ladybug

Title: First Meeting Shen Lian

Summary: Little Nu Chuer, thirteen years old.Originally from Lizhou, his parents died early.

On the night of the 21st of the twelfth lunar month, I cleared up the amount of medicinal materials in front of me.After counting, I went to my bedroom across the empty yard with only a well.Near the bedroom, there is a light fragrance lingering in the nostrils, refreshing and calming, it is the reassuring fragrance of Zhilantang.

Push open the door, the lights are on.Someone knelt down on my bed, with their head buried in the pillow, their upper body hanging in the air, and their buttocks raised high.The whole body is naked, and the complexion is fair/fair.He clutched the quilt tightly with both hands, and the roots of his ears were slightly red.Look at the most... 13 years old?

Although my consultation fee has always been as strange as that of patients, this is the first time I have received this kind of consultation fee.

The reassuring incense sticks in the incense burner on the table and burns.I pinched the bridge of my nose, shook off the two quilts stacked at the end of the bed and covered the boy, and patted the back that was still raised under the quilt.

The boy was obedient and lay on his side facing the wall.

I closed the door and searched around but found nothing.So he raised his head and said to Liangmu, "Come out."

As soon as the words fell, the shadow in the corner of the room became bigger than usual.

I sat on the stool, poured two cups of tea on the desk in the bedroom, and pushed one cup to the opposite side.I gurgled down my cup, and my anger disappeared.

The opposite teacup is also empty, but there is one more person standing.Beyond the whites of the eyes, everything is pitch black.Fortunately, the sense of existence is thin, so I won't frighten children at night.

I pushed a stool in front of him, motioned him to sit down, and asked, "Wei Yan, thank you for your peace of mind. So boy, can you give me an explanation?"

Wei Yan sat down without opening his mouth, his back was straight, as stiff as a stone.

I got up and went to the kitchen on the left, started the stove to cook a bowl of onion soup for the little boy, and boiled a pot of hot water.At the time of the twelfth lunar month, I don't know how long he had been frozen, and it would be troublesome to catch the wind and cold.

When returning to the bedroom with the onion soup, I tested the hot and cold while waiting for Wei Yan to speak.He finally said the word "gift".

After the words, the person disappeared, the bedroom door closed, and a piece of paper fell on the table.

I've known him for two years, he doesn't like to be revealed in front of others, and I've gotten used to it.

I patted the back of the boy's head that was exposed outside the quilt, and he turned around, looking at me timidly.A pair of cat eyes are big and bright, full of water.Although he suffered from the cold, his complexion was a little pale, but he was also cute.

I sat him up with one hand and passed the soup bowl with the other.He held the bowl with both hands and downed it in one gulp without asking.Fortunately, I tried not hot.

His exposed arms were thin and white, like a battered kitten.

I put away the bowl and went out, and picked up the paper on the table along the way, it was the little boy's deed of prostitution.It says that he was originally from Lizhou, born on October 13th in the second year of Shenglin, and was sold into Nanfeng Pavilion in the [-]th year of Shenglin.

After washing the dishes, I poured hot water into the bucket and carried it into the bedroom to soak his feet.He lowered his eyelashes and whispered to me: "What's the master's name? Little Nu Chuer, thirteen years old. Originally from Lizhou, his parents died early. The big teapot in charge said that when he bought the 11-year-old little slave from the refugees, I don't have a proper name yet, I only know that my real name is Shen Xinger. I have been a servant of Mr. Liu in Nanfeng Hall for two years."

I pressed the acupuncture points on his feet and said, "My name is Li Ping." There are poor people everywhere.Seven years ago, if I hadn't had to worship Wang Huaiyuan as my teacher, I would be fine now, and I would almost be afraid of dying among the refugees.My usual monthly income is four or five taels, which is more than enough to support him.Now that we have met, the four gods are above, and we should accumulate blessings.

I dried his feet and put them under the quilt. After tidying up myself, I climbed into the bed and slept on the outside. I blew out the red candle on the desk, and lit the bedside oil lamp to help him tuck the corners of the quilt.

A pair of small hands suddenly touched it.The little hand felt a little cool, and gently stroked my chest, touching it down.The cold winter and the twelfth lunar month are about to tickle people's hearts.

I grabbed those little hands, and he let me hold them without struggling: "Little slave is still a Qingguan."

A lamp was like a bean, and the fire light flickered on his face endlessly. Mao'er's eyes were pitch black, and he could not see any emotion.

