Old Jin City on the Wall

Chapter 26 Sunflower

Wu Ling's finger stopped on the edge of the table.

The sounds from the teahouse are still lingering.

Two tea drinkers at the next table were playing a game of chess, while the cries of a vendor selling fried dough sticks drifted across the alleyway outside, and sunlight slanted across the bluestone slabs from under the eaves.

The modern area was already closed, and the blue metal sheet stood with its feet touching in the night wind.

It was still afternoon here, with the aroma of tea, sweat, and gardenias mingling together.

Time doesn't reason with him.

They didn't even mention the trouble.

Old Zhou tapped the table with the lid of his teacup.

"Watch the basket."

Wu Ling walked over, parted a few wilted gardenia branches, and pulled out a piece of medicine wrapping paper from the bottom of the basket.

The corner of the paper was covered in mud, and there was a little white medicinal powder on the side.

The sign read "Zhao's Pharmacy," and below it was a line of smaller characters, the ink of which had been smudged by sweat.

Reduces fever.

Five silver dollars.

The words "five silver dollars" were scratched with a fingernail, causing the paper to become fuzzy.

It's not about erasing it.

The force in his voice carried a hint of disdain, as if those three words were too cheap.

Wu Ling held the piece of paper in his hand, and the smell of blue tin from the modern building came wafting over again.

That's a construction fence over there.

This is the medicine paper.

All thin.

They can force people to the doorway.

"Where's Xiao Cui?"

"The backyard," Old Zhou said. "Master Liu is watching. No one was hurt, just frightened."

Wu Ling's shoulders and back relaxed slightly.

But Old Zhou added, "She said herself that starting tomorrow, she won't be showing up in front of the store selling flowers anymore."

That slight relaxation was suppressed.

Wu Ling looked down at the paper.

Five silver dollars.

Old Zhou scraped off the lid of the teapot.

"Do you remember?"

Wu Ling certainly remembered.

Last time, Xiao Cui took the remaining modern medicine to Boss Zhao's pharmacy and exchanged it for five silver dollars.

Boss Zhao couldn't read the words on the medicine, so he kept asking about its origin.

Xiao Cui followed Old Zhou's instructions but kept saying she didn't know.

Before leaving, Boss Zhao left a final remark.

If you still have any, I'll take it no matter the price.

That sentence was just a thorn in my side at the time.

It's out now.

"Boss Zhao has used up the medicine."

"Who?"

"The young master of the Liu family in the south of the city had been burning with fever for several days. Ordinary remedies couldn't suppress it, so he was carried to the back door of the pharmacy. Boss Zhao held onto those few pills in his hand, unwilling but also not daring to throw them all away."

Wu Ling frowned.

"Does he know how to use it?"

Old Zhou looked up.

"What does he know?"

That was a weak insult.

Two tables of customers in the teahouse heard this, looked over, and then lowered their heads to drink their tea.

Old Zhou rarely curses.

The fact that they're scolding me means the matter is really serious.

"When someone is on the verge of death, they'll try anything," Old Zhou said. "They'll drink talismanic water, take folk remedies, and even break open foreign medicines they can't read the words on. If they can save a life, they're a miracle drug. If they can't, they're just unlucky."

Wu Ling looked at the white powder on the medicine paper.

Modern medicines come with boxes, instructions, dosages, and doctors.

When they arrived, all that remained were a few white pills, a piece of rough paper, and a pair of hands that had risked their lives.

"They're saved?"

"He's back. His fever has subsided, he's recognizable, and he was able to drink porridge on the third day. The Liu family set off a string of firecrackers in front of Zhao's shop, saying that Boss Zhao had saved his life."

This should have ended here.

The patient's life was saved, the family thanked the pharmacy, and the pharmacy accepted a gift in return.

The neighbors watch the spectacle, then go back to their own lives the next day.

But this time it didn't stop.

"As soon as the firecrackers went off, everyone in the neighborhood knew that Zhao's had good medicine. Some said it was because his ancestors had accumulated good karma, others said he hid foreigners' secret medicines in his cabinet. The people in the Liu family also took it to heart."

Old Zhou put the lid back on the teapot.

"On the first day, I asked if they still had any."

The next day, they asked where it came from.

"On the third day, they stopped asking about medicine."

Wu Ling looked up.

Old Zhou said, "Ask the person who delivered the medicine."

Wu Ling thought of the Wu family in the modern era.

When Xiaoyu's video first went viral, people lined up to drink tea.

