The villagers don’t often come to the county seat, and they can’t stay there either. It’s like selling vegetables with people from other villages—they can’t raise the price.
Dried goods are easy to handle; the villagers know how to do it, they just need a place to sell them.
Lu Yang offered ten coins per pound, which was higher than what others sold to others. There are many types of mushrooms, and he has a price range, from three to forty-five cash.
Xie Yan told him, “Let me be clear, we don’t have much money right now. We’ll have to pay as we sell, like with the rice cakes. Is that okay with you?”
Li Feng didn’t want to agree.
Agreeing to this condition would mean they would have to bear a huge financial burden.
He had spent a lot this year and didn’t have much silver left.
He glanced behind the stove. The two brothers had changed the topic, and Lu Liu had stopped crying and was smiling, leaning close to Lu Yang, looking very affectionate.
Li Feng frowned in thought. Lu Yang’s offer was very sincere. If they opened their own shop, the profits would be about the same. They might as well get a shop for free to sell goods and not have to hire an accountant.
Xie Yan looked at Lu Yang, who nodded.
The deal was sealed.
Xie Yan kneaded a piece of dough, and Li Feng kneaded two.
The two clapped hands, packed up their things, washed their hands, and called it a day.
Lu Yang saw this and stood up, pulling his younger brother to take him inside to change clothes.
“We’ll be exposed to the wind on the car ride later, so Lu Liu told him to put on the leather vest.
“This is warm. Cotton clothes don’t block the wind, and if you’re exposed to it for too long, it’ll chill you to the bone. Put this on, and you won’t be afraid of the cold wind!”
Lu Yang felt the fur on the vest and didn’t refuse, taking off his clothes and putting it on.
The sheep smell from the vest was stronger than that from the gloves and hat, and Lu Yang found it unpleasant, making him feel nauseous.
After taking the medicine, many new reactions he hadn’t experienced before began to surface. He asked the old doctor about it, and the old doctor said he was expelling the illness. He didn’t understand, but could only take the old doctor’s word for it.
There was another thing: after taking the medicine, his spirits weren’t as good as before, and he easily felt sleepy. In the morning, he could sleep in without Xie Yan having to coax him. When he opened his eyes, it was still dark outside, and he could close his eyes and continue sleeping.
He also asked the doctor about it, and the doctor said that convalescing means resting in bed, and not sleeping is called exhaustion. He told him to cherish his life.
Lu Yang was truly convinced.
As they say, all illnesses in the world are diseases of the wealthy. Poor families can’t afford medical expenses, let alone the cost of a day’s wages.
This time, the two of them only changed their outer clothes. Taking advantage of the early morning, they didn’t stay for lunch and went for another walk around the county.
Lu Liu told Lu Yang, “Brother, the four of us came out today. Sanmiao and her husband Miao Xiaohuo are at the lamb soup restaurant. I’ve only met them a few times, but they’ve all seen the album. Our family’s hunting dog has been mated with theirs, and they’ve been staying together for the past two days. I haven’t discussed anything else with them.”
Lu Yang took note of this and told Lu Liu to study hard to learn to read. After leaving the house, he pulled Xie Yan aside and said a few words to him.
“You’ve been great, helping me ease my worries. Everything went smoothly, and you didn’t let the Li family outshine us. You’ve brought me honor. I’m entrusting my younger brother to you. Teach him to read. Don’t be afraid of him; you’re his older brother-in-law. You must take responsibility.”
Xie Yan smiled more and more as he listened: “Are you treating me like a child?”
Lu Yang went along with it: “I know you’re a man, my man. Is that okay?”
Sure, that’s fine.
Xie Yan helped him adjust his hat and muttered something about Wu Pingzhi.
“Why hasn’t he come back yet?”
After visiting the clinic, he often mentioned Wu Pingzhi, making Lu Yang feel a bit jealous.
“What’s wrong? Do you miss him that much? I’m leaving, and you’re still thinking about him?”
Xie Yan still smiled: “When he comes back, our shop will have a sign.”
This was the young master of a wealthy family.
