The Jade of the Republic of China

After this meal on the boat, Shen Yutong and Meng Liansheng only met once a year ago, on the day when the Qingchun class closed the box. After that, it was a busy end of the year.

Another year passed in a blink of an eye.

The Shen family's family has a big business, and the whole mansion has been bustling since the New Year's Eve.From the first day of the first lunar month, married daughters brought their husbands and children back to their natal homes, and there was an endless stream of New Year visitors.

On the fourth day of the first lunar month, Long Jialin also returned to Shanghai from northern Henan to visit the Shen family to pay New Year's greetings.

Years ago, he telegraphed Shen Yutong, saying that his father asked him to stay in the residence for the New Year. Shen Yutong didn't care much, but the whole Shen family was secretly happy for a long time.

Long Jialin didn't know that he was so unpopular with the Shen family - of course he didn't care even if he knew, he only cared about Shen Yutong.

After visiting the door, he lived in Shen's house as a matter of course, like a dog's skin plaster, and went in and out with Shen Yutong all day long.Shen Yutong went to the Qingchun class to pay New Year's greetings, and he also followed.

Tong Rulan's Qingchun class lived in a small building in Shikumen near Xiafei Road. A maid came to open the door. There was a smell of food in the room, and Xu was cooking.

"Boss Tong, it's Second Young Master Shen." Seeing the person coming, the servant girl turned her head and called into the living room.

Tong Rulan, who was dressed in white, hurried out to greet Shen Yutong in the entrance, first showing joy on his face, and then seeing Long Jialin coming in with him, so the joy changed in two ways.

It can be seen that Master Long is indeed not likable by nature.

"Second son, Master Long, happy new year!" He saluted respectfully.

After Xu Shi sealed the box, he has been living in seclusion, and when it was Chinese New Year, his face became a little rounder, and his complexion looked much better than before.

Shen Yutong handed the gift in his hand to the maidservant, smiled and bowed his hands to return the gift, saying: "Boss Tong, Happy New Year, I'm here to wish you a New Year."

Tong Rulan said: "Second Young Master is too polite. I was supposed to go to the house to pay New Year's greetings, but I was afraid that I would disturb Master Shen and Eldest Young Master by going there rashly."

Shen Yutong waved his hand: "There are New Year's guests every day at home, so please don't join in the fun. I'm also looking for an excuse to go out to catch my breath."

Tong Rulan smiled: "Come in, Xiaomeng is here, the cook is cooking, I will add two dishes."

"Xiao Meng?" Shen Yutong was surprised, and looked up at the sofa in the living room. It was indeed Meng Liansheng who hadn't seen him for more than a month.

Seeing him looking over, Meng Liansheng stood up and greeted politely: "Second son, Master Long, happy new year!"

"Happy New Year, Happy New Year!" Shen Yutong didn't expect to meet him here unexpectedly, feeling very happy, walked over and said, "I was thinking of going to Bai Mansion to pay a New Year's greeting to see you!"

Meng Liansheng glanced at Long Jialin behind him. The other party was obviously ignoring Shen Yutong because Shen Yutong was focused on greeting him, and his face showed a bit of impatience.

He cupped his hands and smiled: "Thank you, Second Young Master, for your note." Then he turned to Long Jialin and said, "How long has Master Long been back?"

Long Jialin said: "It's not been a few days, I just came back the day before yesterday."

Tong Rulan asked the two to sit down, and ordered the kitchen to add more dishes.The maid brought two new teacups, and he poured the tea himself.

Shen Yutong's coming to the Qingchun class was purely out of etiquette. Compared with Tong Rulan's New Year, he was more concerned about how his heart, Meng Liansheng, who met unexpectedly, spent this New Year.This child has no father and no mother, and lives alone in a foreign land. He lives in the Bai Mansion.

"Xiao Meng, how is your Chinese New Year?" He looked him up and down with a smile, and asked with concern.

"It's good," Meng Liansheng replied, "Mr. Bo treats me like family. I spent the New Year with him and the young master, and I got a big red envelope."

Shen Yutong nodded clearly, and wanted to ask something more concerned. Meng Liansheng had already noticed Long Jialin's eyes looking back and forth between the two of them, so he changed the subject calmly, "I'm here today to pay New Year's greetings to Boss Tong, see Seeing that he is creating a new play, the second son has a good literary talent, so I can help you take a look."

"Yes, yes, yes," Tong Rulan took out a notebook from the small table next to the sofa as if remembering something, "Second Young Master, come and help me read the script and see how to change it best?"

Shen Yutong was indeed attracted by this topic, and he and Tong Rulan got together, and the chat became very heated.When the meal was ready, the four of them moved to the dining table, but the two of them still did not end the topic.

