Chapter 66 New Year Event "Get me a Peony Card, it's classy! ...
"Sister, it's snowing."
The two sisters stretched their hands out to the corridor in the courtyard and picked up a few falling snowflakes.
The silk cotton quilt made by Wang Qiulan was light but warm. At night, Yuanbao patrolled the beds and snuggled into the furry nest, so the two sisters didn't feel cold at all.
The snow in Pingjiang Prefecture was very heavy this year, floating like cloud wool and goose feathers, and soon covered the white walls and black tiles with a thick blanket. The big locust tree in the yard was almost turned into a snow tree.
Wei Fuqiu couldn't understand how a chicken's feathers could grow so long. One, two, three, and one of them was white. While eating rice bran, it flopped into the snow and disappeared like a ball of fur. After finally pulling it shivering from the snow, it had to be roasted by the fire.
After feeding them, I have to trim their bangs.
Huihui had a special donkey shed, newly built by Gu Xiang. Thick straw was piled on top and inside the shed, occupying the space that had once been the chicken coop for Yiersan. Wei Fuqiu planned to find a new place for Yiersan next spring.
It was the end of the year and Su Yuxuan was on vacation. The two sisters followed their elder sister, doing the homework assigned by Master Zhou while giving her arms massages from time to time.
Chang Siyan walked in with his umbrella folded, shook off the snowflakes on the umbrella, leaned the umbrella against the door, and placed the lunch box on the table.
"Hurry, hurry, come and try the five-flavor porridge at Bao'en Temple. It's just been taken away from the Bodhisattva. Drink it and you'll have a smooth year ahead."
She immediately placed her hands on the small clay stove on the table to warm them and rubbed them vigorously.
"Xiao Chang, I think you're not going there to pray for blessings, but to visit every temple in Pingjiang Prefecture. Yesterday you brought me the snow mustard porridge from Hanshan Temple, and today you've switched to the one from Bao'en Temple. If you keep this up, the monks will recognize you."
Gu Xiang held a broom and swept the snow in front of the shop door, making a clear path to the door.
She swept the snow into a ball, thinking that when the snow stopped, the children would go to make snowmen to play with, so they wouldn't have to roll snowballs by themselves.
"What do you mean by 'pulling'? I go burn incense to the Buddha before dawn every day, specifically praying for blessings for Shopkeeper Wei's business to prosper and for our store's expansion to go smoothly. This porridge is a gift from the temple to pilgrims, so we are all benefiting from the Buddha's blessing."
Chang Siyan yawned and reached out to open the lid of the food box. There were milk mushrooms, red beans, red dates, lilies, walnuts... wrapped in glutinous rice, and the colors looked bright and pleasing.
"Then I have to drink two more bowls to take advantage of Xiao Chang's blessing and thank the Buddha for his blessing."
Wei Jinyun stood at the counter sorting out the flower notes, "Ask everyone to have a drink, it's Xiao Chang's sincere gift."
"Also, the monk said it goes well with porridge."
Chang Siyan's face immediately lit up as he lifted the second layer of the food box, revealing a number of shiny vegetarian buns covered in cabbage powder. "Xiao Chang is a professional errand runner. We don't even need to prepare breakfast for our shop."
"Oh, I know Bao'en Temple only makes 300 of these buns a day. You must have been queuing for quite a while, right? A few days ago, when I went to buy incense and candles, the line at the temple gate almost circled the alley... You've grabbed everyone else's buns, aren't you afraid the Bodhisattva will blame you for being greedy?"
Chaojiu placed the newly steamed dim sum on the tray and looked at the vegetarian buns with a smile and joke.
Chang Siyan held the bowl of porridge in one hand and fished out a few neatly folded yellow paper talismans from the side pocket of the food box with the other. He shook them for everyone to see, "I didn't just ask for them. They were given to me personally by Master Mingkong from Bao'en Temple. He even said he knew our Shopkeeper Wei. The last time Shopkeeper Wei sent vegetarian snacks to the temple, the pilgrims loved them and gave me a lot of money for incense."
