Self-cultivation of male support

Xu Lao Si really went down the donkey, and immediately got up and bowed to everyone in the hall, took out a purse from his sleeve and handed it to Xu's father, saying: "This is 30 taels of scattered silver, father, you take it first, no matter it is It's up to you to buy something for my eldest nephew for emergency use.

I told you before that my son failed the college entrance examination this time and has to go elsewhere to pursue his career, so he can no longer fulfill his filial piety in front of you and your mother. "

As he spoke, he looked at Xu Boss and Xu Lao Er, took a last look at Shi Yan, and said: "Fortunately, the elder brothers and younger brothers are all here, and their sons know that if there is anything, you will not have no one to rely on, son Don't worry."

The blue veins on the back of Xu's father holding the purse were exposed, his lips opened and closed several times, but in the end he didn't say a word. In this family, he and Xu's mother valued and preferred the fourth son the most. Four struggles, he has always dreamed of his son's future prospects, and he and his wife followed the dream of enjoying happiness.

But the dream is a dream after all. As time passed, the fourth child stopped at the college entrance examination. Year after year, he wasted away. Dissatisfied, but my son is flopping outside, seeing him once a year, more or less can give him some family.

In the beginning, there were not many, in twos and fives, chatting is better than nothing. In the past two years, maybe I have really been groping for something outside, and I am much more generous. For example, this time I made a purchase of 30 taels, which is better than the income of rich households in the village throughout the year. many.

It stands to reason that he should be content, but after all it depends on what he compares with.

Compared with the life of the villagers in Xujia Village, 30 taels can indeed make people live a good life without worrying about food and clothing.But compared with Lao Wu's days now, it's really nothing.

On the way here just now, they heard all the gossip about Lao Wu. Apart from other things, his mind is full of what those people said now: "Give the married eldest sister a dowry of 3000 taels of silver"!

That's 3000 taels!They couldn't even dig out 3000 taels of silver from the Xu family's ancestral grave!Just thinking about it made his heart spit out a mouthful of blood, which made his heart dry and hot.

If the boss and the fourth hadn't repeatedly told him before entering the door, don't be impatient and don't confront the fifth, he would have asked the question immediately!

Thinking of 3000 taels, and holding the 30 taels in my hand, I felt uncomfortable no matter what.

I usually feel that the fourth child is standing in the crowd in a blue gown, no matter how he looks like he is going to do something big and have a great future, it will definitely add honor to the ancestors of the old Xu family.

But now comparing the fourth child with the fifth child who was sitting first, the fourth child is really inferior in every way, while the fifth child's actions seem to be random, but they are all pleasing to the eye.Even if his heart went to his armpit, he couldn't say that the fourth child was better than the fifth child.

What's more, the fifth child is now a master of scholar, that is master of scholar!The entire Xujia Village has not produced a scholar in the past few decades, and the fourth child is absolutely incomparable in this regard.

As long as Xu's father thought of this, he felt both proud and embarrassed. He was proud that there was a scholar coming out of Xu's ancestral grave, and he was embarrassed that when the villagers knew about this, they would definitely point out and say that they shouldn't have sent the old man Five get married.

He froze on the spot for a while, his complexion changed again and again, and he left Xu Laosi there.

Fourth Xu didn't feel embarrassed, he felt that he had made it very clear, Chang Yi finally bid farewell to everyone, and then turned around and left gracefully, with the aura of not loving anyone.

No one thought that there was anything wrong with Xu Laosi's approach. Since the year he became a Tongsheng, he has been hanging out alone, basically this is the tune, and everyone is familiar with it.

Fourth Xu left, and Xu's father couldn't ask the question, but Xu Sanya, who couldn't hold back anymore, asked, still with her legs crossed, her toes sticking out of her dress, and she didn't know where to touch it. A handful of melon seeds came out, and they were vigorously cracked.

His mouth is not idle, and he still has the time to talk to people. Shi Yan guessed that this is a habit he developed when he was a concubine for the old rich man in the country.

