Chapter 165 Chapter 165 Update.
When Chen Che'er arrived here, he ate two large bowls of water-inducing cakes, wiped his mouth, and took out some mountain products from his bag, including dried mushrooms, dried bamboo shoots, lotus seeds, and a bag of wild rice from his hometown.
"Why did you bring this too? It must be so tiring to carry it all the way. I can buy this rice in Chang'an."
Tian took it and looked at it with curiosity.
Chen Che'er said, "My grandmother said these are from my hometown and taste different from those grown outside, so she asked me to bring them to you to try."
Tian was also touched and kept it carefully. She asked him if he was full and served him another bowl.
Chen Che'er said he was full. They hadn't seen him for many years. He had grown taller, but he was still thin and dark, and his appearance hadn't changed much. Feng and Zhu recognized him at a glance and called him Brother Che'er. Ji Feng asked him:
"Are Sui'er and Gou'er at home okay?"
"Everything is fine. I also asked you to say hello."
"Sister Xu has really made it big now. She has bought such a big house and is even going to open a restaurant. When the eldest brother of the Deng family came back from military service and told us about this, we were so shocked. This is Chang'an!
My eldest mother heard the message he brought back and said, "Chang'an is a good place. It would be a great honor for your ancestors if you could go out and try your luck." That's why I came here."
Ji Xu heard last year that Chen Che'er had become the apprentice of Wang Dianji from his hometown as he wished, learned the skills of accounting, and took care of the old man in his old age.
Wang Dianji had helped Ji Xu a lot, and she also asked her fellow villagers to bring back some funeral money.
Now that Wang Dianji was gone, Chen Che'er, an outsider hired by the Gan family, could no longer find a place in the Gan family and was squeezed out by Niu Dianji. He had no way to find a job in the county, as many people disliked him for having a slave as his master and didn't want him, so he continued to do the hard work of carrying bricks in the kiln.
The message was sent by Ji Xu to the eldest brother of the Deng family who had just finished his military service. The restaurant was in need of a bookkeeper, and she asked Chen Che'er if she was willing to work as a bookkeeper in her restaurant.
Chen Che'er said, "Thanks to Sister Xu's mediation, Master taught me his skills. Before he left, he was still talking about you, calling you Ji Steamed Cake. He complained that the steamed cakes I made weren't soft enough and wanted to eat yours. He also said that he enjoyed your stewed radish and mutton soup."
Speaking of his master, Chen Che'er couldn't help but wipe away tears.
"I received the funeral money from Sister Xu. Madam Gan is a kindhearted woman. Master passed away with dignity and was buried in the cemetery behind us. This way, we can have a place to pay our respects during festivals."
Ji Xu also thought of his old friend Wang Dianji, and his eyes turned red. Fortunately, Tian Shi consoled him and said:
"Everyone has to die, and it's best to die with dignity. You're there to see him off, which shows that he made the right choice to be his disciple. You've learned his skills, and he will have someone to carry on his legacy.
Stop crying, eat some of our fruit, and then tell me about other families. For example, tell me about Wang Mazi, the man who stole my cucumber and whom I grabbed and beat. How is his family doing now?
"His family..."
Gradually we talked about other things.
Because there were only girls in the family and Chen Che'er was a grown man, it was inconvenient for him to live at home, so Ji Xu took him to the wing room of the hotel and had him come home for tea and meals every day.
Tian asked about his size and bought him decent clothes. When the restaurant was built and opened, he would eat and live there.
Chen Che'er followed along and was stunned by the sights of this huge city. She exclaimed in amazement:
"If Sister Xu hadn't asked me to come, I would never have imagined that there was such a wealthy place. It's really an eye-opener."
The rainy season was over and the beginning of summer was approaching. Tian no longer made straw raincoats, but instead made sunshade hats and sold them to the scholars going to and from school.
Because her husband Yang Liu was about to return from Bashu with money earned from selling goods, Qiu Gu did not come to Tian's house to weave hats, but stayed with Wang'er to study every day.
Through the wall, I could sometimes hear her ordering Wang'er to study until midnight, saying:
"You've become wild, and all you know is playing Cuju with Erfeng and the others for fun. It's not good to live here. I've found a house near the elementary school. I'll move there when your grandfather comes back!"
And she told Tian that the house at Houjiaomen will be rented until the end of this month, and her husband Yang Liu will come back and will no longer rent it.
"I'll clean it up for you then and keep it the same as when you moved in."
She came to the door and said this briefly. The nuns who were weaving bamboo hats called her in to talk, but she said she had to go and pick up Wang'er and left.
At the end of the month, Yang Liu finally returned home, riding a tall horse and wearing bright clothes. He looked much more respectable than when he left home in a donkey cart and a half-worn robe.
The neighbors all asked him where he made his fortune.
On his way back to Sangshu Lane, Yang Liu chatted and laughed with his old neighbors:
"I, Yang Liu, have been so kind to you. This is the tea I brought back from Bashu. Please take it home and enjoy it."
At first, he banged on the gate of Tian's house and called Wang'er to open it. He was holding a lot of novel toys, such as clay carts, pottery figurines, and bamboo swords...
The neighbors told him:
"Your family moved to Houjiaomen last year. This house is now bought by Aunt Tian's family."
He just came to his senses and politely gave Jindou a bag of tea, asking her to give it to Tian, saying that his family had rented her house and this was a thank you.
Jindou took the tea leaves and walked in. Just then a gust of wind blew the curtain of the sedan chair askew. Jindou took a look and walked in. Hetiandou and the others muttered:
"Why is there a woman in the carriage?"
Ji Xu was in Gao City and saw a two-story restaurant rising from the ground. Craftsmen were gluing windows and painting the floor inside. This was the final finishing touch. Once the interior was properly decorated, it would be open for business.