She took a sip with a spoon and said, "Master Mingkong said that the porridge and buns are divided according to the number of people. In our store, including Shopkeeper Wei and his staff, plus Sister Qi, Sister Ling, and Aunt Wang, everyone gets one portion, no more, no less. They counted the number of people in front of the Bodhisattva, so there's no way they'd blame me. Drink it while it's hot. The five-flavor porridge at Bao'en Temple is different from our Laba porridge."
Wei Jinyun lifted up the porcelain bowl and when he drank the wine, the calming lilies had already been stewed with noodles, the walnuts were crispy, and the red dates were sweet.
The buns are made with rapeseed oil and mixed with chopped dried tofu. Although they are vegetarian buns, the skin is soft and fluffy, and the fresh and tender Chinese mustard greens soaked in the outer layer, making it oily and very delicious.
She knew that Chang Siyan's favorite place to go during the Lunar New Year was the temple, a habit she'd maintained even as she grew older. Because temples always offered free porridge and vegetarian snacks during festivals, she and her grandfather were frequent visitors.
She finished her meal in a few bites and went back to the counter. "I need to unwrap the newly arrived crabs and make crab paste. We can't delay the prefect's order."
“Got it!”
The waiters quickly finished their meal, cleared the dishes and went back to work.
Ever since He Wenyan was transferred to Pingjiang Prefecture as the prefect, he felt that this place was really peaceful.
The people lived and worked in peace and contentment, and were filled with joy. Sometimes when he walked down the street, people would recognize him and greet him politely.
He Wenyan loved this place, and he started working the moment he opened his eyes. The people were so simple and honest here that even handling official documents was a breeze. Outside, there was Inspector Lu Lan, leading the charge to guard the river and sea transport in Pingjiang Prefecture. Inside, the magistrates of Wujiang and Changshu counties were also diligently working, and even the soldiers were busy and worried.
How could Pingjiang Prefecture not be peaceful?
As the prefect, he, such a good subordinate, should be rewarded during festivals. Although the government restricted the gift-giving custom among Song Dynasty officials, as long as it did not involve precious gold or silver, appropriate food rewards were allowed.
Let the subordinates know that the prefect is thinking of them as New Year's Day is approaching, and they will definitely work harder next year.
During the Spring Festival, every household prepared cured meat, salted chicken, chopped pig's trotters, and stuffed sausages. Taking all this back home wouldn't be aesthetically pleasing, and it would be given to relatives as gifts. With so much added up, if you only cut off a little each time, you'd probably have to eat it all summer long.
The moon-shaped baskets during the Mid-Autumn Festival are very nice. His grandchildren always wear sunflower headbands and hang around in front of him. He sometimes takes his two children to Yunlaixiang for snacks.
Yun Lai Xiang’s recent dim sum sale is really worth it! You can save a lot of money.
The snow was still falling outside, but it was much lighter than it had been earlier in the morning. Despite Wang Qiulan's dissuasion, Wei Fuqiu and Wei Fuling couldn't resist playing in the snow.
Last winter, when I was in Gaochun Town, it also snowed, but it was mixed with raindrops, so the snow melted as soon as it hit the ground. Not only did it not accumulate, it was also extremely cold.
Wei Fuling and Wei Fuqiu were wrapped in small red satin capes with a circle of snow-white rabbit fur sewn around the collar. Fuling wore a chicken hat on her head, and the tips of her ears were decorated with small yellow pompoms, which bounced up and down as she ran.
Meng Ge'er was still wearing the tiger-head hat, and he wished he could wear it on his head even when he slept. Zhao Xiangping wrapped him in three layers of wrappings like a dumpling for thanking the kitchen god.
The three children squatted at the door of Yunlaixiang. Wei Fuling rolled the snowballs skillfully, trying to make out her two sisters, grandmother and her own family of four. Before she finished making the snowman's face, she grabbed the snowballs and threw them onto Wei Fuqiu's shoulders.
"Sister Qi, watch out!"
Wei Fuqiu smiled and tilted her head, but the wooden stick in her hand did not stop, and she steadily attached eyes made of red beans to the snowman.
