Chapter Seven

  "Is this business profitable?"

  Xiao Zhen smiled and said: "That's all, I mainly help my neighbor to repay his care for me over the years, and I only take 30% of the money."

  Li Chong said with a smile: "You're quite conscientious."

  Xiao Zhen picked two strings of candied hawthorn and handed them to Zhang Tongxi and Huang Xiangsu, saying: "You two eat, I'll give it to you for free."

  Li said with a frown: "That's really embarrassing, you're also here to sell this for money."

  Xiao Zhen said with a smile: "China, I can't afford to treat you to ginseng and abalone, but I can still afford small ice sugar calabaza, let's just say it's my way of thanking you for giving us a good idea."

  Liáng Zhōngguó also didn't pretend, saying: "Then I'll just obey humbly." After finishing speaking, he took the candied hawthorn and also called Huáng Xiāngsù to take one.

  Huang Xiangsu saw Liang Zhongguo take one, so she also drew a gourd and ate the candied hawthorn, curiously asking: "Xiao Zhen, are you a university student?"

  Xiao Zhen nodded and said: "Right. Huang Xiangsu, you're in high school, aren't you?"

  "That's right."

  Xiao Zhen said: "Liang Zhongguo, you also went to university, right?"

  Li Chong shook his head and said: "No, from childhood to adulthood, I have never attended a single day of school."

  Xiao Zhen asked in puzzlement: "Why don't you go to school? Your family's martial arts school is very famous in Beiping, and your family is quite wealthy. You should be able to afford an education."

  "I don't like reading books, and my parents didn't force me to read either, so I just didn't go to school."

  "Then you're illiterate."

  At this point, Huang Xiangsu took over to answer for Liang Zhongguo. She proudly said: "Although Liang Gege's parents agreed that he didn't have to go to school and read books, they still required Liang Zhongguo to be able to recognize characters. So from the year Liang Gege was eight years old, they hired a private tutor to teach him to read and write. By the way, that private tutor was my father, and he's also a university graduate."

  Xiao Zhen nodded and said: "Liang Zhongguo, how old are you this year?"

  Liang Zhongguo was eating the candied hawthorn while saying: "I'm 21 years old after the New Year."

  Xiao Zhuoqi said: "In those twelve years, did Teacher Huang teach you nothing but recognizing characters?"

  "Of course not," said Liang Zhongguo with a smile. "My teacher also taught me the Four Books and Five Classics, as well as famous essays."

  Xiao Zhen said with a hint of surprise, "It seems that Teacher Huang teaches Chinese literature." Then Xiao Zhen furrowed his brow and said, "Why is Teacher Huang still teaching you the Four Books and Five Classics? Dr. Sun Yat-sen has already stipulated that schools should not read the Four Books and Five Classics."

  Huang Xiangsu smiled and said, "You also said it's a school. Liang Gege is studying at home, not in school, so he doesn't need to be restricted. Besides, the Four Books and Five Classics have been passed down for generations, they must have their own value, what's wrong with reading them?"

  "What I mean is that in this new era, it's better to read less of the Four Books and Five Classics which only teach self-cultivation, and instead read more books that can enrich the country and strengthen its military."

  Li Chong said with a wry smile, "You mustn't ask me to read those books. Those books give me a headache because they're too complicated. I'm better suited to writing simple and easy-to-understand books. Those books are for you university students to study."

  Xiao Zhen nodded and her eyes fell on the camera in Liang Zhongguo's hand, exclaiming in surprise: "It's a camera! Liang Zhongguo, how did you get this treasure?"

  "My dad bought it for me as a New Year's gift, and I took it out today to take more photos."

  Huang Xiangsu suddenly said: "Xiao Zhen, can you help me take a few photos with Brother Liang?"

  "Good!" Xiao Zhen said with a smile.

  Li Chongyu grasped Xiao Zhen's left hand, which was holding a wooden stick full of iced sugar gourds, and said: "Put this thing here with me, it'll be used as a prop when taking pictures."

  Xiao Zhen nodded and took the camera from Liang Zhongguo's hand. Liang Zhongguo, holding a candied hawthorn stick in his right hand, and Huang Xiangsu, holding one in her left hand, stood side by side with the sticks inserted into the wooden rod between them, smiling at the camera. Xiao Zhen put the camera to his eye, and when Liang Zhongguo and Huang Xiangsu's entire bodies were reflected in the lens, he pressed the shutter release. "Click", the photo was taken successfully.

  Huang Xiang was overjoyed in her heart, thinking: Great, I have a photo of me and Liang Gege together. After the photos are developed, I must ask Liang Gege to give them to me, and I will keep them well.

  "Alright."

  After hearing Xiao Zhen's words, Huang Xiangsu blew a breath of orchid in Liang Zhongguo's ear and said: "Brother Liang, can you help me take a photo?"

  Li Ang took out a wooden stick from China and asked, "Do you want to use this thing?"

  "No need."

  Liáng Zhōngguó nodded, walked to Xiāo Zhēn's side and took over the camera, casually handing back the wooden stick full of ice sugar gourds. Huáng Xiāngsù quickly stood up straight, smiling brightly at the camera. Liáng Zhōngguó slightly bent his waist, making a pose before taking the picture, his finger was about to press the shutter when he suddenly saw something extremely beautiful, his mouth wide open in surprise, and this expression was frozen for five seconds. Huáng Xiāngsù thought that Liáng Zhōngguó was stunned by her beauty, secretly delighted, but then she broke her own idea because Liáng Zhōngguó slowly straightened up, holding the camera at chest level, staring intently at something in front of him.

