Linxia

Chapter 101, Good Show

The next morning, Fang Lin woke up early and got up.

Maybe it was because of the long journey in recent days, at this moment, uncle Fang Boxian was still sleeping soundly with slight snoring. However, Fang Chuanhui had also woken up. This half-grown boy was full of energy and could easily fall asleep, so he got up quietly.

Outside in the kitchen, Tian Xuan was cooking and Fang Yuyu was lighting a fire in front of the stove.

As for Mr. and Mrs. Fang, they haven’t gotten up yet, probably because they ate too late and drank a little bit of wine yesterday.

"Lindi, Chuanhui, the water is ready. I've kept it for you. Come and wash your faces."

"Brother Linzi, Second Brother, good morning!"

"Morning!"

After washing up, Fang Lin prepared to go out: "I'll go to the store and tell the shopkeeper."

As he spoke, he looked at Fang Chuanhui and Fang Yuyu and said with a smile, "Chuanhui, Yuyu, come with me!"

Outside, it was still dark and there were faint sandy shadows in the air, but the dung collector was already shouting as he started collecting the dung.

Walking forward, there are either cobblestone roads or brick roads. The streets are clean and tidy, with trees planted on both sides of the road, and the air is fresh.

For the brother and sister who had just come from Xiaohe Village, everything was new to them. They jumped around, looking left and right with their big eyes, taking in everything they saw. They had children's unique curiosity about the world, like the innocent and lively eyes of a deer, which contained a beauty that was not polluted by the world.

"That's great!" Fang Lin thought to himself. This high spirits and liveliness also infected him, and his mood became brighter.

"Brother Linzi, this road is really good. It's not like the muddy road in our village. When it rains, your shoes will get wet."

"That's right, Brother Linzi, I've been to our county town before, and there's no road like this!"

"After all, this is the capital city!"

Fang Lin said as he led them deeper into the early morning city. The sounds of hawkers gradually came in. As they passed by the streets, he would introduce various shops: "This one sells cloth, this one sells grain... It's not open yet. There will be a lot of people at noon. Let's watch a play in the morning, and I'll bring you over to see more in the afternoon..."

Fang Chuanhui and Fang Yuyu nodded or asked a question from time to time, giving positive feedback.

Going a little further into the city, people were selling and buying vegetables early in the morning, and elementary school children were carrying their school baskets to school...

The brother and sister looked at each other with envy, but they did not feel inferior. They wore their best clothes without patches, clean, slightly whitish, and looked at passers-by openly, or let passers-by look at them.

Fang Lin nodded slightly, and sighed in his heart again: "Auntie taught me really well!"

Soon, they arrived at Xuan Mo Zhai.

Just then, Manager Liu came back from a walk outside: "Linzi, why are you here today? These two little kids are..."

"Shopkeeper, these are my cousins ​​from my hometown, coming to visit us."

"That's great. You can tell at first glance that she's smart and cute." Shopkeeper Liu praised.

The brother and sister also tilted their heads slightly and stared at Shopkeeper Liu with wide eyes. They had all heard Fang Lin's letter and knew that this shopkeeper would send cotton-padded jackets when the weather got cold. Now, seeing it with their own eyes, they had a wonderful feeling that the characters in the story had come true.

At this time, Chai Yiwei and Huang Di heard the noise inside and came out. When Fang Lin told them the purpose of his visit and wanted to adjust his leave, they agreed immediately.

"It's okay, Brother Fang. I don't want to go back. Just take your relatives and have fun."

"Yes, Linzi, don't mention changing it. I'll give you my leave directly. I've eaten a lot of your food in the past, but I couldn't do anything for you. Just consider it as a favor to me this time, otherwise I will be angry with you. Oh, are these our brother and sister? Our brother looks smart, and our sister is also very pretty, a beauty. Linzi, just take them to have fun!" As expected of a guest guide, Huang Di is very eloquent.

"Yiwei, Dizi, thank you." Fang Lin did not refuse this kindness.

