Chapter 68 Bargaining in the Teahouse + Aunt San Selling Shoes + Drinking Tea in the Teahouse
Lin Shu was about to bargain, but the shopkeeper seemed to see through her intention and cut her off in time, "This is my lowest price. No bargaining."
Lin Shu choked for a moment, then smiled and said, "Boss, the rules are fixed, but people are alive. I roughly calculated that a set of the brush, inkstone, and paper you mentioned would cost 190 wen. I'll buy two sets. How about 350 wen?"
The shopkeeper was speechless for a while, thinking that what he had just said was in vain.
"The shopkeeper seems to be well-versed in literature and can be considered a scholar. Isn't the word righteousness what we scholars value? Money is like dirt, but righteousness is worth a thousand gold! My brother was born to be a scholar and will definitely have a bright future. We are short of money now. If the shopkeeper is willing to give us a discount, it will be considered a good relationship..."
The shopkeeper was speechless after hearing the words, and finally waved his hand at her. "Forget it, forget it. Three hundred and fifty coins, and two sets of pens, inkstone, paper, and brush."
Lin Shu continued, "I don't have much money left. How about buying me a copy of 'Thousand Character Classic' and 'Three Character Classic'? The shopkeeper can give me a copy of 'Hundred Family Names' as a bonus?"
Bookstore owner: ...
Finally, the bookstore owner gave Lin Shu a flawed copy of "Hundred Family Surnames" as a gift.
The cover of this copy of "Hundred Family Surnames" accidentally fell into the water, and a few words on the first page were blurred and not very clear, but Lin Shu thought it was no big deal and she could just re-trace it with pen and ink later.
Seeing that she had bought all the necessary pens, ink, paper and inkstone, Zhou Ye shifted his gaze from the row of miscellaneous books on the bookshelf, and then carefully put the two sets of pens, ink, paper and inkstone into the backpack one by one.
Lin Yushu didn't bring a backpack, so he asked Zhou Ye to put his portion in the backpack.
"Thank you, Brother Aye." Lin Yushu thanked him in a low voice.
Two sets of pens, ink, paper and inkstone, three hundred and fifty wen, plus three enlightenment books, one hundred and twenty wen, a total of four hundred and seventy wen. Lin Shu asked Zhou Ye to pay for them together.
Lin Yushu was not stupid either. The bookstore owner thought they were in the same group and gave him a discount because they bought so much at once. So he waited until they left the bookstore before giving his share of the money to Lin Shu.
Lin Shu took the copper coin without hesitation and counted it. It turned out that there were indeed fifteen more coins.
"The 350 coins for the brushes, ink, paper, and inkstone are to be divided equally between you and me. Are you calculating it as 190 coins?"
Lin Yushu explained, "Thanks to Sister Ashu, I've already gotten a copy of Hundred Family Names for free. How could I possibly take advantage of anything else? If it weren't for Sister Ashu, I would have spent an extra thirty cents today."
Lin Shu immediately handed over fifteen copper coins and said, "It's just a matter of talking a little bit, do you still want to pay me for talking? The three hundred and fifty coins for the brushes, ink, paper and inkstone will be divided equally between you and me, one hundred and seventy-five coins each. You can keep the extra fifteen coins. Cousin Yushu, don't be so generous to others. This money is earned by Third Aunt with great effort. When you can earn money on your own, if you want to give me more, I will accept it."
Lin Yushu blushed at what she said, and thinking of her mother's hard work, she accepted the fifteen copper coins.
When they returned, Zhang Qiaohua's shop still had seven pairs of straw sandals, one large pair of open-toed men's sandals, and six pairs of closed-toed women's sandals, identical to the ones Zhang Qiaohua had given Lin Shu and Lin Xiaopu.
These ordinary-style, ordinary-made straw sandals cost about twenty-five wen a pair on the market. Zhang Qiaohua's straw sandals were made of sturdier materials and better craftsmanship, so they sold for thirty wen a pair. The girl's straw sandals were more exquisite and beautiful, with more complicated craftsmanship, and sold for forty wen a pair.