From now on, she can cook here with peace of mind, the diners will eat and drink well, the restaurant will make money, and life at home will get better and better. Just thinking about it makes her happy.
However, although the kitchen and accountant positions have been selected, the waiters have not yet been decided. She plans to hire someone from outside who is good at speaking and can greet and see off guests. All these have to be arranged before the opening.
With this in mind, he rode home and saw Tian ordering Jindou to throw a bag of tea outside, saying:
"Throw this unfaithful man's tea leaves as far as possible!"
When asked why, Tian gestured and said:
"Didn't you see? Yang Liu brought a young woman back, and Aunt Qiu at the back door was arguing with him. How could there be such a heartless and unfaithful person in the world?"
"Stop! Stop!"
"Wang'er!"
A carriage was seen leaving from Mulberry Alley, with Yang Liu and his lover on board.
Lian Wang'er was also in the car. He didn't cry or make a fuss, and seemed to be leaving of his own accord.
Qiu Gu chased after him, but she fell and fell, and she still couldn't catch up. Suddenly, it started to rain on a sunny day, and the neighbors said:
"Even God can't stand it anymore."
"How could Wang'er be willing to leave? He was raised by Qiugu's grandmother."
Some also say:
"Aunt Qiu always locked him up at home and forced him to study. The child was reluctant to go with them."
"Which side are you on?"
The man stopped talking.
Aunt Liu helped Aunt Qiu up and said:
"Wang'er is still young. Yang Liu brought him back those toys. Maybe he was fascinated by them for a while. He will realize how good you, his biological mother, are in the future."
Jin also came to see the excitement. Because Qiu Gu had challenged her before and they didn't get along, she was a little hardened and said to herself:
"Call her frivolous. A prostitute, yet she looks down on people like us and even wants to move to Huai City. Humph, this is called retribution!"
A few days later, it was heard that Yang Liu had bought a small house on Mapo Street and settled down with his lover. He also sent a servant to deliver a letter of divorce to Qiu Gu.
It says that Qiu Gu beat her husband, was jealous, and did not practice virtue as a woman, so she wanted to be divorced.
Qiu Gu was illiterate, so the servant stood at the gate and read the sutras aloud to her. She was so angry that she started crying and cursing, and went to Mapo Street to find the couple to argue with them.
But in the end, she came back covered in dust and feeling disheartened. When people asked her what was wrong, she just shook her head.
Tian and other nuns in Sangshu Lane visited her one after another and gave her some water and rice.
She was a woman and no one invited her to perform anymore. In the past, Yang Liu would ask someone to bring back money for her and her son to use. Now, they had no source of income and could not even afford water or firewood. Their family was left with nothing.
On the first day of the next month, Tian asked Xiao Gu's husband, a bricklayer, to come to her house to renovate the house.
Because Qiu Gu said that the rent would only last until the end of the month, Tian originally planned to take back the warehouse and turn it into a house for the four maids.
The courtyard wall should be demolished and connected with the courtyard at home to make it more spacious. The west room where they originally lived can be used as a guest room.
This matter was planned at the beginning of the year. When it suddenly happened, Ji Xu and Tian said:
"Just wait a little longer. The Yang family on Mapo Street won't accept her. She's penniless and heartbroken now, so she has nowhere to go for the time being. Once she gets over this, we won't be in a hurry to take the house anymore."
Although Qiu Gu was a rather arrogant person, she was not a bad person and her family had even eaten the cheese pastries she gave them, so Tian agreed to do this.
I was just sending Jindou out to tell Xiao Gu's husband not to come and smash the wall for the time being.
I heard the sound of the courtyard door, and it was Qiu Gu who came in. She was carrying a simple bag and had lost a lot of weight.
"Where are you going to go in this state if you don't stay in the house to rest?"
Tian invited her in to talk, and Qiu Gu took out a bunch of house keys from her sleeve and gave them to her.
"We agreed to stay until the end of the month. I should move out today. I've already cleaned up the place. I'll leave some brooms and other things for the girls to use when they move in."
"I remember you married here from outside the Great Wall, and there's no one left in your hometown. Do you have a place to go after you leave?"
Tian asked, Qiu Gu sighed and shook her head.
"Let's sleep in the big bunk bed at the post station first and find a job. I'm afraid I can't afford to rent your house."
Poor families couldn't even think of renting out their house for one and a half taels a month. They used to dislike the vulgarity of the children here and thought that it would corrupt Wang'er, so they wanted to move him to a quieter place.
Now I can't even afford a penny to live here. I just hope I can find a job with food and accommodation, and a place to shelter from the wind and rain. Thinking of this, I couldn't help but smile bitterly.
Ji Xu was brewing tea there, and poured some for Qiu Gu. After a moment's thought, he said:
"Auntie Qiu, why don't you come to my restaurant? I'm looking for waiters. Once we open, we can greet and see off customers. Then, Auntie Qiu can live in the backyard of the restaurant. For the time being, you can stay at the back corner of my house. What do you think?"
Qiu Gu's eyes filled with tears when she heard this.
"You don't dislike me?"
"How could that be? From what I've seen, Qiu Gu used to be so comfortable visiting wealthy families. She was a great singer, so her voice must be excellent. If Qiu Gu could come, I wouldn't have to worry."
Tian also nodded to her words, and Qiu Gu bowed and thanked her.
"I was wrong before. I thought your family had no sons, and even if you were successful, you couldn't compare to other people with sons who could study and become officials. I always looked down on you. Now I'm divorced and become a married woman. My husband mistreats me, and my children ignore me. Only you nuns bring me water and rice... Now you are willing to hire me."
He was so moved that he wanted to kneel down, but was stopped by Tian's mother and daughter.
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