Later on, the old items in the counter attracted people's attention.

This is also the case here.

The medicine saved lives, and then people started to investigate where it came from.

Wu Ling asked, "Did Boss Zhao mention Xiao Cui?"

"Leaving out half a sentence."

Old Zhou did not defend Boss Zhao.

"He said it was delivered by a flower girl. She didn't mention her name or address."

A flower-selling girl.

This is no small matter in Chengdu.

However, in the eyes of those who frequented Zhao's Pharmacy and Wu's Teahouse, the scope was pitifully narrow.

Xiao Cui is not someone who lives in the city.

She carries a flower basket through the streets and alleys every day, relying on others to see her to get food.

But this time, being seen by others turned out to be a disaster.

The curtain in the backyard moved.

A small earthenware pot was pushed out.

A piece was missing from the rim of the pot, and it was patched with new clay.

The soil was damp, and a few sunflowers were huddled together inside.

The color is very bright, and when placed next to the basket of wilted gardenias, one side is gray and the other is fresh.

A bamboo skewer was stuck in the rim of the earthenware pot.

A piece of paper was tied to the bamboo skewer.

The two characters on the paper were written crookedly.

sun.

Master Liu coughed from behind the curtain.

Xiao Cui's voice came out before her face was shown.

"Don't laugh at my ugly handwriting."

"Not ugly. I recognize you."

The tension in the teahouse eased a little.

Wu Ling squatted down and touched the wet mud on the edge of the basin.

"It's grown?"

"They came out a while ago," Xiao Cui said. "Three flowers bloomed a few days ago. I was planning to wait until they were fully open before showing them to the shopkeeper."

She paused for a moment.

"We're not displaying it now."

Wu Ling asked, "Why?"

"They recognize gardenias. Nobody recognizes this flower, but if they knew I planted it, they'd remember me more easily."

"Did the flowers offend you?"

"The flowers didn't bother me."

"Then why did you hide it?"

There was no sound from behind the curtain.

Old Zhou turned the tea lid upside down on the bowl.

Wu Ling understood.

This is a reserved position.

Old Zhou reserved his seat next to his table for Xiao Cui.

"Come out and sit down," Old Zhou said.

Xiao Cui remained motionless.

"I can hear you from behind."

"Being able to hear something doesn't mean you can sit still."

Old Zhou spoke slowly.

Xiao Cui finally lifted the curtain and came out.

Her eyes were red, and the small mole on the tip of her nose was made even more noticeable by her tears.

His sleeves were covered in mud, and he held a broken gardenia branch in his hand.

She didn't sit down, but instead moved the earthenware pot under the counter.

Wu Ling reached out to stop him.

"Put it up here."

"Don't."

"Afraid of being seen?"

"I'm afraid people will see it."

She wasn't afraid of the flowers.

The way was to follow the flowers to find the person, follow the person to ask about the medicine, and follow the medicine to find Wu's shop.

Wu Ling picked up the earthenware basin and placed it in the center of the counter.

"Xiao Cui".

"Um."

"Flowers will still be sold tomorrow."

"I don't stand at the door."

"You don't need to stand."

"How much will it cost?"

"Flower Station".

Xiao Cui was stunned.

The chess game in the teahouse was put on hold.

The chess player by the window held a chess piece, first glancing at Hua, then at Wu Ling.

"This shopkeeper is a bit lazy. He makes the flowers stand by themselves."

The tea drinkers across the street were served quickly.

"The flower stands more steadily than you."

A few laughs rippled through the teahouse.

The laughter wasn't loud, but it pulled Xiao Cui's face out of the shadows of the curtain.

She looked down at the pot of sunflowers.

"How much does it cost?"

Wu Ling asked, "How much are gardenias?"

"Three coins a branch, I've never sold sunflowers."

The chess player by the window said, "Fresh, five coins."

The customer across the street scoffed, "You're buying?"

The chess player by the window placed his piece.

"I'll buy one. On the condition that you make me regret this move."

"Shovel it," said the customer at the noodle shop.

This time, Xiao Cui burst out laughing.

She stopped laughing immediately after she finished.

It's already impossible to clean it properly.

Wu Ling then moved the flower basket to the inside of the counter, placing it next to the earthenware pot.

On one side are gardenias.

On one side are sunflowers.

He asked Master Liu, "Do you have a wooden plaque?"

Master Liu handed over half a piece of old wood from behind.

