It wasn't until they reached the black market that Xu Zijiang released Yu Jiu's hand. The two of them casually went inside, found a good spot, and laid out the mugwort.
Xu Zijiang had just finished arranging the things when he took out the eggs again and gestured to them.
"Have an egg to fill your stomach. Don't worry, it's dimly lit here, and I'll be blocking your view. No one will be able to tell who you are."
The two had done some simple disguises, covering their faces with clothes before coming in. Given the dim lighting, it would probably be difficult for their own mother to recognize them.
"You eat too."
Yu Jiu thought for a moment, took the egg, cracked the shell open, and handed it back to him.
My wife is so good, so considerate, so kind!
Xu Zi was overjoyed, but his face remained frighteningly calm. He calmly bent down and bit off half of the egg from Yu Jiu's hand. As he chewed, he mumbled something.
"I want more."
It was like the drowsy, half-awake state of waking up in the morning, and... a little tempting. Coupled with this conversation, Yu Jiu bit her lip, feeling a predicament once again. Should she peel the egg or not? Why did her benefactor always give her such a difficult problem!
"Artemisia? How much? I want a bunch."
Just as he was hesitating, a customer arrived, and he squatted down to rummage through the pile of mugwort.
"Three for a dime. Don't scatter them. Aren't all mugwort plants the same? If you scatter them, I won't be able to sell them."
"This person's arrival is really too untimely," Xu Zijiang frowned and said with disdain.
"How am I supposed to know which mugwort is good if I don't examine it a bit? Three for a dime is way too expensive. It's something that's everywhere in the countryside. You're selling it for such a high price? Three for a penny would be more reasonable."
The uncle picked and chose, seemingly dissatisfied with the pile of mugwort.
"Then go pick them in the countryside. If you can pick them, why would you need to buy them? They're only three for a dime, take it or leave it."
Xu Zijiang retorted impatiently, his tone extremely arrogant.
Are you here to do business? Or are you here to cause trouble? Yu Jiu was speechless and choked with emotion. She peeled off the remaining eggshell and neatly stuffed the half-egg into his mouth.
"Shut up."
Yu Jiu gave him a low rebuke, then pushed him aside and went up to him to chat enthusiastically.
"Uncle, this stuff is available in the countryside, but it's not easy for us to search for it, pick it, and come to sell it in the middle of the night, is it? Besides, it's not worth it for you to make a trip to the countryside for just a penny or two. You could earn so much more with that time. You're from the city, where wages are higher, unlike us, who rely on this little bit of stuff to earn some money to buy food to fill our stomachs."
Since you're our first customer, we'll give you a discount: buy one cent and get one free, buy two cents and get two free, okay? Consider it a favor to you, patronizing our business.
Her voice was warm but not obsequious, and she was generous and capable. The uncle was satisfied with the plan.
“You’re right. That’s how a businessperson should act. Unlike that young man, who was like a firecracker, chasing customers away. Give me two cents’ worth, eight sticks in total. I’ll pick them myself.”
The uncle quickly picked out a few lush and vibrant mugwort leaves and readily paid for them.
Yu Jiu is right. This stuff does exist in the countryside, but not everyone has the time to travel all the way there to find it. Besides, it only costs a penny or two, so why make things so complicated? There's never a shortage of lazy but rich people in this world.
"Look, you've got two cents. You'll make as much as you sell. We're in business, so you can't be too rude. If necessary, say a few nice words, even a little flattery is fine. Anyway, nobody knows who you are, so it's not shameful."
Yu Jiu shook the money in her hand and gave him a serious lecture. At the same time, she was also worried. With his hot temper, he probably wouldn't even bother picking up money if it fell on the ground; no wonder he was so poor! And his clothes were so tattered!
At this moment, Yu Jiu had completely forgotten about Xu Zijiang's brick house, the meat he bought, and the eggs he casually boiled. Even if she remembered them, she probably thought he was just putting on a brave face. Her desire to help Xu Zijiang get rich became even stronger.
