Shanghai Embroidery Lady

Chapter 69
During the days when Shen Kangtong's family came to Shanghai, Xiaoyue and Xiaowu took the initiative to free up a room for the family to live together in order to ease the relationship between Shen Kangtong and Master, while they lived in the shop, and Xiaoyue slept on the cutting bed Small martial arts floor.All the work in the tailor shop fell on Ye Zijin and Xiaoyue Xiaowu. Because Ye Zijin inherited Master Shen's craftsmanship, some important customers' cheongsams needed to be sewed by her. Xiaowu and Xiaoyue could only help her with some work. Chores.

One day, Guixiang brought Xiao Jiaqi to play in the shop. Xiao Jiaqi was unhappy when he saw Ye Zijin. Good pear paste candy and crabapple cake?"

Ye Zijin has been so busy these past few days that she couldn't remember the promise she had made to Xiao Jiaqi, so she quickly apologized: "I'm sorry, I forgot about it, I'll buy it for you tonight, okay?"

Xiao Jiaqi snorted and said disdainfully, "No need, my grandpa has already bought it for me."

Ye Zijin smiled, and said, "Great Sage, please forgive me this time, please? I will definitely remember next time."

Xiao Jiaqi rolled her dark eyes around Ye Zijin's face, put her hands on her hips and said, "Okay, for the sake of the fruit pill you gave me, I will spare you, little demon, hmph..."

Guixiang poked Xiao Jiaqi's forehead, and reprimanded: "It's not big or small, why did you talk to your sister Zijin?"

"It's okay, it's okay, the kid is just joking." Ye Zijin smiled and patted Jiaqi's head.

Guixiang glanced at Xiao Jiaqi angrily, then smiled and said to Ye Zijin: "I'm going to the market to buy something now, can Miss Ye take care of Jiaqi for me? I heard that there are many people in Shanghai to take pictures. There are also many flowers, so I dare not take Jiaqi to the market."

These words pierced Ye Zijin's heart soundlessly like a needle. She forced a smile and said, "Okay, Miss Guixiang, you can go. When you go to the market, just bargain down the price. The vegetable peddlers will definitely raise the price when they hear you speak with a foreign accent, so don’t let them fool you.”

"Well, Miss Ye really knows how to live. Boss Meng is really blessed." Gui Xiang smiled and continued, "When will you get married, you must inform us about the wedding banquet."

Ye Zijin was taken aback for a moment, and hurriedly waved his hands and said, "We are not...not what you think..."

Seeing her blushing, Guixiang thought it was a girl's shyness, and didn't want to embarrass her anymore, so she changed the subject and said, "I'll go buy some Chuanbei, and pick some pears to stew. It's rare that the old man has a little appetite these days, Willing to eat at the same table with us."

Ye Zijin watched Guixiang leave, but then encountered difficulties, Xiao Jiaqi was running around in the shop, she couldn't watch all the time, Xiaoyue and Xiaowu had work to do, she herself I can't be idle.

After thinking for a while, he finally thought of a way to calm Jiaqi down.

Ye Zijin found paper and pens and taught Xiao Jiaqi how to write.Jia Qi looked at the novelty and began to learn it seriously.He started to write his own name, and when he got tired of writing, he wrote his parents' names, and then Master Shen's name.But Xiao Jiaqi got tired of writing all these names, biting the pen and said to Ye Zijin: "Then what is your name like?"

Ye Zijin picked up the brush and wrote his name on the yellowed rice paper. Xiao Jiaqi couldn't wait to grab the brush and write, but he could only write the first two characters, and he couldn't learn the third character. He was angry Throwing the pen profusely, he muttered, "Why is your name so difficult to write, I'll call you Sister Ye Zi from now on."

Ye Zijin shrugged helplessly, and had no choice but to follow him and said, "Okay, okay, you can call me whatever you want, can you practice calligraphy obediently?"

Xiao Jiaqi pouted, thought for a while and said, "Tell me again how to write that big brother's name? Is it harder or easier than yours?"

