Stealing Mushrooms
Early the next morning, Lily found an excuse, claiming that Mrs. Gold didn't wash the vegetables properly, and reassigned her from the kitchen to take care of the household's flowers and trees. The kitchen duties were handed over to Mrs. Silver.
Mrs. Gold was very unhappy about being removed from the cushy kitchen job, and she sulked all day.
That afternoon, a merchant named Zhang Ming arrived at the house, personally received by Lily. Seeing a guest had come, Mrs. Gold quickly found an excuse to sneak over and eavesdrop.
Zhang Ming said, "Madam Su, the mushrooms I bought from your family must be delivered on time tomorrow. By noon, send them to the Zhang's Restaurant at Shili Slope. Tomorrow at noon, our restaurant is hosting an important client who specifically requested mushrooms. If you don't deliver on time and ruin our restaurant's reputation, I'll have to make you pay!"
Lily smiled and replied, "Don't worry, Boss Zhang! By noon tomorrow, I'll definitely deliver thirty jin of fresh mushrooms to your restaurant at Shili Slope. In fact, my husband and I are heading up the mountain to pick mushrooms this afternoon!"
Zhang Ming added, "Better safe than sorry. This is our first time working together, so how about we sign a contract? If you don't deliver the mushrooms on time, you'll have to compensate us five thousand taels of silver."
Lily said, "Five thousand taels? Isn't that a bit much? My whole family's fortune doesn't even add up to five thousand taels."
Zhang Ming was displeased and said, "What do you mean by that, Madam Su? Are you saying you can't guarantee tomorrow's delivery? Then I'll find someone else to work with! Thirty jin of fresh mushrooms—I'm offering you five hundred taels of silver. People would fight over this deal! If it weren't for Boss Zhao from Fragrant Pavilion, I wouldn't have given you this business!"
Lily replied, "Alright, let's sign the contract then!"
Mrs. Gold crouched by the window crack, secretly watching Lily and Zhang Ming sign something. Then she saw Lily smiling as she sent Zhang Ming off. After lunch, Lily called Lucky to go up the mountain and pick mushrooms.
As soon as Lily and Lucky left, Mrs. Gold immediately sneaked off to the edge of the village to find May Parker.
"Daughter, your godmother has found a golden opportunity. I guarantee it'll make Lily's family lose everything!" Mrs. Gold gleefully shared the news she'd overheard with May Parker.
The more May Parker listened, the happier she became. "Godmother, if Lily's deal falls through, she'll have to pay five thousand taels! I can't wait to see her lose everything!"
Mrs. Gold squinted her eyes with a sly smile. "Hmph, that brat has never liked me. Today she even kicked me out of the kitchen! Let's see how long her luck lasts!"
May Parker said, "Godmother, find out where Lily puts the mushrooms this afternoon. We'll steal them! Didn't you say Zhang's Restaurant at Shili Slope desperately needs those mushrooms? If Lily can't deliver tomorrow, we'll take the mushrooms ourselves and sell them for a high price. We'll make a killing!"
"Daughter, you're so clever! Godmother will do whatever you say. My future depends on you!" Mrs. Gold rubbed her hands together, already picturing Lily's family losing everything, while she and May Parker ran off with hundreds of taels.
Mrs. Gold sneaked back to the Su house. By dusk, Lily and Lucky returned.
Lucky carried a huge basket of mushrooms. Mrs. Gold ran to eavesdrop and heard Lily tell Lucky to put the mushrooms in an empty room in the front yard.
Late at night, when everyone was asleep, Mrs. Gold secretly carried the mushrooms to May Parker's house. "Daughter, we'll sell these mushrooms tomorrow!" she said, then slipped back home as if nothing had happened.
The next morning after breakfast, Lily went to get the mushrooms, only to find they were gone. She plopped down on the ground and cried, "It's over, it's over! Where did the mushrooms go? Boss Zhang is still waiting for them! Five thousand taels—how am I supposed to pay him? We're going to lose everything!"