After the whole family was swept away, I lay down flat

Chapter 37 The alley in front of the house
Hai Jiao couldn't wait until the next morning to talk to Uncle Xie.He went out of the house and looked at the second courtyard. Seeing that there was still light in Xie Wenzai's room, he immediately ran over to "express his feelings" to his cousin.

What the two of them said specifically will not be revealed for now.When Haitang returned to the house, her grandparents were discussing the price of the sheep and horse spices they had just sold.Seeing that she was back, Ma asked with some concern: "Is your brother asleep?"

Haitang shook his head: "No, my brother went to talk to his cousin."

Ma suddenly laughed: "Are you afraid of being scolded tomorrow, so you went to plead for mercy in advance? Guawazi! If I had known this, wouldn't it be better to study more diligently on weekdays?"

Haitang smiled and entered the inner room without saying anything.

Ma whispered to Hai Xiya: "Cousin Xie, don't you think Baoshun is pitiful and you will soften your heart after just a few words from him?"

Hai Xiya smiled and shook his head: "We are also doing it for the good of our children. My cousin knows it well, so how can he be so soft-hearted?" He looked inside and asked, "Can Tangtang hear us when we talk here?"

Ma was startled: "You guys are talking so quietly, how could she hear it in the back room?"

Hai Xiya hesitated for a moment: "Tangtang has grown up, should we tidy up another room for her? It's not a problem since she always lives with us."

Ma disagreed: "She is still a child. If she doesn't live with us, who else can she live with? Even if we have to clean up the house, we have to wait until the weather gets warm, otherwise we will have to burn an extra kang at night and waste more firewood?!"

When it comes to family expenses, Hai Xiya won't say much.The couple continued to discuss the topic just now.

Recently, many wealthy merchants have left Suzhou City with their goods, and the market price of spices has increased a lot.Haixi Ya originally planned to save the spices brought from Guazhou and sell them out after returning to Chang'an in the future, but Ma felt that the price was right now, so it was more cost-effective to sell them first.Anyway, when they stay in Suzhou, they often meet caravans returning from the Western Regions. They are not afraid that they will not have the opportunity to purchase more goods, so why miss the current market trend?
Haixi Ya was quickly convinced by his wife.Ma was in a good mood. While packing up the housekeeping ledger box, she looked towards the direction of the second courtyard: "What on earth are Baoshun talking to cousin Xie? You haven't come back so late..."

By the time Haijiao returned to the house, it was already late at night.However, the look of sadness was no longer visible on his face, and he could sleep peacefully that night. When he woke up the next morning, he was full of energy and in a very good mood.

Haitang got up early today. After washing and dressing up, grandpa Hai Xiya had just opened his eyes.Grandma Ma bent down in front of the stove outside to boil water. Seeing that she was idle, she asked her to bring a basin of hot water to wash her brother's face.

When Haitang came to the east wing carrying hot water, Haijiao had just put on his clothes and was getting ready to go out for a run.Seeing the hot water coming, he quickly took the basin, thanked the little sister, wetted the cloth and wiped his face in a hurry, and told the little sister the result of the conversation with his cousin last night.

"Cousin's eyes are all red. He thinks I'm sensible." Hai Jiao was a little embarrassed, and the tips of his ears were slightly red. "He promised to teach me the art of war and strategy, and he also said he would help me intercede in front of grandpa. I don't have to worry about being accused. Sent to Ganzhou!"

Haitang nodded with satisfaction. Thinking of his inner plan, he deliberately looked proud: "Brother, now that all your wishes have come true, how can you thank me?"

Hai Jiao laughed twice, smiled and touched her little head: "That's easy to say. What do you want to eat for breakfast? Mutton noodles or beef buns? Lao Wang's mutton stuffed rolls are also good. Didn't you say they were delicious last time? ?”

Haitang said: "I've eaten all of these, why don't you take me to the street to see for myself? I'll buy whatever I want to eat from!"

"Take you to the street?" Hai Jiao couldn't help but be stunned, "This... can grandpa and grandma agree?"

