Chapter Seven: Even a Hero Is Helpless Without a Penny

Lin Miaomiao nodded at the woman’s words, pleased to hear such auspicious remarks. “That’s wonderful! Sister, you must be very loving with your husband, may you live together until old age.”

Someone bought something from Lin Miaomiao’s stall, and soon others followed suit. Once one person made a purchase, more people flocked in. Among them was a man dressed in grey, who said to Lin Miaomiao, “Little girl, what if I want to boil these?”

Lin Miaomiao glanced at the man and smiled, replying, “Duck eggs and goose eggs aren’t bad boiled! If you add some vinegar and soy sauce, and mix in chopped scallions, they taste quite good.”

She smiled at the man in grey, whose cheerful demeanor was obvious. He grinned back and said, “Give me five goose eggs and ten chicken eggs.”

Lin Miaomiao nodded with a smile. “Alright, that’ll be fifteen coins. I’ll throw in two duck eggs for you as well. Does that sound good?”

The man laughed heartily and nodded. “Alright, you’re quite the businesswoman!”

He left, and a middle-aged woman approached. “Miss, I’d like five duck eggs and five goose eggs. Can you tell me how much that is?”

Lin Miaomiao laughed and said, “That’s ten coins altogether. I’ll add a chicken egg for you, is that okay?”

The woman broke into a wide smile, nodding eagerly. “That’s perfect.”

She handed the money to Li Yanhe, and departed in high spirits. Seeing Lin Miaomiao’s fair prices and generous offers, the crowd grew, and people pressed forward.

Voices clamored, “Young lady, give me five duck eggs.”

“And me, I want ten chicken eggs and five duck eggs. How much for all that?”

The crowd spoke over each other, and after a morning of effort, Lin Miaomiao finally sold out all her duck eggs, chicken eggs, and goose eggs. Together with Li Yanhe and An Qi, they counted their earnings—ninety-seven coins in total.

The three bought ten steamed buns and ordered three bowls of wontons. Lin Miaomiao, being small, ate only half a bun and a bowl of wontons. Li Yanhe and An Qi, both grown men, ate much more, with Li Yanhe even finishing Miaomiao’s remaining half bun.

When settling the bill, Lin Miaomiao calculated and found they had ninety coins left. They’d eaten, so that worry was solved, but lodging was the next concern. The money wasn’t nearly enough for a night at an inn or for tomorrow’s meals.

Lin Miaomiao frowned, seriously pondering their options. Li Yanhe watched her furrow her brow and found it amusing, marveling at how she had already learned to worry at such a young age. At that moment, Lin Miaomiao felt her life shrouded in gloom. She had never imagined, back in the modern world, that she would one day face such hardships.

When she was young, she often heard her mother sigh, “Even a hero can be defeated by a single cent.” Back then, Miaomiao thought her mother was making a fuss over nothing.

But now, experiencing life’s twists and turns, she finally understood—indeed, even a hero can be defeated by a single cent.

Lin Miaomiao sighed, then quietly used a wooden stick to draw and scribble on the ground. After a moment, she looked up at Li Yanhe.