Chapter 90 Chapter 90 Romantic Qixi Night Gives You a Sky Full of Fireflies...
Mrs. Hu looked very anxious. Duan Zhiwei suspected that she was also the owner of the restaurant who was cheated of eating and drinking, so he had to bite the bullet and said, "Mrs. Hu, we can talk it over. How much did Ah Li eat in your restaurant? My restaurant will pay for this first..."
Her anxious expression didn't seem fake, and she didn't have the patience to listen to Duan Zhiwei's slow explanation, so she just interrupted her: "A Li is my brother, and I am her sister."
The weather in Chang'an is sunny today. The sunlight shines in obliquely through the window lattice, casting Mrs. Hu's shadow into the shape of a fox head.
Duan Zhiwei stepped back halfway and looked her up and down: "You...are you also a fox?"
"How did you find out?" When Mrs. Hu heard that her identity was exposed, she calmed down. Angry blue flames began to emerge from her beautiful eyes: "What did you do to my brother?"
It was already midsummer in July, and the scorching heat from the blue fox fire instantly heated up the restaurant like a steamer. Just as Duan Zhiwei was about to speak, the curtain in the backyard was lifted, and a fiery red little fox ran out and jumped into Mrs. Hu's arms: "Sister!"
Mrs. Hu choked up as she helped him straighten his messy hair: "My silly brother, where have you been? I'm going crazy with worry."
If someone who knows the inside story, such as Duan Zhiwei, sees the scene of the man and the fox reunited, they would find it quite touching. Unfortunately, it was almost time for dinner, and the diners who came in only saw a beautiful woman holding a fox and crying loudly, shouting "Brother, brother" as if she had hysteria. They all took two steps back, then turned around and ran away.
Duan Zhiwei picked up her skirt and chased after him for two steps: "Hey, those of you who have lunch should come back."
The diners ran faster.
When she came back, Mrs. Hu had calmed down. She hugged Ah Li and kept thanking Duan Zhiwei: "My brother just told us that it was you who took him in..."
After thanking her, Mrs. Hu took out some copper coins from her purse and said, "We will pay for the chickens that my brother ate at your restaurant. If you do something wrong, you must accept the punishment. I hope Mrs. Duan will not refuse."
Since the words had been spoken, Duan Zhiwei could not refuse and took the copper coin. Then Mrs. Hu held Ah Li in her arms, bowed, and left with the bamboo basket.
The restaurant returned to its former tranquility.
The weather was so hot that the restaurant stopped serving several hot dishes and added a new dish, mustard vermicelli. The vermicelli was made from ground mung beans, which was translucent and moist, and topped with a layer of sour dogwood sauce, a spoonful of mashed garlic and a pinch of emerald green onions. You could take a sip of it and it would flow smoothly into your mouth. It was sour and spicy, with a very rich taste.
The most important thing is that you can bring your own lunch box to take away the noodles. Many neighbors in the neighborhood are too lazy to cook because it’s too hot, so they bring their own rattan lunch boxes to take away some.
Duan Zhiwei was pacing back and forth in the main hall with a palm-leaf fan in her hand. Pu Tao watched her swishing back and forth a few times while peeling edamame. He couldn't help asking, "Madam, why are you swishing back and forth? It's making my eyes dizzy."
Duan Zhiwei asked in confusion: "Is it my illusion? Why do I feel that there are fewer people in the restaurant recently?"
Mustard vermicelli, cold cucumber, mud snails, and tofu with scallions are all refreshing dishes suitable for summer. Why are there fewer and fewer diners?
Zhen Hui sat alone in a corner and finished a large bowl of Suofen. As he chewed, he said, "The scholars from the inn next door have all gone to Xiaoxia Bay to enjoy the lotus and listen to music. How can they have time to eat?"
Duan Zhiwei was surprised: "You have to eat while listening to music and appreciating the lotus."