Meng Liansheng just ate in silence, occasionally answering a word or two politely.However, Long Jialin became more and more impatient. He hated Shen Yutong and other close relatives for neglecting him the most in his life. The appearance of these two people with similar interests was clearly like that of Boya Ziqi. He wanted to interrupt, but he really didn't know how to play. , the more I look at it, the more it becomes an eyesore, so I can only eat food with a cold face and a sullen head.

Fortunately, the chef in Qingchun's class was good at cooking, otherwise he would have been very likely to overturn the table halfway.

After a meal was finally eaten, Tong Rulan invited Shen Yutong upstairs to see his new outfit, leaving Meng Liansheng and Long Jialin sitting on the sofa drinking tea to digest food.

When the sound of their footsteps disappeared at the stairs, Long Jialin moved to Meng Liansheng's side and asked in a low voice, "You and Second Young Master often meet?"

Meng Liansheng shook his head: "If we didn't meet in the theater, it would be very difficult to meet the second young master."

Long Jialin frowned: "Xiaofeng often goes to listen to Boss Tong's plays?"

Meng Liansheng still shook his head: "As far as I know, the second son has been busy with the affairs of the salt factory. Most of the time he stays in Fengxian, and he rarely returns to Shanghai to listen to operas."

Long Jialin said again: "I read in the newspaper that it was written that Xiaofeng was praising Boss Tong?"

Meng Liansheng smiled: "Master Long is reading tabloids, right? That's unbelievable. The second young master likes and respects plays, and regards Jiao'er as an artist. He and Boss Tong are gentlemen's friends, and they don't like operas like other young masters."

Long Jialin snorted disapprovingly, squinted at him, suddenly thought of something, and showed a teasing smirk: "The old man likes to go to the actor, Xiaomeng, you are not a young master, go with Boss Tong It's so close, it can't be..."

Meng Liansheng blushed slightly, and said in a low voice, "Master Long, don't make such jokes. I, like Second Young Master, also like and respect opera."

Seeing him like this, Long Jialin thought he had guessed the other party's secret, curled the corners of his mouth knowingly, put his arms around his shoulders, and said with a smirk: "Boss Tong is a good man, and it's not shameful to admire him." Don't be shy with me."

Meng Liansheng coughed uncomfortably: "Master Long, stop talking nonsense."

Long Jialin laughed happily, so that the displeasure that Shen Yutong and Tong Rulan were too close to him just now dissipated a bit.He withdrew his hand and waved it in the air: "Don't worry, I won't tell others. But," he leaned into the other's ear and whispered, "When I'm not in Shanghai, help me watch some small Feng, if he and Boss Tong really get too close, you have to tell me in time."

Meng Liansheng smiled mischievously and didn't answer, but Long Jialin took it as his acquiescence and thought he had reached a consensus with this kid.

After a while, Shen Yutong followed Tong Rulan down the stairs, saw the two people on the sofa looking warm, and said with a smile, "What are you talking about?"

Long Jialin grinned and said, "It's nothing, just chat with Xiao Meng casually. Are we going back?"

Shen Yutong nodded, then turned to Tong Rulan and said, "Boss Tong, let's take our leave first, and see you the day you open the box."

After chatting with him for so long, Tong Rulan felt that the other party really understood her, and she was a little more inspired. She felt very comfortable, and said with a smile, "Okay, I'll take you out." She also asked the maid to make it in the kitchen New Year's snacks, to the three of them respectively.

It wasn't until he left the door that Shen Yutong realized belatedly that he didn't say a few words to Meng Liansheng today: "Xiao Meng, do you want to go back to the Bai Mansion? We'll see you off first."

Meng Liansheng shook his head: "No need, I want to go shopping first."

Shen Yutong: "Okay, see you later." He got into the car, and as if thinking of something again, he took out a red envelope from his pocket and handed it to Meng Liansheng, "I almost forgot this, I'm older than you, it's you Brother, according to the rules, I have to give you a red envelope, happy new year, good luck."

Meng Liansheng accepted the red envelope with bent lips, thanked him first, and then said, "Second Young Master is also very lucky."

Seeing this, Long Jialin quickly asked the driver for a red envelope, stuffed a few oceans into it, handed it to Meng Liansheng outside the car through the window, winked at him and said, "Xiao Meng, your Brother Long will give it to you too." Red envelope."

Meng Liansheng took it over: "Thank you, Master Long."

Long Jialin thought that a red envelope had bought an eyeliner, sat down in his seat contentedly, and went back to Shen's garden with Shen Yutong.

But eyeliner is one thing, jealousy is another.

