My Demon Husband Is a Snake Chapter 1137: Buying a Coffin

"Yu Longting, honestly, could you not just call me mom?" I fixed Yu Longting with a serious look.

Yu Longting's phoenix eyes narrowed slightly, his dense lashes interlacing and obscuring his ambiguous gaze.

Qing Li waved a hand dismissively, "No need for that. I don't like overly sentimental gestures."

"Mom." A voice as faint as a mosquito's hum emerged, so soft you'd miss it in the rain if you weren't paying strict attention.

After a careful confirmation, I was certain the sound had come from Yu Longting's lips.

I felt a mixture of surprise and an inexplicable sense of being touched.

Even Qing Li, normally as cold as frost, appeared a touch pale.

Feeling a little uncomfortable and somewhat taken aback, I declared, "I... plan to purchase a large coffin first."

In Fengdu, coffin shops rarely stocked oversized coffins; most were economical and practical, made of thin wood.

Cremation was now the prevailing trend, making even solid wood coffin shops a rarity.

They typically offered plywood thin wooden coffins, merely embellished for superficial appeal.

We finally located a ready-made, double-sized grand coffin at a rather discreet establishment on Old Street.

The coffin was fashioned from pure locust wood, coated in a deep black lacquer.

Intricate patterns, resembling pagodas and lotus flowers, were then painted with gold lacquer, lending it a quite splendid appearance.

However, the price was equally astronomical; the craftsman presiding over the coffin shop immediately quoted a sum of six hundred thousand.

Due to its considerable size, very few customers were interested in such a coffin.

He insisted it was already a discounted promotional price, leaving no room for further negotiation.

Just as I was preparing to resign myself to being overcharged, my gaze fell upon a neighboring establishment with a yard overflowing with coffins.

I promptly addressed the craftsman in the current shop, "Indeed, this coffin is rare, utilizing sophisticated materials and exhibiting excellent craftsmanship. However, six hundred thousand is truly beyond our means. I notice the neighbors also sell coffins; might I inquire there first?"

In this day and age, competition dictated prevailing rates.

With two coffin businesses situated directly opposite each other, I gambled that their relationship was far from amicable.

"Then go next door and inquire," the coffin craftsman, as stubborn as ever, remained rooted to his spot. He took a grumpy puff from his pipe, grudgingly granting us permission to explore the adjacent shop.

I nearly froze on the spot, realizing this was a classic case of lifting a stone only to drop it squarely on one's own foot.

Yet, Yu Longting and Qing Li showed no hesitation, leading me directly to the neighbors.

We had barely taken two steps when the original craftsman caught up, exclaiming, "Alright, alright, you win. What price do you deem reasonable?"

"Twenty-eight thousand," Qing Li stated casually.

The craftsman scowled deeply, "Fine, then head to the neighbors! At twenty-eight thousand, I'd make absolutely no profit!"

"Then tell me, how much do you propose?" Qing Li, who typically resided in her aloof tower, untouched by worldly matters, now seemed keen on haggling.

I wasn't entirely sure she could navigate the harsh realities of the marketplace.

The craftsman's eyes darted about furtively, "At least two hundred and eighty thousand."

Ha, I couldn't help but let out a short chuckle.

An item initially priced at sixty thousand had effectively been halved during a haggle.

"Two hundred and eighty thousand is still too steep. Daughter-in-law, what are your thoughts?" Qing Li abruptly shifted the decision-making responsibility to me.

No matter how much one negotiated, it remained a substantial sum of money.

Mentally calculating the weight of our finances, which felt like they were bleeding profusely, I responded, "Eighty-eight thousand."

"Alright, deal!" The craftsman agreed almost instantly.

My entire face contorted into a green hue; I felt as if I had suffered a significant loss.

Yu Longting, observing my crestfallen expression, could not suppress a laugh.

Qing Li then joined him, also chuckling.

These two, did they genuinely derive pleasure from my misfortune?

It was utterly infuriating; they would never grasp the true cost of living unless they managed the household finances themselves.

Although I had no clue as to the intended purpose of such a monumental coffin, for me, saving as much money as possible was paramount.

Yu Longting, noticing my simmering anger, my nose practically crooked with vexation, spoke up to salvage some dignity, "Eighty-eight thousand is a price we can manage, but considering we are purchasing such a substantial item from you, could you perhaps include some extras?"