After the first snow, no matter how the whole manager persuaded him, Bai Tang refused to use his pen and knife again. He even confiscated Wan Niang's loom: "On such a cold day, what kind of work are you doing if you don't nest by the stove in winter?" If my hands are frozen and broken, what should I do if there are so many major events in spring? ”

As a result, Songzhuzhai became the first study to close on Ping'an Street. The stewards in other stores are still fighting for the year-end results, and all the stewards have already gone home happily for the New Year with rich red envelopes.

On the way, the whole steward thought about Bai Tang's words to him, and his smile couldn't help but become melancholy.

At the end of the summer of next year, at the latest in the spring of the following year, the owner will move north with the emperor. Bai Tang asked him, "Do you want to stay in Nanjing, or go to Beijing with me?" ”

The whole steward hesitated. As soon as he was old, he had to travel a long distance to leave his hometown and start over, which was really inadequate. But he was reluctant to let go of such a good master as Baitang, so he couldn't answer for a while.

Bai Tang reminded him: "I remember that the whole steward has three sons, you see which of them is useful, it is better to send them to me for training." ”

The whole manager was overjoyed: his three sons, the eldest was loyal and obedient, and when he reached middle age, his future was decided. The second child is smart and capable, but marrying a lady is too calculating and calculating, and some good things that Bai Tang has given him in the past six months, such as leftover cooked silk and slightly flawed poems, were all begged by her to be sold by her. Such a greedy temperament will inevitably not be liked by the lady and the owner.

There is only the third child left, and he likes to follow him to study the four treasures of the study, calligraphy, painting, poetry and paper since he was a child. When he was young, he was also a showman, but as he got older, he failed to try, so he gave up the imperial examination and traveled around. The day before yesterday, I received a letter from him, saying that he was about to return home. The old woman said that she would not let him leave home again: they are more than twenty people, and they still refuse to settle down to marry a wife and start a family, like something!

The whole steward thought: The youngest son has traveled thousands of miles and is well-informed, so it is better to let him follow Baitang and create a career in Beijing!

It's just that the boss is honest and won't take this opportunity, the second family is bound to be noisy!

He pushed open the door, and the second daughter-in-law Zhao said in surprise: "Dad, why did you come back so early today?" ”

The whole manager said lightly: "This year's annual vacation is early. ”

Zhao's eyes lit up: Already on annual leave? I couldn't help but glance at my father-in-law's clothes: Songzhuzhai's business is so good this year, my father-in-law should have a lot of red envelopes!

"Dad," Zhao's smile became more and more well-behaved, "The hot water on the stove has just boiled, I'll help you make a cup of tea!" ”

The whole steward was noncommittal, and when he arrived in the back room, the eldest daughter-in-law Ying heard the movement and made hot tea early.

Zhao was a little stunned for a while, and said with a smile: "Sister-in-law is clever with her hands and feet. ”

Ying Shi took a hot towel and waited for his father-in-law to rub his face and wash his hands, and said with a smile: "Dad came back early today." Dinner isn't ready yet, you can wait a little longer. ”

Zhao Shi hurriedly said: "Today, my sister-in-law boiled mutton soup. It's fragrant. I'll go see if it's almost. Later, Dad will drink a few more bowls to warm up his body. ”

Ying and Zhao both went to the kitchen.

The steward smiled and said to his wife Mu Shi, who was sewing a blue cloth dress next to him: "Counting the days, Ah Hong should be home, right?" ”

Mu Shi lifted his jacket to his eyes, looked at the corner of the needle, and said in a complaining and distressed tone: "You are worried about him!" Did he think about us as a son? ”

In winter, the days were short, and seeing that the sky was already a little dark, the whole steward lit an oil lamp and pushed it to his wife: "As the old saying goes. It is better to read 10,000 books than to travel 10,000 miles. Since he failed the exam, he will walk around and learn a long way, and in the future—" he paused, "there will always be something to be done." ”

"What's the deal!" Mu sighed, "I just want them to be safe." "The more she puts down the needle and thread, the more she thinks about it, the more worried she becomes." When she came back last time, Hong'er looked like a ranger, how could she look like a half-point reader? If this continues, which girl can take a fancy to him? ”

Hearing that Madame was going to talk about it again, the steward glanced at the thick cotton curtain in the kitchen compartment, took a red envelope from his arms, and handed it over.

