Peasant Girl Bookseller

Chapter 18

It is said that as soon as Mai Xiang hid the two small pieces of silver, she was patted from behind. Mai Xiang trembled, and the purse fell to the ground.

"Hey, are you really here? I've been looking for you for a long time."

Mai Xiang turned her head and saw that it was the young master of the Tong family and his servant.

"What do you want from me?" Mai Xiang asked angrily while squatting down to pick up the purse.

"It's like this. Didn't my mother buy a pair of wall shoes from you last time? After returning home, I hung them in my grandmother's room. My grandmother said that she sleeps more peacefully at night. She looks much better these days. My mother Let me buy a few more pairs to go back."

"Really?" Mai Xiang couldn't help laughing, but she suppressed her laughter and asked loudly on purpose, just to let people around her hear that her wall shoes really work.

The ancient medicine was underdeveloped, so the spiritual effect was even more important, otherwise there would not be so many people praying to gods and worshiping Buddha.

"Of course it's true. My mother also said, let me give you more money."

"But how did you find this place?" Hearing what he said just now, what did Mai Xiang call "You are really here?"

"Oh, I walked around the Buddha Hall and the gate, and I also went to the ring to look for it. Later, I heard someone next to me say that there was a ten-year-old girl who was giving away wall shoes at the release pond, so I looked for it. Now, where are your wall shoes?"

"I'm sorry, I gave away all of them today. After half a month, how many pairs do you want, and I promise to keep them for you." Mai Xiang thought that she hadn't gone to the ring today, and walked out while talking.

"Don't wait half a month. The [-]th is the birthday of Guanyin Bodhisattva. People will come here and Biyun Temple to burn incense. Why don't you come?"

"Come on, of course." Mai Xiang didn't know there was such a thing as Guanyin Bodhisattva's birthday, and she was worried that she would not have a chance to make money.

After leaving the temple gate, the two broke up, Mai Xiang went directly to Ye Dafu, and wanted to send the money bag to Ye Dafu first, because it was very heavy with so many copper coins on her body, and Mai Xiang couldn't go there. The ring, besides, I have harvested half a tael of silver today. Mai Xiang intends to use all of these copper coins to improve the conditions at home.

"Da Ya, are you back? Are all your things sold?" Ye Dafu was already looking around.

"Father, you hide this first, and I'll tell you more about it when I come back." Mai Xiang secretly slipped the money bag to Ye Dafu, took another ten copper coins and left, saying she was going to buy something.

Just as Mai Xiang walked to the boss of the ring, the boss recognized her and frowned. He didn't dare to say that Mai Xiang would not be allowed to play, so he carefully asked, "Miss, are you still playing today?"

He is in this business, so it is natural to see that Mai Xiang's skills have been practiced, and he still plays this often, he is a small business.

"Boss, don't be afraid, I only need three laps." Mai Xiang gave him ten coins.

Just as Mai Xiang took the ring and stood outside the line, he actually saw the young master of Tong's family playing this game. He took a fancy to a blue and white porcelain brush washer. It looked very good in quality, but the position was in a difficult place. He had already I have spent fifty renminbi, but I haven't got it yet.

Mai Xiang saw that he threw it in the same place every time, and also saw that he wanted to wash the pen, so she asked, "How about I get it and sell it to you?"

"You?" Tong Liwen made it clear that he didn't believe it. The last time he saw Mai Xiang set up something worth a few tens of pennies, this brush was worth hundreds of pennies. The boss put it here on purpose to solicit business. It's such a good set , Wasn't he caught by someone earlier?

"You just said do you want it? How much?" Mai Xiang didn't want to talk to him.

"Yes, two hundred Wen."

"Girl, why don't you sell me the two hundred cash." The boss was afraid of losing money. He bought it for five hundred cash. If he was really tricked by this girl, he would suffer a lot.

Mai Xiang didn't say anything, she chose a place, tested her arm strength, and threw it with the ferrule. The first time she missed, Mai Xiang threw it again, but she still missed.

The boss heaved a sigh of relief, the young master of the Tong family curled his lips, and the young man next to him took two ferrules and was eager to try.

Mai Xiang's first two times were just practice, and besides, she didn't want to get caught just once, so if she comes again in the future, the boss should not let her play.

Mai Xiang pretended not to see the expressions of these people. She stood firm, took a deep breath, aimed at the position, and threw the circle in her hand very lightly. Blue and white brush wash.

The boss patted her thigh in frustration, Mai Xiang walked over by herself and picked up the brush.

"I'll give it to whoever bids the most this time." Because Mai Xiang had negotiated a good price last time, she couldn't go back on her word, so she naturally wanted to sell it at a high price this time.

"I'll pay ten Wen more." The boss said.

"I will issue 250 essays," Tong Liwen said.

In the end, Tong Liwen paid [-] Wen, but the boss didn't raise the price any more, and gave Tong Liwen the pen wash.

Tong Liwen only had half a string of money in his hand, and said: "I only have fifty coins with me, and I will give you the rest of the money next time."

