"What do you mean by papaya or jade pendant? I don't understand." Xu Sanhan laughed. "I just know that we're all exiled people. Isn't it normal for us to take care of each other when we're away from home? Besides, it was our boss who helped us first."
Xu Jiang smiled and said, "It's just a small favor, not worth mentioning."
A Lai continued, "It's no small matter. Boss, you don't know that when we asked people to write letters for us before, those scholars with their eyes on the top of their heads looked down on us and were always impatient. Not only did they charge a high price, but they also only wrote a few words to send us off. They kept saying things like "I'm well, don't worry," which was really disrespectful. Unlike you, you not only don't charge for writing letters for us, but you also don't mind us nagging, filling a whole page with words. If my mother received the letter, she wouldn't worry about me starving and freezing outside." After saying this, he whispered, "Besides, I think your handwriting is much more beautiful than those so-called scholars."
Everyone burst into laughter upon hearing this, and Xu San couldn't help but agree, "Isn't it? I think the calligraphy on that bookshop's sign is better than other shops. Even the owner of the Jinlou shop who passed by a while ago said it was good. He even asked me who wrote it. I told him it was our boss, but he still refused to believe me. Believe it or not!"
He spoke with great joy, and everyone laughed out loud again.
The atmosphere was harmonious and the waiter was not idle either. He quickly brought out the wine and food. Chicken, duck, fish, meat, and good food were served. The dinner was a feast for both the host and the guests. After the banquet, Xu Jiang settled the wages with everyone, and then said goodbye. Everyone left with a satisfied stomach.
It was already night when she returned to the bookstore. She locked the door, used sparks from the furnace to light two lamps, and unpacked and sorted the books. These books included those collected by the master during his lifetime, some with his own annotations, and some she had acquired on the road. They were a wide variety of books, covering a wide range of subjects. She sorted, classified, and labeled each box, then arranged them on the shelves in order.
By the time she had finished sorting everything, the incense ash had cooled. She hammered her aching back, then shone the lamp through each volume. From the Four Books and Five Classics to poetry, essays, travelogues, and myths and legends, each volume embodied the author's talent and painstaking effort. These collections could be rented, bought, sold, or copied.
Books are useless if they are not passed on, and etiquette is meaningless if it is not understood. She firmly believes that in a beautiful place like the capital, every collection of books here will always meet a soulmate who can understand it, and she and this small bookstore will eventually be able to win a place in this place where sages gather.
Besides books, there were also calligraphy and paintings, both framed and unframed, filling two boxes. Most of them were collected during her travels, and there were many excellent works. She selected a few to hang in a prominent place, and moved the rest to the backyard bedroom, waiting for clear weather to take them out to be polished, trimmed, and dried.
The night deepened. The night watchman's call echoed from the street. It was midnight, time for bed. She would have to leave the remaining study items, carved woodblocks, seals, and other belongings for tomorrow. She checked the door lock, extinguished a lamp, and then went to the backyard to build a fire and boil water. After a quick wash, she dragged her exhausted body to her bedroom and, wrapped in her newly bought quilt, fell into a deep sleep, barely able to even dream.
The next day, Xu Jiang was awakened by the sound of breakfast vendors hawking on the street. Lying in her warm blankets, she lost track of where she was or where she was. It took her a while to regain consciousness, and she slowly climbed to her feet and fetched water from the courtyard to wash. The cool, refreshing water instantly refreshed her. The donkey in the straw hut, upon seeing her, began to grumble, as if it hadn't eaten for three days.
"I haven't eaten yet, so I have to take care of you first. If the capital wasn't so big and you weren't needed, you would have been sold together with the two donkeys yesterday." She helplessly took out a bundle of hay from under the eaves, chopped it up in a few strokes and poured it into its trough.
The donkey, unable to understand human language, ate with such relish that she was practically starving. She had just moved in and there was nothing to eat, so she changed her clothes, tied her hair, opened the door with a bowl, and sat at the doorway, waiting for the vendor hawking breakfast. After a long wait, she saw a man carrying a load walking down the alley, shouting, "Selling Hu cakes, oil tea, and mutton soup buns!"
Upon hearing the sound, several nearby families opened their doors, bought breakfast and sat at the door to eat. The aroma of the food spread all at once, making Xu Jiang's stomach rumble with hunger.
She couldn't help but shout to the vendor, "Brother, give me a Hu pancake and a bowl of oil tea."
The vendor looked up and saw that the shop, which had been vacant for a long time, was now open. He asked in surprise, "Did they sell this shop? Is it a residence or a business?"
Xu Jiang thought, "How can't he see such a big sign?" Then she realized that the vendor must be illiterate. She replied, "It's a shop in the front and a market in the back, so it can be used for both residential and commercial purposes."
After she finished speaking, she handed the bowl over. The vendor poured her oil tea and asked, "What do you do for a living?"
"Bookstore." Xu Jiang took the oil tea and took a sip impatiently. His mouth was full of the aroma of grains and the taste was very mellow.
Delicious!
The vendor picked up a Hu pancake from another wooden barrel and handed it to her. He couldn't help but take a closer look at her. Seeing that she was a young woman, he became more talkative. "My father had originally looked at this shop, but he didn't like it because the location was remote and too small. But I didn't expect you to take it over and open a bookstore. It's really extraordinary."
Xu Jiang paid no attention to the underlying meaning of his words and simply asked the price of breakfast. After paying, she sat down under the tree in front of the shop to eat. The vendor didn't respond and angrily carried his load down another street, disappearing in the blink of an eye.
After breakfast, the sun rose, illuminating the shop. Xu Jiang continued with her work from the previous day, tidying up the dozen or so boxes and baskets she had brought with her. Taking advantage of the warm morning sun, she set up a few wooden boards in front of the shop and spread out the damp books and paintings to dry in the sun. Neighbors and passersby gathered to watch the commotion.
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