Volume 1 Chapter 160: Chou Chou and the Girl (2)

  Chapter 160: Su Su and the Girl (Part 2)

  That comb is very old. The place where the gemstones were originally inlaid now has only pits and holes. The teeth of the comb are incomplete, with many broken off.

  But she remembered.

  On the back of the comb, there are sixteen phoenix stones, purple and ink colors intertwined, thirty-two crystal stones, white, scattered at one end like a comet.

  She remembered it so clearly, because this comb was made by her own hands. In her mind's eye, she saw her hands holding the red sandalwood, shaping it into a comb shape, and carving out each tooth with an extremely small and delicate knife edge. Phoenix stone, crystal stone, she inlaid them one by one, purple, black, white, each one precious.

  Who sent the wooden comb? And who used this comb to comb her hair? The shadow in the fog stood at the clear boundary, only one step away. But she saw the man's sleeve, purple, embroidered with cloud patterns and sea waves, a deep purple gemstone on his ring finger, which was brighter than the phoenix stone brooch on Ye'er's hairpin.

  Young Master?

  No, that man's figure was slightly taller and more robust than Young Master Hou's.

  The young master gave her a nostalgic feeling. But she was afraid of that person.

  No, don't get close to her, go back to the depths of the fog, never appear again. She screams in her heart, her weak body trembling like a sieve.

  "Master, what's wrong with you?" Mozi suddenly fell to the ground, startling the woman. She quickly turned around to look at her and saw that she was ignoring him, so he stretched out his hand to push her shoulder. Don't make a scene in front of your own stall, or it would be adding insult to injury.

  The woman pushed once, and the purple square woke up. Her body temperature returned to normal warmth from the icy cave, and her vision also recovered. It was no longer fragmented and dancing, but this time the headache did not recover immediately. She felt a burning sensation in the back of her head, and her temples were throbbing violently. Trying to get up, her legs softened, and she sat down again.

  The woman let out a cry of surprise.

  She took a few deep breaths, pulled herself together and forced herself to stand up, her face pale. She gave the woman a weak smile, "Auntie, I think I fainted from the heat."

  The woman happened to have prepared water and hastily filled a bowl with it, bringing it over. "Young master, this is the spring water from the back mountain where I live. It's clean and best for relieving summer heat."

  Mei Zi was also unable to pretend to be polite at this time, she was sweating all over her body and needed to replenish water, so she took it and drank it in big gulps, really feeling cool and relieving the heat.

  "Auntie, at this time of year, if you could pick some of these cool and refreshing springs to sell in front of the big households, it might be better than selling miscellaneous goods." She suddenly had this idea.

  The woman thought for a moment, her eyes lit up, "I'll get up early and catch the first batch. It's not bright before entering the city. Maybe someone really wants this good water."

  "Although it's hard work, it's a risk-free business. If it doesn't sell, you can just sell it back as miscellaneous goods. When calling out to customers, you have to highlight the advantages of the spring water, such as its spiritual energy, health benefits, and pure sweetness. Offer them a free taste, like a small bowl. For clever customers, give them a sweet deal, like 'buy two jugs get one free'. For wealthy customers, offer them convenient door-to-door delivery service. In short, be flexible and adapt to different types of customers." After drinking the water, my panic-stricken heart finally calmed down. Luckily, someone was there to guide me out of confusion.

  Mozhi just wanted to take the opportunity to talk to women, balance the present and past seesaw, and fill in the cracks on her heart.

  "The young master said that, and I'm eager to give it a try. That's right, no capital business, if it doesn't work out, there's no loss." This woman was tough, "Thank you, young master, for thinking of this livelihood for my mother and me. May I ask where your family lives? If we can get through the summer warmly fed, I'll definitely come to your home to kowtow to you."

  "Auntie, don't be polite, I'm just talking nonsense." Mu Zi was struggling in her heart, should she buy this comb or not?

  "Sir, today you can choose anything from this cabinet and I won't charge you." The woman, seeing Mo Zi's kindness, wanted to thank her with this, "Sir, do you like this comb? If you don't mind that it's second-hand, just take it."

  Mozi made a comment that made the woman realize she had already picked up the comb with her left hand, feeling a bit embarrassed, wanting to put it down but unable to.

  "The young master has a good eye, this comb is from the Jade Palace. My husband was an apprentice in the palace and it must have been mixed up somehow, it fell out of his treasured book on craftsmanship when we escaped the city. Although it's old, the workmanship is even better than what my husband said. And the peony carving on the back, it's lifelike. My daughter said that the flower will bloom and sway in the wind. At first, I thought she was talking nonsense, but after staring at it for a while, the flower seemed to come alive. Upon closer inspection, there are dozens of peonies carved onto this small comb. My husband said this comb is valuable, but when I took it to the pawnshop two days ago, they said it's just a wooden comb and only gave me ten cents, so I didn't sell it. I'd rather give it to someone who appreciates it."

  The purple ink turned the comb over, and indeed, there was a peony carved on it. There were some impressions, but they weren't as clear as the memories of the side with the inlaid gemstones. It was something she had carved herself, but how she had done it, she didn't know.

  "Auntie, this is something from the palace, it must be extraordinary. How can I take it for nothing?" This comb was priceless when it was intact.

  "If it's not worth anything, the gem on top is also gone, and the comb teeth are broken. Even if the peony looks good, a comb that can't be used to comb hair, how much money can it still be worth?" The woman's words shocked the person out of their dream.

  Mozzie laughed with a hint of self-mockery, but it's not like a comb that can't even comb hair has any value. However, since I made it myself, I'll just take it back then.

  "I really like the peony on top, it can be used as a model for painting." She didn't tell the truth, but it was a kind lie. "Auntie, you might as well name a price, if I can afford it, I'll buy it." Her small fortune, after several months, now amounts to over ten taels.

  "The young master said it's already given to you." The woman refused to name a price.

  The doll cried again.

  "Ah, Auntie, I see your daughter is hungry. How can she fill her belly without any money? Let me give you five taels of silver, it's all I have on me."

  The woman did not expect Mozi to be willing to give so much silver, and she hurriedly waved her hand saying no. "Young master is too kind-hearted, five taels of silver is excessive sympathy. Although I am a woman, I also understand the spirit of self-respect. My mother and daughter are indeed poor and hungry, but we rely on our own abilities to live, and sleep with peace of mind. Of course, young master is right, it can't be because of me, this useless mother, that my son suffers. So I'll brazenly name a price, one tael of silver, and thank you endlessly."

  Purple ink pretended to take out one or two, stuffed two, and took a comb away.

  The woman bowed deeply towards the back of the purple-robed figure, patting her daughter and saying, "Today we have a full meal to eat, just endure for a little while longer."

  But it is unknown: Good fortune relies on disaster; Disaster lies in wait for good fortune.

  The woman was about to pack up and go buy some rice and flour, planning to head home before sunset, when suddenly there were a few more people in front of her cart. Today, not a single female customer had come to patronize her, but male customers kept coming one after another. But looking at these few, they gave off an entirely different air from the refined gentleman earlier.

  One of them, she remembered, was the shopkeeper from the pawnshop a few days ago who said the comb was worth ten cents.

  Today's second update.

  Chapter 160: Su Su and the Girl (Part 2)

  Chapter 160: Chu Chu and the Girl (2)