Ye Zijin smiled and said, "Are you sure you want to learn? Don't regret it."

Xiao Jiaqi nodded seriously.

Ye Zijin picked up the pen and wrote down the three words Meng Haoxiang. Xiao Jiaqi was dumbfounded and said in shock: "What kind of thing is this? I can't understand it. How did you write it?"

Ye Zijin patiently said: "You learn the simple characters first, and then you can write when you put them together. You see, first practice the words 'zi, dish, sun, sky, sheep, feather'." Said Then he wrote down these words on the paper stroke by stroke.

Jia Qi was engrossed in watching it, and after Ye Zijin gave him the pen, he practiced wholeheartedly, looking focused and cute.

Ye Zijin secretly heaved a sigh of relief, and finally settled the little stubborn monkey.

At this time, a familiar figure walked into the shop.Xiaoyue at the counter said timidly: "Brother Ah Cheng, you are here..."

Seeing that it was Ah Cheng, Ye Zijin felt tense, what is he doing here?
I saw Ah Cheng put a red paper bag on the counter, touched the back of his head, and said a little embarrassedly: "This is the donkey rolled by Fourth Master Qu brought back from Beiping. He gave me a little bit, so I will take it." Come and taste it for you."

Xiaoyue lowered her head, her cheeks flushed, she took the things and said thank you softly, the two of them were so embarrassed that they didn't speak again.

Seeing that Ye Zijin was also there, Ah Cheng remembered the business, so he walked up to Ye Zijin and said politely, "Miss Ye, brother Xiang would like to invite you to dinner tonight, and said that he has something important to discuss with you."

"Is there anything I can't ask you to tell me directly? I have to rush to work to make cheongsam at night. You thank him for me, so I don't need to invite him for dinner." Ye Zijin flatly refused.

Ah Cheng looked distressed, and said: "Brother Xiang said that it is related to Master Shen, Miss Ye, you must go, and he also said that we need to talk face to face."

Ye Zijin was a little puzzled, since it was about Master, there was nothing she couldn't tell others, Meng Haoxiang's behavior style was always unpredictable, and she couldn't figure out what kind of medicine he was selling in his gourd for a while.

Thinking that it had something to do with Master, Ye Zijin couldn't refuse anymore, so she had to agree first.

After Ah Cheng walked away, Xiaoyue looked away reluctantly.She opened the package of snacks that Ah Cheng gave her, rolled over to Ye Zijin and Jia Qi with the donkey in her hands, and said a little shyly, "Zijin... you can try it too..."

Ye Zijin glanced at the bean paste stuffed donkey roll wrapped in soybean noodles, smiled helplessly, picked up a piece and handed it to Jia Qi, who had been coveting for a long time, and said to Xiaoyue: "You keep it and eat it slowly, I will give it to you." Your Yunzhi Yunpian Cake doesn't seem to be half as sweet as this donkey rolling."

"Zijin..." Xiaoyue blushed again as she spoke.

After the shop closed in the evening, Ah Cheng took Ye Zijin to a Cantonese restaurant called Ziyunlou for dinner.Ah Cheng told her that this restaurant was opened by Cantonese, and the Cantonese cuisine is very authentic.

Before pushing open the door of this private room called "Li Lan Xuan", Ye Zijin heard a burst of giggles.

She knocked on the door a few times and pushed it open to walk in. She was surprised to find that besides Meng Haoxiang, the same family of Shen Kang was also inside.

Seeing her standing by the door, Xiao Jiaqi waved her small hand and complained, "Sister Ye Zi, if you don't come, I will starve to death!"

Gui Xiang pointed at the broken chicken bones on Xiao Jiaqi's plate with a smile, and said, "You're still hungry, who ate that chicken foot just now?" Gui Xiang asked Ye Zijin to sit beside her.

Meng Haoxiang told the waiter who came in together: "The food can be served."

The waiter responded respectfully, and after a while, all kinds of dishes were served one after another, and Xiao Jiaqi's eyes were shining brightly.

