Linxia

Chapter 149, daily life

After Fang Lin opened the bookstore, some of his habits did not change. Just like before, he would take one day off every ten days, and the whole family would go to the teahouse to watch operas and listen to books.

After breakfast that day, Fang's mother said, "There are no new plays. We've all seen them before. They're not interesting. Let's not go today. Let's go to Xiaowu Mountain and sit for a while!"

Speaking of 'Xiaowu Mountain', this mountain is not really a mountain, it has a history.

On this side of the Fang family is the Qiu family, and on that side are the Man family, the Xin family, the Ou family, and the Lu family. Further ahead, there is an open space on one side of the road, about two meters square.

In the past, for convenience, people living in the alleys would throw their unwanted and discarded items, such as broken bamboo beds, tattered stools and other debris there.

A few days ago, an old man who collected old things got permission to move away all the broken things that were scattered on the vacant lot. The old ladies who usually sat on the roadside chatting suddenly had an idea to make use of the vacant lot, so they took hoes and shovels to tidy up the ground.

Fang's mother saw this and thought that she might sit there in the future, so she joined in. About ten days ago, the ground was finally leveled, and the uneven stones were carefully picked up. The crowd also found a few long hemp stones from somewhere, and then picked up bricks from everywhere, built four piers, and finally put the hemp stones on them, and they could sit.

After everything was ready, everyone thought that such a nice place should be given a name, so they asked Master Ou to name it, and Master Ou named it "Xiaowu Mountain".

"In the past, the old ladies, young girls and young wives in the alleys would chat by sitting on the roadside or in front of someone's house because the place was small and it was difficult to gather many people. Now with Xiaowushan, it's much better and more lively."

Fang's mother said, "Now people in the alley go there when they have free time. They sit on the stone benches to rest, chat, pick vegetables, peel peanuts...anything that can be done outside will be done there. They work with their hands, talk with their mouths, and feel the breeze. It's so beautiful!"

That's true. Ever since Xiaowushan was built, people in the alley have become more and more fond of this place, and more and more people come here to sit, not only old ladies, young girls, and young wives, but sometimes young people passing by will also sit for a while.

The family went there and came to Xiaowu Mountain.

Fang Lin looked over and saw a large, odd-shaped rock in the middle of the open space. According to Fang's mother, it was moved here together with the hemp rocks, and there were three words written on it: "Xiao Wushan".

Looking around, the ground was clean, and the stone benches, as well as the wooden benches and chairs brought by each family, were spotless. This was done early in the morning by whoever was free from the neighborhood who came to clean it.

Next to the open space, there is a big willow tree, with a circumference of two feet and a shoulder width. It seems to be growing wildly, with branches like steel and iron extending in all directions. The dense green leaves are almost unable to penetrate the sunlight. Like a young man with endless energy, it grows wildly regardless of anything. Unfortunately, there is a cherry tree next to it. It is covered by the willow tree and cannot get enough sunlight and rain. It can't compete with the willow tree for height, so it can only avoid it. It has a branch about seven feet above the ground, which extends tenaciously towards the roadside. The branch is also a foot thick. Although it is tilted, it is very wide and strong, and it stands vigorously beside the road.

Every year when the cherry tree blooms, the pink flowers are particularly bright in the sun, and everyone who sees them is amazed. It uses its body to support a flower shed. When the flowers fade, the cherry tree quickly grows tender leaves and fruits. When the fruits are ripe, children in the alley will climb up to pick them.

Because of these two trees, people who come to Xiaowu Mountain can sit a little outside when they want to bask in the sun. If they don't want to bask in the sun, they can sit a little inside where they won't be exposed to the sun.

It is a sunny day today. Although it is still morning, the warm sunlight is shining through the roadside. The family sits down inside. The leaves are swaying and the breeze is blowing gently. It feels refreshing.

After a while, Sister Guihua came with Chen Ye, and Su Xiaoqing came with Geng Xueer. Now this place became their new gathering place.

While doing needlework, Fang's mother asked, "Can you go back for the New Year this year? You must go back together!"

"Ye Zi and I will not go back. The people from Old Chen's family are gone, and my parents passed away early. My brothers don't like them. Instead, there are people from Old Chen's family in the next village... There will be trouble if we go back." Sister Guihua said.

"Xue'er is young, and it's not easy for me and the head of the family to go back." Su Xiaoqing, the wife of the Geng family, said as she looked at Geng Xue'er in the cradle next to her.

Fang Lin brought Chen Ye and teased Geng Xueer. The girl was only a few months old, with a chubby face and was very cute.

"Sister Guihua, how are you and Qian Wenshu doing?" Su Xiaoqing suddenly asked in a low voice out of curiosity.

