Chapter 13 Chapter Twelve

After several months of preparation, Zhou Shuancheng's tobacco shop opened in the twelfth lunar month of this year.The smoking hall is located in Jiangzhang Town, named Saixiantang. Zhou Shuancheng opened the tobacco shop to make money in name, but in fact it was to save money.Therefore, he sells and feeds to fill the black hole of his son Zhou Baogen.Zhou Baogen is a heavy smoker. According to Zhou Shuancheng's temper, his son is not allowed to smoke anyway.Even though Zhou Shuancheng is such a baby bump, he doesn't think it's too much to be spoiled, but he won't let him smoke. Smoking is not only a bad reputation, but also a waste of money.He is such a frugal person, how can he let his son waste money like this?

In fact, the smoking was really not initiated by his son, Zhou Shuancheng could only be blamed on himself.Zhou Baogen has been weak since he was a child and suffers from a cold disease. He coughs continuously when he is exposed to cold. When he coughs, his throat is constricted like a bellows. His veins are protruding, his face is red, he is shaking violently, and his internal organs may be sprayed out at any time. It's scary, as if you can't catch your breath and you're dead.Zhou Shuancheng frightened his son, took him to seek medical treatment everywhere, and drank a lot of traditional Chinese medicine soup from the Weihe River, but it didn't help at all.It's better when it's hot in the year, but when it's cold, the disease will attack twice every three days.In the north, summer is short, autumn, winter and spring are long, and the long cool season is the prison sentence for the couple tied together by Zhou.Later, someone told them a folk prescription, saying that the smoke ointment can cure cold diseases, and the effect is very good.

After getting this folk prescription, Zhou Shuancheng and his wife had a difficult time.Smoking is likely to lead to addiction, and if you don't smoke, your son's illness will not be cured.Let's choose the lesser of two evils. Keeping your son's life is the most important thing, let's put the rest aside for now. Zhou Shuancheng thought about smoking to cure diseases, and there are three kinds of results: one is the best, the disease is cured but not addicted to cigarettes after smoking; the second is the worst, addicted to cigarettes after smoking , but the disease was not cured; the third is the middle one, who smoked, cured the disease, and became addicted to smoking at the same time.Zhou Shuancheng felt that he was not blind, and his luck was not so bad that he met the worst.Maybe the best will come your way.For this, Zhou Guoshi prayed to God every day, and even avoided it.This taboo doesn't mean not to eat meat, Zhou Shuancheng is not willing to eat meat and fish, so he just cuts some meat to pamper his stomach during the Chinese New Year.This taboo refers to not swearing at others, especially not to swear at children, which is very difficult to do in normal times.

The final result was impartial, and Zhou Baogen was placed in the middle.Although this made Zhou Shuancheng a little regretful, he still accepted it gladly. After all, it cured his son's stubborn illness and left him incense. Zhou Baogen started smoking.It was in the barn when he started smoking, and although his father allowed him to smoke, he didn't want to see him smoking, and he understood his father's conflicted feelings.The environment of the barn was very bad and the smell was bad, but he endured it for the sake of medical treatment.Later, as soon as the craving for cigarettes hit, he immediately got into the barn, and he couldn't smell the smell at all, and his nose, mouth and stomach were full of intoxicating fragrance.

Those animals looked at Zhou Baogen when he was smoking, they were probably curious, why does the precious young master of the Zhou family always like to get together with us this time.Later, the animals got used to the smell of opium. As long as Zhou Baogen went to the barn, these animals would rush to the barn as long as they saw it, no matter what they were doing outside, and share the deliciousness of opium with Zhou Shuancheng.Later, these animals also became addicted to smoking. If Zhou Baogen didn't go to the barn to smoke today, they would be yawning and lethargic, and they would be limp when they were pulled out to work.As long as Zhou Baogen sprayed them with two puffs of smoke, they would growl in excitement, wag their tails, and work like crazy.

