Siheyuan: Starting from the Old Society

Lin Sian strolled southward, feeling like there was a little rabbit in his heart, and he kept thinking about the schoolgirl he met by chance in the morning.

"Oh my god, why didn't you ask that girl's name? I missed out on 100 million!"

Look at this era, the girls on the streets all look malnourished!

He was skinny, with a pale face and skinny body, like a fallen leaf in autumn.

But what about her?

She is simply a fairy who has traveled through time and space. She exudes a refreshing aura like Teacher C. She is unforgettable and even more addictive than milk tea!

"If I knew her name, maybe I could follow the clues and do a family background check, and then..."

Lin Sian was calculating in his mind, "Just find a matchmaker like Yue Lao and do an ancient version of If You Are the One!"

But then again, these days, when it comes to marriage, one still needs the approval of one's parents and the help of a matchmaker.

But who is our Young Master Lin?

Comes with the protagonist's halo and full system buffs.

A good match?

Humph, that's just the troubles of mortals.

While Lin Sian was intoxicated with himself, he continued his journey of searching. In his heart, he had already begun to imagine his happy life after marriage.

If you walk to the bottom of the bell and drum tower, you will see an open area with groups of three, five, eight or nine people watching their own street performances.

When Lin Sian saw it, he slowly walked over.

On the platform of the ancient bell and drum tower in the south, there was a guy in his forties, holding a sanxian in his hand and playing it enthusiastically.

Before Lin Sian traveled through time, he was also an idle person who loved to join in the fun. He remembered that this folk music artifact was mentioned on CCTV's opera channel, and it was said that "once you get the hang of the sanxian, you'll be scratching your head for half your life."

Look at this artist brother, his face is yellowish with black, he has an untidy beard, his eyebrows are thick enough to be used as brushes, his eye sockets are deep enough to hold fish, and his black robe is almost scorched by the years, he looks very experienced.

The piano sounds melodious, but it’s a pity that there’s not even a kitten watching.

When Lin Sian saw him looking anxious like an ant on a hot pot——

His left hand flew over the sanxian like performing an acrobatic trick, and the tune was quite catchy.

After playing for a while, no one came to support him, so the artist could only put down the piano helplessly and sighed:

"Ah, how come this ancestral skill has encountered such a bad year..."

Before he finished his words, two copper coins appeared with a clang, and did a little bounce and roll.

"Haha, let me warm you up!"

Lin Sian smiled brightly.

When the artist saw the money, his expression was so complicated, like a palette:

"Oh, brother, you are such a kind person! I am not usually so lonely. Today my niece is a little late..."

He suddenly changed the subject, his eyes widened, and pointed forward:

"Look, here she comes! Wait a moment, brother, and listen to my niece's performance. I promise you won't be disappointed!"

At this time, a girl about sixteen or seventeen years old came in slowly.

She is so pretty, with fair and rosy skin, so tender that you can pinch water out of it.

Her figure is as graceful as a willow branch in the spring breeze, her long hair hangs gently in front of her forehead, and the delicate luster of her skin can be seen through the sparse hair.

This scene is quite different from the one with the female student before.

She was wearing an old blue gown, simple and clean, holding a small drum and a bamboo stand. She walked a few steps forward and whispered to the man, "Uncle San, is the shop open?"

The man pursed his lips to signal Lin Si'an: "Thanks to this gentleman's generosity, otherwise today would be in vain."

When the girl heard this, she immediately turned around and gave Lin Sian a smile brighter than the spring sun.

Then he started working swiftly, setting up the drum stand and placing the snare drum steadily on it.

His eyes wandered around Lin Sian from time to time, with a curious and surprised expression, as if he was wondering:

How come this young man, who is well-dressed and has an extraordinary temperament, came to our little place?

At this time, her second uncle pulled out drum sticks and clappers from a blue cloth bag like magic and stuffed them into her hands. The girl took them, and before the fight officially started, a group of people gathered around, as if they were watching a big show.

Lin Sian suddenly realized that what his second uncle said just now, "it's not usually deserted", was not an exaggeration.

He originally wanted to leave, but curiosity got the better of him and he wanted to see what this girl was capable of, so he just became a spectator.

The girl played the stick, the drums beat crisply, and sang two classics in coordination with the clappers:

The "startling dream" in "The Peony Pavilion" is lingering and sad;

The "Borrowing the Fan" in "The West Chamber" is playful and vivid.

There are also several expert reviews nearby.

As the girl sang, her pair of expressive eyes unconsciously glanced at Lin Sian again.

I guess she also knows that Lin Sian is a kind and gentle man.

"He is indeed a smart one!" Lin Sian was delighted.

Although her clothes were simple, she was so graceful, like a slender branch with fruits hanging on it.

