Leisurely fairy way

Chapter 2 Her career as a fire girl
Chapter 3: Her career as a burning girl
Xiaochun rested at home for another day, and finally went to work with Granny Liu.

Before dawn, Granny Liu woke her up. Xiaochun was sleepy and woke up immediately after washing her face with cold water.When they walked out of the alley, the scene immediately became magnificent, very similar to the gardens that Xiaochun saw when he traveled to Suzhou.The layout of ancient Chinese architecture pays attention to casual poetry, unlike the layout of western architectural gardens, which follow the beauty of symmetry, and the garden scenery is very beautiful.The house is decorated with carved beams and painted buildings, vermilion porch pillars, and flying arches. It seems to be a rich family.

The two entered a yard together.The yard was very lively, and some old ladies in Tsing Yi were still washing vegetables.Xiaochun glanced at Granny Liu, she was dressed the same as them.Xiaochun saw a little girl who was not much older than herself, carrying firewood into a room next to her. She was wearing a patched suit similar to hers.It seems that she is not an exception.

"Xiaochun, go and light the fire, I'm going to wash the vegetables." Granny Liu said.Xiaochun nodded, and walked to the corner full of firewood.Two middle-aged men were chopping wood, and she was a little stunned seeing the shiny axes.

One of the burly men with a dark complexion smiled at her and said, "Aunt Liu said you were sick, Xiaochun, are you better?"

Xiaochun also laughed back and said, "It's much better!"

"Xiaochun! Don't stand there stupidly, come here with firewood!" Someone called her at the door, and Xiaochun saw a man in his 40s wearing an apron and a gray hat.

Xiaochun said: "Okay, I'll be right over." She glanced at the sky, it was only bright at this time, if she was in modern times, she would only get up now.Xiaochun sighed a little, and went in with an arms full of firewood.

There is a row of big pots inside, and tall and strong cooks stand in front of the stove cooking.One meter apart is a row of cutting boards for cutting vegetables.After the cauldron, half-aged children like her accounted for the majority, and their clothes were not very good.The man who called her just now was standing in front of the first cauldron, and there was no fire behind it.Xiaochun went over with the firewood in his arms, feeling a little dazed at the dark hearth.What are you doing first?

By the way, Xiaochun remembered.She first put a few large pieces of firewood into it.Then he picked up the flint and steel and scratched vigorously on a small clump of withered grass.Seeing that Xiaoxia made it very easy, it ignited immediately, but she couldn't.After swiping several times, it still didn't light up.The cook is getting impatient.

"Xiaochun, what's the matter with you! The fire hasn't been lit yet!"

Xiaochun made a timid and embarrassed expression: "I, I can't use my strength..."

Although the cook had a bad tone, he still knelt down and lit the fire for her.Xiaochun secretly observed the strength and direction of the flint he struck, tried several times by himself, and finally lit.

The cook started cooking and everyone was busy.Xiaochun looked at the back, the windows at the back are all supported by wooden sticks, which can ensure the circulation of air and reduce the temperature, which is quite scientific.After the cooks finished cooking, they asked the old women to send it to the wives, concubines, young masters and young ladies, and of course the maids came to pick it up.The maids are in a much better situation than them, at least their clothes are clean and tidy, their styles are unique, their faces are clean, and their speech is delicate.

A burning girl next to her poked Xiaochun's arm, and said enviously, "Xiaochun, I really want to be a maid, even a third-class maid. I have food and clothing every day, and I don't have to do heavy work."

Xiaochun looked at her, sallow and thin, ordinary-looking with a bit of buck teeth, and said, "Don't worry, you will."

After the masters' food was delivered, the servants began to eat.Xiaochun found that the treatment given to the servants by Jifu this time is not bad, a bowl of porridge and a steamed bun.Xiaochun now thinks this food is extremely delicious, she drank the porridge and chewed the steamed buns in a slump.After the meal, the old women asked the girls and boys to help wash the vegetables and sort out the firewood. These tasks were not technically advanced and could not trouble Xiaochun.After a while, the bowls came back, and everyone started washing the dishes.

The work in the kitchen is boring. Everyone called the buck-toothed girl Xiaomi just now, and Xiaomi loves to talk to her the most.Xiaomi loves to talk to her about the young master and miss of the Ji family.Xiaochun thought that they probably didn't know that she was also a young lady, because Xiaomi's expression was unabashed and he didn't look at her very deliberately.

"The eldest young master has taken a concubine again, she is the daughter of a county magistrate."

"Miss Fifth has hired a new teacher who teaches piano art, Mr. Songyang who is famous all over the world."

"Mrs. Liu and Mrs. Song quarreled again..."

