Linxia

Chapter 41, saving people

pier.

In the midday sun, the river was sparkling. From time to time, boats docked and voices shouting at porters were heard. Immediately, a manager would stop the porters and organize them to go over and unload the cargo.

Nowadays, the weather has turned a little cooler, but these porters are still carrying goods with their bare chests, sweating profusely.

"father!"

Fang Lin went to the east end of the pier and searched for a long time before he found Uncle Fang.

At this time, Father Fang, like countless porters at the dock, took off his shirt, carried a large bag, and was covered in dust. The sweat that flowed down his face washed away the dust, forming winding traces on his face. Only when the sweat blurred his eyes did he stop, wipe his eyes with the back of his hand, and continue walking.

In the noisy environment, Fang Lin shouted twice before his father could hear him.

Father Fang stopped, put down the big bag he was carrying, and saw Fang Lin. At this moment, he was a little at a loss - like every father, he didn't want his son to see his embarrassed side.

However, this emotion was soon suppressed, and he asked loudly: "Linzi, why are you here? What happened at home?"

"It's okay, Dad. I'm here to call you for dinner. Mom said if it's too late, we can eat here."

"There's a lot of work to do in the morning." Uncle Fang explained, "Wait for me to carry this bag over, then we'll go eat."

Fang Lin stepped forward and assisted from behind. After Fang's father got the place, the two of them went to a restaurant near the pier.

The noodles sold here only have one kind, spicy meat noodles, which are made by pouring hot sauce of pig intestines, pork offal and boiling hot chili oil on the noodles. It makes a sizzling sound when you pour it on the noodles, and a bowl costs ten cents.

——After peanuts became popular, the price of vegetable oil was greatly reduced. Moreover, there were oil pressing workshops in the city that were in the form of factories, so vegetable oil was relatively cheap. The meat added to the臊子 was not good, so the store did not lose money on this bowl of rice with ten cents.

The porters at the dock who didn't want to go back home often came here to eat. For them, this was an extremely luxurious delicacy. A bowl of spicy meat noodles could relieve the fatigue of the morning, make up for the loss of physical strength, and allow the body to continue to withstand the heavy work in the afternoon.

The father and son sat down, unable to find words to say for a moment, and just sat there in silence.

"Dad, take care of yourself." Finally, Fang Lin spoke first.

"I know."

Father Fang nodded and asked, "Have you found a job?"

"not yet."

"Don't worry, take your time, I'm at home."

"Yeah." Fang Lin agreed.

The topic ended here and there was silence again.

"Sir, here are the noodles. Please enjoy your meal." Fortunately, the waiter came and broke the awkwardness.

Uncle Fang picked up the chopsticks and put the meat on the top of the bowl into Fang Lin's bowl.

"Dad, I've had enough." Fang Lin did not refuse the chopsticks, but he did not want any more.

He knew that Mr. Fang was not good at expressing his concern, and this was his unique way of expressing his care. He had always been like this. This kind of love was different from that of Ms. Fang, which was silent yet as heavy as a mountain.

Yes, his father might be concerned about his reputation and might not have any great abilities. Even though he had many faults, he never complained about supporting this family. This alone made him stand tall in this family, and he was the one who had the least right to despise him.

Fang Lin watched Fang's father slurping his food. Even after taking a break, beads of sweat were still appearing on his forehead, falling into the bowl and being swallowed in one gulp.

He felt a little sad, thinking: "This dock is hard work. If it goes on for a long time, my body will be damaged and my life will be shortened. I should find a job as soon as possible to help my father share some of the burden. If there is no progress in Xuan Mo Zhai, I will change to other targets in half a month!"

……

Time flies, three days, five days, ten days, they pass by so quickly.

These days, Fang Lin arrived at Xuan Mo Zhai early in the morning, strolled around behind Manager Liu, and then helped out in the shop during the day.

As for Manager Liu's attitude? He was like a stone in a toilet, stinky and hard, and he never gave in. At first, he tried to persuade Fang Lin not to come, but later, seeing that Fang Lin would not listen, he simply stopped talking and waited for Fang Lin to leave on his own.

Fang Lin would naturally not give up before the deadline he set and would patiently wait for the opportunity.

This morning.

Shopkeeper Liu was strolling around as usual, in a good mood, humming a little tune.

