I know very little about this cousin Shen Luzhu, I have never met her in person, I only know that she is Uncle Chu's second child, she is already married, and her name seems to be Chu Fang.
"What will happen if my cousin comes to see us?"
Chu Yi extinguished the candle on the kang cabinet, opened the quilt and lay down, stretched out his hand to put his wife into his arms, was silent for a moment, and shook his head: "I don't know, don't think too much, if something really happens, I will come again."
This question really bothered Chu Yi. He and Chu Fang were four years apart, and they were a boy and a girl. They didn't play together much when they were young. In the eleventh year of Chu Yi's year, Chu Fang married to a neighboring village. After that, she had even less contact with him and only came back two or three times a year. Later, Uncle Chu's family separated and lived alone, and Chu Fang almost never came back. Lao Zhai, to be honest, Chu Yi is really not very familiar with this cousin.
The next day, Uncle Chu and his family went back to their old house to spend time with grandpa and grandma, just as Chu Yi said. In the middle of the morning, someone seemed to come outside the courtyard. Shen Luzhu thought it was the cousin who had been waiting for them for a long time yesterday. When he came out, he saw a driver driving an ox cart, saying that he was looking for the daughter and son-in-law of Li Xiucai's family in the town.
The coachman was taken to the hall by Chu Yi. Chu Ren was chatting with his parents and grandparents, while his sister-in-law, Mrs. Li, was feeding her son Chu Mingxuan and eating custard.
Seeing this, the coachman raised his hands and saluted: "May I ask which two are Li Xiucai's daughters and sons-in-law?"
When Chu Ren heard this, he stood up and saluted back: "Li Xiucai is my father-in-law. Who are you?"
"I am a coachman in the town. Your mother-in-law asked me to deliver a message, saying that your father-in-law, Li Xiucai, had a drink with someone yesterday and fell unconscious in the alley in front of the door when he came home at night. He was found by nearby neighbors and sent back. Yes, let you go back quickly!"
"What!" Mrs. Li stood up suddenly when she heard the bad news, and the bowl of custard in her hand also spread all over her!
"Does this elder brother know how my father-in-law is doing now?"
"It says that the doctor has been invited and he is awake. I'm not too sure about the details. If you go back now, you can take my bullock cart!"
Chu Ren thanked the coachman and asked him to wait in the hall for a while to let them clean up. Then he picked up his son beside him and comforted his wife: "Father-in-law, good people have their own destiny. Didn't the coachman say that people have woken up? They should It’s nothing serious, go and pack your clothes and we’ll go back right away.”
Only then did Li regain her composure: "Okay!" She couldn't continue wearing her clothes because they were dirty, and she was in a hurry to go back to town. She didn't have time to go back to her parents-in-law's house to change her own clothes, so she had to ask Shen Luzhu for a favor: "Brothers and sisters, Can you lend me some clothes?"
"Cousin, come with me."
The two of them came to the east wing one after another. Shen Luzhu found a new set of clothes of his own for Li.
"Thank you, sister-in-law."
Xu Shi was too anxious to rush back to the town. Before Shen Luzhu could leave, Mrs. Li took off her dirty clothes. At this time, Shen Luzhu could no longer open the door and went out, so she could only turn her back and stand in the corner waiting. .
Mrs. Li put away the dirty clothes she took off and called Shen Luzhu: "Brother and sister, I'm fine, thank you."
"Sister-in-law, you don't have to be polite...this is...this pendant is quite special!" As soon as Shen Luzhu turned around, he saw Mrs. Li wearing her own new lake blue clothes, with a small ring with a thin outer ring hanging on her chest. Silver, with a smooth white appearance and a round pendant with some bright yellow in it, like an underripe poached egg!
"Oh, this was passed down from my mother-in-law's family." Li followed Shen Luzhu's line of sight, looked down, and casually put the pendant into her lapel.
"Brothers and sisters, let's go out."
"Oh, okay." Shen Luzhu opened the door and followed Mrs. Li back to the main room. Until Chu Ren and his family got on the carriage and left the old house, her heart could not calm down for a long time. Although she had already had some guesses in her heart, but now It’s really confirmed, but it’s still a bit unbelievable!
That pendant is exactly the same as what grandma said! No! It should be said that it is the same pendant, but why was the pendant given to my mother-in-law that was supposed to be buried with her buried with her, worn on the hall sister-in-law, and turned into a pendant passed down from the eldest uncle's family!
Chu Ren's family of three returned to town, and Uncle Chu's family also returned to their yard after lunch.
With nothing to do, the Chu family's card game started again. The family gathered around the fire pot in the main room, eating snacks and playing cards. It was much more lively than in previous years! While they were having fun, someone came to the yard again. It was Chu Fang who had not seen anyone for a long time yesterday.
"Fang'er, why are you here again today?" No wonder Grandma Chu was wondering. It was the first time Chu Fang came to our home yesterday afternoon. It was already a strange thing, but she didn't expect this person to come here again today. Got it!
"Grandma, my granddaughter has nothing to do at home. Come and take a look!"
"Your father and the others just left, and Aren's family also went back to town."
A trace of embarrassment flashed across Chu Fang's and Wang's look-alike faces: "It's not that Chu Yi was busy at home when he got married. We didn't see each other yesterday, so we thought we'd have to see each other anyway!"
After saying that, Chu Fang looked around the people in the hall. The only unfamiliar face in the room was the young girl sitting next to Chu Yi. Chu Fang walked straight over, took Shen Luzhu's hand and patted it: "These are my brothers and sisters, right?" .”
With his hand held by Chu Fang, Shen Luzhu followed the force and stood up: "Cousin."
"Grandpa and grandma, please continue and don't worry about me." Chu Fang said and looked at Chu Yi: "I'll go talk to my cousins and go to your house."
