "My surname is Tián."
"Great Hero Tián," Little Tiger called out, then obediently lowered his head and prepared to lead them out.
"Just call me Little Tián." Great Hero Tián? Was she afraid others wouldn't know about her martial arts?
Little Tián? Little Tiger looked at Ōuyáng Léi. Did he dare?
But his boss nodded, so he could only say, "Little Tián, let's go. I'll take you to buy things, and I guarantee the prices will be reasonable."
Shopping with the market management present, how could they be ripped off?
The market was slowly dispersing. The few people selling grain were already tying up their bags and preparing to leave.
Tián Jìng urged Little Tiger beside her, "Brother Little Tiger, make those grain sellers stay. I'll buy it all."
In those days, people sold grain in amounts of only a few jin or a dozen jin, rarely exceeding twenty jin. Together, those few people would have at most forty to fifty jin.
After Little Tiger made everyone stay, he looked at Tián Jìng. "Is there anything else you need to buy?"
"Cloth, and those layered shoe soles."
Tián Jìng pointed to two spots. There wasn't much else to buy; she'd buy other things at the supply and marketing cooperative.