Just as Tang Wanwan was feeling happy, she had no idea that Lady Chen was being troubled by someone else. It turned out that after preparing breakfast in the morning, seeing that the children hadn't woken up yet, Lady Chen went to find Mrs. Wang to give her the new shoes she had ordered.
Lady Chen was very skilled at embroidery and meticulous in her work, so her shoes were in high demand in Tang Family Village. The delivery was originally set for seven days later, but in order to receive the ten cents silver earlier, Lady Chen stayed up for two nights and finally finished the shoes.
A pair of shoes could be exchanged for ten cents, which would cover a day's meal. However, unexpectedly, and for reasons unknown, what was originally agreed upon—that she'd hand over the shoes and receive the payment—was met with all sorts of excuses from Mrs. Wang. She first claimed that the style of the shoes was outdated, then said the craftsmanship was poor, and finally that ten cents silver was too expensive and that she couldn't afford it, thus she didn't want them anymore.
Poor Lady Chen pleaded for a long time, but Mrs. Wang still refused to take the shoes. Just as Lady Chen was about to leave, Mrs. Wang said she would take them for five cents. Five cents—a pair of handcrafted embroidered shoes, crafted over two sleepless nights, and her fingers were blistered from stitching the soles. It was outrageous that Mrs. Wang could even suggest such a price.
Even a person with a good temperament like Lady Chen was visibly angered by this bullying. She packed up the shoes and, as she was leaving, said, "Miss Wang, I don't know where you've heard these things or if you've listened to gossip. My shoes are ten cents a pair, not a penny less."
"Hehe, Lady Chen, stop being so stubborn. Only I am willing to offer five cents. Go around and ask, see if there's anyone else willing to pay for your shoes." Mrs. Wang looked at Lady Chen's departing figure, speaking with schadenfreude.
Lady Chen naturally didn't believe Miss Wang's words; she refused to believe this misfortune and went around asking one household after another.
However, the more she asked, the more discouraged she became, baffled by what was happening. She practically visited half the village, knocking on doors and inquiring, only to be met with harsh scoldings and driven out rudely from some houses.
Seeing people shoos her away like they were chasing a fly, Lady Chen even started doubting whether her skills had declined. She took out her newly made shoes, examining them repeatedly. The craftsmanship was undoubtedly flawless; this time, she even utilized straight and round stitching techniques, rendering the patterns on the vamp lifelike. Or perhaps, there was a new shoe style she wasn't aware of.
After inquiring at two more homes, they didn't even let her inside.
Lady Chen, being somewhat stubborn, finally gritted her teeth and knocked on one of the doors forcefully, asking earnestly, "Aunt Six, I'd like to know what exactly happened. Why does nobody want to buy my shoes? Don't you all usually praise how well I make them?"
"Aunt Six, please open the door!"
"Aunt Six, I know you've always treated me the best. Could you open the door and say a couple of words to me?"
...
"Aunt Six..."
"Alright, stop knocking so loudly. Do you want the neighbors to hear everything?"
Aunt Six was of medium stature, her face seemed kind-hearted, though her eye bags were a bit heavy. She wore a brand-new autumn blouse, the sleeves appeared a bit long, making it seem somewhat ill-fitting. Seeing Lady Chen was quite pitiful having knocked for so long, she thought for a moment and opened the door. She mused, no matter how domineering Granny Zhang was, surely she wouldn't dare to bully her; after all, she had two sons.
Meeting Lady Chen face-to-face, she kindly advised, "Yu Zhen, you should just consider yourself unlucky. You shouldn't have gotten involved with people you shouldn't have. If I were to suggest, your family has been living so hard, why not seek help from your family back home?"
Family back home? With them in such dire straits, who would be willing to take them in?
Moreover, she didn't even know where they were.
Lady Chen's expression turned a bit odd, and she didn't respond to Aunt Six's suggestion, merely asking the question burning in her heart, as she slowly sighed, "Auntie, you speak so easily. They all say a married daughter is like water spilled out, where there's no logic in taking spilled water back again."
"However, I've always considered myself cautious and always kind-hearted, not offending anyone. Why is everyone targeting me today?"
"Your words are true, but a kind person often gets bullied, so you should be more cautious in the future."
"Aunt Six, I don't understand. Can you please explain?" As Lady Chen spoke, she noticed Aunt Six kept inadvertently pulling at her garments. She quickly grabbed her arm and said, "Aunt Six, this outfit looks beautiful on you, and it's crafted so well."