Mai Xiang knew that the ancients were more honest, especially the scholars, so she readily agreed, since the other party wanted to buy wall shoes anyway.It's just that she didn't understand a little bit, isn't he the young master of a rich family?How come you don't bring much money with you when you go out, and, besides, you actually fell in love with a pen washer on the street stall?
"What's the matter?" Seeing that Mai Xiang had promised him to give money next time, but still staring at him, Tong Liwen asked.

Because he found that Mai Xiang's eyes were definitely different from those of the maids at home. She had some problems that were bothering her, and she definitely didn't want to seduce him.

"Could you bring a small piece of silver next time? Copper coins are too heavy." Mai Xiang didn't ask him, afraid of making shallow remarks.

"No problem." After Tong Liwen finished speaking, he turned around and took the boy away.

Mai Xiang took the money and went to the dim sum place, spent ten cents, bought several dim sum, hid the rest of the money, and then returned to Ye Dafu.

"Father, have you bought your things yet?" Mai Xiang asked.

"Okay, let's go home." Seeing that Mai Xiang brought back so many copper coins, Ye Dafu was already restless, the family had never had so much money before.

"Okay." After Mai Xiang finished speaking, she went to Damei to say hello, and then went back with Ye Dafu first.

Along the way, Mai Xiang told the story of how she made money, and then said seriously: "Father, I want to discuss something with you. I will give you some of this money. I will keep the rest first. Don't tell mother. My Meaning, this person’s mouth is not reliable, I’m worried that she will show off if she speaks out, or argue with the second aunt and third aunt. In the future, other people will do the same, and we will not be able to make money. After all, rich people come There won’t be too many offering incense, and the wall shoe business can only be done for a while, and we have to find other ways to make money.”

Mai Xiang has thought a lot these days, and she still wants to stay. The result of going out may not be very good. Moreover, there is no chance to get Cao Xueqin's manuscript after going out, so what's the point of her coming to the Qing Dynasty? "Dream of Red Mansions" is still unfinished, is she worthy of this opportunity given to her by God?
Since she intends to stay, earning money is the top priority at the moment. Of course, Mai Xiang also left a way out for herself, that is, she must keep some money on her body. If something unexpected happens, she can advance and retreat at any time.

Ye Dafu was completely convinced of Mai Xiang at this time, he didn't expect his daughter to be so sensible and smart because of this disease, he hurriedly said: "It's up to you. Father knows you are smart, from now on, this family will depend on you. "

After hearing this, Mai Xiang felt a little unlucky. What does it mean that the family depends on herself?But thinking that Ye Dafu was about to enter the mountain, Mai Xiang didn't want to say much, but told him to be careful.

When approaching the door of the house, Mai Xiang hid the snacks in a basket, just entered the yard, Mai Huang and the others were playing with the wheat seeds and wheat seedlings in the courtyard, when seeing Mai Xiang came back, Mai Huang rushed over.

Seeing that Mai Xiang's hand was empty, she went to look at the basket, but Mai Xiang snatched her up and said, "Where's mother?"

"Mother went to visit Damei's house."

Ye Dafu had already entered the house with a basket at this time, Mai Huang had a lot of eyes, so he hurriedly followed in, Mai Limaizhong was not stupid, so he also followed in, and the rest of them would naturally not be left behind.

It's not that Mai Xiang is stingy and refuses to give snacks to these younger brothers and sisters, but because she doesn't buy many, and she bought a few snacks because she was worried that a pregnant woman in the Zhao family would not have enough to eat. When Sun found out, he came to inquire again.

"Mai Huang, why don't you take your younger brothers and sisters to play for a while? Eldest sister and father pack up and go quickly."

Seeing Mai Xiang scolding himself with such a dark face, Mai Huang also knew that he had done something wrong, and these younger brothers all followed. If they only bought four pieces of fried cake like last time, each person would not be able to share half a piece. what.

She also knows how to protect food, because the second aunt and the third aunt never gave her anything delicious, especially the third aunt, who always went to the small shop in the village to buy food, and her family only bought this once in half a month , much poorer than them.

Mai Huang went out again with her younger siblings. Seeing that Mrs. Zhao was not there, Mai Xiang was about to hide the purse. Ye Dafu found a place for her. It turned out that there was a movable brick in the corner behind the box at the end of the kang where Mai Xiang lived. Well, when Ye Dafu took out the brick, he just put the money bag in it, and then moved the box back to its original place, which is really difficult for ordinary people to find.

"Father, I haven't counted how many?"

Ye Dafu nodded Mai Xiang's head and said with a smile, "Your mother should be back after counting."

Seeing Mai Xiang pouted, Ye Dafu smiled and said, "I guess it's four to five hundred dollars."

"Father, you'd better tell mother that I'll be in charge of this family. In this way, I can keep the family's money in an upright manner, and I can also arrange expenses for everyone."

"You want to be in charge?" Ye Dafu was shocked.

"Do you know what the boss does?" Ye Dafu asked.He was worried that Mai Xiang was too young to understand what it was like to be in charge.

(End of this chapter)