Meng Haoxiang raised his wine glass and said straight to the point: "Today's meal is firstly to clean up the dust for Big Brother Shen's family, and secondly to celebrate that Master Shen finally agreed to go to Western Hospital."

Shen Kangtong and Meng Haoxiang drank three glasses in a row, thanked them all: "Haoxiang, don't say anything, the words are all in this wine." He then drank another glass with his head up.

Ye Zijin was both surprised and happy, and asked, "Master really wants to go? Brother Shen, have you persuaded me?"

Guixiang picked up a crystal-clear shrimp dumpling for Xiao Jiaqi, and said, "It's useless for him to persuade you, but Brother Meng's words are helpful. He only told the old man that tuberculosis is easy to infect children if it is not treated, so he found another The doctor who traveled abroad told the old man how serious the disease is, and the old man finally agreed."

Xiao Jiaqi took a bite of the shrimp dumpling, puffed up her cheeks and said, "I also deserve credit for persuading grandpa to see a doctor!"

"Okay, okay, you deserve the most credit." Guixiang patted Jiaqi's head lovingly.

With the pistachio Xiao Jiaqi on the dinner table, the atmosphere became more relaxed.Jia Qi chewed the chicken feet in Zijin sauce with relish, and suddenly said to Meng Haoxiang seriously: "Big brother, I have something for you."

"Oh? What?" Meng Haoxiang asked with interest.

Jia Qi sucked her finger, and said: "Sister Ye Zi taught me to write today, she taught me to write your name, I wrote a sheet, and I will give it to you tomorrow."

"Okay." Meng Haoxiang glanced at Ye Zijin when he agreed. Ye Zijin coughed twice in embarrassment, and quietly drank a bowl of fish porridge.I thought to myself that this little devil took the meaning out of context, obviously he was the one who asked her to teach me how to write Meng Haoxiang's name, but now he is relying on her.

After dinner, Meng Haoxiang invited Shen Kang and his family to listen to a play in the Osmanthus tea garden.Ye Zijin wanted to go home, but Xiao Jiaqi forced her and refused to let her go, so Ye Zijin had no choice but to follow Shen Kang's family for the sake of the same family.

When the people from the Osmanthus Tea Garden saw that it was Meng Haoxiang who had come, they complimented them all the way and led them to the box upstairs.The tea server was also very discerning, and the ebony lacquered table was filled with dry and wet fruit dishes, cigarette tea sets, and tea was refilled quickly.

Shen Kangtong likes to listen to operas very much. Ye Zijin learned from Guixiang that Master Shen's ancestral home is actually in Guangzhou. Shen Kangtong has always loved to join in the fun of listening to operas since he was a child.What is being performed on the stage is "Nvqijie" in "Yutangchun", and Su San is sung by Bai Yumei, a famous actress in Shanghai Zhenghong's Mei Duo A Shun class.

Shen Kangtong shook his head and sang along with his fingers from time to time.Jia Qi was eating preserved fruits and melon seeds in Gui Xiang's arms. When Gui Xiang listened to the long "bitterness" yelled by Danjiao on the stage, there seemed to be a trace of sadness in Gui Xiang's eyes.

At this time, Ah Cheng suddenly walked up to Meng Haoxiang, leaned over and whispered something in his ear.Meng Haoxiang got up and greeted Shen Kangtong, then followed Ah Cheng to the other side.

Ye Zijin took a careful look at the direction Meng Haoxiang was going, and suddenly found that Liang Xiaochuan was sitting in the box opposite, and beside him were two fashionable young beauties.Thinking of the deep affection he had for Wang Luqiu that day, and seeing him hugging left and right, with a carefree look, Ye Zijin felt disgusted.

Meng Haoxiang returned to his seat when a play was coming to an end. He still looked calm and complacent, turning his head from time to time to listen to Shen Kangtong's enthusiastic lecture.In fact, Meng Haoxiang doesn't know much about opera, he didn't listen to Xiaodan Yiyi's libretto on stage at all, but just took the opportunity to look at Ye Zijin from time to time.

After a play was sung, the audience continued to applaud, and Meng Haoxiang asked Ye Zijin by the way, "What do Miss Ye think of this play?"

