The teahouses took turns, and today it was Zhang Fangyuan and Xu He who went home to sleep. After having dinner at the teahouse and making some dishes for tomorrow, Xu He and Zhang Fangyuan took a cart back home.
The moonlight was clear, Xu He was leaning on the cart, which was shaking. He actually felt a little stuffy and wanted to vomit. He turned slightly to see the person next to him, driving the horse, and he remembered something, and the corners of his mouth actually curled up slightly.
Xu He originally didn't want to ask him where he went and what he did in the city. Anyone would be annoyed if he asked him so much. Besides, he didn't think Zhang Fangyuan would do that. This is what I think rationally, but I feel depressed if I don't ask it. If it is really true, what should I do if he goes to find a brothel?
The more I thought about it, the worse it looked. For no reason I suddenly felt panicky.
He reached out his hand to touch the back of the hand of the person next to him, but before he could open his mouth, his hand was grabbed by the person: "Is it cold in the carriage at night?"
Without waiting for Xu He to ask if he was cold, Zhang Fangyuan's slightly bulging arms pulled him in front of him and let him lean on his chest.
Xu He smelled a faint fragrance on the man, like the scent of flowers in the wind on the corner of the fence. Such a fragrance seemed a bit out of place on the rough and fierce man, but it did not prevent it from smelling good, and it made the man become a little gentler.
The depression in his heart seemed to be soothed a little, and he did not struggle, but just leaned against Zhang Fangyuan as he wished.
The night breeze is gentle and the moon and stars are sparse. It's August now, and the weather is still very hot during the day. The villagers have begun to busy themselves with picking corn cobs. It is another busy farming season.
Sow in spring and harvest in autumn, year after year.
Zhang Fangyuan was driving the carriage with one hand. The person in his arms was so well-behaved that he couldn't help but turn his head to take a look.
Xu He's eyelashes drooped slightly, her face was white and smooth in the moonlight, her shoulders were loose, and she snuggled up to him like a kitten.
Xu He is usually aloof and capable, and rarely says sweet words. When the two of them were living together and had just gotten married, they were quite affectionate with each other. When they had nothing to do, they would hold hands and hug each other. Later, as they were busy with the affairs of the tea stall, they seldom went to the city together. During the busy times, they were indeed not as close as before.
Although they have never been sick of each other, it does not mean that Zhang Fangyuan does not want to be sick of him. The important thing is that he sees that Xu He is very career-oriented, and he seems to be very idle if he always sits idle and sick of others, so he wants to find something to do.
Once things get busy, everyone is really busy.
"I think I'm a little cold."
Zhang Fangyuan paused for a moment, then hugged him tighter. "I noticed that you looked a little listless during dinner. Are you too tired or feeling unwell?"
"Not tired." In the past, during the busy autumn harvest season, he would get up early and work late every day, as everyone had to hurry to harvest the ripe crops in the fields. The corns are peeled off their husks one by one and taken home to be placed in the yard to dry. Then the corn is peeled off the cobs into kernels, dried again, and stored.
I dare not take a break. After finishing this crop, it is time to harvest the rice, which is almost as busy as harvesting corn. If we don't hurry, the over-ripe crops will fall off. We are also worried that the weather will be bad and there will be continuous heavy rains, so the crops will not be dried or will get damp and become moldy.
When the government officials come to collect the land tax, they will be in a state of panic again.
There was no crop at home this year, so they turned to business. Although they still had to get up early and go to bed late, busy entertaining guests during the day and preparing dishes for the next day at night, they didn't have to go to the fields to get their skin cracked by the sun.
Things have gotten much better. But he felt depressed, and it had been a while. Previously, he was worried that the tea stall would lose money, and the hot weather might cause him to have heatstroke. And today... It turned out that people should not be too idle.
Zhang Fangyuan heard that his voice was a little lazy, but he said he was not tired. When he wanted to pinch Xu He's soft face under the moonlight, Xu He moved his eyes and asked, "Do you have enough money to spend recently?"
"Of course it's enough. You've given me so much."
"Hmm." Xu He thought for a moment and said, "What have you bought recently?"
