in spring

Chapter 117
Xiaoxi lowered her head, her cheeks were flushed, and when she saw Hu Fei's delay in answering, she looked like she was about to cry: "Brother Xiaofei, you...won't you come?"

Hu Fei stood there awkwardly, not knowing how to respond.He asked himself that he had never given the other party any illusions, why did this girl say that?It's not relative, what did he do at her father's birthday banquet?He looked at Chunying in embarrassment.

Chunying coughed lightly, hesitated for a while, and then decided to help.After all, Hu Fei was her partner, and it seemed a little unkind to see him fall into inexplicable luck.She smiled and said to Xiaoxi: "Sister, so your father is going to celebrate his birthday? Is it a big birthday? Then you have to celebrate it! Are you going to the city today to buy gifts for him?" She glanced at the other party's hand. Looking at the basket, a corner of the contents of the basket was exposed under the cloth handkerchief, which seemed to be a stack of red paper.

Xiaoxi gently wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes with a handkerchief, pouted slightly and said, "It's not a big birthday! It's just an ordinary birthday. My father said that he would invite the whole village to have a drink and asked me to buy some red paper... ..." She couldn't help but glanced at Hu Fei, "No one in the village dared not come that day, it must be very lively, Brother Xiao Fei..." The tone of the voice at the end of the sentence picked up a little, it sounded like she was being coquettish .

Chunying sweated profusely, and quickly blocked it with a smile: "Is the red paper enough? Sister, do you want to buy a piece of red cloth to make clothes for your father? People say that it is the most auspicious to wear red clothes when you are born. We happen to have a A good horse with bright red material, worn by a big man like your father, must be very respectable..." She was talking nonsense, and the corner of her eye gave Hu Fei a wink, and the latter said very alertly, "Almost I forgot that I made an appointment with someone and I’m about to be late, so I’m sorry to have a slow chat with you.” Then he cupped his hands and turned around and ran away.

Xiaoxi was in a hurry, calling "Brother Xiaofei" and chasing after her, but she returned disappointed because her little feet couldn't walk fast. She complained and said to Chunying: "It's all you! What are you doing in my way?!"

Chunying quietly wiped off her sweat, and handed over the scarlet soft satin with a flattering smile: "How about this material? It's excellent! If you make wedding clothes, it's the most decent! My sister's embroidery is so good, At least this kind of material is needed to match it?"

Xiaoxi's face turned red, and she said shyly, "You damn girl! What are you talking about!" After finishing speaking, he stomped his feet, covered one side of his face with a handkerchief, picked up the basket and walked away quickly.

Only then did Chunying heave a sigh of relief, she turned her head inadvertently, and caught a glimpse of the betel nut uncle whispering to the persimmon vendor on the other side, glanced over from time to time, and smiled maliciously.She vaguely heard what they said, "Young young men are used to hooking up with girls", "little daughters-in-law always hang around him", and she couldn't help but shudder.

This is not a modern society. If Hu Fei causes a scandal in the relationship between men and women, he will have a bad reputation for the rest of his life. He has already been splashed with sewage by his brother, and if something happens, he will never be able to gain a foothold in the capital.Although they didn't know what Uncle Betel Nut meant, they had better take precautions early.

Chun Ying thought about it secretly, and finally made up her mind, waited for the sun to set and Hu Fei turned around, and before he could talk about today's situation, she said first: "Let's go back now, I feel a little uncomfortable." Hu Fei was still a little Doubt, once she heard her say this, she didn't hesitate, quickly picked up the box, carried it away, and turned back from time to time to ask Chunying if it was all right.

Chun Ying saw Uncle Betel Nut whispering to the persimmon vendor again, still glanced over, said no, urged Hu Fei to go quickly, and stretched out his hand to support the cargo box behind, trying to lighten his burden.Hu Fei thought she was really sick, so he didn't ask any more questions, but just quickened his pace.

When she got home, Chunying said that she was not sick: "I see that Miss Xiaoxi is very obsessed with her, and there are too many older girls and daughters-in-law who usually come to visit, no...in fact, they are too warm to you. , I'm afraid someone will gossip about you."

Only then did Hu Fei understand her intentions, and said with a wry smile: "I appreciate the kindness of my sister, but in this business, how can I not deal with female customers? I would like to patronize merchants from other places, but there are so many salesmen. Our products are not much better than others’, and we can’t get enough of food by relying on them alone.”

Chunying thought for a while: "Why don't we change places? In the future, you should restrain yourself a bit, don't be too ostentatious, especially be serious with young girls, and don't be too enthusiastic, lest they misunderstand you."

Several thoughts came to Hu Fei's mind, he gritted his teeth, and said, "Forget it! Let's just move to Dongzhimen Street! There are more sellers there, but the street is more lively, and there are also merchants from other places. We are there For business, if there is a middleman’s business, it’s also convenient to do.” After a pause, he looked at Chunying: “It’s a bit far there, and I don’t have to go there every day. With the help of a middleman’s business, I can save a day or two. There is no problem with buying and selling.”

Chunying disagreed: "How can I do that? Stay far away, I'm not afraid! My legs and feet are stronger than before! With me here, you don't have to worry about looking for business, and you can make more money. Why don't I go?" What? When there is no business, I can also work on the stall!"

Hu Fei persuaded her a few words, and seeing her insistence, he thought it didn't matter after thinking about it, so he agreed.So from the next day, they turned to Dongzhimen Street to do business.