Ye Zijin looked at the empty stage and said with a smile: "The singing is very good, but the story is a bit clichéd."

"Oh? How do you say it? This "Yutangchun" is very famous, I never get tired of listening to it, haha..." Shen Kang agreed and took a sip of tea.

Ye Zijin said: "Although the ending of this story is happy, Su San's suffering is caused by herself. She is naturally beautiful and talented, so how can she not understand the truth of the fickleness of the party. Why didn't Wang Jinglong go to Jinshi immediately after being awarded a Jinshi?" Looking for Su San who raised money to help him go to Beijing for the exam? He had to wait until he became an inspector in Shanxi to know that Su San had committed a capital crime. Later generations said he was good when they saw lovers get married. How do you know what he thought when he became a Jinshi? of."

It was the first time for Shen Kangtong to hear someone talk about this play, hehehe said a few times: "Little sister is very unique."

A smile appeared on the corner of Meng Haoxiang's mouth, and he said: "I think you should order Mu Guiying or Fan Lihua. The scene of wielding a knife and stick is suitable for you."

Ye Zijin could hear the sarcasm in his words, so she just pretended not to hear it, and ignored it.

At this time, the sound of gongs and drums sounded, and a new play "On the Wall" began to be staged.

Seeing Ye Zijin's tired face, Meng Haoxiang didn't seem to be very interested in the play, so he casually flipped through the script and said, "This time it's a play with sincere feelings, why doesn't Ms. Ye seem to like watching it so much?"

Ye Zijin bowed slightly, and said, "I don't really like dramas about gifted scholars and beautiful ladies."

Shen Kangtong felt more and more that this little junior sister was different, and said: "Many ladies and wives love to watch this play, why don't you like it?"

Ye Zijin put down the teacup in his hand and said: "The stories of gifted scholars and beautiful ladies are good, but I don't quite understand them. In those dramas, the rich lady meets a handsome man, and then the man writes a few love poems, and the two of them have a private relationship." I decided to elope for life, which is too rash. I don’t even want my family and relatives for a man I have met several times. How can I be educated and reasonable. If every man is so infatuated, how can there be Du Shiniang, Wang Baochuan s story."

Shen Kangtong nodded and said: "You have some reason to say that, but never mind, the opera is sung like this, we just listen to it like this, just for fun."

Meng Haoxiang said casually: "Miss Ye seems to think that all men are heartless. Has any man ever offended you?"

Ye Zijin glanced at him, knowing that there was teasing in his words, and said coldly: "No, I just said so. As for whether some men are heartless, it depends on how posterity whitewashes them. I only know how to write' The poet who used to be too much for water' remarried after his wife died, but there are not many uninformed people in later generations who recite this line and praise him for his infatuation."

After Ye Zijin finished speaking, she lowered her head and peeled melon seeds for Jiaqi to eat, without saying a word.

Shen Kangtong nodded approvingly, and said: "Young junior sister is really eloquent. I only listened to operas before, and I never thought about it so much. Haha, but, I must never abandon a wife who is a mess, otherwise this person has no conscience, and sooner or later he will be punished." Retribution. This man is not always fond of the new and dislikes the old, so don’t worry, Junior Sister, I don’t think Haoxiang is that kind of person.”

Ye Zijin's face turned red, it turned out that Shen Kangtong and his wife thought she was with Meng Haoxiang.
Meng Haoxiang didn't seem to hear anything, and while listening to the play, he raised a lamp with Liang Xiaochuan who was opposite him.

Guixiang hurriedly nudged Shen Kangtong with her elbow, and Shen Kangtong smiled knowingly and continued to drink tea and listen to the play.

Li Qianjun on the stage sang: "The willows are dark, green and smokey, and the flowers are red and rainy. This person is similar to Liu Hun. The flower heart blows to the heart, and the willow eyebrows don't turn to the crescent eyebrows. Why is the west garden so steep? In a mess, it is Dongjun who doesn't care about people's haggardness."

(End of this chapter)