At night, Yu Shu returned to Zhao Hui's house. She fetched some water and washed her face. As soon as she boiled the hot water, she heard Zhao Hui shouting outside. She quickly put down the firewood and ran out to open the door for her so that she could push the cart in.
"Aunt Huei, is business good tonight?"
Zhao Hui smiled and nodded. "Yes, I sold more than 20 bowls after you left."
Yu Shu closed the door and estimated that Zhao Hui never avoided her when it came to selling snacks. Although Zhao Hui was selling them at a high price, the cost was not cheap. A bowl of chicken soup wonton cost 50 copper coins. Just the ingredients alone were enough. She also sold some noodles and vegetable stuffing along the way. In total, she sold 80 bowls a day, but she could only earn a little more than two taels of silver. She worked hard from dawn to dusk, so she could only earn a little more than two taels a month.
Thanks to Zhao Hui's good cooking skills and the sincerity of the stuffing, she attracted so many customers.
"You go wash your hands and wipe your sweat. I'll clean up here. The hot water is boiling. I'll wipe your back later." Yu Shu took over the cart and pushed it to the door of the kitchen. She knew that Zhao Hui had been standing by the stove all day. She didn't know how much sweat she had shed. She must be very tired.
"Wait a minute," Zhao Hui bent down and pulled out the small bag from under the cart. She went back to the house and put it down.
Yu Shu said behind her, "What kind of good things do you want to hide?"
Zhao Hui smiled and said, "I'll show you later."
After the water was boiled, they closed the door and wiped each other's back in the kitchen compartment. They washed their bodies with a towel dipped in warm water and put on clean inner clothes. Yu Shu took a broom and swept the water on the ground to the gutter in the corner. Zhao Hui took the changed clothes and soaked them in a big wooden basin. Then she went into the house.
Yu Shu cleaned up and closed the kitchen door to prevent the cat from sneaking in in the middle of the night. As soon as she entered the bedroom, she saw Zhao Hui sitting on the edge of the bed under the light. She was unwrapping the small bag. Seeing her come in, she waved at her: "Xiao Yu, you're here."
Yu Shu walked over and watched as Zhao Hui shook a brand new green robe in front of her body. She smiled and nodded, "Look, I knew you'd take advantage of this lustrous green."
Yu Shu lowered her head to look at the new clothes on her body. She was a little stunned. Zhao Hui then took out a slightly darker colored pleated horse skirt and wrapped it around Yu Shu's waist. Zhao Hui stood up and urged her, "Come and try it on. I don't know if this skirt is long enough. If it is, I'll have someone cut it off tomorrow and tie the edges."
Yu Shu stupidly said: "For, for me?"
Zhao Hui looked at her and said: "Of course, this color is not suitable for my age. You are a girl, but you dress up like a wild boy all day. If you don't wear a skirt, you will really think of yourself as a boy. Try it quickly. If it is long or short, I will change it for you. The day after tomorrow, there will be a Sanqing meeting in the south of the city. Aunt Huei will take you there to pray for your safety and find a good husband in the future."
Yu Shu pinched the skirt that Zhao Hui stuffed into her arms. Looking at her soft eyes under the light, her throat tightened. She wanted to say a few words to make her happy, but her usual sharp tongue was gone. When she opened her mouth, she only said: "Thank you, Aunt Huei."
"Well, I'm going to wash the clothes. You try it and call me later." Zhao Hui stood up and reached out to touch Yu Shu's head. Yu Shu lowered her head and didn't refuse. She looked very docile.
When Zhao Hui went out, she hugged the pile of clothes and buried her head in it. After standing for a while, she clumsily shook it off and put it on her body. The material of the clothes was not the best, but it was solid satin. The leather surface was smooth, and there were light patterns woven into it. The sleeves and lapels were carefully locked, and the most exquisite part was the green satin that reached the hips. There was a pair of silver-yellow little fish embroidered on the lapel. When the belt was fastened, it was placed against the mouth, as if hiding in the water grass intimately.
Yu Shu put the skirt on and touched the pair of fish on her chest. Her heart felt warm. After thinking for a while, she took off the scarf on her head and took a comb to smooth her hair.
Her hair was just washed last night, so it was still very soft. During the day, it was tied up in a bun. When she put it down, it was a little messy. She simply took out a hair tie from her small box, picked up two strands of hair from her temples, twisted them to the back, and played with the rest of the curls. When she felt that it looked good, she patted her cheeks to make her cheeks rosier. She picked up the skirt and ran out, shouting: "Aunt Huei, I … Who are you talking to?"
Yu Shu stopped at the door of the house. Under the moonlight, she saw Zhao Hui talking to someone outside the door, so she asked.
When the person outside the door heard the voice, he subconsciously turned his head and looked into the courtyard. He saw a green figure standing on the steps of the house under the jade wheel. She had black hair, beautiful eyebrows, a pair of intelligent eyes, and a slender waist. She looked like a clever person who swam out of a blue lake, making people's heart palpitate. When Cao Zixin found out that the shop assistant working in his shop was a girl, he was very surprised. But because Yu Shu always had the hearty appearance of a boy, it was difficult for him to treat her as a delicate little girl. However, now that he saw her clearly, his heart softened. Only then did he realize that this child, who was even more cheerful than the other boy, was clearly a young girl in the prime of her youth.
When Zhao Hui heard Yu Shu's question, she turned her head and said: "It's your Brother Cao. A house in the alley was robbed. It's a mess outside, so he came to ask, afraid that the little thief will jump into our house."