Xiaomi is very happy, and Xiaochun is a little envious of her being so happy.It was almost noon, and they went into the kitchen to light the fire again. This time the fire went smoothly, but the fire was extinguished once, and Xiaochun blew into the stove, and a puff of smoke came out, which made her eyes hurt, and she was in a hurry. with.There was a sound of footsteps.

The cook who reprimanded her that morning was the steward here, and people praised the steward.Manager Xu didn't even bother to train her, and rushed to greet her.

"Third young master, why do you come here when you have time? The kitchen is not clean and your clothes may be dirty."

Xiaochun continued to blow her fire, and the third young master seemed to shake his fan: "Young master can go wherever he wants, you can control it!"

"Yes! Of course, how dare the little one."

The third young master said lazily again: "Young master must come here for business."

"Young master, if you have something to do, give me an order!"

The third young master waited for a few seconds before slowly saying: "This time there are distinguished guests in the house. I have come here specially and told you to cook better. The main course includes snow lotus pigeon, black-bone chicken with ginseng and shark's fin pot, and venison with chestnut fragrance. , Dessert with fruit-colored ice slice platter, Zhu Guocui. Do you remember? Materials such as snow lotus and ginseng go to the warehouse, and the best must be used."

"Yes, little one remembers."

The third young master seemed to be silent. The fire here at Xiaochun was completely hopeless, and she calmly took the flint beside her to start the fire again.The third young master asked slowly, "Who is that little girl?"

Xiaochun followed the sound and saw that the three young masters had red lips and white teeth, and they were extremely handsome.But why is his folding fan pointed at him from afar?Everyone also looked at her, as if they didn't understand why the third young master asked about an unremarkable little girl.

Maybe everyone was stunned for too long, the third young master squinted his eyes and was a little displeased, Manager Xu hurriedly said: "This is Xiaochun, our fire-burning girl!"

The third young master smiled: "It's really fun for a fire girl who can't even cook a fire well."

He wasn't interested in her anymore, and he didn't want to stay in this oily kitchen, so he went out with a fan, and his two servants followed him.Manager Xu glared at Xiaochun, forgiving that she had just recovered from her illness, and didn't blame her too much.

There is an hour of rest in the afternoon, everyone wakes up early and sleeps late every day, and most of them go to catch up on sleep.However, Xiaochun was really uncomfortable, and she was prone to sweating from the job of lighting a fire. She wanted to take a bath.I told Grandma Liu, and Grandma Liu said, "I don't think there's much firewood left today. If you want to take a bath, you have to go to the woods to collect some firewood."

forest?Where is it?Xiaochun's eyes darkened, and he asked Xiaomi to go with her.The two little girls walked to a lake under the scorching sun in the afternoon. There are lotus flowers growing in the lake, and even lotus pods are blooming in this season.The two little girls were also a little tired, and sat under the willow tree by the lake to enjoy the cool for a while.

Xiaochun said: "This place is really nice, it's cool and there are few people."

Xiaomi smiled and said, "You come here every day, but I haven't heard you praise this place! When the lotus blooms again, we will sail into the lake in a boat to pick some lotus pods. I remember that Xiao Xia likes to eat lotus seeds!"

Xiaochun said: "I'm posting today because of my feelings." She thought to herself, this millet seems to have a good relationship with Xiaochun, and she must reveal her secrets.

Xiaomi glanced at her thoughtfully.Xiaochun smiled: "What are you doing?"

Xiaomi said: "I can't say it, I always feel that you are different." Xiaomi stood up and circled around her twice: "Well... nothing has changed, but you are strange today. After taking a bath, why do you have to take a bath again today? Also, you sounded like the masters when you spoke today. What are you asking for in front of the young master?"

Xiaochun shook her head: "No, I don't even know that third young master. You're thinking too much." She also stood up and said, "Let's go when we're done resting, but there's only one hour's rest time."

Next to her, Xiaomi still said, "Yes... I remember, you seem to have become more beautiful."

Xiaochun touched his face, there should be no change. "no?"

"I can't tell... your face hasn't changed, but I always feel that you've become more beautiful... Hey, Xiaochun, don't walk so fast, you're going the wrong way! Turn to the left and don't go straight!"

Xiaochun and Xiaomi finally left Jifu. It turns out that the back door of Jifu leads to the forest, and the lock of the back door is a wooden fence, so it is not difficult for people inside to get out.Xiaochun intentionally said, "Jifuxiu is too remote in this mountain forest."

Xiaomi said: "Where is it? There is a market two streets away from the front gate of Jifu. I heard Fulu say yesterday that Jifu is big." Xiaomi looked envious again, "Fulu is so lucky, I actually went out with Manager Xu once, and he said that the market is very interesting, and there are sugar sellers. I have been sold here for so long and I haven’t visited the market. It turns out that there is no market in my village Ah, once my father and mother walked more than ten miles to the market, and brought a sugar figurine for my younger brother, and my younger brother licked it for me, it was so sweet."