He caught the eyes of the people around him, and they seemed to be frozen in place by a spell, unwilling to move.

After the song, several audience members brushed the dust off their clothes and dispersed while chatting.

“Damn it, you’re leaving without even paying me?” Lin Sian cursed inwardly.

The girl's third uncle was very skillful. As soon as the musical instruments were put away, the small wicker plate began to move among the crowd, and copper coins fell into the plate one by one, but there were only about a dozen or so, which looked very pitiful.

Originally, Lin Sian had already contributed two copper coins, and Uncle San was too embarrassed to ask for more. But when he saw the harvest, he made up his mind and walked over to Lin Sian with a smile.

Lin Sian knew that he was here to ask for money, so he took out a silver dollar without hesitation and threw it into the wicker plate. The silver dollar fell on the copper plate with a clanging sound.

Uncle San was overjoyed to see Lin Sian's generosity. He handed the wicker plate to his left hand, squatted, lowered his right hand, and greeted Lin Sian.

At this time, the girl also showed a surprised expression. She held the drum stand with her hand and looked at Lin Sian with her eyes.

Lin Sian paid this dollar not to show off his wealth, but because he felt that the group of people just gave too little and felt unfair for the uncle and nephew. Now that the girl was looking at him like this, there must be some misunderstanding, and he felt embarrassed to keep staring at her.

The man who played the erhu, with his stubbled beard almost standing up from laughing, just kept thanking Lin Sian.

He took the money, but the girl took a step forward, glanced at Lin Sian, and whispered a few words to the man playing the erhu.

He nodded several times and asked Lin Sian, "What's your name, sir?"

Lin Sian said: "My last name is Lin."

When Lin Sian answered this, he saw that the girl had turned her back and put away the drum, as if she was a little embarrassed.

Lin Sian was wearing clothes from another world, suit pants with a white shirt. He looked very cultured and was obviously not an ordinary person.

These people who were listening to the story had not yet dispersed, and losing a silver dollar was already enough to attract attention. It would be even worse if I talked to them as well.

After saying this, Lin Sian walked away quickly.

This encounter was just a small episode for Lin Sian.

As for that girl, since she is singing and performing under the bell tower, she has a chance.

Thinking of this, it’s like finding a treasure.

His steps became faster and he soon arrived at the dental clinic.

"Sir, do you need any help?" A middle-aged man in his forties came up to me with a smile on his face.

"I want to rent a house. Do you have any recommendations?" Lin Sian asked sincerely.

He had just arrived and was unfamiliar with the place, so he wanted to keep a low profile.

Buy a house directly? That would be very high profile, like the brightest star in the night sky, which would easily attract bees and butterflies. No, it would attract trouble.

Besides, in this world, ruffians are more common than candied haws;

If you are targeted by some blind person, you will become a stranger in a foreign land, who may be attacked at any time.

so,

Lin Sian decided to rent a small house first, keep a low profile and stay out of trouble.

After all, safety comes first!

His name is well chosen, "Lin Sian", as the name suggests, it means that one should also consider safety when living!

After some communication, the dentist surnamed Sun took Lin Sian to a crowded alley.

There are many people here, so generally no one dares to cause trouble here.

"Are there many people selling houses here besides renting them?" Lin Sian asked.

"A lot." Sun, the dentist, replied, "Most of the residents here are bannermen. The old days are over, and most of them have nothing to do now, with no income. But they have a lot of expenses, especially smoking addiction, which is hard to quit. More and more people gather in high-end smoking houses, and many of them have lost all their property."

Lin Sian asked again: "Is the Siheyuan in Nanluoguxiang also like this?"

"Yes, they are all the same." Sun, the dental hygienist, sighed, "In this world, who can stay out of trouble?"

This dental clinic looks old and has a story to tell.

They arrived at their destination, a typical two-story courtyard house with three main rooms, two west wing rooms, and four side rooms. Only the two east wing rooms had not been rented out.

"Oh, Old Sun is here!"

A down-and-out old man greeted them warmly, "The magpie was calling this morning, and I knew that distinguished guests were coming!"

Lin Sian looked like he was here to give her money, so the old man was naturally very enthusiastic.

But when it comes to money, the atmosphere changes immediately.

Lin Sian unceremoniously cut the rent in half.

In this era, good people are often bullied, and you have to be tough.

The two sides argued for a while, but finally reached an agreement.

Lin Sian waved his hand and rented both rooms in the east wing, mainly to avoid being too close to the neighbors in case there were eavesdroppers on the walls!

Two rooms cost eight silver dollars a month, including cleaning and laundry.

Finally they signed the agreement and everything was settled.

"Now that we are here, we should make the best of it. We are settling down temporarily now!"