Shanghai Embroidery Lady

Chapter 4
Ye Zijin's home is in a small alley. He has lived here for five years since he came to Shanghai at the age of 12.

When she reached the entrance of the alley, it was already dark.I saw a pretty woman with a curvaceous figure getting out of a car.Under the dim street lights, a woman in a purple cheongsam walks alone with her arms folded, her back is lonely and deserted.In the gap between the high slits of the two swings, white legs are looming, and golden and pink butterflies are embroidered on the skirt. Every step she takes, it feels like a butterfly flying with the fragrance of flowers.

Ye Zijin had never seen such a graceful beauty, like a woman walking out of a pictorial on the street.

Suddenly a basin of water poured out from the alleyway, the woman screamed and ran away, but her clothes were still wet.

The strange thing is that the woman didn't get angry and curse, but quickened her pace and hurriedly disappeared around the corner of the alley.

Ye Zijin walked forward, and happened to meet Grandma Qin who came out with a basin.

"Who was that woman just now?" Ye Zijin asked.

Grandma Qin curled her lips and said, "It looks like they've just moved here. She looks like a woman from Simalu. Zijin, don't associate with such an unclean woman."

"Oh..." Ye Zijin didn't ask any more questions, she knew that Hesi Ma Road in Shanghai is a famous place of smoke and willows, if that woman is really what Grandma Qin said, she would really make Bai Bi fall into the mud.

Back home, my younger brother Ye Zizheng was sitting under the lamp reading a book.Even though he was wearing an old gray cotton sweater, it was hard to hide the youthful spirit between his brows.

Ye Zijin smelled the fragrance of flowers as soon as she entered the door, and when she looked up, there was a pot of narcissus on the window sill!
"Sister, you're back, I'll make you a hot meal." Zizheng put down his book and got up.

"Where did you get the money to buy flowers? Are you hungry again?" Ye Zijin frowned.

Zizheng smiled and said: "How come, I bought these flowers with my own money, and I helped others copy them at school. By the way, sister, you don't have to dress up as a man and go out selling newspapers and cigarettes so late. I did some repair work, and I repaired the phonograph in my teacher's house."

"No, it's too hard for you to do this, just leave it to my sister to earn money, and you can study at ease, and my sister still hopes that you will become the best engineer." Ye Zijin felt a little sad when she saw her younger brother so sensible.After Aunt Zhou died of illness, she had already lost a younger brother when she was ten years old, and now it was only her and Zizheng left. She made Zizheng work so hard, and she was really ashamed of Aunt Zhou.

"Sister, I don't work hard, you are the hardest, sit down and eat." Zizheng brought out a warm meal, and accidentally swept Ye Zijin's trouser legs, "Sister, why is there blood on your trousers?"

Ye Zijin looked down and saw that there were indeed some blood marks, which must be the blood of the person who was shot today.Ye Zijin's back shivered when he thought of today's thrilling scene, and told Zizheng what happened at the flower market.

Ye Zizheng pursed his lips and said seriously: "Sister, don't sell newspapers and cigarettes in the future, I will support you."

Ye Zijin ate a mouthful of pickled rice and said with a smile, "Don't worry, I won't go to Zhabei District in the future, the French Concession is safer."

"It's not safe either. The power of Jin'antang is there. There are many gangs and parties in Shanghai now. It's not safe for you to go out as a girl. How about I stop studying and go out to work to make money?" Ye Zizheng thought of the melee in the flower market dictated by her sister. I'm just afraid, if it wasn't for that man's righteousness to save him, then...

With a "snap", the chopsticks were still on the table heavily, "You are not allowed to drop out of school, you must continue to read. I promised my aunt to help you study well. After all these years, I have survived. What should I be afraid of?" Ye Zijin's complexion was slightly rosy, Zizheng knew that she was like this when she was angry.

"Good, good, study, don't be angry, sister, but you are not allowed to go out at night from now on." Zizheng is most afraid of his sister getting angry, and as long as Zijin gets angry, he will obediently submit.

"Sister, then you can change into my thick cotton trousers first, I'll wash them for you." Zizheng said as he fetched the tub and soap.

Ye Zijin waved his hand and said, "You are busy with your work, I will wash myself after dinner."

"Hurry up, if you don't move again, I'll pick it up myself." Zizheng said jokingly.

"Little rascal." Ye Zijin laughed.

(End of this chapter)