Chapter 87 Young Coachman
When Liu saw her coming back, she couldn't help but ask, "Qianhuan, why did you take so long to buy buns today?"
"Mom, there are people juggling over there, and I couldn't help but watch for a while."
Qianhuan took out the bun from her arms and handed it to Liu, while she began to fool her mother without blushing or beating her heart.
"You are just a child who never grows up. From childhood to adulthood, you can't move your feet no matter what fun and interesting you see. How about that acrobatics, was it interesting?" Liu said this with a smile on her face.
"Well, it looks good."
Thinking of her plans for the evening, she said to Liu in a coquettish tone, "Mom, we always take a bullock cart to the county town and back home every day. I was sick that day so I took the horse-drawn carriage of the young master of Zuixianju. I felt that the horse-drawn carriage was much more comfortable than the bullock cart. Mom, today is our last day to set up the stall. Can we rent a horse-drawn carriage to go home tonight?"
"Qianhuan, it's not that I don't want you to ride in a carriage, it's just that riding in a carriage is much more expensive than riding in an oxcart. Riding in an oxcart only costs 2 cents per person, but a horsecart costs at least to cents per person, which is more than ten times more expensive than riding in a carriage."
Liu had never ridden in a horse-drawn carriage in her life. The villagers of their Yunfeng Village seldom went to the county town. Occasionally, when someone went to the county town to do business, they were reluctant to even ride in a ox-drawn carriage. Everyone would get up early in the morning and walk for more than an hour into the city.
If their family did not have to carry raw chestnuts, firewood and other things to set up a stall every day, she would have chosen to walk to the county town and would never have been willing to spend money on a ox cart. Now that her daughter said she wanted to take a horse carriage, she felt even more distressed about the money.
"Mom, it usually takes more than half an hour (about more than an hour) to go home by ox cart, and it will be dark when we get home. The horse carriage runs fast, and we can get home in less than two quarters of an hour. I feel a little tired today, and I want to go home early to eat and sleep. Just this time, can you agree to me?" Qianhuan continued to act coquettishly.
When Liu heard her complaining about being tired, she immediately asked nervously, "Are you feeling tired because you haven't recovered from the cold yet? Do you want me to take you to see a doctor again?"
"Mother, I don't need to see a doctor. As long as you agree to let me rent a carriage, we can go home early to eat and sleep after work."
"Okay, Mom promises you. Let's rent a carriage to go home in the evening." Liu gritted her teeth. Since the child wanted to ride in a carriage, she would let him indulge herself for once.
Seeing that Liu finally agreed, Qianhuan immediately breathed a sigh of relief. As long as she could rent a carriage to go home, her plan for the evening could be carried out smoothly.
"Thank you, mother. I will go to the carriage rental place and negotiate the price first, and then ask the driver to pick us up directly."
"Do you know how to negotiate the price? Do you want me to go with you to rent the place after work? What if they see that you are a child and try to overcharge you?"
"Mom, don't worry, I'm not that stupid. I'll go rent a car first."
Qianhuan asked people along the way and finally arrived at a place to rent a horse carriage. On the way, she found out the approximate price of renting a horse carriage. Although riding in a horse carriage is much more expensive than riding in an ox cart, it is also much faster.
As soon as she entered the car rental company, she deliberately raised her voice to ask the boss sitting at the counter: "Excuse me, how much does it cost to take a horse carriage from the county town to Yunfeng Village?"
The boss saw that the young man was not very old and was wearing a patched old cotton jacket and old cotton trousers. He didn't look down on him at first glance, but he didn't look down on him. After all, everyone who came to his door was a guest.
The boss replied enthusiastically: "It's more than ten kilometers from the county to Yunfeng Village, and it costs 25 coins to take a horse carriage one way."
When Qianhuan heard this, she realized that it was indeed much more expensive than an oxcart. "Boss, is there any discount on the price? I need to rent it three times today."
"You need 75 coins for three trips. I'll give you 5 coins off the change and you can just give me the round number."
I can't believe it. This guy is so young and his clothes are made of rough material. I didn't expect him to be a big customer, renting clothes three times a day.
"Okay, I need to hire a carriage in the evening to go back to Yunfeng Village from the county town. I need two trips at night. I need the driver to pick me up from Yunfeng Village at 8:11 pm (: pm in this article) and take me back to Yunfeng Village from the county town at : pm (: pm here). I want to choose the driver myself."
When they went out at night, they went to a brothel again. Although Qianhuan only planned to let the driver drop her off at the door of Liu Ji Noodle House, she was still worried, so she had to choose a more reliable driver herself.
When the boss heard that she needed a car so late at night and had to choose the driver herself, he was immediately in a dilemma.
"Well... I'll tell you the truth. My carriage shop is mostly open during the day. There aren't many customers who need to rent a carriage at night, and there are even fewer drivers willing to take the job at night. There are still two or three drivers willing to take the job at the hour of Xu, but there are really no drivers at the hour of Zi. For now, there is only one young man in the shop who is hardworking and willing to take the job regardless of whether it is during the day or late at night. There is really no one else for you to choose from except him."
The boss continued, "Although this young man is a little young, he is actually a very steady driver and he is also a very honest person. Otherwise, I will bring him here for you to see if he can do it. If you think he can't do it, I will try to find another driver for you."
"Okay, call him over and let me take a look first." Qianhuan didn't expect that there was only one coachman willing to work at night. She could only take a look at the lady of the coach first.
"Okay, it happens that he doesn't have any work on hand right now and is just sitting around in the car dealership. I'll call him over right away to let you see him." After the boss said this, he immediately turned around and went to call the driver.
"This is the rickshaw driver I was talking about. Ji Feng, quickly introduce yourself to your employer." The boss of the carriage shop urged the rickshaw driver.
"Hello, employer. My last name is Ji Feng. I live in Qiyang Village and I am 16 years old. Although I am young, I drive very steadily. Employers can rest assured."
The rickshaw driver introduced himself carefully, and it was obvious that he really wanted to take this job.
He was about 174cm tall and wore patched coarse cloth. It was obvious that he was from a poor family. Although he was dressed shabbily, his face was clean and he looked pretty.
Qianhuan noticed that his eyes were clear and his voice was loud and clear, and she knew at first glance that he was a very upright person. Qianhuan was very satisfied and agreed readily.
"Okay, it's him." Qianhuan made the decision very quickly.
When the young man named Ji Feng heard that she wanted to use him, he immediately breathed a sigh of relief, and there was a hint of joy between his brows.
Because he is young, he takes much fewer jobs than other older drivers. This is because most employers think that older drivers are more experienced and have better driving skills, so most customers basically choose older drivers to drive.
The job he took required the use of a car for two trips at night, which would not interfere with his daytime work. It was the best job that could not have been better.
The boss of the coachman's shop also breathed a sigh of relief. The old drivers were all old and few of them were willing to work late at night. Fortunately, the employer took a fancy to Ji Feng, otherwise it would take a lot of effort to find a new driver for him.