?Chapter 24: Twenty-four Old Tang’s Reminder_1 Chapter 24: Twenty-four Old Tang’s Reminder_1 Old Tang had been selling dry goods for seven or eight years already.


    Which market was busier in the morning, which was busier in the afternoon.


    Which market had expensive vegetables, which had cheaper ones.


    He knew it all clearly.


    Gu Chen couldn’t help but silently admire.


    It really was good to have an acquaintance, it could save oneself a lot of trouble.


    He handed the greens in his hand to Old Tang once again.


    “Tang brother, take this, don’t disdain it.”


    After all, if the remaining Huacai could all be sold today, he could earn at least six or seven hundred yuan more.


    In this world, as long as you’re not sick, you can’t afford to be at odds with money.


    Old Tang wasn’t someone who liked to take small advantages. He made friends not based on age or wealth, but on one thing.


    And that was sincerity.


    Gu Chen was a good kid, who also truly saw him as a friend.


    He naturally saw Gu Chen as a friend too.


    Moreover, the kid seemed to particularly understand the subtleties of human relationships and didn’t love to quibble over every little thing.


    He was easy to deal with.


    Old Tang always felt he could make something of himself in the future.


    He smiled and reached out, pushing the Huacai Gu Chen had handed over back to him.


    “Brother, if you acknowledge me as your elder brother, then I acknowledge you as my younger brother, let’s not do this empty courtesy.” S~ea??h the N??elFirё.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Gu Chen placed the Huacai on Old Tang’s stall.


    “That’s enough, Tang brother, this is for you to take home and let your sister-in-law try, stop insisting.”


    After finishing, he returned to his own stall, neatly packing each unsold Huacai into a nylon bag.


    Tangtang, sensible as she was, helped to the side.


    She had said she would help her father with work and she intended to keep her word.


    Her mother had taught her that one must do what one says.


    She never played tricks.


    Father and daughter finished packing their stuff.


    Gu Chen looked at the heavy bag again and started to worry.


    He was supposed to walk with Old Tang now, but how could he carry such a big bag?


    Tangtang, being young, didn’t understand the situation.


    But Old Tang was a forty-year-old man.


    He definitely couldn’t put his things in the space.


    And unlike others, he didn’t have a car.


    This was really a problem.


    Old Tang had packed up his things and, riding his tricycle, came over, smiling at Gu Chen.


    “Let’s go, brother.”


    Gu Chen looked at him with a troubled face.


    “Tang brother, can I ask, did you buy this bike yourself?”


    Hearing this, Old Tang’s expression was extremely surprised.


    “You brought over so many vegetables early in the morning; don’t tell me you carried them here, I wouldn’t believe it.”


    His load was at least as much as one would need a tricycle for, just like his own.


    People aren’t oxen, who can have that much strength.


    Gu Chen scratched his head and made an excuse.


    “Coming by car wasn’t too troublesome, it’s just that I didn’t know I’d need to go to other markets. By tomorrow, I’ll have learned.”


    Being a novice in the vegetable-selling business, in addition to always smiling, he gave the impression of being carefree and simple-minded.


    So, Old Tang didn’t think much of it.


    He chuckled, “That’s the spirit of young people, having plenty of energy. It isn’t troublesome for you.”


    After saying that, he glanced at the back of his tricycle.


    He sold dry goods, which were expensive, so people couldn’t buy much.


    Old Tang knew this, so he never brought much stock each day.


    He turned his head, looked behind his tricycle, got down, and shifted his things around, making some space.


    Then he turned to Gu Chen and said, “Come on, put your things up here.”


    “Thank you, Tang brother!”


    Gu Chen said as he placed his bag of Huacai on the back seat of the tricycle.


    “Don’t thank me; now we have to walk over there. You can put your daughter on the cart, but don’t expect me to give you a ride,” Old Tang said with a smile, patting his hands.


