Tan Fucheng hired more than a dozen rickshaws to take everyone to the Sand Goose House.
Along the way, he fell silent. The several accompanying Supports also dared not speak. In front of these coachmen, Tan Fucheng and the others felt inferior about their own vulgarity.
Lu Chunying and Lu Yuanxin seemed unaffected.
SIGH.
Li Banfeng heard another sigh.
The coachman put down the shafts and said to Tan Fucheng, "The destination is merely a temporary pause in a journey. After the pause, people must embark on a new one. The cycle of life is just scenery along the way; only the steps taken on the journey are the unchanging eternity."
Tan Fucheng bowed deeply and instructed his servants, "Don’t say that I’ve pulled a rickshaw before. I’m really not worthy."
The Sand Goose House was a study room with tens of thousands of books, and it also functioned as an inn. Many literati came here to read, and since they couldn’t part with the books, they stayed at the study room.
This lodging was chosen by Xiao Yeci, who had long yearned for the Sand Goose House. Seeing the shelves of books stacked in the Book Pavilion, Xiao Yeci’s breathing quickened.
"Mom, your face is red and you’re sweating."
"Mommy likes it here!"
"Mom, let’s arrange the accommodation first. It seems Big Brother Tan has become rather tongue-tied."
Tan Fucheng stood at the study room’s front desk, sweating profusely. Xiao Yeci approached and politely said, "We would like ten rooms."
Standing behind the counter was a young woman with the standard Puluo State schoolgirl’s short hair.
She was wearing a teal long gown, similar in style to a cheongsam but looser and not emphasizing the waistline, which was unique to Puluo State female students.
The woman looked at Xiao Yeci and asked in a low, profound voice, "People are just passersby in time. Why do you insist on staying here?"
Xiao Yeci honestly replied, "I am deeply attracted by the books here. I’ve come with a devout heart to learn and want to stay for a few more days."
The young woman nodded and said, "The study room has upper rooms, middle rooms, and lower rooms. Which type would you like?"
On this trip to the Ink Shop, no one had disclosed their identities. However, they were all people of status and thus couldn’t settle for poor accommodations.
Xiao Yeci said, "We want to stay in the upper rooms."
The woman asked, "Do you choose the upper rooms out of a desire for pleasure?"
Xiao Yeci was very ashamed and quickly amended, "Then we will stay in the middle rooms."
The woman frowned and said, "Is changing to the middle rooms an act of feigning mediocrity?"
Xiao Yeci was somewhat troubled. "Are you suggesting I choose the lower rooms? But the lower rooms aren’t good, right?"
The woman’s brows furrowed tighter. "Are you so vain? If it’s just for enjoyment and vanity, the world outside is so flourishing. Why did you come to the Ink Shop? Why do you still want to stay in a study room?"
Xiao Yeci hung her head in shame and said, "I was presumptuous..."
"It’s not that you were presumptuous; it’s that your desire to learn isn’t pure."
Xiao Yeci felt even more ashamed and nodded repeatedly. "Then we’ll just stay in the lower rooms."
The woman looked at Xiao Yeci with disappointment. "Have you chosen the lower rooms out of stinginess, or is it an insult to the study room?"
"I, I didn’t mean that!" Now even Xiao Yeci didn’t know what to say.
SIGH.
Li Banfeng heard another sigh.
Xiao Yeci stuttered, unable to speak. Lu Yuanxin glanced at Lu Chunying, preparing to use some unconventional methods.
Lu Chunying nodded.
Lu Yuanxin approached the counter and said to the woman, "Book ten upper rooms and have your people come take the luggage."
The woman looked at Lu Yuanxin and asked, "Do you choose the upper rooms for pleasure, or for vanity?"
Lu Yuanxin tapped the table, and a spherical object appeared on it.
The woman initially thought it was an egg. After a moment, the "egg" suddenly stretched out, revealing dense, numerous legs.
It turned out not to be an egg, but a curled-up Centipede.
The Centipede unfolded its body and crawled slowly on the counter.
The woman exclaimed and stepped back two paces. "Is this a blasphemy against learning, or an insult to scholars?"
"This is my warning to you. I want ten upper rooms." Lu Yuanxin tapped the table again, and the Centipede crawled onto the woman’s face.
The woman quickly arranged the rooms, and everyone checked in. Xiao Yeci, however, felt somewhat melancholic.
"Nannan, is Mommy’s heart really not pure?"
"Mommy, you are the purest! Don’t stoop to that person’s level!"
By noon, after everyone had eaten, Xiao Yeci took Lu Chunying to the study room to read, while Li Banfeng went out alone for a stroll.
The Ink Shop had a bustle that was not boisterous, quite different from Greenwater City.
The streets were narrow, and shops were packed tightly together, but not a single one had someone shouting for business outside its door.
To buy something, one first had to understand the sign, then discern the quality, and finally negotiate the price with the shop owner.
Haggling occurred without arguments or clamor, all conducted with a poetic flair.
"This fountain pen should have a suitable owner. As soon as you see my handwriting, you should understand this principle: its owner is me."
"I believe you and this fountain pen share a predestined bond from a past life. But if you’re still hesitating and agonizing over twenty yuan, I believe your bond in this life ends here."
These exchanges were still considered relatively direct. There were some shops whose signs Li Banfeng couldn’t even understand.
For example, at the Footwear Workshop, someone might think of going in for a foot wash, but it actually sold socks.