Chapter 17
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“How can you just get so little? You must use your car. Your big blue mules is not labor? Daqing, you see, brother Jiang Wu said you are not a laborer, even your rations will be deducted.”
The mule, named Daqing, put his head and snorted, which seemed to mean that if he dared to deduct my ration, I would slack off and let him carry it.
Zhao’er laughed and pointed to Daqing and said, “Look, even Daqing begins to protest.”
Jiang Wu looked at the girl who smiled wildly, his eyes gleaming strangely. Fortunately, Daqing recognized the road and he is also gentle, otherwise it is designated to take a car and three people into the ditch beside the road.
Xue Tingxiang at the back saw this scene. His face was as black as the bottom of a pot.
He was annoyed and angry. He forgot Jiang Wu.
In that dream, Jiang Wu has been falling in love with Zhao’er.
Jiang Wu is two years older than Zhao’er, but he has never married. If it is not the identity of child bride, it is estimated that Jiang’s family had already come to propose marriage.
Even so, Jiang Wu never gave up. Once he even found Xue Tingxiang and told him that he wanted to marry Zhao’er, so that he could not be so selfish and let her free. He also said that he would help Xue study like Zhao’er did all the time and treat him as younger brother before he knew everything.
He was shocked and annoyed. At the same time, he remembered that Zhao’er had been reluctant to marry him. He mistakenly thought that Zhao’er had an affair with Jiang Wu, so he forced her to marry him by the order of parents. Later, it was only by chance that he knew he had blamed her.
This matter has always been a scar between the two people, even if later they never mentioned again, but there is a gap. After that, he was busy with his study, while Zhao’er was busy with her business. They only met once a long time. Even though they met each other, they seldom spoke again until he took the exam again in Beijing after passing the imperial examinations at the provincial level.
In the dream, he once thought after Zhao’er’s death, if he had not been so despicable at that time that forced her to marry by the order of parents, she would not have died.
But this kind of thought is just like a dragonfly skimming the water, just passing by in a flash. At this time, it’s probably despicable in his deep heart. Even if now he’s not the Xue Tingxiang in his dream, he never wanted to let Zaho’er go.
She should have been his wife. When he was still young, someone always pointed at her and said, “This is your future wife, isn’t it?”
“Brother Jiang Wu, you’d better watch the road. It’s not smooth. Don’t take us all into the ditch.”
Xue Tingxiang’s voice successfully interrupted Jiang Wu’s and Zhao’er’s laughter, as if a very unintelligible person suddenly appeared, and the warm atmosphere suddenly cooled down.
Zhao’er smiled and said, “Look at me. I just told you about the business, but I forgot you are still driving. Fortunately, Daqing is smart, otherwise he will fall.
Daqing made a sound, and seemed like very satisfied.
Jiang Wu glanced back subconsciously, just in front of the young boy’s dark eyes. These eyes gave him some inexplicable guilty conscience, and then he straightened up again.
He knew that Xue Gouzi didn’t like Zhao’er. He also knew that the second couple of Xue family at first adopted Zhao’er as their daughter, not the child bride. The child bride was just a rumour in the village, and it became true when the Xue family’s second couple were dying and entrusted her.
Not only that, he also knew that Zhao’er just regarded Xue as a younger brother and didn’t mean to marry him.
Young boy is undoubtedly thin and weak. Although he is handsome, he is still a little immature. Such a young man makes Jiang Wu, who is strong and powerful, have a sense of supremacy. With a bright smile, he didn’t care and said, “Don’t be afraid, Gouzi. I drive every day and even can walk back with eyes closed.”
Xue Tingxiang didn’t speak, he pursed his mouth and lowered his head.
Seeing this, Zhao’er immediately understood that it was the “Gouzi” that made the little man feel uncomfortable again. But in the face of Jiang Wu, she could not appear a cold face. She could only smile and said, “Brother Jiang Wu, I told you that the Gou’er has a name. It’s called Tingxiang, Xue Tingxiang.”
“This name is elegant.”
“Yeah, so don’t call him Gouzi in the future, it’s not pleasant.”
While talking, the car has arrived at Yuqing village.
