Old Jin City on the Wall

Chapter 33 Marriage

When Wu Ling returned to the teahouse, the sound of the electric hammer at the entrance had stopped.

The blue construction barriers are still there, as are the red arrows for the new tea shops at the main intersection, and the half-price signs are flapping loudly in the wind.

Only the vibration that used to penetrate between the teeth is gone.

Grandma Zhao squatted by the counter, wiping the lid of the teacup with a damp cloth.

There was a bit of black ash on the white porcelain lid, hidden inside the rim. When water was poured over it, it spread out like fine ink.

She looked up at Wu Ling: "You're back?"

Wu Ling hummed in agreement and placed the file bag inside the counter.

"You won?"

"It's just a pause in the high disturbance," Qin Xiaowan took the tea lid and rag, wiped it again, and said, "Grandma, don't be too happy yet."

Grandma Zhao clicked her tongue: "I'll just ask one question, and you'll launch into a long explanation."

Qin Xiaowan put the cleaned tea lid back onto the bowl.

"I'm afraid you'll cook two extra bowls of rice tonight to celebrate, which would be a waste."

Grandma Zhao scolded her, "You have such a sharp tongue!"

He chuckled in the teahouse.

The laughter wasn't loud, but it was clearer than usual in the alley where the electric hammer had been turned off.

Wu Ling stood behind the counter and saw a dried gardenia leaf pressed down next to the wooden sign on the counter.

The edges of the leaves were curled, the color was dark, but the veins were fine.

Just as Wu Ling's fingertip touched that leaf, the kettle in the kitchen made a soft sound.

Qin Xiaowan looked over: "I swept it up, I don't know where it came from."

Wu Ling tucked the dried leaves into the blank pages of the account book.

"Keep it."

"Keep everything." Qin Xiaowan covered the basket of flatbread with a white cloth. "Keep the old teacups, keep even a single tea leaf. Sooner or later, this place won't be a teahouse, it'll be a warehouse."

"Then you must be the warehouse manager."

Someone came in from behind the fence and asked, "Do you still have any guokui (a type of flatbread)?"

Qin Xiaowan didn't even look up: "Sold out. Twenty servings a day. Come earlier next time."

The man sighed, "Construction has been suspended. I thought there would be an extra workload today."

"What does suspending construction have to do with you being able to eat one more guokui (a type of flatbread)?"

The customer choked and laughed, then bought a bowl of Sanhua (a type of steamed bun) and sat down.

Water fell into the teapot, the tea leaves unfurled, and a warm yellow glow shone through the crack in the door on the back wall.

Wu Ling looked back.

Qin Xiaowan was busy scanning QR codes for customers, while Grandma Zhao was calling out from the back kitchen where to put the scallions. No one noticed the sliver of light shining through the crack.

Wu Ling went to open the door after the store closed.

In the mornings of Wu Ji during the Republic of China era, things were busier earlier than they are today.

Before the tea was even brewed, someone had already peeked over the threshold twice.

They didn't seem to be coming in for tea, nor did they appear to be looking for someone.

It probes out, then retracts, and then probes out again after a while.

Old Zhou sat in his usual spot, the teacup lid resting askew on the rim of his bowl.

"The doorstep has eyes today."

The chess player laughed: "It's not that the threshold has eyes, it's that the flowers have eyes."

Xiao Cui was carrying a pot of sunflowers onto the counter.

"Sunflowers cost ten coins, gardenias cost three coins."

She said the same thing as she had a few days ago.

But the tea drinkers in the main room were different.

Two unfamiliar faces appeared at the table by the window. One was wearing a short jacket, and the other was wearing a melon-shaped hat. They hadn't even taken a couple of sips of tea before their eyes drifted toward the counter.

The man in the short jacket asked, "Did that person at the Liu residence yesterday really put away his umbrella before entering?"

An old tea drinker blew on the tea foam: "You didn't come yesterday?"

"I was at the east entrance, and I heard he didn't even dare to open his umbrella."

"It's not that we didn't dare to hold on, it's that Master Kui said, 'Go into Wu's restaurant, and put away the umbrella.'"

The man in the melon-shaped hat clicked his tongue: "Third Master Kui's words are enough for the Liu family to talk about for two days."

The chess player held the chess piece in his hand, and his game was over.

"What are you chewing on? People pay money to buy flowers, ten coins a flower, it's clear as day."

The man in the short jacket said, "It's still the same flower, but once it passes through the Liu family's hands, the price changes."

The old tea drinker across the street was slow to respond.

"Are the flowers the ones with different prices?"

Xiao Cui pressed the flower roots into the water.