"The ear clipper box and padding are just passable."

Wu Ling took it and reached out for a pen.

Master Liu handed over a charcoal pencil.

Wu Ling wrote two lines on the wooden piece.

Gardenia Trio.

Sunflowers cost ten coins; I bought two today.

The handwriting is so-so.

Xiao Cui stared at it for a long time.

"Shopkeeper, your handwriting is even more awkward than Master Liu's."

Master Liu, standing behind, was unconvinced.

"At least my sun is written in a round shape."

Xiao Cui placed the wooden sign next to the flowerpot.

"Then use the ugly one, so ugly it's eye-catching."

"Yes, it's eye-catching."

The copper bell at the door rang.

Boss Zhao stood at the door.

He was holding an oil-paper umbrella in his hand.

It's not raining outside.

The umbrella surface is very dry.

When Boss Zhao entered, his eyes fell on the wooden sign.

Xiao Cui tightened her grip on the flower basket, tilting it half an inch behind her.

Wu Ling reached out, took the flower basket, and hung it back on the counter.

"Flowers are sold here."

This wasn't said to Xiao Cui.

Boss Zhao heard it too.

Old Zhou placed the tea lid on the rim of the bowl.

"sit."

Boss Zhao stood inside the door, gripping the umbrella handle tightly.

"Master Zhou, I'll just say a few words and then leave."

"Sit down and talk."

"It's urgent."

"You should sit down if it's urgent."

Boss Zhao finally sat down at the small table by the door.

That table was near a draft, so the tea cooled down quickly.

Wu Ling poured a bowl of Sanhua (a type of edible flower dish) and placed it in front of him.

Boss Zhao reached out and touched the copper coins.

"Tea fee..."

Wu Ling said, "Let's drink first."

Boss Zhao's hand stopped at his sleeve.

He picked up the teacup, lifted the lid, but didn't drink it.

The pharmacy owner's hands are usually very steady when dispensing medicine and weighing money.

The tea lid bumped against the rim of the bowl twice today.

despair.

despair.

Upon hearing the sound, Xiao Cui placed the broken gardenia branch on the counter.

Boss Zhao took out a small paper packet from his pocket.

The edges of the paper package were softened by sweat.

When opened, only a few white fragments remained inside.

"These are the ones left."

Wu Ling did not answer.

Boss Zhao pushed the paper package forward.

"Staying in the shop will only cause trouble."

Old Zhou asked, "Who are you hiring?"

"The Liu Residence".

"You've been here before?"

"I've been here before."

"How many people?"

"One steward, two porters. The porters stood across the street shelling peanuts. The steward came in, didn't touch the counter, only looked at the medicine drawer."

Which square should I look at?

Boss Zhao's expression stiffened slightly.

"The one for reducing fever."

Xiao Cui looked up.

Boss Zhao avoided her gaze.

"I accidentally let slip half a sentence. They found out about Wu Ji themselves later. The manager had never met Manager Wu, but had only heard that there was a new manager here who was recognized by Zhang Xijiu."

Wu Ling said, "So you brought the dregs of the medicine today."

Boss Zhao quickly said, "I'm not here to shirk responsibility. Manager Wu, Master Zhou, my Zhao family has been running this shop for so many years, I know the rules. I admit the trouble started with my words."

Old Zhou asked casually, "How many points do you recognize?"

Boss Zhao was stumped by the question.

Xiao Cui suddenly spoke up.

"Three coins and one branch."

Boss Zhao finally looked at her.

Xiao Cui placed the broken gardenia branch on his desk.

"This won't sell. You can afford to lose money on the flowers."

Boss Zhao quickly said, "I'll compensate you."

"But if I walk down the street, people will stare at me the whole time. You can't afford to pay for that."

The chess piece is suspended in mid-air.

The waiter stopped, carrying a kettle.

Xiao Cui's voice was not loud.

"When you sit behind the counter in the pharmacy, people call you Boss Zhao. When I walk down the street carrying a flower basket, people call me the flower seller. If you just say 'flower girl,' half the street will know who you are."

Boss Zhao's face flushed red and then turned pale.

He tried to bow, still holding a teacup in his hand.

That bit of dignity got stuck halfway through.

Xiao Cui should get her revenge herself.

Boss Zhao put down his teacup.

"Miss Xiao Cui, I'm the one who wronged you in this matter."

Xiao Cui shook her head.

"Whether it's a loss or not, I don't know. I only know that I still need to eat tomorrow."

