Twenty-two, pitiful beyond even a dog.

Su Wan rose early that morning, dragging Su Chen along with her to the city’s artisan market.

She needed to sell what she had as soon as possible, lest Aunt Wang come looking for her again.

The two wandered leisurely until they stopped in front of a shop that collected embroidery. The shopkeeper was an elderly woman with glasses, appearing to be well over eighty, her hair silver and white, sitting at an embroidery frame, carefully splitting threads.

Su Wan stepped inside. “Grandma, do you buy embroidered pieces?”

The old woman looked up at her words, her eyes clear and sharp, studying the siblings for a moment. “I do.”

Su Wan’s spirits lifted. She quickly took the curtain from her bag and handed it to the old woman.

A flicker of surprise flashed in the woman’s eyes as she received the piece, her hands trembling slightly, but she soon regained her composure. “How much are you asking?”

Su Wan sat down across from her. “Why don’t you name a price first? I’ll see if it’s suitable.”

The old woman took a sip from the cup beside her. “One thousand.”

Su Wan said nothing. She stood, collected the embroidery, and made to leave.

“Wait,” the old woman called after her, “then you name your price.”

Su Wan’s eyes darted, then she turned slowly. “Ten thousand.”

At this, the old woman waved her hand dismissively. “Then go on your way.”

So Su Wan turned again and walked toward the door.

Su Chen, beside her, was so shocked his mouth hung open. How could Su Wan dare? Asking for ten thousand—wasn’t this just a piece of cloth meant for a curtain?

He tugged at Su Wan and whispered, “A thousand is already a lot. Are you really going to try selling that rag for ten thousand?”

Su Wan ignored him and quickened her pace.

The old woman kept her gaze fixed on the siblings.

The young girl was remarkably calm, as if she didn’t care whether the shopkeeper bought the embroidery or not.

But the plump boy’s anxious, surprised expression betrayed her.

When Su Wan reached the shop’s threshold, the old woman finally spoke. “How about eight thousand?”

Without turning, Su Wan replied, “Ten thousand, no less.”

The old woman scoffed quietly and said nothing more, letting Su Wan walk out.

That embroidery was clearly an old piece, aged with time.

The stitching was something she’d only seen in ancient texts, never on a finished item. The thread used for the falling leaves was gold, though dust had dulled its shine.

If she could restore it properly, the embroidery would be worth far more than ten thousand.

The old woman was confident—besides herself, not a single person in this market could discern its true value.

She watched Su Wan and Su Chen intently.

The siblings entered the shop opposite hers.

She didn’t know what the girl was saying to the young shopkeeper there.

The young man took the embroidery with surprise, then said something in return.

Su Wan smiled.

They spoke for quite a while. The young shopkeeper seemed excited.

The old woman couldn’t sit still any longer. She shuffled hastily to the opposite shop.

“Wait! Wait!” she shouted, grabbing the embroidery from Su Wan’s hands. “Ten thousand—I’ll take it.”

The young shopkeeper protested, “Grandma, how can you come into someone else’s shop to steal their business?”

The old woman clung stubbornly to the piece. “I’ll add two thousand more.”

The shopkeeper retorted, “If you can add, so can I. I’ll add four thousand.”

The old woman’s blood pressure soared with fury. “I’ll add three thousand more!”

Before he could reply, Su Wan grasped the old woman’s hand. “Grandma, I agree.”

The old woman finally relaxed, bringing Su Wan back to her own store.

She pulled a thick stack of bills from the safe beneath her counter, counted them carefully, and handed them to Su Wan.

Fifteen thousand in total—so much that Su Wan could barely hold it.

The old woman kindly gave her a peony-embroidered pouch. “Child, if you ever have another piece like this, remember to come to me. I’ll pay you the highest price.”

Su Wan beamed with honest delight. “I just thought you were so kind, you remind me of my late grandmother.”

Su Chen felt his world collapsing—fifteen thousand!

That was fifteen thousand!

He wouldn’t even dare ask Grandpa for a soda costing fifteen cents, and Su Wan had just sold a rag for fifteen thousand!

And how could this old lady resemble their grandmother? His own grandma was a dark-skinned country woman, nothing like this elegant lady in a cheongsam with curled hair and pale skin.

But the old woman didn’t know that. Hearing Su Wan’s words, a wave of affection filled her heart.

If not for what happened years ago, she might have had a granddaughter just Su Wan’s age.

But fate had other plans.

She felt ashamed, realizing she’d just tried to take advantage of this child—how despicable.

Overwhelmed with guilt, the old woman took a larger embroidered bag and gave it to Su Wan. “You’re just a child carrying so much money—it’s too dangerous. Use another bag.”

After seeing the siblings off, the old woman stood at her door for a long time, watching their departing figures.

“How much did you make, Grandma? You can’t seem to let it go!” The young shopkeeper across the way eyed her resentfully, wishing he could push her aside.

The old woman was puzzled. “What do you mean, ‘make’? ”

He snorted. “Still pretending! You sold embroidery for over fifteen thousand—you must be thrilled!”

“What?!”

“What do you mean, sold embroidery for over fifteen thousand? Didn’t I pay for the piece from her?”

The shopkeeper was stunned. “No, she said she’s heading