Put the Duck
On the second day of the restaurant’s opening, as expected by Shen Yanbei, they had more guests than yesterday. It was because many people took advantage of the last day of the special offer to try the breakfast menu in this restaurant after listening to the others saying that the dishes were indeed so delicious.
Shen Yanbei and Gu Changfeng did not sit in the private room upstairs this time but chose to sit in a corner. With a pot of hot porridge and a few baskets of dim sum, the two ate their breakfast slowly, listening to the chatter of the customers next to them.
"Hey, have you heard?" The man in the front seat spoke with full joy. "The eldest son of Li Yuanwai, Li Sheng, and his friend Wang Cheng ran into a ghost last night!"
"Hit a ghost? Hit a female ghost?" The middle-aged man opposite him laughed teasingly. "Which woman who had been bullied by him before turned into a ghost coming to him for revenge?"
"What are you talking about? It's still early!" The thin man beside the middle-aged man said unsatisfied.
The old man slowly ate the porridge and said, "If they didn't hit the female ghost, probably 80% of the reason is that they have committed too many crimes."
"This makes sense!" The middle-aged man took it seriously and stuffed a shrimp dumpling in his mouth with a very enjoyable expression.
"Hey, stop guessing and listen to me!" The man who provoked the topic was busy talking and forgot to eat. He hurriedly stretched out his chopsticks to put the last piece of steamed ribs in his bowl.
"Then speak!" The thin man glared at him and stretched out his chopsticks to clamp the meatballs.
"When Huang lǎo-gē was patrolling the street last night, he saw two people lying on the ground in the alley. It scared him! He courageously stepped forward to take a look and found that it was Li Sheng and Wang Cheng! And they are still breathing!" The man spoke in measured tones. The rich expressions and exaggerated gestures on his face resembled an experienced storyteller.
The guests at the other table looked at them curiously and their ears pricked up.
"Huang lǎo-gē heaved a sigh of relief. After smelling the heavy alcohol on the two of them, he thought that those two must have had a happy life in Flower House!" The man paused and continued, "Huang lǎo-gē was afraid that if these two people slept in this deep alley, something might happen. So he kindly woke them up. And Guess what?"
The man spoke happily. The place where he paused very hung their appetite.
"What will happen then? Hurry up!" others urged.
Seeing everyone staring at him eagerly, the man said with satisfaction, "Suddenly Li Sheng knelt on the ground while pulling Huang lǎo-gē's trousers, wailed like ghosts and howled like wolves: Hero spare my life! Huang lǎo-gē was shocked by this sound which even overstepped the sound of the night watches* and wooden clappers!"
* In the old days, playing clappers or gongs to watch the night and announce the time
"And when Wang Cheng woke up, he yelled for help and hurriedly got up from the ground and ran away as if being chased by a dog. As a result, he didn't look well around and his head hit the wall!" The man "hissed" and raised his eyebrows. "So he fainted again! "
The crowd laughed loudly. The man was very proud and glanced at everyone. "This situation confused Huang lǎo-gē. He hurriedly called two people. Li Sheng was very scared, always muttering that someone was going to kill him. He wanted to report it to the local government. After Wang Cheng woke up again, with a look of horror on his face, he said that there was someone who stood behind him and intended to kill him. Also clamoring to report to the official.
"But this is strange!" The man asked everyone, "If they are really gonna be killed, why are they still alive?"
"That's true!"
"It must be because they have done many bad things, so there is a ghost in their heart!"
The man nodded with deep approval. "Li Yuanwai* must think so in his heart. He immediately reprimanded those two not to mess around anymore, saying that their clothes were intact and there were no signs of injuries on their bodies. It must be because they drank so much. Also, they are not allowed to talk about this anymore."
*an address for a rich landowner, etc., somewhat similar to esquire.
"Li Sheng and Wang Cheng were helpless and could only go back to each house. Li's Family invited a doctor over this morning, Wang's Family also did the same. But Hey... The two of them fell ill together!"
"They deserve it!"
Good things did not go out, bad things spread thousands of miles. This county was not big and there were only a few that have fame and prestige. Every time a sour wind blew* through, everyone would know it fast. In a blink of an eye, people started to talk about it.
*fēngchuīcǎodòng: a sign of disturbance or trouble.
Shen Yanbei took a sip of tea and looked up at Gu Changfeng on the opposite side, who looked a little embarrassed. He chuckled lightly. "It seems that these two people have done many bad things to commit public anger. What you did could be regarded as a sigh of relief for everyone."
Gu Changfeng didn't speak, his face turned red.
"They deserve it!" Someone snorted suddenly.
