Baoshan's affairs were finally taken care of, and Chu Yi finally didn't need to run around every day. However, his days were as busy as ever, busy processing wood in the west courtyard, busy making coffins, and busy teaching his two apprentices.
Before, Chu Yi was not at home during the day, and Shen Luzhu took two brothers, Xue Changshan and Xue Changlin, to look after the shop. Chu Xiuxiu and Chu Li also helped from time to time. It was not too busy, but now Chu Yi and his two apprentices stay there most of the time. In the west courtyard, taking care of two shops was a bit beyond her ability for Shen Luzhu.
Chu Yi naturally considered this issue, and posted a notice in front of his shop the next day that he needed to recruit a waiter. Soon someone came to ask about the matter. The young couple interviewed several people and finally settled on A tall and thin young man named Song He worked in a paper money shop. He was only seventeen or eighteen years old, but he had already gotten married in the first year and became a father. The whole family lived in the east of the county, not far from the Chu family. Not that far.
In addition, a middle-aged man named Gao Tongshan was recruited. He was about forty years old. This man was somewhat disabled. Only one thumb was left on his right hand, and the other four fingers were cut off at the root. It is said that he was also a coffin maker. He is a craftsman, but he accidentally got into an accident while doing work, and he became what he is now.
Because he was a craftsman who made coffins, Gao Tongshan knew a lot more about funeral supplies, especially coffins than ordinary people. Although they can no longer continue making coffins, the couple felt that it was better to stay in their own coffin shop and be a clerk. It couldn't be more suitable.
With Song He and Gao Tongshan helping to look after the shop, Shen Luzhu's days became more leisurely. In addition to doing some housework or chatting with Chu Xiuxiu and Jiang Juan, Shen Luzhu spent most of the day with them. In the west courtyard, I stayed with Chu Yi, either helping him pour water to wipe his sweat, or just standing aside in a daze.
It's not that Shen Luzhu is so attached to Chu Yi, but that Zhengzheng, a little kid, has been following him for a while. Chu Yi gave lessons to his two apprentices, and he didn't know what the evil was. Chu Yi was not there, or he was staying there. It was fine in the shop and in the east courtyard, but once I went to the west courtyard, if I was discovered by Zhengzheng, I would definitely drag my mother-in-law to watch.
Originally, Shen Luzhu didn't like to lead the people next to Chu Yi when he was working. Firstly, she was afraid that they would disturb Chu Yi. Secondly, there were a lot of wood and tools in the west courtyard, and she was always afraid that she would miss any one of them. It hurt Zhengzheng, but later I saw that he was honest every time, so I just squatted aside and watched. As soon as the couple had a few times, they let him do it.
So you can often see such a scene in the west courtyard of the Chu family. Chu Yi is leading two apprentices to do work, and from time to time he will stop to explain or demonstrate to the apprentices. Just this little carrot head, sitting in Chu Yi's house On the small stool specially made for him, watching from a distance or not, only Shen Luzhu was a little bored, looking at the sky, the ground, or the notebook in his hand.
When people get bored, they always look for something to do. Apart from people, the most common things in front of Shen Luzhu are wood and coffins. She reminds of the Sun Ji Coffin Shop that Chu Yi took her to visit a few days ago. Shen Luzhu had an idea after seeing those exquisite and luxurious coffins in that shop.
"Chu Yi, I see that the coffins in the Sun family's shop are all engraved with many exquisite patterns, but our coffins, except for the one in the middle of the shop, have no patterns. Brother Lin said before that the Sun family's coffins have no patterns. Nowadays, all the business we do is for the rich, what’s the saying and etiquette behind this?”
Hearing this, Chu Yi put down the tools in his hands and patiently explained to his wife: "It's not that there are any rules, it's just that the people who buy them are different. The patterns or words engraved on the coffin require good wood for convenience. Carving, in addition, takes effort and time. But in this way, the selling price will have to be raised to avoid losing money. If we made that kind of coffin in the village before, most of them would not be sold. Right now. , If A Zhu also wants to make a coffin like the Sun family, we can give it a try."
Shen Luzhu thought thoughtfully for a while and then said: "I do want to give our coffins some new designs, but as Chu Yi said, it takes time and effort to get good wood, and the cost goes up. Of course, the price will have to keep up. We can’t rob the Sun family of this rich man’s business. We can just do the ordinary people’s business, but..."
Chu Yi understands
Shen Luzhu always has some novel ideas and tries to find ways to implement them: "But you still want to give it a try?"
"Hmm... But it seems that carving is not feasible. Chu Yi, how do you think we can use painting? This way, we don't have to choose wood. I can do the painting. It doesn't take much effort. It doesn't matter if I keep you around. Things to do."
No matter how unreliable his wife's ideas may seem to outsiders, Chu Yi always supports them with both hands: "In the afternoon, we will go to the street to buy some pens and paints."
"good!"
After lunch, they were put to sleep. The young couple didn't even take a nap, so they went out directly, went shopping on the street, and then went to the art workshop to buy a lot of brushes and paints.