Jiang Wu be accustomed to stopping at the end of the village, Zhao’er and Xue Tingxiang got off the car.
“When will the business start? You settle the time. I’ll pick you up then.”
“Aren’t you going to be busy in town, and I have to tidy up those clothes. When I’m ready, I’ll go to your house to notice you.”
Zhao’er also thought that in two days, Xue tingpu and Xue Juncai will have a competition. After that, she will think about the business.
“That’s the deal.”
Once things were settled, they said goodbye to each other.
Jiang Wu drove home in a car, and Zhao’er went to home with Xue Tingxaing.
Along the way, Xue Tingxiang did not speak a word, but walked silently.
Zhaoer glanced at him and said, “What’s the matter? You seem like a little unhappy. Are you angry for Jiangwu just called you Gouzi? He doesn’t know that you have the real name. I told him that he won’t do it again.”
He resisted the jealousy in his heart and muttered, “How do you know him so well?”
“Do you mean the brother Jiang Wu? We know when I was a kid. Don’t you remember that Heizi was brought back by his dog. Brother Jiang Wu is very nice and helped me a lot.”
Xue Tingxiang did not speak and stopped.
After a long walk, Zhao’er found that he didn’t catch up.
She came back in a few steps and asked doubtfully, “What’s wrong with you? Why are you so strange?”
“Don’t forget, you have a husband,” he said with a little anger.
Zhao’er froze for a moment and then smiled. But she just laughed and didn’t talk, which made Xue Tingxiang angry and annoyed.
Don’t need to guess. She certainly didn’t think about good things.
Seeing his white face flushed with anger, Zhao’er hurriedly said, “Well, don’t be angry, I know I have a husband.”
There was a sense of teasing in her voice. Knowing that she was coaxing him, but he was also excited and nervous in the heart.
With the dream experience, Xue Tingxiang knows that this is not the time to make trouble. Besides, there is a Jiang Wu looking at him. He doesn’t want to repeat the dream experience.
He couldn’t help reiterating, “I’m also for you, so as not to be seen by people in the village. He didn’t dare to look at her, but he stared at the ground beside him with some sense of guilt.
Seeing him like a grown-up to tell himself, white face, but also a little childish face, she wanted to rub his head but no clear reason.
She did the same, and said, “Well, you’re right. I’ll listen to you.”
He suddenly became more angry, and a sense of powerlessness and discouragement came to him.
“Why does she always treat me as a child!”
Early in the next morning, Zhao’er and Xue Tingxiang went out.
When they arrived there, Dongliju bookstore just opened, Xue Tingxiang went to the Jingshi to continue copying books, but Zha’oer went to the courtyard behind the shop.
She discussed with Mr. Chen and borrowed this place to clean up her clothes. Zhao’er had seen the clothes before, they were all old clothes. Since she wanted to make money, it was not good to sell these things directly, so she came here mainly to do this job.
She borrowed the a bamboo mat used for drying books in the shop, and poured out the large bag of clothes. Firstly, she classified them according to the male and female style, then divided them into several piles according to the texture and thickness, and then began to check whether there were any broken places on the clothes one by one.
If there was a hole, she would sew it with the needle and thread she brought. The needlework of Zhao’er is not bad. Although her embroidery is not good, there is nothing wrong with sewing and making clothes.
She finally cleaned up a pile, and looked out at the sun just fine, so she went to the courtyard well to fetch water. There is a windlass on the well. It’s very convenient to draw water. Zhao’er made a basin of water, soaked clothes in a big wooden basin and rubbed them with soap water.
After washing and rinsing, the rice water in the kitchen is also cooked.
Although they don’t cook in the shop, they always wants a place to boil water and tea, so there is a fire in the shop. Then Zhao’er borrowed the stove to cook a big pot of rice water .
She brought out the rice soup, poured it into a wooden basin, and added some water to it, cause the situation when a little hot is the most appropriate. She poured in all the washed clothes and stirred them with a stick.
Stir well, and place it for about half tea time. Take the clothes from the wooden basin and rinse them again.
This is the so-called starched laundry. The starched clothes are pasted and sticky. As long as they don’t fade, they look like new clothes. Some fastidious people will also iron it, but because there is no such condition, Zhao’er didn’t plan to do so.
