"Don't be in a hurry to speak, listen to me." After Mrs. Xu interrupted Cuihua's words, she said, "You are bent on escaping from that family now, so you are willing to choose to become a servant of the Xu family, but what about the future?" Cuihua, I have lived for such an age, I have encountered many things, and I have seen many people, this kind of thing, there are really too many such things. ”

After Mrs. Xu said this, Cuihua didn't know how to answer for a while.

Dong Shu glanced at Xu Shiqiu, then at Cuihua, and then at Mrs. Xu, "Mother, do you have any other way?" After saying this, Dong Shu nervously pinched the handkerchief in her hand, and continued: "I don't know if I guessed wrong." ”

"I didn't expect your temperament to think of this." Mrs. Xu said such a sentence immediately after Dong Shu's voice fell, and after finishing speaking, she looked at her again and said: "But you have always been a blessed person, and after staying by your side for a long time, Cuihua has also become blessed." ”

Mrs. Xu's hint was obvious, and even Cuihua understood it.

"Don't worry, the contract is still nearly a year away, and now I will go to your house to find your father, I am afraid they will be able to react. Wait, the next time your family has something to do and needs money urgently, I'll just settle the matter. After Mrs. Xu looked at Cuihua and said this, she looked at Dong Shu on the side, "When I do this, you follow me, and you just happen to learn." ”

"I listen to my mother." After Dong Shu subconsciously took such a sentence, she glanced at Xu Shiqiu, and after seeing that he had no intention of stopping it, she looked at Mrs. Xu again and said, "I still have many things that I can't do well, and my hard mother taught me." ”

Mrs. Xu has always liked Dong Shu's delicate and soft temperament, and when she heard her words, she didn't embarrass Dong Shu, and nodded directly at her to reassure her.

Cuihua's matter was opened up by Mrs. Xu, and Xu Shiqiu and Dong Shu temporarily put their minds at ease, preparing to go to the town to talk to this old Xiucai the next day.

Although this is not the first time that Xu Shiqiu and Dong Shu have gone out after they got married, it is the first time they have left Xiahe Village after they got married.

When he went out this time, Xu Shiqiu not only brought Cuihua, but also Xu Jun and Xu Jie, who had nothing to do for the time being.

The two brothers, Xu Jun and Xu Jie, drove the mule cart, and Xu Shiqiu took Dong Shu and Cuihua to sit in the car.

Today's weather is good, because the beginning of summer has not yet arrived in Xiaoman, early in the morning is not too hot, sitting in the mule cart, Xu Shiqiu did not lift the curtain.

From Xiahe Village to the coastal town, it is only half an hour by mule cart.

After Xu Shiqiu took Dong Shu and his party to the town, he came directly to a remote but noisy place according to the address that Cuihua found yesterday.

This is where the poorest people live in the coastal town, and most of the people here are rented by a few families in a courtyard, and there are many quarrels here every day.

If he hadn't come in person, Xu Shiqiu would never have thought that the person he was looking for would actually live in such a place.

"Shiqiu, there are a few people behind us in the car, and we don't look like good people." After the two brothers Xu Jun and Xu Jie confirmed this, they whispered to Xu Shiqiu in the mule cart.

"Stay quiet and see what they want to do." Xu Shiqiu was not nervous or scared because of Xu Jun and Xu Jie's words, not to mention that Xu Jun and Xu Jie had learned a few self-defense moves from Uncle Xu Er, and he had not practiced martial arts for many years.

There are three big men, and it is certain that they can protect only a little lady.

As for Cuihua, Xu Shiqiu looked at Cuihua when he thought of this and said, "Cuihua, if there is a small one coming forward later, you may be able to prevent it?" ”

"Third son, it's okay for you to serve yourself, just protect your wife." As Cuihua spoke, she raised her arm and waved, "The three princes have memorized the moves, and they will definitely not disappoint you later." ”

Listening to Cuihua's answer, Xu Shiqiu smiled with satisfaction.

Just when several people were ready to come forward for Xiaoxiao, they finally came to the dilapidated small courtyard where Lao Xiucai lived.

But the strange thing was that as soon as their mule cart stopped, a few thieves and rat-eyed men who followed them all the way turned around and left directly.

"What's going on?" Dong Shu let go of the placket that was originally holding Xu Shiqiu's clothes tightly, and the crescent moon eyes full of doubts also looked straight at Xu Shiqiu, "Xianggong, are they really gone?" ”

"Well, let's go." After Xu Shiqiu answered Dong Shu, he motioned to Cuihua to get off the mule cart first, and after she left, he lowered his head and landed a kiss on Dong Shu's forehead, "Don't worry, lady, even if they don't leave, your husband can protect you." ”

After saying this, Xu Shiqiu was ready to take Dong Shu's hand and help her out of the mule cart.

"I believe what Xiang Gong said." As he spoke, Dong Shu also followed Xu Shiqiu out of the mule cart and stood in front of this small courtyard that looked very shabby.

It's just that after seeing the small courtyard in front of him, Dong Shu immediately blurted out: "Xianggong, is it really here?" ”

"That's right, that's what Cuihua heard about." Xu Shiqiu first replied to Dong Shu, and then reached out to hold her hand, "If it's really not here, let's look for it again, the weather is good today, and I'll take you around the town for my husband later." ”

After saying this, Xu Shiqiu looked at Cuihua and motioned her to come forward and knock on the door with his eyes.

