When Chen Ping'an carried the bucket to Tiezuo Well, he passed several breakfast shops in Xinghua Lane. He became hungry without even saying hello. But he was short of money, so the young man could only stand in line to fetch water.
There were three households in front of him. When it was his turn, Zhigui suddenly stabbed them with a small bucket. The people behind him immediately became unhappy.
Although she was not scolding, her words were not nice to hear. Especially there was a rickety old woman, known as Granny Ma. Her two sons were very promising, and each owned a dragon kiln. Although it was very small, it was at the bottom among the thirty or so dragon kilns.
Of course, Xinghua Lane is a very wealthy family, but for some reason, the relationship between the old woman and her two daughters-in-law is not getting along well. Her son and daughter-in-law have already moved to Taoye Lane, and the old woman has been living alone.
In the ancestral home of Xinghua Lane, in the eyes of Chen Ping'an and Liu Yangxian's generation, Granny Ma has always been a very scary elder. She scolded people very harshly and was especially stingy. She wished she could throw the snow outside the courtyard door in the winter.
At home, if a child had a snowball fight and used the snow in front of her house, or pulled out the ice picks under the eaves of her house, she could chase them with a broom and scold them for several streets without getting tired.
In the past, in these alleys in the west of the town, Gu Can and his mother should be the only one who could suppress Granny Ma's arrogance. Now it is said that Widow Gu has followed her distant relative of the evil man and defected to her husband's hometown. Over the years, she has been
Granny Ma, who was a little more kind-hearted, immediately returned to the world of martial arts with full vigor and vitality. She was displeased by anyone who caught her. As soon as this maidservant who was not a salary-collector showed up, Granny Ma immediately started talking in a weird manner, with a low voice and a smile.
He was not smiling, and deliberately started to make things up with the women around him, saying that some girls could finally make friends with their faces. Anyway, I couldn’t even put my legs together when walking. This was a great joy, and I finally no longer had to live as a young lady or a maid.
, you can be called "ma'am" in an upright manner.
Chen Ping'an felt his scalp numb when he heard it, but it was difficult to drive away Zhigui who had made the mistake first. After all, they had been neighbors for so many years. After filling Liu Xianyang's two buckets of water, he quickly brought her a bucket of water, thinking
Leave this chattering bunch of women as soon as possible. Seeing that little maid from the Song family pretending not to hear, Granny Ma became even more annoyed.
This is how it is when masters fight each other. They are most afraid that the opponent will not accept the move at all. If they only have good martial arts skills, they will have nowhere to stay.
In the past, the old woman had quarreled with that flirtatious fox Widow Gu, and always lost. The old woman always felt that her skills were better and she would definitely be able to regain the ground in the next quarrel. Unlike this little prodigal hoof from Mud Bottle Alley, who deliberately kept silent every time, but every time
The look in the girl's eyes when she left showed something that made the old woman extremely uncomfortable. It really made the old woman itch with hatred. She wanted to go up and scratch her face, so as to save the teenagers and young men in the nearby alleys.
, everyone wants to hang their souls on the waist of that shameless maid.
Especially his grandson, although he has always been a fool in the eyes of outsiders, but recently, even her grandmother feels that this child is really lost and crazy. He talks nonsense all day long, always saying that he will kill this kid in the future.
The maidservant from Pingxiang Lane will take her home as a wife, and then she will punch a hole in this god.
Seeing that the extremely hateful girl didn't respond, Granny Ma decided to target the poor boy and said: "You worthless bastard, you have the honor to live in this world even after you killed your parents. You know that you are destined to be incapable of marrying a wife, so just
They lick their faces and seduce other people's maids. They are a couple made in heaven. They might as well get together. Anyway, Mud Bottle Alley is a place where garbage bitches live. There is no way that the children born in the future will really be the king of Mud Bottle Alley.
To dominate."
Chen Pingan thought for a while, then bent down to put down the burden on his shoulders.
The maid Zhigui had already put down the bucket early and strode towards the confident old woman. Without saying a word, the girl slapped Granny Ma in the face, causing her to spin around in circles and feel dizzy. She had to be supported by the women next to her.
