Chapter 79: Grounded and Buried

Chapter 79: Grounded and Buried

Xianjin's mind raced as she clutched the coral peach paper left by Song Kee, looking at the mountain of paper before her, as if she had discovered a small gold mine.

More than that!

Not just notebooks!

There were many things they could do with it!

Like paper fans! Like the previous "beauty lamps"! Like scented paper for incense! And lip blotting paper for girls! And bookmarks, illustrations, stationery...

Her thoughts wandered further and further.

Xianjin shook her head, dispersing her intense gaze, deciding to start with what was within reach and firmly grasp it!

Three little girls were better than Aunt Zhang. Xianjin led the two little maids in slowly clearing out the mountain of peach paper.

Xianjin benefited from daily practice of Baduanjin and Tai Chi, looking slender but strong, carrying stacks of paper with vigor; Suo'er, raised in the countryside, also had a robust strength.

Xianjin was somewhat surprised by Jinlihua's nimble actions and her willingness to get dirty and work hard.

It was indeed hot in June, and the heat made their work even more exhausting, causing an almost unbearable restlessness.

The oil lamp hung on the wall flickered, and Qiao Baozhu, holding a stack of peach paper taller than herself, walked past the bright light. Xianjin could clearly see the sweat on the girl's forehead and the gray smudges on her pink skirt.

"If you're tired, go outside for some tea."

Xianjin said sympathetically.

This girl, fair-skinned and neckless, clearly wasn't used to such rough labor.

Xianjin half-opened the warehouse door and saw the courtyard's excellent ventilation thanks to the open wooden lattice windows along the storefront. The northeast corner of the wall was covered with lush climbing vines, and beneath them were several flower beds filled with vibrant hydrangeas, green wild orchids, and white wind chimes, arranged beautifully.

Most impressive were the old bamboo recliners, a low-slung swing, and large water basins at chin height.

The coarse porcelain basins housed small fish, water hyacinths, and half-blooming lotuses, making the scene look cozy and serene—more comfortable than Chen's courtyard.

Xianjin nodded approvingly.

Though Song Baixi might be dim-witted, careless, and insincere, he did have one redeeming quality—his taste was decent, like this shimmering coral peach paper and this tranquil courtyard.

Xianjin pursed her lips. "Go sit there, enjoy the breeze, and cool off."

Jinlihua wiped her forehead, mumbling, "I... I don't..."

But her eyes followed Xianjin's gaze, her tone faltering, clearly moved by the peaceful atmosphere of the courtyard. "...I want to help... you..."

Alright.

She was indeed tired—she was chubby and had been pushing herself to impress her elder sister.

Jinlihua rubbed her eyes, smearing sweat and dirt across her face.

Xianjin smiled, then looked at Suo'er. The little girl's eyes were fixed on the swing in the courtyard. Xianjin smiled gently, speaking as if coaxing a child, "Suo'er, go boil some water and find any melon seeds or tea leaves in the shop. Clean the teacups and cups thoroughly! If you're hungry, turn left at the door, and there's a small wonton shop. Bring back two servings to share—you and Baozhu should both take a break!"

Suo'er cheered, grabbed the teapot, and ran straight to the swing.

Qiao Baozhu unhesitatingly handed over the stack of paper to Xianjin, lifted her skirt, and ran off like a happy, white, neckless little bear.

Xianjin looked at the papers in her arms. "..."

Hadn't she come to help?

So far, she knew: her appeal was greater than the cakes outside but less than the swing in the courtyard.

...

The three little helpers scattered, and Xianjin spent the afternoon sorting through the warehouse, separating usable paper from damp paper, placing the damp paper near charcoal canisters to dry, and cleaning the visible dust in the shop.

As Xianjin climbed up to clear spider webs from the window frames with a feather duster, she saw the two exhausted maids sound asleep on the rocking chairs in the courtyard, and paused, a thought flashing through her mind.

When Qiao Hui arrived on his father's orders to bring his younger sister home, he saw this bizarre scene—

His plump little sister and another skinny maid each held a bowl with some leftover broth, lying leisurely on the rocking chairs with their eyes closed.

One snored softly, the other snorted loudly.

"Sssss—" "Pfff—pfff—"

Their sounds interwove perfectly.

Qiao Hui's face darkened.

Looking further, he saw a long brown cockroach-like figure jump down from a stool, holding a feather duster in one hand and a cloth in the other, looking energetic as if it had woken up in the middle of the night to fight ghosts. It peeked out, smiling with six teeth showing, "Why are you here?"

Qiao Hui jumped, taking a step back.

Damn.

He thought the cockroach had become sentient and could speak!

"I came to take my sister home for dinner."

Qiao Hui steadied himself, speaking succinctly, glancing at his sleeping sister who seemed oblivious to the world.

Xianjin smiled, "Then you'll have to wait a bit."

She found a cup without chips, rinsed it three times with boiled water, washed her hands, and brewed some melon seeds, handing the cup to Qiao Hui. "Sit down, make do with this. This bag of melon seeds is rare, not damp. Once we clean this place up, I'll treat you to something better."

Qiao Hui took a sip, his eyebrows furrowing tightly. For a long moment, they didn't relax. After finally swallowing the melon seed tea, he pushed the teacup away from him with lingering fear.

Xianjin laughed, "Isn't it said that scholars pursue a life of simplicity and hardship?"

Can't even handle cheap tea?

Qiao Hui also laughed, "How rare! Why endure hardship when you can enjoy comfort? There are scholars who study by the light of a hole in the wall, and those who study in well-lit rooms; there are those who read under the snow or by fireflies, and those who grasp things instantly—life is short, why limit oneself?"

Xianjin smiled, lowering her rolled-up sleeves as she poured the leftover melon seed tea into the camellia landscape.

How to explain it?

Ever since she learned that Baoyuan was Qiao Hui, she felt a strange connection with him—as if they had become friends through books, or like doves flying across the sky.

Whenever Qiao Shanchang showed her articles signed "Baoyuan," she felt as if she could see through Qiao Hui's arrogant facade to glimpse his compassionate and magnanimous, yet meticulous and open-minded thoughts.

Xianjin refilled his cup with plain water—drink the good stuff, or don't drink at all; Jie Yuan Qiao wouldn't settle for less.

Qiao Hui decided not to reveal his true preferences regarding drinks, drained the water, and looked around Song Kee Paper Shop, raising an eyebrow, "The market buzzes with rumors about Chen's female shopkeeper being ruthless and vicious—first she undermined the Song Kee staff, then forced the old steward to bed, and finally coerced Song Tongsheng to abandon his family and run away with money."

Qiao Hui paused, "Even my fellow students from the mountain academy came to ask me if Chen's female shopkeeper is a spider spirit with eight legs, skilled at weaving webs and setting traps."

Xianjin smiled, "So what did you say?"

Qiao Hui smiled, his eyes sharp and full of youthful vigor, "I said, if she's a spider spirit with eight legs, you're a ginseng fruit on a tree—rarely coming to this world, only to be buried upon arrival."

This... isn't this wishing someone an early death?

Xianjin was taken aback, then realized and burst out laughing.

Scholars sure know how to insult people elegantly.

Without some knowledge of *Journey to the West*, one wouldn't understand it at all.