Zhou Baogen's addiction to smoking is getting bigger and bigger.Although he was behind his father's back when he smoked, Zhou Shuancheng once witnessed the scene of his son's smoking addiction.That day, when transporting fertilizer from the bottom of the plateau to the top of the plateau, the long-term workers each had a handcart, Zhou Shuancheng and his son shared a cart, the son drove the shaft behind to push, and he pulled the looped rope at the front.The two of them were walking to the middle of the slope, when Zhou Shuancheng suddenly felt that the loop rope was getting heavier, so that he couldn't walk at the moment, and the car began to slide down.He didn't know what happened, but when he looked back, he saw Zhou Baogen yawning with his mouth wide open, with snot and tears streaming down his face.Zhou Shuancheng asked his son, what's the matter with you?Zhou Baogen panted and said, I am addicted to cigarettes, and I have no energy.Zhou Shuancheng was frightened to death. This is on a steep slope. If you don’t push the car up, it will fall down. There is no chance to get out of the shaft of the car, and the car will roll to the bottom of the plateau with the car, the consequences will be disastrous!

Zhou Shuancheng was quick to wit, and shouted, Baogen carried it, and dad will give you cigarette bubbles!Zhou Baogen was shocked by the sound of true spirit. He put his shoulder against the cart, and Zhou Shuancheng took the opportunity to grab a piece of sheep dung egg from the ground, stuffed it into his son's mouth, and said that the smoke bubble was coming! Zhou Baogen chewed the thing in his mouth and swallowed it, his eyes lit up and he was full of energy.He said, Dad, let's go!Zhou Shuancheng could hardly feel the loop rope this time, and the car went up to the top of the plateau with a whirring whirr.Zhou Baogen felt strange when he went to the field to unload the manure, and asked his father, hey, why do you have smoke bubbles on you?

Zhou Shuancheng didn't explain, just asked, how is this smoke bubble?Zhou Baogen said that it is strong enough, but the taste is a bit strange, a smell of embarrassment. Zhou Shuancheng was really scared, he didn't expect his son to be so addicted to smoking.What should we do in the long run? The reason why Zhou Shuancheng dared to accept the folk prescription at the beginning was that besides the reason that he had nowhere to go, he also had a bottom line in his heart, that is, he didn't worry about opium, because his family was a big smoker.But he didn't expect that once the opium was smoked, it would be a serious problem. The addiction to smoking was getting bigger and bigger, and the amount of smoking was rising steadily. Zhou Shuancheng was shocked when the account was calculated in detail.He wanted to tell his son to quit smoking, but he was also worried about what to do if he quit smoking and fell ill again. Besides, quitting smoking is not easy. How many big smokers have turned all their wealth into ashes, sold their sons and daughters and stole prostitutes. If it is easy to quit, they will quit early.

If you can't quit, you can't just sit and smoke. You have to find a way to make up for it. Finally, Zhou Shuancheng thought of opening a smoking hall.There are three advantages to opening a tobacco shop: first, the business is small, and the main purpose is to rent a storefront to add smoking equipment. Food, the profit is small, and the smoke cream is processed and sold in the tobacco shop of the family, and the profit is doubled; third, the specialty of the son is used.Although there may be so many benefits, Zhou Shuancheng is more realistic. He does not seek more profit, but seeks less loss. The ideal is for his son to earn back his cigarette money.

Everyone went to congratulate Saixiantang on the opening day. As a real brother, Zhou Kewen had to go, but he went against his will. He hated smoking opium, so how could he congratulate the smokehouse?After thinking and thinking, he sighed helplessly, human feelings are more important than etiquette! Zhou Kewen went.Others gave presents and sealed red envelopes, and some even brought a set of firecrackers, which crackled and lit at the door, exploding red crumbs all over the floor, giving the host a good start.Zhou Kewen only brought a pasted banner, greeted Zhou Baogen as soon as he entered the door, found a bright place, and hung up the word Bo.He didn't meet Zhou Shuancheng face to face, he was afraid of rubbing cold cheeks against hot faces.

