Dong Xiaoyu, who was working, ran over with a look of surprise when she saw her boss and young master. She paused slightly when her gaze fell on the boy behind her, "Ah Hao, what brings you here?"
Upon seeing a familiar face, the boy looked slightly uncomfortable, still frowning as he asked, "What? Who said beggars aren't allowed in?"
"No, that's not what I meant..." Dong Xiaoyu tried to explain awkwardly, but Qin Sanniang quickly smoothed things over, "Alright, stop standing there at the door."
He then turned to Wu Da and said, "This is a guest I invited. You can catch up later."
Dong Xiaoyu nodded repeatedly and led them into the backyard. She thought to herself, "I'd like to catch up with him, but do you think he'd be willing?"
The boy named Ahao walked forward seemingly without looking to the side, but his eyes kept glancing around. Today he had entered the largest tavern in He County. He wondered if he could buy some wine for his grandfather.
Qin San Niang instructed Mu Chun to fetch fifty taels of silver, all in ingots of ten taels each. "This is the reward I promised you. Should I exchange it for smaller pieces of silver?"
Worried that it might be inconvenient for them to spend the money, Qin San Niang thoughtfully inquired.
The young man, however, showed no appreciation and simply shook his head, saying, "No need."
What a joke! Does this woman think anyone would dare steal their little beggar gang's silver? Aren't she afraid they'll steal everything from the thief's entire fortune?
"Alright, we're even!" the young man said, preparing to take his leave. But as he reached the back gate, he paused, then asked a waiter, "Which of your wines is the best? How much?"
The shop assistant, seeing that the little beggar had come with the boss, naturally wouldn't neglect him. Besides, on their first day on the job, the boss had said that their shop didn't practice the "respect for clothes before respect for people" mentality! Every customer who entered the shop, whether they were royalty or a poor beggar, had to be treated equally!
"Young man, all the wines in our shop are delicious, each with its own unique characteristics. If you're your age, you should try this fruit wine..."
“It was my grandfather who drank it.”
So it wasn't the boy who drank it, but his grandfather? He must be a seasoned drinker! "I see. If your grandfather wants to drink, he must try our Drunken World and Pear Blossom Wine. No one who's tried them has ever said they're bad!"
"How much is a pot?" the boy asked cautiously.
"You mean a jar? A jar like this costs two taels of silver. But since it's for your family, I suggest you buy our bulk wine, it's more cost-effective. Here, take a look, this is the wine in this big vat."
As he spoke, the waiter led him to the bulk liquor, opened the cap, and a fragrant aroma wafted out. "Look," he said, "this liquor is very fragrant and mellow, and it doesn't have the impurities of green liquor. It's just as good quality! The reason it's a little cheaper is firstly because we save on packaging costs, and secondly because it's aged for a shorter time than finished liquor. But this liquor is actually not much different; it tastes even better than the liquor on the market!"
Nearby, customers were waiting to buy wine. Seeing the shop assistant so patient with a ragged little beggar, they didn't rush him but instead promoted the wine, saying, "Yes, this wine is delicious and very affordable! Kid, it's a good deal to buy this for your grandpa! Only three hundred coins a tube."
The customer pointed to his bamboo tube and said, "This must weigh at least a pound!" "That's acceptable."
Finally, Ah Hao also bought three hundred coins' worth of wine with that man.
Just as he was about to pay, the shop assistant pushed him aside and said, "Young man, congratulations! You are the lucky customer of the day. The sixty-sixth customer of the day will receive a free bottle of wine."
"Oh my, you're so lucky! If I'd known, I would have come later!" The customer who had been buying wine earlier said with an envious look, his beard twitching.
The waiter smiled and said to him, "Uncle, you're a regular customer. Our shop has a points system. When you accumulate 100 points, you can get two tubes of wine for free!"
Upon hearing this, the customer exclaimed, "Oh, yes!" After a quick mental calculation, he happily replied, "That's right! I probably have dozens of points now, right? I've kept all the receipts you gave me! I'll come back to collect my wine later."
Seeing that the customer didn't react, and that this seemed to be a long-standing rule, the boy didn't suspect anything. Anyway, he hadn't stolen it, so he could save three hundred coins! That would be enough to feed his group of children for several days!
He thanked the waiter and got up to leave.
Dong Xiaoyu was summoned to the inner courtyard by Qin Sanniang, who inquired about the boy's background.
"Ah Hao was originally my neighbor, and our families had a good relationship. The turning point came the year before last. One day, bandits attacked the county town, and Ah Hao's parents died, as did his three-year-old brother. However, he wasn't killed by the bandits, but by his own people who trampled him to death... Sigh!"
The situation was chaotic, and no one noticed that there was a child lying on the ground. That's how the accident happened. Ah Hao's younger brother was trampled to death by someone without anyone knowing!
Overnight, Ahao became an orphan. He had always been proud and arrogant, and had voluntarily left the clan, resentful that his clansmen had abandoned his younger brother. His clansmen had threatened that from that moment on, he was no longer a member of the Dong family! If the Dong family ever fell into misfortune, he would not help them.
At this point, Dong Xiaoyu's eyes reddened. His parents had also died in that turmoil; otherwise, he wouldn't have become a hoodlum to support his younger siblings.
Qin San Niang and Da Wa had heard about Dong Xiaoyu's plight from Guo Er, and knew that it was not easy for him to support his younger siblings on his own.
"I see, no wonder that child is so unruly. Little Fish, you've had it tough too. When you're at work, who takes care of your younger brother and sister?"
Unexpectedly, his employer was also concerned about his personal life. He quickly composed himself and replied, "My sister is already seven years old and can take care of my four-year-old brother. She takes care of him at home every day! My sister is capable, obedient, and sensible. She manages the household very well! My brother was raised by her."
Speaking of his younger sister, Dong Xiaoyu's eyes shone brightly. His sister was wonderful! Now, he had made something of himself and was able to earn a living for his younger brother and sister. Their family was doing quite well.
"She's only seven years old, and she already has to take care of the family. She's truly a sensible child," sighed Qin San Niang. By that calculation, she's been taking care of her younger brother for over two years now. What a thoughtful little girl.
“You can send your sister to the charity school, where there are newly opened women’s handicraft classes. As for your brother, there are women there who specialize in taking care of children, so you can look after him as well.”
"As Qin San Niang said this, a vague idea also formed in her mind.
Hearing this, Dong Xiaoyu was so excited that she didn't know what to say and almost knelt down before her employer. "I don't know how to repay you for thinking so thoughtfully about me! If that's the case, I'll feel even more at ease."
Every time he finished work, he would rush home in a hurry. After all, his younger brother and sister-in-law were still young, how could he not worry? Although his sister was capable, she was still just a young girl, and the neighborhood wasn't very safe. Although the aunt next door could help look after them, everyone had a lot on their plate. It was already a favor if she could keep an eye on them for a while...
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