There is an inconspicuous shop in Huailiu Lane, Gongxian Street, Yonghefang. It is tucked into the corner of the lane, and its front is completely covered by a huge tree, making it invisible to the public.
The lobby was narrow and irregular, with a length of space that stretched to the limit of an arrow. It was difficult to find a good spot for a table, and it felt crowded with more people. Furthermore, there were no windows on the four walls, with only two glazed tiles on the ceiling for light. Even during the day, it was dim, and those with poor eyesight would be completely blinded the moment they entered.
The shop's lobby, on the left, bordered the courtyard, with one entrance and one exit through a corner gate. It was also small, with two bedrooms in the back and two utility rooms in the front, each connected by a wall. Beneath the wall was a narrow well, with a thatched shed beside it. The open space in the middle, enclosed on three sides, was no more than fifty feet wide.
There is no other exit in the backyard, and there is a sewer outside the wall. It is blocked from north to south, and the air is stagnant. Once summer comes, the air smells bad, which not only attracts mosquitoes and flies, but also causes people to get sick.
Land is very expensive in Beijing, so even this remote shop with poor feng shui had welcomed many customers in the past. But perhaps it had violated some kind of divine taboo, as everything it opened was losing money, and everything it sold was losing money. Furthermore, a murder had occurred there, and although no one was killed, the sight of blood was unlucky.
Business people are always superstitious about such things, and the owner is reluctant to spend money on rituals, so over time it became a dead place, vacant year round. Later, it was put up for sale at the government office, but no matter how eloquent the agents were, the buyers would shake their heads and back away when they heard about this place.
It's strange to say, this shop has been hanging in the government office for almost a year without being rented out or sold, and now it seems like the sun is rising from the west, and there is some movement.
At three o'clock in the morning, just as the gate opened, several donkey carts arrived before daybreak, dragging more than a dozen boxes and cages.
Later, a few carpenters came with their tools and started banging away. A few days later, a group of women came again and swept the lobby and backyard until they were covered in dust.
The commotion aroused great curiosity among the neighbors, who came in groups to inquire about the situation, but they never saw the owner of the house.
The store was busy for more than ten days before a tall man came carrying something that looked like a plaque and hung it above the door.
That thing was more like a piece of wood than a plaque, or a burnt piece of wood, brown and black in color, with two crooked characters carved on it and outlined with cinnabar.
The red color of cinnabar blended with the brown-black wood, and one could barely make out the two words "砍春" (Zhan Chun) carved into it.
What is this for?
The neighbors were dumbfounded when they saw the sign. Some people wanted to go forward to ask, but they saw the man who put up the plaque brought two coarse cloth signs with black characters on a green background and hung them on the left and right. There were four big characters "Zhanchun Bookstore" written on each side.
A bookstore? It's completely unrecognizable! It looks like a charlatan fortune-teller's stall. The neighbors were completely baffled. Who, with nothing better to do than to open a bookstore in this remote corner? Did they have so much money they didn't know where to spend it?
"Brother, may I ask if you are the owner of this bookstore?" someone couldn't help but ask.
The man turned around and asked jokingly, "Do I look like the boss?"
Indeed not.
The person asking the question was speechless for a moment. Then the man pointed at a figure walking lazily on the street behind the crowd and said, "That's the boss."
Everyone turned around and saw who was coming, and they all complained in their hearts at the same time - does this look like the boss?
It was clearly a woman, about twenty years old, but unlike ordinary women who combed their hair, put on makeup, and wore skirts, she had a plain face and wore a white, cross-collared jacket that was neither new nor old. She had her long hair standing up high, dressed like a man.
Although she was dressed as a man, she did not try to conceal her figure, so one could tell her gender at a glance. She had the simplicity and elegance of the women of the Southern Dynasties.
Dasheng encompasses a myriad of atmospheres, it can accommodate the hot Hu Ji, the blue-eyed and blonde foreigners, and naturally it can also accommodate a woman who is so delicate that she is almost outlined with ink lines.
Therefore, people did not find her dress strange, but they could not associate this weak woman with the owner of a bookstore.
"Brother, are you kidding? Is this your boss? Maybe it's some young lady out for some fun in disguise?"
The man laughed heartily and patted his chest, saying, "The goods are genuine and she is the real deal."
When the people approached, she saw that everyone was staring at her. She straightened her clothes slightly, raised her head and bowed calmly to everyone, and said with a smile: "Hello everyone, I am Xu Jiang, the owner of this Zhanchun Bookstore. I am new here and I am not familiar with the place. I hope you will take care of me in the future."
Seeing that she was graceful, generous and amiable, everyone immediately liked her and sent her gifts in return to congratulate her.
The person who had asked the question earlier was afraid that she didn't understand the market, so he kindly reminded her, "Young lady, since your bookstore has just opened, there are some things you shouldn't say. But the location you chose for the bookstore... is really not very good. Didn't that unscrupulous landlord tell you the truth?"
Xu Jiang raised her lips in thanks and said, "Thank you for your concern, sir. The landlord is very honest and has already explained the local market clearly to me. He has not lied to me. Please don't wrongly accuse him."
The man was even more surprised when he heard this. "If you knew about the market, why did you choose this place? This is a deadly place. Countless people have lost everything. You've committed murders and seen blood. Why did you rush in here?"
Xu Jiang confessed, "I'm really short of money and can't afford another shop, but I'm desperate to find a place to live, so I chose this place. Fortunately, the owner is kind and willing to sell it at a low price, so I have this little place to stay."
Actually bought it.
The person shook her head and thought to herself that she had been really cheated. After all, she was a young girl and had never seen the world. Just wait and see, it won't be long before she will pack up and go home crying.
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