CH 53.3

Without further ado, the waiter came with the dishes, and set up a small table.

Xu He waited for the waiter to leave before he sat down and carefully looked at the dishes.

A cold courgette with minced garlic, a whole roasted eggplant, scrambled eggs with bitter melon, and two crabs. The dishes were nothing special, it could even be said to be some simple home-cooked dishes, and the portions were small.

However, different from what they usually ate and used, the bowls and plates to serve the dishes were all made of porcelain, the inside was clean and flawless, and the outside was patterned with green leaves and lotus flowers. A table was obviously a set of dishes, as if they only ate exquisiteness of the dishes, and not to fill their stomachs.     

When Xu He first went to the shop to buy the dishes, he saw such beautiful bowls. The shop owner put the things on the high cabinets, and when he saw ordinary people he would not recommend them at all. He asked Zhang Fangyuan in a low voice: "A meal here should be very expensive, right?"

Zhang Fangyuan pondered for a moment: "It’s a bit." He never said bluntly, he was afraid since Xu He loved the  money, and he was relatively frugal on weekdays. If he knew that this meal cost three hundred copper coins, would they still have a good time?.

He never thought that Xu He would pour a cup of scented tea into the cup and pushed it in front of him. Instead of asking how much it was, he smiled and said, "Birthdays are only once a year, so it's good to come out to gain knowledge. Wait when our family’s tea shed is open, and after the family earns money, we will also buy this kind of white porcelain to make dishes."

Zhang Fangyuan nodded: "We also use green leaves and lotus."

The two had a very pleasant meal, and it took a long time in the afternoon. After that they went back to the meat market.

"I won't be here in the afternoon to guard the stall with you. I'll go back early to clean up the tea shed, and then settle the wages for my two cousins. I will make dinner earlier, and the fourth uncle and the others will definitely come to eat at night. "

Zhang Fangyuan replied: "Then you go back and take the cart at the gate of the city, and it will be faster."

Xu He used to be reluctant to part with this little money, but now he was willing to take the cart for three copper coins, mainly because it took less time and there was no need to be delayed on the road.

"I know."

Xu He took the cart and went straight to the tea sheds. The tea shed started the construction in early June and finally completed in early July. People from the surrounding villages came and went, knowing that a tea shed was going to be opened here, and villagers from nearby villages passed by from time to time to take a look at the excitement. Xu He didn't chase people away, and set up the wooden benches outside the tea shed, and let people sit regardless of whether they came to drink tea or not.

The inside and outside of the tea shed were cleaned up by Zhang Shiyue. When the pots and pans at home were moved and set up early in the morning, they tried to cook and smoked the tea shed, and then they could open the door for business the next day.     

Zhang Shiyue patted the ashes on her body. She really treated the affairs here as her own. Living here made people looked forward to it. She said with a smile: "The fourth brother has already looked through the almanac. He said that the day after tomorrow will be a good day, and it’s appropriate to open the tea shed."

Although it was a little hasty, it was exactly what Xu He wanted. He wanted to open the business a long time ago. He hadn't been out to open the stall for a while, and his palms were itchy.

"Then it will be opened the day after tomorrow."

"Little fulang, elder sister, do you want to buy some flowers and plants?"

The two were talking in the tea shed when suddenly an old man appeared in front of the curtained window.

"After the tea shed is built, won't it be nice to plant two flowers around it for celebration? The old man has mountain orchids, mountain chrysanthemums, and excellent golden osmanthus. Would you like to see them?"

Zhang Shiyue was about to chase the old man away, but Xu He walked out and looked at the flowers, these flowers and plants could be found in the mountains and forests of the village, so there was no need to spend money to buy them. But when he saw the golden osmanthus plant that was as thick as a thumb but had already bloomed, Xu He picked it up.

"Little fulang, if this golden osmanthus is planted at the door of the tea shed, it will definitely attract the wealth and fortune."

"How much?"

"It's just one, how about thirty copper coins?"

Xu He laughed "Old man, we are all from the village. I sincerely take care of your business, but you are not sincere in selling it, twelve copper coins, if you want to sell it, I will buy it for auspicious luck."

The old man clicked his tongue, he was really a businessman, and the one with a poisonous tongue would get nothing if he made more money

"Okay, congratulations on the prosperous business of little fulang!"

Xu He gave the old man money, and said a few more polite words if he went to the city to sell his mountain flowers and he could have tea and rest here. After watching the old man went away, Zhang Shiyue said, "Plant it at the door?"

"Take it home and plant it in the yard. I saw that there are jujube, peach and plum trees in the yards of many houses in the village, but our yard is bare."

Zhang Shiyue said with a smile: "That boy Ayuan doesn't seem to be able to take care of these things alone, the yard is empty. This golden osmanthus plant lacks water and some leaves have fallen, so take it back and plant it and water it before the sun comes out, and it will surely flourish."

The two chatted and laughed for a while, and took the golden osmanthus, and went home to cook dinner.