Zhang Fangyuan listened carefully and silently, as if Xu He had often said in his ear before that he had become accustomed to not spending money carelessly. Even though he had money in his pocket, he subconsciously thought that he had no money.
“No.”
"So...did you go anywhere to play?"
Zhang Fangyuan laughed: "I'm not a child, what kind of stupid questions are you asking? Besides, I'm in charge of the shop, where can I go to play?"
Xu He looked at him for a long time. Never mind, he believed him.
"I see."
Zhang Fangyuan felt that Xu He was a little weird, but he couldn't tell what was wrong, so he teased him and went up to him and kissed the bridge of his nose.
Xu He did not struggle. He felt a soft and slightly itchy tingling on the bridge of his nose. He just opened his pair of black and white eyes and looked at people, which made Zhang Fangyuan feel a little embarrassed.
Zhang Fangyuan withdrew his hand and scratched the back of his head. It was just in time to get off the official road and go to the village, which eased his embarrassment.
"What's wrong?"
"Hmm?" Zhang Fangyuan glanced back at Xu He: "What's wrong?"
Xu He did not answer him. It was already quite late today. Even those villagers who usually worked overtime at night to harvest the crops had returned home at this time.
The two of them fell into silence, and around them they could hear the familiar chirping of insects and frogs.
There was no one around: "Why don't you kiss?"
Xu He was lost in thought for a long while, when he suddenly felt that Zhang Fangyuan was staring at him. His eyes suddenly widened and a burning sensation rose on his face.
He subconsciously wanted to turn his head away, but the man's hand blocked his way before he could. Soon he was enveloped by a heavy breath, and his lips felt warm, eager and exciting...
Zhang Fangyuan held the waist of the person beside him. In fact, he seldom touched Xu He except in bed. His lips were slightly cool, but his mouth was warm. The feeling was no less than being in bed with him. Even though kissing was much easier than going to bed, he always felt that such a good thing would not happen easily.
So most of the time when he was happy or liked Xu He from the bottom of his heart, he would just hold his hand, or hug him, or at most kiss him on the face.
But if you think about it carefully, it seems that Xu He always just said lip service to asking him not to do that outside, which makes people think that he is a playboy, but in fact he only said it after the fact and did not resist when it happened.
Perhaps, he should like me and him being so close.
He didn't let go of the person in his arms until he was a little breathless, and then he lingered and kissed his red lips lightly. Xu He's two legs hanging outside the cart had already become limp, and now he was leaning between Zhang Fangyuan's broad shoulders and arms like a young animal.
He felt that he must be like a sun-dried cowpea, soft and yet very tough, and it would not hurt to wrap it around his arm.
In his reverie, he suddenly laughed out loud while buried in Zhang Fangyuan's arms.
"why are you laughing?"
Zhang Fangyuan pulled the man with trembling shoulders out of his arms. He had never been very confident when they first got married because of some things, and this reaction now was too discouraging.
"Am I not good?"
"Okay." Xu He blushed.
"Then you're still laughing?"
"I'm just laughing at myself." Xu He pursed his lips, his eyes curved. His eyes were big, and even when he laughed hard, his eyes didn't squint, but his pupils were like blooming flowers: "My legs are a little weak."
Zhang Fangyuan was suddenly pleased and smiled slightly.
Xiao Hei dragged the two of them into the yard. He didn't wait for Xu He to come down. Brother Zhang was in a particularly good mood today, and Xiao He was treated well. He was not carried directly on his shoulders, but was carried horizontally into the house.
The next day, when Xu He got up, Zhang Fangyuan had already gone to the city to set up a stall. The morning breeze brushed his face, and yesterday's discomfort was swept away. He felt very energetic again. After a simple meal at home, he went to the tea stall.
In the morning, there were many people passing by on the official road, most of them coming to prepare dry food.
When Xu He arrived, he saw a lot of villagers gathered in the open space next to the tea shed. Some of them spread two banana leaves on the ground, and some spread a piece of cloth. They set up stalls with fruits and vegetables, as well as some homemade handicrafts, such as backpack ropes, chicken coops and winnowing baskets, etc. In short, they were all things that farmers could use.
