C18 Revenge for Mo Xuxiao

"Mr. Cao, are you heading to the market? Could I catch a ride with you?"

"Not a problem at all," Mr. Cao replied, and Luo Lingyan eagerly climbed onto his cart.

Before long, Luo Lingyan and her brother arrived at a bustling market. Since the boat ride had taken over an hour, all the prime spots near the entrance were already taken. Lingyan had to settle for a spot near the exit.

Unfamiliar with the market prices, she handed out some dried fish to the vendors nearby, who quickly offered her pricing advice in return.

It was peak time for buying groceries, but there weren't many customers near the exit. Just as Lingyan was about to start selling, she noticed a young woman dressed as a maid approaching. Lingyan quickly greeted her. "Are you looking for Russules or dried fish? My brother and I came from Xuxiao Island, where the air and climate are great. Our stream fish and Russules are definitely tastier than those from other places. If you don't believe me, take a whiff or try some before you buy."

The woman picked up a Russule, sniffed it, and casually asked, "Are you from the main island of Island Master Mo?" The aroma of the Russule was indeed more enticing, and its texture seemed thicker than others.

"Yes, we are! Do you know our Island Master?"

After setting down the russule, the woman picked up a small piece of dried fish and popped it into her mouth. The fish was crispy and flavorful, and the variety was quite good. "Our family lives right next to the gallery of the Island Master. My young lady loves collecting his paintings."

Hearing this, Luo Lingyan's eyes lit up. "So Miss Du likes his paintings too! If she hasn't married yet and ends up moving to our island, she'd be in for a treat. Our Island Master has a unique studio up in the mountains where he loves to paint. I've heard he keeps his favorite works there! Although he seems a bit cold, he's actually very kind. Last time, my brother and father were gathering herbs in the mountains and ran into a tiger. The Island Master saved them! Oh, and our matriarch is really easy to get along with."

"Yeah, that's right! My father and I owe our lives to the Island Master," Luo Zixuan nodded, his face flushed.

"Is that so? How many..." The woman glanced at Luo Zixuan, realizing it wasn't the right time to ask her question. Instead, she smiled and asked, "How much are you selling these for?"

Luo Lingyan, sensing her words had the desired effect, smiled and said, "I'm selling the dried fish at 5 cents a pound, but if you buy 3 pounds, I'll give them to you for just 10 cents. And this is the last of my russule, why not take it with you too?"

"Let's weigh out six and a half pounds of dried fish, then!"

"Sure, thanks! By the way, my banana leaves are clean." Luckily, she had learned how to use the scale last night when she borrowed it, so once Luo Zixuan wrapped up the dried fish, she expertly weighed it.

After weighing three packages of dried fish, Luo Lingyan prepared an extra small package. Smiling, she turned back to the woman. "So, what do you think about my mushrooms? As long as you give me a fair price, I'll definitely sell them to you."

"How about $1.80?" The woman didn't lowball her; she had her reasons.

Luo Lingyan put on a troubled face. "Oh, come on, that's too low! I just sold them for $5 a pound, and over there, they're going for $6 a pound. This half-pound should at least go for $2.30, right?"

"Alright, but I've bought quite a bit, so you'll need to help me carry it back to the house." She wanted to see if this young girl was really from the island. If she was wrong, she wouldn't lose much; if she was right, she'd be in for a reward from her employer.

"No problem, and this small package of dried fish is a gift from me. Just give me $2.40, and we're good. My name is Luo Lingyan, by the way. What's yours?" For someone as strapped for cash as Luo Lingyan, $2.40 was no small amount, so she readily agreed, regardless of the woman's intentions.

"You're quite the businesswoman, aren't you? How about this: whenever you gather some Russule mushrooms or come across anything good, bring it over to our place. I'm Qiuxiang."

"Sure, thanks, Qiuxiang!"