"Thank you, boss! I apologize for bothering you."
"No need to be so polite. My surname is Bai, and my given name is Muqiu. I don't have a courtesy name yet, so you can just call me Muqiu."
"Ah, this must be Boss Bai. I am Xu Mao, not yet twenty, and I do not yet have a courtesy name."
"Oh, then, Mr. Xu, please have a seat."
"Thank you, Boss Bai."
Xu Mao straightened his robes and sat down dignifiedly opposite Bai Muqiu, his back straight.
He has a refined demeanor; his face exudes elegance, and his every gesture reveals his class.
"A person with a wealth of knowledge naturally exudes elegance. You must be very knowledgeable. Do you have any official rank or fame?"
Upon hearing this, Xu Mao felt a little proud, but remained humble, saying, "I am not very talented; I have only just obtained the title of Xiucai (a scholar who passed the county-level imperial examination) and am still preparing for the Juren (a higher-level imperial examination)."
"Oh, I called you the wrong way. I should call you Scholar Xu."
Bai Muqiu bowed gracefully with a smile.
Xu Mao was quite flustered and waved his hands repeatedly: "No, no, no, Mr. Bai, please just call me Scholar. The sea of knowledge is boundless, and I am just starting out."
"Scholar, you are too modest."
Bai Muqiu smiled and poured him a cup of tea.
Thank you.
Xu Mao quickly accepted it with both hands.
After drinking a cup of hot tea, the warmth flowed into his stomach, and Xu Mao felt completely refreshed. He had never drunk any good tea before, but he knew that this tea was very good.
Although it has a slightly bitter taste, it has a sweet aftertaste.
"May I ask you a few questions?"
After drinking his tea, Xu Mao felt he should say something, so he asked about the question that had been bothering him.
"Hmm? What's the problem? Please speak freely, scholar."
"What kind of business is this shop, Boss Bai? I often pass by, but I've never seen it open. I only came here today because I was in a hurry and didn't know where to go... And I remember that your shop... was closed?"
Xu Mao suddenly froze as he spoke, as if he had only opened the door when he reached it, and he hadn't seemed surprised until now...
Suddenly, a strange feeling arose from his heart, and Xu Mao felt a chill run down his spine. Looking at Bai Muqiu, who was smiling in front of him, his expression froze, and his whole body felt ice-cold.
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