Chapter 25
Rickshaws carrying passengers can be seen everywhere on the street, but it was Wen Yue's first time to ride in such a human-powered rickshaw, and it felt particularly novel. Buses can also be seen on the road. The buses at this time are older than those in later generations, and ticket sellers can be seen on the buses.
The roads at that time were not as wide as those in later times, and were very close to residential buildings. When passing by a clear river, you could see many women washing clothes by the river, chatting and laughing. The river surface reflected the reflections of the planted weeping willows, full of vitality.
Wen Yue really likes this feeling.
Soon, the rickshaw arrived at its destination and stopped.
Wen Yue jumped off the rickshaw and looked up at the four-story building in front of him. On the light yellow exterior wall hung a large GG sign with the four characters "Yuanshi Department Store" printed on it.
Because it was the weekend, all kinds of bicycles were parked in front of the department store, and when I stood at the door and looked inside, I could see that there was a lot of traffic inside.
“Why are you standing there like an idiot? Didn’t we go in to take a look?” After paying the money, Zhou Yao saw Wen Yue standing there in a daze, so he raised his hand and patted the back of her head.
Ren Yeliang laughed: "You must be shocked because it's your first time seeing such a big house! I was also stunned when I saw it for the first time, wondering how there could be such a tall and big house. You'll get used to it. I heard that the houses in Shanghai are taller and bigger!"
Wen Yue came back to her senses, her eyes narrowed but she didn't explain.
She just had a trance feeling as if a movie scene was appearing before her eyes, but she was not frightened. After all, she had seen a lot of things in her life.
After walking around the department store for a while, Wen Yue felt that it was a bit like the furniture mall and underground night market that she and her best friend had visited in her previous life. It was very busy with people coming and going. The store sold everything, but the most common items were clothes, pants, and shoes.
Wen Yue also saw a jewelry shop. The accessories there were very much in the style of this era, and she didn't see the type she had imagined.
"Is there anything you like? Buy a few more sets of clothes or something." Zhou Yao had no interest in the things in the department store. He had low material desires and simply enjoyed the pleasure of making money, rarely spending money.
As long as the clothes, pants and shoes at home are not worn out, they can be worn forever.
Before he got married, he didn't have high requirements for food. As long as he could fill his stomach, the taste didn't matter. Now that he and Wen Yue are married, he has become a little picky, but even if he eats meat every day, it doesn't cost him much.
Now that I have made some money, the biggest expense I have ever made is the sewing machine I bought some time ago.
About two hundred yuan.
Wen Yue shook her head and replied softly: "No, I can make clothes myself." Moreover, there were no clothes in the mall that she liked, and they were not as good as those she brought back from Shencheng.
Strange, she remembered that bell-bottomed leggings should be very popular at this time, why didn't she see them in the mall?
Wen Yue asked Zhou Yao curiously.
"It's just become popular in Shanghai, and it hasn't spread here yet." Zhou Yao raised the corners of his lips, his deep dark eyes smiling, "Otherwise we wouldn't have sold out so quickly before. I estimate that after we sell out this time, it will be popular here soon."
Wen Yue was surprised: "You seem to know a lot about the information in Shanghai."
Zhou Yao hummed softly, not wanting to say more, and changed the subject: "Since there's nothing you like, let's go watch a movie."
"It's almost noon, maybe next time, don't you have a dinner date?" Wen Yue was a little tempted, but then she thought that watching a movie would take at least two hours. If she went now, it would be afternoon by the time she finished.
Zhou Yao thought about it and took them to the agreed restaurant.
This small restaurant is not too far from the department store, so I strolled there at a leisurely pace, with just the right timing.
As soon as they entered, the proprietress in an apron came up to them with a smile that was extremely bright: "What do you want to eat? There is a menu on the wall. Take your time to look at it. If you have found something, just call me and I will be right there!"
There were five of Zhou Yao's group, which was a bit too many, so they were led to sit at the round table inside.
Wen Yue sat on the chair and looked around the restaurant curiously.
There is a large handwritten menu on the wall, a slowly rotating ceiling fan above the head, the tables and chairs look very old, and the cups on the table are all enamel cups printed with various inspirational quotes.
Zhou Yao first ordered a few random dishes.
The lady boss took notes with a pen and paper and asked cheerfully: "Would you like a drink?"
Hearing this, Zhou Yao glanced at Wen Yue beside him, frowned and hesitated for two seconds.
"Drink it, it's okay with me." Wen Yue said softly.
She understood that she had to drink when meeting her boss, and had no objection. In her previous life, her father always drank white wine when he had dinner with old friends, as long as he didn't drink excessively.
Zhou Yao raised his eyebrows: "Then let's have four bottles of beer first."
The lady boss agreed: "Okay."
"Don't you dislike me drinking?" Zhou Yao moved the stool towards Wen Yue.
Wen Yue glanced at him and corrected him, "It's not that I don't like you drinking, but I don't like people who drink excessively and get drunk and then give me the cold shoulder. I can totally understand if you drink a little when meeting friends and elders, don't make it sound like I'm being unreasonable."
