Chapter Thirty-two: Elopement Storm

  Early in the morning, Yang Fan went to open the door of the workshop as usual. Today is the last day of the month, and tomorrow someone else will take over on duty.

  Everything seems to be normal, when the shop opens, he is still being bumped into by people like a reed in the wind, and being flirted with by bold and saucy big girls and young wives, bringing him a good mood for the day.

  As he walked down the street, the snack vendors still greeted him warmly, except when passing by the second curve of the intersection of Xiwenfang and Dazhajie, where it was slightly different. The shed there was cold and quiet, and Ning's sister hadn't set up her stall early today. Yang Fan knew that she must have been busy with the divorce proceedings, so he wasn't worried.

  However, after Yang Fan returned home to eat the light dishes and sweet rice porridge made by Tian Ai Nu, rushed to the Fang Zheng government office to respond to the errand, and started today's patrol inspection, he felt that something was not quite right.

  On the streets and alleys, there are always some people gathered in groups of three or five, whispering to each other, glancing at him while talking, with a mysterious expression. However, when he walks by, these people immediately look around and start chatting idly, seemingly nonchalant.

  Yang Fan felt a bit hairy, what's going on today?

  Yang Er

  "Yellow outer garment."

  Yang Fan smiled and stood at attention.

  Coming straight towards him was none other than Huang Zhaoping, the Yellow Second Master. The extremely rotund body of the Yellow Second Master moved with great agility, like a rubber ball bouncing along, shaking and jiggling as he walked, his chubby face beaming with joy, looking as if good fortune had been bestowed upon him by the heavens themselves.

  Yang Fan was somewhat surprised, Huang Yuanwai usually met him on the street and didn't greet him much, after all, his identity and status were there, what happened today? Did he suddenly make a big deal?

  Huang Tianguan smiled and opened his mouth: "Yang Er, why are there bloodshot eyes? Didn't you sleep well last night?"

  "Oh, Huang Yuanwai, I..."

  Huang Yuan didn't even want to hear his response, and immediately followed up with a laugh: "Hehe, young people shouldn't be shy, I'm an old hand at this kind of thing. You have to take care of yourself, you know?"

  "Uh... what you're saying is..."

  Huang Yuan floated past him with a round and smooth gait, his demeanor, as if there was a mountain peak ahead, under the mountain peak there was a bamboo fence, inside the bamboo fence there was a cluster of autumn chrysanthemums, plump Huang Yuan suddenly transformed into Mr. Wu Liu, leisurely strolling along, picking chrysanthemums under the fence.

  Yang Fan stared at the back of Huang Yuanwai, as if he was a giant golden statue that he couldn't get his head around. He felt something was off, and just then Song Erbo, who was carrying a vegetable basket out to sell, saw him and stopped in his tracks, saying with a smile: "Yang Er, I heard your family has started cooking for themselves, do you want to buy some vegetables?"

  Yang Fan was taken aback. Had someone noticed the wisp of smoke rising from his house at dusk yesterday? Could it be that Song Erbo was a recluse who would stand on top of his earthen wall and gaze out into the distance for no reason at all?

  A man in a coarse linen garment, with two wisps of an eight-shaped beard, smiled and said: "Bok choy, leek, lettuce, mushrooms, alfalfa, shepherd's purse, and golden needle vegetable, all are fresh, take a look and pick some."

  Yang Fan hesitated and said: "This... Second Uncle, I don't have any money on me. Next time, next time I'll take care of your business."

  Song Erbo took out a bunch of scallions from the basket and handed them to Yang Fan, saying kindly: "You're spending money in many places now, I suppose you're a bit tight on funds. If you need anything, just let me know, I won't shortchange you by even one bite. Here, take this bunch of scallions, go back and chop them up for some stuffing or stir-fry with eggs, it's extremely delicious."

  Song Erbo patted his shoulder and said in a low voice, "I'm telling you, leeks are good for tonifying the kidney and strengthening yang."

  "Huh?"

  Yang Fan was still in a state of astonishment when Song Erbo had already walked away with a Mona Lisa smile on his face, carrying a pole.

  Yang Fan slowly walked forward, and suddenly thought of the reason: "Ma Qiao! That broken mouth of his, can't even keep a secret?"

  Yang Fan thought for a moment, then went to look for Ma Qiao. He walked through two alleys, but still couldn't find any sign of Ma Qiao. Suddenly, a green-shirted girl came walking towards him, her hair styled in a lily bun, with a large black dog by her side. She didn't glance at Yang Fan, as if he were nobody. Yang Fan took one look and realized it was Xiao Dong's daughter.

