Asking for a monthly pass

  ***

  "Dad, you're here?" Xia Zhi greeted Xia Xiuzai naturally, then asked another question, "Dad, have you eaten?" Since deciding to come to Wenshan Academy to sell zongzi outside, Xia Zhi had thought of running into Xia Xiuzai.

  It's inevitable, this matter can be hidden from others, but Xia Xiuzai always sees through it. So when she saw Xia Xiuzai coming over, Xia Zhi wasn't too surprised. She just let Xia Xiuzai stand aside and not delay her selling zongzi.

  Xia Zhi town was calm and composed, but Xia Xiuren was a bit stunned. Hearing about it and seeing it with one's own eyes are two different things. He obediently walked to the side and stared blankly at Xia Zhi quickly handing out zongzi and counting money.

  There was a small box on the stall. Xia Zhi didn't use his hands to take money, but let customers throw copper coins into the box instead. Some people brought small silver ingots to buy zongzi, and after Xia Zhi calculated the change, he also let them take the money from the box themselves.

  Of course, those who come to buy zongzi mostly use copper coins. Few people use small silver ingots, and such people generally buy more, so the copper coins they get back are quite a lot.

  This approach is surprisingly popular among the students of the academy. In their view, this method is not only clean enough but also reflects the trust that the owner of the small stall has in their conduct. Moreover, it must be said that this method is also relatively quick and convenient.

  Xia Xiuren had already walked to one side, but Xia Hei saw him and still felt that he was in the way. Xia Hei would not be polite to Xia Xiuren, so he called out to him: "Big brother, you come over and help too! Can't you see how busy Shi Liu is?" His tone carried a hint of reproach.

  Xia Xiuzai was still in a daze when his feet brought him to the side of Xiao Heiyu. He stretched out his hand to help, but didn't know how to assist.

  "Dad, don't need you." Xia Zhi saw it and let Xia Xiucan not help. She asked Xia Xiucan if he had eaten lunch, then picked two zongzi for Xia Xiucan. "I and Lao Shu originally planned to be slightly idle later, and then send zongzi to Dad to eat."

  Xia Xiuzai took over the zongzi and put it back. He had a lot of questions to ask Xia Zhi, but he didn't have the chance to open his mouth.

  Xia Zhi saw Xia Xiuzai's silly appearance and secretly shook her head in dismay, no longer bothering to pay attention to him.

  After a while, Li Xia brought two young servants to hurry over. He called out to Xia Zhi and Xiao Hei Yu: "Sixteen, Old Uncle, it's time to eat!" His hand held a paper roll, and the two young servants each carried a food box.

  This is for Xia Zhi and Xiao Hei Yu Er to have lunch.

  After greeting Xia Zhi and Xiao Hei Yu, Li Xia saw Xia Xiucai. He smiled again and greeted Xia Xiucai, then walked to Xia Zhi's side and urged her and Xiao Hei Yu to hurry up and eat.

  "Haven't you seen that I'm busy right now?" Xia Zhi glanced at Li Xia, "I don't have time to eat. You take Old Uncle to eat instead."

  "I won't go eat either." Little Black Fish said immediately, he had a strong sense of responsibility and was determined to share the joys and hardships with Xia Zhi.

  "At sixteen, you and Uncle go eat. I'll come replace you to sell zongzi." Li Xia stretched her arms and legs, eager to give it a try.

  "Li Xia, will you sell zongzi?" Xia Zhi slightly raised an eyebrow. Li Xia was a scholar and came from a wealthy family, so even if he were to sell zongzi, she couldn't let him do it. If Li Shan Chang and the rest of the Li family found out, they would make a huge fuss.

  "I can. Sixteen, I just learned it when you sold it earlier." Li Xia rolled up her sleeves and then pointed to the back, "I had someone collect a room for you, you and Uncle hurry up and go eat there, don't starve."

  Xia Zhi looked in the direction of Li Xia's pointing finger and saw that the two small servants carrying food boxes had already opened a door and were busy cleaning up.

  Li Xia has arranged everything for you.

  Ke Xia Zhi still couldn't let him sell zongzi for himself.

  "Li Xia, take Uncle out for dinner. I'll come find you once I've sold all these."

  Li Xia and Xiao Hei Yu did not want to. Li Xia saw that Xia Zhi was so insistent, he had no choice but to compromise, but said he would accompany her to sell the zongzi, and then everyone would go eat together.

  Xia Zhi just nodded.

  Li Xia, however, still wanted to help her sell zongzi. "Sixteen, take a break. Give me your apron and that mask hat of yours, I'll sell them for you. If you're worried that I won't do a good job selling, just stand next to me and watch."

  "Li Xia, you're going to experience life, huh?" Seeing Li Xia walking back and forth in front of him, the big green dog behind him got excited, shaking its head and wagging its tail. At this rate, small business can't be done.

  Summer solstice was helpless. She thought for a moment, and had no choice but to put her own apron on Li Xia. "Li Xia, you just stand here, and help Uncle with me to calculate the accounts, and watch the cash box. Our small business is the most important thing."

  Xiao Hei nodded in agreement beside him. The fact that Xia Zhi could arrange this job for Li Xia was enough to prove her trust and importance to Li Xia. In the past, when they were in Linshui Town, this task was his alone.

  Li Xia smiled and stood side by side with Xiao Hei Yu.

  After a while, Xia Zhi looked at the few remaining zongzi and refused to sell them anymore.

  Some had just heard the news and came to buy, while others bought two with a try-on mindset and found them delicious, so they came back to buy again. Xia Zhi told them that she would come here tomorrow to sell champion zongzi, so they didn't have to worry about not being able to eat it.

  Li Xia had Xiao Shu help Xia Zhi pack up the stall, and then everyone sat down in the empty room he had prepared. Li Xia hadn't eaten yet either, so he had Xiao Shu prepare three sets of bowls and chopsticks. But when Xia Xiucai arrived, the three sets were not enough. Li Xia gave Xiao Shu a look, and Xiao Shu went to the neighboring shop to borrow another set of bowls and chopsticks for Xia Xiucai.

  Li Xia prepared a simple meal: a steamed mandarin fish, a plate of sautéed liver and kidney, a plate of freshly shelled clams stir-fried with tofu, and a large plate of stir-fried seasonal vegetables, which Li Xia had brought from the small stove in the study of Li Shan. The staple food was white mantou (steamed buns).

  Li Xia certainly wouldn't forget Da Qing. Da Qing's meals consisted of steamed buns with beef soup, which Li Xia had a servant fetch from a nearby shop.

  Xia Zhi left a few zongzi, which were also peeled and served at this time.

  Li Xia let out a smile and said: "I didn't know Mr. Xia was coming, the time was so rushed that there wasn't much preparation, the dishes are quite simple, just bear with it and eat, I'm afraid it's not up to your standards."

  Xia Xiuzai's smile on his face was somewhat stiff, and he had a hundred emotions in his heart. He had too many things to ask Xia Zhi, but with Li Xia by their side, he couldn't bring himself to ask them out loud. Moreover, he had been here for half the day already, and still hadn't had the chance to exchange a few words with Xia Zhi.

  The four people sitting at the table now, he and Xia Zhi, Xiao Hei Yu are close relatives. But at this moment, he feels that he is the only outsider.

  (。)