She pinched her throat and said: "Old Wu, what you and your second brother did is not authentic, we don't know about it in the countryside, but one of you is the person involved, and the other is working in the town, you compensate the boss of the Miao family. The news about the 3000 taels of dowry is spreading all over the place, and it’s all treated as a western scene, why, everyone can know, but why are we keeping it from our family?”

As he spoke, his eyes passed over Xu Lao Er with a smile that was not a smile: "I really don't know, when did you and your second brother get on so well, fifth brother!

Aren't you going to explain to your parents what's going on?Do you still have your parents in your eyes and heart, and do you have me, Xu Sanya? "

Shi Yan found that Xu Laoer frowned in disgust when he heard this, but he didn't say anything, and then remembered that Xu Laoer was working as a waiter in the town, and it seemed that the shop owner had something to do with the old landlord Xu Sanya married. Rely on others to eat.

Presumably this is the reason why he chose to forbear.

That being the case, Shi Yan put down his teacup and said, "What does the matter of the Xu family have to do with your married daughter?

What does my Miao family have to do with your Xu family?ask me?Are you asking?What a face?

In the end, she was just an aunt, and Zuo had just subsidized the fourth child with some money, so she really felt that she could be the master of the Xu family and the Miao family? "

Xu Sanya was immediately overwhelmed with embarrassment, since she married the old landlord as a concubine, although the old man is useless, he is still an old pervert, greedy for her young body and juicy face, it is delicious Those who drink and serve have not suffered any crimes.

Originally, she had gotten older in the past two years, and the old thing was a little boring. She was still thinking about coaxing the old thing to adopt a child from the clan to raise her, so that she could have someone to rely on in the future. Before that, the old man's attitude towards her was uncharacteristically, serving her like serving her aunt.

This time it was even worse. I heard that she was going to visit the fourth child in Fucheng. The old thing even hid the truth from the old lady above, and subsidized her ten taels of silver in private. Let her meet the fourth child. Don't forget to come to the fifth child's house look.

This was something that was unthinkable in the past, not to mention going out to the county seat privately, even if accompanied by the old man, the tigress at home would not agree, she wished to grind herself to death in that house inside.

Therefore, Xu Sanya, who has been coaxed by people with kind words, has not been treated so rudely for several years. Yin Zi also coaxed her softly.

When Shi Yan said that, she immediately dropped the melon seeds in her hand, and threw out the teacup in her hand, making a crisp sound on the ground, her chin raised high, expressing her unhappiness.

Shi Yanda had never seen this third sister here before, and the relationship between the two of them was not very harmonious when they were at home, and when they saw her, they knew that she was not clear-headed.

He looked at Xu's father coldly: "Father, I don't care if your Xu family's married aunt can reach out to her mother's house and be the master of your family.

Anyway, it is absolutely impossible to disturb the wind and rain in my Miao family.Let me just ask you, is it you who have the final say in the Xu family, or her, Xu Sanya?

If you and your eldest brother and sister-in-law can't control it, I'll send someone to invite Master Zhou to ask his concubine how confident she is in my Miao family! "

Father Xu and Boss Xu were so ashamed by Shi Yan that they couldn't lift their heads, and at the same time, their teeth creaked in anger.Listening to Shi Yan's mouthful of "my Miao family" and "your Xu family" made the relationship between the two parties so clear, the two people who wanted to gain the glory of Shi Yan's talented master had mixed feelings.

But sister-in-law Xu was still adding fuel to the scene: "Look at me, I used to think that there is no one in this family who understands, and life is so muddled, but now I look at the most transparent place here! I used to be the sister-in-law who looked down on the fifth younger brother." Go, and apologize to Fifth Brother."

As he spoke, he knelt down and saluted.

Boss Xu was so irritated that he stood up for a while, first Xu Sanya who caused trouble, and then sister-in-law Xu who incited the flames, no one was spared, it was fair, when people reacted, two slaps down, two The woman covered half of her face and looked at Boss Xu in disbelief.