Shen Luzhu was confused and sat on the kang in the east wing with Chu Fang. Looking at Chu Yi who was sitting on the chair opposite, who was also a little stunned, he didn't know whether to cry or laugh for a moment!
"My cousin's family was really busy when you got married, so she couldn't come over. Don't you blame me?"
"No, cousin."
"It's okay if you don't. In fact, I have always cared about you, but I really can't get away from you at home. My cousin's family is all farmers, and they only point to the output of the fields all year round. Not to mention that this farm work is tiring, except for There is nothing left to eat, drink and pay taxes! It’s not like you who are skilled and still do business. The money you get is much easier than us! I heard people say that your shop is very prosperous. People who want to buy paper money It’s a long way since we all have to be discharged, and I don’t have time to take a look, brother and sister, please tell my cousin, is that really like that?”
"It's all the villagers who are willing to support it, so the news is a bit exaggerated."
"Brothers and sisters, there is no need to be modest. Just look at the decorations in your house and you will know they are good. You are living a good life. I am really happy from the bottom of my heart! Actually... I came here today because I have something to think about. Discuss it with your cousin. Ayi, my cousin’s life is really difficult. Can you see if your business of selling paper money can let my cousin take advantage of it? "
"Taking advantage?"
Seeing that Chu Yi had no expression and seemed unwilling, Chu Fang quickly explained: "Don't worry, it will never affect your business. We will only sell in our village. If we don't come here, you will still do the business in the mountain village. This way If so, don't you have many ways to sell goods... That is, my cousin is really short of money right now. Can you take it back to me and sell it first? Don't worry, when the stall is running and you have earned enough money, this one will use the burning paper. I will definitely make up the money for you!"
Cousin Chu Fang is truly worthy of being the eldest uncle’s biological daughter. The whole town can probably hear this plan!
It was just because of the excitement before that more people knew about it. Coupled with the unique new style, seven or eight nearby villages came to buy it, and the business was so prosperous. If he opened an identical one in a neighboring village, wouldn't he cut his business in half?
What's more, the cousin not only wants half of the business directly, but also wants to directly take away half of their business on credit!
"I'm afraid this won't work!" Chu Yi refused without thinking.
"But you think the two shops are too close? If you don't want to, you can change it. I heard that you don't give all the work of making paper money to others. Why don't you help your own family? We can do this too! "
In fact, Chu Fang had already guessed that Chu Yi would not agree to her opening another shop. This was not her real purpose. Her sister-in-law married to Zhao Cheng's family. She heard her sister-in-law say it several times when she came home. Zhao Cheng's family has become prosperous in the past six months. They go to town to buy new year's goods in an ox cart. The guy just unloaded the cart for a long time.
He also said that the person who sells paper money is my sister-in-law’s natal family, so why don’t they promote their daughter if they have such a good thing!
Doesn't Chu Fang want to take advantage of it? She thought about it more than anyone else. As early as the Ghost Festival, she heard that the Chu family's paper money was selling like hotcakes, so she had already returned to her parents' home. She thought that if the old house made money, her parents would also get a lot. , she went back and cried about being poor, maybe she could still make a fortune!
Who would have thought that the shop was actually my cousin Chu Yi’s private business, and my grandfather and grandmother had to step aside, let alone her!
Later, after listening to my sister-in-law's words, I started to think again. This kind of money-making work is actually done by different people. Since it is the same, why can't it be her, and I am Chu Yi's cousin!
But having said that, Chu Fang also knew that the separation caused by her father and mother might have completely severed the relationship between Chu Yi and her family. If she brought it up directly, she might not be able to do it, so she thought about it. With such a way of retreating into advancement, Chu Yi would be embarrassed to reject him twice in a row!
"That's not possible. The three companies are now supplying just enough, so there is no need to add another one." Chu Fang had a beautiful idea, but Chu Yi not only refused twice in a row, but also refused twice in a row without thinking!
"Brother, someone is here to buy a coffin. I asked you to go out and help load the coffin!" ("Chu Yi, I am your cousin...")
After hearing the words, Chu Yi got up and followed Chu Li out. As soon as he reached the middle of the room, he turned around and said to Chu Fang: "Cousin, if you have nothing else to do, go and see grandpa and grandma!"
Chu Yi went out, and Shen Luzhu was about to listen to his father-in-law and take his cousin back to the main room for a walk, but his cousin actually pulled her and had something to say!
"Brother and sister, you have only been married into our Chu family for a year, and you still don't know much about the people and things in the family. Many things are not what they seem on the surface. As time goes by, you will become confused! But you can't be direct. Ask yourself if you are a man, the best thing is to have someone close to you in your husband’s family!
Besides, when this woman gets married, she becomes an outsider. How can you still rely on your mother's family for everything here? But it’s not all your fault. You’re still newly married, so it’s normal for you to not understand. But as a cousin, I can’t just watch you being stupid. I have to teach you.
Just talking about the job of making paper money, and the fact that you went back to your parents' house yesterday and stayed there until dark without replying. Do you still think you are a girl from the Shen family? You can't have this idea. Time is short now. Chu Yi is still warm to you. As time goes by, his left hand will touch his right hand. If you continue to do this, he will have an opinion. At that time, you will have to have someone in your husband's house. I just need to talk to you! "
"My cousin said so much, does this mean she wants to be my helper in the Chu family?"
"Why don't you say that your siblings are smart!"
"What benefits do you need from me? For example, let my cousin do the paper money work done by my parents?"
Chu Fang smiled sheepishly: "It's not that I want to compete with your mother's family for work. There is also the Zhao family. A Yi is not related to them, so how can I be reliable like my own family! You don’t need to do anything, just chat with your cousin.”
