I bring bad luck to my husband, you bring bad luck to your wife.

Xiangxi didn't rush home. He waited on the dock for a while, until his feet were numb from the cold, before he saw Uncle Chen leading people onto the dock.

"Uncle Chen, Uncle Chen." Xiangxi approached Uncle Chen with a smile.

"Xiangxi, what brings you here again?" Uncle Chen was surprised to see Xiangxi here.

"Uncle Chen, can we set up our stall today?" Xiangxi had a headache from the cold, but as long as she could wait for Uncle Chen, the suffering was worthwhile.

"Setting up a stall, setting up a stall, all you can think about is setting up a stall." Uncle Chen tapped Xiangxi on the head with his pipe.

"You're just a young man, it's so dangerous for you to come here by yourself at this hour. Don't you have a brain?" Uncle Chen was still scared when he thought about it. There were too many thugs at the docks. If Xiangxi was bullied, the Xiang family wouldn't know who to hold accountable.

"Uncle Chen, my brother is injured, my sister-in-law needs to take medicine, and Bao'er is still young. We're really struggling financially. I was just cleaning up the stall when I found that a lot of things are missing. The New Year is almost here, and I really have no other choice." Xiangxi sniffed and pleaded with Uncle Chen in a low voice.

Looking at Xiangxi, who was almost frozen solid, Uncle Chen couldn't bring himself to say anything harsh.

"Noon, go back and get ready. We'll set up our stall at noon."

"Thank you, Uncle Chen, thank you, Uncle Chen." Xiangxi was extremely grateful and rushed home to tell his brother and sister-in-law the good news.

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When I got home, my brother and sister-in-law had already finished breakfast and were keeping Xiangxi's portion warm in the kitchen.

"How is it?" the older brother asked anxiously.

"We're out of cakes and tea, but Uncle Chen said we can set them up for lunch today," Xiangxi told her brother and sister-in-law the good news.

"Amitabha, Amitabha." Although the sister-in-law was heartbroken about the lost items, she was relieved that there would be income again.

"I'll go knead the dough and make pancakes first." My sister-in-law got up and headed to the kitchen.

"Sister-in-law, here are three coins. This morning, some officials gave them to me while I was drinking hot water at the stall." Xiangxi gave his sister-in-law the three coins and went to the kitchen to eat. After eating, he would help his sister-in-law make pancakes.

The sister-in-law held the three coins in her hand.

Even if Xiangxi had kept the money herself, she wouldn't have known. But this child is honest and wouldn't do such a thing.

The dockworkers love to eat flatbread, and some of the better-off workers will also have an egg drop soup.

However, there are few people like that; most people just eat it with a sip of hot water.

After finishing his meal, Xiangxi helped his sister-in-law make pancakes.

After making about ten large flatbreads, Xiangxi put them into a large basket, intending to carry them to the dock and sell them at his stall.

"We're not selling noodle soup today, just flatbread. I'll bring you the next batch when it's ready," the sister-in-law instructed Xiangxi.

The docks were a mixed bag of people. In the past, it was mostly the sisters-in-law and brothers who would set up stalls, leaving Xiangxi at home to take care of the children.

Xiangxi would only help out at the stall during the few days her sister-in-law was in postpartum confinement.

"Okay, sister-in-law, I'm off now." Xiangxi carried her basket on her back, eager to get to the dock and earn money as soon as possible.

This wharf is a cargo transshipment station; tea, silk, grain, and furs all pass through here.

Large freight volumes mean a large workforce.

Naturally, the Xiang family wasn't the only one setting up a stall here.

With Uncle Chen's help, the Xiang family's position is still quite good.

Today was the first day the dock reopened, and there weren't many people setting up stalls, but Xiangxi's flatbreads sold very well.

Just as he was about to go home to get some flatbread, he saw his older brother coming with a carrying pole.

"Brother, what brings you here?" Xiangxi took the carrying pole from her brother.