During this period, Mr. Chen came in and saw Zhao’er being so busy that he pointed at the clothes in the yard and smiled, “You’re fine, treat my place as your own place. It was originally an elegant place. But now it’s like a pulping room.”
Nowadays, there is a room for washing clothes. Some people don’t want to wash clothes at home, so they will send them to the room for washing. The price is not expensive, it also saves time and energy.
Knowing that Mr. Chen was joking with her, Zhao’er also joked, “After uncle Chen’s words, I’ve been enlightened again. When I don’t have a business, I will go to buy a washing room. At that time, uncle Chen brought the clothes and I will not charge you to wash them.”
“You’re such a businesswoman.” Mr. Chen shook his head and smiled, and went back to the front house.
Xue Tingxiang’s room for copying books is in this yard, and the big window is right next to the courtyard, so every word and deed of Zhao’er could be known by him.
Usually, he can focus on working. Today, however, he always sees her intentionally or unintentionally.
Seeing her rushing back and forth in the yard, seeing her face in the sun is particularly full of life, and seeing the sweat on her forehead, he had no thoughts of copying books, and only two pages were copied in the morning.
Mr. Chen walked in and looked at him, and followed his gaze to Zhao’er, “It’s a blessing for you to have such a woman to be your wife.”
Xue Tingyxiang did not speak.
Mr. Chen said again, “By the way, how’s your study going on?”
“Four Books have been learned, but I can only read and cannot understand.”
After a pause, he added, “I heard that Zhao’er wants to send you to Qinghe School. Instead of spending a lot of money to go to that place, I suggest you go to Qingyuan School.”
“Qingyuan School?” Xue Tingxiang was stunned.
Mr. Chen thought that he didn’t know, or was just like those common people who listened to what rumors were deceived by the falsehood, and said, “The Qingyuan school is one of the oldest schools in Huyang Township, and it was very famous in the whole Xia County. At that time, half of the students who passed the county examination every year in our village came from Qingyuan School, and there are also a few scholars who have passed the examination. It’s just that in recent years, the Qinghe School has risen up, and it seems to have fallen behind.”
Mr. Chen’s voice was low, which seeming to sigh infinitely, and then turned to be high suddenly. He was quite indignant and said, “All the people in the world value fame and wealth, and are easy to be confused by the illusion, but it was just the Qinghe School that made the opportunistic method. Gao Youzhi, the owner of the school, is the nominal kinship of Hu County and flatters him. The imperial court allocated money to the county to support the local social and village schools to flow into the Qinghe School. They are banded together as traitors and gain all the money.”
“But the owner of Qingyuan School is honest and unwilling to be with them to do bad things. In addition, Qingyuan School has a lot of preferential treatments for poor students. Without this subsidy, they are very hard to continue managing school. The county magistrate who presided over the county trial treated the Qinghe School in a different way, and the students who wanted to enter the school also went there. That’s the truth, so in recent years, the fame of Qingyuan School has gradually declined.”
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“How can you just get so little? You must use your car. Your big blue mules is not labor? Daqing, you see, brother Jiang Wu said you are not a laborer, even your rations will be deducted.”
The mule, named Daqing, put his head and snorted, which seemed to mean that if he dared to deduct my ration, I would slack off and let him carry it.
Zhao’er laughed and pointed to Daqing and said, “Look, even Daqing begins to protest.”
Jiang Wu looked at the girl who smiled wildly, his eyes gleaming strangely. Fortunately, Daqing recognized the road and he is also gentle, otherwise it is designated to take a car and three people into the ditch beside the road.
Xue Tingxiang at the back saw this scene. His face was as black as the bottom of a pot.
He was annoyed and angry. He forgot Jiang Wu.
In that dream, Jiang Wu has been falling in love with Zhao’er.
Jiang Wu is two years older than Zhao’er, but he has never married. If it is not the identity of child bride, it is estimated that Jiang’s family had already come to propose marriage.
Even so, Jiang Wu never gave up. Once he even found Xue Tingxiang and told him that he wanted to marry Zhao’er, so that he could not be so selfish and let her free. He also said that he would help Xue study like Zhao’er did all the time and treat him as younger brother before he knew everything.