Fang Chuanhui and Fang Yuyu looked at them and thought to themselves, 'My cousin is amazing and has great relationships with people.' They were not afraid of being stared at by Chai Yiwei and Huang Di, but instead stared back at them openly.

They knew that the one who spoke little should be the one mentioned in the letter, the pitiful and honest brother who had a partial stepmother; the one who was very talkative, whose surname was Huang, was a little stingy, but he also took his cousin to eat meat for only one penny and one chopstick.

The brother and sister came to Xuan Mo Zhai and felt strange yet familiar with everyone they met. Strange because it was the first time they met, but familiar because they had already met in the short stories in Fang Linxin's book. When they saw each person, they could match each other's stories one by one.

After Fang Lin finished saying these things, he politely declined Manager Liu's invitation to stay for dinner and was about to leave with the brother and sister.

"Wait a moment!" Shopkeeper Liu called out to them, went in and came out quickly, took out two round jade pendants, one white and one green, and gave them to the brother and sister.

"This is our first meeting, so consider this a greeting gift." He looked at the brother and sister and smiled kindly.

Fang Chuanhui and Fang Yuyu both confiscated them and looked at Fang Lin.

"Shopkeeper, this is quite precious."

"Why is it expensive? Not expensive! Not expensive! It's not much. Besides, it's not for you. I just like these two dolls..." said Shopkeeper Liu.

Having said that, Fang Lin no longer refused. He nodded and asked them to accept it.

"Thank you, Grandpa Liu!" the brother and sister said in unison. At this time, Chai Yiwei and Huang Di also went in and came out. Chai Yiwei gave each of them a sachet, while Huang Di took out a nine-linked ring and a tangram.

Fang Lin didn't know when Chai Yiwei bought the sachet, but he had seen Huang Di's nine-ring puzzle and tangram. Every night when he was resting, playing chess, or lying in bed before going to sleep, he would tinker with them to pass the time.

Fang Lin nodded, asked the brother and sister to accept it, thanked them and said goodbye before going back.

"Chuanhui, Yuyu, you are the ones who are so likable. But your Uncle Huangdi, I have never seen him take things out of others." He joked.

"No." Fang Chuanhui thought for a moment and said, "They gave things to me and my sister because of Brother Linzi. Otherwise, they wouldn't know who I am! I have to tell Dad when I get back..."

"Yes, Mom said that if someone gives you something, you have to return it. Otherwise, you can't take it. Let Dad buy something to pay it back."

"You two clever little devils, but it's not necessary. Since you gave it to me for my sake, I will pay it back. It's nothing, just accept it with peace of mind!"

Fang Lin touched the brother and sister's little heads and said with a smile.

Brother and sister Fang Chuanhui and Fang Yuyu, one on the left and one on the right, tilted their heads to look at Fang Lin. Seeing their cousin who seemed to be covered with a layer of gold in the morning sun, they were thinking, "Brother Linzi has changed a lot." It was not because people gave them gifts, which was very face-saving, but because of an indescribable feeling. Having him around made people feel reliable and at ease.

A red sun rose slowly in the sky, and the whole city gradually became brighter. Three people, one adult and two children, walked back through the city, which seemed to have just woken up and was gradually becoming noisy and lively.

……

After breakfast, Fang's father, mother, Fang Lin, Tian Xuan, as well as uncle Fang Boxian, Fang Chuanhui, and Fang Yuyu, prepared to go out. They planned to go to the theater in the morning, eat outside at noon, and stroll around the city in the afternoon. They probably wouldn't be back all day.

When the door is locked, you don't have to worry about the kitten being well behaved. It will find fun on its own. It will occupy Master Ou's rattan chair and use it as a rocking bed; it will climb up the osmanthus tree to bask in the sun; it will go to Master Ou's house, sit on Master Ou's table and look at the primary school children below, listen to classes together, and receive Confucian cultural enlightenment... When it is time for dinner, it will find its own meal ticket, stroll around, sniff around, and go to whichever house has better food, Qiu's or Master Ou's. Sometimes after dinner, it will go to Xin's house and get a small dried fish as a snack.

In short, they are very capable and you don’t have to worry about anything.

