"Are you poor or not", Zhou Shiying raised his leg and kicked him, "How about China Street, you came here, is it okay for one of you to be over there?" ”

"It's nothing", Lin Hongwen grabbed a handful of He Mupai's peanuts and stuffed them into his mouth, "Foreigners have been busy making money recently, some are sold exclusively to Russia, some are sold to Japan, and some are sold at both ends." Our business is a lot less, but it doesn't matter, there isn't much stock left over there, money", Lin Hongwen tapped the table with his knuckles, "It's all here." ”

"I don't know who I am, I heard that I was going to cry poor a year ago", Zhou Shiying pouted and said.

"Why don't you know who, isn't that the four of us?" Lin Hongwen dragged him into the water, "Isn't it a good thing to take risks?" ”

"By the way, the charity meeting will be held tomorrow", Zhou Shiying said, "It may be to discuss a price matter, do you want to go with me?" ”

Lin Hongwen thought for a while and said, "It's not appropriate for me to go with you, I am Qingzhi's subordinate to the outside world, and it is right to be tied to him." If you don't feel at ease, let He Mu go with you, there is nothing to do on the left and right side of China Street, I can come over. ”

Zhou Shiying said, "It's better for me to go alone, there are so many people in our firm now, I don't worry about letting you have a fresh face here." ”

"You don't want to think about whether you're going to a Hongmen banquet?" Lin Hongwen smiled and patted Zhou Shiying's shoulder, "There are a lot of people in our eyes, and you can see more than half of them tomorrow." ”

"I know", Zhou Shiying said, "Don't worry, everything has been done, and I'm afraid that they will drown me with saliva?" ”

"The boat is sinking, isn't it going to drown," He Mu said quietly.

"Who the hell are you from?" Zhou Shiying asked.

He Mu looked at Lin Hongwen and didn't squeak.

Lin Hongwen looked out of the door with his chin on his chin, just now He Mu mentioned Sister Hong, and he remembered that he hadn't seen Ru Ting for a long time. If he remembers correctly, the last time we met, he gave each other a summer dress, and now, seeing that summer is here again. Lin Hongwen said in his heart that this time it was not easy to do, and he had to think of a rut. So he patted the peanut skin on his hand and said to Zhou Shiying and He Mu, "I suddenly remembered something, I have to go first." ”

"Didn't you say we'd eat together?" Zhou Shiying asked.

"Isn't that night?" Lin Hongwen said, "I'll go back to China Street first, and then come over with Qingzhi in the evening." ”

"My mother, you really have to tie up with him, you can't stay for a while", Zhou Shiying couldn't stand it.

"I said something", Lin Hongwen saw that He Mu picked up a handful of peanuts again, and shamelessly grabbed them all, "This is delicious, buy more next time." ”

"Okay, okay, you can go quickly", Zhou Shiying smacked him, "He Mu has been picking up for so long, and he hasn't eaten a few of them, and they are all in your mouth." ”

"He Mu didn't say anything", Lin Hongwen slipped out.

71.

Back on China Street, Lin Hongwen went to find Vincent for the first time. Vincent was used to Xu Qing coming alone, or Xu Qingzhi came with Lin Hongwen, and today he saw Lin Hongwen coming alone, and he was a little confused, and asked Lin Hongwen what he wanted to buy in blunt Chinese.

Except for Xu Qing, no one knew that Lin Hongwen also knew English, and Vincent was no exception, and Lin Hongwen didn't poke it, and told Vincent that he wanted to buy something for the girl.

"Then you've got the right person," said Vincent, "and I've got all the jewelry, perfumes, and costumes, and you're sure to find one to like." ”

"I was a little rude to her before," Lin Hongwen said, "this time I went to apologize, I wanted to buy something delicate, but not too expensive, you know, I don't have much money." ”

Vincent usually sees Lin Hongwen always following behind Xu Qingzhi, but Xu Qingzhi treats him a little differently from others, so he should be a capable assistant.

"A woman's madness with jewellery is indescribable," Vincent said, opening a locked drawer and pulling out a tray padded with black flannel, "If you don't want to be too expensive, look at this place, where the jewels are rarely used, but the workmanship is very good." You see this necklace, although it is very thin, but the style is novel, although there is only a little sapphire on the pendant, but it looks very different. ”

Lin Hongwen's eyes fell on a pair of earrings next to him, silver-white metallic luster, fine hollow patterns, and fine red stone embellishments, Vincent followed his gaze and shook his head, "Lin, for the sake of friends, I have to tell you, it's really not cost-effective to send this." ”

Lin Hongwen looked up at him inexplicably, "This ...... It's not silver, is it? ”

Vincent nodded, "It's platinum, this pair of earrings is more expensive than the gold necklace I just introduced to you, but the weight is far less than that necklace." If that lady doesn't know the goods, she thinks you're stingy. ”

"I just think she will look good when she wears it", Lin Hongwen smiled, "How much do these earrings cost?" ”

"Five taels of silver or nine rubles," Vincent said, "is the market price." ”

Lin Hongwen raised his eyebrows to look at him, Vincent thought for a moment and then said, "However, these gems are all finely broken, so the gems are not valuable, and for Xu's sake, in this way, I will give you a twenty-percent discount." ”

Lin Hongwen didn't speak, he quietly glanced at the other things on the table, Vincent said, "This is already very cheap, you must know that platinum is more valuable than gold, and your pair of earrings requires a ton of ore to be refined." ”

Lin Hongwen reached out and picked up a silver flat cigarette case, "What about this?" ”

"This one is silver, it's not very valuable," Vincent said, "Sterling silver is too soft to make a cigarette case, so it's not sterling silver either, but aren't you going to give it to women?" She smokes? ”

Lin Hongwen smiled and shook his head, "Since you are looking at Qingzhi's face, I won't cut the price down, and the eighty percent discount will be eighty percent off." It's just that I'm touching his light, and I'm going to have to give him something. This cigarette case is worthless, so why don't you give it to me. ”

"This will not work," said Vincent, "and it is silver if it is worthless." ”

"Then I'll just buy cigarette boxes", Lin Hongwen shrugged helplessly.

