The neighbors couldn't tell how old the tofu mill was. Even Hunchback Zhang, who grinded tofu, couldn't tell when his ancestors started grinding tofu. The old mill was a huge courtyard house. The snow-white roof was like freshly ground soybean milk, frozen in an instant. The tips of the green bamboo leaves gently swept across the roof, making rustling sounds. Hunchback Zhang finished making the tofu. The sky began to brighten. The tofu was already placed into a wooden box, and the cover was pressed with polished pebbles. With a tired smile, he sat down in an old rattan chair, his head leaning against the edge of the chair. There was a teapot on a small stool beside him, and the fragrance of tea wafted from the teacup. Hunchback Zhang's gaze happened to fall on the eaves. There were exquisite patterns carved there. He had once had a sudden idea to paint these patterns with bright colors, so he found a craftsman and instructed the craftsman to make each part of the pattern according to his own imagination. The craftsman finally managed to harmonize the colors with great effort. Just as the craftsman climbed up the high stairs and was about to apply the paint to the pattern, he suddenly stopped the craftsman. At this moment, he seemed to realize that if he really applied the color, the cornice might be brighter, but it would ruin the view of the old mill. The craftsman came down the stairs grumpily. Hunchback Zhang felt that he was in the wrong. He was also a businessman. It was like someone asked for a few hundred catties of tofu. He spent a few days grinding it and sent it to the other party. The other party did not even look at it and said that he did not want it. Wasn't this a living waste of people? However, if he really didn't offend people and caused the tofu shop to fail, there was no way to save it. The hunchback smiled. It was said that this kind of smile was rarely seen in a hundred years. After all, a person who grinded tofu rarely asked for help. In his dictionary, this word did not exist at all. When the hunchback opened his mouth and paid double the wages, the craftsman's anger and complaints subsided a little. But after all, he couldn't keep his face. He didn't work for them and accepted their money for free. It was clearly robbing them. He would be laughed at if he received the reward without merit. The craftsman stared at the money, but he pushed it harder and harder, even a little anxious. Hunchback Zhang insisted on giving it to him. If he didn't accept it, he would be looking down on him. Only then did the craftsman reluctantly ask if the hunchback's family had any other objects to paint. It was a taboo for businessmen to return empty-handed. If a thief entered a house and couldn't steal anything, he would have to pick up some of the garbage and filth swept in the corner. Hunchback Zhang's woman, Aunt Zhang, searched the house for a long time and finally found a small square stool. She asked the craftsman to paint it, and this matter finally came to an end.
There were several families in the village who had children of a few years old. Every time it was like this, they would always hold a porcelain cup and jump into the old mill, letting the sound of the porcelain cup wake up the sleeping village. "Grandpa Zhang, do we have soy milk?”The children were like a flock of sparrows, chirping. "Yes! How can there be none? I got it specially for you.”Hunchback Zhang said cheerfully. Aunt Zhang had already brought out a large basin of soybean milk and placed it on the stone mill in the middle of the courtyard. The millstone was clean and spotless, and there was still a small drop of water hanging on the grinding mouth. " Grandma, I want to drink."" Grandma, I want to drink too!”The child shouted," Don't panic, don't panic. Everyone has one.”Aunt Zhang smiled until her eyes narrowed into a line. The spoon in her hand was still steaming, and the fragrant soy milk flowed into the children's porcelain cups. She seemed to see the sticky soy milk soaking the children's hearts. The child picked up the soy milk and stared at it, looking for a stone stool nearby. The children gently stirred the food in the soybean milk with spoons, stirring the sweet smiles on the faces of the two kind old men. After a while, the sound of drinking came from the old mill. The children who were very satisfied lay on the hunchback's knees, hugged the hunchback's neck, and touched the hunchback's white beard, acting cute and teasing. "Grandpa, why don't you drink soy milk? It's delicious.”The children blinked their eyes and asked. "Grandpa doesn't like to drink. Grandpa wants to drink tea.”Hunchback Zhang picked up the teacup and took a sip of tea in enjoyment. His other hand gently rubbed the child's head.
The steaming hot tofu was already piled up in the bamboo basket.‘Old man, finish the tangyuan on the table. It's time to go out and sell tofu.”Aunt Zhang shouted at the top of her voice. Hunchback Zhang slowly straightened up from his rattan chair. A slightly bigger child had already brought the glutinous rice balls out from the kitchen. In a large bowl of sugar water, there were two poached eggs floating in the middle of the round glutinous rice balls. "Come, Xiao Ya, eat some eggs." Hunchback Zhang opened the poached egg, and the yolk spread out in the bowl. It was as if clusters of golden wild chrysanthemums were floating. The children scattered." Grandpa, you can eat. We're cooking at home." The children had already walked far away. Hunchback Zhang was still eating the glutinous rice balls, savoring the sweet aftertaste. It was Hunchback Zhang's idea to let the children drink soy milk. The neighbors insisted on giving money, but Hunchback Zhang Jian was unwilling. He ground a few more beans so that they wouldn't be so distant. The old mill was quiet for a while when a few men came from afar with wooden buckets. As soon as she entered the courtyard, she placed the bucket by the door. "Old Master, you're still eating!" They greeted each other as they sat on the stone stools to catch their breath. Hunchback Zhang quickly put down his bowl and offered everyone cigarettes. Master Liu said," Brother, when are you going to get rid of this stone mill? It'll save you a lot of trouble if you get a machine.”Hunchback Zhang said proudly," Hehe, what's so bad about my stone mill? Real tofu has to be ground in circles. Without the stone mill, would our tofu mill still be called a tofu mill?”" Old Zhang, you're the only one with such strength among us. I'm afraid you can be a hero in the day, but at night, it's hard to explain to your sister-in-law," Stonemason Zhao said with a smile. "Empty talk. When have you ever heard of my hunchback having diarrhea? Could it be that you want to borrow someone to show off?" Everyone also said that only those who couldn't do it would talk about it all day long. Stonemason Zhao felt a little embarrassed. Aunt Zhang came out of the house." What age are you at? You're still so frivolous. Aren't you afraid of being laughed at?"”Hunchback Zhang finished the glutinous rice balls, picked up the teacup, and rinsed his mouth. He had to pick up a tofu picker and go out to do business. He left a few men in the courtyard to fetch water. In fact, in these years, every household had a motor-operated well. Even though it was popular for a while, they still came to the old mill to fetch water. After fetching some water, they gathered at the well for a while. It was also a kind of enjoyment. He clung to this old well and liked to spend time beside the well.
