Man in the Rain

It was raining heavily, and the number of pedestrians on the streets of Yulin County gradually decreased. Occasionally, a few vendors who were in a hurry and had not yet closed their stalls walked by. The wild cats and dogs that were seen everywhere on weekdays disappeared without a trace. There was only the roaring sound of water and a lonely back, a bamboo hat, and a raincoat.

Zhongbaotang is a most ordinary medicine shop in Yulin County. Seeing the heavy rain outside, the owner of the medicine shop estimated that it would be difficult for customers to come today, so he asked the apprentice to clean up the store and prepare to close.

The apprentice was busy cleaning up the medicinal materials drying outside. He was worried that he would be scolded by his master if a batch of medicine was caught in the rain, when suddenly there was another person beside him.

The man was very tall, and the raincoat wrapped his body tightly. The bamboo hat blocked his face, and only the rain kept flowing from the hem of the raincoat.

"Sir, are you here to buy medicine?"

"To inquire about something."

The apprentice was annoyed and waved his hand: "Go away, we only sell medicine here. No..."

Before he finished speaking, the apprentice was suddenly dazzled by the golden light and his face changed immediately. The man at the door actually held a gold ingot in his hand!

"Sir... what are you doing?"

"To inquire about something." The invisible man repeated.

"Okay, okay, sir, just ask, I will answer honestly."

The man gave the gold to the other party first, and the apprentice's hands were shaking when he received the gold. He thought that this time it was the result of the ancestors' blessing! Such a big bargain was unexpectedly encountered by himself!

"I'm asking you, did anyone come to buy houttuynia the night before yesterday?"

The apprentice thought for a moment and said, "Yes, yes, yes! I remember this. Someone came to buy houttuynia the day before yesterday, and someone else came to buy it at night. This is a bit strange. Few people usually use houttuynia, but it seemed that many people were scrambling to buy it that day, so I was deeply impressed."

"Who bought the medicine?"

"A little maid, about eleven or twelve years old."

"Hmm?" The man exclaimed, "Do you recognize the little maid? Or do you know which family the little maid belongs to?"

"I know, I know! The maid's name is Xiaoyue. She's just in the street ahead. It seems that she is a poor businessman from Yangzhou. She bought a sloping courtyard and is renovating it recently. Sir, just walk forward and you'll be there in a while. I heard that the owner of that family is surnamed Xia."

The man nodded, did not ask any more questions, left the medicine shop silently, and disappeared in the rain.

…

At this time, Jiangnan had been kneeling in the rain for a while. Although he was still kneeling, he was not as energetic as before. He lowered his head sickly, his whole body was wet, his lips were a little black, and he was shivering.

The door of the thatched house opposite Jiangnan had not been opened yet, and several people at the door were worried about the girl in the rain.

Yazhi found an umbrella and rushed into the rain to hold it for Jiangnan, but this was not a long-term solution. The girl would definitely faint in a while.

Xiaoyue couldn't bear it anymore. She stood beside the lady and pulled the corner of the lady's clothes: "Madam, look how pitiful she is. The young master is really, how can he be so cruel?"

Qin Huairou smiled faintly, looked back at the thatched house, and thought to herself, let's see how long my husband can endure it?

If we talk about who knows Xia Shang best, it is naturally the legitimate wife who knows best. She knows that her husband is hard-mouthed but soft-hearted. Seeing a delicate girl kneeling in the rain, she is probably anxious in her heart. Although she knows it is a self-torture, she must give in. Now it depends on who can stand it between the two!

On the contrary, Yazhi was holding an umbrella in the rain, but she was extremely anxious. The young master who entered the house earlier scolded her, and she was a little timid in her heart. Otherwise, she would definitely rush in to plead for Sai Jiangnan.

Jiangnan didn't think much about it. Now, she was drowsy from the rain and she had no energy to think about anything. She only knew that she had never determined anything in her life. This was the first time she determined someone from the bottom of her heart. She didn't want to give up, and she couldn't give up!

Just when everyone was in a stalemate, a middle-aged man wearing a bamboo hat and a raincoat and walking steadily came to the gate of the Xia family courtyard and called softly: "Is anyone home?"

Zhong Bo held an umbrella and ran through the rain: "Who are you looking for?"

"I'm a leisurely person, passing by here and want to ask your master something."

"Do you want to ask for directions or something? Just tell me."

"No, it's better to wait for your master to tell you about this."

Zhong Bo looked up and down. Because the rain was too heavy, he couldn't stay in the rain even with an umbrella. He muttered and ran to Qin Huairou: "Madam, there's a weird guy outside. He said he must see the master to ask questions. What do you think?"

Qin Huairou thought about it and thought it would be a good idea to use this person to resolve the stalemate at the moment: "Please let the guests in. I'll tell my husband."

Li Zhong received the order and returned to the courtyard to receive the guests.

Qin Huairou turned around and entered the thatched house.

Inside the house, Xia Shang had already gotten up and was drinking alone at the table. When he saw his wife, he frowned: "Madam, please don't ask for mercy. You don't know how troublesome that girl's family is. I..."

Qin Huairou covered her mouth and chuckled: "Husband, I haven't said anything yet, and you've said so much. Besides, I've never felt sorry for her. Husband, I'm afraid you can't bear it in your heart?"

"Me? Why can't I bear it? I'm just a playboy."

"Hehe... Husband, you should go out and take a look first, but there's another guest."

"Guest? What guest? Did you trick me out?"

"It's a stranger, but he doesn't look like an ordinary person. Husband, you might as well go and take a look first."

Xia Shang was half-believing and half-doubting, but still followed his wife out of the thatched house.

Seeing Xia Shang coming out of the thatched cottage, Jiangnan's pale pretty face was like a blooming flower, and a touch of red clouds appeared in an instant. She wanted to stand up excitedly: "Sir!"

But as soon as she stood up, she felt dizzy and fainted the next second.

Fortunately, Yazhi was there to catch Jiangnan's body.

Yazhi pouted her lips, looking unhappy, but she didn't dare to say anything to the young master. She came to Xia Shang coldly, didn't say anything, and looked like you can do it.

This opportunity was also a step for Xia Shang. He waved his hand and signaled to send Jiangnan to the house: "There are still some medicines at home. Give her some to replenish qi and blood and warm her body."

After sending Jiangnan into the house, the middle-aged man who came in at the door walked under the eaves, took off his hat, and shook off the rain on his body lightly.

Xia Shang looked at him and felt that he looked familiar, as if he had seen him somewhere.

The middle-aged man also looked at Xia Shang, with a slightly puzzled expression, and obviously he also felt that he looked familiar.

Finally, the middle-aged man remembered first: "What a 'wood tremble', so the gentleman lives here?"

After saying that, he chuckled and bowed to Xia Shang.

After being reminded, Xia Shang also remembered.

On that day when he was setting up a stall to tell fortunes in Yangzhou City, he was the one who was injured and asked for divination.

"It turned out to be you, sir. I'm sorry. I wonder if your injuries have improved a little?"