On the other hand, Boss Xu, as if he had untied some kind of seal, suddenly had a more imposing manner on his body, and lost the feeling of being submissive, especially when he looked at Mrs. Xu and Xu Sanya, his eyes were a little bit vicious , clenching his fists, as if he could beat the two women to the ground at any time and make them obedient.

Apparently, Boss Xu's sudden outburst not only stunned the two women, but also the rest of the Xu family. The sudden behavior of the always obedient and honest man was really frightening.

Shi Yan shook his head inwardly: "It's not honesty, it's uselessness. A person who has been useless for half his life has experienced the joy of conquest from beating a woman. In the final analysis, he is still useless."

Others in the Xu family don't think that Boss Xu has developed into a more useless and reckless direction. They only think that Boss Xu was angry with the two women, and the honest man went crazy, so that the people who were beaten forgot to cry and forgot to complain. Feeling wronged, she only looked at him with very strange eyes.

Xu's mother couldn't see, and anxiously asked the people around: "Talk, what's the matter, everyone is dumb? Boss, boss, tell mother, what's the matter?"

Your daughter-in-law speaks badly, let's clean it up slowly at home, mother will help you clean her up, mother has plenty of ways to clean up, let's not embarrass myself outside!

When these words came out, Mrs. Xu burst into tears, covered half of her swollen face, pointed in the direction of Xu's mother, and said: "The old godly woman who has lost her conscience, the fox's tail is indeed exposed! In the village Telling people that they treat me like their own daughter and hurting me, and secretly torturing me with shameful means behind their backs!

Ha, don't you think I, a married widow, is not good enough for your eldest son, so you can torture me like this?OK!I don't deserve to give you a warm kang, could it be that you want to climb up to warm yourself in the middle of the night?ha! "

These words were too dirty, so Boss Xu rushed over and slapped Aunt Xu's face with two more slaps, the room was immediately filled with sharp voices of mother-in-law and daughter-in-law swearing at each other.

After seeing this scene in the play, everyone who understands it will understand it clearly.

Shi Yan thinks it's okay, this family has completely exhausted all his patience with them, since they choose to act like this, he doesn't have to think about them.

So he got up with a blank expression on his face, and when he passed by Boss Xu and Second Xu, he said to them, "Come with me."

Boss Xu is in the midst of the sudden excitement, no one is paying attention to him, he didn't take Shi Yan seriously at first, and he didn't say the words of refusal, when he met Shi Yan's cold and murderous eyes, suddenly Shivered, his feverish mind calmed down a bit, and obediently followed behind Shi Yan.

Xu Lao Er had more thoughts, rolled his eyeballs, and followed with a smile on his face.

Shi Yan didn't go far, and found a room next door, without being disturbed by annoying crying, he took out two bank notes from his sleeve and patted them on the table.

To Xu Laodao: "It feels good to be the head of the family and let everyone listen to you and be afraid of you, right?"

Without giving Mr. Xu a chance to defend himself, he continued: "But you have to know that the reason you are able to fight fiercely in my house is because I can tolerate you, standing on the sidelines and not helping each other, and the others have not reacted for a while. What else can you use to intimidate them after they are familiar with your ways?

After returning home, if you want to be the master of the house, our father will be the first to disagree.

So what can you have left?Let me tell you, all the money in the family is in the hands of parents, no one listens to you, the most you can do is beat your wife to vent your anger, but what kind of reputation does a wimp who only beats his wife have a good reputation for you? "

Boss Xu was speechless, clenched his fists and opened his eyes wide, like a fish that can't vent its anger, unable to find an outlet.

Shi Yan tapped a silver ticket on the table with his finger: "Brother, you are 31 this year. You can be a grandfather at your age in our village, but my eldest nephew is not yet one year old."

Whether this eldest nephew is close or not is uncertain.