The water sloshed around, and the sunflowers dipped a little lower.

Old Zhou lifted the lid of his teapot.

"When buying flowers, negotiate the price; when drinking tea, discuss the water. If you talk too much, you'll have to pay extra for the tea."

The man in the short jacket cupped his hands and said, "Master Zhou, I'd like some tea, I'd like some tea."

He kept his words to himself, but his gaze lingered.

Someone came in to buy flowers.

She was an auntie selling needles and thread at the street corner. Her box hung on her arm, with rows of red and blue threads, and silver needles inserted in a small cotton bag.

"This branch is a bit short."

Xiao Cui changed to another flower.

"This flower bloomed too quickly; it might wither tomorrow."

Xiao Cui changed again.

"The girl is skillful; she washed the flower roots clean and didn't get any mud on the leaves."

Xiao Cui handed over the third flower: "This one can last for two days."

The seamstress, sewing, casually placed a small piece of red thread on the counter while receiving the flowers.

"A touch of red is more appealing."

Xiao Cui didn't take it.

Old Zhou looked at the teacup: "Xiao Cui."

"I know." Xiao Cui counted out two coins from the wooden box and pushed them over, "Coins."

The seamstress chuckled, "Oh dear, it's just a piece of thread, it's worthless."

Old Zhou said, "The most expensive things are the things that are worthless."

The seamstress accepted the two coins, her words lingering on her lips, but falling silent.

"Does the girl work at the counter every day?"

Xiao Cui picked up the red thread and tried wrapping it around the flower root.

"The flowers are at the counter, and sometimes I'm behind them."

"What's next?"

"Watering, sweeping, drying flower seeds."

The seamstress nodded, asked no more questions, put the flowers in the box, and left.

As soon as she stepped out, the man in the melon-shaped hat gathered the teacup in his hand.

"That's a detailed question."

The chess player makes a move.

Snapped.

"Those who sell needles and thread are more accurate at judging hands than faces."

Xiao Cui untied the red thread again.

She tied it too tightly, leaving a shallow mark on the flower root.

Master Liu was polishing a copper shovel nearby when he suddenly said, "Take it apart."

Xiao Cui looked up.

Master Liu didn't look at her: "If you make one mistake, everything will be tight from here on out."

Xiao Cui said "oh" and started circling again.

The pine tree was slightly pinen, the flower stood upright, and the roots were unharmed.

Just as Wu Ling was serving his third bowl of tea in the morning, Feng Niang entered the room.

Fengniang had been a matchmaker in the Shaocheng area for over a decade. She walked quietly and never spoke out of turn.

Her blue satin jacket was old and soft, her hair was neatly combed, and a silver hairpin was tucked behind her ears.

"Old Zhou, could you please have a bowl of Sanhua?"

Old Zhou looked up: "Did Fengniang come to the wrong house today?"

"I've had a good experience with Wu's business."

"You're on the right track, but most people are going astray."

Fengniang found a table to sit at.

Wu Ling served her tea.

Fengniang took the bowl with both hands, drank half a mouthful, and then took out ten coins from her sleeve and placed them on the counter.

"Buy a sunflower."

Xiao Cui picked one and handed it over.

"Did the girl grow these flowers herself?"

"Yes."

Feng Niang nodded.

"Then he's not a busybody."

The main room became a little quieter.

Fengniang accepted the flowers and looked at the "Sun" playing card.

"The characters are upright."

The old tea drinker replied, "The handwriting wasn't done by the young lady."

Fengniang said, "I know. Only if someone is willing to write this word for her can the flower stand firm."

After saying that, Old Zhou gently tapped the lid of his teacup.

despair.

After drinking half a bowl of tea, Fengniang placed the flowers on the table.

"I've come today to ask a question on someone's behalf. If I can get the answer, I will; if not, consider it as me drinking tea."

Old Zhou said, "I can drink the tea and listen to the conversation. Whether she's willing or not, the teahouse won't answer for her."

Fengniang didn't bring any red paper or give her birth date; she only said, "In Zhao Family Lane in the south of the city, there's a Liang family cloth shop. The shop is in the front, and the house is in the back. The second son is in his early twenties, good at accounting, doesn't smoke opium, and is physically fit. The shop isn't big, but it's clean. The old woman at home is gossipy and picky; she complains that the sweeper doesn't sweep the walls properly and that the cloth isn't wrung out dry enough."

The chess player said in a low voice, "Let's talk about the downsides first; it's like being a real matchmaker."

Fengniang heard this, but she was not angry.

"If you don't mention the downsides when arranging a marriage, those downsides will turn into enemies later."