He fell down. Before the old woman could recover, Zhigui took another step forward and slapped her down. The girl cursed: "I have tolerated you for a long time, you old immortal!"
The old woman shook her head and was so angry that she was about to fight back. I don't know if it was a misunderstanding. The two women around her tried their best to support her, making it impossible for her to break free for a while. As a result, she was humiliated for the third time. The maidservant
The third time he took action, he bent his fingers and struck the old woman's forehead hard, "If you dare to curse anyone in the future, I will pull out the tongue of a tongue-tied woman like you. If you curse a word, I will prick you with a needle!"
The old woman was so frightened that she forgot to talk back, let alone fight back.
The girl turned around and left quickly, and found that the neighbor boy had already helped her carry the bucket. She smiled and returned to Mud Bottle Alley with him.
Before Chen Pingan could say anything, the girl stopped talking, "Don't thank me, my scolding has nothing to do with you."
Chen Pingan was speechless.
The girl with empty hands muttered to herself, but she never thought about getting the bucket back from the boy with straw sandals.
Next to the wheeled carriage in the iron lock well, the old woman sat on the ground and howled, "The little maid who has been stabbed a thousand times must be punished by God... My life is so miserable. God doesn't have eyesight, so why doesn't he strike down with thunder and kill this little girl?"
Little Lang Hoozi..."
The girl's steps were brisk, and she raised her hands to the sky, a very strange gesture.
Fortunately, Chen Ping'an has been her neighbor for so many years and doesn't find it strange.
When the two of them passed the breakfast shop, Chen Ping'an saw a familiar figure from behind. She was not tall and was wearing green clothes. She was buying freshly baked meat buns. The steaming hot buns filled the whole street with their aroma.
Chen Pingan
Today's morning, I don't know when the clouds were low, and they were extremely thick, like a big quilt in a rich family, spread out there to bask in the sun.
Rumble, thunder shook the town overhead.
Mother Ma Ma Liu from the iron lock well stood up and ran home in a hurry. The small bucket shook and spilled well water all the way. It was estimated that there would not be half a bucket of water left when she got home.
Perhaps the old woman knew very well that if God really opened his eyes, the first lightning strike would most likely fall on her head.
After Chen Ping'an heard the thunder, he raised his head and looked up. He was a little confused. It didn't look like a sign of rain.
The girl smiled and said: "My young master said that he had read in a book that it is said that every early spring, there will be a heavenly god wearing golden armor and beating drums in the sky to bid farewell to the old and welcome the new, to frighten all evil and to report the new year."
Chen Pingan nodded and said, "Your young master does study a lot."
The girl sighed, "My young master is good at everything, but he is a little lazy, and he also likes to scold God. I think this is not good."
Chen Ping'an didn't have the habit of gossiping about people behind their backs, so he didn't say anything about it. Next door, Song Jixin had a weird temper that he had persisted for many years, which was to curse God, just like Granny Ma, and scold thieves for God's sake.
.However, scholars also have their own values. On snowy nights, thunderstorms, and when the sky is filled with colorful clouds, this is Song Jixin’s three-part scolding, saying that he wants to take advantage of God’s nap to scold him, and God will listen.
If you don't get it, you won't be angry, and Song Ji Xin can also relieve your anger and make you feel comfortable, killing two birds with one stone.
Seeing that Chen Pingan didn't answer, Zhigui said casually, "You didn't go home last night. Did you go to Liu Xianyang's place?"
Chen Pingan nodded and said: "It's inconvenient to have guests at home."
She asked abruptly: "By the way, has Mr. Qi met you and what did he say to you?"
Chen Pingan asked back: "Why do you ask that?"
She smiled innocently and said, "Just ask, because when I went out to fetch water today, I happened to meet Mr. Qi who said he was taking a walk early in the morning and asked me if you were at home, so I answered truthfully."
Chen Ping'an said with a smile: "I met Mr. Qi accidentally before, and he told me a few common words. The general meaning was that I should have gone to school with Liu Xianyang back then. I can only say that my family was poor.
