Baozi Xishi's Struggle

Chapter 147 Miss Shen, I want to sell the shop to you

An old man who often comes to buy honey cakes took the packaged honey cakes and was not in a hurry to leave. Instead, he looked Shen Yu up and down and said with concern: "Miss Shen, are you okay? Seeing that you are selling buns as usual today, we are all happy for you."

The people around also started talking at once: "Yes, who would have thought that old woman Hu was so cruel and could come up with such a vicious method to harm people. Her little grandson is only three or four years old."

"They are a couple who have done evil and deserve their own retribution. I heard that they have been unable to get out of bed these past few days. Mrs. Hu lies in bed and scolds Zhou Dalang every day. Her voice is so loud that it can be heard on the street."

"The Zhou family's bakery has not been open for several days. Zhou Dalang is trying to find a way to raise money. He has been asking for money everywhere but no one is willing to lend it to him."

A customer asked curiously, "The Zhou family's bakery has been open for more than ten years, and the business was pretty good in the past few years. How come they can't even take out a few hundred taels of silver?"

Another guest knew something about the inside story, and whispered mysteriously, "I live close to his family, and I heard that when Mrs. Hu and Zhou Dalang divided their property, the old couple held on to all the cash and valuables in the house, and only gave Zhou Dalang the silver from the cake shop, which was no longer doing much business, and did not give him a penny of cash. Mrs. Hu insisted that there was not much silver at home, and Zhou Dalang was responsible for handing in the silver to the county government, saying that whoever promised to pay it should pay it, and the old couple should keep the silver for their retirement."

"Tsk tsk, this old woman Hu is really evil-hearted. Zhou Dalang is so kind-hearted. He was grateful for the kindness of raising them, and desperately pleaded with the county magistrate, so that old woman Hu and old man Zhou were spared from being beaten with a stick. Why is she turning against her will and refusing to acknowledge it now?"

The people around him all shook their heads and sighed, and began to sympathize with the unfortunate Zhou Dalang.

After discussing for a while, the crowd dispersed.

Shen Yu listened from the side and just sighed, then didn't take it to heart and turned around to concentrate on making buns.

After working all morning, I closed the stall and returned home. Since the Mid-Autumn Festival had passed, I no longer had to rush to make reunion cakes. I could have a good meal and rest after returning home.

After breakfast, Shen Yu asked Dun Dun and the other two to add up the recent accounts and practice math at the same time.

Shen Yuze sat at the small table thinking about what food to make next. After all, after the Mid-Autumn Festival, the weather became cooler and the ingredients were easier to preserve. Making some snacks in autumn and winter and selling them at the stall could also be an income source.

"Is anyone home?" There were two knocks on the gate.

Dun Dun put down his pen and ran to open the door. When he saw the person coming, he immediately asked cautiously, "It's you. What are you doing here?"

Li and Jiang were kneading dough in the kitchen. When they heard Dun Dun asking something strange, they didn't care about the dough on their hands and hurried over to take a look. The person standing outside the door was actually Mrs. Hu's son Zhou Dalang.

Li said in a bad tone: "Why is it you? What are you doing in my house?"

Zhou Dalang looked haggard, and he pursed his lips to force a smile, saying hesitantly, "Madam, I mean no harm to you. Can you let me talk in the yard? It's inconvenient to stand at the door."

Li was half-believing and half-doubting. She walked outside and looked around to make sure that only Zhou Dalang came.

Looking at Zhou Dalang's frail body, and then at the people in her yard, Li reluctantly moved away and said unhappily, "Come in, and say what you want to say quickly. Then leave quickly."

Zhou Dalang walked into the yard with a grateful look on his face. When he looked up, he saw Shen Yu, Yutao and the others standing there looking at him.

Dun Dun closed the door and walked over with Jiang and Li.

Everyone looked at Zhou Dalang with an unwelcome look, wondering why he came here.

Zhou Dalang bowed and saluted Shen Yu, and said with a guilty look on his face: "Miss Shen, let me apologize to you on behalf of my mother. She was wrong in doing this and caused you to suffer."

Shen Yu had no expression on his face. He stepped aside and said calmly, "That was your mother's fault, and your child suffered as a result. Besides, I am not someone who cannot tell right from wrong. This matter cannot be blamed on you. If you are really sincere, it should be your mother who should apologize."

Zhou Dalang hit a tough target on Shen Yu's face, his face turned red and white, and he couldn't utter a word.

Seeing that he didn't say anything, Shen Yu thought it would be awkward for everyone in the yard to just stand there, so he asked everyone to go into the house and sit around the table.

Zhou Dalang bowed again to express his thanks, then sat down at the bottom with his hands clasped and his head lowered, looking hesitant.

Shen Yu had no choice but to ask, "What are you doing here today? Our two families have never had any contact with each other. If you have anything to say, please tell me quickly."

Zhou Dalang clenched his fists, as if he had made up his mind, and asked stupidly, "Miss Shen, do you want to buy our store?"

Shen Yu was completely confused and had no idea what Zhou Dalang was talking about.

Li looked at Zhou Dalang suspiciously and sneered, "Zhou Dalang, are you blaming us for the beatings and punishments your parents received? What evil idea are you coming up with to harm us?"

Zhou Dalang shook his hands and was so anxious that he couldn't speak clearly: "I, I didn't mean to harm your family. I don't plan to continue running my bakery. I want to sell the shop."

Zhou Dalang took a breath, raised his voice and continued, "My shop is in a great location, many people are eager to buy, but I feel that my family owes you, so I wanted to come here to ask Madam and Miss Shen, are you willing to take over Zhou's Bakery?"

"You can continue to open your shop and sell buns. That location is really good." Seeing that Li and Shen Yu didn't say anything, Zhou Dalang emphasized it again seriously.

Shen Yu has always wanted to open a small shop. The weather is getting colder. It's okay in autumn, but when it snows in winter, it's cold and difficult to go out. Setting up a stall in the open air is not a long-term solution after all.

Shen Yu had just asked Dun Dun and the others to check their accounts, thinking that he wanted to calculate how much money he had earned from selling small reunion cakes these days. He was going to go to the county town to see if he could find a shop with a lower rent.

Shen Yu was just thinking about this matter, when he didn't expect Zhou Dalang to suddenly appear and ask if he wanted to buy the shop.

You know, the shops on the main street in front of the market have long been empty, and many people want to buy a shop but cannot. Now someone actively wants to sell the shop here, which is a rare thing.

Just when I was about to take a nap, someone handed me a pillow.

Shen Yu didn't know whether what Zhou Dalang said was true or not, and she didn't dare to think that such a good thing would happen. She asked calmly: "Why do you want to sell your house? Since your store is in such a good location and many people are vying for it, the price must be high, right? Why are you selling it to me?"