Chapter 79 The Two Sisters
What are you guys doing here?
Song Jin casually picked up a little cub, looked him up and down, and then tugged at the little red flower around his neck.
"What is this? What, are you going to be the bride?"
The girl she picked up was Xiaohua, the little girl from the orphanage she met in the mountains when Song Jin went to see Huanghuang last time.
These little rascals have been training in martial arts since they were young, and their fist and foot skills are quite good. Even this four- or five-year-old girl has very strong arms and legs, and her muscles are very solid. She can easily do a few somersaults.
Thinking this, Song Jin pinched the person all over again, raising her eyebrows: "Wow, not bad, looks like you haven't been playing around lately, your little body's in good shape."
Little Flower was like a fish hanging in the corner, completely helpless and at Song Jin's mercy. She said, frustrated, "Don't bully a child!"
"You still know you're a child?"
Song Jin raised an eyebrow, put the person down, and then waved to the others.
The children, big and small, who had been busy there, hesitated for a moment, then ran over one after another, forming a small line.
All six children were dressed in identical outfits, with "drunk" labels sewn onto their chests, flowers around their necks, and red topknots on their heads—a very festive sight.
Song Jin was more familiar with Xiao Hua from the orphanage and A Sheng, who was in charge, and then there were Fu Ge, Ning Ning, and the other two who had only been temporarily taken in a few days ago.
Of course, the main reason is that the four of them are good-looking and eloquent, making them hard to ignore.
Song Jin crossed her arms and looked at Boss Cao, who had followed her over, and asked, "Boss Cao, what about their clothes?"
Boss Cao wiped the sweat from his work and said cheerfully, "Young master, you don't know yet, but just yesterday, that young master from Jin Yu Ge passed by here. After drinking some wine, he really liked it and brought a group of friends to buy out all the wine. I don't know how word got out, but today a lot of people came. I was thinking I couldn't handle everything, so I asked a few young guys to help out. Fifteen coins a day, including two meals. They're very useful."
Song Jin glanced at the clothes they were wearing—clothes that could never have been made in one night—and thought to herself that this person had probably planned this all along.
That's a good idea. Wine shops need wine servers and deliverymen; these are easy jobs, even a kid can do them. Even if they don't earn a lot, it should be enough to cover their food expenses.
So, could the competitors Ningning mentioned earlier who were stealing her business be these little brats from Shangyang Village?
Song Jin looked at the children on both sides.
Ningning grinned, showing her little teeth, picked a small red flower, and smiled adorably as she handed it to Song Jin: "Here, a flower."
Song Jin pinched her fair cheek: "Impressive, you even know how to make money!"
Ningning clenched her fist and said in a childish voice, "Make money, so we won't go hungry."
On the other side, Hua Hua rolled her eyes and muttered, "Someone like you can't even walk properly, how could you possibly make any money?"
Ningning stomped her foot angrily: "Ningning can run!"
Little Flower makes a funny face: "Turtle runs!"
Ningning retorted angrily, "You, you're the turtle! You big, bad, wicked turtle, flowery turtle..."
The two four-year-olds are like rabbits, wandering around the mountaintop and underground burrows twice; the other is like a tortoise, able to lie in a hole for two days straight.
Song Jin really didn't expect them to start arguing. It was clear that the two of them hadn't gotten along well these past few days.
The two of them were about to roll up their sleeves and get physical.
Song Jin picked up one child in each hand and nodded to the others, saying, "Alright, go take care of yours. I'll treat you to lunch at a restaurant."
Before anyone else could speak, Xiaohua's eyes lit up: "Don't want the food, give us the money for the meal back to us in cash."
Song Jin smiled slightly: "Why don't you suggest changing the name of my shop to yours? If you don't want to eat there, then don't go."
Little Flower pouted: "Me!"
The eldest brother, Asheng, grabbed her hair, glared at her, and then respectfully said to Song Jin, "Miss, don't hold it against Xiaohua. She's young and doesn't know any better. She's very wild. I'll teach her a lesson when we get back."
Why does this sound so familiar?
Having heard this countless times since childhood, Song Jin's lips twitched. She glanced at these leaders, put Xiao Hua down, and clicked her tongue lightly: "One person does the deed, one person takes responsibility, understand?"
Xiaohua hesitated for a moment, then obediently apologized: "Girl, I was wrong, please don't scold Brother Sheng."
Song Jin flicked her head with her thumb and smiled, "It's good that you know you're wrong. It's not good for a young lady to be so unruly."
Little Flower nodded shyly: "I understand."
Now it was Ningning's turn to be proud. She patted her chest and said in a childish voice, "Ningning is a good girl."
Song Jin couldn't help but laugh and patted her head.
The two little ones are close in age, but their personalities are completely different, yet they are both quite endearing.
...