He was shocked and annoyed. At the same time, he remembered that Zhao’er had been reluctant to marry him. He mistakenly thought that Zhao’er had an affair with Jiang Wu, so he forced her to marry him by the order of parents. Later, it was only by chance that he knew he had blamed her.
This matter has always been a scar between the two people, even if later they never mentioned again, but there is a gap. After that, he was busy with his study, while Zhao’er was busy with her business. They only met once a long time. Even though they met each other, they seldom spoke again until he took the exam again in Beijing after passing the imperial examinations at the provincial level.
In the dream, he once thought after Zhao’er’s death, if he had not been so despicable at that time that forced her to marry by the order of parents, she would not have died.
But this kind of thought is just like a dragonfly skimming the water, just passing by in a flash. At this time, it’s probably despicable in his deep heart. Even if now he’s not the Xue Tingxiang in his dream, he never wanted to let Zaho’er go.
She should have been his wife. When he was still young, someone always pointed at her and said, “This is your future wife, isn’t it?”
“Brother Jiang Wu, you’d better watch the road. It’s not smooth. Don’t take us all into the ditch.”
Xue Tingxiang’s voice successfully interrupted Jiang Wu’s and Zhao’er’s laughter, as if a very unintelligible person suddenly appeared, and the warm atmosphere suddenly cooled down.
Zhao’er smiled and said, “Look at me. I just told you about the business, but I forgot you are still driving. Fortunately, Daqing is smart, otherwise he will fall.
Daqing made a sound, and seemed like very satisfied.
Jiang Wu glanced back subconsciously, just in front of the young boy’s dark eyes. These eyes gave him some inexplicable guilty conscience, and then he straightened up again.
He knew that Xue Gouzi didn’t like Zhao’er. He also knew that the second couple of Xue family at first adopted Zhao’er as their daughter, not the child bride. The child bride was just a rumour in the village, and it became true when the Xue family’s second couple were dying and entrusted her.
Not only that, he also knew that Zhao’er just regarded Xue as a younger brother and didn’t mean to marry him.
Young boy is undoubtedly thin and weak. Although he is handsome, he is still a little immature. Such a young man makes Jiang Wu, who is strong and powerful, have a sense of supremacy. With a bright smile, he didn’t care and said, “Don’t be afraid, Gouzi. I drive every day and even can walk back with eyes closed.”
Xue Tingxiang didn’t speak, he pursed his mouth and lowered his head.
Seeing this, Zhao’er immediately understood that it was the “Gouzi” that made the little man feel uncomfortable again. But in the face of Jiang Wu, she could not appear a cold face. She could only smile and said, “Brother Jiang Wu, I told you that the Gou’er has a name. It’s called Tingxiang, Xue Tingxiang.”
“This name is elegant.”
“Yeah, so don’t call him Gouzi in the future, it’s not pleasant.”
While talking, the car has arrived at Yuqing village.
Jiang Wu be accustomed to stopping at the end of the village, Zhao’er and Xue Tingxiang got off the car.
“When will the business start? You settle the time. I’ll pick you up then.”
“Aren’t you going to be busy in town, and I have to tidy up those clothes. When I’m ready, I’ll go to your house to notice you.”
Zhao’er also thought that in two days, Xue tingpu and Xue Juncai will have a competition. After that, she will think about the business.
“That’s the deal.”
Once things were settled, they said goodbye to each other.
Jiang Wu drove home in a car, and Zhao’er went to home with Xue Tingxaing.
Along the way, Xue Tingxiang did not speak a word, but walked silently.
Zhaoer glanced at him and said, “What’s the matter? You seem like a little unhappy. Are you angry for Jiangwu just called you Gouzi? He doesn’t know that you have the real name. I told him that he won’t do it again.”
He resisted the jealousy in his heart and muttered, “How do you know him so well?”
“Do you mean the brother Jiang Wu? We know when I was a kid. Don’t you remember that Heizi was brought back by his dog. Brother Jiang Wu is very nice and helped me a lot.”
Xue Tingxiang did not speak and stopped.
After a long walk, Zhao’er found that he didn’t catch up.
She came back in a few steps and asked doubtfully, “What’s wrong with you? Why are you so strange?”