Shen Yanbei followed the source of the sound and found that it was the round-faced young servant who was speaking on the street yesterday. Now he was standing in front of him.
The waiter apologized. "I'm really sorry, Dear Customer. The private room on the second floor is full, and there is no unoccupied seat downstairs. You two have to wait a bit."
Su Qingze looked around, unexpectedly meeting Shen Yanbei's gaze. Shen Yanbei smiled politely. The young man was slightly surprised. His gaze fell on Gu Changfeng, his eyes suddenly lit up.
Shen Yanbei. "..."
Su Qingze walked over quickly, his fleshy round face was full of smiles. "Dàgē, we meet again!"
Gu Changfeng was also a little surprised. He nodded to him.
Su Qingze smiled brightly. "Can we sit here with you two?"
When Ming'an saw this, he knew that his old habit started again. He hurriedly persuaded. "This might not be good. Young Master, how about we just pack the dim sum to take home!"
Su Qingze ignored him. He only looked at Gu Changfeng.
Gu Changfeng and Shen Yanbei looked at each other. Shen Yanbei smiled and said, "We've finished our breakfast. So you can take it."
After speaking, they both got up and gave their positions. The waiter hurriedly cleared the table.
Su Qingze was a little disappointed. He looked at Gu Changfeng eagerly. Ming'an was afraid that he would ask again, so he quickly thanked Shen Yanbei.
Shen Yanbei smiled slightly and pulled Gu Changfeng. The scorching sight to Gu Changfeng didn't disappear until he walked out of the lobby.
"Why does he want to be like me?" Gu Changfeng couldn't understand Su Qingze's thoughts.
"Because you look good!" Shen Yanbei stared at him and smiled. People relied on clothes, horses, and saddles. Gu Changfeng now wore a tailored indigo gown with powerful arms and a thin waist. It was tall and mighty. So handsome!
Gu Changfeng's ears were hot and gave a soft "um".
Shen Yanbei was stunned. Although he was still shy, his eyes were calm. He obviously no longer cared about his body look. Shen Yanbei was secretly overjoyed and smiled more comfortably.
On the third day of the restaurant’s opening, the passenger flow was significantly smaller. The workers breathed a sigh of relief and cheered up to greet the guests. The shopkeeper had told them early that the customers who come to the door today were probably the ones who would come frequently in the future. So they must not treat them with cold-shoulders. It was a decent thing to work in the Tongfu restaurant, and the owner was also generous. They also hoped to work here for a long time, so everyone worked hard.
A few days later, the restaurant business gradually got on the right track. Shen Yanbei settled the selling accounts, excluding the capital sum and labor, he earned about two to three hundred taels of silver in a month. Consumption in small counties was not high, so this income was already very good. With a stable income, Shen Yanbei breathed a sigh of relief. He let the shopkeeper handled the restaurant and returned to Shenjia Village with Gu Changfeng.
"Shīfu, Gōngzǐ, you are back!" Zhou Yu said in surprise when he saw the two.
Since becoming Shen Yanbei's book boy, Zhou Yu took the initiative to change his call towards Shen Yanbei. Suddenly divided into classes, Shen Yanbei still was not used to it. But everyone acted naturally and right about this matter. Besides that, he was not good at expressing his opinions.
"Thanks for your hard work." It had been several days since they went out, Zhou Yu had been taking care of everything at home.
Zhou Yu scratched his head. "It's no big deal." Whether he was Gu Changfeng’s apprentice or Shen Yanbei’s book boy, he took care of everything for granted. Since a kid like him couldn't do anything to earn money, so most of them usually helped their family. But he was different because Shen Yanbei gave him monthly money!
No need to pay tuition and still got subsidies, which he couldn't even dare to imagine!
"Did you practice your basic skills well these few days?" Gu Changfeng asked.
Zhou Yu hurriedly replied, "Yes Shīfu. I always do an hour's horse step every day!"
Apart from Zhou Yu and Shen Laifu, only the village chief knew about his restaurant in the county seat. Since they weren't at home these few days, if someone asked about them, they didn't know what Zhou You said to them.
The fields were thriving and the crops were growing well. The seedlings had grown to a height of half a meter, and the fish seeds in the fields had grown a finger thick.
Gu Changfeng nodded. Shen Yanbei smiled and said, "Well, since we are all back, let the kid take some rest." After saying that, he gave the snacks that he brought back from the restaurant to Zhou Yu. "Let Yu Po* taste it. You can come back tomorrow."
*old woman.
