Chapter 15 Xie Family Shop
Xie Yuduo had just returned from the shop a while ago. Seeing that Chen Qi was sleeping soundly, he did not call her. Instead, he sat by the bed and watched her quietly for a long time.
Early this morning, as soon as he arrived at the front shop, he was surrounded and cheered by all the shop assistants.
"Second Master, why are you here so early today? Did you not sleep all night last night?"
"Oh, that's a physically demanding job. I need to take a break today and recuperate!"
"I'm afraid he made the new grandma angry last night and was sent here!"
Everyone laughed. Xie Yuduo smiled slightly, raised his long legs, and pretended to kick the boy closest to him.
"Xiao Wu, what did you do yesterday? Do you think I'll forgive you?"
The boy who was kicked was smart. He dodged it quickly and smiled.
"You only treated me to a few extra drinks. Is that worth kicking me? When we were about to leave, I blocked several drinks for you. Have you forgotten?"
"Remember, I'll settle the score with you someday."
Xie Yuduo walked up to the counter and said to the accountant with a smile, "I didn't have a good time drinking with you all yesterday. I'll take some money out of the account and give each of you one tael. Put it in my account."
The men cheered in unison. Their monthly salary was only one and a half taels of silver, but this reward was enough for half a month's salary. It seemed that Mr. Xie was in a good mood today.
"Look, our Second Master has married the angel-like Second Wife, how happy he is!"
"That's right, he was smiling all day yesterday. I've never seen the Second Master smile like that before!"
"When you marry such a good wife in the future, you will wake up laughing in your dreams, hahahaha."
Everyone was talking and laughing when an older manager came over and said a few words. The guys then fell silent and went back to their own business.
Xie Yuduo called out to the steward who had just arrived.
"Uncle Tang, my family has been busy with the betrothal and wine ceremony lately, and I've troubled you with the things at the shop. I'll treat you to a nice drink another day."
"Look at what you're saying, Second Master. This is all my responsibility. You've only been back a few months, so take some time to rest. I'm enough up front. Even our eldest master, although he's always at home, rarely comes up front. Whenever there's something going on, I'll go to the study to find him, it's the same."
Xie Yuduo looked at Manager Tang, who had an honest look on his face, and patted him on the shoulder with a smile.
"That's fine."
This manager Tang is named Tang Mingchang.
His father worked as a clerk in the herbal medicine shop on Silver Lion Street since he was a child. He was the most useful person under the Xie family's grandfather. He became a manager in his thirties and watched the Xie family expand from a small shop to a herbal medicine shop with five storefronts.
When his own son grew up to be a teenager, he would bring him to the shop to run errands and do chores.
Seven or eight years ago, when Old Man Tang passed away, Xie Yan let Tang Mingchang take over and become the manager of the medicine shop.
At present, Manager Tang is in his forties and has also bought a two-story house in the county.
Because he is of the same generation as his father Xie Yan and second uncle Xie Ang, and he knows the business of the herbal medicine shop very well, the brothers Xie Yuming and Xie Yuduo also respectfully call him Uncle Tang when they see him.
"Second Master, I have something to tell you. A few days ago, two guests from Huaiyang came in with a lot of fine goods to exchange for taxes. They'll exchange them all for just one hundred taels of silver."
Xie Yuduo asked, "Didn't they say there was a shortage of goods?"
Generally, medicine dealers would first hold the goods in stock, exchange them for half of the money, and then collect the full amount of money after three to five months.
"Oh, he said he was in a hurry to get home and won't come again."
"Well, what are the small items?"
Manager Tang was stunned. He didn't expect the second master to continue asking. Usually, if it was the master of the second house, he would ask the accountant to take the money without even raising his head.
"It's mostly astragalus and white atractylodes, with some Chuanxiong and Gastrodia elata, but not much. I took a closer look and it's really good stuff, and great value for money."
"Then ask someone to bring the goods over and have Big Brother take a look before approving the paperwork."
Manager Tang smiled.
"Master probably wasn't home this morning and didn't come until lunchtime. You don't know, but he never looks at these things when he's around. He just keeps accounts in the shop, as I've heard. I told them to bring the goods over, but they said they lived in Handkerchief Alley, a back street, and it was hard to get in with a car. They only told me to come and see the goods myself before they were reassured."