Song Jin left the two little girls behind, grabbed one in each hand, turned around, and happily showed them to her mother.
"Mom, look, two little babies. Do you prefer a boy or a girl? I'll have one for you later."
Niu Tielan: "...Screw you, speak properly!"
Looking at the large family and the several children, she felt somewhat depressed.
No, this girl has been in the capital for so long and doesn't know a single decent friend. Is she just here to be a leader of kids?
Niu Tielan was at a loss for words: "Put him down, don't break him."
Song Jin raised an eyebrow, picked up the two of them and shook them, smugly saying, "They're not that fragile, they won't break, look."
Xiaohua Ningning: ……
The two of them swayed in mid-air like rag dolls.
Niu Tielan's eyelids twitched, and he exclaimed, "Song Jin!"
"cut"
Song Jin reluctantly put the people down and placed her hands on their shoulders.
The two little ones were four years old. Their lives hadn't been particularly good. They were small, with chubby faces, looking like newborn little bears, wobbling unsteadily.
Song Jin was tall; standing next to the two of them, she looked like a tree.
At fifteen, she had grown into a young woman, no longer showing the childishness of an ordinary little girl, and certainly no longer resembling her childhood self.
Qu Maoze stood quietly to one side, imagining her tiny appearance; she must be incredibly cute.
However, given her personality, she probably wouldn't be as obedient as Xiaohua Ningning in this situation.
If it were a smaller version of Song Jin, she would already be holding a small wooden stick, hands on her hips, baring her teeth and pointing fiercely at people, ready to fight at the slightest provocation.
The scene was so vivid to imagine.
Unfortunately, he would never have the chance to see it.
Thinking about it, Qu Maoze felt a surge of regret. Looking at the flamboyant Song Jin, he reached out to pat her head.
The moment his hand was extended, Song Jin and Niu Tielan both looked over, their eyes flashing with fierceness.
Who do you want to touch?
Don't say
Although the mother and daughter harbored resentment and remained suspicious and wary of Qu Maoze, who had suddenly returned from the dead.
but
He dares to touch other children right in front of them. Does he think they're dead?
Qu Maoze paused, a smile flashing in his eyes, and reached out to gently pat Song Jin's head.
She was tall and had a sturdier frame than most, but her head was small; he could cover it with one hand.
Round, tap it gently
"Smack!"
Song Jin slapped him away, glaring at him angrily: "Do you want to die?"
Qu Maoze's hand instantly turned red, and he chuckled softly, "Golden hands are really strong."
Song Jin felt as if she had slapped a caterpillar; it was disgusting yet slightly itchy. She raised her hand, wanting to slap it again.
Niu Tielan looked at Qu Maoze's reddened right hand, thought of the knife marks on it, pursed her lips, and called out to someone.
"That's enough, stop fooling around. There's nothing wrong here, let's go to the next store."
Although they bought the shop, the shop manager was still responsible for its overall management. Their role was simply to collect rent and offer guidance to help the tenants do well, which would also increase their own rent collection.
The good business at the liquor store was within Niu Tielan's expectations, but he didn't expect it to happen so quickly.
That's a good start!
After glancing at Song Jin, Niu Tielan looked at Qu Maoze and warned him to behave himself and not to really provoke him.
I know my own daughter best; it's really commendable that she's been so patient.
Qu Maoze decisively took a step back, stopped provoking people, and became incredibly 'obedient'.
Niu Tielan was somewhat satisfied and was about to turn around and leave when she looked at Xiaohua Ningning next to Song Jin. She hesitated for a moment and asked, "Where did you meet these two sisters?"
Song Jin looked down at the two women: "They're not sisters. The one in black is from Shangyang Village, the orphanage over there. Mother, do you remember? That shady place."
The little black flower pouted and said, "It's not a rip-off shop, the prices are clearly marked!"
Song Jin chuckled: "It's also called taking advantage of someone's misfortune."
Little Flower, being uneducated, couldn't win an argument with her and angrily tugged at her little pigtails.
Ningning grabbed her, also huffing, "Don't you dare grab me!"
Xiaohua: "I didn't pull you, I pulled your hair."
Ningning frowned and wrinkled her nose: "Okay, that seems to be true. Fine, you can pull it then."
Song Jin's lips twitched.
These two are such a mix, one clever and the other foolish. I don't know how their mother figured they were sisters.
No, if you look closely, they do look somewhat alike. But babies, they all have big eyes, small faces, and chubby cheeks, so some resemblance is quite normal.
Song Jin poked Ningning's dimples and pointed at Xiaohua, asking, "Mom, look at her, doesn't she look a bit like that simple-minded guy from the Yang family?"
Niu Tielan: "...Don't insult me, it does look somewhat similar."
Song Jin: "Right? Look closely, this one does look a bit like him too. People with the surname Yang have such generic faces?"
