"Although you have been running a lot lately, I still have to explain to you," Zhou Shiying found a chair and sat down, "There is a flour mill owned by Russians by the river, and there is a church under construction. Alas, there is a church on the left and a church on the right, and I can't find a place to go to the pillar incense on the fifteenth day of the first month. ”

"Isn't that the case now," Lin Hongwen said, "and even the money is mainly in rubles." ”

"Alas, let's not talk about that, let's move on," Zhou Shiying said, "Come here again, there is a Japanese Songhua Club on the street (1) of Dongshang City, and there is a Japanese temple on the next street." Be careful when dealing with them, these people don't look like anything, they are all very gloomy. Finally, there is a Russian-run cinema on Stone Road Street (2), which is said to be a novelty, so don't forget to call me if you want to go someday, and I don't have anything to tell you about the rest, you all know each other. ”

"Qing bought a batch of wool wool from the Americans a few days ago," Lin Hongwen said, "When the goods arrive, you can sell them in the Fu store." ”

"Yo, this is a hot commodity", Zhou Shiying said, "It just so happens that I recently recruited a few tailors from the south, who will make some dresses and dresses. By the way, I was still thinking about it. ”

"Pondering what?" Lin Hongwen asked.

"I think it's called Hezhong Commercial Bank here, and the Fu family store has also been changed," Zhou Shiying said, "This can make people see that our business has become bigger." "I agree," Xu Qingzhi said, "it will also make people feel that our business house is more reliable." ”

"There's nothing wrong with this, and it's not difficult," Lin Hongwen said, "It's just that it takes a few days to change the plaque on the Fu family store." In the future, Shi Ying and I had more contact with foreigners here, and bought some in-demand goods, all of which were sold in the Fu family's store. ”

"It's exactly what I want", Zhou Shiying said, "Let's do business, do whatever you want to make money, although we started by selling cloth, it doesn't necessarily have to be sold for a lifetime, you wait for me to put the store in the store in the next two days." You are here to have some Chinese style in a bunch of Western styles, and I'm going to have some Western style in a bunch of Chinese styles, and everyone is willing to pay for a fresh one. ”

"You look at it", Lin Hongwen said, "Don't you want to offer incense, Ming'er is fifteen, I heard that there is a Taoist temple built over there in the Tianjia pot, let's go and worship together." ”

"Cheng, otherwise I will not be sure in my heart", Zhou Shiying said, "Okay, I will go to you early tomorrow morning." ”

56.

As soon as it was dawn the next day, Zhou Shiying pulled Lin Hongwen up, "You hurry up, we have to go to He Mu and Qingzhi." ”

Lin Hongwen rubbed his sleepy eyes, "You can hurt me alone, they won't go." ”

"What is a scourge", Zhou Shiying was dissatisfied, "This is to go to incense and pray for blessings, not to kill people and sell goods." ”

"Qing Zhi stayed abroad and came back, he didn't believe in this, and he didn't believe in God when foreigners were so foolish outside. He Mu is even more, he only believes in silver, so don't toss them", Lin Hongwen said, "I'll go with you." ”

The two of them had a hasty meal at the morning market, and then called a carriage and went to Tian's house to cook the pot. The temple is called Tzu Yun Temple (3), which has just been built for less than a month, and there are many pilgrims. Lin Hongwen looked at the hall and the east and west side halls from a distance, all of which were smoky and crowded.

The two bought incense, knelt down respectfully and kowtowed, donated some money into the merit box, transferred from the front hall to the apse, and finally went around again. When he was about to go out, he was stopped by a little Taoist priest.

"Good people, please stay."

Lin Hongwen and Zhou Shiying looked back at him inexplicably, and the little Taoist priest saluted them, "Master has something for me to bring to this good man." ”

Seeing him looking at him, Lin Hongwen smiled and asked, "What advice does the Dao Chief have?" ”

"Master asked me to tell good people that there are times in life when you have to have them, and there are times in life when you don't have to force them. Life and death are fate, wealth is in the sky, and you must not be too persistent. ”

Lin Hongwen was happy after listening to it, "The Taoist chief's words made me pause, please thank the Taoist chief for me." ”

Out of the Taoist temple, Zhou Shiying looked at Lin Hongwen, "I thought you didn't believe this, but I didn't expect you to really listen to it." ”

"He said, I listened, as for whether I listened or not", Lin Hongwen hooked the corners of his mouth and said, "Since he said that sometimes there must be something in life, then whatever I get, I must have it in the end." ”

"Don't explain randomly, there's no harm in listening to what he says", Zhou Shiying said, "It's okay to come to incense, and you don't need to ask for anything else when doing business, as long as you don't fight and don't make a famine." ”

"Shi Ying", Lin Hongwen looked at him with a smile, "Are you very obedient when you are young?" ”

"This ...... I think if someone else is right, I will listen", Zhou Shiying thought for a while and said, "But if it's not right, I definitely won't listen." If that person is excessive, there will be a fight. ”

"And what if it's over?" Lin Hongwen asked.

