"Ten purses, ten embroidered handkerchiefs and sixty knots, please see if the number is correct." Shopkeeper Zou spread the contents of the packages on the countertop.
"Yes, yes, I still don't believe Shopkeeper Zou?" Mrs. Qi smiled.
Then there was another crackling sound, and Shopkeeper Zou took out a handful of copper plates.
"The purse is five cents each, which is fifty cents. The embroidered handkerchief is six cents each, which is sixty cents. The knot is one cent, which is sixty cents. A total of one hundred and seventy cents. Madam Qi, you must be right."
Shopkeeper Zou fiddled with his abacus every time he said something, leaving time for others to calculate.
He was very attentive and Hua Jin noticed that there was no impatience in his eyes. At first glance, this person looked okay.
The number was clear at a glance and it was not difficult to calculate. Mrs. Qi thought about it for a few times and then nodded, but said with great conviction: "No need to calculate, no need to calculate. Shopkeeper Zou's calculation is of course correct. Who doesn't know that Shopkeeper Zou is kind-hearted and kind-hearted? No deception!"
Although I know it's just a compliment, who doesn't like to hear nice words, and Shopkeeper Zou is no exception.
"Ms. Qi still knows how to talk. I really like to hear this." She smiled and then handed the number of coins to Ms. Qi at the counter.
"Take these, it's one hundred and seventy coins."
As the saying goes, brothers settle accounts openly, and it is not unfair to pay someone face to face, let alone a transaction. Qi didn't say much and started to investigate seriously.
After a while, Mrs. Qi was in a good mood after receiving the money and said with a bright smile: "That's right, that's right."
"Are you still going to get a job this time?" Shopkeeper Zou asked habitually, raising the corner of his mouth.
"Take, take, take. Please ask Shopkeeper Zou to prepare it for us according to the previous quantity."
After a while, the things they needed were placed on the counter. "I won't refund the deposit."
"That's right. Thank you, Shopkeeper Zou." The old lady Qi Shihua thanked her repeatedly.
I am truly grateful to Shopkeeper Zou. If Shopkeeper Zou hadn’t been kind and willing to let them work, there would have been no place to earn money.
The two jobs a month add up to two to three hundred cash, which will come in handy over the course of a year. At least the oil, salt, and condiments at home can definitely be used, and there is still some leftover.
"You're welcome," Shopkeeper Zou said with a smile as usual.
Hua Jin saw her grandma and mother preparing to leave and quickly grabbed them.
The couple looked at Hua Jin in confusion, thinking that this child was interested in something?
Yes, there are so many beautiful things here, and it’s normal for children to like and want them.
Although most of the things inside are a bit expensive, the little things are still affordable. Mrs. Hua, who has always had no bottom line in front of her granddaughter, immediately said: "Jin'er, is there anything you want?"
As soon as Mrs. Hua spoke up, shopkeeper Zou realized that there was a child in the counter. He was just checking the goods without paying much attention.
She is fair and clean, with big and long eyes. She is a cute and beautiful little girl. Shopkeeper Zou, who only has three sons who really want a daughter, his eyes immediately brightened for a moment, and he said with a smile: "Auntie, this is your granddaughter. Yeah! He’s been raised so well, Auntie must have put a lot of effort into it.”
When she heard someone praising her child, the old woman immediately grinned, but she still said modestly: "She's the granddaughter. Shopkeeper Zou has given me the award. How can any shopkeeper say such a good thing? The peasant child is running wild all over the mountains and fields, which means he is born The skin is whiter.”
"Good is good, Auntie, don't be so modest." The more Shopkeeper Zou looked at it, the more he felt that it was rare to like such a delicate child.
"Child, what's your name?" I couldn't help but ask.
That smile was particularly like that of a witch preparing to abduct a child, which meant that Hua Jin was not a real child, otherwise she would not dare to look at her.
Facing such a pair of eyes, Hua Jin smiled brightly and said, "Sister, my name is Hua Jin."
"Hey, I'm so old. Why should I call you sister? I should call you aunt." Shopkeeper Zou was elated when he heard this, and the fine lines on the corners of his smiling eyes deepened.
"But eldest sister looks so young!" Hua Jin looked at her mother as she spoke, as if comparing herself.
Shopkeeper Zou felt so comfortable after hearing this!
I have heard a lot of compliments like this, but it was the first time for such an older child to say it. Shopkeeper Zou couldn't help but touch his cheek with joy.
My child, everything you said must be true.
The old lady Qi looked at her happily: "Auntie, how do you raise children? Do you have any secrets? This little mouth is as sweet as honey. Auntie, you don't know that there are three stinky boys in my family who don't care about me every day?" I’m so angry that I won’t give up, it’s so rare that I’m still a daughter.”
"There's no secret. The shopkeeper is too young to begin with." Mrs. Hua knows the art of speaking, and she continued to praise,
"I finally understand. It turns out that this child is following you, aunt!"
Then he looked at the calm little girl and said, "Aunt Huajin likes you. Let's see what you like."
Look at this delicate little face. The more shopkeeper Zou looks at it, the more he likes it. He really wants to take her home.
"This is impossible," Mrs. Hua said quickly.
Shopkeeper Zou ignored what Mrs. Hua said and walked out of the counter. He took Hua Jin's little hand and walked along the counter of his house. "Take a closer look. Do you like anything?"
So what... Hua Jin didn't expect that shopkeeper Zou would be so enthusiastic and forthright. He caught his hand without checking it. After walking a few steps, he quickly stopped and shook his head.
"Thank you, big sister..."
"Call Auntie" The soft voice made Shopkeeper Zou's eyebrows arch again and again.
"Auntie" Hua Jin called obediently.
"Thank you, Auntie, there is nothing I want."
Although Hua Jin didn't know the price, she also knew that even the small items in the embroidery shop were not cheap. Although it was a gift from the shopkeeper, Hua Jin couldn't help but be interested.
"It's okay, my aunt is willing to give it to you. Your grandmother and your mother won't be angry."
As he spoke, he took out several embroidered handkerchiefs and asked Hua Jin to choose from them.
Hua Jin: "..."
Then he quickly shook his head and said, "Thank you, Auntie, I really don't want Hua Jin."
The little face looked at Shopkeeper Zou seriously. This little expression coupled with the cute and delicate face made Shopkeeper Zou even more curious, but it was also obvious that the little girl really didn't want it.
"You don't want the gift from aunt?"
Then again, how could a child not like exquisite and beautiful things?
"Thank you, aunt."
The meaning is already obvious.
After Shopkeeper Zou lamented that the little girl was sensible, Hua Jin spoke again.
"Auntie, the pattern on the veil is so beautiful."
"Really!" Shopkeeper Zou thought Hua Jin had changed her mind, and was about to take out a few more handkerchiefs for the little girl to choose from. Hua Jin's next words made her stop.
"Yeah," Hua Jin nodded, and then got down to the topic: "Auntie, I can also draw beautiful patterns. Can you accept it here?"
Hua Jin never thought of asking her grandma and mother to embroider the finished product first before discussing business. They knew how to embroider, but they were all simple ones, and the patterns in their hands were a bit too difficult for them.
"Can you draw... patterns?" Shopkeeper Zou looked at Hua Jin in surprise and then laughed.
Obviously some don't believe it, but it's not as obvious as it seems. The child's original intention is good and he wants to make money. It's better not to hit such a cute little girl so directly.
"Yes," Hua Jin said firmly.
Shopkeeper Zou's reaction was normal and he already took care of her emotions. After all, she was just a child, so she really wasn't very convincing.