Zhu and another woman, who were sitting in the courtyard washing clothes in the courtyard, heard a knock on the door at the same time, and after looking at each other, they both got up quickly, shook the water in their hands, and then scrambled to open the door.

The old wooden door was opened, and the two women immediately looked at Cuihua who was standing in front of the door and said, "Girl, do you have clothes to wash?" As they spoke, the two of them looked behind Cuihua at the same time.

After seeing that there were no clothes behind Cuihua, but two well-dressed and even expensive owners standing, the woman who was originally competing with the Zhu family immediately looked at the Zhu family and snorted coldly: "Another unlucky ghost!" ”

When Zhu heard the woman's words, her face was instantly unnatural, but she still endured it and didn't get angry, looked at Xu Shiqiu and Dong Shu behind Cuihua and said, "Son-in-law and Mrs. are they looking for my father-in-law?" As he spoke, Zhu took half a step back, as if he wanted to invite Xu Shiqiu and his party in.

"How did Madame know that we were here to find Mr. Stone?" Xu Shiqiu asked rhetorically, and then led Dong Shu directly into the courtyard.

"I'm not afraid of jokes, yesterday your servant inquired about my father-in-law in the teahouse, and before evening, someone informed my father-in-law. And because your servant seemed to have an argument with someone at the door of the teahouse yesterday, someone heard her claiming to be a servant of the Xu family. In our entire coastal town, the surname Xu has servants, and there is only the Xu family in Xiahe Village. As Zhu spoke, his yellowed cheeks turned a little red, "Xianggong instructed me this morning that if the son of a big family comes to the door today, it should be the third son of the Xu family." ”

Zhu's words did not hide that Xu Shiqiu had a strong interest in Shi Xiucai, who had not yet met, and when Xu Shiqiu and his party followed Zhu to the outer room of the house they rented, they saw that in the simple hall, in addition to a round table for eating, there was only a desk by the window for Shi Xiucai to write.

"Today, someone asked the prime minister to come to the door to help settle the accounts, and he had an explanation before going out, as long as the son arrived, he would come back soon." Zhu didn't want to explain much, and after saying this, he was a little ashamed to send Xu Shiqiu and Dong Shu a few warm waters.

"There is no tea at home, and I hope that my son and wife will not dislike it."

Xu Shiqiu and Dong Shu just looked at Zhu with shame on their faces, but they still gave them clear water.

The two glanced at each other, and then Dong Shu took the initiative to speak: "Madame doesn't need to be polite. After saying this, Dong Shu glanced at Zhu carefully.

Before coming, Dong Shu knew that Shi Xiucai was forty years old this year, and his wife Zhu was two years younger than him, but when he saw Zhu today, Dong Shu felt that Zhu was forty-eight years old, and some people believed it.

"That son and lady wait a minute, my father-in-law will be back soon." After saying this, Zhu smiled embarrassedly.

Zhu still knew Shi Xiucai, and not long after her words fell, it was estimated that it was the time of a cup of tea, and Shi Xiucai came back.

Shi Xiucai, who is forty years old this year, has gray temples, a somewhat whitish blue coarse cloth robe washed with pulp, and a square scarf of the same color, but people look very energetic.

"It's been a long time for the third son." Shi Xiucai's first sentence when he entered the door was to apologize, and then he looked at Xu Shiqiu and introduced: "No, Shi Yuan, the word is far away." The title of the third prince can be on the voyage. ”

Shi Xiucai Shi Yuan did not have the arrogance of a literati at all, he clearly knew that he urgently needed a stable job to earn money to support his family.

Although he couldn't guess what the third son of the Xu family was looking for him for a while, since he came, he must seize this opportunity.

"Yuanhang, I came to look for you today to invite you to the Xu family to be a gentleman and teach them literacy and accounting." Since Shi Yuan was direct, Xu Shiqiu didn't talk much else, and directly said his purpose, after saying this, he pointed to Xu Jun, Xu Jie and Cuihua and said: "They all have to learn." ”

Xu Shiqiu deliberately added Cuihua as well, just to see how Shi Yuan would react.

Who knew that Shi Yuan just glanced at Xu Jun, Xu Jie and Cuihua, so he looked directly at Xu Shiqiu and nodded, "I don't know what is the monthly rule given by the third prince?" After saying this, Shi Yuan thought for a while and continued: "Can you eat and live?" ”

After listening to Shi Yuan's words, Xu Shiqiu was slightly stunned, and then said: "It's good to come before the voyage, and the food and accommodation are also included, but you don't mind teaching women in the voyage?" ”

"Mind that?" Shi Yuan first repeated suspiciously, then looked at Xu Shiqiu and shook his head and said: "The old wife works hard to support the family, if I, Shi Yuanhang, still hold the shelf of a scholar and have a lot of reluctance, isn't it unconscionable." Not to mention the professor's woman, even if a lowly person asks me to write a letter, as long as there is money, I will write it. ”

As soon as Shi Yuan's words fell, Xu Shiqiu looked at him and said with a sincere smile: "That is the case, then tomorrow the Xu family will send a car to pick you up." After saying this, Xu Shiqiu got up, then looked at Shi Yuan and continued: "I will choose you, precisely because you will never abandon your lady." Yuanhang, I hope you will always remember what you said today in the future. ”