“Don’t forget, you have a husband,” he said with a little anger.
Zhao’er froze for a moment and then smiled. But she just laughed and didn’t talk, which made Xue Tingxiang angry and annoyed.
Don’t need to guess. She certainly didn’t think about good things.
Seeing his white face flushed with anger, Zhao’er hurriedly said, “Well, don’t be angry, I know I have a husband.”
There was a sense of teasing in her voice. Knowing that she was coaxing him, but he was also excited and nervous in the heart.
With the dream experience, Xue Tingxiang knows that this is not the time to make trouble. Besides, there is a Jiang Wu looking at him. He doesn’t want to repeat the dream experience.
He couldn’t help reiterating, “I’m also for you, so as not to be seen by people in the village. He didn’t dare to look at her, but he stared at the ground beside him with some sense of guilt.
Seeing him like a grown-up to tell himself, white face, but also a little childish face, she wanted to rub his head but no clear reason.
She did the same, and said, “Well, you’re right. I’ll listen to you.”
He suddenly became more angry, and a sense of powerlessness and discouragement came to him.
“Why does she always treat me as a child!”
Early in the next morning, Zhao’er and Xue Tingxiang went out.
When they arrived there, Dongliju bookstore just opened, Xue Tingxiang went to the Jingshi to continue copying books, but Zha’oer went to the courtyard behind the shop.
She discussed with Mr. Chen and borrowed this place to clean up her clothes. Zhao’er had seen the clothes before, they were all old clothes. Since she wanted to make money, it was not good to sell these things directly, so she came here mainly to do this job.
She borrowed the a bamboo mat used for drying books in the shop, and poured out the large bag of clothes. Firstly, she classified them according to the male and female style, then divided them into several piles according to the texture and thickness, and then began to check whether there were any broken places on the clothes one by one.
If there was a hole, she would sew it with the needle and thread she brought. The needlework of Zhao’er is not bad. Although her embroidery is not good, there is nothing wrong with sewing and making clothes.
She finally cleaned up a pile, and looked out at the sun just fine, so she went to the courtyard well to fetch water. There is a windlass on the well. It’s very convenient to draw water. Zhao’er made a basin of water, soaked clothes in a big wooden basin and rubbed them with soap water.
After washing and rinsing, the rice water in the kitchen is also cooked.
Although they don’t cook in the shop, they always wants a place to boil water and tea, so there is a fire in the shop. Then Zhao’er borrowed the stove to cook a big pot of rice water .
She brought out the rice soup, poured it into a wooden basin, and added some water to it, cause the situation when a little hot is the most appropriate. She poured in all the washed clothes and stirred them with a stick.
Stir well, and place it for about half tea time. Take the clothes from the wooden basin and rinse them again.
This is the so-called starched laundry. The starched clothes are pasted and sticky. As long as they don’t fade, they look like new clothes. Some fastidious people will also iron it, but because there is no such condition, Zhao’er didn’t plan to do so.
During this period, Mr. Chen came in and saw Zhao’er being so busy that he pointed at the clothes in the yard and smiled, “You’re fine, treat my place as your own place. It was originally an elegant place. But now it’s like a pulping room.”
Nowadays, there is a room for washing clothes. Some people don’t want to wash clothes at home, so they will send them to the room for washing. The price is not expensive, it also saves time and energy.
Knowing that Mr. Chen was joking with her, Zhao’er also joked, “After uncle Chen’s words, I’ve been enlightened again. When I don’t have a business, I will go to buy a washing room. At that time, uncle Chen brought the clothes and I will not charge you to wash them.”
“You’re such a businesswoman.” Mr. Chen shook his head and smiled, and went back to the front house.
Xue Tingxiang’s room for copying books is in this yard, and the big window is right next to the courtyard, so every word and deed of Zhao’er could be known by him.
Usually, he can focus on working. Today, however, he always sees her intentionally or unintentionally.
Seeing her rushing back and forth in the yard, seeing her face in the sun is particularly full of life, and seeing the sweat on her forehead, he had no thoughts of copying books, and only two pages were copied in the morning.
Mr. Chen walked in and looked at him, and followed his gaze to Zhao’er, “It’s a blessing for you to have such a woman to be your wife.”