Zhen Hui scooped up two more spoonfuls of tofu and said, "Recently, a lady named Hu came over there. I heard that she is beautiful and plays the ruan very well. The gentlemen gave her money generously. But when she came back and had no money for food, some acquaintances even asked me to borrow money."
Duan Zhiwei: “…”
Another day passed, and Aunt Wu from the bookstore on North Street came to buy mustard noodles and complained to Duan Zhiwei, "The shop selling honey pork elbows on the front street has closed down. This is the only one in the whole Xuanyangfang. My child loves to eat pork elbows from that shop, and he is forcing me to go find it. Where can I find it?"
Duan Zhiwei said as she mixed the noodles: "Oh, that one, I know."
Yuan Shenji brought the two hunting dogs with Li Heng into Chang'an County, which frightened the county lieutenant. He found out in one day that the hunting dogs belonged to the family that sold the pork elbow. Several yamen runners took the shop owner back, beat him with a stick according to the law, and locked him up for a few more days.
Duan Zhiwei consoled him, "The shop owner was hit with a few sticks and couldn't move. I think he will close down for a few days and will probably reopen soon."
The old lady pouted, "Where? The store door was smashed. It is said that the owner fell in love with a woman who sang in Xiaoxia Bay. He didn't have enough money to spend, so he went to the East Market to find a Uighur moneylender. Now, the lady ran away and the store is gone."
A bowl of mustard noodles was quickly prepared. The old lady gossiped for a long time and then left with the lunch box, feeling satisfied.
Duan Zhiwei was disheveled in the breeze for a while, and then thought to himself: "It's better not to offend the fox."
Pu Tao looked up at her and said, "My dear, I also want to go to Xiao Xia Bay to listen to music and appreciate the lotus."
Little Wolf followed up, "Me too."
"You are nothing." Duan Zhiwei nodded their heads in anger and amusement: "What kind of music are you listening to, kids? Let's go back to the backyard and eat mangoes."
On the eve of Chinese Valentine's Day, Yuan Shenji had a rare day off, and there happened to be a prayer activity at the Weaver Girl Temple, so several people took advantage of their free afternoon and went there in a carriage.
The street in front of the Weaver Girl Temple is already crowded with vendors selling all kinds of snacks, lotus flowers and lotus pods, katydids woven in bamboo baskets, and the like.
There are quite a few stalls selling Mohele dolls in front of the temple, all wearing red vests and green gauze skirts, made of clay, wood carvings, and even with gold beads, ivory and jade.
Last year on Chinese Valentine's Day, Duan Zhiwei's life was very tight as she had no money to buy this doll for Putao. But this year the situation was very different. She stuffed her purse full and let Putao choose whatever he wanted.
Finally, after strolling around for half a day, Pu Tao happily chose a cute little girl holding a lotus leaf in one hand.
Duan Zhiwei looked at the dolls on the stall, turned around and pulled Yuan Shenji's hand: "Remember last year you helped that little Mo Hele and gave him a ginseng worth a thousand gold."
She seemed to be lost in memories: "I thanked you, and you said you didn't need to thank me. You gave me the ginseng not to help me, but to help the poor people to the best of your ability."
Duan Zhiwei's eyes seemed to contain thousands of stars, and he looked at him brightly: "The old housekeeper later told me quietly that when you were in Liangzhou, you often distributed the rewards you received to the soldiers and poor people. At that time, I thought you were a very good person."
She said "very good" three times in a row. Yuan Shenji was very happy with her praise, but he did not show it on his face. He just raised his hand and re-pinned the pearl orchid that was not crooked on her temples.
The little wolf became interested in the stall selling a lot of katydids. The katydids were chirping noisily in their small bamboo cages. In line with the principle of not favoring one over the other, Duan Zhiwei also bought him a katydid.
The peddler took the copper coin and saw that there was a little girl among the group, so he hurriedly tried to sell her a firefly lamp: "Would you like to buy a firefly lamp for the young lady? It is very beautiful at night, just like stars floating before your eyes. Young ladies all like it."