That night, thinking about the appearance of Shen Yutong and Tong Rulan's close friends, and then thinking that when I was not in Shanghai, there would always be people of one kind or another occupying the position next to Shen Yutong.So after taking a shower, he walked into Shen Yutong's room and jumped onto his big bed.

Shen Yutong was reading a book, when he saw him jumping up like a giant monkey, he raised his eyes and asked, "What's the matter?"

Long Jialin leaned against the head of the bed, half lying side by side with him, and said: "Xiaofeng, I'm going to discuss with my father, let me go back to Shanghai, the barracks are full of vulgar and reckless Qiu Ba, it's really boring."

Shen Yutong smiled: "I think you are Qiu Ba now."

Long Jialin said: "I'm serious, I still want to stay with you every day. When I go back this time, I will tell my father that if it's really not possible, I have to pretend to be sick. Anyway, it will not be later than this spring at the latest. "

Shen Yutong put the book down: "Your father is only your son, and he brought you by his side to let you learn more about things from him. How can you hide in the foreign market and be a young master?"

Long Jialin groaned and said, "I don't care, I just want to stay with you."

Shen Yutong said: "How old are you, why are you still acting like a child?"

Long Jialin said: "You don't even know how hard it is to be in the military camp." He tore off the skirt of his pajamas and pointed to his chest, "See? These are all injuries from the past few years."

Shen Yutong's eyes fell on his chest. There were several hideous scars on it. He frowned slightly: "Xiaolong, how did you do this?"

Seeing the concern on his expression, Long Jialin smiled happily, pulled up his clothes, and said, "Don't worry, it's not a gunshot wound, most of them are from practicing with others in the martial arts hall."

Shen Yutong nodded: "Anyway, you have to pay attention to safety."

"If you want to talk about safety, it must be the safest place in the concession. Then why don't you support me to come back?"

Shen Yutong said: "I don't understand the matter of you leading troops to fight. It's not that I don't support your return, it's just that after spring, I'm going to Ziliujing to open a refined salt factory. I don't know how long I will stay there. I won't be in Shanghai when you come back. .”

"Ah?" Long Jialin was slightly taken aback, "Are you going to Artesian Well?"

Shen Yutong nodded: "Our Shen family originally started from Ziliujing. Now there are two salt wells over there, which still have a certain status in Sichuan Salt. Now the refined salt factory here in Fengxian has been stabilized. After discussing with my elder brother, I decided to go to Ziliujing Also opened a refined salt factory."

Hearing what he said, Long Jialin drooped his head dejectedly: "You won't go there for a year or so? Then I won't be able to see you when I go back to Shanghai for vacation?"

Shen Yutong said: "We are all adults now, we have to do adult things, how can we get tired of playing together every day like when we were children."

Long Jialin slid on the pillow weakly, looking hopeless: "Then I'll sleep with you tonight!"

Shen Yutong kicked him with a smile: "What do you think of two big men sleeping on the same bed? If my elder brother sees it, he will accuse me again. Hurry up and go back to your own guest room."

Long Jialin groaned and groaned, but he still couldn't resist Shen Yutong's resolute attitude, so he got up and got out of bed and reluctantly left.

As soon as the fifteenth day of the first lunar month is over, the Qingchun classes will be unpacked, and the days will withdraw from the lively and idle atmosphere of the New Year, and the usual rhythm will be restored.

Last year, the Shen family’s salt transportation accident ended with the death of Li Siwei, but Shen Yuan’s trip to Beijing was not in vain. The Prime Minister personally spoke in the newspaper to support and encourage local salt merchants to develop refined salt and get rid of the title of “a nation that eats soil”.

As soon as the boss spoke, public opinion naturally followed suit. The traditional salt merchants no longer dared to fight against the Shen family, but were honestly preparing for transformation.The Shen family was not stingy with sharing the craftsmanship of refined salt, and for a while there was an upsurge of producing refined salt across the country.

While Shen Yutong was busy with the affairs of the Fengxian Saltworks, he started to prepare for the Ziliujing Saltworks.It takes ten days and a half a month to go back to Shen's garden once.Because I have to accompany my elderly father, I seldom go out to have fun after returning home. It is really rare to go to a play once or twice a month.

Therefore, before summer, he and Meng Liansheng met in the theater by chance a few times.Several times, I wanted to invite him to have a meal together, but I was always entangled in trivial matters, and finally I could only let it go.

Of course, he didn't know nothing about Meng Liansheng.Even if he didn't deliberately inquire, he still vaguely heard the title of Lixin Xiaomeng.

I don't know when, Meng Liansheng is no longer an unknown unknown.

In fact, this matter still has to start with Li Siwei's incident.After getting rid of a confidant, Sun Zhidong finally realized that although Meng Liansheng was taciturn and honest, he was not stupid, and even had a clever mind.Gradually, he began to entrust this boy with more and more tasks.