There happened to be two coffins that Chu Yi had just made in the yard. One was already painted with black wood paint, and the other was either not painted in time or was not planned to be painted in the first place. Shen Luzhu sat down holding the brush and paint. In front of the coffin, I thought about it for a while and then started playing with the paint. I haven't touched a paintbrush for a long time, and I almost forgot that I was a painter in my previous life.
The first few strokes seemed a bit stiff, but then it seemed as if some meridians were opened. Shen Luzhu's paintings became smoother and smoother. After a while, he had painted a picture of a crane on the already painted coffin. The red sun on a white background, with light blue floating clouds, and the soaring cranes, accompanied by the original black wood paint of the coffin, are exceptionally harmonious and seem to have a little bit of sanctity.
Chu Yi, who was working next to him, and his wife who had been paying attention, saw Shen Luzhu put down the brush in his hand, so he got up and came over. Although Chu Yi knew that his wife was very good at painting as early as when he designed the banknotes. , but now that I see this painting, I still can't help but admire: "Our A-Zhu painting is so good, this crane seems to be alive."
Xue Changshan and Xue Changlin heard the sound and came over: "Wow, Master Wife is so amazing!"
Uncle Chu Chu and Xiu Xiu had learned about Shen Luzhu's intention to paint on the coffin a few noons ago. Now that they heard that the painting had been completed, they all came over from the east courtyard.
Uncle Chu didn't know that Shen Luzhu had this skill. After seeing it, he was amazed: "Is this what you just started painting? Did you finish it so quickly? Lu Zhu's paintings are better than those sold in the painting workshop. The paintings are not bad at all, I didn’t expect Lu Zhu to have such good craftsmanship!”
"Sister-in-law is really amazing!"
"Sister-in-law, this is called not revealing the real person!"
It's been a long time since I painted a complete painting seriously. After finishing the painting, Shen Luzhu seemed a little excited. Hearing the constant praise from his family, he couldn't help but feel happy. His cheeks were red and his mouth was pursed. Can't stop laughing.
While the afternoon was still long, Shen Luzhu planned to paint a picture on another unpainted coffin. Chu Li looked at the painting and seemed to be very interested in it. Others They all went about their own business, and he was the only one who stayed with his sister-in-law, handing over brushes or paints from time to time.
Seeing his interest, Shen Luzhu first sketched out the border with a fine pen, leaving a blank space inside. After teaching Chu Li some basic skills with a brush, he asked him to color, but Chu Li filled in the color. It was filled out quite well.
After the paint on the two coffins had dried completely before dinner, Chu Yi and the guys put the two coffins on display in the coffin shop.
Uncle Chu was very optimistic about these two painted coffins. When he was young, he went to the state capitals south of Daqian and saw many exquisite and gorgeous coffins.
At that time, I also wanted to do it in my own coffin shop, but what I did was all the business of the villagers. Almost no one would pay for such a much more expensive coffin, so Uncle Chu could only rest his thoughts.
Now that the family's shop has opened in the county town, I think it will sell well: "Ayi, Lu Zhu, have you two figured out how to sell this coffin?"
When the young couple went to buy paint at noon, they actually discussed this issue. If someone wanted to buy this coffin, how to price it.
Chu Yi put down the bowls and chopsticks in his hands and replied: "A-Zhu and I discussed that a coffin with half an amount of silver will be enough."
Shen Luzhu also said: "Third Uncle, we don't pick wood, and we don't spend much time on it. We just need to spend some money on paint.
It's too expensive to sell. "
Uncle Chu thought for a while, nodded and said, "That's a good idea. We are originally doing business for ordinary people. It's too expensive. When Lu Zhu paints again tomorrow, I'll call Xiu Xiu to help you. Just bring it to me."
"It's okay, Third Uncle, you're busy."
Chu Li heard this and said: "There is also me. I will also help my sister-in-law. I want to learn painting from my sister-in-law."
"Cheng, come here, my sister-in-law will teach you."
In order to facilitate Shen Luzhu's painting, Chu Yi specially built an awning in the west courtyard. Under the awning, he placed a shelf specially for coffins. He also moved a desk, chairs and a bucket for cleaning the paintbrushes. ..
Shen Luzhu also stayed in the west courtyard when she had nothing to do, either imagining and drawing some sketches, or directly sketching and coloring on the coffin. After not painting for a long time, she seemed to have found the feeling she had when she was still in the school studio.
Chu Li said he wanted to learn painting from Shen Luzhu, and then he followed Shen Luzhu every day when he came back from school. At first, he just helped fill in colors or mixed paints under Shen Luzhu's guidance.
It's not that he was perfunctory with Chu Li. Shen Luzhu felt that it was rare for Chu Li to be interested in something. Compared with boring parts such as lines, light and shadow, he could better maintain his current interest by starting with colors.
Although they were all simple operations, Chu Li found them very interesting. When he came back from school every day, he would follow Shen Luzhu step by step, and he would be particularly active no matter what he was asked to do.
