Chapter 145: Chapter 136 Master Qian Returns
Three days before the opening, a quick calculation showed that we had made three thousand six hundred yuan. We made over one thousand four hundred on our rest day, Sunday, but the following two days were a bit less.
Because we made money, Lu Jiaxin gave Xiao Qiu, Xue Mao, and the others a twenty yuan red packet each. They were different from Lu Zhang and Zhenzhen because they would be paid a salary to mind the store in the future.
She said with a smile, “You’ve all worked hard enough from the store’s preparation to these three days. Twenty isn’t much, but please, take it! Buy whatever you want to eat, or if you’d rather save it, then save it.”
Xiao Qiu said she would save it and send it back home for her mother to keep. Her mother had said that all this money would be saved for her dowry.
Previously, Lu Jiaxin had suggested to her to keep half for herself. Once the money was in her mother’s hands, wouldn’t her brothers end up using it if they needed money? But Xiao Qiu didn’t listen, so she didn’t say anymore. After all, the girl was only fifteen, so it was better for her to learn skills first and worry about saving money later.
At the end of March, Master Qian returned from the Northeast, entering the yard carrying two packages. His hair was as messy as a chicken coop, his beard had grown long, and his clothes were not only dirty but also torn.
Seeing him in this state, Lu Jiaxin didn’t even ask him to go to the bathroom to shower, but directly took a new set of clothes for him and sent him to the public bathhouse: “Just throw these clothes away, don’t bring them back.”
Master Qian felt she was really considerate to have prepared clothes for him: “Why did you buy clothes for me? That’s quite an expense.”
Lu Jiaxin, noticing his expression, said, “These aren’t bought by me, they are the new clothes Xiaoxiao bought for you for the New Year. Unfortunately, you didn’t come back over the New Year, so they were put away in the closet.”
“Oh, this girl has become so thoughtful, it seems I’ll be able to enjoy her good fortune in the future.”
Lu Jiaxin replied, “Not only did she buy two sets of new clothes for you, she also sent one hundred yuan back to her dad, telling them to buy some new clothes and get more goods for the New Year. Unfortunately, you didn’t even have a phone call, otherwise you could have made a call back home over the New Year.”
Master Qian waved his hand and said, “Sending the money back is enough, the phone calls are just for show.”
After taking the clothes, he left, reminding Lu Jiaxin on his way out that the packages contained herbs and furs, and told her to put them away.
Qian Xiaoxiao returned with some fruit and saw more than a dozen furs hanging in the yard, including tiger fur, roe deer fur, and fox fur. She asked in surprise, “Sister Xin, where did you get all these furs from?”
Qian Xiaoxiao asked, “Did Grandpa send them here?”
“They weren’t sent here, he brought them back with him.”
Upon hearing this, Qian Xiaoxiao immediately rushed into the house, calling for Grandpa, but there was no one inside. Coming back out, she asked, “Sister Xin, where is Grandpa?”
“Seeing that his clothes were all dirty and torn, I sent him off to the bathhouse. Oh, and I gave him the new clothes you bought.”
Qian Xiaoxiao’s face showed concern.
An hour later, Master Qian came back with his hair cut short and his beard shaved clean, dressed in new clothes from head to toe—a completely different person from when he first came in.
Instead of excitedly running over to hug him, Qian Xiaoxiao started berating him, “You old man, didn’t you say you’d be back in no more than two months? How long has it been?”
By the end of her rant, tears had fallen. She initially thought the old man had just gone to visit friends, but when she couldn’t find him, she realized something wasn’t right. These days, she had been anxious, yet fearing everyone would notice, she didn’t dare show any signs of it.
Master Qian said with a laugh, “You don’t want to see the old man? Alright then, make me a bowl of noodles, and I’ll leave after I eat.”
Xiaoxiao said angrily, “Leave? Where do you think you’re going? I’m telling you, don’t you dare think of abandoning me again. Wherever you go, I go.”
Only then did Lu Jiaxin realize that Old Master Qian’s last outing wasn’t as simple as visiting an old friend. However, this was a secret between grandfather and granddaughter, and since he had returned safely, she didn’t inquire further.
Master Qian said, “Where can an old man with arms and legs like these go? From now on, I’ll be asking for a living here at Miss Lu’s place. Miss Lu, you wouldn’t despise an old man like me, would you?”
Before Lu Jiaxin could speak, Xiaoxiao said, “Old man, if you don’t change your disgusting habits, not only Sister Xin, but I would despise you too.”
Not that she would ever despise him, but she realized after spending some time together that Lu Jiaxin was particularly keen on hygiene, and her grandfather was someone who didn’t sweat the small stuff.
Lu Jiaxin said with a smile, “Welcoming you would be an understatement! Master Qian, you chat with Xiaoxiao; I will go and cook the noodles for you.”
It wasn’t that she wanted to show off, but the meals that Xiaoxiao made were not delicious. Even a simple dish of noodles would turn out clumpy. To borrow Xue Mao’s words, the meals he cooked blindfolded were tastier than those Xiaoxiao made with great effort.
Master Qian was also aware that his granddaughter’s cooking skills were poor, and now that Lu Jiaxin had offered to cook noodles for him, he couldn’t have asked for more, “Then I’ll have to trouble Miss Lu.”
Lu Jiaxin made a large bowl of egg and vegetable noodles, and since she had bought a piece of braised beef that morning, she also added some slices of braised beef on top.
Although Master Qian was over sixty years old, he was still strong and had a great appetite. After wolfing down the large bowl of noodles, he wiped his mouth with his hand and said, “I haven’t had such a satisfying meal in a long time.”
Xiaoxiao quickly grabbed a cloth to wipe his mouth and hands; her grandfather was fine in all respects, except that he was too casual. She hoped Sister Xin wouldn’t mind him.
Lu Jiaxin said with a smile, “Old Master, are you full? If not, I can make you another bowl.”
Master Qian waved his hand and said, “No need, I’m full. If there’s anything you want me to do, just say the word, and I’ll see to it without any fuzziness.”
Before Lu Jiaxin could respond, he continued, “Don’t tell me there’s nothing you need me to do. In all my years, I’ve never believed in pie falling from the sky. If it does, that pie is definitely poisoned. I’ll say this upfront, I won’t do anything illegal. At my age, it wouldn’t matter much to me if the other foot were in the coffin already, but I have children and grandchildren, and I can’t implicate them.”
Lu Jiaxin felt helpless; why did everyone have to repeat this to her? Did she look like a criminal: “Actually, there are two things right now…”
Master Qian raised his hand, stopping Lu Jiaxin from continuing, “Xiaoxiao, you stay in the courtyard; I will talk with Miss Lu inside the house.”
His assertiveness left Lu Jiaxin both amused and bewildered. Xiaoxiao was tight-lipped; there was no worry she would spill the beans. However, since Master Qian was cautious, she just went along with him.
Xiaoxiao was somewhat worried and asked, “Sister Xin, is there any danger in what you’re asking my grandpa to do?”
If there were any danger, no matter how good life here was, she would take her grandfather back home. She couldn’t let her grandpa take risks again, even if it meant eating coarse grains and vegetables.
Lu Jiaxin chuckled and replied, “Don’t worry, there’s no danger, it’s just that the information must not be leaked.”
Life is precious; she herself cherishes her life, so she wouldn’t let others do something dangerous.
Xiaoxiao trusted her and instantly felt relieved upon hearing these words. As the two went into the house, she went into the kitchen, took out some vegetables, and started picking them in the courtyard.