The Qian Wenshu she mentioned refers to Qian Wenyan, the man whom Fang Lin met when he had dinner with Dong Zugao before the New Year and the one who asked about Sister Guihua.

Sister Guihua was sewing the soles of her shoes and lowered her head to say, "That man often comes here... But Ye Zi and I are doing well, so we don't think about that."

After what happened to Old Chen's family, she didn't want to look for another one. After all, once you get married, there are many restrictions and constraints... This world is always harsher on women.

"I think that man is good. He has no parents, so he won't have to endure the anger of his parents-in-law. He doesn't have any children with his ex-wife, so there's no need to worry about him being mean to Ye Zi. He also works for the government, so he's capable..."

"Guihua has her own idea. That man has lost his parents, wife and children. He can't be said to have a strong life. He is a bit unlucky!" said Fang's mother.

"Whether it's successful or not, I'm not afraid of it. I just don't want to look for it anymore. But sometimes, I think of Ye Zi... Well, let's wait and see. Time will tell!" Sister Guihua shook her head.

After a while, Lu's daughter-in-law, Grandma Man, Mrs. Ou, Grandma Qiu and other neighbors came over one after another.

An auntie asked Fang Lin: "Linzi, do you still have the fragrant dew?"

"It's gone. The secret recipe has been sold and can't be made anymore." Of course, that being said, Fang Lin was just making some old version of the perfume for Mrs. Ou, and the Fan family wouldn't say anything.

"What a pity! What a pity!" Many aunts and young wives sighed.

"Grandma Man, I heard that you are looking for a new wife for Gensheng. Have you found one?" someone asked Grandma Man.

"I'm worried about this. I went to find a matchmaker, but she shook her head when I heard about it... If you find someone suitable, remember to introduce her to my Gensheng!" said Grandma Man.

During this year, Man Laoguan and Man Gensheng went to the factory, and she went to the laundry shop. Now that she had almost paid off her gambling debts, she could finally breathe a sigh of relief. Then, she thought about finding a wife for Man Gensheng, but it was not easy to find one, and she couldn't find one.

Everyone agreed verbally, but no one took it to heart. Everyone knew Man Gensheng's reputation and how Grandma Man had treated Chuntao in the past. Introducing a girl to the Man family would be like pushing her into the fire, wouldn't it?
"Xiao Yun, I heard that you are pregnant again?" asked Fang's mother.

"Uh-huh."

Sha Xiaoyun was indeed pregnant again. She touched her belly, her face filled with the glow of motherhood. She was happy but also a little worried: "I hope this baby will be fine and not be like Yaer."

Some people also asked about Fang Lin and Tian Xuan's marriage.

"Xiaoxuan, has the wedding date been set?"

"Let's all come to the wedding banquet then!"

"I'm telling you, Xiaoxuan, this is a marriage... Auntie will teach you two tricks, I guarantee..."

……

Although Tian Xuan was smart, she still blushed under the teasing of this group of outspoken aunts and young wives.

On the other side, Granny Qiu was talking to Mrs. Ou: "You should be more open-minded about everything. Look at my face. It was burned by fire when I was a child. I have been ugly all my life. I used to be afraid of seeing people. I was so generous with gifts just to earn face and make people look up to me...but you know what happened later. So, don't care what others think. We just need to live a good life." "I know, you just need to be more open-minded." Mrs. Ou said.

The whole Xiaowu Mountain was bustling with activity. Soon, people were talking about their daily lives, such as which store in the market had cheap goods, or which store had reduced the price of rice, and they were passing on information to each other.

Many times, this group of old ladies, young girls, and young wives would go shopping for vegetables together while chatting. They were happy to get a bargain by themselves, and even happier to get a bargain together. After buying the vegetables, they would sit here, peeling and picking what needed to be peeled, and would not go back until it was time to cook.

Fang Lin looked at Fang's mother, who was happily saying something in the center of the crowd. Suddenly, he understood why Fang's mother's efficiency had dropped sharply recently and she could only mend one or two pieces of clothing a day.

However, the Fang family is not short of money for needlework nowadays. Fang's mother took the needlework here, in fact, more just to fit in with the family.

After a while, the peddler Zhang Dagou came over and, as usual, brought some firewood and set it down in front of the Ou family's door.

"I know what you mean, but you don't have to be so polite." Mrs. Ou pulled Zhang Dagou to sit down. Every time he came, a cup of sesame bean tea was always indispensable.

Next, old ladies, young girls, and young wives came one after another to buy needlework and other things. They were very discerning and knew that Zhang Dagou's things were cheap and good in comparison.