I couldn't laugh or cry: "Would you like it?"

He answered simply: "I don't want to."

I wondered: "Then why are you doing this?"

He said plainly: "Everyone who is bought home in the museum recommends a pillow mat. If someone is ashamed and refuses, he is often whipped. The big teapot once taught that buying a slave is for pleasure. The slave knows the master, If you don't know it, you should beat Chu. Don't dare not offer yourself."

It is very common for Mao Chao to play with boys, and children who are lured by huge sums of money are often beaten by their families.

I asked him softly, "Is there anyone you want to go to?"

He shook his head.

I said: "Then you will follow me from now on and help out as a drug boy, okay? Don't call yourself a slave, and don't call me master, it sounds awkward." He looked at me and said, "Okay." The cat's eyes were watery, and my heart moved, and I continued: "You haven't changed your name, how about Shen Lian?" He added, "Hemu Medical Center currently only has this one bedroom and one bed. Make do with tonight, tomorrow I'll clean up the next door for you to live in."

He lay down in my shadow and gave a soft "hmm".

Not long after, Shen Lian fell asleep.The body is curled up towards me, and the sleeping position is extremely guarded.

The wind outside the window was louder, I got up and locked the window, and there was light snow outside the window.Shen Lian next to him was not sleeping soundly, he turned a few times, I followed his back to comfort him, he leaned against me and stopped turning.

On the 22nd of the twelfth lunar month, I woke up early, Shen Lian opened his eyes in a daze, and I told him: "Sleep more."

I tidied up the right side room, and made porridge and set the kitchen table again.After Shen Lian finished rinsing at the kitchen door, I greeted him: "Xiao Lian, come and eat." He came over and sat down.He brought his own clothes from the Nanfeng Pavilion, today he is wearing a beige jacket, a dark green belt, and a hairband of the same color on his head.Slender, tall to my chest, elegant overall.

I asked while eating: "It's the Chinese New Year, will you come with me to the market to buy something?"

The little boy bit the fermented bean curd on his chopsticks and nodded excitedly.Last night's embarrassment melted like fine snow outside the window.

The shops in Caoshi Town, where the medical clinic is located, are also well-developed, and you can buy enough food for ordinary people here.I put his identity card on my back and went to the big market in Donghuamen with a small basket on my back, mainly to buy rare New Year's goods and decent clothes.

After getting off the donkey cart and going outside Donghua Gate, the sound of yelling can be heard endlessly.Walking along the way, I heard the same sound of selling. "The new eggplant is only [-] yuan." "Persimmons are not sweet, so you don't need a penny. Let's take a look." A few blue-eyed barbarians were peddling gold and jade treasures in fluent Chinese.

Shen Lian followed me, her cat eyes rolling around.I said it twice: "You hold me by the corner of my clothes." Then he stuck out his tongue and did as he said, "I was a slave in the fence before, so I couldn't come out to play at will. I'm fascinated by it." The crowd didn't let go the corner of my clothes.

The things bought and sold in Chang'an City include both ordinary things and rare things in the world.There are more than [-] kinds of flavors in the candied fruit, candied fruit and roast meat shop.Someone next to me walked into the shop and said, "I want ten different kinds of fruit." The shopkeeper said, "Do you want to entertain customers?" The man said, "Yes, it's the end of the year and there are many customers." The shopkeeper sealed five paper bags and handed them to the shop. he.I lifted my feet to follow the flow of people, but the corner of my clothes was dragged.I squeezed Shen Lian's slightly embarrassed face, and he hurriedly followed me.I laughed, and went into the shop and said, "Buy three types of preserved fruit for sale." The shopkeeper said, "Okay." He handed out the paper bag again, and I passed it to Shen Lian, saying, "Let's eat while walking." He picked up a preserved fruit and rushed it I smiled, showing a shallow dimple on my left cheek.

At the end of the year, the newly released fruits and vegetables are sold out in an instant.I didn't buy anything good, but I met a few patients on the road, and it was difficult for the crowd to greet them, so I just waved to them.

The sub-streets that enter the city are not so crowded.After wiping the sweat off my temples, Shen Lian and I walked along the river.There are rows of willow trees by the river, with gurgling water between them.The willow leaves are all gone, the wicker is bare and taupe, and under the tree are rows of fish stalls, the fish meat is pink/tender.The ships on the river moved slowly, one after another, with stamps on the side of the ship, marking whether the grain and goods carried on it came from Huangzhong Wangzhou, Yuanzhou Shunzhou, or even Tanzhou.