Pu Tao was not that interested in fireflies. She lived near the Longshou Canal, where there were lots of fireflies by the water. However, Duan Zhiwei had never seen one before. She found it novel but was too embarrassed to speak up.
After all, she is a "big lady".
Yuan Shenji saw her staring at the firefly lamp eagerly, and thought that her rare childish expression was very cute, so he took out his purse from his pocket and said, "I want two fireflies."
The peddler quickly untied two large fireflies from the bamboo pole and handed them to Yuan Shenji: "Sir, please take them."
Yuan Shenji first took out one of them and gave it to Pu Tao, and then handed the other one to Duan Zhiwei, tapping her head lightly: "The young ladies all like it, give it to the young lady."
Duan Zhiwei secretly poked him with her elbow while holding a firefly lamp.
On the day of Chinese Valentine's Day, because there were so many people who booked the Qi Qiao cakes, all the Qi Qiao cakes prepared by the restaurant were sold out in less than half a day, even the raisins were used up.
On the Qixi Festival, people in Chang'an were busy displaying fruits and burning incense in the courtyard. Everyone was very busy. Pu Tao took a leave at noon and went home. Her cousin and her family came to Chang'an from Quanzhou to do business, and she wanted to celebrate the Qiqiao Festival with her cousin.
After Duan Zhiwei helped Aunt Duan arrange the fruits and sweet cakes in the courtyard, he was about to return home with Yuan Shenji. The ancient books drying in the courtyard were waiting for them to collect.
They drove a light horse-drawn carriage. Duan Zhiwei sat inside and ate a few bites of cake. He then quietly opened the curtain and came out. Seeing that there was no one around, he secretly stuffed a bite of melon into the hand of Yuan Shenji, who was driving the carriage.
As soon as he entered Yuan's mansion, he saw a pile of ancient books spread out in front of the front hall. Duan Zhiwei sighed, "Why don't they go to the backyard to dry them? There's more space there."
She picked up the book and walked back, but was stopped by Yuan Shenji. He was rarely able to speak, so he waited for a while before saying, "Let's put it in the front hall first."
Duan Zhiwei looked at him suspiciously.
His honey-colored skin, which was tanned by the wind and frost and the scorching sun of Liangzhou, was tanned even darker by the sun in Chang'an, revealing his wolf-like wildness. It complements his tall and burly figure.
He has a very handsome and tough vibe, the only bad thing is that as long as he keeps a blank expression, it is difficult for Duan Zhiwei to detect any clues from his face.
This is completely different from Zhen Hui, whose fair face would start to blush as soon as he lied.
In the end, Duan Zhiwei still couldn't figure out what this guy was trying to do, so she had to compromise and help him move the drying books to the table in the main hall.
She only moved twice, and Yuan Shenji wouldn't let her move anymore. She had no choice but to sit on the small bed, hiding in the shade to cool off, drinking licorice water while watching him move books home one by one.
There were so many books in his study that he didn't finish moving them until almost dusk. Duan Zhiwei made some choy sum fried rice and mushroom chicken, and they had a quick evening meal.
I think the Chinese cabbage was just delivered to your house this morning. It was sweet and juicy, which neutralized the greasiness of the lard. The rice was fried to a golden and crispy taste, and it tasted very good.
Duan Zhiwei held the bowl and secretly looked at Yuan Shenji. He just focused on eating and rarely showed any appreciation for her masterpiece. He just occasionally glanced at the setting sun outside the window.
After a busy day, Duan Zhiwei returned to his room to take a bath. He picked out a bath bean with the scent of sweet calamus from the sunken wood box, and the whole room was filled with the fragrance of calamus.
After all, it was the Chinese Valentine's Day, so she picked out a fresh and flowing blue skirt and put some jasmine oil on her hair.