"Thank you, Gōngzǐ!" Zhou Yu took the snack, his eyes were astringent. Yu Po was getting older, and her health was getting worse. So her appetite was not good. But last time he took home the dim sum that Shen Yanbei gave, Yu Po liked it very much. She said that he was a filial kid and always left the delicious ones to her.
"Go." Shen Yanbei patted him on the shoulder.
When the young kid had left, Shen Yanbei hugged Changfeng and said, "We're finally home. I feel most comfortable when we're at home!" At least the bed at home was big and wide enough for the two big men to roll over!
Gu Changfeng responded in agreement. The county was indeed busier than the village, but this was their home.
After tidying up things a bit, the two went to the fields to take a look. They met some people in the village on the road, they all laughed and teased Shen Yanbei: You all are back? The playful eyes made Shen Yanbei a little confused, but he still responded with a smile.
It was time to let the ducklings live in the field, so Shen Yanbei asked to send the ducklings he ordered. Since There were a lot of ducks for the eight-mu paddy field, the duck sellers placed them in four big baskets and walked into Shenjia Village. The furry and cute ducklings caused the children in the village to scream and laugh all the way to Shen Yanbei's house to watch the fun. They heard that Shen Yanbei bought them, so many people came to watch.
"Shen Yan, why are you buying so many ducklings?" Aunt Li asked the doubts in her heart for everyone.
"To raise ducks." Shen Yanbei carefully inspected the ducks he ordered. After being satisfied with the goods, he completed the payment. These little ducks were big and sturdy. All of them were shouting vigorously.
"To raise ducks?" Aunt Li was taken aback. She glanced at the yard of Shen Yanbei's house. "With so many ducks, where will you keep it?"
Shen Yanbei smiled and said, "Not here. I'll put them on the field." If so many ducks were kept in the backyard, it would be so noisy. Even if it wasn't about the noise, you would be smoked to death by the smell!
Aunt Li's eyes widened. Thinking she had misheard, she couldn't help raising her voice. "Put it in your fields?"
Shen Yanbei nodded. What he was doing now was fish, paddy, and duck symbiosis ecological breeding. His paddy fields were at the very edge, and he had also built some wooden sheds on the side. So the ducks were kept in the paddy field during the day and stayed in the shed at night.
Hearing that, Aunt Li’s expression was weird. She looked at Shen Yanbei as if she saw a fool. "Don't you put your fish in your ricefields? If you put the ducks there, won't they eat the fish?"
Raising fish in a paddy field was an unfamiliar method that they never heard of. Everyone was waiting to see Shen Yanbei falling into the joke. Unexpectedly, now they saw another even funnier joke!
Immediately a young man sneered and said, "Shen Xiucai, do you not remember that you put fishes in your fields? Hahahaha..."
Shen Yanbei smiled without replying. Before the results came out, it would be meaningless to say more.
"Shen Yan, you're a scholar who reads honestly. What you are doing is going to spoil the seeds. Don't you feel guilty about your parents? You should rent the fields!" A voice said strangely.
Everyone saw that it was Shen Youcai who spoke. Shen Youcai looked at the little ducks and said unclearly, "This thing costs a few cents apiece. You bought so much, so it must spend a lot of money? In case of an accident, wouldn't all the money be lost?"
"I understand Uncle Láo Youcai's worry." Shen Yanbei said with a smile, "I went to worship my parents at the Qingming Festival and told them about what I did. They said that I could do it without worry. They will watch me from the sky and bless me."
Shen Youcai's face suddenly hard to look at.
"Shen Yan, you have so many ducks, give two to your uncle?" The husband of Shen Lǎo's Second Family looked at the fluffy ducklings with enthusiasm. The ducklings that Shen Yanbei bought all had white hairs. In two months, they could be slaughtered and eaten. This growth rate was much faster than raising chickens!
Aunt Li smiled and looked at him. "This little duck is six cents apiece. It doesn't charge you for shipping costs because you're from the same village. It will be sold for you at the original price. Do you want one or two?"
These words reminded everyone of someone who asked Shen Yanbei for a pair of little chicken cubs and ducklings a few days ago. The gaze that looked at Shen Lǎo's Second Family couldn't help but be difficult to describe.
Such a cute and pitiful woman even couldn't get two ducks. As old Shuānger, where did your confidence come from that Shen Xiucai would give it to you?
Shen Lǎo's Second Family also remembered this. His old face flushed red, he gave Aunt Li a fierce gaze.
Under the gazes of everyone who took pleasure in other people's misfortune, or under optimistic and questioning eyes, Shen Yanbei only waved his hand and drove the ducks into the fields.
The ducklings that have just entered the water were swimming among the seedlings in a novel way. They quack happily, like fishes in the water.
