How could someone be unhappy living in a matriarchal society?

Chapter 28 Shi An Encounters Danger

After finishing the watermelon, Chu Ci and Shi An went to Lotus Town to set up a stall.

After a day's hard work, Shi An sold quite a few embroidered shoes.

After all, he had lived in Kyoto his entire previous life, so he was quite clear about what kind of patterns were more popular.

These beautiful shoes captivated the young men of Lotus Town.

Some people from wealthy families even come to him almost every day to buy different styles of shoes.

As they packed up to leave, Chu Ci looked at Shi An's empty basket and praised, "My husband is truly skillful; all the young men in town love your embroidery."

Shi An blushed at the praise and lowered her head shyly, muttering, "It's not as amazing as you say, my wife... Actually, I spent a lot of time and effort to embroider it."

“But no one else can do it as well as you! So that’s your skill,” Chu Ci said with a smile, patting his head to comfort him.

Shi An's face flushed even more, and she gently shook her head without saying anything more.

Just then, Zheng Yi suddenly walked over.

When she saw Chu Ci, she immediately went up to him and said, "Chu Ci, someone has bought your book."

Upon hearing this, Chu Ci was taken aback at first, and then realized what she meant: "Are you talking about the storybooks I wrote before?"

Zheng Yi nodded, her eyes full of smiles: "Yes! Someone is willing to pay a high price to have you write another book!"

Upon hearing this news, Chu Ci couldn't help but feel a little surprised. She hadn't expected her writing to receive such high praise.

But she quickly regained her composure and asked with a smile, "So how much are they willing to pay?"

Zheng Yi replied, "We still need to discuss the specific price, but it certainly won't be low. Now, come with me to the bookstore."

Chu Ci glanced at Shi An, and seeing that the other party did not object, he nodded in agreement.

Afterwards, she and Zheng Yi left the booth together and went to the bookstore to discuss matters related to the new book.

Shi An stayed behind to tidy up the stall and wait for Chu Ci to return.

Before leaving, Shi An couldn't help but start praising her, "I knew that people would like the book written by my wife. She's really amazing."

Chu Ci was a little embarrassed. "I'll go check the situation first," she said, and then followed Zheng Yi to the bookstore.

She found that the place hadn't changed much compared to before, except that there were a few more green plants inside, which made it feel much fresher.

Zheng Yi took out his abacus and did some quick calculations before saying directly, "Three taels of silver for this book."

Chu Ci was somewhat surprised. She hadn't had high expectations for her first book, but she was pleasantly surprised.

She thought for a moment, then cautiously asked, "You mean if you give me three taels of silver, this book will no longer belong to me, is that right?"

Zheng Yi raised an eyebrow, inwardly marveling at how clever this woman was, grasping the crux of the matter immediately. "Yes, once you sell it to me, the book will belong to me, and you will have nothing to do with it anymore."

After listening, Chu Ci hesitated for a moment, then shook his head in the end, indicating his disagreement.

She said earnestly, "The book is still mine. If you want to sell it, we can split it 40/60, with you taking 60% and me taking 40%."

Zheng Yi narrowed her eyes, a sly glint in them: "Three-seven, I get seven, you get three," she said firmly, as if she had already made her decision.

However, Chu Ci smiled slightly, his smile carrying a hint of confidence and composure: "Boss Zheng, we've known each other for many years, why don't you give me some face?"

Her voice was soft, yet it possessed an undeniable power.

Upon hearing this, Zheng Yi gritted his teeth, feeling somewhat annoyed.

She didn't expect Chu Ci to be so persistent, and even started bargaining with her.

"When did you become so calculating?" Zheng Yi couldn't help but complain.

“That’s a misconception,” Chu Ci said, taking a step closer and looking firmly at Zheng Yi. “This is only our first deal. We might have many more deals in the future. Give me some face so we can meet again in the future.”

Her gaze was sincere, as if she were truly thinking about their future.

Zheng Yi was persuaded by her that if this collaboration was unpleasant, it would be difficult to continue in the future.

She doesn't want to break up with Chu Ci right now.

So Zheng Yi relented, "Alright, then I'll draft a contract as you say."

Chu Ci smiled and praised, "Mr. Zheng is so generous. No wonder students love to buy books from you."

Zheng Yi snorted, a smile appearing on her lips. "You smooth talker, don't think I'll give you any concessions just because of that."

Chu Ci shrugged, adopting the demeanor of a chivalrous knight, and said, "I'm just telling the truth."

On the other side, Shi An packed up his stall, moved a stool, and sat down in the shade of a tree to wait.

It was nearing evening; the sun was setting, casting long shadows across the earth.

Most of the vendors have already packed up and gone home, leaving only a few scattered stalls still holding on.

Occasionally, one or two townspeople would pass by, some hurrying along, others strolling leisurely.

Shi An was lost in thought, wondering what delicious food he should prepare for his wife tonight.

He lowered his head slightly, his eyes somewhat unfocused, as if lost in his own thoughts.

The man's skin was as white as snow, his eyebrows as high as distant mountains, and his whole demeanor was pure and ethereal, like a blooming daffodil, breathtakingly beautiful, yet completely unaware of his own charm.

Soon, his handsome appearance caught the attention of two thugs.

The two men, with their lewd appearances and malicious smiles, slowly approached Shi An.

One of them said, "Hey, where did this beauty come from? I've never seen you in town before."

Another person continued, "Are you married yet? It must be very hard for you to run your stall all by yourself! Do you want us to help you?" After saying that, she reached out to touch Shi An's face.

Shi An was so frightened that she took a step back, a look of fear and disgust flashing in her eyes.

Looking at the two women before him, their faces contorted and their behavior wanton, a chill ran through him.

He frowned, trying to avoid their harassment, but the two women became even more arrogant.

"Don't be afraid, beautiful lady, we just want to be friends with you." One of the thugs said with a grin, reaching out to grab Shi An's arm.

However, Shi An managed to dodge it.

"Tsk, don't be afraid!" The tall woman who spoke had uneven teeth with yellowish-brown stains, which made Shi An feel nauseous.

He quickly hid behind a tree, trying to avoid the two women.

However, his actions and the obvious disgust on his face angered the two women.