Li Yuzhu sat on the chair fuming, gasping for breath. Liu Shi stood beside her, constantly patting her on the back to help her calm down.
When Li Yuzhu had calmed down a bit, she waved her hand to signal Liu Shi to stop patting her back. "Mother, after we go out, you just lock the courtyard gate. No matter how much Third Aunt and the others make a ruckus, don't open the door."
Liu Shi took Li Yuzhu's hand and patted it gently. "Mother knows. Don't worry. Go and have lunch quickly."
The three of them then sat around the dining table, chatting merrily. After the meal, they packed a portion for Li Yunren and then drove the donkey cart to the town to set up their stall.
It was swelteringly hot. Li Yuzhu had only been standing for a short while when she felt her hair dampened by sweat, sticking to her neck uncomfortably.
Every time a gentle breeze blew, she would let out a long sigh, wishing she could expel all the heat from her body.
Noon was the hottest time of the day. There were not many pedestrians on the street. Xiaodai was also dozing off beside her.
Li Yuzhu felt the ice jelly that had been warmed by the sun and fell into deep thought.
If they relied on the saltpeter water to cool the ice jelly every day like this, it would be a considerable expense.
Li Yuzhu looked around.
The old woman selling noodles at the next stall took the initiative to strike up a conversation with Li Yuzhu. "Little girl, what are you looking for?"
"Grandma, I want to rent a well nearby."
"Rent a well?"
Li Yuzhu nodded and pointed to the ice jelly in front of her. "Yes. I want to store my ice jelly in the well."
The old woman understood and pointed to a mansion diagonally opposite her stall. "There are many children in this family. It might not be appropriate for you to store your food there."
Then she pointed to another mansion beside it. "The mistress of this house is very stingy. The rent probably won't be cheap."
"As for that one, it belongs to one of the wealthiest families in the town. They probably won't even bother with your meager rent."
"That one always has its main gate tightly shut. I've been setting up my stall here for so long, and I've never seen the gate open or anyone come out."
...
"After all, there doesn't seem to be a suitable one nearby." Li Yuzhu sighed. Suddenly, she saw a mansion that the old woman hadn't pointed out and asked, "What about this one?"
"This family seems to have just moved in. I've only seen two men going in and out. It's not very convenient for you as a girl. Moreover, they seem to be out early and back late."
Li Yuzhu looked at Xiaodai beside her. "It's okay. I have my younger brother here!"
Actually, Xiaodai was two or three years older than Li Yuzhu. But since he always called her Sister Yuzhu, Li Yuzhu also regarded him as her younger brother.
"Then you can go and give it a try. I don't think those two men are bad people."
"Okay! Thank you, Grandma! Please have a bowl of ice jelly. And could you please watch my stall for a while? I'll take my younger brother to ask over there."
The old woman took the ice jelly Li Yuzhu offered and smiled even more brightly. "Go ahead. Don't worry. I'll watch your stall for you."
"Got it! Thanks!" Li Yuzhu woke up Xiaodai, who was lying on the chair drooling.
Xiaodai rubbed his eyes and followed Li Yuzhu sleepily.
"Knock, knock, knock!"
As soon as Li Yuzhu knocked on the door, it opened.
"Excuse me..."
"Hello! Excuse me..."
Neither the person knocking on the door nor the person opening the door had a chance to ask their questions. They first stared at each other in surprise, and then greeted each other with smiles.
"Brother Fuan, why are you here?" Li Yuzhu asked in surprise.
"I live here. But what brings you here? I've already told you there's no need to rush to pay back the money."
Li Yuzhu forced a laugh. "You've misunderstood. I haven't saved enough money to pay you back yet."
Fuan immediately felt that his words were inappropriate. He smiled and asked, "Do you have something to ask for?"
Li Yuzhu raised her sleeve to wipe the sweat off her forehead. "We want to rent the well in your courtyard."
Seeing Li Yuzhu and Xiaodai with their faces flushed from the heat, Fuan quickly opened the door wider. "It's so hot outside. Come in and talk."
Since they were here to discuss something, Li Yuzhu didn't decline. She took Xiaodai into the courtyard.
The courtyard wasn't very big. It was in the shape of a "concave". There was a huge osmanthus tree in the middle of the courtyard. Li Yuzhu strolled around and found the well at the back of the courtyard.
There was a bamboo grove beside the well, which blocked the sun from the well water.
Li Yuzhu nodded in satisfaction. The location of the well was really good.
"Brother Fuan, is your well for rent?" Li Yuzhu turned to ask Fuan, who had been following her.
Fuan smiled. "I have to ask my young master first before I can make a decision."
"Where is your young master now?"
"My young master is repairing the river outside the city. He probably won't be back until it gets dark."
Li Yuzhu nodded. "Then could you please ask your young master for me, Brother Fuan? And could you also ask about the rent? I'd like to thank you and your young master in advance." As she said that, she bowed to Fuan.
Seeing this, Fuan quickly bent down and supported Li Yuzhu. "Miss Yuzhu, how about this? You come here early tomorrow morning to discuss with my young master in person. If I pass on the message in the middle, it will take at least three or two days to settle this matter. I don't want to waste your time in vain."
Li Yuzhu thought for a while and nodded with a smile. "That's okay. Thank you, Brother Fuan."
After bowing, Li Yuzhu took Xiaodai back to the stall.
"How did it go?" The old woman asked eagerly as soon as she saw them coming back.
Li Yuzhu shook her head. "The owner isn't at home. We'll come back to discuss it tomorrow morning."
The old woman nodded. "They seem like kind people. I think this matter will surely succeed."
"Thank you, Grandma!" Li Yuzhu replied sweetly.
After the afternoon, more people appeared on the street. Li Yuzhu's ice jelly stall gradually became busier.
The heat was unbearable. The saltpeter Li Yuzhu brought was almost used up. Fortunately, there was just enough to freeze the last basin of ice jelly.
They were busy until 6 p.m. Except for the bowl of ice jelly Li Yuzhu specifically left for Li Yunren, all the other ice jelly had been sold out. Li Yuzhu and Xiaodai packed up their things and drove the donkey cart to the dock to find Li Yunren.
"Dad!" Li Yuzhu waved to Li Yunren, who was carrying goods.
Li Yunren came over immediately after finishing his work.
"Dad, have some ice jelly." Li Yuzhu handed the ice jelly in her hand to Li Yunren. Then she reached out and wiped the sweat off Li Yunren's forehead with her sleeve. "Dad, are you off work? Go back with us."
"I'll work for a while longer. You go back first." Li Yunren chewed the ice jelly in his mouth and swallowed it quickly.
"Li Yunren! Are you slacking off again!" A fierce voice came from behind.
Li Yunren stuffed the bowl into Li Yuzhu's arms and said quickly, "Don't wait for me for dinner. Just keep it for me."
Then he ran towards the source of the fierce voice.
Li Yuzhu sighed as she watched Li Yunren's wobbly back. Then she went home with Xiaodai.