"You can't afford to mess with money, no matter who else you are! Money is so important!"
"Okay, I'll do whatever you say."
Hearing her disappointed tone, Xu Zijiang suppressed a laugh in the darkness, his lips slightly upturned. He nodded seriously, then playfully whispered in Yu Jiu's ear, asking softly.
"I've been so obedient, will I get a reward?"
"Yes, I'll reward you with ten minutes of quiet time, be good."
Without hesitation, Yu Jiu pinched the tip of her ear with one hand and tugged at Xu Zijiang's hair with the other, a standard gesture for soothing a large dog.
····
Xu Zijiang's smile vanished; what kind of reward was this?
The pile of mugwort was quite eye-catching, even though it was in a corner. With the Dragon Boat Festival approaching, many people were wondering how to get mugwort. After all, it didn't involve feudal superstition, so it was something worth doing. After getting off to a good start, customers kept coming in.
Most people only need a dime or two, but some might ask for more, perhaps fifty cents, to take home and cook. Don't underestimate a dime or two; with so many people buying, half the mugwort was gone in just over an hour.
At this point, the flow of customers slowed down slightly, creating a brief gap in customers' numbers. Yu Jiu finally had a chance to catch her breath. Xu Zi brought her the sweet soup at the opportune moment, and Yu Jiu didn't stand on ceremony, drinking it down without hesitation. The sweet soup made her feel both happy and content.
She leaned closer and asked quietly.
"So, how much money did you collect in total?"
Fearing that Xu Zi would drive away customers again, Yu Jiu was in charge of selling the goods while he was in charge of collecting the money. The two had a clear division of labor, and the money had already piled up into several thick stacks, making a considerable profit.
"It's ten yuan and eight mao in total."
Xu Zijiang quickly reported the number.
Only half of it has been sold and it's already worth about eleven yuan. If we can sell this bag today, we estimate we'll have twenty yuan. If we split it in half, we can each get ten yuan. Yu Jiu is very satisfied with this.
Her voice was even lower than before, carrying a strange allure.
"How about it? Isn't it more profitable to do business? We can earn ten or twenty yuan in just one night. How long would it take to earn work points? And it's tiring. Of course, I'm not telling you not to earn work points or to be lazy and shirk your responsibilities. I just think you should be more shrewd and try to do both. Wouldn't that make life easier?"
"That seems to make sense."
He half-heartedly agreed.
You know that's good. Yu Jiu is somewhat satisfied. A few more setups should be enough.
"That···"
She looked up, about to say something, her small mouth slightly open, when, by sheer coincidence, Xu Zijiang also looked down, his thin lips pressed against Yu Jiu's red lips, his tongue unconsciously brushing against her lips, bringing a tingling, itchy sensation, and both of them were electrified.
In the darkness, one looked up and the other bent over, with Xu Zijiang's arm still propped against the wall, seemingly in the most normal wall-slamming kissing position. It seemed that in just a second, the two could develop into an even more ambiguous scene.
Xu Zi's ruggedly handsome face was magnified in Yu Jiu's eyes. His red lips were pressed against hers by an unfamiliar, hot, and pleasant scent. His tongue was also eager to slip in through her lips. In an instant, Yu Jiu's face turned completely red, like a ripe peach.
"you!"
She bit her lip and pushed Xu Zijiang away, a little embarrassed and angry, and stuttering. Her eyes were misty with tears, whether from shame or anger, she didn't know, much like the misty beauty of Jiangnan shrouded in rain.
"I really didn't mean to, I just wanted to bend down to talk to you."
Xu Zijiang pleaded his innocence, raising his hand and solemnly swearing an oath.
Of course, that restless tongue wasn't something he instructed; it simply had its own ideas, and his brain didn't react in time to stop it.
Thinking of the soft touch and the fragrance of the young educated youth, Xu Zi licked his lips and shamefully got an erection, his crotch bulging.
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