"After the fight, I don't talk anymore. I'm a good-natured person, but I have my own rules. Once you cross the rules and move your hands, you will be able to tear your face", Zhou Shiying looked at Lin Hongwen with his round eyes as if he was probing, "Why are you asking this?" ”

"It's okay", Lin Hongwen looked back at Ciyunguan, "I just want to, I've known you for several years, and I've never seen you really get angry." ”

"If you see me really angry one day, then I don't plan to come and go", Zhou Shiying said with a smile, "So don't mess with me, you know?" ”

Lin Hongwen raised his hand and pinched Zhou Shiying's face, "I know." ”

Zhou Shiying raised his foot to kick him, but Lin Hongwen took a step back to dodge, and said with a smile, "I don't know who just said that he has a good temper, this fire is really fatal." ”

57.

A few days later, Zhou Shiying changed the plaque of the Fu family shop and officially changed its name to Hezhong Commercial Bank, and deliberately put firecrackers at the door to attract attention. Sure enough, many people inquired about how to change the plaque, and Zhou Shiying took the trouble to repeat it over and over again, "There is a branch on the Chinese street, and there are all from this business house and that foreign company, so we have to follow the local customs, right?" I simply changed it on both sides together. ”

On the same day, the United Commercial Bank on China Street also opened, and I heard Xu Qingzhi say that foreigners did not have the habit of setting off firecrackers when they opened. Lin Hongwen was afraid of scaring others, so he only bought a small set of firecrackers, but he still scared Vincent so much that he ran back to the store from the door.

Lin Hongwen was not afraid of big things when he saw the excitement, and he smiled forward and backwards, Xu Qingzhi explained to Vincent that this was a Chinese custom, and Vincent listened as if he didn't understand.

Lin Hongwen returned to the store after setting off the firecrackers, and saw Xu Qingzhi frowning and listening to what Vincent said. Lin Hongwen's English was taught by Xu Qingzhi, and although he can't say how well he has learned it so far, he can listen to the conversations between them.

Vincent said that a Chinese came to inquire a while ago and asked him if there were any shops for rent on this street, Vincent said that he did not know, and the man asked some things about the United Commercial House, such as when it opened, what to sell, and whether the owner was surnamed Zhou? Later, the man went from house to house for a long time. Xu Qingzhi asked what the man looked like? Vincent pointed at Xu Qingzhi and said that he was about the same height as you, a young man, but not like a businessman.

Xu Qing subconsciously looked at Lin Hongwen, and Lin Hongwen shook his head and said that he didn't have a clue. The sale of the land number was last year, and there were many people who wanted to buy it at that time, but later I heard that many foreigners were also there, and some of them did not buy it, and then the price rose and some of them were too expensive and did not buy. In the end, there were few people who actually paid for it, and some of them sold it after buying it.

Seeing Wen Sen away, Lin Hongwen looked at Xu Qingzhi, "Do you think this is not quite right?" ”

Xu Qingzhi nodded, "The land sale was last year's, and those who should know already knew it." It's okay to ask, but it's a bit of a ...... to ask us specifically The wind rises at the end of Qingping, so it's better to guard against it. ”

"I'm going to visit Fu's shop," Lin Hongwen said, "If I haven't come back after dark, I'll close normally." ”

"I know," Xu Qingzhi said.

Lin Hongwen went out and called a carriage and went straight to Fu's shop, there were many people in the trading house, Zhou Shiying saw him coming, and pointed inside, "You sit down first, and we'll talk about it later." ”

Lin Hongwen entered the back room and boiled water to make tea by himself. The shop has been renovated, and Zhou Shiying has separated a room in the back to facilitate the reception of distinguished guests, and now it has become a quiet place for Lin Hongwen to hide.

Lin Hongwen waited for the water to boil idly, and couldn't help but think in his heart. From the beginning to the end, I didn't think of anything that offended He Gui, and I didn't understand why this person wanted to come to the United Commercial Bank as soon as he came back.

As soon as the tea was brewed, Zhou Shiying and He Mu came in, Lin Hongwen poured the tea and asked, "Aren't you busy outside?" ”

"There's still a guy here, it's not in the way", Zhou Shiying took a sip of tea and said, "Why did you come here suddenly?" ”

"How's business going these days?" Lin Hongwen asked, "Is anyone looking for trouble?" ”

"You want to ask He Gui?" Zhou Shiying said in one word.

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(1) West Wudao Street, Daoli District

(2) West 12th Street, Daoli District

(3) Text. It was destroyed during the revolution, and now only the apse remains, which is located at No. 59, Zengfu Street, Xiangfang District