Flowers in full bloom

This East Street is actually an extension of East Street. East Street is where aristocratic families gather. The restaurants, inns, and jewelry shops are all owned by wealthy families, and the things sold in them are the most expensive and the best. I heard that in the jewelry store called Jinyutang on East Street, the cheapest hairpin in it costs dozens of taels of silver. East Street can be said to be the most powerful place in Dongcheng District.

Dongxiao Street can be said to be a low-end version of Dongda Street. The restaurants and inns on both sides are far inferior to those on Dongda Street. However, compared with the streets further out, Dongxiao Street is still not bad, not as good as the best but better than the worst.

The restaurant in front of us, called "Zuiyuelou", is a two-story wooden structure. The first floor is the lobby, with fourteen or fifteen square tables, and the second floor is all private rooms. There is another building behind the restaurant, which should be used for accommodation, and there is a patio between the two buildings.

At this time, there were not many people in the lobby of the restaurant, with only three or four tables of guests sitting. The waiter at the door came up with a smile on his face and asked, "Sir, have you just arrived in Shangjing City? We can have a meal here, and you can also stay overnight. What would you like to...?"

Uncle Fu turned to look at Hua Lei. Hua Lei thought for a moment, then stepped forward and said with a smile, "Young man, we just arrived in Shangjing City today. We are going to have dinner first. Just find a seat for us in the lobby and open a room for us. We women and children need to rest. Please help feed and take care of these mule carts." "Okay, sir, please come this way."

As the waiter answered, he turned to a young man who had just emerged from an inconspicuous alley nearby and was wearing the same style of clothes as him but in different colors. He should also be the waiter of this restaurant. He said, "Brother Youcai, please help the guest to look after the front and back yards of these mule carts."

"Okay, okay, sir, give me the mule cart. Hey... you..." The boy named Youcai took the mule cart from Uncle Fu, saw Uncle Fu, turned around and looked at Hualei and his brother, Ping'an and Xile, and hesitated to speak. "Is it... Uncle Fu and Brother Ping'an?"

Luo Xile, who had just heard the waiter call "Brother Youcai" and had been staring at him, said in surprise, "Brother Youcai? It's Brother Youcai, right?" He turned to Uncle Fu and said, "Dad, this is Brother Youcai who stayed at the master's house for three months a few years ago. At that time, there were also Brother Youtian, Brother Youdi and Aunt Fang. Do you remember them?"

After hearing Brother Xile's reminder, Uncle Fu finally remembered, "Ah, Youcai, it's the three brothers Youtian, Youdi and Youcai and their mother Aunt Fang, right?"

"Yes, yes, it's me, Uncle Fu, Aunt Fu, Brother Xile, and Aunt Song. You guys are in the capital? Hey, where's Master Hua? Why can't I see him?"

He turned around and looked at Hua Lei and her brother. They were wearing moon-white dresses and there was a plain silk flower in Hua Lei's hair. It was obvious that they were in mourning. "Is this... Miss Hua Lei? Young Master Hua Moyuan?" Fang Youcai looked incredulous.

When Uncle Fu and his men heard Fang Youcai mention Hualei's grandfather, they suddenly fell silent. The waiter saw this and hurried forward and said, "So it turns out that Brother Youcai knows him. That's even better. Why don't you all go to the backyard to rest first, and I'll bring the room key over right away.

"Okay, thank you Brother Tieniu, I'll take Uncle Fu and the others in first." Brother Youcai hurriedly led the mule cart through the side door of the alley and led everyone into the backyard of the restaurant.

Then he helped unload the car, fed the mule with water, and quickly whispered, "Uncle Fu, what's going on? What happened to Master Hua? This is Miss Hua Lei, right?" "Yes, it's my Miss Hua Lei and Master Hua Moyuan. Our master passed away due to illness at the beginning of the month." "How... could it be..." "When the master was dying, he asked us to escort the young lady and master to the capital to look for..."

"Uncle Fu, who is this?" Hua Lei interrupted Uncle Fu and asked.