Niu Tielan was speechless: "That's enough, are you leaving or not? Send the person back to get busy, or you can stay here and help out?"
Song Jin released the two boys in an instant, pushed them inside, and tossed out a tael of silver, handing it to Ningning: "I promised to treat you, but I didn't have time. Here, this is for lunch. Give it to your brother Fu, and you can order your own food."
Ningning clutched the silver coins tightly in her little hands and said in a sweet, childish voice, "Thank you, sister."
Meanwhile, the little flower next to her had her eyes darting around, clearly plotting something wicked.
Song Jin curled her lips into a smile, ignoring the two of them.
How could Ningning, a little beggar who had been making a living on the streets since childhood, be so naive and easily fooled? If she were, Brother Fu and the others would never dare let her go out to sell things alone.
Xiao Hua, that little devil who never lacks food or drink at the orphanage, is easy to fool when it comes to important matters, but not so easy to get away with.
Watching the two little ones walk away, heads close together, Song Jin sighed, "Mommy, when we walk, we're like giant versions of them!"
"..."
Niu Tielan was too lazy to pay her any attention. She turned and walked away, but stopped after a couple of steps and turned back: "What are you standing there for? Lead the way!"
She's only been here once or twice, so she doesn't have a good memory for remembering the way.
Song Jin was different. Putting aside everything else, her memory for directions was exceptional. Once she'd been a route, she'd never go wrong; even if she'd never been before, she could still find her way around.
Just like how she found the Prince Qi's residence based on only a few words from those around her before.
Song Jin became proud, crossed her arms, and swaggered ahead to lead the way.
Qu Maoze followed behind, glancing thoughtfully at Xiao Hua and Ning Ning beside him.
Is it Shangyang Village?
'Aren't you leaving yet? What, want to take it home and raise it?'
As he watched, a cool sound reached his ears.
Qu Maoze turned around, looked at Song Jin who had her hands behind her head and was swaggering ahead, and curled his lips into a smile.
'Jinjin, you're so great! You learned it so quickly!'
In the first few instances, she clearly hadn't learned how to transmit her voice. Like a mischievous child clutching a gold nugget, unaware that gold could buy everything, she just started throwing it around.
His lightness skill is average, his swordsmanship is average, he hasn't learned telepathy, and he can't control people.
Lazy and reckless
Qu Maoze's eyes softened: 'You're enough for me, why would I need other children?'
Song Jin's telepathic message ended, and after a while, she gritted her teeth and said, "Don't try to disgust me. I'm asking you, did you bully my mother? Her eyes were all red."
She noticed it a while ago, but just hadn't had the time, mainly because she forgot about the telepathic communication.
I'm still not proficient after just learning.
Upon hearing this, Qu Maoze chuckled softly, his smugness palpable even through the telepathic transmission.
'Sweetie, children shouldn't listen to adults.'
Oh no, can't she really kill this person?
Song Jin was disgusted and decisively cut off the telepathic communication.
If it weren't for her mother's urgent medical treatment, she wouldn't have let this person get close so easily.
hateful
...
They walked past several shops, the best of which were restaurants, all thriving; one could imagine their rent this year must be quite good.
The others are either undergoing repairs or hiring new staff; it will still be some time before they are fully operational. However, judging from the surrounding foot traffic, there shouldn't be any major problems.
Their last stop was the blacksmith shop opposite the martial arts school, owned by Wang Lao Er.
That is, when Song Jin was in Linxi Town, he helped them manage the tea garden, and Wang Lao Er came with him later.
Even the shop assistants were their servants, Amao and Xiaoduo.
The Song family had many servants and guards, so the two men had little to do after arriving at the Song family. One of them was lame, and the other had a mental disability, making many things inconvenient for them.
It's better to go outside and run a shop.
It's more reassuring to leave the blacksmith business to family, especially since Ado is very strong and often helped out at the blacksmith's shop when they were in town.
The big guy who had previously made Yang Yanjun wink was Xiao Duo. He had hit his head when he was a child, and his mind wasn't very sharp, making him react much slower than average.
However, it's still not very noticeable to the naked eye.
He stood shirtless beside the furnace, hammering away at a machete, sparks flying everywhere. Sweat streamed down his dark, muscular body.
Song Jin whistled: "Xiao Duo, not bad!"
Xiao Duo couldn't understand the teasing behind his words. He put down the hammer, wiped his sweat, and asked, "Is the young lady here?"
He always called Niu Tielan "Miss" and wouldn't change his address, so Song Jin could only be called "Little Miss".
This little fool, when he's stubborn he's like a bull.
Song Jin went inside to look at him.
What are you doing here?
Niu Tielan looked under the cabinet over there.