Zhou Baogen hung the uncle's words on the place in the middle hall, and everyone gathered around to look at it, only to see that it was written in a dignified and dignified manner: the Taoist advises you to drink chicken soda water, and the boy can cook Yingsu soup.Signed: Su Dongpo.These two poems expressed what Zhou Kewen wanted to say, and he was quite proud of his idea.Taoists correspond to Saixiantang, and only Taoists pursue immortality, and seeking immortality is not smoking opium, but drinking poppy (poppy) soup.On the surface, the situation is consistent, but in fact, to persuade people to quit smoking, this meaning is expressed through the mouth of the ancients, elegant and hidden, which is very suitable for his identity. Someone laughed and said, Uncle Xiucai, you are too stingy, your brother opened a business, and you just give a piece of paper? Zhou Baogen is very good at talking, he hastily corrected him, my uncle's handwriting is a treasure, it is valuable, even the county magistrate can't ask for it. What Zhou Baogen said was probably the truth, but Zhou Kewen still wanted to climb up the bamboo pole. He said that the county magistrate should not come to beg. The meaning of this statement not only shows off oneself but also elevates the other party, and both sides love to hear it. All congratulatory guests will be entertained by the host, but Zhou Kewen is determined to leave.Zhou Baogen couldn't stop it, so he said, Uncle, don't you always have a cup of tea if you don't eat? Zhou Baogen went to the back to pour tea for Zhou Kewen, and Zhou Shuancheng stuffed him with a cup of cold tea. Zhou Baogen said, this is inappropriate, why don't you reach out to give gifts. Zhou Shuancheng said, what kind of a bad gift did he give? There was still ink on the toilet paper, and I was afraid it would stain the assholes black. Zhou Baogen said, give people herbal tea?I'm not going, I'm going to take it to you. Zhou Shuancheng snorted and said that I would serve him?He yelled, "Bring the baby, bring tea to your uncle." Yinwa went in without knowing it, and brought out the cup of cold tea.As soon as Zhou Kewen took the cup, he was surprised, why do people drink herbal tea in winter?Seeing that the two male protagonists did not show their faces, you will know what it means. Still remember the grudge against me.Zhou Kewen muttered. Saixiantang opened before the New Year's Eve, which is the leisure period for people. No matter what they do, they have some spare money at this time, and the business is particularly good. On this day, a sallow and emaciated man in ragged clothes came to the smoke den, he looked like a heavy smoker.As soon as he was about to enter the door, Zhou Shuancheng blocked him. He knew that people who were so poor had no money at all, and they went to the smokehouse purely to smoke. Cengyan refers to some heavy smokers who have neither money to buy cigarettes nor quit smoking, go to the smokehouse to beg for cigarettes from others.There are two kinds of beggars' methods: soft begging and hard begging. Soft begging means saying auspicious words and singing happy songs, such as Allegro: as soon as you enter the door, you are full of joy, and there is Lu Dongbin lying on the kang. Buddha lamp.If that person is a stingy person and remains unmoved, the cigarette begger will speak ill at each other and become a hard begger, chanting a mantra: Once he enters the door, his anger will rise, and a living dead will lie on the kang. Follow the dead light.No matter whether it is soft begging or hard begging, it is nothing more than begging for nothing to let others give him a puff of cigarettes. The man hurriedly said that he was not a cigarette smoker, but worked as a shopkeeper's clerk, and that he had a good skill at burning cigarettes, and he didn't need wages.Saixiantang has just opened, and the manpower is indeed a bit tight. Now that there is such a cheap thing, Zhou Shuancheng naturally wants to try it.He let the man in, and the man moved his nose quickly as soon as he entered the door, like a drowning person surfacing. Zhou Baogen, who heard the sound, knew that the man hadn't smoked for a few days.Zhou Shuancheng said to his son, try his skills. Zhou Baogen took out a tray of smoking utensils, took out the tobacco cream, lay down on the cigarette couch, lit the cigarette lamp, and said to the man, come on.The man unwrapped the waxed paper from the pack of cigarettes. He didn't rush to move, but bent his head down and took a few deep breaths into the smoke cream, then