  Xiao Zhen looked at Liang Zhongguo with a gathering of gods and couldn't stop shaking his head, heh-hehing straight away.

  The mystery was solved as soon as Huang Xiangsu turned her head - a smiling couple, a man and a woman, walked towards them. The man looked about 23 years old, wearing a Japanese samurai uniform with a long sword and a short sword hanging from his left waist, holding a white paper umbrella to shield the snow. The woman was no more than 19 years old, dressed in a thick but warm Japanese pink kimono, with shoulder-length hair, her dark hair lazily falling on her shoulders, a lovely round face on her neck, her complexion shining brightly, her pretty face rich in blood color and white without any blemishes. She was now smiling and chatting with the man beside her, her smile was so charming that it made people want to kiss her regardless of the consequences. Huang Xiangsu was also considered a beauty, but compared to this Japanese woman, she immediately lost her luster. The couple's feet were clad in wooden clogs, the only difference being that the Japanese man wore black socks and the Japanese beauty wore white socks.

  Needless to say, everyone understands that Liang Zhongguo is not infatuated with the Japanese man, but 100% infatuated with the Japanese beauty.

  Huang Xiangsu pouted, looking very displeased, and glared at Liang Zhongguo with a scowl. Xiao Zhen then nudged Liang Zhongguo with her elbow and smiled lightly: "Liang Zhongguo, stop staring, your eyeballs are about to fall out."

  Liáng Zhōngguó snapped out of his daze, awkwardly clearing his throat. Huáng Xiāngsù walked up to Liáng Zhōngguó's side and coldly said: "Brother Liáng, you like looking at that woman so much, don't you have a camera in your hand? Then why not take her picture?"

  Liáng Zhōngguó's face turned red with embarrassment, and he awkwardly said: "I was just taking a casual look, no need to take pictures for that woman."

  Huang Xiangsu hummed and ignored Liang Zhongguo in a huff.

  What made Liang Zhongguo angry was that Xiao Zhen added fuel to the fire at this time, saying: "Liang Zhongguo, I think Huang Xiangsu has a point. Since you are so fond of...” At this point, Liang Zhongguo glared at Xiao Zhen with annoyance, and the latter immediately changed his words, saying: "No, it's just that since you love to appreciate the beauty of water so much, why don't you take out your camera and take a few photos to appreciate it fully, as if it were art."

  Li Chongyu saw Xiao Zhen not only didn't give himself a step down, but also provoked him to really want to slap Xiao Zhen, but Li Chongyu could only think about it and wouldn't take actual action. He calmly said: "It's time to stop."

  Xiao Zhen said with a smile: "I'm quite aware of this."

  "That's good."

  There is one person who doesn't know the situation, that is Huang Xiangsu. At this time, she has a strong sense of jealousy in her heart, and with a slender hand holding onto the camera, she says: "Since you don't dare to take it, Brother Liang, you're as shy as a maiden, then I'll be bold and help you take a photo, so that you can have the chance to see this woman again in the future."

  Li Chong said hastily: "My good sister Huang, don't get me into trouble."

  Huang Xiangsu pouted and said: "I'm not harming you, I'm helping you."

  So, Huang Xiangsu was about to take a photo of that woman, but Liang Zhongguo insisted on not allowing it. The two of them put their hands on the camera and started tussling over it. In terms of strength, Liang Zhongguo was naturally much stronger than Huang Xiangsu. Normally, grabbing the camera should have been a simple matter for Liang Zhongguo to win immediately. However, seeing how desperately Huang Xiangsu was fighting for the camera, he was afraid that if he used too much force, he would knock her over. Therefore, he didn't dare use his full strength to grab the camera, and the situation became a stalemate. The camera swayed back and forth, sometimes leaning towards Liang Zhongguo, sometimes towards Huang Xiangsu.

  Liáng Zhōngguó felt this wouldn't work and said: "Xiāo Zhēn, come help me out."

  Xiao Zhen looked at Liang Zhongguo and Huang Xiangsu with interest as they fought over the camera, smiling: "I'm neutral."

  Liáng Zhōngguó hastily said: "If I help you, then I'll buy more of your candied hawthorns."

  Xiao Zhuang rolled her eyes and ignored Liang Zhongguo.

  Li China scolded himself for being muddled, Xiao Zhen was not that kind of person. He quickly changed his strategy and said: "Xiao Zhen, my good brother, seeing that we both love our country and hope for China's prosperity, can you help me out?"

  Huang Xiangsu sneered: "Am I not patriotic? Do I not hope for China's prosperity and strength?"

  Xiao Zhen sighed and said, "Alas, Liang Zhongguo, I had originally decided not to help you, but who would have thought that you'd come up with a good idea to pave the way for our students to save the country? I've decided to help you."

  "Then don't just talk about it, hurry up and help!"

  Xiao Zhen joined the fray, two men and one woman fighting over something. Who would have thought that the woman would win? Huang Xiang's eyes sparkled with amusement as he said, "If you don't let go, I'll bite."

  Liang Zhongguo and Xiao Zhen were frightened when they heard the news, and simultaneously loosened their grip. Huang Xiangsu immediately seized the opportunity, picked up the camera, aimed it at the couple who were walking towards him, and took a photo.