"Okay, I'll take you to a clothing store to buy some clothes so you can change. Then I'll take you to a clinic to check your injuries and see if you need any ointment on your face. Come on, don't just squat here. It's hot, but you're soaked in sweat. If you catch a cold from the wind, I'll feel terrible."
Yan Hecheng urged Sun Xiangxiang to get up quickly.
Upon hearing this, Sun Xiangxiang smiled slightly, but her expression returned to normal the next second.
She slowly stood up, but after squatting for too long, her legs went numb, and she accidentally stumbled and fell backward.
How could Yan Hecheng just stand by and watch her fall again?
He could only step forward and suddenly grab her.
Their hands were intertwined.
Plus, there was no one at the alley entrance.
The atmosphere changed instantly.
"Yes, I'm sorry, I was reckless. I saw you were about to fall, so I... I'm really sorry."
Yan Hecheng quickly let go and took several steps back.
He's an old man over fifty, yet he took advantage of others.
Men and women should not touch each other! It's outrageous!
"It's alright, I know you're worried about me, ouch—" Sun Xiangxiang said in a coquettish voice, but before she could finish speaking, she suddenly sneezed.
"Oh no, you've already sneezed. Come with me right away. Let's change our clothes first, then go to the doctor's office. I'd better get you some medicine to drink in case you get a fever tonight."
Seeing that she didn't move, Yan Hecheng, being a kind-hearted farmer, assumed that she was embarrassed.
He simply picked up the basin, then pulled on Sun Xiangxiang's sleeve and walked forward, even abandoning the grass carp on the ground. Only when he saw people coming did he let go of her sleeve to avoid suspicion.
The two walked to the clothing shop one after the other.
"Oh my, isn't this Grandpa Yan? Are you here to buy clothes, or what?"
As luck would have it, the clothing shop the two visited belonged to Manager Ma.
Whenever Yan Xia's family orders custom-made clothes, they always ask Manager Ma to do it.
So she recognized Yan Hecheng at a glance.
"Oh my, Manager Ma, this shop is yours? Goodness, the clothes are all quite nice. I just bought some fish and bumped into this lady on my way home, getting her clothes soaked. I was thinking of getting her a new outfit as compensation. Why don't you pick one out for her, something nice and a bit more expensive?"
Yan Hecheng's pockets were bulging, all thanks to the pocket money Yan Xia gave him.
He doesn't buy anything on a regular basis, except occasionally a little trinket for his great-granddaughter, plus grass carp that he often changes.
The rest were saved up.
It weighs a full twenty taels.
“Alright, how about these two outfits, Madam? They are made of the finest fabrics in the shop, and the patterns are also the latest. Madam, you have a simple and elegant appearance, and you will definitely look good in light-colored clothes. If you like them, I will take them to the backyard for you to try on.”
Manager Ma didn't ask any more questions. After she readily agreed, she began to introduce the place to Sun Xiangxiang.
"That's fine, no need to try it on again, I'm not picky," Sun Xiangxiang said casually, pointing to one of the items.
"Madam has excellent taste! The fabric of this outfit is the famous Light Smoke Silk. Wearing it feels like wearing gauze, so light and breathable. The embroidery on the outfit is also superb. It was all done by embroiderers from Jiangnan. It took almost half a year to make one set. Come, Madam, please come with me. Our shop doesn't have any partitions, so you can only try it on in the backyard."
Manager Ma never expected that the one she casually pointed to was the most expensive.
This outfit is much cheaper than the other one.
The other set only costs 6 taels of silver.
This one in my hand costs eighteen taels.
This was the lowest price she offered, out of consideration for Yan Xia.
If you were to sell it to someone else, it would fetch at least twenty-two taels.
"Wow, that's really nice! It must be expensive, right? Then I don't want it. Just give me the cheapest one." Sun Xiangxiang said, looking at the clothes in Manager Ma's hands with a reluctant gaze.
Yan Hecheng noticed this.
He said to Manager Ma, "This outfit is fine. Take her to the backyard to try it on. If it fits, keep her in it and don't change her."
Although Yan Hecheng felt sorry for him, he was the one who was at fault.
We have no choice but to accept our fate.
"Alright, madam, please come with me."
Sun Xiangxiang pretended to be reluctant to keep up with her, but as she turned around, a hint of triumph flashed in her eyes, unseen by anyone.
Yan Hecheng sat in the shop, shaking the empty basin in his hand. He was filled with regret, his heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys aching. How could he have forgotten to take the grass carp? Now the fish would definitely be gone when he got back, or even if they were, they would all be dead.
We've lost a fortune.
I wish I hadn't come out today.
It would be better to pay some money to have a servant run errands for him.
Just as he was feeling frustrated, the curtain in the backyard was lifted.
Manager Ma came out first, followed by Sun Xiangxiang.
She changed into new clothes, which enhanced her beauty even further.
She lowered her head slightly and gently touched her clothes with both hands.
She raised her head again and looked at Yan Hecheng with grateful eyes.
"Not bad, it looks great. I'll take this outfit. Manager Ma, how much is it?" Yan Hecheng took out his purse from his waist and asked Manager Ma.
"This outfit costs eighteen taels of silver. There's nothing I can do about it; the fabric and the time required are what they are. I can't make much money from it." This is true.
This outfit has been sitting on the market for several months, since spring, and it still hasn't sold because the price is too high. The original price was 28 taels, then it was changed to 26 taels, then 25 taels, and it's still up now.
The price has been reduced to twenty-two taels.
The cost is sixteen taels.
Compared to cheaper clothes, it looks like I made a profit.
But she lost a lot of money.
"Hiss, that's quite expensive. Here, it's eighteen taels. I'll give you half a tael more. Can you find a seamstress to mend the clothes this lady was wearing?"
Yan Hecheng counted a few silver ingots and then placed the smallest piece of silver on the table.
He considered everything very thoroughly.
"No need, no need. It's just mending some clothes. It won't cost much. I'm familiar with Manager Yan. I'm very grateful that you're patronizing my business. Madam, mending clothes takes at least three days. You can come to the shop to pick it up in three days. I recognize you. I'm in the shop every afternoon, but not necessarily in the morning, so it's best if you come in the afternoon."
Shopkeeper Ma pushed away the loose silver, taking only eighteen taels. She told Sun Xiangxiang when she would pick up the clothes.
"Okay, I understand."
Sun Xiangxiang nodded.
Seeing that Manager Ma refused to accept the money, Yan Hecheng had no choice but to put away the loose silver and leave the shop. He then took Sun Xiangxiang to the clinic.
"Madam's pulse is strong, and her face is slightly red but there is no swelling or bruising. She does not need to take medicine or apply any ointment. If she is in pain, she can go home and rest for a few days."
The doctor at the clinic has excellent medical ethics.
They did not prescribe medication indiscriminately in order to make money.
In the end, Yan Hecheng only paid the consultation fee and left.
"I don't know how to address you. I just heard the shopkeeper of that clothing store call you Old Master Yan. And who is Shopkeeper Yan?"
As the two exited the clinic, Sun Xiangxiang pretended not to recognize him and asked...
"Manager Ma is talking about my daughter. She runs a shop in town, and everyone calls her Manager Yan. You look a few years older than my daughter, so you should be of the same generation as her. You can call me Uncle Yan." Yan Hecheng's words left Sun Xiangxiang speechless. If she really called him Uncle, how could she continue acting?
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