Meng Ge'er squatted nearby, carefully shaping two plump ducks, using branches as supports for their wings, and kneading a pointed snowball to resemble a rooster. The rooster in the yard battled Yuanbao, and although it was defeated, the snow sculpture remained, looking majestic.
He held up the branch to show the sisters, "Look, I'm making braised duck for Sister Ling and Sister Qi."
Meng Ge'er's joy was short-lived when the giant rooster snow statue was knocked to the ground by a rushing ingot, leaving only a pile of snow and a vaguely discernible beak. The loofahs and edamame scurried around, their feet stomping on the snow, and in the end, the giant rooster lost even its beak.
Yang Teng is the chicken farm owner who has signed a new contract with Zhao Ji Cooked Food Store.
He had seen the booming business at Zhaoji Cooked Food Shop so far this summer, and he envied Zhen Meiyou daily for sending so many chickens, ducks, and geese there. The carts carrying the goods weren't just poultry; they were piles of cash!
After Zhen Yong did that, Zhaoji Cooked Food Store no longer renewed its contract with Meiyou Chicken Farm.
Such a great thing happened to him.
On the day of signing the contract, Yang Teng patted his chest and assured Zhao Xiangping, "Manager Zhao, you can rest assured. Our Yangji Chicken Farm is doing business with conscience and will never shortchange customers. From now on, the chickens, ducks, and geese we send to you will all be plump and tender, without any ambiguity!"
He didn't just say that for nothing.
When winter came, the north wind made people's faces hurt, but his men got up before dawn to load the goods. Even if it was not a shop, but just an ordinary family wanting one or two, they would deliver it on time despite the frost. They did not even rest during the New Year, which renewed a lot of long-term trust for him.
It seemed that he should give these guys a big lucky bag, but when he put the lucky money into his pocket, he couldn't see anything. He could only see a chicken, a duck and a goose that he gave to the guys, which were not classy at all.
As soon as Meiyou Chicken Farm was defeated, his Yangji Chicken Farm would take this opportunity to soar to the top and become the largest chicken farm in the entire Pingjiang Prefecture!
Yang Teng pondered for a moment and decided that the gift box was still the best option. Every time his staff delivered chickens, they would pass by Yunlaixiang, and everyone would say it was delicious. The dim sum and the roasted duck each had their own unique aroma, and he himself loved the dim sum there.
While you have some free time, why not go to Yunlaixiang and order some gift boxes to satisfy your friends and yourself? The most important thing is that they are always very attentive and high-end!
Yang Teng walked towards Tianqing Temple with his money bag and found that Yunlaixiang was already full of the festive atmosphere of the New Year.
The osmanthus tree in front of the shop, its branches covered in sycamore, was adorned with small yellow flowers, a small golden "Fu" character on a red background, a paper-cut of a chubby baby holding a fish, and even the doorknob was tied with a small red silk knot. The two door panels were also pasted with beautifully written couplets:
The first line depicts the Jade Rabbit bidding farewell to the old year, while the second line depicts the Golden Dragon welcoming the new year, with the horizontal scroll bearing the message "Good luck and good fortune".
At the door, three children were playing in the snow, and a raccoon and two dogs with red bags around their necks were darting around in the snow. Behind them was a long, winding line, and the customers moved forward with white breath, watching the waiter hand out boxes of beautifully packaged snacks.
By the time it was Yang Teng's turn, he was trembling so much that he couldn't even feel his legs. He walked into the warm shop, which was also bright with small yellow flowers and red paper.
The shop was bustling with activity, as customers were pulling out blind boxes of flower-shaped paper lottery tickets.
"It's two pieces of crab shell yellow!"
"You have such bad luck! I have a new product, plum blossom cake, which I haven't tried yet... Shopkeeper Wei, two pieces of plum blossom cake!"
"You guys can't do that. This is a limited edition Meow Meow embroidered hand towel. It's not for sale!"
"What good luck you have? Give me your hand and I'll save another two strings of cash!"