Men work more, and shoe costs are not only for the people going to the market and the vendors, but also for the errand boys in the town. Therefore, men's straw sandals sell faster. In contrast, women's straw sandals, although made to be exquisite and beautiful, are still preferred by women in this town.
Zhang Qiaohua looked up at the sun above her head and squinted her eyes because of the glare.
It is almost noon now, and there are fewer people coming out to the market. The next wave of people will have to wait until the sun sets.
The people who came to the market to set up stalls, excluding those who had sold out their goods beforehand, usually stayed all day. In order to clear out their goods, they would lower their prices as the city gates were about to close.
By that time, in addition to the people in the town who were looking for bargains, the people who set up stalls around would also go to other stalls to buy some daily necessities, and her straw sandals would also sell much better.
But now, even if the flow of people dwindles, Zhang Qiaohua dares not leave her stall to find a shady spot to rest. If she leaves, the stall she got up early to grab will be taken by someone else.
Therefore, she had to stay here even under the scorching sun.
In fact, in the past, Zhang Qiaohua’s straw sandals would be sold out in just one morning, but ever since Lin Yushu started studying, she has been working tirelessly. Before this market, she actually made eight or nine more pairs of straw sandals than before!
She was determined to sell all the straw sandals today. Before leaving, she told Lin Dashui that if they returned late, they could just have something simple to eat for dinner.
Zhang Qiaohua wiped the sweat from her forehead and immediately smiled when she saw the few people returning.
When Lin Yushu approached, she hurriedly asked if he had finished shopping. When she learned that he had bought all the pens, inkstones, and enlightenment books, and had saved a lot of money, her smile widened. "Ah Shu, you've finished shopping, but are you going home? The sun is getting hotter now. Going back now will make you dizzy. Why don't you go out and stroll around for a while?"
"There are so many things to do in our town. How can you just buy something and leave like you? We can spend a long time in that rouge shop in the market just looking around. There's a teahouse on the street where they have storytellers around noon. You and Aye can order a bowl of the cheapest loose tea for only five cents and stay there for a full hour! And there's that handkerchief shop on the street. The silk handkerchiefs there have beautiful patterns and colors. You can look for the embroidered silk handkerchiefs there. You might even see one of mine. And then there's that perfume shop..."
After hearing what her aunt said, Lin Shu realized that the villagers came to the town for more than just shopping. It was just one or two nearby villages, but the villagers from other villages traveled a long way to the town, so how could they not have some fun there?
The places Aunt San mentioned, except for the teahouses where people drink tea and listen to stories, are all places where women like to hang out. If you hang out like this, you can indeed spend more than a whole day there.
Thinking that Zhou Ye always returned to the village after selling things, he might not have even been to the teahouse that Aunt San mentioned. Lin Shu couldn't help but ask him: "Aye, do you want to go to that teahouse to listen to the excitement?"
When she asked this question, she thought Zhou Ye would definitely agree. After all, drinking tea and listening to books is so leisurely and relaxing, who can not like it?
Unexpectedly, Zhou Ye didn't even hesitate, and said to Auntie San: "I don't like these. Auntie San, please accompany Ah Shu. My cousin Yu Shu and I will take care of this shoe stall."
When these words were spoken, Lin Shu was stunned, and Zhang Qiaohua herself even thought she had misheard.
Is there anyone who doesn’t like to drink tea and listen to books?!
Lin Shu recalled the tone of voice in which her Third Aunt had spoken to her about these shops, and glanced at Zhou Ye, whose face was composed. Her thoughts drifted to her, and wondered if Zhou Ye had seen the look of longing and regret that Third Aunt could not go, so she softened her heart and asked her to take her with her?
Thinking this way, even Lin Shu herself didn't realize that there was a hint of tenderness in her eyes when she looked at Zhou Ye.
In her previous life, before the end of the world came, she was just a student who was still in school. At that time, the girls in her class liked to share novels and comics. When it came to the male protagonist, more people liked the kind of male protagonist who was cruel and ruthless to everyone but tender and affectionate to the female protagonist.
It's said that this kind of unique and special treatment is very sweet, but Lin Shu always wonders, what if the male protagonist changes his mind and takes back this exclusive love? In novels, the male protagonist will never change his mind, but reality is not like that.