Hunchback Zhang picked up the bean curd and walked out of the door unsteadily. Aunt Zhang also followed him after she finished packing.
The mountain path was winding and the hunchbacked Zhang was walking on the dewy grass. The air on the mountain road was exceptionally fresh, and the smell of mountain flowers was scattered. Hunchback Zhang sang an old love song that the mountain people loved as he walked. It was a soft and sour tone that made her feel a little worried. After walking for a short distance, Aunt Zhang caught up with them. Aunt Zhang was nagging at them from behind." You haven't been tired all day. Why don't you walk properly and sing some indecent songs? Be careful not to hurt your back." Hunchback Zhang said," No matter how tired you are, you can't collapse. You want me to collapse? If I collapse, you will run away with me." Aunt Zhang said that if she really wanted to run away, she would have run away years ago.
When they reached the street, there were already quite a few people. The baskets were lined up in a row, and the small financial budget had already begun to shout. Hunchback Zhang's stall was in the middle of two department stores. That stall was unshakable. When they saw him coming over with a tofu picker, the person with the basket in front opened a way for him. The old street had not changed much over the years. The green-tiled houses had an antique appearance, and the eaves covered a very wide area outside the front of the house. "Zhang Tofu, Xiao Wang from the township government is here to greet you. He wants you to send ten pieces of tofu over.”The boss of the small department store told Hunchback Zhang. "If he wants tofu, he'll come and get it himself. He's a man with long arms and legs. Why should I deliver it?”The hunchback raised his head." Our tofu isn't that cheap!”The department store owner said cheerfully," You're already so old, but you're really stubborn to the end. Old bro, you're really strong."”
Hunchback Zhang helped Aunt Zhang set up the tofu stall and left. His figure swayed back and forth in the crowd before disappearing without a trace. Every day, Zhang Tofu would go to the Li family's teahouse to spend his money. He would sit in the teahouse for a whole day, eating tea and drinking wine until the customers left. Only then did he stumble home unsatisfied. The tea bowls in the Li family's teahouse were the typical cup tea in this area. They were made of fine porcelain. He especially liked to open the freshly brewed tea bowls and gently scrape the edges of the tea bowls with the tea lid. The voice was crisp and pleasant, like the tenderness of a pure girl. The hunchback Zhang Wangqing admired his first sip of tea. It was as sweet as his first kiss, and his cheeks were flushed red. Unlike other teahouses, the owner of the Li Family's tea garden was a retired teacher who loved leisure. Since the opening of the shop, there had never been a shadow of playing cards and dice in the shop. Mr. Li himself liked music and was good at playing the Huqin. When he had nothing to do, he would play the Huqin with a group of tea guests for fun. The zither music was nothing special, but the tea guests shook their heads and seemed to be intoxicated. "Mr. Li, let's get a husband and wife to return the house!”As soon as the song ended, the tea drinker picked a new song. Mr. Li adjusted the strings proudly before he started playing at a leisurely pace. The voice was loud and cheerful, and a few tea guests sang along with the rhythm. They sang until they shook their heads and actually cried. Perhaps it was because she was widowed in her old age, and she recalled the scenes when she was young, triggering her longing and feeling true love. Hunchback Zhang drank his tea and leaned back in his chair. He actually snored very exaggeratedly. The strange thing was that his voice could actually match the rhythm of the Hu Qin. To be able to snore to such a superb level was not an ordinary ability. He could hum a song even while sleeping. When the song ended, the guests burst into laughter. Hunchback Zhang suddenly opened his sleepy eyes and asked seriously,""What are you laughing at? What's so funny?" How could everyone stop laughing? They only said," It's nothing. I'll tell you if there's something funny."”"You guys are really too much. If there's something funny, you're laughing to yourselves. You didn't even say anything and listened to it again.”Hunchback Zhang tried his best to open his eyes and said dejectedly.
At this moment, an old man came in with a walking stick. One of his feet was bandaged. The thick gauze was soaked with blood. Mr. Li quickly put down the Hu Qin and went to the door to help him. Wasn't this the Yellow Heavenly Pillar? What was going on? Pairs of concerned eyes stared at him.
This book comes from：m.funovel.com。