After sitting for a while, Zhang Dagou carried the load on his shoulder and limped away in hops.

Next to Xiaowu Mountain, a group of boys were playing a card-slapping game. They used their hands to slap the cards to see whose card was closest to the steps. The winner was the one who could take the other's cards.

Because the price of the "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" cards launched by Fang Linxuan Mozhai is not low, and most of the families in Xixiang Hutong are not rich, these kids basically have "Water Margin" cards in their hands - the booksellers in the city are not easy to pirate "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" cards, but they have no scruples when it comes to selling "Water Margin" cards, and they are crazy about it, lowering the quality of the character cards. Therefore, the price of "Water Margin" character cards is relatively low.

Lu Dingding of the Lu family is the kid from the Lu family who showed up for the first time and reported the news when his uncle Fang Bo showed up. Just because he had a card from "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" in his hand, even though it was a very common character card of Yan Liang, he aroused the envy of a group of friends.

"Why are you so proud? Wait and see me win this card from you!" a friend said with envy in his eyes.

"Liang Dou Dou, just you? I tell you, don't even think about it. I have lost all my cards in "Water Margin". I will stop filming and go back." Lu Dingding said.

"You're a coward!"

"I'm not a coward!"

……

A group of little kids taking photos.

When Lu Dingding saw Fang Lin coming over, he stood by and watched, and said generously: "Brother Linzi, do you want to come and play? I can lend you five... no, three cards."

"Okay! But you don't need three. Just give me one."

Fang Lin took out a "Water Margin" card, and soon he defeated the group of little kids until they were almost crying, because his strength control was extremely precise, far beyond what little kids could do, and he could hit whatever he pointed at.

He smiled, handed the cards to them again, clapped his hands, stood up, strolled away, and prepared to take a look around the alley.

Chen Ye was a girl, so she couldn’t play with the boys, so she sat a little further away and played shuttlecock.

At this time, an old man selling sweet potatoes accidentally dropped the sweet potatoes he was carrying. She went over to help pick them up, and the old man gave her a big roasted sweet potato.

"But I have no money."

"It's okay, grandpa will treat you to a meal."

"No, I have to pay for it." Chen Ye thought for a moment, then suddenly picked up his shuttlecock and wanted to tear it open to take out the copper coins inside.

How could the old man selling sweet potatoes be willing to take them and said he didn't need them.

"Let me pay for it!" Fang Lin came over, paid for Chen Ye, and bought one for himself.

"Thank you, Brother Fang." Chen Ye said.

Fang Lin asked her: "Ye Zi, why did you insist on giving me money just now?"

"The teacher said that if you see someone carrying something on their shoulders or back, you should not take advantage of them." Chen Ye said this in a crisp voice.

Seeing the little girl so sensible, Fang Lin touched her head lovingly, and thought of Master Ou's teaching: "It takes ten years to grow a tree, and a hundred years to cultivate a person. Master Ou has done a great deed!"

A big and a small were eating roasted sweet potatoes side by side when they suddenly heard the puppy whimpering.

Fang Lin followed the sound and his eyes were fixed on the Li family's home in the alley. The Li family did not live here, they also had a house somewhere else and would come here sometimes, but the door was locked.

"I haven't heard that the Li family has a dog. Maybe it's a stray dog? The door of the Li family is also locked. I wonder how it got in?" Fang Lin asked curiously.

"I know." Chen Ye pulled Fang Lin to a place and pointed at a small hole and said, "It should be squeezed in from here. I also saw Lu Dingding throwing bones to a puppy from here, and he was spanked by his mother."

Fang Lin couldn't help but laugh as he listened. He looked around and saw that this place was low in elevation, so it was possible that they could really enter from here.

"Brother Fang, the puppy seems to be unable to come out after going in. I heard it barking yesterday. It might have starved to death. Shall we rescue it?"

"Okay!"

Fang Lin took the roasted sweet potato and lured the puppy to a low place. When he was about to reach the sweet potato, he took some of it out, little by little. The puppy finally crawled out. He held its front paws and gently dragged it out, and it finally came out.

This is a black and white spotted dog. After being rescued and fed with roasted sweet potatoes, it seemed to recognize its owner and followed Fang Lin and Chen Ye closely. When they turned back, it followed them too.

This guy was a little shy. When he saw passers-by, he would stagger and hide aside. He would speed up and chase after them after the passers-by left.

Fang Lin didn't want to keep it because he didn't know if it was sick, so he and Chen Ye sent it farther away, to the entrance of the alley. The puppy whimpered pitifully, but he still took Chen Ye and went back cruelly.

……

(End of this chapter)