Little Ear, with her bottom sticking out, lay there searching for the fallen copper coins. After rummaging around for a while, she pulled out a very large coin.
"Oh, Madam and Miss are here? Look!"
She crawled out, covered in dust, and looked excitedly at the coins in her hand. These were one-qian copper coins, worth a hundred wen!
"I don't know who left it behind, but it's mine now. I'll go buy you guys some candied hawthorns, it's on me."
With that, she ran out excitedly.
The weather was unpredictable, and despite the female official's rigorous training, she couldn't control her temper.
But this is good enough. She watched Xiao Mei and Xiao Er grow up, so they are naturally different from ordinary maids.
Niu Tielan looked up at A Mao, who was forging iron again, and smiled slightly. A Mao looked honest but his ears were drooping with guilt.
When they ever want to leave, she will also provide them with a share of their wealth.
Thinking of this, Niu Tielan's lips curled slightly. Turning her gaze to the side, she saw Song Jin also rummaging through the cabinet for money, and her lips twitched.
This kid probably doesn't actually think he found money by chance, does he?
Niu Tielan sighed deeply, ignoring her daughter who was sometimes silly and sometimes clever, and asked, "Xiao Duo, where's A Mao?"
Upon hearing this, she knew something was wrong. Sure enough, when she turned her head, she met Qu Maoze's mocking gaze.
He drawled, "Amao?"
Niu Tielan was furious: "That brat named it!"
She didn't quite understand what the ears and eyebrows meant at first, but once it was decided, changing it would look strange.
If she had known earlier that this person was still alive and well, she would never have wanted that name.
Qu Maoze smiled meaningfully, "If you say so, then so be it."
Niu Tielan: Is it love?
Xiao Duo had stopped forging and was watching Niu Tielan and Qu Maoze bickering curiously when he slowly said, "A-Mao and Xiao Mei went to buy goods."
As a newly opened blacksmith shop, they had no inventory and their skills were not yet highly refined, so they still had to rely on outside help.
Xiao Duo is only suitable for blacksmithing and heavy work; the rest can be left to A Mao.
Amao has a slight limp, but he's quick-witted. Back in the countryside, he managed his family's hundreds of acres of land with great efficiency, and a small blacksmith shop was a piece of cake for him.
that is
"Xiao Mei came out too? Why didn't she come with us? It would have saved us so much trouble."
Song Jin crawled out from under the empty cabinet, lay on the chair, and scratched the cobwebs on her head, looking somewhat puzzled.
Niu Tielan couldn't bear to watch any longer and continued to ask Xiao Duo, "Has the shop had any business these past few days? Why is there no one at the small shop next door?"
She pointed to the small, partitioned-off room, which was suitable for selling small items like sesame cakes, but it was now empty.
Xiao Duo said slowly, "It's been rented out, they haven't come."
Song Jin knew this, and she gloated, "Mother, do you know who rented it? It's that dim-witted Yang family again. He said there's a handsome Taoist priest here who's very famous and interesting."
Niu Tielan's expression turned slightly cold: "Is that so?"
Song Jin continued to sow discord, shaking her head and feigning seriousness: "Last time it was a handsome painter, and now it's a handsome Taoist priest. Tsk tsk, Mother, you tell me, it's not good for a girl to act like this, not good at all."
She still harbored resentment towards this person for trying to take her mother away from her.
When applying eye drops, you have to apply them forcefully, and you have to kill two birds with one stone—apply both at the same time.
Song Jin gave Qu Maoze a provocative look.
Ha, what a philandering, unfaithful husband!
Qu Maoze's smile froze.
Is the young lady from the Yang family driven mad by the divorce, or...?
He thought of his two previous children, a thoughtful look flashing in his eyes, before quickly returning to the present. He looked at the mother and daughter, who were eyeing him menacingly, and chuckled softly.
"It seems that the painter and Taoist priest must be as beautiful as Madam Jinjin to be as popular as you two. It's true that birds of a feather flock together."
A series of wailing screams came from the doorway, drowning out his words.
"Master Maoze, is that you? Where have you been all this time? I thought something had happened to you. What would I do if something had happened to you?"
The next second, Dai Yuanhua, the young master of Jin Yu Ge, who spent his days idly wandering around outside, excitedly ran over, stumbled and knelt at his feet, hugged his legs, and howled...
"Master, Taoist priest, Master, you can't abandon me! What will I do without you? Master, please accept my bow..."
Qu Maoze's smile froze.
Niu Tielan's eyes were slightly cool as she spoke softly, "When it comes to popularity, how can my daughter and I compare to Daoist Maoze?"
First, he offered five hundred taels just to gamble with him, and now he's kowtowing and kneeling.
Niu Tielan smiled slightly: "Master Maoze, you possess extraordinary charm."
Qu Maoze: ...
He'll kill this brat right now.
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