Dimensional Supermarket - Chapter 109

Their family doesn’t rely on the main branch, so money’s tight. They’re still living off the wealth left by their ancestors. He plays the part of a rich young master to keep others from looking down on them.

A wealthy family may lack status—but a poor one certainly has none.

Once a noble family becomes poor, they’re no different from commoners—no one gives them respect anymore.

Most people believe that the poor have no morals and must be thieves or cheats.

When their family members are outside, they usually pretend to be wealthy. They endure all the hardships in silence. There isn’t much extra money in the household. Even if they want to cut expenses, there’s no place to make cuts.

The servants in their family are lifelong servants. They’re more like family members than employees. They can’t just kick them out, right?

There are so many people who need to eat, wear clothes, and spend money every day, and money is needed everywhere.

But the items in the house can’t be sold. The noble families in the royal city are well aware of what each family possesses. If they sell things now, the noble families and the people in the city will quickly know that they’re in trouble.

Zhang Zilan understands the family’s predicament, so she tries her best to persuade Zhang Shen: “The hairpins my mother wears are three years old. I’ve noticed she hasn’t gone out in days. She’s worried that the other ladies will notice. Father, please think of Mother. Could you ask her to stay at home and not meet anyone? And my older brother—there’s no money in the family. He can’t smooth over the relationships. No one’s recommending him, and he still doesn’t have a position.”

Zhang Zilan continues, “My second brother is already 24 and hasn’t married. He says he wants to find someone he truly loves. But everyone knows it’s because the family doesn’t have money, and he’s afraid people will notice when the topic of marriage comes up.”

Zhang Shen doesn’t argue against the first point. But after hearing the second, he can’t help but defend his second son: “Your second brother truly wants to find someone he loves.”

Among aristocratic families, passing on the family line isn’t an obsession. Their men tend to value romance more. It’s normal to remain unmarried into one’s thirties or forties.

Some never marry at all. It’s only commoners and civilians who wed early.

After all, aristocrats don’t need children as labor. They have stable properties and don’t depend on children for support in old age.

Zhang Zilan gives a half-hearted “Oh,” but still argues, “Even if Second Brother doesn’t marry, I will eventually, right?”

Zhang Shen glances at his son. “You? You haven’t even grown all your hair yet—what marriage?”

However, Zhang Shen finally agrees to Zhang Zilan’s suggestion. He also feels that the family needs some income. They can’t keep up appearances forever. If they continue to pretend, eventually it’s not a question of whether they can keep up the act—it’s that they won’t be able to anymore.

That afternoon, Zhang Shen drinks the wine his son pours for him.

In addition to the wine, Zhang Zilan also buys wine glasses—elegant glass goblets. The yellow wine is poured into them, and through the clear glass, the liquid can be seen clearly, making people almost reluctant to drink it.

The family sits together, each with a lacquered table in front of them, with food and a glass of wine set out.

But everyone’s attention is no longer on the wine itself; they’re captivated by the wine glasses and the wine bottle.

The family marvels at it.

“It seems we have to visit that supermarket.”

“Yes, even if we don’t buy anything, we should go and see it.”

“I wonder which country’s craftsmen made these. If they’re from Chen, that would be great. It’d be wonderful if we could invite them, along with their apprentices, to our home.”

“Exactly! It would be ideal if they became a family servant and eventually joined the Zhang family.”

They all imagine monopolizing the business.

Zhang Zilan says, “But those people don’t seem like they’re from Chen, nor do they seem to be from any other country. They’re different from us.”

“How are they different? Aren’t people all the same?”

Zhang Zilan rolls his eyes. “Sure, two eyes and two ears, but are you the same as a commoner or a slave? Is that ‘just the same’? The woman who helped me shop had a scar on her face. She didn’t treat people the way ordinary men and women do. She seemed more like a master than a servant.”

“Maybe she is the master?”

“Exactly. There are plenty of businesswomen these days.”

“A woman has to be tough to do business—can’t be timid and soft.”

Zhang Zilan’s eldest sister says, “Then I’ll go take a look too. I’m thinking of opening a shop!”

The family looks at her, and the eldest sister adds, “I’m getting sick of staying home all the time! I can’t become an official after studying, so can’t I at least open a shop to satisfy my curiosity?”