Come to Yishun Teahouse to watch a show.

Because he had been here so often, the waiter was already familiar with him: "Mr. Fang is here? Oh, do you have guests at your house today? Come this way, I'll save a seat for you!"

Fang Lin asked for two seats. Fang's father, Fang's mother, and uncle Fang Boxian sat at one table, and he, Tian Xuan, Fang Chuanhui, and Fang Yuyu, the four younger ones, sat at another table.

Maybe it was because there was a new play "Du Shiniang's Fury and Sinking of the Treasure Box" being performed today, and even though they came quite early, the seats were taken soon.

There were sugar cakes and dried fruits in the dining table. Fang Lin picked them up and shared them with the brother and sister and Tian Xuan: "Chuanhui, Yuyu, have a try."

Tian Xuan didn't eat it, and shared hers with them: "It's a bit sweet, I don't like it very much, you guys eat it!"

"Thank you Brother Linzi and Sister Xuanxuan!" Fang Chuanhui held the food and took a small bite.

"Brother Linzi, Sister Xuanxuan, it's delicious!" Fang Yuyu took a bite, her big eyes curved, looking so cute that people couldn't help but want to touch her head and hug her.

These things were also mentioned by Fang Lin in his letter. To be honest, they had been envious and coveting them for a long time and had often encountered them in their dreams. In fact, they had eaten sugar cakes and dried fruits before, but they subconsciously thought that the ones in the teahouse here must taste better. When they ate them today, they found that it seemed to be true.

If Fang Lin knew, he would tell them that this was a sentimental bonus.

It didn't take long before the new play "Du Shiniang Sinks the Treasure Box in Anger" began.

The whole audience fell silent, and the show began. The brother and sister were also affected by the atmosphere, and did not dare to make any noise. They looked at the stage, quickly becoming absorbed in it, with their eyes fixed on it.

Fang Lin watched and nodded secretly: In this era, the stage conditions are limited, but those who can perform on stage have solid basic skills, and their techniques and singing styles are unique. After decades of hard training and immersion, they have reached an extremely high level in "skills".

As the characters in the play performed, the emotions of the audience were also aroused.

When Li Jia and Du Shiniang were in love, and the plot was light and cheerful, the audience in the audience also smiled knowingly, as if they were an aunt looking at a well-matched couple;
When Li Jia ran out of money, the madam was in a dilemma, and the audience frowned, eager to rush forward and give advice;
When the plot reached its climax, Li Jia wanted to sell Du Shiniang for one thousand two taels of silver. When Du Shiniang angrily sank the treasure chest, the atmosphere in the audience instantly exploded.

Many people burst into tears, especially the women, and this set off a chain of events.

Fang Lin looked at the table next to him.

At the table, the woman seemed to have mistaken her husband for Li Jia and beat him up with her little fists. After that, she threw herself into her husband's arms and burst into tears.

This is still good. At a table far away, a man was watching the show attentively, but he was pulled over by the woman at the same table and beaten. While beating, she also cursed, "None of you men are good." This man encountered such an unexpected disaster, but he still tried to reason. The woman saw it and thought, "Okay, you are a heartless person. Not only do you not sympathize with me, but you dare to refute me?" She immediately angrily accused the other party of being a ruthless person and beat him even harder.

Well, this scene has a feeling of a riot of demons.

Mr. and Mrs. Fang have been watching a lot of plays recently, and have seen many drama fans, so they are used to it. Uncle is a taciturn person and never shows his emotions.

Fang Chuanhui and Fang Yuyu were more interesting. Their eyes were wide open, their gazes were dull, their mouths slightly open. The brother and sister had the same expression, as if they had felt a little shock from the provincial capital.

Fang Lin and Tian Xuan looked at each other, looked at the other spectators, and then looked at the brother and sister, all with smiles in their eyes. Indeed, sometimes, the play outside the play is more interesting than the play on the stage.

"However, the most exciting drama today is not here, but at Sister Guihua's place." He thought to himself and glanced in the direction of Sister Guihua's house.

……

(End of this chapter)