Xiaochun grew up in an era of abundant supplies. Hearing her say this was a bit embarrassing. She asked, "Xiaomi, how did you get sold here?"

She guessed that the original Xiaochun would not ask this question, the child is too young and has never seen much of the world.

The two had already walked into the woods. The trees in this forest were tall, and the sunlight could only shine through the cracks on the ground. The ground was covered with thick fallen leaves, which were soft and silent when stepped on.The cicadas in summer are neighing, but they don't feel noisy.

Xiaomi said: "My brother is sick. My family has no money to hire a doctor. There is only such a boy in the family. So my father sold me to the toothmaid for three copper coins to treat my brother." sad.

Xiaochun wanted to ask how much the three copper coins are, but the question was too revealing, so he asked, "Then your brother's illness was cured with the three copper coins?"

Xiaomi showed a trace of confusion: "I don't know, I was taken away by the toothmaid after I sold the money."

This baiting question fails.Xiaochun also sighed, and Xiaomi said, "Xiaochun, are you unhappy?"

Xiaochun said, "No, I just sighed a little. Are you sad?"

Xiaomi said: "Don't be sad. I want to protect my younger brother. He will pass on the family line to our family in the future. There are steamed buns and steamed buns at home. I will give the steamed buns to my younger brother. He is a boy, so be careful."

The two walked to the bush area, the tall trees were reduced, and there were more dead branches on the ground.The two began to collect firewood, and after picking up a large pile of firewood, Xiaomi pulled two vines to tie up the firewood, and the two of them dragged and hugged, and brought the firewood back to Ji's mansion.Xiaomi helped her transport the firewood all the way to the small yard where she lived.

It happened that Xiao Xia was drying something in the yard, and when she saw them coming back, she called out, "Sister, sister Xiaomi."

Xiao Chun saw what kind of beans he was drying, and asked, "Xiao Xia, why are you drying this?"

Xiao Xia said: "Last year's peas should be dried in the sun to avoid bad luck. What is my sister doing with so much firewood?"

Xiaochun said, "Take a bath."

Xiaomi said: "Your sister is very strange, but she has to take a bath again in half a month, and she wants me to go with her. Xiao Xia, you should do less work, and your hands are so white and tender, so it's better if you get hurt."

Xiao Xia smiled, didn't say anything, and turned to Xiao Chun who was carrying firewood to the small kitchen. "Sister, do you want to wash now, and you will be sweating again when you go to the fire later."

Xiaochun forgot about this, and was taken aback for a moment, yes, what is she panicking now, she will wash it at night, there is plenty of time.Moved Chai Quan into the kitchen, helped Xiao Xia dry the beans for a while, and the three of them were talking, and Xiao Chun realized that Xiao Xia was more talkative in front of her and Grandma Liu, and she didn't talk much with Xiaomi, who sometimes asked questions He didn't answer, just smiled.Xiaomi has long been used to it.

Counting the time, it should have been about an hour, and the two went to the kitchen.

Xiaomi said: "Xiaochun, I really envy you for having such a good-looking younger brother. I don't think those girls are as good-looking as Xiaoxia."

Xiao Chun was used to seeing her charming looks before, so she didn't think there was anything about Xiao Xia, but now that she thought about it, she frowned, Xiao Xia seemed to be too good-looking indeed.It may not be a good thing for a girl, let alone a boy.Xiaochun then said: "Your mouth is not firm, don't say that outside."

Xiaomi smiled: "I know, you have said it many times!"

Xiaochun was busy with her afternoon errands, and only finished washing the dishes when it was getting dark.The servants dispersed, Granny Liu finished cleaning the stove, and the two of them went back to the small yard together. Only then did Xiaochun realize that they had no dinner, and the Ji Mansion only gave them two meals.On the way, Granny Liu asked Xiao Xia to help out in the kitchen. Although they don't have much monthly income, only two pennies, they are rich anyway.

Xiaochun thought about Xiaoxia's face, although she was only seven years old, she had already begun to see the clues of her stunning demeanor.Resolutely shaking her head and refusing, Granny Liu sighed: "Xiaochun, you can't protect him forever, right? He's a boy, and he can't stay in the small courtyard all the time."

Xiaochun said, "Let me think about it again."

In the past, Xiaochun met a lot of rich and powerful people, and she knew a thing or two about the perverted behavior of rich people. Such a beautiful little boy might be the hobby of some rich master.

Now that Xiaochun has occupied the little girl's body, she thought, she should help her do what the little girl wants to do, and do better, including protecting her brother.

(End of this chapter)