Zhang Zilan’s mother smiles and says, “Alright, I’ll give you some money, and you can go and open it.”

The eldest sister quickly acts like a spoiled child: “I know, Mother is the best!”

Zhang Zilan’s mother adds, “Does the Marquis know about this supermarket? If not, you’ll still need to inform him first.”

Zhang Zilan replies, “When I went this morning, I heard someone say that those people were brought back by the Marquis.”

The family discusses it and agrees to go to the supermarket together after dinner for another look.

This time, they bring almost all the valuable items from the house. Noble families don’t have much ready cash. The trend of bartering is still strong, so the accessories they carry are their form of currency.

However, when they step out of the house, they find that the entire city of Linzi seems to be in motion. The noble families, who kept their doors closed in the morning, now rush toward the supermarket with large entourages. The entire family, young and old, goes out—some, even if they don’t intend to buy anything, are eager to witness the spectacle!

“Brother Zhang! Are you going to the supermarket too?” calls out the head of a neighboring family. “My wife and I are going there as well!”

Zhang Shen is a little surprised. “Your wife is going out too?”

He knows that his neighbor’s wife has been staying indoors since she became pregnant. It’s said that her pregnancy is extremely unstable, and most people believe she won’t make it through.

The neighbor shouts, “Yes! Rong Niang is suffering from severe morning sickness, but she insisted on going out and having a look. Brother Zhang, we’ll go ahead. You should hurry up too, I hear that many people are already on their way.”

After that, the neighbor has the servants drive them south of the city. Because their family is too large, they can’t all fit in a carriage. They have the women and children take the carriage, while the men ride horses.

But before they can arrive, they get stuck on the road.

Though Linzi City isn’t too big and the streets aren’t very wide, there are usually few families with horses and carriages. Typically, when two carriages meet, one gives way and passes.

But now, there are carriages in front, behind, and on all sides, creating a deadlock. No one can get through.

“What should we do?” The servant driving the carriage is a bit anxious. “Master, it’s really hard to get through!”

“There are more and more carriages,” Zhang Shen mutters.

Zhang Shen rides up beside the carriage and asks, “Madam, how about we walk the rest of the way?”

Zhang Shen’s wife nods. “Alright, let’s walk then. We don’t come to the south of the city often.”

There are several large markets in the southern part of the city. The people living there are merchants and common folk, while the noble families reside in the center of the city.

They dismount from their horses and carriages, leaving only a few servants to watch over them, and begin walking towards the supermarket.

Seeing them do so, others with horses and carriages follow suit.

But the further they walk, the more crowded it becomes. The streets are already packed with people, including street vendors and common folk, as well as children from wealthy families, the old and the young, all heading in the same direction.

“I heard someone bought a crystal ball!”

“They say the ball is imbued with immortal power! Twist it a little, and it lights up and makes sound.”

“The sound’s really nice, but that young man wouldn’t let us hear it again—said each use consumes something called electricity. Once it runs out, you have to buy more batteries.”

“Electricity? Isn’t that just another name for immortal magic?”

“Maybe that’s what the foreigners call it.”

“And the fabrics! They’re unbelievable—so many colors, and under sunlight, they shine with all seven hues.”

“Ah! The owner of this place is a fool!”

Everyone looks confused. “Why do you say that? What’s foolish about them?”

An elderly man shakes his head and sighs. “These things are so rare—any one of them could make someone wealthier than a kingdom. Yet he’s just selling them off so casually, and for such low prices.”

“Old sir, are you deaf? A crystal ball for a thousand gold—low?”

The old man puffs his beard and glares. “Can money even buy things like this? In the past, a single moonlight cup was worth seventeen cities! Look how cheap the moonlight cups are in that shop. What’s worth more—a thousand gold, or seventeen cities?”

“…When you put it like that…”

“Exactly. Expensive or not, if no other country has it, it’s still priceless!”

“Hurry! Go home and get the money!”

“I can still scrape some cash together! I’ll go fetch it now!”

“Just make sure the shopkeeper never figures this out—fools like this are rare nowadays!”

“Yes, yes—everyone keep quiet, not a word!”

—

Inside the breakroom, foolish Ye Zhou sneezes.

Zou Ming: “Got a cold?”

Ye Zhou shakes his head, confused. “I feel like someone’s cursing me…”