"A man has no money, and his waist is not straight at home. I feel like a woman looks down on me. My brother understands it too well. In the past, my brother was incompetent, and he was powerless to help you. Now it is different.

This is a silver ticket of 20 taels. Brother, you have worked hard to take care of your parents at home. From now on, I will give you 20 taels every six months. You keep it privately. Don’t let your parents know. "

Xu's second child gasped as he listened, the fifth's move was too ruthless, because of his bossy temper, his parents used to be obedient when he was on top, but now he has money in his hands, plus these years Contributions to the family, with a straight waist, how can there be a good life for parents?

Is this honoring parents?This is for the boss to completely control the parents! ?

I only heard the fifth child continue: "After two years, my parents will be old and unable to walk. I will hire two women who cook and wash clothes to serve them and lighten your burden. You don't need to worry about the flowers." , I will discuss it with my fourth brother."

The second child Xu continued to gasp, the fifth child is too cruel, the hired person is to serve his parents, so why not take care of the eldest family by the way?

With this carrot hanging around, the boss has to think of a way to make his parents unable to leave early and lie on the bed waiting for someone to serve him?

Insidious, really insidious!

No matter what Xu Lao Er thinks, Xu Boss holds 20 taels of silver bills in his hand, and he already fantasizes in his heart that he will become an old man and live a good life with clothes to eat and mouth to eat.

There are people serving food and drinks, the first job in the entire Xujia Village!

When the time comes, Mrs. Liu will be disobedient, and he has money in his hand. Wouldn't it be great to follow his brother-in-law, Mr. Zhou's style, and go to the countryside to buy two juicy maids to serve him?

Thinking of this, Boss Xu's heart felt hot, and he clenched his fists and promised Shi Yan: "Fifth brother, don't worry, elder brother will take parents home to live a good life, and don't let them bother you!"

As he spoke, he strode out of the house, and as the door opened, there was the sharp and ear-piercing crying sound from the next door, followed by the sound of slaps on the face, and then the whole air felt Quiet.

You don't need to ask to know what method Xu Boss used to silence the people next door.

Shi Yan tapped another bank note on the table with his fingers: "Second brother, we are brothers, and I know your temperament and ability as a younger brother.

You are 29 this year. Normally, at this age, it is normal for your son to marry a wife, not to mention being a grandfather, right?What about you?I used nothing to describe it, I hope I didn't offend you. "

Xu Laoer's face was ugly for a moment, but he quickly returned to his smiling appearance. After all these years outside, he didn't learn anything else, and he couldn't be more skilled in swallowing his anger. It's worthless, so why not let my younger brother step on it twice to vent my anger?

After all, Fifth Brother is not a person who takes advantage of words, so he will make up for him.

Seeing this, Shi Yan said bluntly: "I have been working as a waiter since I was a teenager, and I haven't seen much improvement until now. It is a problem that there is no opportunity. Of course, your own character and ability are also problematic.

I know that you are smart, but you are not stable, and you are prone to mistakes in doing things. If you make a small fortune occasionally, you can lose it in three or two days. "

Shi Yan really wasn't talking nonsense, it's a nice way of saying it, but it's a bit ugly, Xu Laoer is a cunning person, but he is not cunning enough, with limited vision and IQ, empty ambitions, no ability to achieve goals, smart and Not enough to support his ambition, these years have been in a state of two steps forward and three steps back.

It is not an exaggeration to say that he has nothing at the moment. If the investigation is more clear, he will know that he is now heavily in debt.

Of course, to Xu Lao Er, the debts that can crush him are nothing to Shi Yan.

In order not to make this family stupid, bad, and easy to flaunt and frivolous, to do outrageous things under his name in a place where he could not see, Shi Yan pushed 20 taels in front of Xu Laoer.

"This is 20 taels. I treat you and the eldest brother equally. I will give you 40 taels a year. The second brother is a smart man. I think it's not a waste of time to spend these years. I will use the money to buy land or rent a shop to do business. , it's up to you."