Suddenly I remembered that on the seventh day of every month, villagers from nearby villages would come here to set up stalls, sell small items or barter.
Xu He muttered that he should have come earlier. It was always lively on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month. Ever since Zhang Fangyuan kept bringing some sauces, wine, ingredients and other things home to store in the tea shed, their tea shed was now like a grocery store where one could eat, drink and buy things. Their business was the best when they set up the stall.
When we entered the tea shed, we saw five or six people eating and resting in the room, which was unprecedented. In the kitchen, Zhang Shiyue and Xiao E were busy preparing rice cakes and biscuits.
"Come here?"
Xu He said, "So many guests came this morning. They look so unfamiliar. I'm afraid they are not from the surrounding villages."
Zhang Shiyue smiled and said, "I heard that they are peddlers from Suzhou. When the tea stall opened, some peddlers ate here and prepared dry food. They said that our prices are fair and we have plenty of dry food, so they came here in droves."
Xu He smiled slightly, which means that if you do business honestly, people will always remember you. Who says that a passing tea stall can't get repeat business?
"Let me do it. Second Aunt will go out and greet people."
"Okay." Zhang Shiyue went out to solicit customers and brought things from the tea stall to the villagers. One wanted to buy some wine, another wanted to buy some sauce, and still another wanted to buy candles.
From time to time, someone would come in and ask for a bowl of water to drink, and Xu He would be happy to help. As long as it was not tea for sale, it was fine to drink some water.
The whole morning passed in a hurry, and it was not until after noon that I could relax.
"Sister-in-law, I'm busy."
After lunch in the afternoon, there were only three or two guests in the teahouse, drinking tea and resting. The hot sun made them feel drowsy. Xu He had just finished lunch and was wiping the table when he heard a very unfamiliar name.
He straightened up and looked up. It was actually Ao Er from the village. This kid often hung out in the city and rarely appeared in the village. If Zhang Fangyuan hadn't mentioned it when he came to the tea stall to buy wine that day, he wouldn't have had much impression of him.
"Well, do you want to eat or drink?"
Ao Eryi sat down under the awning outside. The wind was blowing around. He was sweating all over after walking here, but now he felt much cooler. He looked around and seemed to be not around, so he felt even more relaxed. It was the busy farming season and he didn't want to work in the fields at home, so he thought of asking Fang'er to go outside and be lazy.
"Sister-in-law, please cook some food for me and have two ounces of wine."
"good."
Xu He was not afraid of this small gangster. With a big gangster like Zhang Fangyuan around, how could he dare to cause trouble?
Ao Er watched Xu He go in and lie on the table drinking tea. He felt that this place was no worse than the city. The food tasted good and it was cool. He could stay here for the whole afternoon. If his father wanted to beat him up when he went back, he would have something to say anyway, because he did not go to the city.
Soon, Xu He brought out a plate of stir-fried celery and meat, and Ao Er started wolfing it down outside.
Xu He was picking vegetables on the side. He glanced at Ao Erliang, turned back and went into the house to get a small plate of melon seeds and put it on the table.
Ao Er looked up at Xu He along with his hand.
"Let me chat with you." Xu He pushed the melon seeds forward: "I'll give them to you."
Ao Er swallowed the food in one gulp: "Sister-in-law, it's not that I don't tell you, I just really don't know anything about Brother Zhang."
Xu He had never been to school, but he had heard the saying that there was something fishy going on here, and looking at Ao Er's expression at this moment, he seemed to be acting out this saying.
"You said this before I even opened my mouth. Are you afraid that others don't know that he's in trouble?"
Ao Er coughed dryly.
"I will definitely not ask about him." Xu He sat down opposite Ao Er: "Don't worry."
Ao Er looked up at Xu He. Although they were from the same village, they didn't have much contact with each other. After a closer look, he found that Xu He was quite good-looking, with big eyes, a high nose bridge, and a good figure. As expected, he is Xu Shaochun's younger brother. He is good-looking. No wonder Zhang Fangyuan chose to marry him.
It is more acceptable to talk to someone who is good-looking: "That's fine. I dare not say anything about Brother Zhang."
Xu He buried his head and continued to pick vegetables, chatting casually: "Have you ever been to the Flower House?"