It’s a matter of method, otherwise I would also like to study.”
Zhigui asked doubtfully: "Is this so?"
Chen Ping'an looked into her eyes and asked with a smile: "What else do you think?"
She laughed it off.
The two separated at the corner of the street. Zhi Gui took the bucket and went to Mubo Alley. Chen Pingan returned to Liu Xianyang's house. After that, he had to go to the east gate of the city to pick up the letter from his family. Each letter cost a penny. If he had owned this business earlier,
, based on Chen Ping'an's foot power of running all over the mountains within a hundred miles, I guess my wife has already saved enough.
At the entrance of Mubo Alley, Zhigui saw his young master standing there, yawning.
She walked quickly and asked curiously: "Sir, why did you come out?"
Song Jixin slowly stretched his body and said lazily: "It's boring to stay here."
She asked in a low voice: "Sir, when will the new inspector return to the town? Can we go to the capital after that?"
Song Jixin thought for a while, "It will only happen within ten days."
Zhigui hesitated, and the small bucket in his hand swayed.
Song Jixin asked with a smile: "What's wrong? Are you worried?"
She timidly said: "Young Master, can you lend me that local county chronicle? Just for a night or two, I can learn to read easily, and I will save myself from being looked down upon by others in the capital, and then it will make the Young Master laugh to others."
"
Song Jixin burst into laughter, and after thinking for a while, "Why am I embarrassed to say this? But remember to wash your hands before turning the book and don't get dirt on the pages. Also, be careful of candle oil dripping on it. There is nothing else needed."
Please note, it’s just a shabby book that ‘ends here’.”
Zhigui smiled brightly and said, "I thank you, Master!"
Song Jixin was delighted and laughed heartily: "Come on, come on, I will help you carry water."
Zhigui dodged for a moment and said sternly: "Master! Didn't we agree that the gentleman will stay away from the kitchen? How can the master get involved in these chores? If word gets out, I will be stabbed in the back by the neighbors!"
Song Jixin laughed angrily and said: "Rules, principles, and etiquette can be fooled and frightened by others, but I..."
At this point, this reading man who grew up in a back alley stopped talking.
She asked curiously: "What is a young master?"
Song Jixin regained his cynical smile and pointed to himself, "Young master, I am actually just a farmer. I divide a field into ridges and rows, and then let people sow seeds and divert water for irrigation.
I just sit back and wait for the harvest, year after year, that’s it!”
She was confused.
Song Jixin laughed loudly.
The young man suddenly stopped smiling and said seriously: "Zhigui, did the man named Chen help you carry the bucket all the way?"
The maid nodded, her eyes innocent.
The young man said sincerely: "A sage once said that it is wrong to regard the kindness of strangers as rare treasures, but to regard all the sacrifices of those close to you as a matter of course and to turn a blind eye to them."
The maid was even more confused and confused, "Huh?"
The young man rubbed his chin and muttered to himself: "You didn't even understand what I meant. How can I answer the conversation, young master? Do you think that when I get to the capital, I need to change to a beautiful and charming young man who is smarter, more considerate, and considerate?"
Maid?"
The maid couldn't help but laugh out loud. She didn't take the young master's threat to heart at all. She revealed the truth and said, "Young master actually wants me to ask, who is this sage from the university? Young master, I know, it's you."
Well!"
Song Jixin laughed heartily, "The one who knows me is Zhigui!"
————
In the study room of the school, a middle-aged Confucian scholar was sitting upright. All the black and white chess pieces on the chessboard in front of him were turned into powder by the spring thunder.
Teenagers in small towns catch rockfish in the creek. There is a way to hit the rocks in the stream with a hammer, and the fish hiding at the bottom of the rocks will be stunned and come to the surface.
It is similar to the so-called "knocking on the mountain to shake the tiger" in the book.
But if you want to warn a saint, don't act against heaven and go against the principles.
Then the only important weapon in heaven and earth that matches his identity is probably the mighty thunder.