Xue Tingyxiang did not speak.
Mr. Chen said again, “By the way, how’s your study going on?”
“Four Books have been learned, but I can only read and cannot understand.”
After a pause, he added, “I heard that Zhao’er wants to send you to Qinghe School. Instead of spending a lot of money to go to that place, I suggest you go to Qingyuan School.”
“Qingyuan School?” Xue Tingxiang was stunned.
Mr. Chen thought that he didn’t know, or was just like those common people who listened to what rumors were deceived by the falsehood, and said, “The Qingyuan school is one of the oldest schools in Huyang Township, and it was very famous in the whole Xia County. At that time, half of the students who passed the county examination every year in our village came from Qingyuan School, and there are also a few scholars who have passed the examination. It’s just that in recent years, the Qinghe School has risen up, and it seems to have fallen behind.”
Mr. Chen’s voice was low, which seeming to sigh infinitely, and then turned to be high suddenly. He was quite indignant and said, “All the people in the world value fame and wealth, and are easy to be confused by the illusion, but it was just the Qinghe School that made the opportunistic method. Gao Youzhi, the owner of the school, is the nominal kinship of Hu County and flatters him. The imperial court allocated money to the county to support the local social and village schools to flow into the Qinghe School. They are banded together as traitors and gain all the money.”
“But the owner of Qingyuan School is honest and unwilling to be with them to do bad things. In addition, Qingyuan School has a lot of preferential treatments for poor students. Without this subsidy, they are very hard to continue managing school. The county magistrate who presided over the county trial treated the Qinghe School in a different way, and the students who wanted to enter the school also went there. That’s the truth, so in recent years, the fame of Qingyuan School has gradually declined.”
How can you just get so little? You must use your car. Your big blue mules is not labor? Daqing, you see, brother Jiang Wu said you are not a laborer, even your rations will be deducted.The mule, named Daqing, put his head and snorted, which seemed to mean that if he dared to deduct my ration, I would slack off and let him carry it.Zhao'er laughed and pointed to Daqing and said, Look, even Daqing begins to protest.Jiang Wu looked at the girl who smiled wildly, his eyes gleaming strangely. Fortunately, Daqing recognized the road and he is also gentle, otherwise it is designated to take a car and three people into the ditch beside the road.Xue Tingxiang at the back saw this scene. His face was as black as the bottom of a pot.He was annoyed and angry. He forgot Jiang Wu.In that dream, Jiang Wu has been falling in love with Zhao'er.Jiang Wu is two years older than Zhao'er, but he has never married. If it is not the identity of child bride, it is estimated that Jiang's family had already come to propose marriage.Even so, Jiang Wu never gave up. Once he even found Xue Tingxiang and told him that he wanted to marry Zhao'er, so that he could not be so selfish and let her free. He also said that he would help Xue study like Zhao'er did all the time and treat him as younger brother before he knew everything.He was shocked and annoyed. At the same time, he remembered that Zhao'er had been reluctant to marry him. He mistakenly thought that Zhao'er had an affair with Jiang Wu, so he forced her to marry him by the order of parents. Later, it was only by chance that he knew he had blamed her.This matter has always been a scar between the two people, even if later they never mentioned again, but there is a gap. After that, he was busy with his study, while Zhao'er was busy with her business. They only met once a long time. Even though they met each other, they seldom spoke again until he took the exam again in Beijing after passing the imperial examinations at the provincial level.In the dream, he once thought after Zhao'er's death, if he had not been so despicable at that time that forced her to marry by the order of parents, she would not have died.But this kind of thought is just like a dragonfly skimming the water, just passing by in a flash. At this time, it's probably despicable in his deep heart. Even if now he's not the Xue Tingxiang in his dream, he never wanted to let Zaho'er go.She should have been his wife. When he was still young, someone always pointed at her and said, This is your future wife, isn't it?Brother Jiang Wu, you'd better watch the road. It's not smooth. Don't take us all into the ditch.Xue Tingxiang's voice successfully interrupted Jiang Wu's and Zhao'er's laughter, as if a very unintelligible person suddenly appeared, and the warm atmosphere suddenly cooled down.Zhao'er