Siheyuan: I live next door to Xu Damao, my last name is Cao

"Come and have a look! These are fresh catches just caught from the river this morning! They are absolutely fresh!"

As the old man spoke, he stretched out his big, rough, weather-beaten hands and reached into the fish basket, fiddling with it skillfully and freely.

Soon, he sorted the larger fish and the smaller fish into different positions, so that the two young men could see them clearly and make a good choice.

Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu squatted beside the basket motionless like two sculptures.

Their eyes were wide open, like two copper bells, and their gazes were as sharp as torches, fixed straight on the lively fish, without blinking.

At this moment, saliva unconsciously overflowed from the corners of their mouths, and their throats kept rolling up and down, as if they had seen a pot of steaming and fragrant braised fish bubbling happily in the pot.

Especially when the tempting fragrance enters the nose along the imagination, the glutton in the stomach is instantly awakened, and starts to make noises unscrupulously, making waves of gurgling sounds.

At this moment, the two brothers simultaneously focused their attention on a huge carp.

This carp is simply the king among fish!

Its dense scales sparkled with a cyan-gold glow under the faint light, as if it was wearing a layer of indestructible armor, making it look majestic.

The thick and powerful fish tail swung vigorously from time to time, and every swing would stir up a crystal clear splash of water, as if showing its powerful strength and majesty to the surroundings.

Such a heroic appearance is really lovable, and some people even don't want to cook it into a delicacy.

"Master, we want this one! Look, if this is made into braised fish, the taste will definitely be so delicious that it can seduce people's souls!"

Liu Guangfu could no longer suppress his excitement and shouted at the top of his lungs. His voice became sharp and high-pitched due to excessive excitement, and it echoed in the air for a long time.

Liu Guangtian on the side also nodded in agreement, expressing his great satisfaction with the fish chosen by his brother.

Hearing this, the old man's face immediately broke into a amiable smile. While agreeing, he swiftly took out a scale from the basket.

I saw him skillfully hook the carp's gills with a hook, and then carefully lift the scale bar.

As the weight swung back and forth on the rope, it finally stopped steadily in one position.

"Hey, it's more than 3.6 jin! But we're doing business, we always treat everyone fairly. Even if it's a little more, we'll only charge you 3.6 jin. Don't worry, guys!"

The old man squinted his eyes and spoke sincerely. His simple and honest appearance made Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu feel at ease, and they couldn't help but trust and like this old man.

Liu Guangtian carefully calculated the price in his mind according to the price he had agreed on. He muttered something to himself, and his fingers moved quickly, as if he was playing a silent piece of music. After a lot of calculations, he finally came to the conclusion that the price of recycled carp in the vegetable market was 45 cents per catty, and this 3.6-pound carp could be sold for a total of 1.62 yuan. However, Liu Guangtian thought, if he added 20 cents to make it 1.82 yuan, it would be more appropriate, right? So he gritted his teeth and decided to do it.

Liu Guangtian took a deep breath and slowly reached into his pocket and fumbled around.

With great difficulty, he counted out one dollar and eighty-two cents from his wrinkled wallet.

When he held the money in his hands, he felt as if it weighed a thousand pounds.

That expression was as if he was about to give up the most precious piece of flesh in his heart, full of reluctance and hesitation.

But in the end, he hardened his heart, closed his eyes, and handed the 82 yuan to the old man.

The old man took the money with a smile and counted it carefully.

Then, he picked out two one-cent coins and put them back into Liu Guangtian's hand, still maintaining his hearty smile and saying, "Hey, young man, I don't want this little change! I'll just charge you 1.8 yuan, so that both of us can be happy!"

Hearing this, Liu Guangtian was stunned at first, and then the slight unhappiness in his heart disappeared without a trace in an instant.

An extremely bright smile immediately bloomed on his face. That smile was so sincere that it could even infect the air around him, making people feel happy as well.

Liu Guangtian nodded and thanked him immediately, saying, "Oh, sir, you are such a good man! Thank you so much! If there are any good things like this in the future, we will definitely come to you again!"

After saying this, he left happily.

The old man handed the fish to them happily. The two boys held the meat in one hand and the fish in the other, as if they were holding a treasure. The two brothers felt like they had found a treasure and hurried home happily.

Thinking about how much the fish and meat would add to the dinner table at home, his steps became lighter. Even the cold wind at the entrance of the alley didn't seem so biting, as if the wind was also infected by their joy and became gentle.

The setting sun was like a ripe orange, hanging heavily in the sky. The afterglow was like fine golden gauze, gently falling in the alley, stretching the shadows of Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu very long.

Along the way, the two brothers were very excited and talked all the time. With their heads together, they whispered about how they would show off the fruitful results of this shopping trip to their parents when they got home.

"Brother, our fish is big and fresh, and the meat is juicy and fresh. My parents must be very happy. They might even praise us a few more times and think of us when they have good things in the future."