Xie Yan had something to discuss with Wu Pingzhi; he needed to make money.
Lu Yang snorted, “Wait and see. I want to see what he looks like, the one who’s charmed you so much.”
Xie Yan loved to tease him, but he was telling the truth.
When Lu Yang saw Sanmiao and Miaoxiaohe, a distinguished guest had arrived at their shop. It was Wupingzhi, whom Xie Yan had been talking about for days.
This wealthy young merchant had finally returned from the city. Upon hearing from the housekeeper that Xie Yan had visited multiple times, he didn’t even sit down before rushing out of the house and heading straight to the shop.
At that moment, the one entertaining Wu Pingzhi alongside Xie Yan in the shop was Lu Liu, who had just swapped identities with her brother.
Lu Liu forced herself to stay calm, recalling how her brother had entertained them when she and Dafeng visited the shop, and followed suit by leading Wu Pingzhi inside to eat buns and drink tea.
Xie Yan followed behind with heavy steps, cursing himself for being such a pessimist. How could this be such a coincidence?
…………………………….
Wu Pingzhi was the son of Wu, a large cloth merchant, and was a close friend of Xie Yan, both of whom were scholars.
Wu Pingzhi’s winter clothes were modeled after the county school uniform, but made with silk brocade as the fabric, creating a cotton coat.
His family owned a cloth shop and had their own tailor. The thick, bulky cotton coat was cut and tailored properly, and when worn, it had a touch of elegance and literary charm.
Before entering the store, he surveyed the outside, then looked around inside, quickly taking in the layout of the shop. He then went to the back yard, sat down to eat a bun, and suddenly noticed a pile of杂物 in the room, with no bedding. He exclaimed in surprise, “Didn’t you leave anyone to watch the store?”
Xie Yan said, “We give the clerk at the neighboring wine shop fifteen coins a day to help keep an ear out and watch the door at night.”
This was something Lu Yang had arranged after the store’s inventory grew larger. It would be better once they moved to the county seat.
Wu Pingzhi did not ask any further questions.
Lu Liu entered the room a moment later, carrying a plate with ten large meat buns, accompanied by vinegar and soy sauce, and had also brewed tea.
This was the treatment reserved for distinguished guests. Lu Liu did not yet know Wu Pingzhi’s identity, but upon seeing his attire, which seemed to emit a luminous glow, he knew he was a distinguished guest.
Silk was different from cotton cloth, and Wu Pingzhi was dressed extravagantly. As a grown man, his clothes were adorned with intricate embroidery, and the patterns were unfamiliar to Lu Liu. In their shop, even Xie Yan wore dull gray cotton clothes, and when they were all together, they looked like beggars on the street. Ah.
Wu Pingzhi was really impolite. Lu Liu brought over some buns, and he gave Lu Liu a good once-over with his eyes, then winked at Xie Yan: “Hey, Xie Yan, say something! Aren’t you going to introduce me?”
Xie Yan and Lu Liu both fell silent.
Wu Pingzhi: ?
He asked, “Aren’t you two married?” “
Lu Liu, determined not to give anything away, nodded vigorously: “Yes!”
Xie Yan thought, Wu Pingzhi isn’t one of those messy people in the village, so he said, “No!”
After saying that, the two looked at each other and changed their minds.
Lu Liu said, “No!”
Xie Yan said, “Yes!”
Wu Pingzhi found it amusing: “Haha, are you two arguing?”
Lu Liu mumbled “Hmm,” and Xie Yan said, “No.”
Wu Pingzhi let out a long “Oh.”
Xie Yan forced the topic: “Are you okay?”
Wu Pingzhi: “…You’re already married, why are you still acting like this?”
Did he hear wrong? These two sentences seem identical?
But regardless of whether there was a difference, Lu Liu didn’t want to stay here. Anyway, this was Xie Yan’s friend, so he might as well go cook.
“You two chat, I’ll go to the kitchen and fry a few dishes.”
Lu Liu also asked Xie Yan, “Do you want some wine? What kind of wine do you two drink?”
