The river is lined with sails and rafts like a forest, and boats are like trains. The boats waiting to dock are so crowded that you can't even see the end of them.
The goods piled up like mountains on both sides of the river, and the boatmen were unpacking, pulling fibers, rocking oars, and holding poles... The sounds of various chants resounded through the sky, creating a lively and prosperous scene.
Huo Xi and her uncle Yang Fu squatted on the river bank not far away, with their hands in their sleeves and their eyes shining, staring closely at every ship that came to the shore.
Yang Fu imitated Huo Xi's look, with his legs spread apart, his butt stuck out, his sleeves and hands resting on his knees. His eyes were equally bright, looking at the dock from time to time, and looking back at Huo Xi from time to time.
It's just past mid-autumn, and the weather is a little cooler in the morning and evening, but the sun is still shining brightly at noon, and the power of the autumn tiger remains unabated.
Seeing that the sun was shining now, Yang Fu hurriedly built an awning and put it on Huo Xi's forehead to block her.
"Anchor down! Get out of the warehouse! Hey ho, hey ho..."
As soon as a medium-sized cargo ship was about to dock, the boatmen shouted the signal to stop the ship and dock.
Yang Fu's eyes lit up, he stood up and was about to run over. However, Huo Xi's quick eyes and quick hands held him tightly.
Yang Fu looked puzzled and turned to look at Huo Xi.
Huo Xi didn't explain, she just let go of her hand, held her sleeves up again, and looked towards the dock.
At this time, following the boatman's call to stop the ship, the porters squatting on the shore rushed towards the docked ship like an arrow from a string.
"Don't crowd, don't crowd!"
"Go, go, come and move the goods as soon as your hair is all grown up. Let's move the goods for you! Go, go!"
A few stout men on the boat frowned when they saw a group of half-grown men rushing over. They rushed forward and waved away hard.
Several half-grown boys were pushed back and staggered a few steps, while several thin boys were directly pushed to the ground.
"Hiss..." It must be painful.
Yang Fu bared his teeth as if he felt the same. He turned around and glanced at Huo Xi. Fortunately, if Huo Xi hadn't grabbed him when he rushed up, he would have been thrown to the ground by now.
One day's transportation money is not enough for medicine.
Yang Fu happily pressed the money bag on his chest, shook it up and down, and grinned happily when he saw the sound of copper plates clattering inside.
Then he followed Huo Xi's example and squatted on the ground with his hands up.
After waiting for a while, two ships were emptied out on the dock. Seeing that Huo Xi had not moved yet, Yang Fu raised his head and looked at the sky, feeling a little anxious.
"Anchor! Get out of the warehouse! Hey ho, hey ho..." Another cargo ship is preparing to dock.
Yang Fu stared at it with greedy eyes. This ship was bigger than the previous two ships, and the cargo was piled up like a mountain. If there were more decorations, the hull might be submerged in the water.
Such a lot of goods can be moved many times.
Yang Fu was happy to see Liexin and licked his lips. He was about to discuss it with Huo Xi when he saw that Huo Xi had already stood up.
Yang Fu stared blankly as Huo Xi turned his neck from side to side, then turned his feet.
"My feet are numb from squatting," Huo Xi said.
"Oh, uncle, give it a beating for you." Yang Fu said and stood up, ready to go over and give Huo Xi a beating.
I punched my hand empty.
Huo Xi ran toward the shore like an arrow from a string without looking back: "Uncle, hurry up!"
Yang Fu came to his senses and ran after him: "Oh, oh, it's coming, it's coming!" and chased after Huo Xi.
Huo Zhong, the second steward of the merchant ship, was standing on the river bank at this time, with his hands in his sleeves and toothache looking at the two boys who were less than ten years old.
Why are these two boys here again?
Huo Zhong felt his heart trembling when he saw the two of them staggering and unsteady on their feet, working together to carry a few dozen kilograms of goods one step at a time.
The head here is wrapped in raw silk. Although it is not afraid of falling, it will hurt if it hits the foot.
The owner was kind enough to compensate the mover for medical expenses if he was hit by cargo. Manager Huo only felt that his back molars were sore and numb.
Finally, a shipload of goods was moved cleanly.