Liu Guangfu spoke with a beaming smile on his face, his eyes gleaming with anticipation, looking like a clever little ghost asking for a reward.

Liu Guangtian smiled and nodded in agreement: "Of course not. We have been running around for half a day and have spent a lot of effort. We must let them know that we are reliable. I also hope that the eldest brother's marriage can be settled steadily with today's hot meal. In the future, there will be more happiness in the family, and we will also benefit from it."

As they spoke, they were filled with joy and their steps became faster and faster, as if they were carried away by this beautiful vision and couldn't wait to rush to that warm home.

Of course, the two brothers were still thinking about how to distribute the remaining money in their pockets. Although this matter was not a big deal, it was very important in their minds. They thought about it from time to time along the way and made their own calculations.

When I jogged back to the alley in front of my home, the cold wind had made my face red, just like a ripe red apple, revealing a healthy and naive look.

They stopped, their chests heaving violently, breathing heavily, and took a long time to relax.

Liu Guangfu raised his hand and wiped the sweat on his forehead with his sleeve. The sweat rolled down and left a small wet mark on the cuff. He grinned until his eyes narrowed into slits and shouted, "Good boy, I finally got this done. I was really tired, but it was worth it! Let's take a look at how much money is left so we can have a better idea."

As he spoke, he reached into his pocket anxiously, fumbled in his pocket for a while, and took out several wrinkled bills with body temperature and loose coins. He squatted on the ground and began to count them, pointing the money with his fingers, muttering to himself, with a focused expression like a bookkeeper.

Liu Guangtian squatted down as well, his eyes wide open, staring at Liu Guangfu's hand without blinking, muttering in unison: "How much did you spend on the meat? Oh, yes, one dollar and five cents, and the fish was one dollar and eighty dollars. My father gave me five dollars. I have to calculate it carefully, don't make a mistake."

Liu Guangfu fiddled with the money with his fingers nimbly, mumbling some arithmetic formulas. After a moment, his eyes suddenly lit up, he raised his head suddenly, and shouted in a voice that was a little higher in excitement, "Hey, there are still two dollars and fifteen cents left!"

Liu Guangtian scratched his head, making the hair on his scalp messy. He rubbed his hands, which were slightly red due to the cold weather and nervousness. He said tentatively: "How are we going to divide the remaining money? We need to discuss it first."

When Liu Guangfu heard this, he immediately perked up. He stood up straight like a small flagpole and said confidently, "Of course we have to share it equally. We all work equally, going through wind and rain, picking and bargaining at the vegetable market. We should get the same amount. This is fair."

Liu Guangtian frowned, his eyebrows twisted into a small knot, and pouted his lips, saying unhappily: "That's what you say, but I'm the second child in the family, a little older than you, there's order of seniority, it's reasonable for me to get one more point, don't you think that's reasonable?"

When Liu Guangfu heard this, his eyes widened, almost popping out, and he looked unconvinced, like an angry little animal. He jumped up and shouted, "Why? Just because you are a little older, we have to rank each other for this penny? I have been busy all the way, and I have also contributed a lot. I have been watching the fish and bargaining with people. Why can't we split it equally? Don't use this 'separation of seniority' to pressure me, I won't admit it."

Seeing that he was anxious, Liu Guangtian hurriedly smiled and coaxed him, "Hey, brother, calm down. It's just one cent. There's no need to be so angry. But our family has always emphasized respect for elders. I'll take this extra cent to show off my little 'privilege' as a brother. Don't take it to heart. If there is anything good in the future, I will definitely think of you first. I swear, okay?"

Liu Guangfu crossed his arms over his chest and turned his head away angrily, his cheeks puffed up, muttering, "Humph, you always use this 'order of seniority' to pressure me. Fine, I'll do as you say this time, but you have to make it up to me next time. If you refuse to pay, I won't let you go."

Liu Guangtian nodded hurriedly, nodding his head like pounding garlic, and said with a smile: "Of course, I will let you take more next time, I promise! If I break my promise, I will be a dog."

As he spoke, he carefully divided the money and handed one dollar and seven cents to Liu Guangfu. His action was a little proud and a little guilty.

He then carefully put the remaining one dollar and eight cents into his pocket like a treasure, and deliberately put the extra one cent on top. He patted his pocket and grinned. In that smile, there was both the joy of getting a small bargain and the peace of mind of appeasing his brother.

Although Liu Guangfu still looked reluctant, he did not argue anymore. He stuffed the money into his pocket and carried the bag of meat. The bag was so heavy that it weighed down his shoulders. He said in a muffled voice, "Let's go home quickly. Don't let our parents wait anxiously. Otherwise, they will nag about us again and they won't be able to rest in peace."

Liu Guangtian also picked up the oil paper bag containing the fish and responded, "Yes, yes, let's go. We have contributed to the dinner today. My parents will definitely praise me for my ability. I can also have a good meal and try the braised fish. I am so greedy."

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