smiled and said, Look at me. I just told you about the business, but I forgot you are still driving. Fortunately, Daqing is smart, otherwise he will fall.Daqing made a sound, and seemed like very satisfied.Jiang Wu glanced back subconsciously, just in front of the young boy's dark eyes. These eyes gave him some inexplicable guilty conscience, and then he straightened up again.He knew that Xue Gouzi didn't like Zhao'er. He also knew that the second couple of Xue family at first adopted Zhao'er as their daughter, not the child bride. The child bride was just a rumour in the village, and it became true when the Xue family's second couple were dying and entrusted her.Not only that, he also knew that Zhao'er just regarded Xue as a younger brother and didn't mean to marry him.Young boy is undoubtedly thin and weak. Although he is handsome, he is still a little immature. Such a young man makes Jiang Wu, who is strong and powerful, have a sense of supremacy. With a bright smile, he didn't care and said, Don't be afraid, Gouzi. I drive every day and even can walk back with eyes closed.Xue Tingxiang didn't speak, he pursed his mouth and lowered his head.Seeing this, Zhao'er immediately understood that it was the Gouzi that made the little man feel uncomfortable again. But in the face of Jiang Wu, she could not appear a cold face. She could only smile and said, Brother Jiang Wu, I told you that the Gou'er has a name. It's called Tingxiang, Xue Tingxiang.This name is elegant.Yeah, so don't call him Gouzi in the future, it's not pleasant.While talking, the car has arrived at Yuqing village.Jiang Wu be accustomed to stopping at the end of the village, Zhao'er and Xue Tingxiang got off the car.When will the business start? You settle the time. I'll pick you up then.Aren't you going to be busy in town, and I have to tidy up those clothes. When I'm ready, I'll go to your house to notice you.Zhao'er also thought that in two days, Xue tingpu and Xue Juncai will have a competition. After that, she will think about the business.That's the deal.Once things were settled, they said goodbye to each other.Jiang Wu drove home in a car, and Zhao'er went to home with Xue Tingxaing.Along the way, Xue Tingxiang did not speak a word, but walked silently.Zhaoer glanced at him and said, What's the matter? You seem like a little unhappy. Are you angry for Jiangwu just called you Gouzi? He doesn't know that you have the real name. I told him that he won't do it again.He resisted the jealousy in his heart and muttered, How do you know him so well?Do you mean the brother Jiang Wu? We know when I was a kid. Don't you remember that Heizi was brought back by his dog. Brother Jiang Wu is very nice and helped me a lot.Xue Tingxiang did not speak and stopped.After a long walk, Zhao'er found that he didn't catch up.She came back in a few steps and asked doubtfully, What's wrong with you? Why are you so strange?Don't forget, you have a husband, he said with a little anger.Zhao'er froze for a moment and then smiled. But she just laughed and didn't talk, which made Xue Tingxiang angry and annoyed.Don't need to guess. She certainly didn't think about good things.Seeing his white face flushed with anger, Zhao'er hurriedly said, Well, don't be angry, I know I have a husband.There was a sense of teasing in her voice. Knowing that she was coaxing him, but he was also excited and nervous in the heart.With the dream experience, Xue Tingxiang knows that this is not the time to make trouble. Besides, there is a Jiang Wu looking at him. He doesn't want to repeat the dream experience.He couldn't help reiterating, I'm also for you, so as not to be seen by people in the village. He didn't dare to look at her, but he stared at the ground beside him with some sense of guilt.Seeing him like a grown-up to tell himself, white face, but also a little childish face, she wanted to rub his head but no clear reason.She did the same, and said, Well, you're right. I'll listen to you.He suddenly became more angry, and a sense of powerlessness and discouragement came to him.Why does she always treat me as a child!Early in the next morning, Zhao'er and Xue Tingxiang went out.When they arrived there, Dongliju bookstore just opened, Xue Tingxiang went to the Jingshi to continue copying books, but Zha'oer went to the courtyard behind the shop.She discussed with Mr. Chen and borrowed this place to clean up her clothes. Zhao'er had seen the clothes before, they were all old clothes. Since she wanted to make money, it was not good to sell these things directly, so she came here mainly to do this job.She borrowed the a bamboo mat used for drying books in the shop, and poured out the large bag of clothes. Firstly, she classified them according to the male and female style, then divided them into several piles according to the texture and