The skinny little girl sat on a big rock at the entrance of the alley, looked at the pedestrians coming and going on the street, took out a small cloth bag from her arms, opened it layer by layer, and a faint sweet smell permeated the air .
It was a piece of candied fruit with only a small half left, the girl carefully tore off a small piece from the edge, then wrapped the rest up and hid it in her bosom.
She put a small piece of candied fruit in her mouth, reluctant to swallow it, until the taste sweeter than honey was completely gone, then chewed it carefully, took out the small cloth bag again, and repeated the same thing as before. action.
The half of candied fruit Mother gave her at the end, she had been eating in this way all day.
The fragrance in my memory can only be smelled at the door of the shop called "Shilixiang", and it can't be discovered by the shop assistants. They will chase themselves away while cursing "little beggar".
She is not a beggar.
Although she doesn't have any beautiful new clothes to wear, she always washes her clothes clean, which is cleaner than all the children she has ever seen. Customers don't like a dirty girl in the noodle stall.
She doesn't like the guys of "Ten Lixiang", they always call her "little beggar", she likes the brother she met yesterday.
Because he treated her to delicious food, next time I see him again, I must treat her to noodles without charge.
Grandma is sick, and mother didn't show up today, so she definitely won't be able to see that brother today.
The little girl was a little disappointed. No one had ever praised her for its nice name. Except for her mother and uncle, everyone looked at her very strangely, even her father was no exception—since her father sent her and her mother back home that day. After grandma's house, I never saw him again.
"He Duanwu, a little beggar, was born by a mother but not taught by a father..."
A group of children ran over from a distance, pointing at the girl sitting on the rock, talking happily.
The girl didn't look at them, she sat up and patted the dust off her body, then turned and walked into the alley.
The group of children obviously didn't want her to leave just like that, so they ran over at a faster pace and surrounded her. She was about to go out, but an older man pushed her shoulder violently and fell to the ground.
"Hee hee, He Duanwu, why didn't you clean the table today?"
"Does your family stop selling noodles?"
"Hey, He Duanwu, I saw your father on the street today!"
…
The older children looked like ten years old, and the younger ones were only five or six years old. You talked to each other.
The girl got up from the ground, bit her lip, and wanted to get out of the crowd, but was pushed in again.
…
…
"In recent years, the life of the He family has not been very good." The old man surnamed Li sighed, and said: "The young master and Miss He left the capital and lost the face of the Duke's mansion. Although the Li family is declining day by day , but they still have roots in the capital, and they still have scruples in doing things, but the He family is different."
"Miss He's father was seriously ill and returned to the West within a few days. The eldest son of the He family has already been engaged, but under the pressure of the Duke's mansion, the other party quickly came to the door and divorced. Your other My aunt also delayed her marriage for several years, but she was sent back by her husband's family within two years, probably because of the Duke's residence."
The old man sighed, and continued: "Fortunately, the He family is just a commoner. The Duke's government will not use those more low-key methods because of face. Don't bother me, it's good if the young master goes to see her, but they should also know about Miss He's affairs."
There was a constant flow of people on the street, and the old man surnamed Li told Li Yi about these things in detail.
Li Yi could even remember the face of the man who carried him around to seek medical treatment on a snowy night, and there was another looming shadow in the back of his mind, but he couldn't see his eyebrows clearly.
And that figure was the closest person he ever had in this world.
Whether it is the Li family or the He family, there is actually not much difference in his heart. They have blood that is very similar to this body, and they bring an irreplaceable sense of intimacy. , I can't feel it from Ruyi and the others.
"Hey, there used to be a noodle stall here, why is it gone today?" The little fat man was looking forward to something all the way, and when he reached a street corner, he suddenly said in surprise, with a hint of disappointment in his tone .
He also planned to let his elder brother see how delicious the noodles of this family are, and by the way, beg him to teach him martial arts. Now it seems that this wish has come to nothing for the time being.
Since yesterday, the little fat man has obviously been pestering him, and this time he wants to come out with him.
Hearing what he said, Li Yi looked up. The place where the noodles were eaten yesterday was empty, and the woman and the little girl were gone, but thinking about what happened yesterday, it's normal that they didn't come out to set up a stall today.
The mother and daughter look rather pitiful. If possible, Li Yi wants to buy the formula on that side. It costs a few hundred taels of silver. Under normal circumstances, even if they just sit and eat, it is at least enough for a family of five to be rich. life for a lifetime.
Firstly, it was because he really liked the taste of that side, and the reason why he was willing to pay far more than several times its value to buy a formula was purely because of his inexplicable affection for the little girl.
"Master, the He family is ahead."
Turning a street corner and walking forward dozens of steps, the old man surnamed Li pointed to a deep alley and said, "The He family is inside."
Even in later generations, no matter how prosperous the city is, there are old and dilapidated places. What's more, in this era, in the capital, not only the royal family and various dignitaries live, but within the inner city of the capital, there are still people who can't get enough to eat. Poor people with food.
This place is obviously similar to a poor alley. When the three of Li Yi walked along a narrow alley, the road ahead was blocked by a group of children.
The alley was originally narrow, and there was no way to pass through it if seven or eight children surrounded it.
"Little beggar, your father doesn't want you anymore."
"What is it in your hand, show us?"
"Let go, if you don't let go, I'll beat you!"
…
…
"What are you doing!" Seeing a little girl surrounded by them, pushing and shoving, Li Yi walked over quickly and gave a loud shout.
Seeing someone coming, the brats immediately dispersed. The girl picked up a cloth bag on the ground, which was accidentally dropped by them during the fight, and patted the dust on it. Carefully put it in his arms.
Then, she raised her head to look at the approaching figure, and the expression on her small face was slightly taken aback.
Li Yi came over, helped her gently pat the dust off her body, and asked, "Duanwu, why are you here, where is your mother?"
"My family lives there, and my mother makes medicine for grandma at home." Seeing that brother again, the little girl raised her head and said with a smile.
After she finished speaking, she suddenly tilted her head, watching the little fat man stuff a piece of fragrant pastry into her mouth.
The little fat man blushed a little from her look, handed over a paper bag in his hand, and asked, "Do you want to eat?"
"Dragon Boat Festival?" As if remembering something, Li Yi suddenly looked at her and asked, "What's your last name?"
"Surname He, He Duanwu."
The little girl raised her head, looked at him with big bright eyes, and whispered.