Xiao Ruixue climbed over the high wall and stepped into her back house, the sunset in the west was only a faint layer of afterglow. The scenery in the courtyard was as usual, but the sound of the piano had stopped, Xiao Ruixue pushed open her door, and saw Yun'er kneeling beside the piano table, her little face was washed with tears.

"Miss, you're finally back!" When Yun'er saw Xiao Ruixue, her mouth was small, her eyes were red, and she immediately cried, and there were two green snots faintly hanging under her nose.

When Xiao Ruixue saw Yun'er like this, she couldn't help but feel empty: "Yun'er, what's wrong with you?" ”

Before Yun'er could respond, a chuckle came from the back room, the laughter was very pleasant, but it was also a little angry: "She is suffering on behalf of someone, but someone is still asking knowingly!" ”

When Xiao Ruixue heard this voice, her face couldn't help but secretly bitter: "Mother! Sure enough, a beautiful ** person came out of the back room, who was not Zhu Yan.

Zhu Yan was slightly stunned when she saw Xiao Ruixue's men's dress, and she didn't dare to recognize it for a while, but after carefully distinguishing a few times, she stepped forward and grabbed Xiao Ruixue's ear: "You dead girl, my mother thought you were getting more and more well-behaved, but I didn't expect you to make a plan to steal beams and change pillars, let Yun'er play the piano for you, and secretly run out to spread wild!" ”

Xiao Ruixue's left side of her face was swollen for most of her part, but the bruises were still there, so she deliberately avoided the left side of her face from Zhu Yan's sight, but she didn't expect Zhu Yan to hit her crookedly, and it was her left ear, which suddenly affected her injury, and she even gasped in pain: "Mother, mother!" If you have something to say, don't pinch my ears! ”

Zhu Yan noticed something unusual, she reached out and grabbed Xiao Ruixue's chin, turned the left side of her face to herself, and suddenly her eyebrows rose high: "Why is your face so blue, you were beaten?" ”

"No, it fell!"

Zhu Yan's eyes showed pity, but her expression was stern as usual: "The dead girl still dares to lie to me, can she fall like this?" This is clearly beaten with a fist, you give me an honest explanation! ”

Xiao Ruixue recalled everything she had experienced in Jiming Temple, and her expression couldn't help but be a little gloomy, but no matter what, she didn't dare to tell her mother the truth, firstly, because she had sworn a poisonous oath, and her life was still in the hands of others, and secondly, because the ins and outs were too complicated for her to explain to her mother. She had no choice but to lie: "I saw two groups of people fighting outside today, so I wanted to go up and watch the excitement, but I didn't expect to get too far ahead and get punched in the chaos!" ”

Zhu Yan carefully checked the injury on the left side of Xiao Ruixue's face again, and there were tears in her eyes: "You little lady is really worry-free!" Seeing Xiao Ruixue bowing her head in shame, she couldn't help but rub her daughter's left side of her face with her hand, and asked softly, "Does it still hurt?" ”

Xiao Ruixue frowned slightly, but shook her head and said, "Mother, I have already applied Jinchuang Medicine, and it doesn't hurt now!" ”

"You damn girl, your mouth is still so hard!" Zhu Yan snorted lightly, and said to Yun'er who was kneeling on the ground: "Since the main lord is back, Yun'er, get up!" If you kneel for half an hour, you should be punished for deceiving me with the young lady! ”

"Thank you, madam, Yun'er won't dare anymore!" Yun'er hurriedly thanked her, and when she got up, she was still a little stumbling under her feet, Xiao Ruixue quickly helped her, and said apologetically: "Yun'er, I'm sorry, I hurt you this time!" ”

Yun'er wiped away her tears and smiled at Xiao Ruixue: "Yun'er doesn't blame Miss!" ”

Zhu Yan couldn't help but snort lightly: "Yun'er has always been timid and sensible, if you didn't instigate her, she wouldn't dare to do this, since she knelt for you for half an hour, will you, the main master, be punished more?" ”

Xiao Ruixue knelt down directly: "My daughter knows her mistake, please punish my mother arbitrarily!" ”

"Well, I'll punish you for kneeling for an hour, and you'll be allowed to have dinner when you're done!" And in the future, you will stay at home honestly, and you will not be allowed to go anywhere, give me a good reflection and reflection! ”

"My daughter obeys!"

This day was the most memorable day of Xiao Ruixue's fourteen-year-old year, and everything was deeply imprinted in her mind, so that she still felt a little embarrassed when she recalled it many years later.

Time passed quickly, and more than two months passed in a hurry, and Jinling began to enter the midsummer season.

Since the day she returned from Jiming Temple, Zhu Yan's control over Xiao Ruixue has become stricter and stricter, and she is basically not allowed to step out of the door of the Xiao family for half a step. In addition to completing the tasks assigned by Zhu Yan every day, the only thing Xiao Ruixue can spend time is to sit in the pavilion in the back house and feed the carp.

"Fish, fish, I am exactly the same as you, your world is this small pond, and my world is the small backhouse of the Xiao family. I wonder if you have ever thought about returning to the rivers, lakes and seas? Xiao Ruixue whispered to herself while throwing food to the carp in her hand.

