Zhang Quan reappeared, with obvious reluctance on his face, he made a gesture of invitation, “Come with me.”
After bringing Ji Wei to the hall, he asked the maid next to him to make tea. Zhang Quan explained: “Master just woke up from a nap, you may have to wait in the hall for a while.”
Ji Wei didn’t care, and looked around the interior of Zhang’s house.
From the outside, you will not understand how rich this family is. Unlike now, looking at the paintings on the wall, and the delicate vases placed on the table at will, they projected the wealth of the Zhang family everywhere.
It didn’t take long for the maid to appear holding a plate.
On the side of Ji Wei’s, she placed the petal-shaped sweet-scented osmanthus cake and a cup of steaming tea.
“Please help yourself.”
After Zhang Quan finished speaking, he stood by the side door with his hands behind his back, as if he regarded Ji Wei as air.
Ji Wei was not annoyed, instead, he took a piece of sweet-scented osmanthus cake to eat.
A touch of sweet-scented osmanthus, with a soft taste that melts in your mouth. Although it is slightly sweet and greasy, coupled with the bitter tea, the sweetness and bitterness were intertwined, leaving just the right sense of satisfaction.
As expected from a wealthy family.
Ji Wei didn’t eat any more pastries, and tapped the armrest with his right hand. When about a hundred or so down, someone called out to Zhang Quan.
“Uncle Quan, why are you here?”
Zhang Quan is a distant cousin of the Zhang family, and when he was a teenager, he helped out with the master of the Zhang family. He is a cautious man, but he doesn’t have the brain for doing business, so the old man Zhang asked him to stay with the Zhang family as a housekeeper. He is respected by everyone in the Zhang family. Even the young master of the Zhang family called him uncle when he sees him.
Zhang Mingyuan had been reading a book in the house for the whole day and planned to take a walk around the street. He was surprised that Zhang Quan was not taking care of his father in the house at this time, but was standing in the hall.
He was a little puzzled, and when he walked towards him, he saw Ji Wei sitting not far away, and said loudly: “Oh, we have a guest at home, I didn’t know it, forgive me.”
From the age of ten, Zhang Mingyuan aimed to score in the examination. Unless necessary, he seldom went out, and most of the time he stays in the study room studying. He had never seen Ji Wei, nor heard any rumors about him. Seeing that he was tall and mighty, with an extraordinary mind, he had the idea of making friends with him. So he walked towards him quickly, stood In front of him, and raised his hand to arch.
“How may I address you?”
Ji Wei got up, followed his salutation, and said loudly: “I am Ji Wei, who lives in the West Lane next door, I am here to see Mr. Zhang. Are you the new scholar in the Zhang family?”
“It’s me, what’s the matter with my father?”
Ji Wei picked up the oil-paper bag on the side, “A few days ago, thanks to Mr. Zhang, he gave me the extra bricks and soil. I am grateful for his kindness, as I had nothing to repay him, so I am here with some food that I’ve made myself. Since you are here, why not try it?”
As he spoke, he removed the red rope.
“Although it’s not a valuable thing, it’s something new. I figured it out in my spare time, and you can’t find it anywhere else.” Ji Wei held the oiled paper bag and handed it to Zhang Mingyuan. Zhang Mingyuan couldn’t refuse and took a piece of butter biscuit suspiciously. Then he took a careful bite.
Click.
The sound was so crisp, beyond Zhang Mingyuan’s expectations, and startled him. Then he chewed it carefully, and slowly felt the goodness in it, he felt that he couldn’t stop eating.
But he was a scholar after all, and he was a little embarrassed. He put down the hand he was about to raise and sat down on the chair next to Ji Wei crampedly.
“What is this?”
“I call it butter biscuits.” Ji Wei pushed the oiled paper bag in front of Zhang Mingyuan and said with a smile, “This is a gift for Mr. Zhang. Master Zhang doesn’t need to be shy. If you like it, I’ll bring some more next time. ”
Zhang Mingyuan murmured and repeated, “Butter biscuits? How come I’ve never heard of it. I have not seen it before even at the biggest bakery in the city.”
Ji Wei laughed, it would be strange if you had seen it before.
“It seems that Zhang Xiucai loves this biscuit. It’s a coincidence.” Ji Wei secretly rejoiced.
Not many people in Changliu Town are admitted to scholarships, only a few each time.
Not to mention that the Zhang family is a prominent family in the town. If they really like it, they might be able to help him and save him a lot of effort.
Ji Wei answered the questions patiently. Zhang Quan, who was standing at the side, paid close attention to the two of them. The shock in his heart was beyond words.
As the saying goes, the country is easy to change but human nature is difficult to change.
It’s not that he hasn’t met Ji Wei before. How could such a vicious person change so much all of a sudden?
Strange, so rare.
There was a sound from far away in the corridor, the sound of the crutches.
Zhang Quan bowed humbly and went up to meet him.
The head of the Zhang family, Mr. Zhang, who is over half a hundred years old, leaned on crutches, alone, walking slowly over to them. Seeing Zhang Mingyuan and Ji Wei sitting together, something flashed in his eyes, but he only coughed and didn’t speak.
“Father, you’re up.” Zhang Mingyuan came over to hold the old man Zhang’s hand that was without the cane, “Come and taste the gift Ji Wei brought, I am sure you would like it.”
In this regard, the father and son of the Zhang family do have something in common.
They love sweetness.
Just like the sweet-scented osmanthus cake, it was much sweeter and greasy than the ones made outside.