She straightened the wooden sign.

Gardenia Trio.

Sunflowers cost ten coins; I bought two today.

Boss Zhao stared at the row of "sunflowers".

"I've never heard of this flower in Chengdu."

Xiao Cui said, "The shopkeeper said that these flowers only bloom when the sun is out."

Only then did Boss Zhao take a serious look at the two flowers.

The flowers are small and brightly colored, with petals that spread out layer by layer, so thin that they can't suppress their freshness.

"These are beautiful flowers," praised Boss Zhao. "They're very affordable, costing only ten coins."

Xiao Cui didn't respond.

Boss Zhao put down his teacup.

"Then I'll book for one month first."

"What do you want to order?"

"These new flowers of yours. I'll buy as many as they bloom. Ten coins a flower, I won't shortchange you."

Xiao Cui tucked the flower basket away from the counter.

"I won't sell it to you."

Boss Zhao was stunned.

Why?

"If you want to buy flowers, come tomorrow and line up," Xiao Cui said. "I won't go out to buy them; I don't sell them to you."

The chess player by the window burst out laughing.

The tea drinker across the table tapped the table with a chess piece.

"General."

The chess player by the window said, "Don't steal chess pieces while the girls are arguing."

A sigh of relief swept through the teahouse.

But Boss Zhao couldn't laugh.

He looked at the wooden sign and finally realized that it was not a price tag.

This means "I'm not hiding anymore."

Wu Ling placed the medicine wrapping paper on the table.

Reduces fever.

Five silver dollars.

"When the Liu family asked about the price, what was your answer?"

Mr. Zhao said, "I was talking about secondhand goods; I just happened to pick them up."

"Do they believe that?"

"They don't care whether it's true or false."

"What do they want?"

"Next time."

Wu Ling looked at the few dregs of medicine.

"And you?"

Boss Zhao's throat tightened.

"What about me?"

"Do you want to do it next time?"

After those words were spoken, the teahouse became so quiet that the sound of water boiling on the stove could be heard.

Boss Zhao did not answer immediately.

He is the owner of a pharmacy.

It would be fake to not want to take the life-saving medicine again.

Wu Ling said, "You've come here not just to apologize. You also want to see if Wu Ji will ever do it again."

Boss Zhao was embarrassed.

"Manager Wu, you can't put it like that."

"Then you tell me."

Boss Zhao looked at Old Zhou.

Old Zhou offered him tea, but he refused.

Boss Zhao had no choice but to return to Wuling.

"If a pharmacy owner sees life-saving medicine, asking a few more questions is not a bad thing."

Old Zhou nodded.

"It's not that I have bad intentions. But asking someone for directions is breaking the rules."

Boss Zhao's fingers froze on the tea lid.

Wu Ling pushed the paper package back forward.

"Take it back."

Boss Zhao didn't move.

"Manager Wu, if this thing stays in my shop, it'll cause even more trouble if the Liu family finds it."

"Then grind it up, dilute it with water, and pour it into the ditch behind your shop."

Boss Zhao's eyelids twitched.

"This medicine can really save lives."

"I know it saved people."

"Then we must not waste it."

"There's no dosage, no doctor," Wu Ling said. "These few pills in your hand aren't medicine."

Boss Zhao remained silent.

Wu Ling looked at him.

"Manager Zhao, are you trying to save the person, or are you trying to save your business?"

Boss Zhao picked up the teacup with trembling hands.

The tea has gone cold.

He finished his second sip and closed the paper package again.

This time, he tucked it into his sleeve.

The waiter brought over a kettle to refill the water.

The water dripped into the gaiwan.

Not a drop spilled outside the bowl.

Old Zhou looked at the bowl of tea.

"If the tea gets cold, you can always add more water and drink it again. But if you say something wrong, you can't add more."

Boss Zhao kept his head down.

"I know."

"You don't understand," Old Zhou said, "You should know that today, when we walked in, we would have compensated Xiao Cui instead of taking medicine dregs."

At that moment, the footsteps outside the door stopped.

The shoes have heavy soles, so they stop steadily.

Someone was standing at the door, but didn't come in immediately.

"Excuse me."

The voice was not loud.

"Is this Wu's Teahouse?"

The man stepped across the threshold.

On his right thumb, a jade thumb ring shone brightly in the sunlight from under the eaves.

"I heard there's a flower-selling girl here, and a new shopkeeper who can get Zhang Xijiu to sit down and listen to his stories."