Chapter 54: Human affairs are unpredictable, how can one exchange for jade-like beauty and silk-like elegance?

  "Then thank you, sister-in-law! First give sister-in-law a piece of braised beef tripe as a gift!" Hu Saniu added a piece of braised beef tripe with a smile, which led to everyone's praise: "This Hu Saniu is indeed a good person, and there won't be anyone more clever and transparent in the future. He will definitely make a big business!"

  It's finally my turn, but Hu San'er was taken aback when he saw me: "Mei Cai, doesn't your family also have a secret sauce dish? Why are you buying it from my brother?"

  I smiled awkwardly and said, "The ambrosia at home has been eaten up, the newly pickled ones haven't ripened yet, it's just when they're not ripe, coincidentally I craved for some today, so I came to Brother Hu's shop to buy some first."

  Hu San'er didn't suspect anything, and hastily wrapped up the sweet dew and put it in my hand: "Neighbors, what's to buy or not to buy, take it back and eat it. My craftsmanship is rusty, far inferior to Mei Ershu's. Don't laugh at me, this is also a big show of skill in front of Guan Gong."

  "I hastily said: 'How can that be, I have a lot of money here...'"

  Hu San'er just refused, pushing me away and laughing: "It's yours, take it to buy sweets or flowers, isn't that okay? Next time I'll go to your house to scrounge for snacks, how about that?"

  I could only take the rock candy back home, and when my mother asked me how much I spent, I had to tell her the truth. My mother smiled and said, "No wonder business is good, feelings are a person who knows how to do things."

  As he spoke, he unwrapped the package, took a bite and couldn't help but frown: "Don't say it, this ambrosia is indeed more flavorful than ours."

  I also hurriedly picked up a piece and put it in my mouth. This manna was fragrant, sweet and salty, crispy and juicy, tender and delicious, indeed better than what Dad made by hand.

  The girl sighed and said: "Forget it, the pickled vegetables for this summer, we'll just have to eat them ourselves." The evil and charming Third Princess challenged the overbearing Third Prince.

  Father smiled and said: "I actually like this Hu Saner. Next time you see him, tell him that when he's free, he can just come to our house and sit down."

  "Look at your dad, he's been bought off with just two pieces of pickled vegetables. If you want to make friends with someone, it's not that easy!"

  I also laughed and thought to myself, I quite like that brother Hu too.

  After a few days, I sent some pastries from the Smoke and Rain Pavilion back home. As I was walking, I saw a tall and thin figure heading in the direction of Rouge River. It looked like Hu San'er's silhouette. I had the intention to invite him to my place for some pastries, but as I followed him, he suddenly turned around and disappeared from sight. Unexpectedly, he walked very quickly, so I returned home instead.

  The next day, I saw Hu San'er sweeping the bluestone street in front of the courtyard. I hurriedly asked: "Brother Hu, yesterday Mei Cai saw you and thought you were sleeping late, so she wanted to invite you to our home for a midnight snack. But unexpectedly, Brother Hu, your footsteps are so quick, Mei Cai didn't catch up with you. Where did you go towards the Rouge River?"

  Husaner stood up straight and blinked his eyes: "Yesterday? I didn't go out last night, you must have mistaken me for someone else?"

  "Really?" I scratched my head, but that figure, was also tall and thin, could it be someone else? Or maybe Hu San had his own private affairs, which were inconvenient for me to know.

  I nodded hastily: "I reckon it's Mei Cai who made a mistake, and Hu Ge is laughing at us."

  "It doesn't matter," said Hu San'er with a smile. "I'm not alone in being this size, and there are those who have misjudged me."

  While talking, another customer came to buy pickled vegetables, Hu Sanye hurried over to attend to him, and I went home. The ups and downs of online gaming

  Today, my father was making yam paste chrysanthemum pastry, and I was helping to sift the flour. Suddenly, I saw Li Qitang, a young master with whom we had a few dealings before, enter the shop. He smiled and bowed his hands, saying: "Miss Mei, Uncle Mei, it's been a long time since we last met."

  "Ah, it's Master Li! Father hurriedly came out to greet him, repeatedly wiping his hands with a handkerchief: "It's been ages since we last met. In the past few years, you used to come to Purple Jade Alley quite often. I suppose Master Li has been busy with school lately and couldn't spare the time?"

  The daughter also came in from the back kitchen, saying repeatedly: "So it was Master Li who had come,"

  Li Qiting smiled slightly: "Indeed, some things have been delayed, but now there are things to do on Zi Yu Chai Street, so I'll probably come over often to bother you."

  It's strange, even my father remembers Li Gongzi, but I don't seem to remember him that well. Before I could think more about it, I busied myself with the tea and pastries. Li Qiantang looked at me bustling around and said, "Thank you for your trouble, Miss Mei."

  I smiled and said: "No need, I have yet to thank Mr. Li for saving my life."

  Li Qiting hastily said: "It's just a small matter, no need to worry. As long as Miss Mei is safe and sound, that's all that matters."

  "May I ask, young Master Li, what brings you to this street of Purple Jade Hairpins?"

  Li Kaitang said, "Uncle Mei doesn't know that the Empress Dowager is quite fond of folk tales these days. Originally, she entrusted Shen Shangshu to collect and compile them, but Shen Shangshu has been busy with official duties lately and can't spare the time. So I took the initiative to come to this Zi Yu Chai Street to search for some." He smiled at me: "It's also strange that I miss the days when I was in this Zi Yu Chai Street."

  Father smiled and said, "That's right! Ever since my family's plum blossom became the Dragon God's messenger, there have been some strange rumors circulating on this Purple Jade Hairpin Street over the years. Some say it's a night hag, others claim it's a human-faced fish, but despite all the talk, no one has ever actually seen it with their own eyes."

  Li Qiting sighed: "This Purple Jade Street looks calm on the surface, but in reality, there are undercurrents surging, and some things are itching to move."

  Li Kaitang is a descendant of a Taoist family and must be an immortal as well.

  Father suddenly seemed to remember something, clapped his hands and said: "Ah, Li Gongzi mentioned the strange events of Purple Jade Hairpin Street, I actually remembered one thing, but I don't know if the Empress Dowager would think this legend is too vulgar."

  Li Kaitang hastily asked: "Uncle Mei, please speak freely, I will listen respectfully."

  "Let me go out and buy some noodles," said the father. "I heard it from the grain shop assistants. They are in the business of selling grains, so they often transport goods by boat. One of them said that yesterday they received a shipment of grain from Xichuan and transported it to the shore of Zhangzi River to unload the cargo. It was almost midnight when they suddenly heard the sound of babies crying coming from the reeds on the shore of Zhangzi River.

  They suspected that the child was born to a poor family and was abandoned on the riverbank because they couldn't afford to raise it. Since they also came from humble beginnings, they thought that saving a life was better than building a seven-story pagoda. They decided to send the child to a family without an heir, which would be a win-win situation, and a good deed. Without unloading their cargo, they left one person to watch the boat while the others ventured into the reeds to search.

  Although the baby's crying voice was clearly audible, somehow they couldn't find the child. The crying sound came from the left, and when they went to the left, they heard the crying sound again on the right, as if the baby was hiding while crying. This scared several companions, thinking that they might have encountered a water ghost who deliberately made this noise to deceive people, so they all rushed back to the boat.

  Those wails went on all night, and it wasn't until dawn the next day that they finally stopped.