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Gu Fei walked out, but Gu Sanlang was gone. He must have gone to watch the fun.

Only Lian’er followed her closely.

Gu Fei looked back at the house. The location was excellent, but where could she get three thousand taels of silver?

Thinking about it, it seemed wrong. If the old man wanted to sell the house in such a good location, would he worry about no one buying it?

This house must be a bit weird.

It could be haunted or there could be a lawsuit.

Forget it, she won’t think about it for now. She’d better ask someone else.

After walking a few steps, she saw a fat rabbit lamp on the street. Gu Fei stood there and looked at it for a while, then turned around and walked forward.

As soon as she took a step, Gu Fei suddenly stopped.

Lian’er looked at her in confusion and saw Gu Fei staring blankly ahead.

Lian’er also looked forward and saw a young man in brocade standing under the lamp, with beautiful eyebrows and eyes.

Su Chen was wearing a moon-white brocade robe with a silver thread jacquard cloud pattern, a silver crown on his head, a pearl the size of a longan in the middle of the silver crown, a white jade belt around his waist, and a small colorful glass lamp in his hand.

He was handsome and graceful.

Gu Fei had never seen such a good-looking person, and for a moment, her eyes seemed to be attracted, and she could not move away from Su Chen’s face.

Su Chen held the lamp and forgot to take a step for a while. His eyes were only staring at the girl not far away.

She stood there gracefully, with a graceful and slender figure. The peach-colored clothes made her face white and pink, as beautiful as peach blossoms.

Her eyes were brighter than the brightest stars. She stood there as if she was glowing all over, making the lanterns on the street pale in comparison.

The surroundings seemed to be suddenly quiet, and the noise and people on the street disappeared.

The boy and the girl looked at each other from a distance, and time seemed to have frozen.

The night wind blew the girl’s hair and gently brushed her jade-like face.

Gu Fei blushed slightly and lowered her head.

Her heart suddenly beat violently, as if it was out of control.

She knew that it was the feeling of a heartbeat.

Su Chen was not much better than Gu Fei. All the blood in his body seemed to rush to his heart, and the joy was about to explode his heart.

Today, she was incredibly beautiful, like a piece of unpolished jade. With a little carving, she showed her alluring appearance.

And he understood her value when she was still wrapped in layers of stone.

Su Chen moved his footsteps and walked towards Gu Fei step by step with firm steps.

Gu Fei couldn’t help but look up again. Watching him approach step by step, she became more and more flustered. She told herself that she had to leave immediately, but her feet seemed to be nailed to the ground, and couldn’t move at all.

She watched him approach step by step. Walking to her, then lowered his head and looked at her gently: “Miss Xiao Fei, what a coincidence, you also come to see the lanterns.”

Gu Fei felt that her face must be burning.

She secretly despised her incompetence, and a smile slowly appeared at the corner of her lips: “Young Master Su, what a coincidence.”

“Is your leg okay?”

Su Chen nodded slightly, suddenly stretched out his hand, and handed the colorful lamp to her: “This is for you.”

Gu Fei looked down at the lamp and whispered: “Why give it to me?”

Su Chen didn’t say anything, just looked at Gu Fei, but there seemed to be thousands of words in his eyes.

Gu Fei raised her eyes and stared into his eyes, as if she understood, but also as if she understood nothing.

She seemed to be bewitched and involuntarily reached out to take the colorful lamp.

 

Gu Fei bowed to the old man: “Old man, I’m sorry, I accidentally stepped on you just now.”

The old man snorted and said nothing.

Gu Fei took out a few copper coins from her body, bent down, and put them in front of the old man: “Old man, it’s cold, you can’t sleep here at night, you should find a place to shelter from the wind.”

The old man suddenly got angry: “Get out, where did you come from, young lady? I’m not a beggar, who wants your copper coins!”

Gu Fei looked embarrassed, bent down to pick up the copper coins on the ground, and was about to leave. After thinking for a while, she asked the old man: “Old man, do you know whose house this is? Why is it empty? It’s a pity to leave it empty on such a busy street.”

She was thinking recently, her mother grows peppers and her father raises clams, what should she do? She can’t eat white rice at home.

Seeing such a good location, she couldn’t help but ask a few questions.

The old man stared at her and saw that she was wearing a brocade dress, followed by a maid and a servant standing next to her. Suddenly, his eyes turned: “Why are you asking this, little girl?”