At this time, Yun'er trotted over, shouting in a slightly excited tone: "Miss, the master is back, the master is back!" ”

"What, my dad came back from Jingzhou?" Xiao Ruixue suddenly raised her head and said with surprise.

Yun'er nodded like a chicken pecking rice: "Hmm! I saw that the old man brought back a lot of things, including many Jingzhou specialty snacks! ”

Xiao Ruixue smiled: "Let's go, let's go see my father!" ”

At this time, the hall of the Xiao family's back house can be described as laughing Yan Yan, in addition to the second lang Xiao Zhongwen and the third lang Xiao Shuwen are still studying in Hangzhou, the two ladies of the Xiao family, the eldest Xiao Bowen and his wife Lin Yuexian, and even the maids in each room of the Xiao family have gathered together to welcome the male owner of the Xiao family.

Xiao Hui is forty years old this year, although he is no longer handsome when he was a teenager, but his appearance is still dignified, his face is thin, his complexion is fair, and he has a well-cut long beard under his chin, which looks very clean and elegant. In addition to being very happy to see his family, he has been traveling to Suzhou, Yangzhou, Jingzhou and other places for more than a year, and he has made great gains in business, and it can also be said that people are in good spirits on happy occasions.

"Hey, what about Siniang? Why didn't Siniang come, didn't she come to greet me, my father? Xiao Hui looked left and right in the crowd, and found that there was one person missing, so he couldn't help but ask suspiciously.

Zhu Yan smiled: "I just asked Yun'er to call her!" ”

Before the words fell, a cry of joy sounded behind the screen in the back hall: "Dad, I'm here!" Then a girl in a blue and white dress rushed out, her pretty face hung with two shallow pear vortices, and her teeth were as moving as a crescent moon.

It's just that Zhu Yan in the crowd glanced at the girl with a cold eyebrow, and the girl immediately stopped running as if she was enchanted, stopped and put her hands in front of her lower abdomen, and began to become graceful, with a smile on the corner of her mouth, looking reserved and shy. She walked up to Xiao Hui and bowed lightly, her voice was delicate: "Siniang has seen Daddy!" ”

Xiao Hui was stunned: "What's wrong with my daughter?" ”

Mrs. Gu smiled and said, "I have to ask Sister Yan'er!" ”

Xiao Hui turned his head to look at Zhu Yan: "Yan'er, did you train Siniang to look like this?" Seeing Zhu Yan nodding with a smile, he shook his head and smiled: "I still think that the previous Siniang should look more natural!" ”

As soon as the eyes of the girl in front of her lit up with surprise, Xiao Hui looked at her posture carefully, and couldn't help but smile again: "Actually, don't say it, Siniang is not bad like this now, she has the taste of a daughter's family!" Well, Yan'er did a wonderful job! In an instant, the surprise in the girl's eyes turned into disappointment.

It was getting dark, and the servants of the Xiao family began to get busy in the hall of the back house, preparing dinner for the masters of the Xiao family. Xiao Hui and his wife, concubines and children gathered at the large round table in the back hall, and in the free time before dinner, he listened to his eldest son, Xiao Bowen, report to him the results of the past year of running the business in Jinling alone.

Xiao Bowen, who is 24 years old this year, has participated in two imperial examinations, both of which were famous in Sun Shan, and he has no hope in his own talent, he took over part of the burden on Xiao Hui's shoulders three years ago, and is responsible for taking care of the Xiao family's local business in Jinling.

After three years of experience, Xiao Bowen's demeanor has become more and more mature: "Dad, our family's business in all rice shops in Jinling has been very good this year, and the shopkeepers of each house are very attentive. ”

Xiao Hui nodded: "For those moths who live by sucking the blood of our Xiao family, it should be so!" Dalang, have you dragged them to see the officials, and let the government give them more than a dozen boards, so that they can have a long memory? ”

Xiao Bowen said: "Because they have used their family wealth to make up for the deficit after the incident, and we will not be able to use them again in the future, we have nothing to do with each other, so I did not make their affairs public, let alone report to the official!" ”

Xiao Hui's face was slightly dissatisfied, and Mrs. Gu saw the situation and said, "Husband, what Da Lang did is actually right!" Those shopkeepers are all old people who have been in the Jinling rice shop for a long time, and Da Lang used this way of private disposal to save face for them, and they were all ashamed when they left my Xiao family's rice shop. But if we make a big deal out of it, they will lose their reputation and will not be able to continue to gain a foothold in Jinling, and they all have their own connections, and it is difficult to guarantee that they will not retaliate against our Xiao family because of this, so we still have to be forgiving and forgiving! ”

After listening to Mrs. Gu's words, Xiao Hui's face began to turn bright, and finally he nodded and smiled: "What Madam said is reasonable!" Dalang, you did a good job, you deserve to be commended! ”

Xiao Bowen's face showed joy: "Thank you, Dad!" ”

"Well, in this way, I'm not too worried about the business here in the rice shop! So what's the current business at the silk shop? ”

"Dad, that's exactly what I want to mention! Compared with Jin Jinxuan and Yasatin Pavilion, the textile technology of our jade silk workshop is far behind, and its reputation is even worse, so it has been squeezed by these two all the time! I have tried to lower the price again and again, but I still don't see the slightest turnaround, and now it is only enough to maintain a small profit, and it is also the child's incompetence to live up to my father's expectations! Speaking of this, Xiao Bowen couldn't help but feel a little ashamed on his face.