"Miss, this is Brother Youcai. I guess you don't remember him. He stayed at your house for three months six years ago. At that time, there was a severe drought in the south, and a large number of victims fled to Shangjing City. Aunt Fang and the three brothers Youtian, Youdi and Youcai were also in the fleeing team, preparing to go to Shangjing City to seek refuge with a distant relative.

But at that time, Aunt Fang was ill and had lost contact with people from the same village. The three Youcai brothers were penniless and knelt in front of the clinic to sell themselves to save their mother. At that time, the clinic was next to our bookstore. The master saw that the three brothers were filial and could not bear to separate them, so he helped Aunt Fang to advance the medical expenses. Seeing that Aunt Fang could not travel at that time, he let the three Youcai brothers and Aunt Fang live in the woodshed behind the bookstore and gave them some grains and black flour to eat. They stayed there for three months, and the master did not take a penny.

But the three Youcai brothers were also good people, helping with farm work every day. When Aunt Fang and the three brothers left, the master also gave them some travel expenses. You were only six years old at the time, and the young master was only a few months old, so it's normal that you don't remember it. "Hua Lei listened and nodded slightly.//

At this time, the key had been delivered. Fang Youcai helped carry a package and said, "Miss, I'll take you upstairs." After sending them to the room, Fang Youcai said, "Miss, Uncle Fu, what are your plans now? Are you planning to settle down in Shangjing City? Or are you looking for relatives? I haven't heard that Master Hua said he has relatives in Shangjing City?"

"We are planning to settle down in Shangjing City. We will go to the pawnshop in the afternoon to find a house. We will decide whether to rent or buy it. Brother Youcai, do you know anyone in the pawnshop?" Hua Lei said briefly. She could see that this was the peak period of the restaurant's business. It was impossible for Fang Youcai to stay here and reminisce with them. She had wanted to find out something in the first place, so it would be best if she met someone she knew. It would be best if she knew someone, but it would be okay if she didn't.

"That's perfect. My second brother is working as a clerk in the dental shop in front. After you have finished your meal, I will take you there when I have time. I can't stay any longer now. I will go downstairs first. We are going to be busy. You can take a short rest and then go to have lunch. Otherwise, there may be no seats if you are late." "Great, thank you, brother Youcai. You go ahead and we will go downstairs later." Hua Lei said politely. Fang Youcai said hello to everyone and hurried downstairs.

After closing the door, Uncle Fu said with a happy face, "Great, I didn't expect such a coincidence to meet Brother Youcai here." Hua Lei was also secretly thankful. It was indeed lucky to meet an acquaintance on the first day of arriving in Shangjing City where she was unfamiliar with the place, and it seemed that Fang Youcai was indeed a straightforward person.

Everyone packed their luggage and took their valuables with them. Hua Lei carefully put her household registration information and silver into her pocket and went downstairs with everyone else. When they reached the lobby, there were a lot more people. Hua Lei chose a table against the wall facing the street window, sat down at two tables, ordered a few dishes, and started to eat lunch.

While eating, he carefully listened to the intermittent conversations of the guests at the next tables. When he didn't hear anything interesting, he stopped talking and finished his lunch quickly. Although Fang Youcai said he would bring Hua Lei over when the time comes, there were guests at almost every table in the restaurant lobby, and there were also many on the second floor. If he wanted Fang Youcai to be available, he would probably have to wait.

Hua Lei decided to go there by herself. She asked Brother Xile to take the women and children back to their room to rest, and asked Uncle Fu and Fang Youcai to find out the specific address of the dental clinic. Then she asked Ping An to lead a mule cart and take Aunt Fu and the other four to the dental clinic.

When Uncle Fu came out, he had a note in his hand. He handed it to Hua Lei and said, "Miss, this is a note written by Fang Youcai. When we go to the pawnshop later, we can take the note and go directly to his second brother Fang Youdi. Brother Youdi has been working there as a clerk for almost three years." Hua Lei nodded, and the mule cart went directly to the pawnshop. In just a quarter of an hour, the mule cart stopped in front of the pawnshop.