Chapter 19 Early Summer

  When Qi Xi walked out of the teahouse around noon, just a short while after the young man left, Manager Lei told her that Master Zhu might not be able to make it today and would invite her to dinner another day. It seemed that Master Zhu was not as arrogant as rumored, and thinking about the 5,000 taels of gold she would soon have at her disposal made her so happy that she couldn't close her mouth. However, when it came to doing business, she had no experience, and seeing the young white-haired gentleman smiling warmly, could it be that he still thought he was making a profit with 5,000 taels?

  In the teahouse, that young master who introduced himself with the surname Bai was naturally called Little White Master by Qi Mei. When did she start liking to give nicknames to others? In her mind, she inadvertently thought of that young master who fought with her for mantou. At this moment, she didn't want to go back to the mansion at all, but looking at Gan Jing's overly sensitive expression in the morning, if she went back now, she would definitely be annoyed to death by him. It was just a competition on the business scene, why treat each other like sworn enemies? With these thoughts, her feet unconsciously walked towards that small shop by the Tian Sha River.

  After the last time in Fenghuang West Street's loud publicity, today at Tiansha River Bank can no longer see that fat uncle sitting in front of his stall staring blankly into the sky. Instead, there is a long dragon-like queue, the long line extends all the way to Dongyuan Bridge, and seven or eight people keep going into the store. In the queue, several middle-aged women also shouted: Don't cut in line! We've been lining up for almost half a day!

  "Is this thing really that delicious?" Qi Xi retreated a few steps, showing her understanding.

  "What's the big deal, our little ancestor at home really likes it." After hearing this aunt's response, Qiuxi also walked away with a smile, although she was very happy for Fat Uncle, but from now on, maybe there would be one less person who could listen to her nonsense. Old Dad said that after he recovered from his injury, they would leave Shazhou, and maybe in the future, they wouldn't see Fat Uncle again, nor eat the double-skinned milk at Guorong's shop. Jinling, the capital of Eastern Jin Dynasty, heard that Old Dad's brother, um, her uncle, seemed to be doing quite well in Kyoto, after all, he was an official. Would she have to start living a life relying on others? Playing the role of a little daughter-in-law wasn't Qiuxi's usual style.

  Qī xiū dāi dāi de zuò zài dōng yuán qiáo de shí jiē shàng, suī shuō wǔ qiān èr huáng jīn shì hěn gòu huā le, dàn jīn shān yín shān yě yǒu yòng jìn de yī rì, zì jǐ bú shì yī xīn xiǎng zhe yào kào zì jǐ yǎng huó lǎo diē ma, jí biàn shì yào cóng shāng, nà yào zuò diǎn shén me shēng yì hǎo ne? Nà rì dāng zì jǐ shuō yào cóng shāng shí, lǎo diē céng jīng de jiǎo zhě zì jǐ, nà shì yìn xiàng lǐ lǎo diē dì yī cì duì zì jǐ fā piāo, zài gān fǔ de fáng dǐng shàng gān jìng gào suǒ guò zì jǐ, shēn wéi hēi shuǐ zhài dà dàng jiā de lǎo diē céng jīng gēn tā shuō guò yī jù huà: rú guǒ shuō rén zhè bèi zi yǒu shén me lǐ xiǎng de huà, wǒ de lǐ xiǎng jiù shì kě yǐ zài bù xū yào qù qiǎng duó rèn hé rén, zài bù xū yào qù yuē shù rèn hé rén, zì yóu zì zài de zài zhè piàn shā mò shàng huó xià qù.

  No need to rob anyone, no need to restrain anyone, just be free... Old dad is still infatuated with that desert island, Seven's heart has wandered far, far away. If old dad were like a gust of wind, would he feel sad about being trapped in the small house in Kyoto soon? Plop, during this moment of distraction, someone sat down beside him without him noticing, and when he turned around, he was met with a chubby face. Seven also warned himself in his heart, although double-skinned milk is delicious, but can't eat too much, or else will become like Fat Uncle.

  "What's the little ghost thinking so seriously?" The long queue outside the store showed no signs of shrinking, and surprisingly, Fatty was able to squeeze out a smile. What's even more amazing is that he actually noticed himself spacing out over here amidst his busyness. Although Qi Xie didn't know any fortune-telling techniques, he somehow felt that this Fatty might not be as simple as he seemed on the surface.

  "I wish that one day when I leave here, I will definitely miss you, Fat Uncle. You have opened a shop before, so teach me what business is the most profitable in this world."