"Are you going to send something to Madam or to Xu?" Vincent asked, "Which is the point?" ”

"What do you say?" Lin Hongwen asked with a smile.

Vincent pondered for a moment, frowned and said, "You and Xu must be brothers, and you all look the same." ”

Lin Hongwen smiled without saying a word, and Vincent asked the clerk to wrap the earrings in colored paper and tie a bow with a red ribbon on the outside. The cigarette case was wrapped in dark blue paper with a silver-gray band. Lin Hongwen paid the money and walked away with his things, and Vincent made another note in the account book.

72.

In the evening, the four of them were eating mutton in the restaurant of Fujiadian, sweating profusely. Lin Hongwen said, "Shi Ying, what kind of heart do you have? This is all in the summer, and the mutton is shabu. ”

Zhou Shiying said, "I'm hungry for this, I didn't want to eat it last winter, and besides, don't you all agree?" Eh, Hongwen, why do you put so many chili peppers, can you still eat the taste of mutton? ”

"I'll just have this mouthful", Lin Hongwen scooped up a small spoonful of chili oil again, and then put the chili jar in his hand.

"Why are you still holding the jar, others may want it", Zhou Shiying blamed.

"Qingzhi can't eat spicy", Lin Hongwen retorted, "Of the four of us, He Mu can still eat some spicy." ”

He Mu smiled, "I already let it go just now." ”

After almost a year, now they can finally have a meal and a drink, and the four of them are a little emotional, and when this war is over, the United Commercial Company is no longer a small sapling, its branches and leaves are luxuriant, and its roots have been deeply rooted in the soil.

The four of them drank until the restaurant closed before going back, Xu Qingzhi drank a little too much, and Lin Hongwen helped him walk very slowly. Although Xu Qingzhi's cough was better, his throat was still a little hurt. His speech was not as gentle as before, but a little more hoarse. He didn't mind, but Lin Hongwen was a little uncomfortable. Lin Hongwen thought that after Xu Qingzhi hurt his throat, Dr. Xu should have scolded him in his heart.

Although Xu Qingzhi said that he wanted to take Lin Hongwen away, with Xu Shihuai's thoughtfulness, even if he couldn't guess that Lin Hongwen was the mastermind, he would definitely be able to guess that he was stirring up in it.

Lin Hongwen looked at the faint smile lines in the corners of Xu Qingzhi's eyes and thought, a person who was originally not smiling, in order to maintain business, laughed every day, laughed every day, and was originally a good young master, who was abducted by himself, at the beginning, he ran back and forth on the Chinese street several times a day under the big sun, and then finally opened, and he was worried all the time. During the time when he was waiting for the war to start, in fact, the most desperate was Xu Qingzhi, who had all the funds and inventory information in his hands, because only he knew best how far the business bank was from collapse. But at that time, this person who was already on the verge of collapse had to comfort them in turn.

The wind in the early summer night was still a little cool, but Xu Qingzhi blew for a while and was a little more sober than before, muttering to himself, "I can't drink so much next time." ”

"I didn't feel anything at first, but after drinking too much, I had a lot of stamina," Lin Hongwen said with a smile.

"But you're fine", Xu Qingzhi looked at it for a while, "It's just that his face is a little red." ”

"You haven't seen Shi Ying yet, he's scary, the more you drink, the whiter your face becomes", Lin Hongwen said, "Even if you drink unconscious, you can't see it on your face." ”

"His face is also enough to bluff people", Xu Qingzhi said with a smile.

"That's right", Lin Hongwen took out a small box from his pocket, "This is for you." ”

"If it's not a New Year's holiday, how can you give me something?" Xu Qingzhi asked.

"It's not a New Year's Day, I remember that Dr. Xu said that you were born when you first entered the summer, I don't know when it will be, if this gift is given early or late, don't be surprised."

Xu Qingzhi stretched out his hand and took the gift box, "Where did Vincent buy it?" ”

"You didn't even dismantle it, you knew I bought it from him?"

"I'm familiar with the wrapping paper of their firm," Xu Qingzhi shook the gift box gently, "What is it?" ”

"Just take it apart and see if you know," Lin Hongwen said.

Xu Qingzhi carefully unpacked the package, and a light and concise silver cigarette case appeared in front of him, the whole box did not have a trace of superfluous decoration, quietly glowing with a silver soft light, "This is a rare thing, it looks good, I like it very much." ”

"It's good to like it, I saw that you used an iron box, and when I saw this in a foreign store that day, I thought it looked good, so I bought it", Lin Hongwen said with a smile.

Xu Qingzhi stuffed the cigarette case into his inner pocket, "I'll put the cigarette in when I go back." ”

"Just put it in and get it", Lin Hongwen said, "Your throat is not good, don't suck it." ”

"I know," Xu Qingzhi said with a smile.