Gu Fei smiled and said: “Nothing, I just feel it’s a pity. Such a good place, no matter what kind of store you open, the business should be good.”

The old man suddenly said: “Little girl has a vision.”

“From what you said, you want to open a store?”

Gu Fei nodded.

The old man suddenly said: “This house is mine. If you want to open a store, I will sell it to you.”

Gu Fei tilted her head and looked at the old man: “Don’t lie to me, old man.”

He was dressed in rags and looked like a beggar. How can he have such a big house?

The old man snorted coldly: “Who lied to you? If you don’t believe me, come in and see!”

Then the old man stood up, took out a yellow copper key from his body, turned around, and opened the door.

Gu Fei was surprised. It seemed that it belonged to this old man.

There was no light in the house. Fortunately, there were lanterns like a sea on the street today, and some light could be shined into the house.

Gu Fei looked around. The house was quite large, empty, and covered with dust. It seemed that it had been abandoned for a long time.

The old man pointed to the back: “There is a yard behind me, and there is a building in the yard.”

Gu Fei estimated that a storefront in this location would cost thousands of taels of silver, so she waved her hand: “Old man, I won’t go to the back to look, I don’t have enough money to buy this house.”

“But can I rent this house?”

The old man shook his head and said: “I won’t rent it out, I only sell!”

He took another look at Gu Fei’s clothes and said angrily: “You little girl, you are not honest. If you don’t have a family background, how dare you wear a brocade satin that costs 10 taels of silver per foot?”

“You said you don’t have enough money, but you can make such clothes, I don’t believe you!”

“I think you are just playing a trick on me, an old man!”

Gu Fei smiled helplessly: “Old man, it’s true, I don’t have enough money.”

“Then how much money do you want to sell this house for?”

The old man stretched out three fingers: “I don’t want much, three thousand taels of silver, I can go to the government office with you to get the house deed tomorrow.”

Gu Fei stuck out her tongue and was hit by the price and wanted to run away, “Old man, then I will go back and see if I can get the money together.”

While talking, Gu Fei walked out.

The old man stood in the shadows, watching Gu Fei walk out, and murmured: “It’s been so long, maybe I can finally sell it.”

“It would be great if it could, and I would be relieved. ”

 

Gu Zhang came out and looked at Gu Fei in a daze for a moment, then laughed out loud: “My daughter looks like her father, very pretty, hahaha.”

Mrs. Chen said angrily: “She looks like me!”

Xiao Cao ran in and clapped her hands: “My aunt is pretty, she is a fairy.”

Gu Fei took Xiao Cao’s hand: “Let’s go and see the lanterns!”

The family happily got on the mule carriage and headed for Ping’an City.

When passing the city gate, the drivers didn’t notice that there was a carriage parked at the city gate. Zhang Ze sat in the carriage and lifted a corner of the curtain. When he saw Gu Qing and the others driving the car, he showed joy on his face and whispered: “Young Master, Miss Gu is here.”

They have been waiting here for more than an hour. If they don’t come, the young master will probably have to go out of the city to see them.

Su Chen said “Hmm” softly, suppressing his urge to lift the curtain: “Follow quietly.”

The family entered the city and found an inn. When they asked, they found that it was full.

It turned out that many people were coming to the city to see the lights.

They drove the mule carriage to several places and finally booked a few rooms. It was already dark.

Mrs. Chen looked at the sky: “Where should we go for dinner?”

Gu Zhang waved his hand: “Why eat? There will be all kinds of snacks on the street soon. It’s better to save some space in your stomach and try more snacks.”

Gu Fei quickly took out some silver coins and distributed them to Gu Qing, Gu Erlang, and Gu Sanlang, then secretly gave Lanzhi and Lian’er a small piece of silver each.

This inn was a bit remote. The family walked out of the inn and headed towards the Jinshui River.

Mrs.Chen couldn’t help but nag: “There are many people in this Lantern Festival, and there are also people painting flowers. Dalang, hold Xiao Cao tightly, Erlang and Sanlang, you two should keep an eye on your sister and don’t get separated.”

Sanlang looked at Mrs. Chen: “Mom, my sister can kill a wolf, why are you worrying about her?”

Mrs. Chen then remembered that her daughter was skilled in martial arts.

She hit Gu Sanlang: “You have to be careful, your sister is so beautiful, what if someone has bad intentions!”

Gu Sanlang responded with his mouth, but his eyes had already gone somewhere else.

