Butcher Fulang’s Noodle Shop - Chapter 39
Song Shi’an felt that the figure looked familiar and was stunned. The woman straightened up against the bedpost, pulled her head from the ground, threw the hijab on the ground, and raised a head with messy temples and hairpins.
“Song Shiqing!?” The moment he called out her sister’s name, she spat out the handkerchief that was stuck in her throat. It was stuffed so deeply that it almost touched her deep throat. She coughed several times and her face turned red.
“Why are you here? You are…”
The girl’s image was vague in the original owner’s impression. Wang Jiaojiao controlled her very strictly. Just like the legendary noble lady, she was not allowed to show her face easily. She hired someone, a female teacher to give her an education. In addition, she also found a lady from the well-known house to teach her how to play the pipa, harp and zither, and how to dance gracefully.
“Help…save me, brother!”
Song Shiqing’s face was filled with fear, and she spoke quickly.
It turned out that after the Song family worked together to return the money to Master Jiang, Master Jiang settled the matter. This old man who was over sixty years old was very lustful and generous.
There were so many women and shuangers who took the initiative to join in for the money, so it was not a big deal for him. He didn’t worry of not having a beautiful woman to serve him.
Coincidentally, the lady who taught Song Shiqing to play the piano and dance was now married to a small businessman who trafficked goods. She asked Master Jiang for help. In order to please the old man, she told him about Song Shiqing with half-truths and half lies.
She was said to be more beautiful than the wife of Xu family who had married in hurry. She was also good at playing the pipa, and her waist was as thin as a willow branch. She was actually a rare and stunning beauty.
After seeing that Master Jiang was attracted to others, the teacher went to convince Wang Jiaojiao.
Song Shiqing said bitterly: “My mother was really deceived by lard. She believed Madam Wang’s lies, saying that the first wife of Master Jiang was sick for many years. If I have married in, maybe I will be made a stepmother. If I give birth to a son and a daughter, I could enjoy a lifetime of wealth and glory. And my mother would be the mother-in-law of Master Jiang. My mother almost killed you, but now she is planning on killing me, brother, it’s my fault that I didn’t help you. Please forgive me! I can meet you now because God took pity on me and gave me a way to live. Please save me!”
Song Shi’an was in a dilemma and hesitated for a moment before saying, “Today at Hongwen Academy, a group of students borrowed the back garden of Master Jiang’s house for a party. Everyone was drunk and staying overnight at Master Jiang’s house. Your second brother Song Shijin is also here. Why don’t I send a message to your second brother and ask him to come to you? Brothers and sisters should help each other.”
Seeing him turning around to leave, Song Shiqing fell to the ground with a plop, despite her hands and feet being tied with ropes. She was still holding on to Song Shi’an’s pants with both hands, almost completely destroying her good brother’s thin satin pants.
“Don’t go, brother! I have seen through them. In my mother’s heart, only the second brother is her heart and blood. You and I are just stepping stones for him! It’s not for his traveling expenses to the provincial capital and the capital. She won’t harm me with evil intentions!”
Seeing the tearful face of his little sister, Song Shi’an was really in a dilemma.
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For a while, Xu Zhongyue and the boy were waiting for Song Shi’an on the roadside. After waiting for a long time, he appeared coquettishly under the lamp.
Seeing his beautiful face, the boy twisted slightly with anxiety.
The shuanger covered his lower abdomen with one hand and beckoned Xu Zhongyue over with the other. He knew that the shuanger had something private to discuss, so he wisely avoided it.
Song Shi’an then leaned into Xu Zhongyue’s ear and said a few words. Xu Zhongyue’s expression changed slightly, and he nodded almost invisibly after a long time.
While they were waiting, the boy was bitten twice by mosquitoes. Finally, when they came back, Xu Zhongyue apologized and said, “My wife suddenly has abdominal pain. Let’s walk faster!” The boy thought he had made a time of the moon.
Every month, women and shuanger were bound to have special week. Without thinking too much, he helped carry the basket to the carriage. Xu Zhongyue took out a handful of coppers to thank him.
After the boy left happily, Xu Zhongyue took the initiative to chat with the coachman again.
He was usually taciturn and didn’t bother others too much. He first paid out dozens of copper coins to thank the coachman, then took out a piece of roasted but uneaten venison, held it on a lotus leaf, and asked the coachman to try it.
Behind them, a slender shadow quickly emerged from the shade of the tree. Song Shi’an opened the cover of the stool that could store things so that she could lie down in it.
Then held his stomach and said: “I… My stomach hurts so much…”
He turned pale with nervousness. Xu Zhongyue told the coachman the same words he had said to the boy again. The coachman had received valuable venison and money, so what else could he be unhappy with?
The carriage was going very fast along the way, and the two horses were almost running with their hooves in the air.
When they arrived at Shaomo Fang Alley, Xu Zhongyue moved down unhurriedly. Song Shi’an quickly went in first, and saw the coachman leaning on the shaft of the carriage in boredom, with a big smile on his face.
He invited the driver to come in and take a few sips of sweet and cool glutinous rice wine.
When the driver, who was chubby from drinking, walked out satisfied, he had two more pork sausages in his hand.
He was so happy that he went home and gave sausages to his wife to cook for several meals. His mouth was full of oil after eating.
After that, as soon as he earned some money, he took his wife and children to the the restaurant to have a tooth ceremony.
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After closing the courtyard door, Xu Zhongyue went back to the bedroom to escape. Song Shiqing, who was only wearing underclothes, felt her knees weak. She was worried all the way, fearing that someone would find out that she would not only harm Song Shi’an’s family but also be captured and suffer.
