While looking at the gift box, he pretended to be casual and asked: "Shopkeeper, what are the train times to Weifang?"
"Is Weifang the place famous for its kites?" the shopkeeper asked.
"Yes! Not only are kites famous there, but the woodblock New Year paintings are also pretty good." Xie Liuyun replied.
"I buy some kites from there every year and sell them. The quality of the kites is well-deserved! The supporting keels are strong and durable, and the patterns and colors drawn are also beautiful. They are unmatched by those made elsewhere."
"Is it easy to sell?"
"Of course it's easy to sell! The demand exceeds the supply, and there are many repeat customers. It's all business from regular customers. Every spring, what I worry about most is the lack of supply. I just watch the profitable business and I just get anxious."
As soon as the shopkeeper talked about the kite business, he was very emotional and started to talk a lot.
Listening to the shopkeeper's complaint, Xie Liuyun turned around and asked with a smile: "From your tone, do you often go to Weifang?"
"I don't go often. In the first few years, I went less often, only once a year. In the past two years, I went more often, but only two or three times a year."
"Shopkeeper, I think I go here a lot, probably because of business!"
"Isn't that right! These days, there is a lot of war and chaos. If it weren't for the sake of the whole family, who would be willing to run around and take risks to do business."
"That's right. Then you must know the train number to Weifang, right?"
"There are two buses to Weifang every day, at eleven o'clock in the morning and three o'clock in the afternoon. Sir, are you going to Weifang?"
"Yes! I'm going there to visit my friends, so I'm asking you about it."
The shopkeeper took out his pocket watch, took a look at it, and exclaimed: "It's already a quarter past ten. Sir, if you go and buy a ticket now, it's still too late."
When Xie Liuyun heard what the shopkeeper said, he seemed a little anxious. He put down the gift box in his hand and said, "Shopkeeper, in that case, I will go to the ticket office to buy tickets. It won't be too late to choose the gift box when I get back."
There were not many customers who could buy gift boxes in one day. The shopkeeper didn't want to miss out on Xie Liuyun's blessing, so he took the initiative and said: "Sir, you can continue to choose gift boxes here. I will just ask the waiter to buy tickets for you."
."
Seeing that Xie Liuyun was still hesitant, the shopkeeper continued: "If you don't worry, it won't be too late for you to give me the money for the ticket after checking it at the entrance."
Hearing what the shopkeeper said, Xie Liuyun couldn't help but laugh and said: "How can I not believe what your shopkeeper said! I'm worried about causing trouble to you and affecting your business."
"Hi! As long as you don't mind us running errands for you, we are just taking care of our business, so be it! Xiaohai, I'll give you money, and you go buy this gentleman's ticket."
The boy agreed, walked to the shopkeeper, and waited for the shopkeeper to pay him so that he could buy the ticket.
The shopkeeper raised his head and asked: "Sir, are you going to Weifang alone? Is there anyone traveling with you?"
When Xie Liuyun heard the shopkeeper's question, he suddenly thought of something. He patted his head and said with some embarrassment: "Your question reminded me that I had a friend to go to."
I'm from Kaifeng, but I can't go because I have something to do. Knowing that I have to go out of town today, why don't you ask me to handle the refund for him? Shopkeeper, please ask the clerk to handle it for me when buying the ticket!"
The shopkeeper smiled and said, "Sir, this is no problem for me as a piggybacker. Just give me your ticket."
Xie Liuyun groped around and took out a ticket from his coat pocket. He glanced at the ticket and after confirming it was correct, he walked over and handed it to the shopkeeper.
The shopkeeper took the ticket, took a look at it, and said: "Today's 11 o'clock train is not here yet. Fortunately, there is still time to refund the ticket. Xiaohai, take it and handle the refund for this gentleman."
The boy agreed and put the ticket in his pocket.
After confirming that Xie Liuyun was going to Weifang alone, the shopkeeper took out the exact amount of money for the ticket from the money box and handed it to his clerk and said: "The train to Weifang at 11 o'clock, one ticket, go quickly
."
The little boy didn't dare to neglect, took the money, followed the shopkeeper's instructions, pushed the door open and ran towards the ticket office.
Xie Liuyun followed him to the door, looked outside, and then immediately returned to the counter. With the help of the shopkeeper, he picked out the gift boxes in the photo and matched them with the specialty products one by one.
In about ten minutes, the boy came back. After handing the returned ticket money and the purchased ticket to the shopkeeper, he lifted up the cover of the counter and got into the inside of the counter, picked up the rag and continued busy.
The work that I had not finished just now seemed to be very familiar.
The shopkeeper looked at the ticket, confirmed the departure time and destination, and handed the ticket and the refunded money to Xie Liuyun.
Xie Liuyun took the ticket and money. He first looked at the ticket and found that the time and place were correct, then he put it in the inner pocket of his coat.
Then, he handed the six yuan back to the shopkeeper and said, "Here's the money for you. You will be refunded any additional amount when you settle the bill later."
"Okay! Sir, you are so generous. I will keep the money first. Can you see what else you need besides the things just now?"
Xie Liuyun picked two more local special foods, and then said: "That's it. Shopkeeper, help me calculate how much it costs?"
The shopkeeper is very skillful in counting the selected items and calculating the prices.
After doing some calculations, the shopkeeper said: "Sir, the gift box you chose costs 50 cents each, there are two in total, the total is one yuan. The total of these specialties is three yuan. Including the five yuan for the ticket, the total is
Nine yuan. Counting the six yuan you have already paid me, you only need to pay me another three yuan."
Xie Liuyun nodded, took out four yuan from his wallet and handed it to the shopkeeper, saying: "Here are four yuan. Please keep it and treat it as the cost of running errands."
The shopkeeper was very happy when he heard this and hurriedly reached out to take the money, but he refused to accept the extra one yuan given by Xie Liuyun. He kept saying that it was a job to help him and it would be wrong to accept the money.
However, with Xie Liuyun's repeated insistence, the shopkeeper finally reluctantly accepted the one yuan as an errand fee.
The shopkeeper always felt a little sorry, so he said to Xie Liuyun: "Sir, do you think you need me to do anything else for you?"
Xie Liuyun watched the boy packing the gift box skillfully and said, "Shopkeeper, do you have any rags that you don't need?"
The shopkeeper nodded, "Yes! Sir, do you need it?"
"I want to get a piece of cloth to wrap the gift box with when I get off the bus and carry it on my back so I can go on my way."
As soon as the shopkeeper heard this, he bent down and rummaged around in the drawer under the counter. After a while, he found a piece of blue cloth. He unfolded it and saw that it was three or four feet wide and two or three feet long, which was just right.