When Chen Xing left the gate of Gu's house, he realized that the scene outside was not at all what he had imagined.
Chen Xing originally thought that the grass was overgrown inside the door, and the outside of the door should be relatively desolate. Unexpectedly, there is a street outside the gate of Gu's mansion. Although there are not many pedestrians, it can be seen that this is not a remote place.
Chen Xing looked back at the dilapidated door plaque of the Gu family, but he still didn't understand why there was such a big difference between the inside and outside of the door. But soon he remembered the business to be done, so he didn't waste time here, but chose a direction and walked over.
A quarter of an hour later, Chen Xing saw a bustling street two streets away from the Gu family's mansion. Looking at the flow of people coming and going on the street, as well as all kinds of steaming snacks, Chen Xing felt that he had found the right place.
Chen Xing stood at the end of the street and observed for a long time, and he was sure that most of the people coming and going here were strong laborers, and only occasionally women and children passed by. He guessed that there should be a relatively dense labor place nearby, which is why such a scene appeared.
After observing the main consumer groups here, Chen Xing turned his attention to the food sold here.
Chen Xing went in and took a rough look at the food on the street, and found that most of the food sold here were steamed buns, steamed buns, and noodles, which were cheap and easy to make. Occasionally, there were some food sellers, but the business was not as good good.
Chen Xing memorized all these in his mind, then found a place with relatively dense stalls, stood there and silently observed what tools they used to sell their goods, and how the food was priced .
After looking at it for a long time, Chen Xing finally found out that the prices here were almost the same, and he was going to find a nearby vegetable market.
Just as Chen Xing turned around and was about to leave, an old voice next to him stopped him, and at the same time, a bowl of steaming wontons appeared in front of him.
Chen Xing looked along the old arm holding the wonton, and met a kind face.
Seeing Chen Xing looking at him, the old woman who was carrying the wonton showed him a loving smile, "The wonton is given to you by my mother-in-law, please go home early after eating."
Although I don't know why the old woman suddenly wanted to give him wontons, but I also know that the wontons are sold by this old woman for money. If she eats a bowl for herself, she will sell one less bowl.
Chen Xing quickly waved his hand and refused: "No, no, this is something you sell for money, I can't take it!"
The old woman looked at Chen Xing's postponement, and the expression on her face became more and more kind. She forcefully stuffed the bowl of wontons into Chen Xing's hands, looked at him and said, "Next time you want to eat, come here and help your mother-in-law with something." , mother-in-law will eat for you. Don’t just stand here and watch, the family members will be worried if they know.”
Hearing what she said, Chen Xing realized that she had misunderstood. He looked at the wontons that had been forced over him, and started to eat them without continuing to refuse.
The portion of the wonton was not much, and the taste was average. Chen Xing finished it in two or three bites. After he finished eating, he returned the bowl to the old woman, looked at her and said sincerely, "Thank you, mother-in-law."
The old lady looked at his handsome face covered with beads of sweat, smiled and waved her hands.
Chen Xing wiped his mouth, looked at the old woman with some embarrassment and said, "Grandma, I want to ask you something."
"Tell me." The old woman handed the empty bowl to the grandson who was staring at Chen Xing, patted his head for him to wash, turned her head and accepted Chen Xing's words gently.
Chen Xing felt a little embarrassed when he thought of his own question, but he still asked, "I want to ask, how much can a tael of silver here buy?"
Before the old woman had time to speak, the eldest grandson next to her answered, "You don't even know this, are you a fool?"
As soon as he finished speaking, his grandmother slapped him on the head.
When the grandson she owed was finished, the old woman turned her head to look at Chen Xing with complicated eyes, "A tael of silver is enough for a year in an ordinary family."
Chen Xing was stunned, thinking of what Gu Lang said, a bad premonition gradually rose in his heart, he tentatively asked: "Then how much is the minimum price for a shop on East Street?"
The old lady looked at his eyes and felt more and more pity. There was also a bit of this child who didn't work hard and just thought about it all day, and some of them were not condemned.
But even so, the old woman still answered Chen Xing's question, "That shop is not affordable for people like us. I only know that the cheapest shop there costs five taels of silver a year."
Chen Xing was immediately stunned. He thought it would be very valuable, but he never thought it would be so expensive. Thinking of the way Gu Lang looked at him when he said he wanted to give money last night, Gu Lang probably felt that he was a little fool who didn't understand anything
The old lady didn't know what Chen Xing was thinking, she thought he was imagining something unrealistic, patted his arm, and said earnestly: "You are still young, be a man, you have to be down-to-earth, don't think about it. One step to the sky."
