Chapter 234: Under the Zhengyang Gate

"Ahem, Cai Quanwu, Ping'an has plenty of aged liquor at home; this Erguotou of yours might not catch his eye."

"Not necessarily, Brother He. Different liquors have different flavors. Just like this Erguotou, although it lacks the mellow fragrance of aged liquor, it is strong enough. It's a great tool for warming the body in winter, the price isn't high, and it has broad appeal."

"Besides, sometimes drinking is also about the atmosphere. Just like us right now, it doesn't matter what we drink."

"Well said, Ping'an."

Guan Daye wore a look of approval. He thought the same; sometimes when three or five old friends gather, what they drink is not important—what matters is this sense of human connection.

Shazhu also looked at Zhang Ping'an with admiration, feeling that whatever words came out of his mouth were so full of reason.

This lunch lasted for over an hour. The children had long since finished eating and run into the courtyard to play, and the women were also gathered together chatting about family matters.

"Hmm? This tea?" Guan Daye, who had been a bit muddled from drinking, smelled the tea fragrance and opened his sleepy eyes.

"Uncle Guan, Brother He, Cai Quanwu, Zhuzi, drink some tea to sober up." The few of them had drunk quite a bit at noon; the five bottles of Erguotou that Cai Quanwu brought were all emptied.

"Mm, this tea is quite interesting." Guan Daye took a sip, and his whole person became much clearer.

"Uncle, this tea?" He Daqing also took a sip, feeling a lingering fragrance on his lips and teeth, and his mind felt much clearer.

"It was brought by Ping'an. I only have some old tea cakes here."

"Ping'an, you have such good things."

"If Brother He likes it, I have two more packs at home; I'll spare you one when the time comes."

"That would be great. I usually drink High-end Tea Dust; it's like paste in the mouth."

"Is it that good?"

After one cup, Shazhu's eyes became much clearer. He stopped talking and silently refilled his cup.

Cai Quanwu was not to be outdone; he gulped down two mouthfuls. Just like that, the pot of tea brewed by Zhang Ping'an was drunk until it had no flavor within half an hour.

"Ahem, I'm going to the restroom."

"I'm going too."

"..."

Guan Daye smiled and shook his head, then silently put away the remaining tea leaves.

"The time is about right. I still have to take the children around here. Uncle Guan, we have plenty of time ahead."

"Hehe, good. Wait a moment." Guan Daye went into the inner room, took out a book three fingers thick, and handed it to Zhang Ping'an.

"Here is some simple common knowledge about antiques. I see you are quite interested, so take it back and have a look."

"Alright, Uncle Guan, then I won't be polite."

"Mm, go ahead. If there is anything you don't understand, you can come and ask this old man."

"Good."

Zhang Ping'an's family left Guan Daye's house and headed straight for Dashilan. There were many century-old shops here—tea houses, pharmacies, silk stores, snacks—everything one could wish for.

"Brother Ping'an, there are so many shops here."

"Mm, let's go. Let's walk around. It's not easy to come out once, so we should buy what we need. The whole trip is on your husband's tab."

"Go on, go on."

Liubiju pickles, Tongrentang's Angong Niuhuang Wan, Neiliansheng's thousand-layer sole shoes, clothes from Chen Xueru Silk Store, various snacks, and so on—Zhang Ping'an arranged for it all.

Zhang Ping'an also saw Chen Xueru. To tell the truth, in this era, she was indeed a fashionable woman and quite pretty, but it was a pity she married the wrong person.

"Brother Ping'an, does it look good?"

"Mm, it looks good." Zhang Ping'an waved his hand directly, getting everyone a set of winter and summer clothes, including his parents.

It wasn't until after four in the afternoon that Wang Xiaoling finished, still feeling unsatisfied. Seeing the things on her tricycle, she started to feel the pinch again.

"Brother Ping'an, this is too extravagant. We spent a lot of money."

"It's fine. It's hard to come out and shop once a year; just treat it as compensation for us not shopping before."

"Let's go, let's go home."

