Chapter 98 A Prophecy Come True
Sheng Yuan's business is booming; they serve at least two groups of customers every day, and their roast chicken and glutinous rice dumplings are selling very well.
In addition, playing cards and billiards are two other recreational activities that are very popular and well-received by guests.
Some guests are willing to queue up and spend a lot of money to dine at Shengyuan Restaurant just to play cards or ball games.
By the end of the month, the workshop that cooperated with Shengyuan brought in two hundred decks of cards, which were all bought up by customers who came after hearing the news in less than three days.
These guests not only enjoy the products themselves, but also give them as gifts to relatives, friends, or business partners.
For a time, playing cards became the most popular pastime among the upper class in Qingzhou City. Gambling houses were all studying playing cards, preparing to add a new game to their gambling establishments.
Fortunately, Sheng An didn't know, otherwise he would definitely have cursed her for this terrible thing.
Before long, the even colder winter months arrived. Sheng An, who was so busy he barely had time to breathe, decided to take a few days off and had Shu Qi hang a sign on the gate of Sheng Garden announcing that the business would be closed for three days.
Shuqi, Baolan, and the others were given three days off to go out and have fun on their own. Sheng'an also planned to go back to Huaishu Village to see if Zhang Zhaodi's bamboo weaving skills had improved.
Upon learning that their granddaughter was going back to the village, Grandpa and Grandma Sheng also wanted to go back and visit.
They have close friends and relatives in the village, and they miss each other dearly after not seeing each other for so long.
To put it bluntly, at their age, they could collapse and enter their coffins at any time, and every meeting would be one less. The two elders did not want to leave any regrets.
Xu Chenglin couldn't stand being alone, so he decided to go back to his old house to visit his neighbors.
So early that morning, the four of them left Xu Jinnian, who was standing in the cold wind, and happily boarded a bullock cart to pick up passengers and left.
Xu Chenglin got off the car at the entrance of the old house, and the three of them continued to walk towards Huai Shu Village. As a result, they encountered Liu Huazhi walking out alone at the entrance of the village.
Liu Huazhi didn't see Sheng An in the carriage; she just glanced at the oxcart casually and continued walking along the village road.
Sheng An leaned out of the car window and mischievously shouted at Liu Huazhi's back, "Are you rushing off to meet your lover in this cold weather?"
Liu Huazhi was startled. When she turned around, she met Sheng An's smug smile and immediately gritted her teeth in hatred: "You jinx, don't talk nonsense and ruin my reputation!"
Sheng An chuckled: "So you still have a reputation? Who was the one who cheated someone out of a silver bracelet, and whose mother came knocking on your door demanding it back?"
Liu Huazhi's face turned ashen, and she spat out angrily: "None of your business!"
Having said that, fearing that Sheng An would continue to expose his shortcomings, he quickly ran two miles away and disappeared from the sight of the three generations of grandfather and grandson.
Sheng An clicked his tongue in admiration: "They run really fast. If they used that energy to plow the fields, they would definitely get a few more bushels of grain in the fall."
Hearing her granddaughter's teasing words, Grandma Sheng couldn't help but laugh: "Alright, it's cold outside, let's hurry into the village."
Sheng An obediently rolled down the car window and followed the swaying oxcart into the village.
Not far away, Liu Huazhi stopped panting, looking back with lingering fear. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw no sign of the oxcart at the village entrance: "That jinx, nothing good ever comes from running into her!"
After saying that, she spat again and turned to walk away.
Little did they know that their words would become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Suddenly, a person darted out from the dense, withered grass by the roadside, and Liu Huazhi instinctively screamed.
Upon closer inspection, it was discovered that it was Tong Baogen, who had a limp.
Liu Huazhi was so angry that she cursed loudly: "You cripple, why aren't you staying at home? What are you doing out here scaring people!"
The words "crippled bastard" deeply stung Tong Baogen's sensitive heart. His previously normal face contorted in pain, and he staggered forward, grabbing Liu Huazhi by the neck.
"You bitch, you're the one who ruined me!"
Liu Huazhi's face turned red from being pinched, and her eyelids rolled back: "You, you let me go! Murder is illegal! You, you don't want to live!"
Tong Baogen's expression turned sinister: "I'm already a cripple, what's the point of having this worthless life!"
After saying that, he grabbed Liu Huazhi's hair with his other hand and dragged her forcefully into the woods not far away.
Liu Huazhi was terrified and immediately guessed what Tong Baogen was planning. She grabbed her hair with one hand and tried to pry the large hand off her neck with the other: "Let's talk this out. I'll apologize to you, okay? I'll give you money..."
Before leaving, she used all sorts of nice words to ask Peng Chunlan for a coin.
Originally, I planned to go into town to buy some good food and send it to Xu Huaining in Yunxian Town, but I didn't expect to encounter this kind of thing.
Even though Liu Huazhi was unwilling, there was no one else around, so she could only spend money to appease the crazed Tong Baogen.
Upon hearing the word "money," Tong Baogen hesitated for a moment.
Before Liu Huazhi could even catch her breath, her scalp relaxed, Tong Baogen's dirty hand reached into her chest.
Before he became disabled, Tong Baogen had always coveted Liu Huazhi's beauty, but he never had the chance to make a move.
He wouldn't let such a golden opportunity slip by.
"You...you shouldn't do this..."
Liu Huazhi was terrified and turned pale. She trembled as she spoke softly to Tong Baogen, hoping that he would have a change of heart and not lay a hand on her.
Tong Baogen was not going to be soft-hearted. His actions became increasingly brazen, and a disgusting lewd smile appeared on his face: "You made me a cripple and prevented me from getting married. You should have been mine long ago!"