Her voice was soft, but the table was small enough that Ren Yeliang and Fang Shitao beside her could hear it clearly.
They looked up at the sky, down at the ground, and at the menu on the wall, pretending not to hear anything, but secretly pricked up their ears.
Wow, it’s so fresh! Their brother Yao is being trained, we can’t miss it.
"Don't worry, what happened last time will never happen again." Zhou Yao raised his hand and touched the tip of his nose with a guilty look on his face, assuring again and again.
Wen Yue snorted softly: "It depends on your performance."
People came into the restaurant in the back one after another. A middle-aged man in his forties who looked well-off came in and looked around. His eyes were fixed on Zhou Yao. A smile appeared on his face and he shouted, "Brother Zhou!"
"Uncle Sun." Zhou Yao smiled back.
Wen Yue found it a little funny to hear the two people address each other.
One calls me brother and the other calls me uncle, so they call each other
"Oh, I was too busy last time and didn't have time to have dinner with you guys. This time I finally make some time." Sun Xiang spoke casually, walked over with a black leather bag under his arm, and sat down in the empty seat between Ren Yeliang and Zhou Yao.
He looked at Wen Yue and sighed: "This girl must be my sister-in-law, right? She's so pretty. Hello, sister-in-law. My name is Sun Xiang. You can just follow Brother Zhou and call me Uncle Sun! Come on, I don't have anything good to offer, so take this and wear it for fun!"
Sun Xiang took out an exquisitely crafted ladies' watch from his black leather bag and placed it on the table.
The strap of this ladies' watch is a gold chain inlaid with jadeite, and the dial is also emerald green. Even if Wen Yue looks at it from the aesthetic perspective of later generations, this ladies' watch is very beautiful.
In simple terms, it looks like it's worth a lot of money.
She was too embarrassed to accept it, so she waved her hands and declined: "Uncle Sun, this gift is too expensive, I can't accept it, you can take it back."
"It's not expensive at all, it's only about a thousand yuan." Sun Xiang waved his hand nonchalantly, "Just take it if I give it to you. Your man and I have a close relationship, don't be polite to me! If you don't accept it, it means you don't consider me as your own family, and I will feel uncomfortable!"
Wen Yue looked at Zhou Yao.
"Take it." Zhou Yao nodded slightly, and said in a light tone, "Uncle Sun is a transporter, and he has a transport team. He can earn this little money in one trip, and even more than this amount."
It turns out he is a rich man, no wonder he is so generous.
Wen Yue blinked, pursed her lips to reveal a shy smile, and whispered thank you.
Sun Xiang said loudly: "That's right, I have a very good relationship with your man. If it wasn't for your man, I, Uncle Sun, would have died long ago!"
Wen Yue was a little curious when she heard this.
"I went out for a walk and accidentally fell into the river. There were very few people there! If your man hadn't gotten lost and happened to pass by there, I would have drowned!" Sun Xiang explained.
Wen Yue listened carefully, her eyes curved: "Those who survive a great disaster will surely have good fortune in the future. You are blessed with a great fortune and a long life."
Sun Xiang smiled happily, raised his hand and patted Zhou Yao's shoulder twice: "Brother Zhou, my sister-in-law speaks better than you, and you can tell she is a cultured person!"
It was obvious that this Uncle Sun was a very outgoing person. He had the loudest voice in the restaurant. He was also very interesting. While drinking, he bragged about the things he encountered when he was working as a transporter.
Wen Yue was amused several times.
"By the way, this time I brought you not only clothes, but also a lot of rare items that have just become popular in Shanghai." Sun Xiang held the wine bottle, "Frog Mirror! Toad Mirror, do you know? There is also something that is selling like crazy, what's the name of the lipstick?"
"Yes, it's lipstick. You don't know, women in Shanghai are going crazy to buy this stuff! If you don't have some connections there, you can't buy it! Zhou, brother Zhou, uncle thought of you and brought you some, but it's not much, you, you can sell it yourself..."
Wen Yue was listening nearby, thinking that Uncle Sun was really nice to Zhou Yao. He didn't treat him like a younger brother at all; he almost treated him like his own son.
When they had almost finished their meal, Zhou Yao called the proprietress to settle the bill, and then he and Fang Shitao helped the drunk Sun Xiang out of the restaurant.
The sun is at its hottest around one or two in the afternoon.
Wen Yue raised her hand to block the glaring light from her eyes, and asked worriedly: "Can Uncle Sun go back by himself in this state?"
"Let's take him there." Zhou Yao pulled Sun Xiang's arm, "His home is nearby, we can get there in about ten minutes."
Wen Yue: “That’s OK.”
They helped Sun Xiang to an alley full of courtyard houses. They walked for two minutes, stopped in front of a closed door, and knocked.
"Here we come"
A young woman's gentle voice came from inside, and the next second, a young woman about 24 or 25 years old opened the door. She was dressed very fashionably, with curly hair, a suspender skirt, and lipstick on her lips.
Seeing Zhou Yao, the woman's eyes lit up and her voice became softer: "Oh, it's you, Zhou Yao. I haven't seen you for a long time."