Yu Shu tilted her head and looked outside. Sure enough, she saw that the figure at the door was Cao Zixin. She walked forward and clenched her fist: "Brother Cao, don't worry. I'm here. If that little thief dares to come, I'll beat him until all his teeth fall out."
If she was still the tomboy that was in high spirits during the day, her words would carry some weight. But now, it sounded like a little girl trying to be brave. That stubborn expression hanging on her obedient face was very tempting.
In the darkness, Cao Zixin's eyes lit up. When Yu Shu came near, he turned his head to avoid her and did not answer her. He said to Zhao Hui: "Aunt Huei, I'm going back. You guys be careful. Close the doors and windows and don't casually open them. If there's anything, shout loudly. I'm a light sleeper and I can hear you."
"Okay, you quickly go back. I'll be fine with Xiao Yu accompanying me."
Cao Zixin turned and left. When he reached his own house, he couldn't help but turn his head to take a look. He waited for the house to close the door and erase the green shadow.
He stood in front of the door for a while. With a low chuckle, he muttered, "Ashu, Ashu."
* — — — —
The Three Purities Meeting was a gathering held near a Daoist temple in the city. The form was similar to a temple fair. But because the Da 'an Dynasty emphasized the Dao, it was much more lively than a temple fair.
Whenever there was a Three Purities Meeting, the schools and private schools in the city would have an extra day off. Only the merchants were the busiest. On this day, they had to go to the gathering to arrange their stalls, occupy a good place, eat, drink and be merry. Their business was two times more than on a normal day.
On this day, Yu Shu woke up early. Just as she finished wearing her clothes, Yu Xiaoxiu came looking for her. When he saw that Yu Shu was wearing a new dress, he couldn't help but stare at her.
Yu Shu sat at the entrance of the central room and let Zhao Hui comb her hair. When she saw that Yu Xiaoxiu looked as if he had never seen her before, she stretched out her leg and kicked him. She threatened: "If you stare at me like that, I'll beat you up."
Yu Xiaoxiu curled his lips. He didn't believe that Yu Shu could bear to hit him. But he didn't stare at her like that. Instead, he went to talk to Zhao Hui: "Aunt Huei, I've asked all the questions you asked me that day."
Zhao Hui said happily: "Have you asked everything?"
Yu Xiaoxiu lowered his head and rummaged through his cloth bag. He took out a folded piece of paper and passed it to her: "My sister's birthday and eight characters are written on it."
Zhao Hui put the comb on Yu Shu's hair and reached out to take it. She was literate, but she couldn't write it.
Yu Shu didn't dare to look back at Zhao Hui. She looked at Yu Xiaoxiu suspiciously: "My birthday and eight characters?"
Yu Xiaoxiu nodded his head and went to the kitchen to get some water. He woke up too early and didn't drink any water on the way from the Ji family.
"Aunt Huei, why do you want my birthday and eight characters?"
Zhao Hui tucked the paper into her bosom and straightened her head, saying, "You still have the nerve to ask? Who doesn't even know their own date of birth and eight characters? I'll ask clearly, and when I go there today, I'll find a teacher to calculate it for you."
Yu Shu smiled: "I learned it myself. I don't need someone to calculate it for me. Okay, let me see your eight characters. I'll calculate it for you and see when I can become rich."
Zhao Hui snorted and twisted her ear: "You only learned it for a few days. You always talk big. There are teachers in the Sanqing meeting, but they don't accept money on this day. Those who can't be seen on normal days will come. If you're lucky, you can get a seat and I'll calculate it for you. If there's any disaster, try to avoid it."
Zhao Hui always felt that Yu Shu's life was not good. She changed her mother's marriage and became a concubine in a rich family. She didn't have any relatives and her mother didn't like her. She was beaten and kicked out of the family. These days were smooth, but who knows if there will be any disaster in the future. Zhao Hui has been thinking about this day. She wants to find a teacher for Yu Shu.
Yu Shu didn't know what Zhao Hui was thinking, but she didn't want to refuse her good intention. She joked a few words and didn't say anything.
Zhao Hui combed Yu Shu's hair and went into the room to get a new bag for Yu Xiaoxiu. It was a maroon bag with twisted leather strap. It was much better than the bag Yu Xiaoxiu had. She cut clothes for Yu Shu, but she didn't forget him.
"Do you like it?" Zhao Hui rubbed her hands and looked at Yu Xiaoxiu's reaction expectantly.
Yu Shu looked at Yu Xiaoxiu who liked it but was embarrassed to accept it. She pressed his head and said: "Hurry up and thank Aunt Huei. She specially asked someone to make it for you."
"Thank, thank you, Aunt Huei." Yu Xiaoxiu blushed and thanked her. Compared to Yu Shu who was thick-skinned, he was very shy.
Zhao Hui raised her hand and touched his little head. Her eyes were so soft that water almost came out. "It's good that you like it."
Yu Shu saw that Yu Xiaoxiu was happy. She was even more grateful to Zhao Hui. Zhao Hui could protect Yu Xiaoxiu and take care of Yu Xiaoxiu, but she couldn't give her the care of an elder. This was an indispensable part of growing up.
"Go to the opposite door and see if your Brother Cao has packed up. Let's go together." Zhao Hui said. There were many people in the Three Purities Association, and there were also many landlords and scoundrels. They specially picked women and children to cheat. With a young man accompanying them, it could save a lot of trouble. Yesterday, she invited Cao Zixin. Coincidentally, he was also going to the Three Purities Association, so he agreed to go together.
Yu Shu took the opportunity to pinch Yu Xiaoxiu's cheek and went out with a smile. As soon as she opened the door, she saw a figure with a lotus waist standing at the door. She reached out and patted his shoulder. "Brother Cao."
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