  "Not good!" Yang Fan was about to dodge, but Xiao Dong had already walked in front of him. Yang Fan was going to pretend that he didn't see her because of his poor eyesight, and he forced himself to brush past her shoulder to shoulder. Xiao Dong looked at him, hesitated, and stopped, calling out: "Is that really Second Master Yang?"

  "Ah! Ah! Little Dong girl!"

  Yang Fan smiled wryly and stood still, let out a hearty laugh, as if he had just seen her, and said with a smiling face: "It's really Yang Fan, Little Dong, where are you going?"

  Xiao Dong crept closer with cat-like steps, until Yang Fan could clearly count the freckles on her nose and cheeks, before narrowing his eyes in delight: "Ah, it's really Er Lang."

  A gleam of joy flashed across her face, only to be replaced by a melancholy expression. The girl gazed at Yang Fan with a mournful look and said: "Second Brother is indeed heartless. Does he truly not know the feelings I have for him? You usually pretend to be foolish, so I thought you didn't want to get married too early, and I didn't blame you. But who would have known that you would elope with a merchant's daughter?"

  Xiao Dong said, sobbing and sniffling, two lines of tears rolled down.

  Yang Fan panicked, looking around frantically and hastily advised: "Xiao Dong, don't cry, you look like this, people will think something's wrong with me, you... just stop crying, okay?"

  Xiao Dong wiped away his tears, puffed out his chest and said loudly: "Second Brother, since there's no one else around, let's get things clear. You tell me, in what way is someone's appearance, temperament and character inferior to that merchant's daughter? Tell me!"

  Xiao Dong was born with myopia, and due to her frequent needlework, she also had some strabismus. At this time, both of her eyes were inward-facing, and the focal points of her two eyes crossed at Yang Fan's brow, thoroughly defeating him with her sharp gaze.

  He looked like a prodigal son who had been found out by his master, feeling ashamed and unable to show his face. He hung his head in remorse and said: "Xiao Dong, you are a good girl, diligent, capable, gentle in nature, kind-hearted..."

  Yang Fan didn't dare to look him in the eye, slightly raised his eyes, staring at the tip of his nose, counting the freckles, and said with the most sincere tone: "Your eyebrows are as noble as the clouds on the horizon, your eyes are as bright as the stars on a foggy night, your appearance is as lovely as the flowers welcoming spring, and your figure is as tender as this bunch of scallions in my hand..."

  Little Dong's girl wiped away her tears and asked, "If that's the case, why do you like her and not me?"

  Yang Fan sighed and said deeply: "Perhaps... this is what they call fate. Little Dong, you and I are destined to be together. Look at your family's wealth, while I'm just a poor peddler with an empty home. Your temperament is gentle, hardworking and capable, while I'm lazy and uneducated, how can I match up to such a good girl like you? I'm ashamed of myself."

  Little Dong girl lowered her head and looked at her flat chest, saying gloomily: "You don't have to coax me, I know, I... am too thin!"

  "No! No! Absolutely not!"

  Yang Fan quickly denied: "Xiao Dong, don't think that way, you're a lovely girl who is loved by everyone, who in this neighborhood doesn't know, who isn't aware? In all eight directions, everyone praises you! Look..."

  "Look, even the dog likes you!"

  Xiao Dong's daughter angrily said: "It's just that Second Brother doesn't like me, he has eyes but no pearls, not even as good as my family's big black dog!"

  Yang Fan said repeatedly: "Yes yes yes, Yang Mou has no vision and no good fortune..."

  Xiao Dong's daughter turned and walked away, Yang Fan grabbed her and said: "Wait, that is a tree."

  "Mind your own business!"

  Xiao Dong's girl shook off his hand and left in a huff, Yang Fan secretly let out a sigh of relief and quickly slipped away unnoticed.

  Just three steps away, the little Dong girl suddenly stopped and shouted loudly: "Yang Er, stop for me! You say clearly, 'even dogs like me...', are you saying I'm as thin as a skeleton?"

  Yang Fan pulled up his legs and ran away, behind him came the loud roar of Xiao Dong's voice: "Dahai, bite him for me!"

  "Woof! Woof woof......"

  Yang Fan fled with her head in her hands, and after the time it took to drink a cup of tea, the shrill curses of Hua Damao from the courtyard of the Hua family knitting mill rang out: "This good-for-nothing Yang Er is a damned thing who brings trouble..."

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