Shopping along the way, my back basket was gradually filled with all kinds of groceries for the New Year.Near noon, I walked to Yujie, the central street of Chang'an City.The Royal Street is a hundred steps wide, and there are Royal Corridors on both sides of the road.The shops on both sides and the vendors along the street are busy, very lively.There is a military patrol shop every [-] steps on the imperial street, which is very safe.

There were no seats in the restaurant, and tables and stools were temporarily placed on the street.I sat on the street and ordered three dishes, and while waiting, Shen Lian and I went into a tailor's shop to choose clothes.The tailor came over and took the measurements of Shen Lian and me. I pointed to the pure black material, gesticulating the size and pattern while declaring the size.The tailor was in a dilemma: "It's best to take it to a small shop to measure..." The shopkeeper also turned around and smiled apologetically in his busy schedule: "I'm afraid the clothes won't fit, and I'll smash the shop's signboard."

Shen Lian looked up at me curiously: "I thought you lived alone this morning."

I went back to the store: "It's okay, just do it." I ruffled Shen Lian's neatly tied hair, "I thought you had seen Wei Yan." He wrinkled his nose in response, took off the hair tie and tied it again .

After dinner, I led Shen Lian to the yamen to find Sihu, who joined the army, and Lin Lin to change his household registration.Yan San's catcher came out in a hurry, said hello to me and left in a hurry.

By the time the household registration was completed, it was already night while walking around.We entered a large tile shop.Dr. Cha said with a smile: "You are lucky, there will be no more vacancies in this place that can hold thousands of people soon."

I went to the second floor to find a bench and sat down, rubbing my legs and watching the show.He gave Shen Lian another hundred coins and told him to go to the ground floor to buy some snacks.The puppet show for women and children this time is not as interesting as the storyteller who tells the story of the rivers and lakes.Shen Lian bought it, and ran back to watch the play with me.

I sat for a while and got a hard pat on the shoulder.The half-drunk young man in blue robe sat next to me.

I cupped my hands: "Chu Ming..."

He hiccupped, put his hand on my shoulder, and said, "You're welcome, do you want... to eat? I'm the host. Who is this boy?"

I said, "I've eaten it, thank you Brother Chu for your kindness. His name is Shen Lian, and he is my little drug boy."

As if he had never heard of it, Chu Ming walked out by pulling my skirt.I followed the drunk man, Shen Lian got up and followed.Chu Ming took us to the small room on the courtyard of Fengle Building, ordered some exquisite meals and said to Shen Lian: "You and Shen Lian eat." I said to Shen Lian while batching and cutting the sheep's head: "I usually seldom go to Fengle Lou, everything is very expensive. Brother Chu earns a lot from the diagnosis and treatment of flower and willow diseases.

Shen Lian said: "Okay, I'll eat more." Chu Ming said: "I don't only get money from treating flowers and willow diseases, but also get a lot of money from treating children." I was a little curious: "Who will ask you to treat children?"

"Weihou's concubine, Lingxian, recommended me for a consultation," Chu Ming said, "I showed you my medical records, you wouldn't think it was fake, would you?"

"Of course it's true." I said, "I also consulted Weihou Meiqiu, but she didn't recommend me."

"Because I have a deep friendship with that beautiful concubine. She was originally from the Gou Lan. Before Wei Hou bought her into the mansion, I treated her for her disease. After she entered the Wei mansion, I often met her through the tunnel. ..." Chu Ming stopped, "But I shouldn't have accepted the job she recommended as a child doctor."

"I've never seen the tunnels of the Wei Mansion." I asked honestly, "Why?" Chu Ming said, "I've always had a bad conscience." Then he just drank wine one after another.After pouring for half an hour, he suddenly hugged me and burst into tears, yelling inarticulately.

Startled, I covered his mouth.This person is open-minded at best, but thick-skinned at worst. I have never seen him wail like this.He struggled a few times and then yelled: "I can't save my life... I don't have any other friends, Qingming you have to burn incense for me... I haven't lived enough yet... My concubine said that he took the first step to sue me, I can't keep my life..." Who to sue and what to sue?Why is he looking for life and death like this?

I was confused, he fell asleep on the table.This small room came in to tidy up after midnight, so there was nothing wrong with him sleeping here.

There is no curfew in Chang'an City, Shen Lian and I went back in the dark, fell asleep on the bed after being so tired.