Gu Erlang glanced at Lanzhi secretly and didn’t hear what his mother said at all.

Only Lian’er secretly thought in her heart that she must have followed Gu Fei closely.

Along the way, lanterns of various colors had already been hung up.

Gu Fei didn’t know how to describe this kind of beauty. It was a kind of exquisite bustle and prosperity, which made you not know where to look.

Not long after walking, Xiao Cao pointed to a stall selling glutinous rice dumplings on the roadside: “Dad, Xiao Cao is hungry, Xiao Cao wants to eat this.”

Gu Fei also wanted to eat, so she pulled Lian’er to sit on the roadside and asked for a bowl of crab meat glutinous rice dumplings, and also asked for a bowl for Lian’er.

Lanzhi’s upbringing didn’t allow her to eat on the street. She walked slowly forward with Gu Zhang, Mrs. Chen, and Gu Erlang.

Xiao Cao ate slowly, and Gu Fei and Lian’er left first after they finished eating.

Gu Zhang saw Gu Sanlang following his sister, so he was relieved and accompanied Xiao Cao to eat slowly.

After a while, they arrived at the street of Yipin Pavilion.

This street was one of the most prosperous streets in Ping An City. Gu Fei saw that Yipin Pavilion was brightly lit and all kinds of lanterns were hung outside the door.

Walking a little further, Gu Fei suddenly saw a two-story building facing the street. Every household had lights hung, except for this door, which was pitch black.

Gu Fei stared at the house curiously. There was a thick layer of dust on the doors and windows, and there was no plaque on it. As she was looking at it, she stepped on something and almost fell. Lian’er quickly supported her.

Gu Fei looked down and saw an old man in tattered clothes, sitting against the wall with his legs stretched out.

 

To put it bluntly, the Lantern Festival was a grand matchmaking event for young men and women.

If young men and women were attracted to each other and their families were well-matched, the elders would be happy to help them.

Mrs. Chen and Gu Zhang met at the Lantern Festival in Lincheng.

Thinking of this, Mrs. Chen couldn’t help but glance at Gu Zhang.

Gu Zhang also looked at her with a telepathic look.

Mrs. Chen’s old face rarely blushed, and two blushes flew on her face.

Gu Zhang couldn’t help but think of that year when the young Mrs. Chen stood under the lantern and saw him looking at her, she lowered her head shyly, and two blushes appeared on her face.

Gu Fei saw the glances between her parents clearly, and hurriedly lowered her head and pretended not to see it.

Gu Erlang stared at Lanzhi without blinking. Tomorrow night, he can go to see the lanterns with Lanzhi!

The next morning, Gu Fei saw her mother looking radiant and only smiled secretly.

After lunch, Mrs. Chen called Lian’er: “Give Xiao Fei a nice hairstyle, and then put on the new headpiece for me to see.”

Lian’er smiled and pulled Gu Fei into the house, and Lanzhi hurried to follow.

Gu Fei’s hair was good, dense and thick, and long to the waist.

Lanzhi grabbed Gu Fei’s hair and thought: “Why not comb it into a flying fairy bun, just right to match the two pearl flowers.”

Lian’er didn’t know what a flying fairy bun was. Lanzhi started, and Lian’er assisted beside her. The two spent half an hour and finally combed the flying fairy bun.

Lanzhi put on the pearl flower, and Lian’er clapped her hands: “Miss, you look so beautiful dressed up like this.”

Gu Fei looked at the bronze mirror. This mirror was not as blurry as modern people imagine. The mirror surface was very bright, and the clarity was sufficient.

However, the person reflected in the bronze mirror looked a little yellow. Gu Fei was used to modern mirrors and could not accept them.

Thinking about the mirror in her own space, Gu Fei felt a little itchy and pushed the two out: “You should also comb your hair and change clothes quickly.”

She closed the door with her backhand and took out the mirror from the space to look at it.

This hairstyle was excellent. Gu Fei was so excited that she took out all the cosmetics she used in college.

First, she trimmed her eyebrows, then patted water, then used lotion, eye cream, and face cream, and then applied foundation, and then drew nude makeup.

After the whole process, Gu Fei looked at herself in the mirror and didn’t recognize herself.

Eyebrows like distant mountains, eyes like autumn water, fair face, and rosy cheeks.

Gu Fei felt that she couldn’t look in the mirror anymore. If she continued to look, she would shamelessly use all the idioms on herself.

After changing into her new clothes, Gu Fei opened the door and came out.

