Ci Jinzhi

Chapter 197 The Lantern Festival
Xin You was stunned.

She used to travel around, and sometimes she would gently remind her when she saw too regrettable pictures, but she was a passerby in those places, and she would hardly meet the people she was reminded of again.

She had never experienced such a warm and grand thanks.

After being stunned, Xin You hurriedly replied, "Happy New Year everyone."

Gu Yu handed over a small oiled paper package: "This is the shortbread made by my mother. She is the best at it. She told me to bring it to Ms. Kou to taste. I hope Ms. Kou will not dislike it."

He lost his father when he was young and was dependent on his mother. He couldn't afford meat during Chinese New Year. This shortbread with lard is a rare delicacy.

"Thank you." Xin You stretched out his hand to take it, with a smile on his lips, "I like shortbread."

"Miss Kou, this is the scallion roll made by my wife..."

"Miss Kou, this is a bamboo lantern woven by an old man..."

The neighbors in Beiloufang scrambled to hold up the things in their hands.

Some of these faces are familiar, and more are unfamiliar.

They escaped the catastrophe by luck, lost the house they lived in, and went through arduous rebuilding. All kinds of misfortunes did not erase the gratitude from the bottom of their hearts. When Qingsong Bookstore opened its doors after the year, they handed over the most available things to them. Go to Miss Kou.

Xin You suddenly got wet eyes.

Xiao Lian couldn't help covering her mouth, tears streaming down her face.

"Liu Zhou, please put away the presents brought by the neighbors for me first." Xin You knew that this was what the neighbors wanted, so she didn't refuse.

Qingsong Bookstore opened the door and set off firecrackers. Not only shopkeeper Hu who was guarding the book hall came out, but Manager Zhao from the printing workshop brought a few master masters, and Captain Yang brought some guards. Naturally, there was no shortage of people to receive gifts.

After explaining to Liu Zhou, Xin You whispered a few words to Xiao Lian.

Xiao Lian called to Captain Yang, and it wasn't long before Captain Yang came out holding a basket containing bunches of copper coins strung together with red strings.

Not much, a string of ten copper plates, that is, ten coins.

Captain Yang grabbed the copper coins and distributed them to the neighbors, but the neighbors repeatedly refused: "No, no, we are here to pay Miss Kou a New Year's greeting, how can we accept Miss Kou's money again!"

Captain Yang is also good at talking, and he persuaded in a loud voice: "Neighbors, take it quickly. This is the new year's money that our boss gave to the neighbors' dolls, to drive away evil spirits and avoid evil spirits."

Upon hearing this, the neighbors were reluctant to refuse.

The children will grow up safely with the blessing of Ms. Kou.

One of the neighbors who came to pay New Year's greetings got a bunch of copper coins, and they left after saying a lot of auspicious words around Xin You.

Gu Yuluo was the last one, and gave a deep bow to Xinyou: "Miss Kou, I was the one who was rude earlier."

Xin You sideways avoided: "Young Master Gu, don't worry about it."

Gu Yu straightened up, with an awkward expression on her face: "I should have come to apologize to Miss Kou long ago, but the house at home has been rebuilt and I haven't been able to make time..."

Beiloufang was hit by the disaster. Although the imperial court resettled the victims and distributed housing materials, each family had to contribute.There are only two mothers and sons in Gu Yu's house. In order to move into his home early, mother and son are busy.

Xinyou also noticed that the bookish young man before the disaster looked rough and strong.

"Is the house ready?"

When mentioning the new house, Gu Yu couldn't help smiling: "It's finished, although it's not as spacious as the original house, it's better than new."

Without this catastrophe, the neighbors in Beiloufang would not have the money to build new houses in the next ten years.

"That's good. I wish Mr. Gu a smooth future."

Gu Yu bowed to Xin You again to salute, and then left.

"Set off firecrackers—" Liu Zhou shouted in high spirits.

Although the boss does not intend to repay the kindness, it is still different to see the people who have been favored know how to be grateful, which makes him feel that the hard work of those few days was not in vain.

Soon the sound of firecrackers crackled, and the sound of firecrackers in the streets and alleys was connected, and the broken red scattered all over the ground.

The children on the street covered their ears laughingly and ran away, and the merchants and passers-by along the street all had smiles on their faces, talking about the disaster-stricken people in Beiloufang coming to pay Miss Kou a new year's greeting.

"Miss Kou is a kind person."