And Meng Liansheng always did a good job, and he didn't fight, grab or take credit, and just did things in silence.

Most of Sun Zhidong's brothers are like him, vulgar and reckless men who don't know a whole lot of characters, but Meng Liansheng is not only familiar with books and newspapers, but also can speak some foreign languages. Precious.

Logically speaking, it is usually not a good thing for a latecomer to be highly valued. Besides, Meng Liansheng is still a boy in his early twenties, so it was not so easy to convince Lixin's gang of reckless men and other people from all walks of life.However, it is precisely because of his young age that he has a harmless face for humans and animals. He is humble and kind, so that people will not have any defenses. In addition, he does not care about money, and always says that he is old in the morning and poor in the afternoon. A commander, doing the most things with the least money, and entertaining the brothers from time to time, just taking a group of brothers to watch Boss Tong's show more than once.

The men who came out to work were nothing more than seeking money to support their families. Since they could earn more money from Meng Liansheng, why were they not willing to listen to him?

Over time, no matter if it was Lixin's insider or outsider, they would come to Xiaomeng first if they had anything to do.

Lixin Xiaomeng's reputation naturally spread like wildfire.

In a blink of an eye, another summer is coming.

On this day, Meng Liansheng followed Sun Zhidong back to Bai Mansion to report to Bai Qinghe.

Bai Qinghe casually flipped through the ledger brought by Sun Zhidong, closed it without looking carefully, and said, "Zhidong, in recent years we have only obtained one-third of the tobacco soil from Chieftain Sangji's tobacco garden, and the remaining Two-thirds, he gave to local merchants in Beijing and Guangzhou. I received a letter from Xikang the day before yesterday, and I heard that he no longer does business with those two local merchants and is planning to find a new partner. When the big tobacco harvest season comes, you take someone to Xikang in person to try to negotiate the business.”

Sun Zhidong patted his chest: "No problem."

Bai Qinghe raised his head, as if remembering something, and said, "Xiao Meng, if you go with Zhidong, you will learn a lot."

"Okay." Meng Liansheng responded obediently.

Sun Zhidong embraced his shoulders affectionately, and said with a smile, "Brother, don't tell me I'm going to take Xiaomeng with me too. Now I can't do without this good helper."

The lips under Bai Qinghe's bushy beard were slightly curved, and a smile appeared in the corner of his eyes.

He glanced at Meng Liansheng indifferently. He had been in Bai Mansion for nearly two years, and he had watched him grow from a boy to a young man with his own eyes.In terms of change, a poor kid who shines shoes at the pier becomes the backbone of the establishment, which can definitely be called an earth-shaking change.

But living together under the same roof, not to mention seeing each other every day, or three days apart, in his opinion, Xiaomeng is still the same Xiaomeng as before, polite and courteous to the servants at home, caring and loving for Zijun, not because of I have grown my ability, but no one has forgotten who I am.

In this regard, he is hundreds of times stronger than Sun Zhidong.

He sighed with emotion: "Whether it is Zhidong or Xiaomeng, you are not only my brothers, but also my family members. I am relieved to have you in Lixin. But Zhidong, you should quit those bad habits. It’s useless, no matter how much money you make, it won’t work.”

Sun Zhidong waved his hand indifferently: "Brother, don't worry about it, I know it."

Knowing these things, Bai Qinghe couldn't control him, shook his head, and asked Meng Liansheng: "Xiao Meng, you didn't learn from your brother Dong to get bad habits, did you?"

Before Meng Liansheng could answer, Sun Zhidong had already said, "You don't have to worry about him, let alone taking opium, even if you take him to find girls in Huile. I think he is born to work hard and doesn't know how to enjoy himself. "

Bai Qinghe laughed: "Xiao Meng, you are also nineteen years old. It is a good thing not to go to brothels to have fun, but it is still possible to find a serious girl. If there is a suitable one, I will help you as a matchmaker. You are alone in Shanghai and have no relatives." , begging for a wife, so that someone knows the cold and asks for warmth, "

What he said made Meng Liansheng blush, he hesitated and said: "I... haven't thought about it, let's talk about it later."

Sun Zhidong jokingly said: "Silly boy, you have never tasted a woman, and you don't know how good a woman is."

Bai Qinghe waved his hand: "It's not urgent, after all, Xiaomeng is still young, so we can talk about it slowly when you come back from Xikang."

Meng Liansheng just smiled mischievously.

The author has something to say:

Immediately change the map to cultivate feelings.

From tomorrow onwards, I will post it regularly at [-]:[-] in the morning, so that everyone can watch it by swiping their phones when they wake up.