Linxia

Chapter 82, Retribution

Digging a hole for the Man family and planting the seeds will take time to ferment. Fang Lin also has his own things to do and it is impossible for him to keep an eye on it all the time.

However, he did not completely let it go. For the next period of time, while working in Xuan Mo Zhai, he would go out to Donkey Food Restaurant for lunch every one or two days.

——As for the cost, if you don’t order donkey meat at the Donkey Restaurant, a bowl of noodles is not expensive.

Sometimes I would run into Mr. Dong, and the two of us kept in touch. We would sometimes meet here to have a drink and chat. We would talk about everything from studies to life, and our friendship grew stronger day by day.

Seven or eight days passed, and no one had grown back, but Fang Lin was not discouraged.

At noon that day, Fang Lin came to the Donkey Restaurant to eat and met Dong Xiucai again. The two of them naturally got together: "Haha, Brother Dong, see you again."

"Yes, I'm really glad to see Brother Fang... Waiter, give me two kilograms of old yellow wine!"

Dong Zugao greeted him and then said to Fang Lin, "I study at home every day, which is very boring. It is only when I meet Brother Fang at dinner that I can relax for a moment."

As they were talking, the old yellow rice wine arrived and they clinked their glasses together. The joy and excitement in their hearts were like the ripples in the bowl.

Dong Zugao took a sip and let out a long breath. "I heard Brother Fang say last time that scholars should not be lazy and ignorant of the five grains. I really agree with that. I have also worked at home these days, such as cooking... Although the food I made in the end was just barely edible, I am happy in my heart."

"Also, taking a walk every morning and evening makes me feel relaxed physically and mentally, and reading is also easier. It can be said that except for my empty pocket, I have no other worries." He shared his life and joked to himself.

"Haha, Brother Dong's life is enviable. As for the problem of being penniless,"

Fang Lin asked, "Brother Dong, have you ever thought of doing something to make a living? I heard that some scholars have established good relationships with government officials, and when they encounter people who need help from others, they act as go-betweens."

"To be honest with you, Brother Fang, I really want to make money, but I'm not good at dealing with people, so I just copy books. There's no other way. Alas, I always feel bad when I take and spend the money given by my family."

"That's true. It's better to have it yourself than to have it from your parents!"

Fang Lin nodded, confirming that Dong Zugao really wanted to do some side business. In fact, he also had this idea.

At present, he earns four taels of silver a month at Xuan Mo Zhai, and he can also earn two or three taels of silver by copying books, so he can save about six taels of silver every month. Fang's mother and Tian Xuan mend clothes, and Fang's father works at the dock, and they can also save two or three taels of silver a month. All together, he can earn eight or nine taels of silver!

——Of course, Fang Lin’s plans only considered the money he earned, and he asked Fang’s father and mother to save the money for themselves as a guarantee.

Saving six taels of silver every month was still a little slow. The accidents of the Xin and Qiu families made him feel an urgency to become stronger as soon as possible.

'As for connections, the weather has been getting colder recently. I have noted down a few places where ice is easy to slip on along the way to the school and teahouse. I think you can go there more often.'

'As for capital, I'm also thinking about doing a side job to accumulate some money. Otherwise, when the trend of popular novels arrives, even if I have connections, I won't be able to eat the most delicious cake and complete the transformation from an ordinary person to a small capitalist! '

Of course, as I said before, everything requires connections. Without connections and backers, Fang Lin would never step forward to run his business.

However, in order to lay eggs by borrowing a chicken, and forming a partnership with Dong Zugao, relying on his status as a scholar and their relationship as classmates, I can't say how much help he can provide, but as long as he can have some influence in the government, he can consider doing some small things.

"Brother Fang, do you have any business? If there is anything you can do for me, just let me know." Dong Zugao understood the meaning of the music and asked.

Nowadays, all businessmen can take the imperial examinations. Conversely, there are many scholars themselves or their family members who are engaged in business. There is nothing shameful about it, and they do not have a moral obsession.

"Okay, I've got some ideas. I'll investigate further in the near future, and then we'll give it a try." Fang Lin and Dong Zugao clinked their bowls.

After the meal, Dong Zugao rushed to pay the bill, and Fang Lin did not refuse. It was not that he was taking advantage, but that each of them had paid for their meals at a time.

At this time, a voice suddenly came from the door: "The chef of this donkey restaurant is Sun Erniang's apprentice, but I found this restaurant with great difficulty..."

Man Gensheng came in with his friends.

Seeing this, Fang Lin smiled even more brightly and greeted, "Man Gensheng, you and your friends are here for dinner!" "Yes, Brother Fang!" Man Gensheng winked at him, asking him not to reveal the story of 'this restaurant was hard to find'.

"Okay, then you guys eat and we'll leave first." Fang Lin smiled and said nothing, then went out with Dong Zugao.

When Man Gensheng comes here to eat, there is no need to do anything else. As long as he enjoys the meal and comes often, sooner or later he will be unable to resist - Changlefang, diagonally opposite the Donkey Restaurant, is like a fish placed in front of a cat. How can it resist stealing a bite of the fishy smell?

"Brother Fang, was that your friend just now?" Dong Zugao asked. When he was paying the bill just now, he was planning to treat the other party as well, but Fang Lin grabbed his wrist and he immediately understood what was going on, so he gave up.

"On the surface, we are friends, but neighbors next to our home. There are still some conflicts between our two families."

"I understand. There are many people like this around me. It's not easy to meet a confidant in life!" Dong Zugao said this and looked at Fang Lin.

"It's true. It's really my honor to meet Brother Dong."

The two looked at each other and laughed, said goodbye and left.

……

Shortly after Fang Lin and Dong Zugao left, a person came. It was Sister Guihua.

She seemed to be passing by, glanced at the gold-plated plaque of the Donkey Restaurant, then glanced around and finally fixed her eyes on Changlefang.

"No wonder I heard Linzi mention the Donkey Restaurant to Mangensheng that day. So that's how it is."

Sister Guihua narrowed her eyes and stared at Changlefang for a long time. In the sunlight, she was like a small white flower, soft and weak, harmless to humans and animals.

After a moment, she turned around with the basket and went back to Baishun Hutong.

……

Fang Lin originally thought that it would take at least ten days or half a month for Man Gensheng to go to Changlefang, but he still underestimated the attraction of Changlefang to Man Gensheng. The other party's eagerness was like a dog pouncing on a pile of shit, they share the same bad smell.

Just a few days later, when he came out of Donkey Restaurant after eating, he saw Man Gensheng and his friends entering Changlefang.

"He's taken the bait." Fang Lin looked calm, as if he had already seen Man Gensheng's tragic end.

But later, he saw another unexpected person.

"Bai Bao? Why did he go to Changlefang as well?"

The last time Fang Lin heard about Bai Bao was when Fu Hong came to borrow money and said that Song Kai, Bai Bao and others went to the factory in the city. Recently, because the other party rented a house in Baishun Hutong, he hasn't heard from them.

"The area in Baishun Hutong is closer to Sister Guihua."

He murmured, and suddenly saw a familiar figure in the distance, who quickly merged into the crowd and disappeared.

"Sister Guihua? Probably because she heard me mention the Donkey Restaurant that day, and then... I actually played a role in promoting the development of the situation."

Before Fang Lin knew it, he had already understood the cause and effect. Everything was nothing more than retribution.

At the beginning, Bai Bao pushed the little girl into the river, and then he spoke without restraint, his words were as sharp as knives and arrows to the little girl. Now these knives and arrows turned a corner and fell back on him.

……

(End of this chapter)