Chen Xing knew that the old lady had misunderstood, but he didn't argue, and nodded obediently, then remembered his plan just now, and asked directly: "Grandma, where is the nearest vegetable market?"
Not only did the old woman tell him the direction, but she also told him all the prices of the latest dishes there for fear that he would be cheated.
Chen Xing was very grateful for her help, and left in a hurry after thanking her.
When Chen Xing was gone, her grandson looked up at the old woman, and said dissatisfiedly, "Grandma, why did you treat that person so well, and made us pay for a bowl of wontons."
The old woman touched her grandson's head with her big rough hands, and said dotingly: "The child has stood here for a long time, only looking but not buying. He must be poor and greedy. He looks very pitiful."
The grandson curled his lips, still a little unhappy.
The old woman looked at her grandson who was sulking alone, and shook her head with a smile. She didn't say anything to him, and turned around to clean up the table. As soon as she turned her head, she saw a few copper coins on the table, not too many, not too many, It happened to be the bowl of wonton money that Chen Xing ate.
*
Chen Xing gave the last of his savings to the old woman. After finding the vegetable market, he just walked around in it, learned about the types and prices of the vegetables, and returned to Gu's mansion empty-handed.
When Chen Xing went back to his room to change his sweaty clothes, he went to the kitchen when he saw that it was almost time. Before he went in, he saw Qiu Jiu who was standing in the middle of the kitchen staring at the wooden barrel in a daze.
Hearing the movement of Chen Xing coming in, Qiu Jiu raised his head and looked straight at him.
Chen Xing thought it might be his illusion, he always felt that Qiu Jiu's eyes lit up the moment he saw him.
Qiu Jiu looked at Chen Xing who came in, and said excitedly: "Come here, I have prepared the ingredients for lunch, can you see if you can make it?"
Chen Xing walked over to look at the ingredients he mentioned, a fish in the water, a pile of green vegetables, and a basket of eggs.
Chen Xing thought about the prices he had asked in the vegetable market just now, and looked at the ingredients in front of him. He felt weird there. He struggled for a while, and asked hesitantly, "Do you often eat these things?"
At first, Qiu Jiu didn't understand why Chen Xing asked such a question, but when he saw Chen Xing staring at the ingredients with a complicated face, he suddenly realized that something was wrong. He just told Chen Xing this morning that his young master is very poor, how could he produce so many things in a blink of an eye.
Qiu Jiu was in a hurry, and suddenly thought of something, his eyes lit up, and he said to Chen Xing, "I caught that fish in the river, and that egg was the grandson of the aunt next door when I caught the fish, and that aunt insisted on giving it to me." of."
As he spoke, he stared at Chen Xing and nodded firmly to increase the credibility of what he said.
Although Chen Xing still thought it was weird, seeing Qiu Jiu's expression of about to swear to the sky, he didn't continue to ask. He looked at Qiu Jiu, and said with some embarrassment, "Well, can you light the fire for me? If I do it alone, there may be a little too little time."
Seeing that Chen Xing didn't ask any questions, Qiu Jiu immediately became happy, and immediately promised: "No problem, just leave it to me for small things like lighting a fire!"
When Qiu Jiu went to light the two stoves in high spirits, Chen Xing took a look at the ingredients and gradually had an idea in his mind.
After seeking Qiu Jiu's opinion, the two only spent half an hour making steamed eggs, fried vegetables, and fish soup.
Since there are only three of them living in the entire Gu Mansion right now, and they are not outsiders, there is no separate table for them.
During lunch, Chen Xing saw the down-and-out young master of the Gu family for the second time. Looking at his face that was a little more bloody than last night, he felt that he was even more beautiful like this than when they first met up.
Just when Chen Xing was staring at Gu Lang, Gu Lang suddenly raised his head, met his eyes straightly, raised the corners of his lips, and said in a low voice: "What's wrong?"
Being hooked by Gu Lang's slightly magnetic voice, Chen Xing couldn't help but turn his ears red, and quickly looked away.
Gu Lang stared at the tips of his red ears, thinking that this little brother was interesting.
After everyone sat down to eat, the heat in Chen Xing's ears subsided for a while, and then he remembered his plans when he came, and began to hesitate again.
During the meal, Chen Xing struggled with eating, and looked at Gu Lang frequently on the way, until they all finished eating, Qiu Jiu started to clean up the table, but Chen Xing still didn't know what to say.
After finishing his meal, Gu Lang looked at Chen Xing who was sitting opposite, and asked calmly, "Is there something on my face? You've already looked at me no less than ten times in one meal."
Chen Xing's skin became hot when he said it, and his face was a little embarrassed. In the end, he squeaked for a long time, and said to him bravely: "That's right, I want to discuss it with you. Can you lend me some money?"