The joy of eacaping made her cry silently and kowtow to Song Shi’an three times. Song Shi’an tried to pull her up, but he couldn’t.
Seeing that he couldn’t persuade her, she kowtowed too loudly. It would be bad if it disturbed the neighbors.
Song Shi’an whispered: “Okay, okay, are you hungry? Can I cook you a bowl of noodles?”
Song Shiqing shook her head with a sad face, and then her stomach made a growling sound. She blushed with embarrassment, and Song Shi’an couldn’t help laughing.
When Song Shi’an quickly brought out three large bowls of noodles, Song Shiqing had already put on Song Shi’an’s robe and came out. Xu Zhongyue also packed the various gift baskets into categories, lit the oil lamp, and the three of them happily ate a large bowl of noodles. Song Shiqing even drank the noodle soup cleanly.
After burping, she looked at Song Shi’an with surprise and said, “Brother, it’s so delicious!”
It was better than all the dishes cooked in Song Family’s restaurant! No wonder the family business plummeted after the eldest brother set up his own business.
Xu Zhongyue put down his bowl and chopsticks and asked in a deep voice: “You are safe for now, what are you going to do next?”
Song Shi’an discussed with him whether to take Song Shiqing in, but Xu Zhongyue refused. Song Shiqing and Song Shi’an were in completely different situations. It was unreasonable for them to take her in.
Song Shi’an wanted to speak but glanced at Xu Zhongyue and still didn’t say anything. He and Xu Zhongyue were family members, and Xu Zhongyue’s concerns were justified.
Song Shiqing lowered her eyelashes and thought for a while, then raised her head resolutely and said: “Brother Xu came to Qingjiang Town alone, and now he has earned a fortune. Why can’t I? I heard that business is good in Jiangnan, and I want to take a boat to try it out. Give it a try and live freely for once!”
Seeing Song Shi’an’s worried expression, she laughed heartily, “Brother, don’t worry, I will pretend to be a man. Anyway, I have always been open-minded. I heard that the men in Jiangnan are all petite and fair-skinned, no different from the women!”
She laughed for a while, then became sad again: “In the whole family, only you and brother-in-law are reliable. I have nothing to repay now, but if there is any in the future, when we meet again, I will definitely thank you for saving my life!”
Song Shi’an had a worried temper and was concerned that she would face trouble on the way. He gritted his teeth and took out all the 100 taels of reward Lin Zhihang gave him today and let Song Shiqing take it away, convenient for spending money on the road.
The white and heavy silver made Song Shiqing cry again. She endured the pain and thought for a long time before taking away the embroidered money bag.
“Thank you, brother. I’m not polite to you. This money is enough for me to pay for the boat and spend money on the road. When I get there, I will make money by myself. Besides, you forgot, when I took off my wedding dress just now, I didn’t forget to take the jewelry on my head with me!”
When they came to the sedan chair, because Song Shiqing was crying so much, Wang Jiaojiao helped tie her up and inserted a head full of fresh sterling silver and gilt jewelry into her head. Her actions made Song Shiqing felt sad. The relationship between mother and daughter was completely broken.
On the contrary, Song Shi’an cared about her so much, which made her feel touched and guilty. She regretted that she should have help to her elder brother when he was huddled in a corner room all alone in their house.
Seeing that Song Shiqing was so careless as to open her clothes to show her hidden jewelry, Song Shi’an quickly waved her hands and wrapped a few steamed buns and several kilograms of chopped braised pork in linen cloth.
Xu Zhongyue didn’t pull out the mule cart. Everyone was asleep at night, and the mule cart made a loud noise when it passed by, which would attract unnecessary attention.
He took Song Shiqing on a small road, and the two of them arrived at Jiangbei Town before dawn. Xu Zhongyue put Song Shiqing on the boat. After the boat sailed, and walked in the middle of the river for a while, he hurried home.
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It was a very busy night. Song Shi’an went to the restaurant, took a brief look at the situation in the store, and then rushed home.
When Xu Zhongyue came in, he had already prepared a table of food and fallen asleep on the table.
Xu Zhongyue only mentioned that after people got on the boat and it was safe, he started to eat. After eating and drinking, he fell asleep and didn’t wake up until the afternoon.
Song Shi’an did not go to the restaurant to work but sat by the bed and fanned him. The wisps of the cooling fan made him feel very comfortable. No wonder he slept so soundly.
“You’re so kind to me,” Song Shi’an said happily when he saw that he was awake and rubbed his soft cheek against the man’s face.
As long as it was his matter, Xu Zhongyue would go out of his way to help him take care of it.
As long as Xu Zhongyue was by his side, his heart would always be at peace.
After getting enough sleep, Xu Zhongyue went to feed the mules and sheep and allowedLaoliu to play in the bedroom to consume its excess energy.
Song Shi’an happily counted all the gifts, silver, and jewelry.
All these things added up to two hundred taels!
He was tempted to open a branch.
Xu Zhongyue saw that he was so happy that the corners of his lips were slightly raised, and he also smiled lightly and said, “Boss Song, I have another business with you, are you willing?”
“What?” Xu Zhongyue took out the three hundred taels of banknotes.
He placed them in front of Song Shi’an. These were the silver he earned from hunting when he took the time to go back quickly.
He suspected that Song Shi’an was his lucky star. He did have good skills. In the past, his hunting harvests were not as rich as these few times.
“One hundred taels a day. If you spare three days, I will take you to Fucheng to have fun.”