Xie Yuduo pondered for a moment.
"In that case, let Xiaowu come with me to take a look. If it's really a good piece, just take the money and buy it."
Tang Mingchang panicked for a moment, then immediately replied seriously.
"It's not worth it for you to go there in person, just ask me to go."
"I haven't been around town for a while. I remember there's a shop in front of Handkerchief Lane that makes the best hawthorn cakes. I'm craving some now."
Seeing that Xie Yuduo was determined to leave, Tang Mingchang had no choice but to write down the address and name on a piece of paper. He really called Xiaowu and went with him.
The two men rode over and took a look. They found that the fine material was indeed a rare and good commodity.
The two Huaiyang guests lived in a small shop at the end of Handkerchief Lane. They wore embroidered clothes, had full beards, and could not speak Mandarin, but spoke with a Huaiyang accent.
The customer from Huaiyang was anxious to have Xie Yuduo take the goods with one hand and pay with the other, and he pulled him aside and said a bunch of good things to him.
Xie Yuduo looked at the two men's behavior, remained calm, and just said that there was still a lot of stock in the shop and they didn't need these things. He immediately called Xiaowu and rode back on horseback.
When he arrived at the shop, Xie Yuduo saw that Tang Mingchang was not there, so he took the snacks he had just bought and went to the backyard first.
In the east wing, Chen Qi had just woken up, her hair disheveled and her eyes bleary.
In a daze, she saw Xie Yuduo sitting beside the bed, and her heart tightened again.
"Is it time for lunch? I'm late again!"
Xie Yuduo smiled and pushed the beautiful woman who had just woken up back onto the pillow.
"There's still more than half an hour left, so you can go to sleep peacefully."
Chen Qi refused to sleep anymore.
"It's not time yet. Why did you come back early? Is there something wrong?"
Xie Yuduo tidied up her drooping hair, his eyes filled with tenderness.
"Nothing. I'm just worried about you, so I always want to come back and see you."
Chen Qi smiled and said, "I'm not a child anymore. How could I get lost? There's nothing to worry about."
Now the two were close to each other, the room was bright, and Chen Qi had the courage to look at him carefully.
She has broad shoulders and a slim waist, clear features and a high nose bridge. When you look at her, there is always an unconcealable smile in her eyes.
It seems that he should... like himself, right?
"I've been here for a while. You seem to be sleeping soundly. Are you still in pain?"
In fact, I still have the feeling of him in my body.
It was clearly something they did together, but Chen Qi was still a little embarrassed to mention it.
"I... really don't feel any pain anymore. Maybe it's because I didn't get enough sleep last night, and after breakfast I walked around the house for a long time, so I'm a little exhausted."
"Then sleep a little longer."
Chen Qi couldn't sleep any more. She straightened her sleep-tangled hair and prepared to get up.
"It's a joke."
Instead, Xie Yuduo held her down and lay down himself.
"Let me see who dares to laugh at me."
Chen Qi had no choice but to lean against him, leaning on the pillow together, and rest for a while.
"Have you visited everyone at home?"
"Except for the shop in front of you, I've walked around everywhere."
"Well, the shop is crowded and busy these days. I'll take you for a tour later."
"good."
"Business is busy at noon, so we don't come back for lunch. We prepare meals at home and have them delivered to the shop, where we eat with the guys."
"Um."
"After my mother passed away, Second Aunt has been taking care of the food in the shop. I heard that she has been complaining for the past few years, saying that my eldest sister-in-law has been in poor health and she has no help. In our courtyard, my eldest sister will be returning to the provincial capital in a few days, and Yujing is too young, so for a while, I may need your help to take care of it."
After hearing this, Shen Qi quickly stood up and nodded.
"It just so happens that I see that there are servants at home who cook and wash clothes, and I can't help much. If I have this job in the future, at least I will have something to do."
Xie Yuduo pulled her back and held her in his arms.
"There's no rush for this. Just let me know about this first. If you find it tedious later, I can find a way. It's not necessary to do it."
"good."
Chen Qi asked again: "Will you come back for dinner tonight?"
Xie Yuduo's lips curled up slightly, a smile flashed in his eyes, and he looked into the eyes of the person in his arms.
"Why, did you miss me?"
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