In the main room, Gu Sanlang was very anxious. He said he would leave after lunch, but it had been more than an hour, and his sister was still locked in the room. He didn’t know what she was doing.

As soon as the door opened, Gu Sanlang was delighted: “Sister, let’s go now–”

He was stunned by Gu Fei, and said after a while: “Sister, why are you so beautiful?”

When Mrs. Chen heard what Gu Sanlang said, she came out of the room and was stunned when she saw Gu Fei. Her daughter usually didn’t dress up much. She often braided her hair randomly. If she doesn’t go out, she will wear old clothes. Today, she dressed up suddenly, especially wearing this flowered satin jacket, like a different person.

How can she still be called a country girl? She was a rich young lady.

Mrs. Chen was filled with emotion for a while. Her daughter was buried because of their family.

In the future, she will work hard to make more money and buy her daughter a lot of pearl jewelry and silk clothes.

She wants her daughter to be so beautiful every day!

 

When Baoer heard about the New Year’s money, he ran over with a bowl in his hand.

Gu Zhang took out a stack of red envelopes from his sleeve and gave them out one by one.

Everyone in the family got one.

Gu Erlang and Gu Sanlang got one because they were not married yet. Lanzhi and Lian’er also got one each.

Baoer couldn’t wait to open the red envelope and saw that it contained twenty copper coins.

Just as he was about to stuff the red envelope into his arms, Mrs. Qian’s hand reached out and grabbed the red envelope: “I’ll save this for you so that you can find a wife when you grow up.”

Bao’er flattened his lips: “I don’t want a wife, I just want copper coins! I want to go to the city to buy candied haws to eat–”

The old lady hurriedly put down her chopsticks and waved to him: “Bao’er, come here, grandma has some.”

Bao’er ran to the old lady, took the red envelope without even looking at it, stuffed it into his clothes, and ran away quickly, for fear that Mrs. Qian would snatch it away again.

Mrs. Qian turned her head and stared at Xing’er, who rubbed the red envelope reluctantly for a long time before slowly handing it to her mother.

Gu Fei was also lucky enough to get a red envelope from her grandma, with two copper coins in it.

The meal lasted an hour before everyone dispersed.

The house was cleaned up, two pots of charcoal were lit, and the family stayed up all night.

There was no entertainment, so she just sat there and ate some snacks. Gu Fei soon became sleepy and yawned. Mrs. Chen felt sorry for her and let her go to sleep.

After the New Year, the second day of the first lunar month was the beginning of spring.

This year, the climate in Donghai County was warm.

On the third day of the first lunar month, Mrs. Chen took the laborers in the family to plant peppers.

When the eldest aunt heard about it, she and her uncle came over and asked Gu Fei to get pepper seeds to plant.

Ten days passed in the blink of an eye. During dinner, Gu Sanlang took a few bites of rice and suddenly said: “Dad, I met Brother Zhang Ze when I went to the city to catch the car today. He asked me if I would go to the city to see the lanterns tomorrow night. He said there is a lantern festival in the city during the Lantern Festival, with dragon and lion dances, and it is very lively.”

Gu Qing nodded: “I also heard that in previous years, the entire Jinshui River was illuminated by the lights on the flower boats during the lantern festival.”

Gu Erlang glanced at Lanzhi and looked at Gu Zhang eagerly: “Dad, let’s go see the lanterns.”

Gu Zhang pondered for a moment: “The city gates are closed at night, how can we get back then?”

Gu Fei also felt itchy after hearing this. Although Lincheng also held a lantern festival, she had been locked up in the Marquis’ mansion and had never seen it. She also wanted to see if it was really like what was written in the poem “Yuan Xi”, the east wind bloomed thousands of trees at night, and the carved carriages filled the road with fragrance.

She felt that if she doesn’t experience the Lantern Festival, it’s not worth a trip to ancient times.

She acted coquettishly to her father: “Dad, let’s go, the whole family will go. If we can’t come back, then let’s stay in the city for one night.”

Seeing that his daughter wanted to go, Gu Zhang agreed without any principles: “Then go, then go into the city tomorrow afternoon, find an inn to stay in first, and then go to see the lanterns peacefully at night.”

Lanzhi looked at Gu Fei eagerly, she also wanted to go, but she didn’t know if this whole family would include her.

Gu Fei winked at her, and Lanzhi felt relieved instantly, and her little mouth curled up.