Having said that, without caring that someone might pass by at any moment, he ripped open Liu Huazhi's clothes and was about to take her right there.
Liu Huazhi's body stiffened, and her face turned deathly pale.
When Tong Baogen's rough, dirty hand reached for his waistband, she finally woke up and, in a moment of quick thinking, raised her foot and kicked him hard in his erect crotch.
"ah--"
A bloodcurdling scream, like a pig being slaughtered, echoed across the empty fields, startling countless egrets that were foraging for food by the river.
Sheng An, who had already arrived at the Zhang family and met Zhang Zhaodi, was unaware that Liu Huazhi had almost been ruined by Tong Baogen. He was admiring Zhang Zhaodi's newly composed rural tale with great interest.
Indeed, Zhang Zhaodi has successfully advanced her skills, fully integrating bamboo weaving techniques with real life, and spent several days and nights weaving a work that can be described as perfect.
The rural scenery is not very rustic; it's only about a foot square.
In the very center is a palm-sized thatched bamboo hut, with a small courtyard in front of it where chickens and ducks are foraging for food.
A stream flows gently along the side of the courtyard. Birds perch on the water's edge, some flapping their wings as if about to take flight, some bowing their heads to forage for food, and others gazing at their reflections in the water.
Downstream are fields of freshly harvested rice, where children can be seen picking up ears of rice.
The tiny figures are only the size of a little finger, yet each strand of hair is clearly visible, and their facial expressions are very lifelike, making it easy to distinguish between male and female.
That's amazing!
"Zhao Di, I want to take this with me. I'm sure I can sell it for a good price!"
Sheng An liked it more and more as she looked at her best friend, her eyes sparkling: "You've improved so much in such a short time, you're simply a genius!"
Zhang Zhaodi's eyes crinkled with laughter at the praise, but she humbly replied, "Is it really that good? Can it really fetch a good price?"
Sheng An affirmed, "Absolutely!"
If no one recognizes its value, she'll keep it for herself and display it on the antique shelf in the second-floor living room.
"Okay, you can take it. I'll send the rest over to you once they're finished."
Zhang Zhaodi, her face flushed with confidence, showed Sheng An her half-finished product:
"My knowledge is limited, so I can only refer to the people and things around me. This bamboo weaving of two dogs fighting was inspired by a few days ago when I saw two dogs fighting and a group of people gathered around to watch. I found it interesting and wrote it down."
After listening, Sheng An gave it high praise: "It has a strong sense of everyday life, and your bamboo weaving skills are particularly good. I'm sure many people will like it."
Most importantly, Zhang Zhaodi did a very good job with the color correction; she clearly put in a lot of hard work.
A girl with such dedication, perseverance, and talent is bound to succeed as long as she finds the right direction to work towards.
After discussing several unfinished bamboo weaving products, Sheng An was also very concerned about the progress of Zhang Zhaodi and Zhang Daikui's relationship:
"My aunt and uncle must have been very busy lately, as they haven't come to visit. I wonder how Da Kui is doing."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Zhaodi looked puzzled: "Didn't you often have Da Kui deliver meat and bones to my house, saying that bamboo weaving is mentally taxing and that I should eat more meat to nourish myself?"
Sheng An's face stiffened.
What a rascal! He actually used her name to send meat to Zhao Di to curry favor with her.
If you're going to give it to me, why didn't you tell me beforehand? Aren't you afraid of being exposed?
Sheng An mentally complained, then pretended to be annoyed and slapped his forehead: "Look at my brain, I've been so busy lately that I completely forgot about this."
Zhang Zhaodi had no doubts, and her face showed concern: "So busy? Why don't you find a few more helpers?"
Sheng An shook his head: "I'm busy enough for now, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to come see you today."
After that, the topic shifted to Zhang Daikui: "Didn't Daikui talk to you about his marriage prospects? He'll be eighteen next year, and if he can't find a wife, his younger sister won't be able to have a good New Year."
Zhang Zhaodi laughed and said, "What's the rush at eighteen? I'll be seventeen next year, and my parents aren't worried at all."
Sheng An smiled and said, "Your aunt and uncle may not be in a hurry, but they definitely hope you find a good husband."
At this point, she sighed: "Da Kui's personality is too introverted, no wonder he's not good at finding a wife."
Zhang Zhaodi comforted him, "Is Brother Da Kui alright? My parents both praise him for his steady and good character."
Sheng An's eyes lit up; this was good news.
Seeing this, Zhang Zhaodi helplessly patted her on the shoulder: "I really have no feelings for your cousin Da Kui, so just give up on that idea."
What she didn't say was that her parents thought highly of Zhang Daikui and had considered having An'an act as a matchmaker to bring her and Zhang Daikui together, but they didn't voice this idea because they knew she had it.
She knew in her heart that Zhang Daikui was a good person, but the shock of their first meeting was too great, making it impossible for her to have any ambiguous thoughts about him.
Sheng An was unaware of this and shook Zhang Zhaodi's hand, saying, "To be honest, if you're interested in Da Kui, I'd really like to see you two become even closer."
Zhang Zhaodi chuckled and pointed to the pastoral scene: "Let's put aside whether we're close or not, you help me sell this, and no matter how much or how little money you make, I'll give you half."
After saying that, she winked playfully and said, "If I become rich and powerful, don't forget me."
Even close brothers should keep clear accounts. Zhang Zhaodi knew very well that no matter how exquisite her bamboo weaving was, she still needed to use Shengyuan to raise her status, and she was willing to share half of the profits.
I absolutely do not want money to cause any friction with Sheng Ansheng and affect our long-standing friendship.
Sheng An understood Zhang Zhaodi's meaning and readily agreed, "Then I won't stand on ceremony!"
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