Yang Teng had once bought a blind box of Yunlaixiang's Meow Meow cookies, and the sachet was still hanging on his daughter's school bag. If he wanted another Meow Meow sachet now, he would have to pay a little over a hundred wen to buy a used one.
What is this new blind box?
Wei Jinyun was busy recording the prizes on the floral cards for the guests, preparing to put them together with the gift boxes on the day of delivery or pick-up, when she looked up and saw Yang Teng.
She immediately greeted him with a smile, "Isn't this Shopkeeper Yang? Are you here to order some snacks today, or to buy some sun tarts for Sister Lan?"
"Why don't we buy some New Year's goods for the guys? It's almost New Year, so let them have something sweet to eat."
Yang Teng glanced at the various colored paper notes piled up beside the counter and asked curiously, "Shopkeeper Wei, I thought you had a new blind box. Why did you change the style?"
"Shopkeeper Yang is very generous and treats his employees very well. I'm sure the chicken farm business will be even more prosperous next year."
Wei Jinyun picked up one of the flower notes on the table and said, "This isn't a new blind box. This is our new flower note card promotion. If you apply for the card, you can win prizes. This card has three tiers, suitable for different needs. Let me tell you about it."
Yang Teng was naturally happy to be praised by Wei Jinyun, so he nodded.
Wei Jinyun continued, "The first tier is the Laurel Card. Deposit two guan at Yunlaixiang and you'll receive five yuan worth of any Yunlaixiang snack. If you spend over two hundred guan on snacks today, you'll get a one hundred guan discount. The second tier is the Hibiscus Card, which is suitable for businesses like you, or for hosting banquets or stocking up on New Year's goods. Deposit six guan and you'll receive an eight-treasure gift box containing Dingsheng cakes and pine nut cakes. You'll also get a 10% discount on snacks on other days, and you can even get a free lotus cake on your birthday to add to the festive mood."
She handed the last piece of floral paper to Shopkeeper Yang. "There's also the most elegant Peony Card. With a deposit of ten strings of cash, it's perfect for families like officials or merchants who need to make custom pastries in bulk. With that deposit, you'll receive a personalized pastry box, with your choice of flavors and engraving, plus a 15% discount on pastries. Every year on your birthday, you'll receive a large cake, and you'll get first dibs on new pastries. We even offer free delivery, saving you the trouble."
Wei Jinyun had just finished introducing the floral card when Gu Xiang, who was tying up gift boxes nearby, came over, holding a floral card box with a meow pattern printed on it.
"Shopkeeper Yang, do you want to make a flower card? We have a lot of prizes."
Gu Xiang added with a smile, "No matter which tier of Huajian card you apply for, as long as you save up two Guan (two strings of cash), you can win one. The blind box contains not only our Yunlaixiang snacks, but also new Meow Meow merchandise. Did you win the Meow Meow cookie sachet last time? This time, we've added silk handkerchiefs, small book bags, shoulder bags, and clothing with Meow Meow patterns."
"The most amazing thing is the first prize!"
Gu Xiang spoke deliberately slowly, his eyes full of excitement. "It's a benefit given by Chen Ji Cloth Shop. If you win, you can get two sets of the latest clothes every month, so you have new clothes to wear all year round. The other day, the daughter of Mr. Zhang won the lottery and smiled brightly on the spot. She said that she wouldn't have to go to the cloth shop to make new clothes in the future."
"That sounds really fresh and economical. By the way, you guys should have new gift boxes for the New Year, right? I want to order some for the guys as New Year's goods, and also prepare a couple of boxes for my family to visit relatives."
When Yang Teng heard about it, he only felt that the card was extremely cost-effective. He didn't remember all the benefits. He only heard about the gifts and discounts, one after another.
"Of course."
Wei Jinyun wanted to greet other guests, so he called out to the lobby, "Xiao Chang, come and tell Shopkeeper Yang about our New Year gift boxes."
Chang Siyan immediately ran over, holding a few sample gift boxes in his hands, and said sweetly, "Shopkeeper Yang, you asked the right question. We at Yunlaixiang have three new annual gift items, each of which is a good deal. Let me tell you about them..."
"The first one is a homely gift box, 188 coins a box, very affordable."