She said happily: “The pink satin jacket I made for Xiao Fei is almost finished. I will finish it tonight so that Xiao Fei can wear it to watch the Lantern Festival tomorrow.”

Mrs. Chen looked at Lan Zhi approvingly, and smiled at Gu Fei: “Wear the pearl flower that mother bought for you tomorrow.”

The girl will be coming of age this year, and when a girl comes of age, she will start to look for a husband.

She wanted her daughter to dress up beautifully, and it would be even better if she could meet a good young man at the Lantern Festival.

 

The old lady couldn’t help scolding Gu Fei: “You are the one who is too nosy. Bao’er is still a child. Besides, it’s New Year’s Day today. Aren’t these dishes placed here for people to eat?”

“Whether he is good or not is up to his father. It’s not your turn to speak!”

Gu Fei didn’t even look at the old lady and said lightly: “I didn’t want to say it. Whether Bao’er is good or not has nothing to do with me.”

“But if he put his hand over the bowl, can this dish still be eaten?”

“I’m not teaching him a lesson. I’m teaching him the rules!”

Gu Zhong didn’t think Gu Fei was wrong, but he was embarrassed.

The main reason was that, compared to Hu Zi and Xiao Cao next to him. Bao’er was indeed unruly.

Although Hu Zi was also greedy, his eyes were fixed on the dishes on the table, but he just sat there properly, unlike Bao’er who grabbed food right away.

Xiaocao, needless to say, eats everything slowly and calmly.

It was just his son who was embarrassed.

Seeing the old lady talking about Gu Fei, Gu Zhong knew that this niece should not be offended, and hurried to save the situation: “Mom, Xiao Fei is right. Bao’er is too unruly, and he has to be taught! Don’t interfere in Bao’er’s affairs in the future!”

The old lady was stunned for a moment before she reacted. She spoke up to protect her eldest son, but he didn’t appreciate it at all and thought she was meddling.

Old Lady Gu frowned: “What are you say— um”, the rest of the words were still in her throat, but the eldest aunt quickly picked up a meatball and stuffed it into the old lady’s mouth, blocking her mouth.

Gu Zhang glanced at his troublesome mother and waved his hand: “Everyone, come to the table. Sanlang, go to the door and set off the firecrackers. After setting off the firecrackers, let’s start the feast.”

Gu Sanlang ran out of the door happily. After a while, the sound of “crackling” firecrackers rang out, and the door was filled with smoke.

Old Lady Gu’s mouth was blocked by the meatballs. She looked at the children and grandchildren in the room, one by one. No one agreed with her. They only knew to flatter the second son’s family.

Old Lady Gu’s heart was full of sadness, and she chewed the meatballs slowly, tears unconsciously flowing from the corners of her eyes.

The feast was already lively on the table.

Gu Fei contributed a bottle of her Five Grains Liquor today and changed the bottle.

Gu Zhang raised his glass: “It’s unexpected. I didn’t expect that everyone would have to spend the New Year in Ping’an City, thousands of miles away from home, this year.”

“Fortunately, the whole family is together, which is better than anything else.”

As soon as these words came out, the wives in the family couldn’t help but wipe their eyes. The Gu family was all together, but their natal family was still in their hometown and didn’t leave. They didn’t know how they were doing now.

Gu Zhang saw Mrs. Chen’s eyes red and suddenly felt that he had said something wrong. He laughed dryly twice: “Eat, eat, the food will get cold soon.”

Gu Rong ate for a while, and called Gu Fei across the table: “Xiao Fei, this swan meat is amazing. This is the most delicious thing my uncle has ever eaten.”

Gu Fei smiled and turned back: “Then Third Uncle, eat more. I made a lot, and there is still some in the pot. My uncle will take the rest back and eat it slowly later.”

She had never made swan meat before, but she made it according to the method of dry pot turtledove. Anyway, they are all birds, so they should be similar.

She felt that the dry pot swan meat was not as delicious as the turtledove meat, and the turtledove meat was more tender. There was a reason for the saying that the flying turtledove and the running rabbit were both flying turtledoves.

Mrs. Qian had been eating the braised pork and had not had time to eat the swan. When she heard what Gu Rong said, she quickly put a piece of it into her bowl.

The adults drank and ate slowly, while the children ate quickly. Hu Zi finished eating first, and walked over while touching his belly: “Dad, I’m going to play in the yard.”

Gu Zhang called him: “Come here, come over here, get your New Year’s money before going out to play.”