"Bao'er wouldn't let his mother leave, so I picked it over first." Xiang Qiang was still a little unsteady on his feet. After delivering the flatbread, he sat down to rest.

Xiang Xi stayed at the stall to sell pancakes.

Some shameless workers who had wanted to flirt with Xiang Xi all became quiet when they saw Xiang Qiang arrive.

A worker he knew asked for a sip of hot water and sat down at the table to eat a flatbread with pickled vegetables he had brought from home.

After resting for a while, Xiang Qiang went to find an acquaintance, the boat captain, bought some broken tea leaves, and came back to make tea for everyone.

Tea costs one coin per person. Xiangxi sells sesame cakes while also boiling water to make tea for everyone.

When Yang Tongchuan was patrolling and passed by the dock, he saw the pancake vendor from afar.

Why are you still here?

Now that it was daylight, it was clearer. The young man's cheeks were red from the cold, his nose was twitching, and his hands were so rough that they were even worse than those of their maid.

Yang Tongchuan observed Xiangxi from afar. This young man was really diligent, never idle for a moment. He was quick and efficient at adding water, burning firewood, selling cakes, and collecting money.

A man with a white cloth wrapped around his head sat beside the stove. That must be his older brother.

Didn't they say they didn't have any tea leaves?

Yang Tongchuan led his brothers toward the stall.

Upon seeing the officials arrive, the workers who had been sitting at the table made way and quietly left.

Xiangxi saw that it was that Constable Yang again.

My heart was filled with curiosity; why was he here again?

"Will there be food? Tea?"

"Yes, we have flatbread and tea. I'll get them for you gentlemen right away."

Xiangxi had already decided in her heart that Constable Yang was a good official who would pay for meals, so she worked even faster.

After serving the flatbread and tea, Xiangxi, with her brother's permission, also made egg drop soup for the officials.

Eggs are a rare commodity in winter. There were only three eggs on the stall, and they were just brought over by my brother.

Thinking that if I couldn't sell them all, I would take them back to my sister-in-law to help her recover.

Xiangxi gritted his teeth and made two, leaving one for his sister-in-law.

I added a little extra water to the egg drop soup, divided it evenly among several bowls, and served it to the officials.

After serving the guests, Xiangxi went away again.

The lunch rush has passed, and there are still a few burnt flatbreads left in the basket.

Xiangxi picked a less appealing one, broke it in half, gave most of it to her brother, and kept a small portion for herself. They then ate their lunch there with hot water.

Looking at the egg drop soup in the bowls of the officials, Xiangxi was actually a little tempted; he had already forgotten what eggs tasted like.

Xiangxi's quiet swallowing did not escape Yang Tongchuan's notice.

He thought to himself, "This family treats the young master like a servant."

After finishing his meal, Yang Tongchuan left the money and left with his men.

Xiangxi accepted the money without missing a penny, even paying for the egg drop soup.

It would be great if such a big client came every day.

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Yang Tongchuan went home after finishing his shift in the evening.

The Yang family's courtyard house is located on the eastern edge of the city, separated from the commercially developed western part of the city by only one street.

The Yang family has two brothers, and their parents are still alive.

The eldest brother, Yang Tongshan, is a manager at the largest pawnshop in the county. His sister-in-law is his childhood betrothal arranged by the family. The two have been married for seven or eight years but have no children.

Erlang Yang Tongchuan was a constable in the county government. He got married last year, but his bride disappeared less than a month after arriving home.

The Yang family claims they have already divorced, but neighbors are saying that the Yang family caused quite a commotion on their wedding night.

Some say Yang Tongchuan was drunk and accidentally killed someone, then paid money to settle the matter; others say the bride had a serious, shameful illness and was sent back; still others say the girl never wanted to marry into the family and seized the opportunity to elope with her old lover.

There were many different opinions, with more people believing that the bride was gone. As a result, Yang Tongchuan was also branded as a jinx who would bring misfortune to his wife.