There are too many variables in reality, and she prefers people who are already very good.
Of course, it cannot be the kind of central air conditioning that is nice to everyone, but a gentleman and a warm man who keeps a distance from strangers.
"Are you really not going?" Lin Shu looked at Zhou Ye, squinting her eyes and asked in a gentle tone.
"Well, I'm not good at this. Auntie San knows a lot, so it's just right for her to go with you."
"Then I'll leave this shoe stall to you. Aunt San and I will go for a stroll."
Zhou Ye nodded. "If you're hungry, order a snack at the teahouse. After you leave, go check out the shops Third Aunt mentioned. Follow Third Aunt on the way and don't wander around alone."
After saying this, he was still a little worried and told Zhang Qiaohua, "Aunt, there are a lot of people at the market. Ask Ah Shu to hold your hand and walk with you. Don't let the crowd separate you."
Before Zhang Qiaohua could react, the two men had already made arrangements. She was so shocked that her eyes widened. "No, you really want me to go?"
Lin Shu had already reached out and held her arm, pulling her out. "Third Aunt, let's go. First, let's go to the teahouse you mentioned to have some tea and listen to some books, and then we can go to the rouge shop, the handkerchief shop, and the spice shop..."
When the two walked away hand in hand, Lin Yushu looked at Zhang Qiaohua's back, which changed from hesitation to joy, and his eyes became red unconsciously.
"Brother Aye, thank you and Sister Ashu. My mother hasn't been to these places for a long, long time..." When he said the last part, his throat choked slightly.
To save money for his education, A'niang rose from the sky and went to bed late every day. Besides doing all the chores around the house, she spent the rest of her time making straw sandals and embroidering handkerchiefs. Apart from the handkerchief shop, she had not been to any teahouse, rouge shop, or spice shop for a long time.
Zhou Ye patted his shoulder and said nothing more, "Study hard. When you become successful, Third Aunt will be happier than anything else."
After saying that, he took out a few books he had just bought from the bookstore from his backpack and handed them to him, saying, "I'll take care of the stall. You go find a shady place to read. You can't help much if you stay here."
"Brother Aye, I..."
"Go ahead."
When Lin Yushu took the book and left, his eyes became even redder, and two tears almost fell from the corners of his eyes.
He actually used to think that Brother Aye was scary, he was clearly the best person.
-
The teahouse that Zhang Qiaohua mentioned was just opposite the Jiumanlou. Lin Shu had seen it before, but she didn't pay much attention to it at that time. She didn't expect that there was a storyteller in this teahouse.
When the two of them arrived, there were so many people that only a few corners could accommodate people.
Zhang Qiaohua muttered that the position was not good, but the excitement in her eyes and eyebrows did not diminish in the slightest.
Lin Shu didn't bring a basket, but she had some copper coins in her pocket. After ordering two bowls of loose tea, she waited with Zhang Qiaohua.
"Don't worry, don't worry. Wait another quarter of an hour and the storyteller will be out! I wonder if this storyteller is the same as last time, and if he's telling the same story."
Zhang Qiaohua said she was not in a hurry, but she stretched her neck and kept looking at the stage.
Lin Shu looked around the teahouse. Apart from a few private rooms in the interior covered by bamboo curtains, the rest of the tea tables and chairs were in the lobby.
The first two rows of tea tables and chairs were still painted carved wood, while the outer rows were filled with simple bamboo chairs and small square stools. For example, she and Third Aunt sat on low bamboo chairs.
As for the tea, it is also different. You can’t see it in the private room, but there are two types outside.
One type is gaiwan tea. It's a porcelain bowl with a matching lid and a tray. Lin Shu wasn't sure what the tea tasted like, but the way the drinker holds the tray with their left hand, uses the lid with their right hand to push away the floating leaves, and sips the tea—just the gesture of sipping tea itself—evokes a unique charm.
The other kind was the coarse tea she and her third aunt ordered. A coarse earthenware bowl, a few loose tea leaves thrown in, and a splash of boiling water made a bowl of tea.
And just for a bowl of boiling water with a few loose tea leaves, they charge five cents!
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