Eldest Xu glanced at the bank note greedily, instantly understood the eagerness of the boss just now, resisted the urge to stuff it in his pocket and asked, "Fifth Brother, what request do you have, just tell me, if you can do it, Second Brother will do his best." Do it, and find a way to do it for you if you can’t do it.”

Shi Yan shook his head: "Don't worry, I don't want you to shed your blood.

You must have noticed that the eldest brother is actually not a stable person. I am worried that he will suddenly become arrogant when he is rich. You should keep an eye on him secretly, and don't tell him to go astray. "

Second Xu understood Shi Yan's meaning as soon as he rolled his eyes, and thought that the fifth child was really insidious, and he told himself to keep an eye on the boss at this end, and when he turned around, he appointed the boss to keep an eye on him.

And I got that opportunity because I secretly harmed the boss because of going to the town to waiter a few years ago.It would not be an exaggeration to say that the two have formed a deadly feud, these years they have only maintained a superficial relationship, so there is absolutely no possibility of joining hands with the boss to cheat the fifth.

In this way, the fifth child will be in an invincible position.

But what if I figured it out?If you want to take the money, you must obediently listen to what the fifth child says.

Sure enough, when the two came out of the house, Boss Xu was already standing in the yard with his family sullenly, and the atmosphere was weird.

Seeing Shi Yan, Boss Xu showed a very bright smile.

Second Xu saw Lao Wu beckoning to the boss, and the two whispered in private.

The second child Xu shook his head in resignation, and said to himself that the fifth child used to look lazy and greedy, and he was out of shape, and he didn't know what happened these days, but there were so many changes in his body.

In the past six months, people around have talked about the deeds of the door-to-door son-in-law Xu Lao Wu, others are envious and jealous, but what he hears is like a legendary story told by a storyteller in a teahouse, very far away.

No matter what they said, they couldn't connect the old fifth who had been hiding his clumsiness and striving to make progress with the old fifth who grew up together in his memory, who was a wretched and rascal.

But seeing it with his own eyes today, he finally has an idea in his heart.

The fifth child is still the fifth child, speaking very directly to the family members, no matter how he pokes his heart, he still doesn't like to see his elder brothers and sisters, and he doesn't get close to anyone in the family.

Xu Lao Er thought: "Maybe it's because he doesn't get close to anyone, and his family often ignores his existence, so no one in the whole family knows what he was thinking in those years."

Shi Yan didn't care what Xu Lao Er thought, and he did a good job of saving face. Uncle Liu was not at home and no one was driving the ox cart, so he specially hired a ox cart with money, and paid the copper coins directly, and watched his parents take the bullock cart with his own eyes. Take the whole family back in the car.

When they couldn't see the group of people, they walked back with their hands behind their backs. On the way, someone praised Shiyan: "Master Xu is really filial! The old lady of the Xu family came a few times ago, and the old lady Miao prepared for her." Bao Xiaobao was taken away by others, and today I gave it off in person, your parents are really lucky and enviable!"

Some people murmured in private: "After all, they are the biological father and son. The family has no overnight feud. At the beginning, it was so ugly at the entrance of the alley. I thought they were going to die and have no contact with each other. It's like nothing. Reason."

Shi Yan's good reputation of filial piety was created by Mrs. Miao.

In the past six months, the Xu family came secretly more than a dozen times when Shi Yan was not at home. The purpose was to ask for money. In order to make the Xu family calm down, Mrs. Miao secretly gave Shi Yan over and over again.

Originally, Mrs. Miao's purpose was to isolate the Xu family from direct contact with Shi Yan, but she didn't expect to make a mistake and use money to give Shi Yan a good reputation of filial piety.

Shi Yan just smiled and said nothing, with a look of reluctance to say more, thinking about this kind of blessing, I don't know if Xu's father and Xu's mother wanted it, but I hope that when the two of them are treated like this by Xu Boss, they will not It's too shocking.