She opened the lid of the box, revealing eight items of essential New Year snacks, including peach-shaped pastries, sugar ingots, and candied fruits. "They are all common New Year snacks for the neighborhood. Ordering them in advance is ten cents cheaper than buying them now. They're perfect for stockpiling at home or giving to ordinary relatives. Every household can use them."
"The second type is a banquet gift box, 288 coins per box, mainly for show."
Chang Siyan brought over another box, which contained twelve kinds of exquisite pastries, such as custard rolls and jujube paste cakes, wrapped in embroidered cloth. "Look at how elegant this packaging is! It's perfect for a merchant like you to entertain guests, or for a gathering of literary friends. With any order, I'll give you a jar of our homemade osmanthus honey. It's perfect with pastries or brewed with them."
"Of course, the most valuable one is the exclusive gift box, which costs 388 wen a box and contains twelve kinds of snacks. There are only 50 of them, and only 22 are left."
She opened the gift box and raised her hand. "Inside is a custom-made zodiac pastry made according to this year's Chinese zodiac. The shape is vivid and lifelike, and it also comes with two bottles of osmanthus honey. The best part is that you can specify the delivery date in advance. If you're sending it to a valued guest, we can even help wrap it with a red ribbon and put a thoughtful message on it. It's guaranteed to be impressive and classy!"
The three gift boxes are of different styles, each one more exquisite than the other, and even the packaging is delicate, making you look very impressive when you carry them out.
Yang Teng touched his chin and agreed. "New Year's goods should be high-end. Giving them away will also show the respectability of our Yangji Chicken Farm."
"Of course!"
Wan Wu, who was tying a red string around a gift box nearby, immediately chimed in, "Our shopkeeper Yang's chicken farm is one of the best in Pingjiang Prefecture. Neighbors love to order poultry from you when they host banquets or when they buy goods for their shops. Every one of them is incredibly plump and tender, and everyone who's tasted it praises it."
Yang Teng's face flushed with praise. He coughed twice to cover it up, but his tone was even stronger, "That's right, we do business with conscience. We feed people the best feed and never use inferior feed to fool people. Let's not talk about this, Shopkeeper Wei, I'll deal with Zhang Fu first..."
Before he could finish his words, Zhao Xiangping walked in with a plate of freshly fried chicken. When she saw Yang Teng, she smiled, "Oh, Old Yang, you're here too. You look so radiant. Business must be booming lately. You must have made a lot of money, right?"
She took two steps closer and said to Wei Jinyun, "To be honest, Lao Yang is a very honest person, and his employees are very hardworking. They never miss the delivery time even in the cold weather. We should continue to cooperate for a long time in the future. That's great."
Being praised in public by Zhao Xiangping, Yang Teng straightened his back, raised his chin slightly, and turned around to change his mind.
"Shopkeeper Wei, I don't need the Hibiscus Card anymore. Get me a Peony Card! And order six home-style gift boxes as rewards for the employees, two banquet boxes for my own banquets, and one exclusive box. My father-in-law is a dragon, so you have to make it something classy. It's perfect for him... We're just giving gifts during the New Year, and we want something classy!"
Yang Teng readily took out some silver from his purse and said, "Manager Wei, I'll trouble you with the Peony Card and the gift box."
Wei Jinyun agreed with a smile, quickly writing down what he wanted while taking out a piece of floral paper from the counter. The floral paper was wrapped in a fine piece of material, embroidered with a blooming peony, its petals layered on top of each other, and the flower core, woven with gold thread, looked regal.
All the peony cards were embroidered by Wang Qiulan herself and are extremely exquisite.
"Shopkeeper Yang, please take this peony card's floral paper."
Wei Jinyun handed over the flower note and said, "We will also register you at the shop. This card can only be used by you or your family. Don't lose it."
"Okay, okay, I'll keep it!"
Yang Teng carefully put the flower note into his inner pocket. "Oh, right, Xiao Gu just said that if you spend two guan (two strings of cash) you can get a blind box. If I get the Peony Card, I can get five draws, right?"