Mr. Zhang has been working hard for half his life, and his body is not good. Although he is only in his fifties, his legs and feet are already very weak and his face was full of wrinkles.
He looked at Ji Wei with a kind of majesty and sharpness that was incompatible with his age.
“Okay, okay, I’ve accepted the gift. My son praised it so much, so I must taste it.” Mr. Zhang stroked his gray beard and took a cookie from the oil-paper bag, but was stopped by Ji Wei.
“These biscuits are a little hard, you must eat them slowly.”
The more flour is added, the taste is more firm and hard. It’s not a problem for ordinary people, but Mr. Zhang was old and often eats soft cakes. If he breaks his teeth, it will be bad.
Mr. Zhang glanced at Ji Wei, put the crutch aside, snapped the biscuit in half, and sniffed it under his nose. Apart from the sweet milky taste, he couldn’t tell what it was.
Finally, he put it into his mouth and bit hard.
It tastes good, but it’s too hard.
Mr. Zhang thought silently.
“Father, what do you think?”
“I think I was wrong.”
Ji Weiyi let out a long sigh, which made Zhang Mingyuan puzzled.
“Brother Ji, what do you mean?”
“If this gift is given to Xiucai, that it would be right. But it’s not suitable to give it to Mr. Zhang.” Ji Wei apologized with a smile, “In that case, this should be a gift to Zhang Xiucai.”
Zhang Mingyuan still didn’t understand, why the gift that was supposed to be given to his father became his gift?
But the old man was different. The older he gets, the wiser he was. He immediately heard Ji Wei’s secret meaning in the words, and secretly applauded in his heart.
But still, he said: “It’s just some waste materials, not worth mentioning.”
“Your home and business are big, a small favor from you is a great favor to ordinary people like me.”
Ji Wei added, “These biscuits are crispy and frankincense. It is best served with clear tea as an afternoon refreshment. Zhang Xiuchai is a scholar who knows how to combine work and rest. Whenever he is tired of reading, he can try a few pieces. Not only will it suppress his hunger, it can also help him to refresh. This is what I call killing two birds with one stone.”
His words came with hidden meanings. As soon as he spoke those words, Mr. Zhang glanced at him with his eyes full of meaning. So much so that it causes Ji Weiyi’s face to tighten.
Fortunately, Zhang Mingyuan was very supportive. When he heard Ji Wei’s words, he immediately patted his palms and praised, “Brother Ji is really thoughtful, and I always feel irritable when it comes to 2 pm, I would need to go for a walk or eat some cakes before it is resolved.”
Ji Wei smiled secretly, but his face was very calm, “Next time I will make some soft cakes for Mr Zheng, and I will send some biscuits to Zhang Xiucai at the same time.”
“No need for that.”
Mr. Zhang stared at Ji Wei and said kindly: “There’s no reason for you to give away things for free. Since Mingyuan likes it, every few days in the future, when you deliver cakes the cake to us, we will pay you.”
“But I haven’t planned to sell it yet, the price…” Ji Wei hesitated.
The old man Zhang coughed a few times, called Zhang Quan, and asked him to go to the cashier to get the money.
Zhang Quan trotted away.
“Since you have no plan to sell it, for the time being, it’s considered a private arrangement. I’ll give you three taels of silver every month, and you will deliver this to my door every three days—what’s this called?”
“Biscuit.”
“How about delivering biscuits to my door every three days?”
Delivering biscuits every three days will help him earn three taels of silver a month, which is equivalent to 300 yuan per delivery, which was worth the hard work he needed for half a morning.
This deal is a good deal.
The most important thing was that he managed to start a relationship with Zhang’s family.
Ji Wei pondered for a moment, and readily agreed, “I will do as you requested.”
…
After sending Ji Wei away, Zhang Quan couldn’t help saying: “Young Master, this Ji Wei is a famous bastard in town. What if he has some crooked motives?”
There were no outsiders at this time, Zhang Mingyuan had biscuits in both his hands, and was eating happily. Hearing what Zheng Quan said, he glanced at him and said unhappily: “Uncle Quan, there is a saying that a gentleman does not avoid the beauty of others, and does not speak ill of others behind their back’. Those who talk about people behind their back are not gentlemen. Let’s not talk about how Brother Ji used to be, There is nothing wrong with what Ming Yuan has seen today, and he will not alienate others because of what others say.”
After speaking, he picked up another biscuit.
Zhang Quan had a bitter face. He knew that this young master had been studying inside the house since he was a child, and he speaks the words of the sage. He hadn’t read many books himself, so he couldn’t understand these words very well. He had lived half a life longer than him, and he could always understand the evil of others better.
Not only did the young master didn’t listen to him, but he also started blaming him.
“Zhang Quan, be careful with your words.”
The old man Zhang opened his drooping eyelids and said these few words, not very loud, but very imposing.
Zhang Quan didn’t dare to argue, he closed his mouth, bowed his waist, and stepped aside.
“Father, what do you think of Brother Ji?” Zhang Mingyuan’s mouth was full of biscuits, his cheeks bulged, his speech was slurred, and his eyes looked at his father with reliance.
“A wise man.”
Mr. Zhang patted Zhang Mingyuan on the shoulder, and his tone was more gentle: “People who are about to start a family and business need to believe in themselves more.”
After he finished speaking, he got up, grabbed his cane, and walked away slowly.
Zhang Mingyuan stared blankly at the remaining biscuits, gritted his teeth, wrapped the oil paper bag, and went back to his room.