Ao Erwei was a little surprised, but thinking that he was just asking him, he felt that it was no big deal.
"Hmm." Speaking of this, he immediately became excited, pointed at himself with a thumbs up, and said shamelessly: "I'm a regular customer. I went there to drink all night not long ago. The next day, the people in the brothel even gave me some water and sent me out."
"What's the point of drinking all day?" Xu He didn't comment, and asked again: "So you men all like to go there so much?"
"Of course. Who wouldn't want to go there? The girls and boys are pretty, there's always good food and wine, music and dancing, and you can have fun until dawn. Even a man would... well, there's a word called lingering there."
Ao Er said in high spirits: "There are only two kinds of men in this world, one is the one who has never been to a brothel, and the other is the one who has been there countless times. Those who have never been there probably don't have money, and those who have been there want to go again."
Now that Xu He got married, he naturally wouldn't be so stupid as to say there was nothing to do if it was just to eat and drink.
"It's so good, it must cost a lot of money, right?"
"Of course!" Ao Er counted on his fingers, "Drinking costs money, eating costs money, watching music costs money, inviting girls and boys costs money, and even stepping into that threshold costs money! Ordinary people can't afford it. People enter at the hour of Xu, and the house is gone at the hour of Hai."
When Xu He heard this, he frowned and smiled.
"Sister-in-law, don't you believe it?"
"I believe it." Xu He continued, "Have you ever seen the top courtesan?"
"Of course I haven't seen her. Her face is as white as snow and her figure is enchanting. Even standing far away she is enough to make people feel intoxicated." Ao Er swallowed subconsciously when he thought of Yin Jiuniang.
"What if I invite the top courtesan to accompany me? How much will it cost?"
"Well, it depends on the situation. The top courtesan is not someone that anyone can meet. For example, even if a rich man wants to invite a courtesan to accompany him, she may not necessarily agree. It has to be someone that the top courtesan herself likes. Of course, if the offer is really large, like the wealthy men in the city who often offer hundreds of taels, then we can still let her off."
"They hold it so high?"
"That's right."
Xu He felt even more relieved after hearing this. If that was the case, then he would no longer distrust him. Sure enough, it was right to trust him.
"Okay. Have some wine, I'll get busy."
"Don't, sister-in-law." Ao Er was talking in high spirits, and it would be boring if Xu He didn't listen. He wanted to hold her arm and talk for a while, so he pointed at Zhang Fangyuan and boasted: "There are exceptions to everything. For example, when Brother Zhang goes there, those women will pay for it without asking for money."
Hearing this, Xu He sat down again.
Ao Er felt that he was flattering the right person: "Really, those girls and boys in the brothels are not like decent women. They have seen countless men. What kind of people are the ones who pay to find them? How can the elderly masters who keep rusty and weak young masters like scholars in their silver nests satisfy them?"
Ao Er chuckled and said, "They just like young and strong guys like Zhang, who look like they are not easy to mess with."
Xu He remembered that Zhang Fangyuan had said a few words to him before, but he thought it was just bragging and didn't take it to heart.
Now there are only three words in my mind: Wrong decision.
He suddenly felt a little angry.
Ao Er didn't understand what was going on, but seemed to have realized something and quickly covered his mouth. Xu He stood up without saying a word and became the cold and aloof person that the villagers talked about. Ao Er was thinking about saying something to make amends, but Xu He turned around and walked back.
"Sister-in-law, I knew you wouldn't take it to heart..."
Xu He took the plate of melon seeds that was given to him.
“Hey, hey!”
Ao Er slapped his thigh hard.
I stayed up all afternoon without leaving, and sat outside in the shade of a tree, feeling drowsy. Then I met three or four men waiting for someone. They had been playing dice around a table for the whole afternoon. I thought Zhang Fangyuan would not allow people to gamble here, so I played very small amounts and did not win or lose much.
After the man left, Ao Er never saw Xu He come out to chat with him again, and he didn't dare to talk to him. If he went back to Zhang Fangyuan to complain, he would be the one who would suffer. It can be seen from this situation that if Xu He quarreled with Zhang Fangyuan because of the matter in the brothel, and Zhang Fangyuan found out who let the secret slip, then he would be in trouble.