Mu Shi took it in confusion, and looked at it by the light, his eyes were round, his hand shook, and the red seal almost fell on the oil lamp!

"How much silver?" She asked in a trembling voice.

"A hundred taels." The steward smiled with emotion, "We have worked hard for half our lives for a few children." This money is our pension money in the future! ”

Mu Shi was pleasantly surprised, clutching his chest and tears appeared in his old eyes: "The owner is so good to you? ”

"Who would have thought?" The whole steward touched the silver ticket, "I thought that Songzhuzhai would not be able to hold on, so I had to tell the old man to return to his hometown in advance." I didn't think that I could make a lot of money. The owner is talented, and the people are also kind. So I thought—" he lowered his voice, "let the third child follow him to Beijing!" ”

Mu Shi Deng immediately understood, and asked excitedly: "Dong Jia Ken?" ”

"The owner refuses, what else do I have to do!" The steward smiled and stuffed the silver ticket to his wife. "It's the second daughter-in-law's side, you have to help me fix it."

Mu Shi swept away his depression, and said with his eyebrows: "She dares to be a demon, I will tell him to go out!" ”

The steward nodded: That's a good idea. He and his wife don't have that domineering style, and they insist on holding their son and daughter-in-law by their side to rob the rich and help the poor. On the contrary, the separation has long been proposed. But the second family calculated that his father could earn a lot of silver every month to supplement the family, so he didn't agree. If they dwell on this matter any longer, they will simply split up.

In the kitchen, Zhao served two small bowls of soup, put a bowl of chopped green onions and handed it to Ying: "Taste it, does it taste right?" ”

Ying Shi drank with a smile and said, "It's okay." When the eldest and second come back, they can eat. ”

Zhao's eyes rolled slightly, and he pulled his sister-in-law who was about to leave and said, "Sister-in-law, don't worry." You see, when Dad came back today, his face was in a very good mood. I don't know what happened to me. ”

Ying Shi saw her expression and knew that she had calculated her father-in-law's money again, shook his head and smiled: "What else can be good?" The third brother is coming back soon. This time, our mother will definitely give him a daughter-in-law. ”

Zhao frowned: When the uncle came back, his mother told him to kiss him, and then helped him get married, how much silver would it cost? I'm afraid that the red envelopes received by my father-in-law this year will have to be paid for this. My heart suddenly froze.

Alas, I still want to ask for more New Year's money for my two sons! It seemed that it was all in vain, and he couldn't control his complaint for a while: "You said that Uncle is like this, how blind is the girl who takes a fancy to him?" ”

Ying was a little annoyed, and said coldly: "Don't talk nonsense, let my mother be angry when she hears it!" ”

Zhao covered his mouth and said, "I'm telling the truth!" Uncle is so temperamental, he is afraid that he will not be at home if he marries his daughter-in-law, and he will also harm other girls. ”

"Uncle has been a person with ideas since he was a child." When Ying married into the door, Quan Hong was only three years old and took care of him. Quan Hong also has special respect and affection for her. "If he doesn't get married, if he decides to get married, he will never let down other girls." After saying that, he ignored her and lifted the curtain and went out.

Zhao stomped his foot depressedly, and quickly calculated in his heart: Do you want to find a cheaper family affair for your uncle? After all, at his age and temperament, it is difficult to find a girl from a good family!

With the result, her mood immediately calmed down. I arranged the dishes and chopsticks with a smile on my face.

.。 m.