Chapter 102 Meeting Pei Xingju Again
The troupe set up a stage and performed in Luyang County for more than ten days, with a different opera performed every day, attracting many onlookers.
There is always excitement where there are many people, such as juggling, shadow puppetry that children love, and porters carrying loads or pushing carts selling all kinds of snacks and roasted nuts.
After breakfast that day, Zhuang Wan called Erya and Tiedan, and the three of them carried small stools to go to the opera.
On the way, she met an old man hammering iron to sell malt sugar. She stopped him and bought two taels of malt sugar, and also bought some sunflower seeds for Erya and Tiedan. Even the fussy little Wangcai got a meat bun, and he followed Zhuang Wan happily, wagging his little tail.
The opera troupe came from other places and traveled around various counties and towns. They would stay for about twenty days each time and leave after the opera was finished.
The grandstand was built in the busy Caishikou area, with an open area below it enclosed by a simple fence. A man was posted at the gate, and anyone who paid three copper coins could enter and listen to the opera all day.
Zhuang Wan gave Erya and Tiedan five copper coins and led them inside, choosing a spot with a good view. The three of them sat in a row, watching intently.
She didn't understand the specifics of the performance, but she simply loved watching a fair-skinned young man on stage. His figure was more graceful than a woman's, yet possessed a masculine and heroic spirit. His every frown, smile, and gesture was filled with grace. With bright eyes, white teeth, a tall and slender figure, and a melodious voice, he was a true delight to the eyes.
Zhuang Wan listened while chewing maltose. When the young man finished his performance, she tipped him twenty copper coins. Seeing her wealth and generosity, the young man on the stage looked at her with a smile on his face. As his eyes flickered, he tossed his sleeves and bowed deeply in thanks.
This satisfied Zhuang Wan's vanity to an extreme extent, and she finally understood how it felt for the top guy on the list to spend money on an internet celebrity anchor.
She smiled slightly as a gift, then stood up gracefully: "Erya, Tiedan, let's go back and have lunch."
The people of Luyang County eat lunch early. They wake up at the crowing of the rooster at the hour of Yin to go to the farm, return after daybreak to make breakfast, then go fishing. Returning from fishing, they eat lunch again. In a previous life, Zhuang Wan might have eaten lunch at twelve or even one o'clock, but here, they start lunch after mid-morning at the hour of Si.
When in Rome, do as the Romans do, and Zhuang Wan did the same.
After leaving the theater, she stopped by the market to buy some fresh ingredients for the day. One of the advantages of coming to Luyang is that there is plenty of seafood to eat.
The people of Luyang make their livings from fishing, and the most popular items sold in the market are all kinds of seafood, and they're not expensive, making it practically a paradise for Zhuang Wan, a seafood lover. It's a shame Uncle Niu isn't here, otherwise the two of them would have been so happy to meet a soulmate.
Zhuang Wan bought some seashells today, planning to make baked seashells with vermicelli. When she got home, she saw people moving things in and out of the house across the street, with neighbors gathered around, admiring them.
Zhuang Wan stopped and asked, "Aunt Liu, what are you looking at?"
Aunt Liu said, "Sister Ruyi, there's a new neighbor across the street from you! I don't know who he is, but look at all the furniture. Wow, it's all made of shiny red rosewood. You can tell they're from a wealthy family."
"We're not rich at all," another person came over and said, "Didn't you see the step-out bed they just moved in? It's so huge."
He exaggeratedly drew a large circle and made a palm gesture: "I guess it's enough to sleep five people."
Zhuang Wan was puzzled. "What about the family across the street? Where did they move to?"
When she moved here, there were people living opposite her. Unexpectedly, she moved away again after only a month.
Others said, "They moved out yesterday. Wang Er's son was very successful and made a lot of money doing business outside. He sold this house and moved in with his son."
After saying this, he felt strange: "But then again, our Lihua Lane is not a good location. How could this master, who is so rich, buy a house here?"
Tiedan raised his head and said, "I guess he smelled Sister Ruyi's cooking and wanted to become a neighbor."
Everyone burst into laughter.
Aunt Liu poked her son's forehead and scolded him with a smile: "Do you think everyone else is as greedy as you? You go to your sister Ruyi's place like a dog every day."
Zhuang Wan also smiled. She had lived in Lihua Lane for more than a month. Everyone praised her cooking skills, especially the pastries. Sometimes she would make extra and share them with her neighbors.
After hearing Tiedan say this, someone jokingly agreed: "Who knows, the sweet-scented osmanthus cake made by Ruyi is so fragrant that you can even smell it at the entrance of the alley."
At this time, the porters unloaded two large boxes from the carriage. One of the boxes accidentally tilted and several books fell out.
For some reason, Zhuang Wan felt inexplicably uneasy when he saw a copy of "Zizhi Tongjian".
She stood there and looked for a while before going in with the seashells.
.
It rained a little that night, but stopped at dawn. The bluestone slabs in the yard were washed clean, and the air was fresh and slightly cool. With this brief rain, autumn quietly arrived.
After getting up, Zhuang Wan did her usual morning exercises in the yard, then went to the kitchen to wash rice and cook porridge for breakfast. Once the porridge was ready, she sprinkled some dried fish slices in and simmered it over low heat. Soon, an aroma began to waft out.
Little Wangcai smelled the fragrance, crawled out of his nest, and stretched his fat body. However, when he stepped out of the door, he tripped over the threshold and rolled down the steps like a ball.
Zhuang Wan stroked its furry little head and said, "Are you hungry? Wait a minute. The salt jar is empty. I'll go buy some salt."
She untied her apron and placed it on the stove, wiped her hands, and went out.
Unexpectedly, the door opened and she slammed it shut.
Zhuang Wan leaned against the door with her heart pounding, looking incredulous as if she had seen a ghost.
Was she seeing things?
Why does the person standing at the opposite door look so much like Pei Xingju?
She rubbed her face and comforted herself: "Don't panic, maybe I'm seeing things."
Pei Xingju was far away in the capital, how could he possibly be here? She was living peacefully in Luyang County. If Pei Xingju had discovered she was here, he would have sent someone to arrest her long ago. How could he have let her sleep until she woke up naturally?
She must have opened the door incorrectly!
Zhuang Wan took two steps back, stared at the door, took a deep breath, and then another deep breath.
Then he slowly and casually opened the door as usual.
The door creaked open and the person on the opposite steps turned around.
He stood in a dark blue robe, his hands behind his back, his long eyebrows gentle and his bearing imposing. His indifferent gaze resembled the carefree sunrise over the mist, or the tranquility of a lotus floating in a clear pond.
"Good morning! Long time no see!" he said gently.
Zhuang Wan swallowed in horror, her smile uglier than crying.
Surprisingly! Really! It's! Pei Xingju!
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