This place is indeed more lively than Chaoyangmen Street, and it has a more civilian atmosphere. Apart from businessmen from other places, most of the people here are ordinary people.Chunying knows that this is the only way for foreign bricks, tiles, wood and other things to enter Beijing. In a place more than three miles long, there are all kinds of shops, such as firewood, rice, oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar and tea. There are also many shopkeepers and flower girls, but everyone guards a small piece of land, and they are at least 30 meters away from each other, which seems to mean that the well water does not violate the river water.

Hu Fei came to an empty seat on the side of the street with a load, asked the peddler next to him, and learned that no one was occupying it, so he put down the cargo box, wiped his sweat, and said to Chunying, "I have to find someone to do it." Bao, set up this booth, the girl will look at the things first, don't be busy doing business, I will come as soon as I go."

Chun Ying hurriedly responded, watching him walk away, looking around, and gently beating his legs with both hands.Dongzhimen is really too far away, and it is really tiring to walk here. Hu Fei must be even more tired when he is carrying a heavy burden. I still have to remind him, since we have made a deal, we should buy the mule back earlier, okay? Save yourself some effort.

She waited for quite a while, but Hu Fei still hadn't come back. She became a little impatient, thinking that Hu Fei just told her not to do business, but didn't say that she couldn't organize the goods, so she opened the box, pulled out a drawer, and put the Arrange your jewelry neatly, and then clean up any thread ends that accidentally occupy it.

There seemed to be some movement around her. When Chunying looked up, she found that the peddler next to her was suddenly far away, and her expression was a little frightened. She was surprised when she noticed someone approaching behind her. When she turned her head, she found it was There were seven or eight strange men, the one at the head was wearing a silk gown, holding a folding fan in one hand, and picking his teeth with the other hand, spit out a mouthful of meat, and asked lazily: " Are you new here? What is your background?"

Chunying thought that she wanted to ask them what their background was. With this hesitation, the man became impatient: "Ask you, are you dumb?!" The dog leg behind him immediately yelled: "Stinky girl! Didn’t you hear Uncle Qing’s question?! Are you brave enough? Who knows Uncle Qing’s name all over the street? You dare to come here to set up a stall without saying hello and showing no filial piety? You are impatient Already?!"

Chun Ying took a step back and finally knew who they were.The legendary rogue bully is like the bully and tiger that Nandeng Hongyu and his wife met when they set up a stall on the street.The greetings and filial piety they mentioned just now refer to protection fees, right?But I just came here, so I haven't started any business at all.

The so-called strong dragon does not overwhelm the local snake, Chunying still knows some rules, and immediately bowed her head and said: "I'm sorry, Mr. Qing, I didn't know the rules when I first came here, and I didn't start business. Look...can you give me some time? ? Wait for me to open..."

"You are so brave! How dare you say so loudly that you are going to violate our Uncle Qing's rules..." The dog leg started yelling again, but was stopped by Uncle Qing: "Hey - don't be so fierce, treat the little girl Be kind, don't scare people away, we are not hooligans!"

Chunying thought to herself that if they were not hooligans, who would they be?But with an expression of awe on his face, he lowered his head with his hands folded, and quietly scanned the distance with the corners of his eyes to see if Hu Fei had returned.

Uncle Qing opened the fan and shook it a few times, then asked Chunying with a smile: "Little girl, did you come here alone? Where do you live? What are you selling?" The pungent fragrance on his fan followed suit. The cold wind drifted into the nostrils of the dog's legs behind him, and the latter couldn't help but sneezed, and the snow-white fan was instantly wet.

Uncle Qing's face darkened, he quickly closed his fan, and vigorously knocked on the dog's head: "You useless thing, get out of here!" The dog hurriedly hugged his head, and the others immediately surrounded him with flattering smiles. , someone seemed to understand the owner's wishes a little bit, and leaned on the cargo box and said to Chunying: "Little girl, look at how hard it is for you to set up a stall at such a young age? Why don't we go back with our uncle Qing and be a maid to eat for you?" Dress warmly and live comfortably.”

Chunying has some dark lines, she seems to be under 13 years old, right?A little girl with a full stature, what do these people mean... are they really teasing her?This Uncle Qing's taste is really evil!
Uncle Qing glanced at the man with a very appreciative look, opened the fan again, suddenly remembered that there was a piece of dirt on the fan, and closed it again, picked up a silver hairpin in the drawer, and opened another In the drawer, I picked up a box of face powder and smelled it, and smiled and blew at Chunying: "Don't be afraid? I'm a good person. Everyone on the street knows it! If you do business here in the future, someone will bully you , then just report my name, huh?" After saying that, she removed the powder and silver hairpin sleeves, and stretched out her hand to pinch Chunying's cheek.

Chunying was a little dazed, but she didn't dodge, and then she became very annoyed: "You..." Gritting her teeth, she took a few steps back, reluctantly took another look at the expensive silver hairpin inlaid with a dozen or so fine agate beads and the Waiting for the incense powder, he hardened his heart: "The hairpin and the incense powder are worth three or eight silver coins in total. Uncle Qing took it, and today we have done it for nothing, but since Uncle Qing likes it, I can't say anything. Please also tell me about the rules, how much filial piety should I have?"

"Yo, the little girl is still a little angry?" Not only did Uncle Qing not take her words seriously, he even reached out to pinch her again.Chunying wanted to dodge angrily, but felt a gust of wind coming from behind her, and then her wrist was tightened, someone dragged her back, and a black shadow stood in front of her, she looked up, it turned out to be Hu Fei.

Hu Fei bowed his hands to Uncle Qing with a cold face: "Master Qing, the villain and sister have respected the old lady according to the rules. I wonder if Uncle Qing has any advice?"

(End of this chapter)