I don't know how Xu's father and Xu's mother in the countryside felt for the time being. When receiving customers in the store at noon today, Yang Hegao seemed a little too attentive. When the last guest was sent away, the boy came up to Shi Yan and whispered to Shi Yan. Yan said:

"Sir, just now is the old man in the blue gown with a beautiful beard, the one you asked me to inquire about!

It really is him!Sir, how did you get that person to come to our store on his own initiative?Are you trying to take a step up through that person?According to the information we inquired about, that person is very casual, and no one knows what he likes, so it's hard to match him up.

I always thought that those news were just rumors, but seeing the old man's eyes today, I knew that I was very shallow!

Sir, did that person come to our store just to eat rice noodles?Didn't it mean that he hates extravagance the most?Why would you take the initiative to eat rice noodles from our family for eight taels of silver?Or does he have other goals?

Is this purpose beneficial to you? "

Seeing Yang Hegao rubbing his hands excitedly, Shi Yan reminded him: "When you turn back and withdraw the money from the account, you can't let them inquire about the news for you."

Yang Hegao patted his chest bang bang: "Sir, don't worry, I met them when I was a beggar before, and I have a life-long friendship. I know what to do."

Even if you don't know it, after spending so much time with your husband, you should learn it.

Close the door of the store, the lock clicked, today is another day to finish business early, and help Uncle Liu move the last jar to the bullock cart, Yang Hegao is like a thorn on the sole of his foot, scratching his ears and cheeks around Shiyan, with a look on his face. I really want to know the truth of the matter.

Shi Yan waved his hand to let Uncle Liu go ahead, and walked with his hands behind his back among the bustling crowd, which whetted Yang Hegao's appetite, so he couldn't help but remind him.

"The old man is real and simple. Come to our store to taste rice noodles. He is a customer and we are the store owners. That's all. Don't do unnecessary things."

What Yang Hegao has done today is a little bit too much. In the past, the customers and the shopkeeper basically performed their duties in the store, and there was little communication. Today, it is hard not to be suspicious of the hospitality he shows.

Seeing Yang Hegao nodding his head to be taught, Shi Yan continued: "The source of this matter is Mr. Liu, I asked you to inquire, just to be more sure.

At that time, my fourth brother just asked me for rice noodles Fangzi to clear up the relationship with Mrs. Xuezheng, although he chose to work on Mrs. Xuezheng's natal brother, which sounds very roundabout.

But my fourth brother is very talented in this area. I guess he will eventually successfully send our rice noodles to Mr. Xuezheng's residence. They all say that Mrs. Xuezheng's natal brother is a good eater and loves to eat.But in my opinion, the old man living in Meixi Garden is the most serious person in the world who knows how to eat and is particular about food. "

Yang Hegao deftly bypassed the passers-by on the street, surrounded Shi Yan, and looked up at him curiously: "Sir, how do you know that old man is a foodie?"

Shi Yan raised his hand and tapped Yang Hegao's forehead with his index finger: "I want to learn my craft, but I read all the sutras in the study. Don't you care about it at all?"

Seeing that Yang Hegao wanted to refute, Shi Yan immediately said: "I don't have any impression of the "Cake Sutra" and "Hu Spicy Soup" written by the old man Meixi himself?"

Yang Hegao suddenly realized: "Sir, this old man in Meixi is the old gentleman who lives in Meixi Garden? I understand now that you put it that way. As a student of that old gentleman, Mr. Xuezheng knows that Mr. likes these little Things, with a delicious rice noodle recipe in hand, naturally I will not forget to honor the elderly.

This came and went, as long as our rice noodles entered the kitchen of the old man's house, he would surely be able to sleep through the night, tossing and turning, and finally the old man walked through it himself today! "

That's right, Shi Yan's purpose of going around such a big circle to encourage Xu Lao Si to charge forward is to make this old man appear in front of him on his own initiative.