When passing by a secluded place, suddenly, a mad dog rushed out from the corner, sticking out its long tongue and running with its tail between its legs. "Ouch!" Shopkeeper Liu was startled and instinctively hid to the side.

But the mad dog was afraid of people and became even more ferocious. It pounced forward and was about to bite.

puff!
At this moment, a stick came from the side and pierced the mad dog's neck, causing it to twitch and bleed, and gradually die.

call!call!
Shopkeeper Liu escaped the disaster and gasped for breath. He was filled with gratitude to the man who came down from the sky to save him. At this moment, he was closer to him than his own son. He thanked him repeatedly: "Thank you! But thank you... Um, why is it you?"

It was Fang Lin.

——In fact, on the first day he followed Manager Liu for a walk, he carefully noticed this abnormal dog. Later, he specifically asked around in the neighborhood and found out that it was a mad dog.

He had observed that the time when Shopkeeper Liu took a morning walk was about the same as the time when the mad dog usually appeared. As long as the mad dog was not beaten to death, and as long as Shopkeeper Liu did not change his habit of taking a morning walk, as time went by, it would almost be a certainty that he would encounter this mad dog.

In other words, under all these conditions, as long as you are patient enough, you will get a chance to save people sooner or later.

Fang Lin had been waiting for this day for a long time, but he couldn't say that: "Boss, you forgot, haven't I been following behind? I saw someone in trouble, so I came to help."

"Yes, look at my memory." Shopkeeper Liu slapped his forehead and calmed down. His emotions just now gradually subsided: "Well, Fang Lin, right? I was really scared. I need to take it easy. Come to the shop to find me at noon."

"it is good."

Fang Lin didn't ask any more questions, nor did he go to Xuan Mo Zhai again. He left with a calm expression.

……

Shopkeeper Liu watched Fang Lin's back disappear, but did not go back. Instead, he turned around and strolled around to ask around about what happened to the mad dog.

"You mean that wild dog? Dogs are animals that stick out their tongues all the time. So, it went crazy after being stung by a wild bee! When did it happen? It's hard to say, but as far as I can remember, it's been at least a month or two!"

'A month or two?'

Shopkeeper Liu narrowed his eyes. At that time, the refugees from the countryside had not arrived yet, so it was impossible that this was a man-made setting.

"What? Someone in your family was bitten by that mad dog. That's terrible."

The old woman being questioned was very talkative. She said, "A few days ago, the housekeeper's wife was bitten on the thigh by that mad dog. She got sick when she got home, had a fever, a headache, and didn't want to eat. Gradually, it became more and more serious. She was afraid of water and wind. When she saw water, her whole body would cramp. Her mouth was always drooling with bubbles, and the bed and quilt were all over it... Later, she went to Jirentang to see an old doctor, took some herbal medicine, and then she became calm..."

"Is this okay?" Shopkeeper Liu became interested after listening.

The old woman glanced at him, as if she was dissatisfied with him interrupting her, and said quietly, "He died within two days."

"Cough, cough, cough!"

Shopkeeper Liu shuddered subconsciously. At this moment, his gratitude towards Fang Lin became stronger again.

After saying goodbye to the old woman, he inquired and confirmed from many sources and finally made up his mind.

……

At noon, Fang Lin came to Xuan Mo Zhai and was told that he could come to work. He would be paid three taels of silver per month, with food and accommodation provided, and he would have one day off every ten days.

"You can also go back to sleep, but like the other three, I'll leave a place for you to spread your bedding here. If you're busy late at night, you can stay here."

Shopkeeper Liu pushed some silver over and said, "Yes, I know you are short of money, so I will give you a one-month advance."

"Boss, didn't you say three taels of silver a month? This is already four taels." Fang Lin weighed it and didn't take it.

"Aren't you embarrassing me?"

Manager Liu glanced at him and said, "I am so evil, how can I let you help me for free these few days?"

"How is that possible? Even if someone is evil-hearted, the boss cannot do that. I've asked around, and among all the shops around here, your reputation is the best." Fang Lin said with a smile.

He knew that the work in the store and the one-month advance salary were, in a sense, the reward for saving the other party.

"Go, go, go. I'll give you another half day off and you'll go back to work tomorrow."

Shopkeeper Liu chased Fang Lin away, looked at his departing back, and scolded him with a smile: "This kid is so cunning, he is targeting an honest man like me!"

……

(End of this chapter)