"You have ten strings of cash in your bank, so you can draw five times."
Gu Xiang immediately came over and held out the Meow Meow Box. "Shopkeeper Yang, feel free to take anything you want. There are good things inside!"
Yang Teng drew four times in a row and won mung bean cake, chestnut cake, a handkerchief with a meow pattern... The last time he reached out, he saw "Meow Meow Book Bag" written on it.
Wan Wu immediately went to get the book bag. On the green cloth was embroidered a family portrait of Miaomiao and a small pompom hanging rope.
"Oh, Manager Yang, you are so amazing!"
Chao Jiu, who was sorting snacks nearby, immediately clapped his hands and cheered, "We've made eight of these little book bags with Meow Meow family portraits in them. Sister Lan will definitely like them when she sees them."
"That's right. Sister Lan always used to act like a spoiled child to her mother, saying that she loved her mother the most. Now that she has this little book bag, I guarantee she'll say she loves her father!"
Yang Teng clutched the book bag in his hand, his eyes narrowed with a smile. He turned his head happily, "Manager Wei, give me another serving of the Sun Tart family meal. I'll pack it up and take it back home, just right for me to eat with Sister Lan and my mother."
People were coming and going in the shop, all with happy faces, preparing for the New Year.
A few pieces of snow blew in from outside the door. Wei Jinyun looked up and saw Lu Lan standing at the door, with some snowflakes on the ends of his high ponytail.
"Lu Lan."
Wei Jinyun hurriedly brought over the hot tea that was just right for her, "It's snowing so heavily, why don't you bring an umbrella?"
"If you walk too fast, it will be troublesome to hold an umbrella."
Lu Lan took the tea bowl and looked at the customers queuing up and the children playing in the snow. She chuckled, "Shopkeeper Wei's business is getting better and better. He has so many ideas in mind."
"Fortunately, you told me many of your guests' preferences."
Wei Jinyun said in a cheerful tone, "I calculated that in a few days I could really save up 500 strings of cash. Then I'll buy Zhang's shop and expand Yunlaixiang. Then you won't have to follow me behind the counter all the time."
"The counter is a good spot."
Lu Lan laughed again, "You're so busy, and you have so many snacks to prepare. You should also rest more and don't tire yourself out."
"Lord Lu is not tired at Changmen, and neither am I. Anyway, many of them are pre-orders, and it's not time to do it yet."
Wei Jinyun smiled and shook his head. "I've prepared the Sun Tarts for you. Oh, and don't feed Huihui so many dried fruits today. If you do, he won't like grass anymore and will become a picky eater."
"It prefers these. It enjoys eating dried apples and dried oranges. Yesterday, it even snatched Jingfan's dried apricots when I wasn't paying attention. Jingfan was so angry that he scratched his hooves for a long time."
Lu Lan held her chin and looked at her.
"Jingfan's snacks are almost gone because of it."
Wei Jinyun led Huihui out from the backyard.
The little donkey's fur was so shiny that when it saw Lu Lan, it came over and rubbed his hand, being so affectionate. It was hard to tell who its real owner was.
Could it be that Lu Lan is born with a physique that attracts small animals?
She handed over the reins and pointed to the sun tart that was hitting the back of the donkey cart. "I wrapped it in three layers of thick cotton cloth and put it in a cloth bag, so it won't be cold on the road... Honorable Peony Card Member Lu Xunjian, the snow hasn't stopped yet."
As Wei Jinyun spoke, he took out an oil-paper umbrella from behind the door and handed it over. "You'll get sick if you get caught in the snow again. Walk slowly on the road."
"What are you doing with that expression?"
Lu Lan took the reins and the oil-paper umbrella. "I'll come for tea later. It's not like I won't be back. Your expression, hmm..."
He drawled.
"What expression do I have? Do I have one?"
Wei Jinyun straightened his brows.
Lu Lan lowered his eyes and looked at her for a moment, "You do."
"Eat and leave!"
"Why is Shopkeeper Wei still chasing customers away? Didn't he just mention the distinguished Peony Card member, Inspector Lu?"
