Chapter 76: On Credit

Tong Zhihuan was sitting at the stone table in the courtyard writing a medical book.

Miss Tao’er was resting her chin on her hand, not knowing what she was thinking about.

Tong Zhihuan put down his brush and asked, “What are you thinking about, Miss Tao’er?”

“I’m thinking about Sir…”

Miss Tao’er turned her head and said, “Isn’t it said that drunk people talk nonsense? But when Sir drank and got drunk, why didn’t he say a single word?”

Tong Zhihuan thought for a while.

He glanced back at Sir sitting idly in the temple and then started speaking. “I think…”

“Maybe because Sir has been alone for too long.”

“Huh?” Miss Tao’er blinked, not understanding.

Tong Zhihuan said, “Probably because he didn’t know who to tell it to.”

Miss Tao’er paused in surprise and asked, “But aren’t we here?”

Tong Zhihuan shook his head and sighed. “Even though Sir is right here with us, sometimes I feel he is far away. Whether it’s me or you, Miss Tao’er, neither of us really understands him.”

Miss Tao’er recalled Sir’s actions over those years.

It seemed Tong Zhihuan hadn’t said a thing wrong.

Sir seemed to keep many secrets deep in his heart that he never told outsiders. Even hearing him speak every day showed no signs of it.

Seeing Miss Tao’er lost in thought, Tong Zhihuan said, “I just mentioned it casually.”

Miss Tao’er snapped back to the present and looked at him. “You’re not stupid either.”

“Huh?” Tong Zhihuan was stunned for a second.

“It’s nothing.” Miss Tao’er didn’t explain more and turned to look at Sir reading in the temple.

Over the years, Sir must have read countless books.

He seemed to hide everything in those books, but no one could tell what was in them.

She couldn’t understand them, and Tong Zhihuan couldn’t see them.

That day, Sir read books just like before, taking out all the hundred or so books in the Library Pavilion to flip through them.

The reading lasted into the night, then into midnight.

Inside the Library Pavilion, the Oil Lamp stayed lit the whole time without going out.

The sky was gray.

Miss Tao’er and Tong Zhihuan got up early to prepare breakfast.

After eating together with Sir, they were ready to send Sir down the mountain.

“I’m leaving,” Chen Changsheng said. When he arrived, he had brought nothing; when leaving, he only took a sword.

Miss Tao’er came forward and handed some peaches to Sir. “These peaches are tasty. Have them on your way.”

“Thank you for your thoughtfulness.”

Chen Changsheng looked at the peaches, smiled slightly, raised a hand, and all the peaches vanished into his sleeve.

Miss Tao’er nodded and said, “When you come back, you can still eat peaches.”

Hearing this, Chen Changsheng couldn’t help but smile again.

“It’s a promise.”

“Yes.” Miss Tao’er nodded, her eyes a bit sad. She hated to see Sir go, but she could not follow him.

Tong Zhihuan asked, “Sir, will you be back three years from now?”

Chen Changsheng paused before saying, “Not sure.”

“I see,” Tong Zhihuan said. He pursed his lips and lifted his head. “This lad wishes you…”

“A smooth journey…”

“And success in everything.”

Chen Changsheng looked at him and laughed. “Better say that to yourself.”

“Huh?” Tong Zhihuan was stunned, not getting it.

Chen Changsheng waved a hand. “I’m not leaving forever. Don’t make it like this is goodbye.”

Tong Zhihuan coughed softly and forced a laugh.

“That’s it. I’ll come back in some time.”

Chen Changsheng stepped forward and started down the mountain path.

But halfway down, he suddenly stopped and turned back to look.

Tong Zhihuan paused in surprise and asked, “Sir, do you have anything else to tell us?”

Chen Changsheng said, “You’re not small anymore.”

“Stop calling yourself ‘lad’.”

Tong Zhihuan stood frozen for a moment.

Chen Changsheng looked away and disappeared around the bend.

Tong Zhihuan seemed a bit dazed.

Only then did he remember that again he had forgotten how to talk about himself in front of Sir.

In his panic, he could only think of the word “lad”.

Yes… in the blink of an eye ten years had passed!

Sir had not changed one bit, but he was no longer that same “lad” from back then.

Tong Zhihuan sighed and mumbled softly. “Who knows when we’ll see each other again?”

Miss Tao’er looked at him and said, “Sir will always be here.”

The Peach Tree in the courtyard swayed in the wind. A gentle breeze drifted into the temple.

Only a hint of coolness remained.

Chen Changsheng went down the mountain and, as always, headed to the Autumn Moon Market.

West Bridge was gone and destroyed. Now the authorities were doing repairs, with constant clanging sounds filling the air.

Chen Changsheng walked into the West Bridge Tavern.

“Fill it up.”

When Xiao’er saw this gentleman, he no longer dared to be careless.

When speaking to Mr. Chen, he trembled all over. After seeing the river flow backwards yesterday, he finally understood why the Manager had been so calm.

This gentleman…

truly had extraordinary powers!

Zhang Xiaoliu still entertained Mr. Chen as usual, but this time, he felt the Gourd was especially hard to fill.

He poured nearly two large jars of wine into it before the Gourd was full.

Zhang Xiaoliu then asked, “Sir, are you ordering so much wine because you’re going far away?”

“Just going for a casual walk,” Chen Changsheng said with a warm smile.

Zhang Xiaoliu asked, “Is the wine enough to drink?”

Chen Changsheng picked up the Wine Gourd, shook it, and said, “It should be enough.”

But Zhang Xiaoliu shook his head and said to Xiao’er beside him, “Go bring two more large jars!”

“Alright, I’ll go now,” Xiao’er replied.

Xiao’er dashed off anxiously, and Mr. Chen couldn’t even call him back.

Chen Changsheng gave a helpless smile and said, “What is this for…”

His smile faded, and he continued, “Manager, this time, I still have no money with me.”

Zhang Xiaoliu paused briefly, then blurted out quickly, “Sir, just tell me how much wine you wish to drink. Even if it means giving you this Wine Tavern as a gift, Xiaoliu would not dare complain at all.”

Chen Changsheng said, “Put it on credit.”

Zhang Xiaoliu was suddenly stunned inside.

His arm shook slightly, and he stared at Mr. Chen with a blank look.

The Manager and Xiao’er saw Mr. Chen out of the Wine Tavern.

After Mr. Chen left, Zhang Xiaoliu brought out the Account Book and drew a thick, bold mark on its first page.

Xiao’er asked, “Manager, you look happy?”

He could not understand why the Manager seemed so cheerful despite all that debt.

It was a full four taels of silver!

It was as if the Wine Tavern had worked for several days with no profit.

The Manager rolled his eyes scornfully and said, “Shame on you for being a waiter so long without grasping this basic idea.”

Xiao’er paused, puzzled, and thought hard, but he still couldn’t figure it out.

The Manager didn’t explain, only saying, “That’s all the ambition you have.”

Xiao’er was scolded unfairly, but he didn’t complain; he just didn’t get what the Manager meant.

“What reason could that be?”

He couldn’t understand it.

The Manager said briefly, “You’ll see one day.”

After he finished, he suddenly froze.

He suddenly remembered the Old Manager.

This very sentence seemed familiar—the Old Manager had said it to him before.

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When was that exactly…

He never dreamed that all those years had passed in a blink.