--

"Well, thanks to Boss Long, he looks pretty good. Why is everyone so afraid of him?" Gu Chunzhu looked at Boss Long's calm and relaxed back. He must be in his twenties.

But the people around were here to watch the bustle and did not dare speak out, which shows their deterrent power.

Uncle Zheng told Gu Chunzhu about Boss Long's story. He was not originally from here, he brought a sick old mother to town looking for work and was found by the street leader in the area. It is said that he had cut a man's hand before stabilizing his own forces in this town.

Moreover, He's managing the street well. When he was not in charge before, this street was not so peaceful. There were often infighting of the vendors trying to grab place and also bastards who harass the elderly, weak women, children and take things for nothing.

After listening to Boss Long's story,

Gu Chunzhu sighed deeply.

If people are not ruthless, their status would be unstable!

"Oh, my shrimp!" After a while, Gu Chunzhu smacked her head, listening about Boss Long's story made her forget

that her shrimp bucket was still on the ground..

She picked up the shrimps..there were a dozen or so and many of them were dead. A few could still move their whiskers.

Anyway, she had already earned twenty coppers so Gu Chunzhu gave them to Uncle Zheng and asked him to take them home to feed the ducks. She also told him, "Don't eat the dead shrimps or you'll get stomachache."

"I know." Uncle Zheng knocked on his cigarette pipe. He was glad that he and Gu Chunzhu were in the stall next to each other which also gave him a lot of benefits.

It was getting dark and the street vendors began to collect things to go home. Uncle Zheng also left.

Gu Chunzhu had put the empty bucket in her back basket and walked under the big banyan tree where the oxcart stops to wait for Su Wanqin.

It took a quarter of an hour for the ox cart to arrive slowly.

"Brother Wang!" When the ox cart stopped, Gu Chunzhu went to help Su Wangqin who jumped from the ox cart. The bucket on his basket was empty and both ends of his shoulder pole were also empty. Gu Chunzhu's lips hooked up . "Have you sold all the shrimps?"

"All three barrels have been sold."

Su Wangqin's face also showed a relaxed expression and quietly put a string of money into Gu Chunzhu's hands.

She stared at the heavy string of money, Gu Chunzhu estimated it for about two hundred copper plates. She was surprised.

The two went back to Xiaohetou together and said;

"Chef Zhang said the game was very good last time. The soup stewed by the three little rabbits was bought by the merchants from the south and they were rewarded. He said he wanted to Thank you. He also asked if we have a bunny for sale. I said that it was only sun dried, he asked me to take it with me next time."

"OK!" Gu Chunzhu held the money in her arms and felt very comfortable.

"Chef Zhang said we can deliver 3 buckets of shrimps to them every 3 days. It'll be serve there." Su Wangqin was also happy.

They did not only get the money back from the ox cart ride, but also earned 30 coppers more, than selling it in town.

When they returned to Xiaohetou Village, it was already so dark, it wasn't easy to see the road. Every household had already eaten, and there were only a few smokes floating in the chimneys.

They arrived home and found a lot of people crowded in the courtyard.

"Brother Wangqin, why didn't you come back at noon? Are there too much prawns sold in town that you didn't sell?."

"We've been running back and forth for several times. We need the money so we can explain it our wives"

"Yes, fortunately you are back, lets settle the money first so we can go home for dinner." Their tone seemed to be accusing them for running away with the money. Gu Chunzhu saw that An'an was timidly holding the door and didn't come over. Her eyebrows sank.

The group of people were so noisy and scared the children.

Su Wangqin had already calculated the money for them and gave them copper plates and their empty barrels. Everyone was happy to take the money. Gu Chunzhu stopped them when they're about to leave.

"We are helping to sell on behalf of others and not running away with the money. If you don't trust us, you don't need to let us sell on behalf of you. Recently, there are a lot of prawns sellers in town, we are also planning to take less."

At this moment, several people who took the money become flustered. One of them came out and said, "if you don't accept it, we'll lose our livelihood."

"You can go to town to sell it yourself, or sell it at the village entrance so you won't be afraid of losing a copper." Gu Chunzhu lifted her chin, the irony in her tone was obvious.

These people realized that Gu Chunzhu was not happy with their debt-like behavior.

"Xiaocheng Niang, of course we trust you. It's Qiu Shi. Qiu Shi told us that the shrimp sold by you are very expensive. If you can't sell a bowl of five coppers, you will depend on our money. You are relatives ofcouse we'll panick by what she said." Someone hurriedly explained

Qiu shi again! Gu Chunzhu glared at the ground with dissatisfaction, as if to blame the ground.

After calming down, she said, "As usual you can't cover a dog's mouth. If you believe the rumors, don't send your shrimps here. If you let us sell, don't block our door. That's what a good neighborhood is. "

"Okay, sister-in-law, we know we're wrong."

"We'll not rush you next time."

"That's right, Qiu's just talking shit, we won't listen to her."

Several people said a few more words.

Gu Chunzhu told them to leave.

Seeing that everyone was gone, An An threw herself into Gu Chunzhu's lap and grunted: "An An is so hungry, they don't let brother cook. They say they will move our family's seedlings if Mother and Father won't come back. "

"Father and mother will come back, you are your parents sweetheart, who wouldn't want you." Gu Chunzhu hugged An'an, hugged this little meatball tightly, feeling that her heart was filled with happiness.

Her eyes were gloomy, she shouldn't have let go of the villagers easily.

They're too much for threatening the children!

"Chunzhu, are you angry?" Su Wangqin's eyes didn't dare look at her, Qiu was his second brother's wife.

That said, Gu Chunzhu lost her temper by three points, (and made herself like a puffer fish. Will she explode if she doesn't move?)

T/N: Sorry i dont get this

"No one is angry with you for spreading rumors." Gu Chunzhu said, holding An'an and Xiaocheng into the stove room.

Su Wangqin followed, making sure she was not really angry, and then said:

"Sister Fu and Lao san did not collect the money. They were the ones who didn't come to ask for it. I'll give it to you first."

"OK!" Gu Chunzhu responded, holding An An in one hand, and touching Xiao Cheng's head in the other hand:

"Mother will cook now."

She wanted to put An An down, but An An circled Gu Chunzhu's neck and buried her little head on her. She murmured: "Mother, An An misses you, Mother, Don't go sell shrimps tomorrow."

"Mother has to do business so An An can eat meat buns." Gu Chunzhu touched her little head, Seeing her watery eyes that look like dumplings, her heart softened.