thickness, and then began to check whether there were any broken places on the clothes one by one.If there was a hole, she would sew it with the needle and thread she brought. The needlework of Zhao'er is not bad. Although her embroidery is not good, there is nothing wrong with sewing and making clothes.She finally cleaned up a pile, and looked out at the sun just fine, so she went to the courtyard well to fetch water. There is a windlass on the well. It's very convenient to draw water. Zhao'er made a basin of water, soaked clothes in a big wooden basin and rubbed them with soap water.After washing and rinsing, the rice water in the kitchen is also cooked.Although they don't cook in the shop, they always wants a place to boil water and tea, so there is a fire in the shop. Then Zhao'er borrowed the stove to cook a big pot of rice water .She brought out the rice soup, poured it into a wooden basin, and added some water to it, cause the situation when a little hot is the most appropriate. She poured in all the washed clothes and stirred them with a stick.Stir well, and place it for about half tea time. Take the clothes from the wooden basin and rinse them again.This is the so-called starched laundry. The starched clothes are pasted and sticky. As long as they don't fade, they look like new clothes. Some fastidious people will also iron it, but because there is no such condition, Zhao'er didn't plan to do so.During this period, Mr. Chen came in and saw Zhao'er being so busy that he pointed at the clothes in the yard and smiled, You're fine, treat my place as your own place. It was originally an elegant place. But now it's like a pulping room.Nowadays, there is a room for washing clothes. Some people don't want to wash clothes at home, so they will send them to the room for washing. The price is not expensive, it also saves time and energy.Knowing that Mr. Chen was joking with her, Zhao'er also joked, After uncle Chen's words, I've been enlightened again. When I don't have a business, I will go to buy a washing room. At that time, uncle Chen brought the clothes and I will not charge you to wash them.You're such a businesswoman. Mr. Chen shook his head and smiled, and went back to the front house.Xue Tingxiang's room for copying books is in this yard, and the big window is right next to the courtyard, so every word and deed of Zhao'er could be known by him.Usually, he can focus on working. Today, however, he always sees her intentionally or unintentionally.Seeing her rushing back and forth in the yard, seeing her face in the sun is particularly full of life, and seeing the sweat on her forehead, he had no thoughts of copying books, and only two pages were copied in the morning.Mr. Chen walked in and looked at him, and followed his gaze to Zhao'er, It's a blessing for you to have such a woman to be your wife.Xue Tingyxiang did not speak.Mr. Chen said again, By the way, how's your study going on?Four Books have been learned, but I can only read and cannot understand.After a pause, he added, I heard that Zhao'er wants to send you to Qinghe School. Instead of spending a lot of money to go to that place, I suggest you go to Qingyuan School.Qingyuan School? Xue Tingxiang was stunned.Mr. Chen thought that he didn't know, or was just like those common people who listened to what rumors were deceived by the falsehood, and said, The Qingyuan school is one of the oldest schools in Huyang Township, and it was very famous in the whole Xia County. At that time, half of the students who passed the county examination every year in our village came from Qingyuan School, and there are also a few scholars who have passed the examination. It's just that in recent years, the Qinghe School has risen up, and it seems to have fallen behind.Mr. Chen's voice was low, which seeming to sigh infinitely, and then turned to be high suddenly. He was quite indignant and said, All the people in the world value fame and wealth, and are easy to be confused by the illusion, but it was just the Qinghe School that made the opportunistic method. Gao Youzhi, the owner of the school, is the nominal kinship of Hu County and flatters him. The imperial court allocated money to the county to support the local social and village schools to flow into the Qinghe School. They are banded together as traitors and gain all the money.But the owner of Qingyuan School is honest and unwilling to be with them to do bad things. In addition, Qingyuan School has a lot of preferential treatments for poor students. Without this subsidy, they are very hard to continue managing school. The county magistrate who presided over the county trial treated the Qinghe School in a different way, and the students who wanted to enter the school also went there. That's the truth, so in recent years, the fame of Qingyuan School has gradually declined.