"Yes, our shop is here, and we are neighbors with Ms. Kou. If there is any difficulty in the future, we may have to rely on Ms. Kou's help."

"Hey, Qingsong Bookstore is open, I'll go and buy a book."

Some people out of admiration for Ms. Kou, and some people thought that if they could use it in the future, these merchants who had no reading habits entered Qingsong Bookstore one after another, and they became the first batch of books after the bookstore opened. guest.

This unexpected business stunned Shopkeeper Hu.

Bookstores sell books and pens and ink, but scholars are still immersed in the atmosphere of the Chinese New Year. According to the experience of previous years, they can only do business after the Lantern Festival.

The old shopkeeper looked at Xinyou, feeling in his heart: The boss always brings unexpected business, he is really a business genius.

In the blink of an eye, it is the Lantern Festival. All the young and old in the capital are focused on visiting the Lantern Festival, and there are not many customers in the bookstore.

Xin You sat in the study hall chatting with Shopkeeper Hu, and Dai Ze and Zhang Xu walked in.

When shopkeeper Hu saw Dude No. [-] and Dude No. [-] coming together, he became very vigilant.

"What do you two want to buy?"

"We're looking for Ms. Kou." Dai Ze tilted his head across Shopkeeper Hu, and gave Xinyou a big smile, "Happy Chinese New Year, Ms. Kou."

Xin You got up and walked over: "Mr. Dai and Mr. Zhang, do you have anything to do with me?"

"Is Miss Kou free today?" Zhang Xu asked.

Xinyou didn't answer, and asked with Mulu.

Whether they are free or not depends of course on what the two of them want to do.

Dai Ze teased Zhang Xu, and Zhang Xu expressed his intention: "Isn't it the Lantern Festival today? If Miss Kou is free, we would like to invite you to watch the lantern."

"Cough cough cough—" Shopkeeper Hu coughed violently.

The two teenagers stared at the old shopkeeper together, showing dissatisfaction.

Xinyou had a strange expression, and her mood was hard to describe.

What gave the two people the illusion that they knew her well enough to watch lanterns together?
Not to mention Zhang Xu, although Dai Ze didn't know about the blood debt between them, he was the one who was engaged to Duan Yunhua.

Therefore, these dandies do whatever they want. Anyway, their reputation doesn't matter to them, nor does the impact on women matter to them.

"Miss Kou—" Seeing that Xin You was silent, Dai Ze called out.

Xin You looked at him: "Sorry, I don't have time today. Also, Mr. Dai has already engaged my cousin, did you invite the wrong person?"

Dai Ze actually thought that Miss Kou would refuse because of this, so he came with Zhang Xu. Hearing this, he pulled his friend away: "It was Zhang Xu who wanted to invite Miss Kou to watch the lantern, and I followed him."

It's fine when he's adding a head.

Zhang Xu nodded hurriedly.

"It's true that I'm not free." Xin You looked at the two of them and seriously suggested, "Both young masters, go."

The two rebellious teenagers were rejected but did not become angry. After looking at each other, Dai Ze lowered his voice and asked, "Miss Kou, what do you think about our luck recently?"

Worried that Xinyou might misunderstand, Zhang Xu hurriedly explained: "When I met each other during Chinese New Year, I realized that Dai Ze already knew Miss Kou's ability."

Together, the two must establish a good relationship with an expert like Miss Kou, so today's trip is made.

"Two young masters—" Xin You hadn't finished speaking, and there was something strange in her eyes when she looked at Dai Ze.

Dai Ze suddenly became nervous: "What's the matter, what's the matter?"

Xinyou didn't respond for a while.

"Miss Kou, if you have something to say, just say it, I can stand it!" Dai Ze's face turned pale, and tears were about to fall.

That time Miss Kou told him to be careful of the birds in the sky, and the bird droppings fell on his face as soon as he got home, causing him great harm. Could there be something more unlucky?

"Miss Kou, what about me, what about me?" Zhang Xu asked hurriedly.

Dai Ze glared at Zhang Xu angrily.

This kid doesn't care about his life or death at all!

"Master Dai, do you have a monkey in your family?" Xin You asked.

She was silent just now, looking at the monkey in the picture repeatedly.

Originally, the monkeys were similar in her eyes, but the monkey in the picture had a pinch of golden hair on its forehead, which was much brighter than the color of its fur.

This monkey seems to be the one at the bottom of the cliff where Kou Qingqing fell!

(End of this chapter)