That worry~
Later in the evening, when the sun was about to set, Zhang Fangyuan returned driving his carriage.
Ao Er waited for the person for most of the day and immediately went to greet him warmly.
Zhang Fangyuan jumped off the carriage, carrying a heavy bag, and was about to call Xu He cheerfully. But when he saw that it was Ao Er who came running over in a hurry, he was obviously unhappy: "What are you doing here again, kid?"
"Have a little drink."
Zhang Fangyuan was in a good mood to begin with. He didn't want to pay any attention to Ao Er and just walked away from him and went into the house.
"Brother, brother! I told you something."
Zhang Fangyuan was impatient: "What can I talk to you about?"
Ao Er whispered, "About your visit to the brothel."
Zhang Fangyuan stopped walking immediately and glared at Ao Er with a warning look: "You'd better think clearly before you speak."
Ao Er was sweating and pulled Zhang Fangyuan aside. "When I was going out today, I passed by the village. From a distance, I heard those gossipy women in the village talking about my brother visiting a brothel. I thought they wouldn't dare to say anything in front of my brother, but I don't know if my sister-in-law would know. I was waiting for my brother to come back and let him know, otherwise he would misunderstand and think that I said it."
Zhang Fangyuan frowned: "Who the hell is meddling in other people's business again?"
"Who knows? People in the city come and go, and if they see me, they will definitely gossip about me. I definitely wouldn't dare to say anything, because if I tell my father, he will know that I was there too."
Zhang Fangyuan exhaled through his nose and waved his hand: "Forget it, I get it."
Ao Er responded quickly, and immediately relaxed: "Brother, I'll go back then."
Zhang Fangyuan took the bag containing the money to the tea shed. He had originally planned to go and get the money tomorrow. Today, Yin Jiuniang sent another letter saying that the money had been collected. He did not want to wait any longer, so he made an extra trip and came back on horseback to deliver the fragrant dew.
This day he was not in a hurry to ask Xu He to count the money, but was still thinking about it.
He had felt that something was wrong with Xu He yesterday, and he said that it was not just his random guess. It turned out that the bastard was getting disrespectful again.
Xu He must have known it, but...why didn't he ask yesterday?
Zhang Fangyuan was feeling very nervous. He strode to the kitchen, grabbed Xu He's wrist, pulled him into the inner room, and bolted the door with a snap.
“W-What are you doing!”
Zhang Fangyuan looked at the man and said, "I know everything."
"What do you know?"
Zhang Fangyuan said, "Those gossipy women in the village are making up stories about me going to a brothel again."
Xu He raised his eyes and glanced at the man, seeming a little angry. He nodded: "Yeah."
"I did go, but I didn't do anything stupid."
Xu He didn't answer, but his previous annoyance disappeared immediately after this rebuttal. He nodded again: "Yeah."
"So you knew it but you didn't ask me?"
"I wanted to ask. But... I believe you." Xu He felt that it was very sentimental to say this suddenly. He felt very uncomfortable, so he said, "Didn't you go there before? You wanted to buy something."
"But I'm not going shopping this time."
Xu He was stunned: "That's fine."
Zhang Fangyuan suddenly laughed when he heard this, and he stroked the back of Xu He's hand. He was very happy that Xu He trusted him. After all, he had a very bad reputation in the past.
But while he was happy, he was thinking: "How can it be okay? I believe everything? I'm not unhappy at all?"
"You think I'm unhappy?"
Zhang Fangyuan flattered, "You should at least be a little unhappy, right?"
"A little bit." Actually, it was just a little bit. He didn't take it too seriously. He just hinted at it to a stranger.
Zhang Fangyuan became even happier. He hugged Xu He's waist and lifted him up easily, making Xu He feel for a moment that he was not very tall or heavy, and was the same height as an ordinary boy.
“Although I didn’t go to buy things, I did go to sell things.”
Zhang Fangyuan put Xu He down, picked up the bundle at one end, and untied it. Immediately, several large piles of silver came out, weighing a total of twelve pounds.
"Where did so much silver come from?"
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