Xiao Cui stood behind the counter without replying.

Fengniang looked at her.

"The Liang family wants to find a daughter-in-law who can manage the shop, is clean and tidy, and doesn't like to run around. Someone said that Wu's shop has a flower girl who can grow flowers well and keep quiet."

All sorts of rumors circulate on the streets, and by the time they reach the cloth shop, they've gone through countless twists and turns.

Xiao Cui wrapped the red thread around her fingertip, then loosened it.

"Do they know I sell flowers?"

"know."

"Did you know the Liu family came to inquire?"

Fengniang paused for a moment.

"I know from the streets."

Fengniang finished speaking: "But the Liang family asked me to come here, not because they wanted to target the Liu family. If they really wanted to target the Liu family, they wouldn't have come to me; they would have gone to find someone who knows how to get things done. The cloth shop needs people who can make a living, not just rumors to make it look good."

Xiao Cui looked down at the sunflower.

"Do fabric shops have scraps of cloth every day?"

Feng Niang was stunned for a moment.

Someone in the main room couldn't help but laugh out loud, and quickly covered it with a teacup lid.

"Yes. They have plenty of scraps of fabric from tailoring and altering clothes. The good ones will be kept for mending, and the less desirable ones can be used to wrap flower stems or tie loose threads. If you really want to go and see, I'll have his family bring them out for you."

Xiao Cui nodded.

She neither said she was willing nor she was unwilling.

Fengniang then took out a piece of red paper from her sleeve, unfolded only one corner, and then closed it again.

"No rush with the marriage certificate. Let's have a bowl of tea across the table first. If we get along well, we can talk later. If we don't, I, Fengniang, will not enter Wu's shop today."

Old Zhou finally said, "This is how you arrange a marriage."

Fengniang picked up her tea: "If Master Zhou gives me a word of advice, I can brag about it for half a month when I get back."

"Don't blow for too long. If you blow for too long, you'll have to pay for more tea."

Laughter filled the teahouse, and Xiao Cui smiled too.

After Fengniang left, the sounds in the main room returned.

The man in the melon-shaped hat held the teacup in his hands, winking and saying, "The flowers haven't even been sold yet, and someone's already looking for buyers for them."

The woman in the short jacket chimed in, "What's this called? A wedding flower?"

"Don't talk nonsense. Flowers still need watering after they get married, but people don't necessarily have to be."

The old tea drinker took a sip of tea.

"There are good families out there, but a girl can't spend her whole life selling flowers at a counter."

"Is guarding the counter difficult? Wu's counter is cleaner than some other people's doors."

"What's the use of looking refreshed? You're not living your life at a sales counter."

A few words went back and forth, like teacup lids clinking together—light, yet resounding.

Wu Ling refilled the water at the table by the window.

The water drips into the teacup, causing the tea leaves to swirl and then sink.

The man in the short jacket lowered his voice: "Shopkeeper, will those two still come?"

"Come have some tea, Wu's is open. Come get some thread, the doorway is wide."

That's a strong statement.

Old Zhou said, "Say less harsh words, or you'll lose your harshness."

Wu Ling didn't return; he took the bowl to the back.

When she came out again, Xiao Cui had already sold all the remaining sunflowers, leaving only a few half-open ones in the pot.

Someone asked, "Aren't you selling the half-open ones?"

Xiao Cui shook her head.

"We'll open for sale tomorrow."

The man was about to tease them when someone coughed at the door.

The sound was soft, and after coughing, the person took half a step back.

The people in the main room looked over.

A young man stood by the door, wearing a faded blue cloth shirt and carrying a small cloth bag.

The soles of my shoes were muddy, so I wiped them twice on the threshold before entering.

He first bowed slightly to Old Zhou, then looked at Wu Ling.

"I'd like a bowl of tea."

Wu Ling asked, "What would you like to drink?"

The young man was taken aback.

"Anything is fine."

The man in the melon-shaped hat chuckled, "You can drink tea anywhere?"

The young man's ears turned red.

"This is my first time back."

Wu Ling poured a bowl of Sanhua (a type of edible flower dish) and placed it on the small table near the door.

"Since it's my first time back, I'll start with Sanhua."

The young man sat down on half a stool, placed his cloth bag on his lap, and pressed his hands on it.

Xiao Cui lowered her head to arrange the flowers and leaves, not looking at him.

The man in the short jacket asked the chess player, "Whose team is this this time?"

"You're asking me? I'm not Feng Niang."

No sooner had she finished speaking than Fengniang's voice rang out from outside the door.

"If you were me, you would have sewed that mouth shut long ago."