    With Tangtang being so young, she could sit on the cart, and amidst the vegetables, I could barely manage to push it along.


    But to have another person on there, that was something I truly couldn’t push.


    Hearing there was a ride, the little girl didn’t want to walk a single step.


    She eagerly looked at Gu Chen with pleading hands.


    “Daddy, Tangtang wants to ride. Tangtang is tired.”


    After all, she was just a child; having followed Gu Chen around busy all morning, Tangtang was already starting to get sleepy.


    She looked droopy and lacked any energy or spirit.


    Gu Chen lifted Tangtang onto the cart, also worried that she might get cold since sitting still really made it easy to get cold.


    If she fell asleep again, she would definitely catch a cold.


    Thinking this, he reached out to take off his own coat.


    Seeing him undress, Old Tang hurriedly stopped him.


    “Brother, I have an army coat here; if you don’t mind, use it to cover your daughter. It may look a bit old, but it’s warm.”


    Having said that, he took an army green cotton-padded coat from the iron box under the tricycle seat and handed it to Gu Chen


    The coat was thick, and just by looking at it, one could tell it was warm.


    Old Tang smiled, “Cover your daughter with it.”


    Gu Chen hadn’t expected that Old Tang, despite his unassuming appearance, had such a well-equipped setup with everything he might need.


    He nodded his head in thanks, took the coat, and wrapped Tangtang in the army coat.


    He kissed her tiny head.


    “Be good, sleep for a while if you’re tired. When you wake up, we’ll be there.”


    The little girl obediently nodded her head, then closed her eyes, leaning against the nylon bag filled with broccoli.


    She quietly shut her eyes.


    Having settled Tangtang, Gu Chen took it upon himself to start pushing the tricycle.


    Old Tang helped him with the vegetables and even provided clothes for his daughter; it was only right that he push the cart himself.


    Old Tang didn’t refuse, he just looked at Gu Chen and silently stood to the side.


    He couldn’t help but sigh to himself.


    Nowadays, people as considerate and self-aware as Gu Chen were really becoming few and far between.


    The two men began walking along the path towards Southgate Market.


    They chatted sporadically as they walked.


    “Brother Tang, you really have everything you need with you.”


    At these words, Old Tang’s face showed reflection.


    “Don’t think little of our trade; many look down on us, but we are people too, with families waiting at home for us to make some money for food. If I get sick, it’s the family that suffers.”


    “That’s why, no matter what, you have to take care of yourself first. You are a good lad, young and willing to swallow your pride to sell vegetables, even bringing your daughter along. You’re a responsible man.”


    Gu Chen pursed his lips.


    Responsibility?


    He wondered whether this belated sense of responsibility could still save his family.


    He smiled at Old Tang and countered jokingly,


    “What can I do, being born a man, huh?”


    …


    After passing through alleys and around several traffic lights, it took them about half an hour to finally reach Southgate Market.


    Gu Chen was just about to push the cart inside.


    Old Tang suddenly spoke up as if he had remembered something, “Right, the price of vegetables here is a bit higher. We all mark up by fifty cents. You should raise your prices too; you can’t be as cheap as the morning market!”


    Afternoon vegetable prices generally are a bit higher than the morning market.


    This was also why there were more people at the morning market.


    Fresh vegetables and cheaper prices were simply a hit with the aunties and uncles.


    Gu Chen nodded his head.


    “Thank you, Brother Tang.”


    The two pushed their carts into the market.


    At the entrance of the market, there was a stall selling meat-stuffed buns.


    As soon as they entered the market, they were greeted by a strong aroma of braised meat.


    The rich scent wafted throughout the whole market.


    Truth be told, Gu Chen, busy all morning without any food, was indeed hungry.


    As the cart stopped, the little girl woke up.


    With sleepy eyes, she looked at Gu Chen and sniffed.


    Her voice soft and milky, she said, “Daddy, it smells good. Tangtang is hungry.”