  "Doing business? You'd better ask that young Gān fellow, actually you have some talent too, don't think I don't know who's been keeping me busy lately. I don't know anything else, just a small rumor, it's said that the Gān and Zhū families in Shāzhōu City owe their success today to an inseparable relationship with the Cloud City in the west." When Fatty Shū said these words, he seemed to be immersed in some kind of memory, and only at that time did Qī Miǎo feel like he was very far away from him.

  The topic of Yun Zhong Cheng didn't continue, and Uncle Pang quickly changed the subject, only pulling Qi Xi to say he wanted to teach her how to make double-skinned milk tofu. It seemed even Uncle Pang felt that Qi Xi was about to leave soon. Although they hadn't known each other for long, he also genuinely liked this little devil who was sometimes clever as a ghost and sometimes liked to daydream.

  。。。。。。

  When the five large boxes were unloaded in front of the Ganfu gate, the gatekeeper was stunned again. This morning it was Zhu's black-faced butler, and now there are several mysterious large boxes. Who knows what's inside? Those few house servants insisted on handing over the goods to Young Master Qi face-to-face. The gatekeeper couldn't make a decision for the time being and could only rush to the young master's study for help. This guy was also dazed for a moment, wondering if this was Ganfu or Liu Fu.

  Gan Jingxin knew that these boxes must be related to the transaction with Zhu Jia and the young lady, and he was not very polite to the people of Zhu's family, so let them hang out outside. The several disguised house slaves in front of Gan Fu were calm, but this placed at the gate was five boxes of gold, originally these house slaves were proud to wear Zhu Fu's house slave and walk on the street, now they have been instructed by their superiors to disguise themselves before sending these things to Gan Fu, all along even if Zhu's family house slaves walked outside, they were treated with courtesy by the shopkeepers, but now they were left hanging at the gate, and they had already realized that they would be treated coldly before coming to Gan's house to send things.

  In the distance, Qiūn was carrying a bamboo basket in his hand, which was extremely mismatched with his attire. Ah Guān had been sent back home by Qiūn when they left the Tiān Fǔ Tea House, and from afar, he could see the scene in front of the Gān Manor gate and understood that it was Bái Gōngzǐ who came to deliver gold to him. He quickly stepped forward, and for some reason, those few house servants recognized Qiūn and also respectfully bowed: "Liǔ Gōngzǐ, I have been ordered by my master to bring these boxes to you, as for the items agreed upon between you and my master, I will take care of it."

  Seven slightly nodded to indicate that the servants of the Gan family would carry things in, and after inspecting the contents of the box, he took out the wooden box from his pocket and handed it to the person who spoke earlier. The several white-clad servants still bowed respectfully to bid farewell to Qi Xi, which was considered a successful transaction. At this time, however, a cold snort was heard from the main hall, and without looking up, it was clear that it was the eccentric young master of the Gan family. After all, living in someone else's home, even if you don't like the other person, you still have to put on a good face. Qi Xi bowed: "Greetings, Young Master."

  "Hmph, you still know I'm the young master of this household? Looking at your attitude, it seems like you think you're the owner of this mansion now. What's in that trunk of yours? The Gan family has always been clean and honest, don't bring back any shady characters to cause trouble for my younger brother." Although Young Master Gan spoke without reserve, he had a point. Qi Xian couldn't afford to offend him directly, especially considering Gan Jing's face, so she just grumbled in her heart that the young master seemed to like saying "hmmph" so much, and wondered if in his past life he was one of those two Hummer brothers who looked extremely mismatched with their names.

  Seeing Qī Xiǎo doing a subservient wife's gesture, only bowing her head in response, Gān Dà Shào Yé's heart was even more displeased. This dark-hearted guy resented everyone who got close to his second brother. He wanted to say something but felt a weight on his shoulder and turned around to see Bǎo Bèi Dì Xiōng's hand resting on his shoulder, so he panicked and pretended that his body wasn't feeling well before turning around and escaping.

  "I thought you were fearless, why do you have to put up with his temper." It seemed that from the time the gatekeeper went in to report until now, Gan Jing should have come out already, so Qi Xie was very suspicious that this man had a bad taste and wanted to see her make a fool of herself.

  "Ah, a man under another's roof must lower his head. By the way, I have some things I'd like to ask you."

  "As it happens, I have something to ask you too."

  Early summer is quiet, and the cicada's chirping fills the entire afternoon, making people feel annoyed.