"Someone fainted."

"Don't know whose poor child that is."

"Sigh."

Zhang Ping'an also heard the commotion and pushed through the crowd. Inside, a six or seven-year-old boy was lying on the ground, bearing a slight resemblance to Zhu Zhanji of the Great Ming.

"Everyone make way, don't crowd around, let the air circulate."

In this midsummer heat, the crowd was three layers deep inside and out; even a healthy person would get heatstroke, let alone a weak child.

Zhang Ping'an couldn't care about anything else. He squeezed out of the crowd, untied the water bottle from his waist, and poured two mouthfuls for him. Only then did the little boy slowly wake up.

"Where am I?"

"Is the child okay? Weijun, bring a steamed bun over."

"Oh, oh, okay."

"Eat, you fainted from hunger." Zhang Ping'an had just taken his pulse; this kid's body was extremely weak.

"Eat slowly, don't choke. There's more."

"Thank you, Uncle. My name is Han Chunming, you can also call me Xiao Wu."

Han Chunming wolfed down a vegetable bun. After recovering, he didn't take the remaining buns, but his eyes were still fixed on them.

Zhang Ping'an thought to himself, it really is him. A perfectly good person, yet he insists on being a simp for that superficial Su Meng, and only ends up together with her in his fifties. It's speechless to watch.

"Mm, it's okay. Where is your home? If it's on the way, I'll give you a ride."

"No need, Uncle. My home is in a nearby alley." Han Chunming had already regained a little strength by this time.

"Let's go, I'll take you back. Xiao Ling, you take the children and wait for me near the Small Tavern."

"Mm, okay."

Zhang Ping'an also held the few buns wrapped in kraft paper in his hand, while his other hand held Han Chunming's.

"Uncle, my home is right in the compound ahead."

"Hmm, then Uncle will see you to here; take these steamed buns home with you."

"No..."

"Be a good boy and take them; these are nothing to Uncle."

Zhang Ping'an stuffed the steamed buns into Han Chunming's arms; the child was truly pitiful, he should be eight years old this year, yet he looked like he was only six or seven, thin and small.

"Xiao Wu, where did you run off to?"

A girl of twelve or thirteen ran out, looking seven or eight parts similar to Lou Xiaoe; Zhang Ping'an felt a bit numb, could it be that they were related?

"Second Sister, I fainted from hunger on the road, and this uncle saved me; look, he even gave me so many steamed buns."

"Quick, hide the buns; thank you, Uncle, I will definitely repay you in the future."

"Hehe, it's nothing, take your younger brother and go back."

"Uncle, what is your name?"

"Hmm, my name is Zhang Ping'an." Zhang Ping'an thought that since he would likely come here often in the future, it wouldn't hurt to tell them.

The two noted down Zhang Ping'an's name, then bent over and ran home, clutching the steamed buns.

"Let's go, we're heading home too." It was already nearly five o'clock when Zhang Ping'an reached the Small Tavern.

"Mm, okay."

Returning to the Siheyuan, he saw Yan Bugui in the Front Courtyard; Zhang Ping'an told Wang Xiaoling to take the children home, while he went over to gossip a bit.

"Teacher Yan, I saw someone in Dashilan today who looks very similar to you, though he's a bit younger than you and seems to have the surname Hou; is he a relative of yours?"

"Surname Hou?" Yan Bugui thought for a moment; he didn't remember having any relatives with the surname Hou, perhaps it was a connection from his grandfather's generation?

"I don't know him, perhaps I'd only know if I met him and asked."

"Uncle Zhang, is he really that similar to my dad? More similar than we three brothers?"

"Hmm~ let's put it this way, Jiecheng: your master, Cai Quanwu, and Zhuzi; your dad, that man, and you—do you understand now?"

"..." How could Yan Jiecheng not understand? He understood perfectly.

"Dad, could it be Grandpa's, um..."

"Get lost, your grandfather died long ago." Yan Bugui gave Yan Jiecheng a sharp rap on the head.

"..."