Xiao Hui pondered for a moment, and finally sighed and said: "It's not your fault, Jin Jinxuan and Yasatin Pavilion are both famous shops, and the backstage is also hard, my Xiao family is a latecomer, so it is naturally difficult to compete with them!" There are many dignitaries and nobles in Jinling City, and I originally thought about sharing this piece of soup because of the huge profits in the silk business, but now it seems that I have made the wrong decision. But since we can still maintain small profits now, let's not be in a hurry to withdraw for now, and it won't be a big deal to put it there! ”

Xiao Bowen nodded: "Okay, Dad!" ”

Xiao Hui couldn't help frowning again: "Actually, I'm still worried about one thing in my heart!" ”

"What's the matter, Dad?"

"Over the past year or so, I have traveled to many places to try my best to expand our Xiao family's rice and grain business in addition to Jinling, and now I have gained a lot, especially in Yangzhou and Suzhou! At present, I have opened up contacts in these two places, and I am starting to handle the leasing of shops and the construction of new warehouses. ”

Hearing this, the Xiao family's faces couldn't help but smile, and Zhu Yan looked at Xiao Hui affectionately: "Master has really worked hard for our family!" ”

Xiao Hui laughed, and involuntarily stretched out his hands to hold Mrs. Gu and Zhu Yan in his arms: "For the sake of the two ladies, my Xiao Hui is worth it!" Seeing that Xiao Bowen, Lin Yuexian and Xiao Ruixue all smiled and turned their faces, Xiao Hui's old face turned red, and he smiled embarrassedly: "Of course, there are also my group of children and daughters-in-law!" ”

Xiao Ruixue smiled and asked, "Dad said that these are all good things, why are you worried just now?" ”

Xiao Hui praised: "My daughter is good, she is very good at flattering her father's words!" Then his brows furrowed again: "It's not because talent is hard to find, Dad is now worried about who should be sent over to the two places to take charge!" ”

Xiao Ruixue said: "Couldn't you send two experienced shopkeepers to the past?" ”

Xiao Hui shook his head: "The person in charge has a lot of power, and he is no different from the owner in the local area. There are one or two of those shopkeepers who have good experience, but after all, they are not my Xiao family, how can my father trust them? ”

Xiao Ruixue sighed softly in her heart, but still smiled: "Then I will have no choice!" ”

Xiao Hui couldn't help laughing again: "Dad didn't let you think of a way, besides, how much business can you know as a little lady?" Seeing Xiao Ruixue gently lowered his head, Xiao Hui didn't care, he looked at the family members and said: "I actually have a plan in my heart, I am going to let Fu Bo go over in Yangzhou, Fu Bo is our old housekeeper, he followed my father to the north and south in the early years, and he is very handy in business, so I can rest assured of him!" Over there in Suzhou, I actually wanted Da Lang to pass, but Da Lang is gone, and I will go to Jingzhou again soon, but no one is responsible for the business in Jinling! Hey, it's a pity that Erlang and Sanlang are both studying in Hangzhou and are dedicated to gaining fame, otherwise if one person is left by my side, I don't need to worry so much! ”

Hearing this, the Xiao family also frowned and worried for Xiao Hui, Mrs. Gu said: "Husband, it's better to let Da Lang go to Suzhou, and I will take care of Jinling, after all, Jinling's business has been in order, unlike Yangzhou and Suzhou, everything is still grass-created, and it should be relatively easy to take care of." ”

Xiao Hui thought for a while and said with a smile: "Madame has always kept the Xiao family in good order, and she is my Xiao Hui's virtuous help!" It's just that Madame doesn't know much about business after all, I'm afraid you can't deal with it, and if you have to take care of your family and business, it's really too hard, how can I bear it? ”

Mrs. Gu nodded lightly and no longer insisted. Zhu Yan's expression couldn't help but be a little gloomy, she gently took Xiao Ruixue's hand and whispered in her ear: "Girl, my mother feels that she is too useless now, except for relying on your father and your aunt for everything, I can't help with anything outside the house." ”

Xiao Ruixue gently held Zhu Yan's hand and said with a smile: "Mother, you think too much, my father and aunt will never think so!" Besides, aren't all your thoughts on me? You've raised me so much to make my dad so satisfied, what more do you want to say? ”

Zhu Yan gently twisted the back of Xiao Ruixue's hand, with a smile on her face, but Xiao Ruixue was secretly worried in her heart: "Oh no, my mother seems to have been praised by me, so she won't be even more aggressive with me, right?" ”

At this time, Xiao Hui was still worried: "The matter is just this last step, and there is still no too suitable person to take over from Jinling!" ”

Xiao Ruixue suddenly stood up and said, "Dad, what do you think I will take over?" ”