Chapter (19): The Port City Family Trip with Bai Mei – (Part 4)
Under Bai Li's intense scrutiny, Xiao Han was forced to eat four steamed buns. Normally, three would have been more than enough to fill him, but Bai Li didn't let him off the hook until he had finished the fourth. The resulting feeling of extreme fullness left him quite uncomfortable. Throughout his entire life, Xiao Han had never eaten to such a point of satiation, so the sensation felt entirely foreign to him.
Bai Mei also managed to finish four buns and ended up quite stuffed herself. As for the little Ge'ers, they each ate about two, causing their small bellies to protrude slightly. Surprisingly, Bai Li, who had personally polished off nearly eight of the twenty buns, remained perfectly at ease.
Even Bai Li felt a hint of surprise. In his previous life, he had never possessed such an appetite, and the original Bai Li hadn't been a big eater either. Why is it that after entering this body, I can eat so much?
The thought crossed his mind, but he didn't dwell on it. Instead, he led his now well-fed family members to explore other parts of the city. He held the little Ge'ers by their hands, encouraging them to walk to help their digestion.
None of them would have guessed that the next place Bai Li would lead them to was a large shop selling fabrics and jewelry. This was the grandest jewelry establishment in the port city—a place where one could find everything from fine ornaments to textiles and face powders. Most of its patrons were wealthy young ladies and young Ge'er masters.
Being a young girl, Bai Mei felt a surge of excitement as they approached the storefront. Xiao Han, however, was struck with sheer panic upon seeing the shop. For a moment, his fear of the shop eclipsed his fear of Bai Li, and he couldn't help but ask:
"I... why have we come here?"
Xiao Han had a sinking feeling in his gut. Since Bai Li had come to such a shop, he clearly intended to buy something, didn't he? But buying jewelry would drain their silver taels. Though he couldn't say it aloud, Xiao Han felt that Bai Li was being incredibly extravagant and wasteful.
Just as he suspected, Bai Li led the little Ge'ers inside, tossing a casual remark over his shoulder:
"Why else? Because there are things to buy."
Compared to Xiao Han, Bai Mei didn't overthink things. Since she had never been inside such a shop, she eagerly hurried after her brother, and Xiao Han, whose hand was linked with hers, was pulled along as well.
The shop was called Yu Lian Hua (Jade Lotus Flower), and it spanned three floors. The ground floor displayed silver jewelry and less expensive items, while the second floor sold gold and more valuable pieces. The third floor was reserved for top-tier, exquisite treasures.
Given Bai Li's current financial situation, he could likely only afford the cheapest items even on the first floor. Even so, he insisted on choosing a large, reputable establishment. He knew that only a shop like this would guarantee genuine quality. Even if he were only buying a few silver pieces, he wanted them to be of high quality.
As they entered the first floor, the greeter gave them a look of disdain. However, she quickly donned a polite mask and asked in a sweet, practiced tone:
"May I help you find something specific?"
To a keen observer like Bai Li, her true attitude was impossible to hide. But who cared? A shop of this caliber wouldn't allow its staff to treat customers poorly, so even if she looked down on them, she couldn't show it openly. She had to smile, speak sweetly, and pull out whatever items they wished to see, right? She wasn't the owner; she was just a salesgirl. Bai Li simply didn't care.
With his signature calm smile, Bai Li said:
"Show us some silver jewelry."
Although the first floor specialized in silver, it wasn't limited to plain metal. There were pieces combining silver with jade, pearls, and various other gemstones. Following Bai Li's request, the girl brought out a tray of pure silver items.
"Please, feel free to browse. Our silver is of the highest purity. You may ask about the price of any piece that catches your eye."
The shop had several security guards, and the city was peaceful enough that no one would dare commit a daylight robbery. Thus, the girl wasn't worried about Bai Li stealing anything.
Before looking at the tray himself, Bai Li turned to Bai Mei and Xiao Han.
"Each of you pick something you like. As long as it isn't outrageously expensive, it's fine."
If he still had over a thousand silver taels, the price wouldn't have mattered, but with less than five hundred left, he had to be somewhat practical.
Upon hearing this, Bai Mei nearly jumped for joy, asking incredulously:
"Second Brother, me too? You're going to buy something for me as well?"
Bai Mei would have been content just being allowed to look around such a shop. She had assumed that if her brother bought jewelry, it would only be for Xiaofu and Xiaowu. She wouldn't have held a grudge over it; after all, Bai Li had officially split from the main household and had his own children to provide for. Just being treated to expensive food was enough for her.
But that didn't mean she didn't want jewelry. When her second brother said he would buy something for her too, her happiness knew no bounds.
The salesgirl's eyes dimmed slightly as she overheard the exchange. She also had many older brothers, yet not one had ever bought her a single piece of jewelry. In fact, her parents usually took her wages to spend on her brothers. For a moment, she felt like laughing at herself. She had looked down on these people, only to realize that her own life wasn't even as good as theirs.
Bai Li patted the bouncing Bai Mei on the head and said:
"Yes, there's something for Mei'er too. So, go and choose."