Huo Xi and Yang Fu slumped down on the ground, regardless of whether they were clean or not, and fell to the ground. They felt that no part of their hands, feet, or anywhere on their bodies belonged to them.
It's a life-threatening situation. This is really not a job for humans.
At the pier, several stewards held small notebooks in front of the porters and settled the transportation expenses by numbers.
Seeing that Huo Xi's uncle and nephew did not get up, Huo Zhong walked towards them with his hands behind his back.
"Guanshi Huo." Huo Xi saw Huo Zhong coming and hurriedly pulled Yang Fu to his feet.
"Huo, Manager Huo."
Yang Fu glanced at him, said hello, and lowered his head timidly.
Huo Zhong looked at the two boys who had lost all their strength and sighed secretly.
"If you can't do it, then don't come here. This kind of work is not something you can do. You are still growing and are being crushed. I'm afraid you won't be able to grow taller in the future."
Maybe people die at a young age. Huo Zhong couldn't help but remind him.
"Hehe, we will pay attention. There will be some rest among us." Huo Xi raised his head and smiled flatteringly at Huo Zhong.
No other merchant ship wanted them, but Huo Zhong and his company were kind-hearted.
Huo Xi felt grateful.
Huo Zhong looked at the patched clothes of the two, and then at the straw sandals on their feet... It was already autumn, but these two boys didn't even have a pair of flesh-covered shoes on their feet.
I couldn't help but sigh secretly again.
He took off his purse and took out a handful of copper coins. After thinking about it, he added a few more and handed them to the two of them: "Take it."
Yang Fu was excited and rubbed his hands, but he didn't dare to pick them up and quickly looked at Huo Xi.
Huo Xi took it generously, without counting it, and put it into his chest pocket.
He bowed to Huo Zhong and said: "Thank you very much, Manager Huo, for taking care of me. My nephew and uncle will keep it in their hearts. If they succeed in the future, they will definitely repay Manager Huo for his care and care."
Yang Fu also followed Huo Xi's example and bowed to him: "Thank you very much, Manager Huo. You will be rewarded for your good deeds."
Huo Zhong felt comforted in his heart. This young boy seemed to have studied in school and was polite and courteous in his speech.
Nodding at the two of them: "Well, let's go home. Rest for a few more days and don't come back tomorrow."
"yes."
Huo Zhong watched his uncle and nephew leave briskly, and the corners of his mouth curled up. He didn't know if he was in a daze or something, but he was so moved by the boy's words that he agreed to join the moving team.
Were they the same family five hundred years ago? Maybe so. Besides, it was just a few copper coins.
Huo Zhong shook his head, turned and left.
"Xi'er, look at how many coppers Manager Huo gave me. Is it enough to buy a pig's trotter for your mother?"
As soon as they left the dock, Yang Fu urged Huo Xi to count the copper coins.
Huo Xi had a rough idea, but who wouldn't be happy counting money? So she pulled her uncle along, and the two of them walked to a place behind each other. Huo Xi took out a handful of coins from his arms.
A handful of copper plates could not be held in his hand, and they overflowed and got into the fingers of Huo Xi's little hand. Yang Fusheng was afraid that they would fall, so he hurriedly held them with both hands and stepped forward to protect them.
Huo Xi held the copper plates in one hand and counted them one by one with the other hand. After counting one coin, he put one in Yang Fu's hand.
"One article, two articles, three articles..."
Yang Fu looked at the copper plate in his palm with some disbelief: "Wow, it's eighteen cents! Plus what we earned this morning... wow, we actually earned twenty-six cents today! Xi'er, this is
That’s great!”
Huo Xi was also a little happy. They earned twenty-six cents today!
Manager Huo gave me more than the other boats combined.
Although other boatmen were kind-hearted and did not chase people away, allowing them to pick up the light cargo and move it, but since the combined labor of the uncle and nephew was not enough for an adult, some boatmen only gave away two or three pennies.
There are also.
The uncle and nephew were not too little, and they saved eight cents all morning.
"Xi'er, let's go buy pig trotters."
"Okay, let's go buy pig trotters!"
The two held hands happily and ran towards the butcher shop.