put the waxed paper on his tongue and licked it repeatedly.Zhou Baogen urged him to hurry up, and he held the tobacco skewer in one hand and the tobacco board in the other, bowed left and right, alternately slowly, and burned gorgeous smoke bubbles for Zhou Baogen, such as beautiful women undressing, toad drying belly, golden cicada shelling, official adding official, lion head, etc. . This person is really talented and should stay.But Zhou Baogen is surprised that this person has such a means, there are several smokehouses in Jiangzhang Town, why others don't want him?It's better to be careful with such strange people, don't provoke them easily, and pay them. But Zhou Shuancheng firmly disagreed, saying that it was his own promise, and we did not force him.If he wants to do it, he will do it, if he doesn't, he will leave! The man quickly said that I will do it, I will do it, as long as there is food to eat. What Zhou Shuancheng and his son never expected was that this person died in Saixian Hall three days after entering the hall! This person didn't come to eat, but to smoke, and he ate it secretly. He ate too much at one time, and he was stuffed to death.He was originally not a mortal, but the brother-in-law of a platoon leader in the Jiangzhang Town Garrison, and was kicked out by his brother-in-law because of heavy smoke.He had no means of living, first he smoked cigarettes in various tobacco halls, and later worked as a free man in many tobacco halls in the town with his ability to burn cigarettes, but he was driven away because of stealing.Saixiantang had just opened, and he was hired without knowing it. He had to wait for many days before he got the chance, and died of poisoning by a sneak overdose. This is actually Zhou Shuancheng's fault.If he followed Zhou Baogen's suggestion and paid him wages, he would probably use the money to buy cigarettes, and nothing would happen.Sneaking means that there is a last meal but no next meal. As long as you seize the opportunity, you must eat enough to support the days without smoking. If you are not careful, you will overdose.Buying with money is a steady flow, and he will not have intermittent panic. At that time, it was common for smokers to eat to death, and this person still ate.But it depends on who it is. Generally, when a smoker dies, someone will bury it in a thin coffin, and someone will carry it out and throw it to the dogs.In the trench outside the south gate of Jiangzhang Town, the sky is full, and the intestines and stomachs are torn all over the ground. But this man is the platoon leader's brother-in-law, the platoon leader didn't recognize him when he was alive, but he recognized him when he was dead.This matter is in big trouble! The platoon leader proposed two options: if he was public, he would be accused of murder, and he would be sentenced to severe punishment or even shot; Regardless of whether it is public or private, it is a dead end for Zhou Shuancheng.He can't win the lawsuit, and he can't afford to pay so much money. When they were about to die of worry, Yingwa gave them an idea: find Zhou Lide. The news that Zhou Lide was a military officer had already been shown off by Zhou Kewen, and he was said to be Feng Yuxiang's adjutant. What an officer this is, people in the Zhou family village didn't even dare to think about it! This is indeed a road. Feng Yuxiang is in charge of Shaanxi and Gansu provinces, and his adjutant can't manage a small platoon leader? But this week Lide is not something they can find directly, they have to worship his old man first.Who will open the mouth of begging for help?They made trouble. Yinwa said, I'll go, I'm a girl doll, what can my uncle do to me? Zhou Baogen said, let me go, my uncle will say that we don't value him when my sister goes. Zhou Shuancheng sighed and said, forget it, none of you can say it, I don't know your uncle, he is just waiting for me to tell him something. Zhou Shuancheng brought two catties of good tea, and walked to the next door with his old face.As soon as he walked into the gate, he heard Zhou Kewen singing Yang Jiye from "Golden Beach" in Qin Opera under the grape arbor in the yard: Zhou Shuancheng knew it was him, but he didn't say anything.Things hold you back, no matter how hard your neck is, you have to bow your head.He put down the tea, picked up the hammer placed by the door, and threw it towards the courtyard wall, smashing through the blocked hole with a plop. Zhou Kewen said, is that right? I'll write to the boss right away, it's a big deal.