Lu Lan bit the plum cake that Wei Jinyun stuffed into his mouth.
“So sweet.”
He looked at her.
Lu Lan swallowed it slowly, holding Huihui's hand and walking slowly into the wind and snow with an umbrella. Of course, she also dodged the snowball thrown by Wei Jinyun from behind.
The figure in the crimson official uniform was gradually enveloped by the white snow mist.
Not long after, Xu Fugui came in holding a hot water bottle and waved to Wei Jinyun, "Shopkeeper Wei, are you busy? Please apply for a Peony Card for me as well."
A customer waiting for dim sum nearby recognized Xu Fugui and jokingly said, "Manager Xu, you're the owner of Xu's Dim Sum, but you came to Yunlaixiang to get a membership card. Aren't you afraid of your wife scolding you when you get back?"
"What are you complaining about?"
Xu Fugui waved his hand and smiled even more cheerfully, "My wife asked me to apply for this card. She said that the promotions here at Shopkeeper Wei are really good. They give you gift boxes when you top up and you can get discounts. Applying for it later might not offer so many benefits, so she urged me to come here."
He came up to the counter, took a closer look at the boxes of snacks next to him, and said, "By the way, Shopkeeper Wei, please order five exclusive gift boxes for me. My wife and I are going back to Changshu County for the New Year. Bringing back some high-end snacks will also help me look distinguished and presentable in front of my relatives."
The customer in line on the other side also laughed after hearing this. "Manager Xu, I heard that your house is the most magnificent in the village, with carved beams and painted rafters, like the mansion of a noble. Isn't that noble enough?"
"That's different."
Xu Fugui chuckled, "A house is a house, and gifts for the New Year are gifts. A little more dignity and face are better. I can't just eat the jujube and sesame cakes from my shop every year. Shopkeeper Wei, please write it down for me quickly. Don't forget it. I'll come to pick it up when the time comes."
Wei Jinyun smiled and nodded, quickly writing it down in the notebook.
She pointed at Gu Xiang, who was in charge of the blind box draws, and said, "Don't worry, Shopkeeper Xu, I've recorded everything for you. You can draw five blind boxes. Go over and try your luck."
Xu Fugui rubbed his hands, his eyes shining brightly.
"Hey, that's what I've been waiting for."
He strode up to Gu Xiang, not forgetting to turn around and joke with the guests around him, "Just wait and see, I'm so lucky, I'm sure I can get my wife some clothes from Chen Ji Cloth Shop today!"
Xu Fugui opened the blind box five times in a row and found it was filled with Yunlaixiang's signature snacks: mung bean cakes, mint cakes, lotus cakes...
The customers watching the excitement nearby couldn't help but laugh. "Manager Xu, your luck isn't as good as your words. The clothes from Chen Ji Cloth Shop are gone."
"Well, it's okay, it's okay. I didn't get any clothes, but I got a lot of snacks, so it's not a loss."
Xu Fugui shook his head, not knowing whether to laugh or cry, but turned around and smiled at Wei Jinyun, "I haven't tried the new plum blossom cake in the store yet. I'll buy two more pieces to take back and let my wife choose the one she likes from these snacks. As long as she's happy, that's all."
When the guests around heard this, they immediately followed suit and said, "Oh, what Shopkeeper Xu said is so true. He loves his wife so much that he even cares about her in the snacks. No wonder he was my childhood sweetheart and loved you two so much. He still loves you so much now."
"What childhood sweethearts? We just live together. If she likes it, I'll bring her more."
Xu Fugui's ears turned a little red, but he didn't refute it, just laughed.
Gu Xiang was leaning over the raffle box, watching the customers' expressions of surprise and annoyance as they opened their blind boxes, her eyes narrowed with laughter. She glanced at the carved wooden window.
She saw the couple again.
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The author has something to say: Do you want to apply for a card, wife [sunglasses]
Jinyun: Lu Lan has been acting more and more strange lately. [Holding her chin to her hands]
Mr. Lu: So sweet [starry eyes]
(I remembered that my wife could search for chrysanthemum chicken and she would know what one, two, three looks like.
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