Ci Jinzhi

  Chapter 61 Visiting the door

   "Who is it?" Following Ji Cailan's voice, the door was quickly opened.

  Seeing that it was Xin You, Ji Cailan was both surprised and delighted: "Sister Kou, why are you here? Come in quickly."

Xin You stood at the door without moving, and took out the jade pendant: "I found this in the reception room of the bookstore. I thought it was either Sister Ji or Sister Zhou. Sister Ji said that your family lived in Mao'er Alley in Jixiangfang. I’ll come over and ask, and I’ll get it as soon as I ask.”

   "Ah, this is my cousin's jade pendant." Ji Cailan recognized it at a glance, and immediately felt embarrassed, "I would like to trouble Sister Kou to send it here specially. I am really bothering you."

   "Sister Ji, you're being polite. I'm also idle, and I just came out to get some air. To tell you the truth, when you and Sister Zhou didn't come to the bookstore, I kept taking naps in the bookstore, and was disgusted by the staff."

  Ji Cailan immediately relaxed after hearing what Xinyou said, especially the sentence "idling is idle", which made her invite blurt out: "If sister Kou is fine, would you like to go find my cousin with me?"

   "Okay." Xin You smiled and nodded, feeling settled.

   There are only two alleys between Zhou's house and Ji's house, and Xin You acted as if she had never been here before: "Sister Ji and Sister Zhou's house is so close."

  Ji Cailan said with a smile: "My mother helped me find the house of my cousin's house, just because the two families are closer together and it will be convenient to travel."

   "Then you are cousins?"

   "Yes, my mother is my uncle's sister. My uncle used to be out of town and came to Beijing at the beginning of the year."

   "That's good, with relatives taking care of each other, and the bustling and lively capital."

  Ji Cailan couldn't help but nodded after hearing what Xin You said: "Yes, what my cousin envied most before was that I could buy all kinds of good-looking talking books in the capital. But talking books are also expensive, and my mother always complained that I wasted money."

  For ordinary people, a few hundred Wenhua is not a lot for pure entertainment. But there is no way, paper, pen and ink are never cheap things, and with the addition of labor, the cost of books cannot be lowered.

   "I actually envy my cousin, she is the only daughter of my uncle, and my cousin has much more pocket money than me."

   Seeing that Zhou's family was about to arrive, Xin You said calmly: "Uncle Ling must be very capable, and he can settle his family in the capital."

  When mentioning Zhou Ningyue's father, Ji Cailan showed envy: "Uncle is indeed very powerful. Not only was he promoted, he was also promoted to the Fusi of Jinlin Weibei Town."

   "Beizhen Fusi?" Xin You looked blank, thinking of He Qingxiao.

   Zhou Ningyue's father is actually under Mr. He's command.

  Seeing that Xin You didn't understand, Ji Cailan explained with a little pride: "Even though they are all Jinlin Guards, the difference is huge. The most beautiful one here is Beizhen Fusi..."

  For ordinary people, the Jinlin Guards are also officials if they want to arrest them. They have no time to care about their ordinary people. The famous Jinlin Guards are far away from them. Because of this, ordinary people's impression of Jin Linwei is that he is beautiful and majestic, not as disgusting as Baiguan Xungui.

  Xin You nods from time to time, being a perfect listener.

   While speaking, Zhou Ningyue's house arrived. Unlike the Ji family, the Zhou family also has a gatekeeper, which shows that the Zhou family is better off than the Ji family.

   No need to report, the doormen let Ji Cailan and Xin You in.

  Knowing that her uncle was not at home at this time, Ji Cailan walked up the steps holding Xin You's hand, and shouted, "Aunt, cousin, I'm here."

  Soon footsteps sounded, Zhou Ningyue came out, and seeing Xin You standing beside Ji Cailan, she was surprised: "Cousin, are you looking for Sister Kou again?"

  Ji Cailan smiled and said, "Sister Kou came to find us specially. Cousin, didn't you find what was missing?"

   "What did you lose?" Zhou Ningyue lowered her head subconsciously, looking around and exclaiming, "My jade pendant!"

  Xin You handed over the jade pendant: "Sister Zhou, see if it's this one?"

   "It's this one!" Zhou Ningyue took it, she was relieved and at the same time was puzzled, "I don't even know when it dropped."

   "I found it in the reception room."

   "Thanks to Sister Kou." Zhou Ningyue thanked Xin You by the hand.

   "Is there a visitor?" A gentle female voice came.

  Xin You looked over.

  The one who came out of the curtain was a beautiful woman in her thirties, with the same round face as Zhou Ningyue and almond eyes. The mother and daughter looked eighty-tenths alike, but they couldn't hide their haggard looks.

   "Mother, it's my new friend Sister Kou." Zhou Ningyue introduced in a brisk tone.

  Xin You bowed her knees and saluted: "Hello, Auntie."

  The woman showed a kind smile: "What a beautiful child. Yue'er, Cailan, entertain your friends well, stay and have dinner together at noon."

   It was the age when she liked to make friends, and Zhou Ningyue agreed happily when she heard it.

   "Let's go play in the west wing." The woman smiled.

   "I'm disturbing my aunt."

  Xin You just said a polite word, and Zhou Ningyue and Ji Cailan held each hand and took her to the West Wing.

  The woman went back to the house and told the maidservant: "Cut a fruit plate for the girls and send it, and then tell Mrs. Wang to add two more dishes for lunch."

  The maid took the order and left, the woman leaned against the bed and smiled, her face became more tired.

  The west wing room is completely furnished like a girl in a boudoir. As the host, Zhou Ningyue talks more than when she was in the bookstore.

  The three of them were talking and laughing while eating fruit, and soon it was noon. Xin You politely wanted to leave, but was stopped by Zhou Ningyue.

   "My mother will definitely tell the kitchen. If Sister Kou doesn't eat, it will be a waste."

   Just as he was talking, the maid came in with the food.

   "Girl, my wife asked you to greet Miss Hao Kou, so she won't be with you, so as not to be restrained."

   There were no elders present, and the lunch was spent in a relaxed atmosphere. Xinyou obviously felt that Chuji and Tuesday were getting closer to her.

   Sure enough, eating, drinking, and chatting are a sharp weapon to get closer.

  She offered to leave again, and Zhou Ningyue and Ji Cailan accompanied her to see Zhou's mother.

   "Why don't you play for a while?" Mother Zhou asked gently.

   "There are still some things at home, I will visit my aunt another day."

  Mother Zhou's attitude is very kind: "Yue'er has been bored at home, and it's rare to make friends who get along well. Ms. Kou must come here often."

   "Auntie doesn't mind bothering you, I will come here often." Xin You responded generously, her eyes twinkling.

  The picture came suddenly.

  Under the full moon, the wind blows the trees, Zhou Mu kneels under the tree and burns paper money. A man pulled her up and said something angrily.

  Mother Zhou pushed the man away with excitement, and accidentally fell while tugging, and pressed one hand into the basin containing burning paper money.

   Before Xin You had time to see Zhou's mother's painful expression, the picture in front of her eyes suddenly collapsed, and what came into view was Zhou's mother's beautiful face with a kind smile.

  Xin You collected herself and said goodbye to Mother Zhou without changing her face.

  Zhou Ningyue sent Xin You and Ji Cailan out, and she was surprised to see the people approaching: "Father, why are you back at this time?"

  Xin You turned her head to look at Father Zhou who was approaching.

  (end of this chapter)