As Bai Mei happily began scanning the silver pieces in the trays, Bai Li noticed that Xiao Han hadn't moved. He raised an eyebrow at him, and though the boy took a step back, he spoke up with uncharacteristic stubbornness:
"I... I don't need anything."
Winter was approaching, and there w
ould be no work soon. Yet here was Bai Li, squandering money like this. He couldn't scold Bai Li, but he was determined not to let anything be bought for himself.
Truthfully, Xiao Han's slight display of defiance surprised Bai Li. Even though the boy was terrified of him, he was showing a side that refused to simply obey.
Bai Li knew that if he acted sternly, the boy wouldn't dare refuse again. However, fearing he might scare him even more, he said nothing else and looked down at the little Ge'ers.
"Father will choose something for you two in a moment. Be good for now, alright?"
The little Ge'ers nodded their heads vigorously. Bai Li swept his gaze over the displayed items until he spotted a hairpins shaped like a delicate tree branch. He picked it up to examine it.
The hairpin was solid silver, designed with a body that rose like a slender branch. The tip was fashioned into tiny leaves and twigs, crafted with exquisite detail. The structure was solid, yet the small silver leaves looked lush and intricate; upon closer inspection, one could even see tiny flower buds tucked between the leaves. It was clearly the work of a master craftsman—beautifully elegant despite being made entirely of silver.
Seeing Bai Li's interest, the salesgirl began to explain:
"This hairpin is made from highly refined silver and features intricate handiwork. It is priced at twenty-two silver taels."
The weight of the silver itself was likely worth only five to seven taels, yet the price was twenty-two.
Bai Li felt the price was a bit high, but he could tell the quality of the silver was superior. Given the delicate and refined craftsmanship, he didn't feel it was an unfair price.
Holding the hairpin, he walked over to Xiao Han and, without a word, tucked it directly into Xiao Han's hair.
Xiao Han was so stunned by this unexpected gesture that his face instantly flushed a deep crimson. Seeing Xiao Han's extraordinary reaction, Bai Li suddenly remembered. Ah, the boundaries between men and women or Ge'ers here are quite strict. In public, a husband putting a hairpin in his wife's hair was a bit... well, was it considered improper?
Bai Li had simply done it to prevent Xiao Han from refusing the gift, but he hadn't anticipated this reaction. When he turned around, he saw the salesgirl looking down with a red face. Bai Mei was covering her eyes but peeking through her fingers. Even the little Ge'ers, who understood nothing, were blinking their eyes in curiosity.
Bai Li: "..."
At that moment, even without looking around, Bai Li could feel prying eyes on them, and he felt a wave of awkward embarrassment.
Wait. It was just putting in a hairpin. Is the social taboo really that strong?
The atmosphere was heavy and still until Bai Li cleared his throat, prompting Bai Mei to try and rescue her second brother.
"Aiya! That hairpin is so beautiful! Second Brother, you have such great taste. It suits Second Sister-in-law perfectly!"
The hairpin did, in fact, suit Xiao Han. He had relatively fair skin and decent features, so when the bright, elegant silver was added to his hair, it didn't look out of place; rather, it complemented him beautifully.
Under Bai Mei's lively chatter, the tension in the air eased slightly. Xiao Han began to recover from his intense embarrassment, though his face remained flushed.
To move past the incident, Bai Mei chirped:
"Second Brother, I want earrings, but I don't know how to choose. Please help me pick a pair!"
Bai Li gratefully accepted Bai Mei's assistance and acted as if nothing had happened.
"Alright, I'll help you. Xiao Han, watch the children for a moment."
He said this without daring to look back at Xiao Han. Coming from a modern, open era, he hadn't immediately realized how improper his actions might seem. Thinking back, it was indeed quite bold for this setting.
Despite these thoughts, Bai Li helped Bai Mei select a pair of earrings. He chose a long, dangling pair with two silver strands ending in small teardrop shapes.
"I think these would look lovely on you, Mei'er."
Bai Mei had a slender, delicate face, and the teardrop pendants would indeed suit her well. Taking Bai Li's suggestion, she held the earrings up to her ears and looked in the mirror, finding them very beautiful. She beamed with delight.
"Mmm! I love these too. They're simple yet so pretty!"
The salesgirl interjected:
"These earrings are also made of highly refined silver. They are ten silver taels."
The weight of the earrings wasn't even two taels, yet the price was ten. Bai Mei winced slightly. She had chosen earrings specifically because she didn't want her brother to spend too much, but she hadn't expected them to cost ten silver taels.
Noticing the look on her face, Bai Li patted her head.
"It's fine. Your second brother can still afford this much."
After that, Bai Li also selected a silver hair comb. The comb was shaped like layers of blooming flowers, looking very dignified—it was intended for Mother Bai. That comb cost twenty-five silver taels.
Finally, it was the little Ge'ers' turn. Bai Li chose for them personally: two pairs of adorable silver bracelets designed with interlocking floral vines. Each bracelet cost ten silver taels, bringing the total for the two sets to forty.
In the end, Bai Li paid nearly a hundred silver taels for the jewelry—ninety-seven taels to be exact.
Everyone assumed they were leaving the shop, but to their surprise, Bai Li turned toward the clothing section. Xiao Han's face fell completely. However, he didn't dare say a word to Bai Li.