She was still combing her hair slowly. Yuan Shenji knocked on the door gently: "I'll wait for you in the backyard."
According to Duan Zhiwei's prediction, there should be some surprise in the backyard.
But that cold-blooded Jinwu Guard...what kind of surprise could he have? He wouldn't show off his sword skills to me.
Duan Zhiwei found it interesting and had some anticipation, so she pinned another orchid on her hair.
As she stepped out of the door, a pair of big hands gently covered her eyes.
"Close your eyes." Yuan Shenji was behind her, covering her eyes with his warm palms. Duan Zhiwei could only smell the deep storax scent on his sleeves and hear the noisy cicadas in the holly trees.
Finally, he protected her from behind and slowly walked to the backyard. The sound of cicadas became more obvious. The pair of big hands slowly moved away. Yuan Shenji slightly bent down and whispered in her ear: "You can watch now."
She opened her eyes.
Yuan Shenji untied the rope of the training bag, and countless fireflies as sparkling as stardust poured out of the bag, trailing trails of light as they shuttled through the roses blooming in the garden.
The pavilion on the waterside in the backyard was covered with moon-white gauze all around. When the wind blew, the gauze fluttered gently.
Duan Zhiwei was stunned for a long time, then turned to look at him: "Captain Yuan, I didn't realize you are a bit romantic."
She suddenly realized and looked at his hand that was scratched by the grass: "So you didn't go back to the restaurant to sleep a few days ago, but went to the waterside to catch fireflies."
Fireflies can be seen everywhere near the water, so there are not many vendors selling fireflies in front of the Weaver Girl Temple. Even if Yuan Shenji bought all of them, he still couldn't get the effect of a sky full of fireflies that he wanted, so he had to go to the waterside to catch them himself.
It is inevitable that your hands will be cut by the cattail reeds.
Duan Zhiwei was touched and a little distressed. She lowered her head and blew on him, then looked up at him: "I am really touched, and I also like the sky full of fireflies you gave me. But even if you don't do these, I still love you very much. You usually treat me very well."
Yuan Shenji carried her into the gauze tent and looked at her with deep eyes: "You said yesterday that these fireflies are like stars."
I just want to tell you that I was once a lonely night boat floating on the sea, unable to identify the directions around me, and you are the Big Dipper twinkling in the night sky after the dark clouds have dispersed.
The summer breeze blew, and the courtyard in the yard was surrounded by shark fin gauze. Duan Zhiwei went out from the tent to kiss him.
Wu Gorge is full of affection, and the jade furnace emits fragrance.
Joy is candy wrapped in honey, and is only rewarded to true lovers.
Duan Zhiwei tied the strap that he had just removed from his waist to the wrist of Jinwuwei.
Then kiss his bright eyes and high nose.
It was her long hair that was the problem. The Jinwu Guard lying on the couch saw her fiddling with her hair impatiently and found it amusing. He raised his hand good-temperedly and pushed her black hair behind her neck.
The collar of this aqua blue skirt was very low, and as she lowered her head, her snow-white beauty could not be concealed.
The rocking chair was a little tilted, and Duan Zhiwei felt himself sliding down, so he had to bend his legs and hold on to it to move up.
Yuan Shenji closed his eyes tightly and opened them again: "Let me go."
His voice was lower than usual, as if it had been rubbed by sandpaper, and Duan Zhiwei's ears went numb.
"You wish." She said proudly, as she rarely saw him like this.
He chuckled and stopped pretending, and with a little effort he broke free from the strong leg, then lifted her up, grabbed her ankles with both hands, and shook her with evil intent.
He kissed her lips in the midst of her shocked gaze: "Be good, I will allow you to say your last words tonight."
Duan Zhiwei wanted to curse you as a liar, you were pretending for a long time, but you broke free from the belt in less than a second.
But after thinking about it, she could only say one more thing, so she honestly said what she wanted to say the most:
"I don't want to be a star in the sky. I want to be the sail on your ship."
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