45.

Seeing that the Chinese New Year is coming again, the snow that has been falling for two days has finally stopped. Early in the morning, Zheng Yun and Lin Hongwen were clearing the snow at the door, Zheng Yun said, "It is said that Ruixue is a good year, looking at it this way, next year should be a good year." ”

"I hope so," Lin Hongwen echoed.

On the twenty-eighth day of the lunar month, Lin Hongwen went to the cloth shop, close to the end of the year, there were many people buying New Year's goods, and Xinxing Street was more lively than other times. Lin Hongwen saw that the business was booming, and he was also very happy, until he saw Du Xinzhu who was greeting guests.

Du Xinzhu was a little fatter than a few months ago, and his face was much more ruddy. Lin Hongwenxin hasn't figured out what is going on, but he is doing well.

Du Xinzhu was enthusiastic when he saw him, "Big nephew, come in, it's so cold outside." ”

Lin Hongwen obediently stepped in, and Zhou Shiying asked him to sit next to the charcoal brazier to warm up. Lin Hongwen saw that they were busy, so he didn't say much, roasted his hands for a while, and quietly watched them busy.

It wasn't until it was dark that the shop was deserted. Lin Hongwen said, "It's the twenty-eighth day of the lunar month today, so let's close early." It's not easy at the end of the year, so let's go have a good meal. ”

The four of them went to the restaurant and ordered a table full of wine and food, and ate from dusk until late at night. He Mu didn't drink very well, and he was already drowsy with his chin at this time. Lin Hongwen's cheeks were crimson when he drank, but his eyes were clear, Zhou Shiying was just the opposite of him, his face was never red when he drank, but he drank too much, and his face was pale. Du Xinzhu, the only one who was older, also had straight eyes at this time. Lin Hongwen grabbed Du Xinzhu's arm and said, "Uncle, I dreamed of my father and my eldest brother yesterday. ”

Lin Hongwen obviously felt Du Xinzhu's arm sinking, he pretended not to notice and continued, "Did you say that it was almost closed in recent years, and their money was almost spent, let me burn some paper money ingots for them?" ”

"It should be", Du Xinzhu said, "They didn't say anything to you in their dreams?" ”

"I should have said it, I saw their mouths open and closed, but I couldn't hear what they said, and they were covered in blood", Lin Hongwen shuddered, "It scared me awake." ”

"I also plan to burn some paper money for the brothers of the road construction team before I was thirty years old," Du Xinzhu said. ”

Lin Hongwen looked at Du Xinzhu, from just now until now, Du Xinzhu didn't look at him, Lin Hongwen thought for a while and said, "Let's go together, I see that there are paper money sold at the intersection, and I will burn them tomorrow night." ”

Du Xinzhu said yes, and Lin Hongwen didn't continue.

The next night, Lin Hongwen stood at the intersection of Xinxing Street and watched Du Xinzhu walk step by step, there were a few paper-burning people scattered around, and there was a small trader who sold paper money ingots and still didn't forget to make money when the New Year was approaching.

The two bought a lot of paper money ingots from the small vendor, and the vendor was also thoughtful and even had a pen ready. Lin Hongwen wrote down the names of more than 20 people one after another according to what Du Xinzhu said.

"I can't remember the rest," Du Xinzhu said, looking at the name on the paper, "I can only burn more." ”

Lin Hongwen said okay, and the two moved back and forth several times before they finished moving the paper money. lit it, and threw it in a pile, and the flickering firelight reflected Lin Hongwen's face full of anger. Du Xinzhu looked at it a few times and was frightened, and never turned his head to look at him again.

After burning the paper money for a while, Lin Hongwen said that the ingots were too small, so he stood up and wanted to buy some more, Du Xinzhu asked him to go to the grocery store next to him and bring back a bottle of wine.

Lin Hongwen walked towards the hawker, but he didn't really go far, he stood in the dark, looking at Du Xinzhu expressionlessly kowtowing to Lin Shiing's body and Lin Hongming's pile of fire, as if he was still saying something, but he stood far away and couldn't hear it.

46.

After the New Year (1), Zhou Shiying came to the hospital to find Lin Hongwen in a hurry, and opened his mouth to ask for money. Lin Hongwen thought he had heard it wrong at first glance, "You care if I want money?" ”

Zhou Shiying nodded, "Give me eighty percent of your previous dividends." ”

Lin Hongwen gave him the money with a confused expression, "Shi Ying, what are you doing here?" ”

Zhou Shiying looked at him and grinned, "You don't know what I'm going to do and pay for it?" ”

"It's really not like you who are in such a hurry", Lin Hongwen said, "But if you still laugh, it shouldn't be a fatality, is it a business matter?" ”

Zhou Shiying nodded, "There are some businessmen in the public welfare association who often deal with the Russians, and they say that the Russians are going to sell their land again. This time it's to attract investment in sections of China Street, and I've heard that the land number will be sold for a while, and I can't wait for him to sell before raising money! ”