Zhou Yao showed no expression: "Uncle Sun is drunk, please take care of him."
The woman seemed to have just seen Sun Xiang, who was drunk in front of her. A trace of disgust flashed across her eyes, and she forced a smile: "Why did you drink so much again? Sorry to bother you, come in."
Zhou Yao and Fang Shitao helped the people in.
Wen Yue and Ren Yeliang followed closely behind.
The woman had a great interest in Zhou Yao. She kept sticking to him and saying all kinds of provocative things to him, as if she wanted to hang on him directly.
Wen Yue pursed her lips and walked slowly. Although she saw Zhou Yao was keeping a distance from her, she still felt uncomfortable in her heart.
Putting the man on the bed, Zhou Yao said calmly, "Take good care of Uncle Sun."
"What have you been busy with recently? Didn't your uncle Sun tell you last time that he is often not at home? I'm bored alone, so I asked you to come over and chat with me to relieve my boredom. Why don't you come?" The woman said with a smile, her eyes with upturned eyeliner blinking quickly.
Zhou Yao ignored her and left the bedroom. He raised his hand and gently hooked Wen Yue's shoulders, lowered his eyes and asked softly: "Let's go to the movies now."
"Maybe next time." Wen Yue noticed the hostile look from the woman, pursed her lips and whispered, "Otherwise it will be too late to go back."
Zhou Yao raised his eyebrows and responded: "Okay, let's go home now."
Wen Yue hummed.
None of them paid any attention to the woman behind them, and they walked out while talking. After leaving the yard, Wen Yue asked hesitantly: "Is Uncle Sun's daughter interested in you?"
Zhou Yao was stunned by the question: "Uncle Sun has no daughter, he only has one son, and he is not here yet."
"Ah" Wen Yue's eyes widened, a little confused, "What about that just now..."
"Hey, sister-in-law, that was Uncle Sun's concubine." Ren Yeliang explained with a smile, and said with a frown: "You also think that she treats our brother differently, right?"
Zhou Yao kicked Ren Yeliang, closed his eyes and said in a deep voice: "Don't talk nonsense."
"Who said that? Doesn't my sister-in-law think so too?" With Wen Yue's support, Ren Yeliang was full of confidence.
Wen Yue: “Second Wife”
"Yes, Uncle Sun divorced his previous wife, and his wife took the child away. He married the girl just now last year, and she is only three years older than our brother." Ren Yeliang answered very quickly.
Wen Yue seemed to be thinking about something, his eyes falling on Zhou Yao.
Zhou Yao shuddered unconsciously and quickly distanced himself from the matter: "I didn't pay any attention to her."
Last year, when Sun Xiang said she wanted to get married, he advised her why such a young girl would be willing to marry an old man who was almost 20 years older than her. It must be for money. Sun Xiang didn't care. If it was for money, then it was for money. He was too old to be emotionally moved.
One of them wants the money, the other wants the young, pretty face and body, each taking what they want.
Zhou Yao didn't say anything after that, but he came to see Sun Xiang less often. In the past, he would come whenever Sun Xiang wasn't doing transportation.
"Sister-in-law, Lao Fang and I can testify to this. Our brother really didn't pay any attention to that woman." Although he was joking, Ren Yeliang didn't want to cause a conflict between his brother and sister-in-law, so he explained seriously: "My brother is a good man who is pure and innocent, really, right, Lao Fang?"
Fang Shitao nodded: "Yes!"
Wen Yue couldn't help laughing out loud, and the depression in her heart instantly dissipated.
Zhou Yao clenched his fists, wishing he could hit Ren Yeliang in the face.
What is pure and innocent? If you have never been to school, don't use idioms randomly! It's embarrassing!
Zhou Yao stopped thinking about beating someone up in the street, but his eyes were gloomy. Ren Yeliang moved to the other side, determined not to get close to his brother.
The four of them took a shaky bus to the county town, and bought some pork, chicken and rapeseed oil in the county town before returning to the village.
Wen Yue usually uses a lot of oil when cooking, and there isn't much oil in a bottle, so it's consumed quite quickly.
It was not yet dark when they arrived at the village, and the clouds in the sky looked extremely beautiful. It was just the time when the villagers were returning from working in the fields, and they ran into Zhou Yao and his group.
Thinking that Zhou Yao had taken the initiative to call people last time, everyone did not pretend not to see him this time as they did in the past, but took the initiative to say hello when they saw him.
"Take my wife to the county town"
“You bought so many things!”
"Your dress is beautiful. It looks expensive if you bought it in the market. I don't know how much it cost, but it's really beautiful. I want to buy one too."
Zhou Yao was a little impatient at first, but he suddenly perked up. He raised his eyebrows modestly, straightened his cuffs, and said calmly, "It's free. My wife made it. If you want to buy it, let your wife make it for you. If you don't know how to make it, just learn... My wife can't teach me because she doesn't have time."
Everyone: "..."
Wen Yue: “…”
Help.
What a social death.
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Ren Yeliang (proud): My brother is pure and innocent!
Zhou Yao (laughing): I have never died.
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