Chapter 3: Carrying the Glass Beads into the County Town

After calming Li Qinglian down, Chu Chen lay back on the bed, exhausted from a vigorous afternoon of exertion. His body was truly reaching its limits; he needed to recuperate properly first. In a couple of days, he planned to head into town to sell some items—glass cups, perhaps—since such things likely didn’t exist in this world yet.

He reached into his supermarket space and pulled out a glass cup, hiding it carefully beneath the bed. Chu Chen knew that before he had fully established his footing, his space absolutely could not be revealed. Otherwise, he wouldn’t even know how he might meet his end. The items he produced would be difficult to explain, so in this world, earning enough money was essential to safeguard his secret.

About half an hour later, the kitchen filled with the rich aroma of meat. Chu Chen’s stomach growled uncontrollably. His body had been weakened by prolonged hunger. “Dinner’s ready, my husband,” Li Qinglian said, carrying in a clay pot.

Chu Chen leaned closer to look. Inside floated two or three small pieces of meat, accompanied by a full pot of soup, a few leaves of greens, and two bowls of plain rice porridge as the staple. Chu Chen’s face twitched slightly—such meager fare! Yet, given the era when even a full meal was a luxury, it was understandable. Meat was a rarity, typically reserved for landlords and wealthy city families.

Without a word, Chu Chen picked up a bowl and devoured the porridge in no time. Looking up at Li Qinglian, he saw her cautiously sipping a bowl of rice water, which, upon inspection, contained no grains at all. A pang of sorrow struck him. Setting down his bowl, he rushed into the kitchen, cutting about a pound of meat and frying it in an iron pot. Then he cooked nearly a pound of rice in a clay pot.

Li Qinglian, seeing him snatch her bowl and head to the kitchen, froze in place, afraid she had done something wrong. “Looks like he hasn’t changed after all,” she thought.

Within half an hour, Chu Chen returned to the room, carrying a dish of meat and a large bowl of rice, placing them before her. “Qinglian, from now on, you have to eat like this every meal. If you’re still this thin in a month, I’ll sell you,” he warned. In those times, poor families sought wives who were well-built and fertile. To others, someone like Li Qinglian was seen as unable to work or bear children. That was why her scholar father had married her off for a mere two taels of silver.

Li Qinglian stared in awe at the fragrant meal before her. Though she worried about Chu Chen wasting food, a warmth blossomed in her heart. Under his stern insistence, she ate a large bowl of rice and the entire plate of meat—likely the most satisfying meal of her life.

That night, the two lay down to sleep, Li Qinglian curled up with her back to Chu Chen on the straw-matted bed. Chu Chen, still nursing his injuries and with no other thoughts, quickly fell into a deep sleep.

In the middle of the night, he was awakened by a cold draft. Winter was approaching, and the nights were bitterly cold. The dilapidated house leaked wind from every crack. Unable to sleep, Chu Chen got up. Seeing the small figure curled in the corner, he covered her with the patchwork quilt.

Suppressing the urge to retrieve a mattress and down comforter from his space, he instead kindled a fire in the kitchen. “Looks like I’ll have to go into town tomorrow,” he thought, sitting by the fire.

At dawn, the crowing of roosters and barking of dogs at the village entrance roused Li Qinglian. She got up to find Chu Chen absent from the bed and quickly climbed down. In this era, men were expected to rise earlier than women; for women, sleeping late was a sign of laziness.

“Are you up?” Chu Chen asked, carrying two bowls of egg noodles.

“Husband, I’m sorry. I ate too much last night, so I woke up late,” Li Qinglian answered timidly, as if she had committed a grave offense.

“It’s fine. If you want to sleep more, go ahead. It’s damn cold today anyway,” Chu Chen replied nonchalantly.

Li Qinglian was at a loss, but the man before her truly didn’t seem angry. “Stop standing there. Get up and eat breakfast. After that, I’m going to town. You stay home and don’t go anywhere,” he instructed.

“To town? What does this damn cold have to do with us?” Li Qinglian wondered aloud as she sat down.

Chu Chen quickly finished his noodles in a few breaths. Li Qinglian, eating hers slowly, asked cautiously, “Husband, are you going to the gambling house again?”

“The gambling house? Why would I go there? My injury isn’t healed yet; I can’t compete,” Chu Chen answered bluntly.

“Then why are you going to town?” she asked hesitantly.

“Didn’t I tell you? Yesterday, I dreamed of that immortal elder who taught me many things. I’m thinking of trying to earn some money,” Chu Chen said.

“You’re not fully healed. You should rest at home,” she urged gently.

Looking at his caring wife, Chu Chen suddenly felt that this transmigration might be far better than delivering takeout.

After much persuasion, he finally convinced Li Qinglian. Secretly taking the glass cup from beneath the bed, Chu Chen set off for the town.

Mashan Village was under the jurisdiction of Qingniu Town, which itself belonged to Qingyun City. Chu Chen planned to bypass Qingniu Town and head straight to Qingyun City. Glass cups should be incredibly valuable in this era. Qingniu Town wouldn’t pay much for them.

Watching Chu Chen walk away, Li Qinglian felt a faint warmth—perhaps her husband was truly awakening. She picked up her basket and headed toward the village chief’s house.

At the village entrance, Chu Chen’s second uncle hurried over.

“Nephew, your injury isn’t healed yet, and you’re already thinking of going to town to make a comeback?” the uncle shouted.

“Uncle, why are you here? I’m going to Qingyun City, not the town’s gambling house,” Chu Chen replied.

Going to the city—was this boy planning to sell Qinglian to pay off gambling debts? No, if he were selling her, he’d have brought someone. This didn’t look right. He needed to follow him and make sure he didn’t act foolishly.

“Well, I’m heading to Qingyun City too. Let’s go together; it’s better to have company on the road,” the uncle offered.

Having his uncle along was perfect; Chu Chen was unfamiliar with the area and wouldn’t know the way.

“That’s great. I’ll buy you a drink in the city,” Chu Chen said generously.

At that moment, an untimely voice rang out.

“Hey, Brother Chu, so generous today—actually have money to buy drinks? Take your big brother along!”

The speaker was Ma San, the village’s hereditary rogue. He idled around the village, stealing chickens and sneaking over widow’s walls. He was also the one who took Chu Chen to the gambling house the first time he entered Qingniu Town.

Seeing him, Chu Chen instinctively clenched his fists but, looking at his injured body, held back.

“Oh, it’s Third Brother. Not visiting the village chief’s wife today, so you’re hanging around the village head? Is the chief home?” Chu Chen greeted him.