"China Street?" Lin Hongwen thought for a while, "But I remember that area is not a good location?" ”

"Not now," Zhou Shiying said, "but you think that the Russians' railway is open on three lines, from Harbin, to Manchuria, Suifenhe, and Lushun. Even if it's not repaired yet, if you just look at this street, it goes straight to the river, and there are as many people as you go back and forth every day on the pier alone. Also, since it is a segment of investment, everyone will have to do business if they go. In the past, it was not a good location because no one repaired it, but once the whole street was in business, it would be better not to repair it. ”

"If this is the case, then it is worth it to spend any amount of money to buy", Lin Hongwen said, "It's just that it will take some time to build a house and build a road over there, and if you bet all the money on it, can the cloth shop still be able to turn around?" ”

"You don't have to worry about this", Zhou Shiying said, "I have deducted the money to maintain the turnover, no matter how much money is spent on the land number, the money used for turnover cannot be moved." And ......"

"And what?"

"And I always have some unconfidence in my heart", Zhou Shiying frowned, "It's not that I don't have a support for buying land, but I think this year's situation will not be good." ”

"You still know this?" Lin Hongwen couldn't help laughing.

"How do you say it", Zhou Shiying thought for a while, "I chatted with the people of the Charity Association that day, and they said that it was not so warm at this time in previous years. Let me tell you, it will not be a good thing if it warms up early on this day. ”

"Thinking too much", Lin Hongwen said, "You still give me some money left, and it hasn't reached the point where the mountains and rivers are exhausted, so you can do whatever you want." ”

Zhou Shiying thought about it, so she didn't care about Lin Hongwen, and ran away with the money. Lin Hongwen stood in place and thought about his eight-component red, how generous he was when he gave it just now, and how painful it was now.

On a cold morning in spring, when Lin Hongwen was cleaning the yard, he found that the weeds had come out, he thought about it, and said in his heart It seems that Zhou Shiying is right, this year is indeed warmer.

By the time the elm money grew, Zhou Shiying had already bought the land number, and ground breaking began on both sides of the road on China Street, and houses were being built on the whole street. ”

Seeing Zhou Shiying's wishful thinking getting louder and louder, it seemed that he would be able to make a lot of money in the new year, but his worries turned out to be true.

After the summer, some people in the city disappeared one after another. At first, I just vomited and had diarrhea, thinking that it was hot and eating something unclean, so I didn't take it seriously at all, but the next day it was cold. The weather is getting hotter and hotter, and more and more people are dying, and people realize that this is not an ordinary headache and brain fever, but it is not an epidemic, and they are all panicking.

The construction on the streets of China has stopped, and the panicked cloth shop has no business, Zhou Shiying is so anxious that his mouth is foaming, and all the money has been thrown in, but this epidemic does not know how long it will take, and if it is not done, it will be lost.

There were many people in the hospital, and Xu Shihuai frowned. This disease is ferocious, and at the beginning it is no different from ordinary diarrhea and fever, Xu Shihuai originally wanted to use the four reverse soup that is warm and cold, so that they can vomit up and down, and sweat, but it is useless.

Xu Shihuai looked at the room full of sick people and sighed, "This is an epidemic, I look like cholera." ”

Zheng Yun looked at him worriedly, "Master, is there any way to cure this disease?" ”

Xu Shihuai shook his head, "This disease is ferocious, and it will die at dawn and evening, and the medicine stone is useless at present." ”

A few words made everyone stunned, Xu Shihuai said helplessly, "I can only try to prescribe a prescription, it may not work, you have to remember, all the things used by the sick person are thrown away, the place where they have lived is sprinkled with lime for disinfection, the water must be boiled on weekdays, the raw things must not be eaten, and the hands must be washed frequently with pancreas." ”

"Will the epidemic be eliminated?" Someone asked.

Xu Shihuai shook his head, "It's difficult, I'm afraid it can only be eliminated when the weather gets cold." ”

In the evening, Lin Hongwen walked on Xinxing Street, the market was no longer lively and empty, Lin Hongwen felt like a lonely ghost, and finally his ghost floated to the door of the cloth shop.

Lin Hongwen slammed the door twice, and it was He Mu who opened the door, and Zhou Shiying was sitting inside. Lin Hongwen looked at the two people who were gloomy, "What about Uncle Du?" ”

"He was old, and I was afraid that he would get sick again if he was not well, so I let him go home," He Mu said.

"Oh", Lin Hongwen nodded, "Don't worry about it, the business is not good." ”

"You said it lightly", Zhou Shiying said, "If you take a day off, you will earn one less day, and you will still lose money on the other side of China Street." ”

"And what else do you want?" Lin Hongwen looked at him, "I sue you, no matter how bad the epidemic is, sooner or later there will be a past day, and the shop will be able to reopen sooner or later, and if there are no people, there will be nothing." ”

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(1) In 1902