Haitang said: "Grandma was worried that I would be weak after getting sick, but I'm fine now. I can run ten laps around the house and shoot a hundred arrows every day! Grandma isn't as strong as me, so what do I have to worry about? And I If you don’t run far away, you can just take a walk on the street in front of your home, and your brother is here, how can you still get lost?”

Hai Jiao thought it made sense, so he readily agreed, "I'll go tell grandma right now."

After listening to her grandson's words, Ma was a little hesitant: "Tangtang is still young, and she just got sick..." Hai Jiao quickly repeated what his sister had said before: "Grandma, when I was in Guazhou, my sister She often goes out to play on the street. Today she just followed me around the door of my house, bought a few favorite foods and came back early. If you are worried, why not come with us? "

Ma looked outside the door. Hai Xiya had just been invited by Xie Wenzai to talk. She couldn't ask her husband, so she had to hesitate for a moment before nodding: "Okay, remember to watch Tangtang closely and don't let her mess up." Run, come back as soon as possible after shopping! Send her back, you can go running again."

Of course, Haijiao didn't refuse. He took his younger sister Haitang and ran out happily.

Unexpectedly, as soon as he reached the second hospital, he was stopped by his grandfather: "Baoshun, come here, I have something to ask you."

Hai Jiao blinked and saw his cousin Xie Wenzai beside his grandfather, knowing what the latter was going to ask.He couldn't help but swallow, feeling a little nervous.

Haitang whispered to him: "Brother, just go and do as we agreed. I'll wait for you at the door. After a while, you will say you don't trust me, come here quickly!"

Hai Jiao immediately made up his mind: "Don't go far, just wait at the door." After that, he walked towards his grandfather and cousin.

Haitang came to the door, opened it, and sat down on the threshold.

The Hai family's house is located at the entrance of an alley, only two or three steps away from the street.Haitang is sitting at the door of her house, and can be seen by passers-by. Many of them are familiar old neighbors. They all know who she is and always say hello when they pass by.

Whether Haitang recognized her or not, she all called her uncle and aunt obediently, and received compliments in return.She carefully memorized the faces of these old neighbors, then observed all the houses in the alley, matched them with their houses one by one, and remembered their respective identities.

When the barbarian army attacked that day, she recognized the people who climbed on the wall like her second uncle Hai Changan and raised their bows to warn.

Hai Jiao has been in the second courtyard and has not come out.Haitang looked back and saw no movement, so she had no choice but to continue waiting.

The number of pedestrians in the alley gradually decreased.Haitang was a little bored, so she turned her attention to the horse-mounted stone beside the door.Haijia's horse-mounting stone is actually made of bricks. In order to match Haijiao's height when he was a child, an extra short step was built on the side.However, the extra brickwork seems to be a bit shoddy, and the mud used to bind the bricks has dried and fallen off.Haitang reached out and touched it, and the two bricks fell down.

Haitang thought to herself that she would have to tell the housekeeper Cui Bo later and ask him to find someone to repair it.

From the direction of the street came the shrill cry of a boy and the sound of rapid footsteps.Haitang turned around and looked over and saw that it was her neighbor Wang Chengfu and Wang Baihu, who was running quickly towards the alley with his son in his arms, still coaxing the child: "Stop making trouble, who gave you the courage to sneak out of the house?" Come to me?! Dad has business to do, so stay at home and listen to mother!"

His son cried: "I won't! You won't come back if you leave! Mom said you would die outside!"

Wang Baihu suddenly showed a headache expression. When he saw Haitang sitting at the door of his house, he smiled sheepishly and hurriedly rushed back to his home with the child in his arms.

Haitang looked at the backs of their father and son curiously, and saw another person walking into the alley. He was dressed very inconspicuously, wearing a bamboo hat, with a bundle of sheepskins on his shoulders, and his head lowered.

He walked past Haitang, his footsteps almost inaudible.Haitang raised her head in confusion and saw the left side of his face, and couldn't help but be stunned.

There was a very hideous scar on the man's left cheek, as if he had been bitten by some wild beast.

(End of this chapter)