A Song Before Sleep

Li Banfeng had the coachman drive the carriage to a desolate area in the Outer Valley and asked him to unload the goods.

Chunsheng had already paid the coachman enough, so the coachman didn't ask any questions. He unloaded the cartload of items near the edge of the woods and drove away.

Li Banfeng looked around and saw no one. He exerted his strength and lifted the Four-Poster Wooden Bed.

He had to admit, a Travel Cultivator's carrying capacity was quite good. Carrying such a large wooden bed, Li Banfeng could still free up a hand to take out a key.

This solid wood bed was truly heavy.

The fellow named Chunsheng just now, being able to move the large bed onto the carriage by himself, didn't seem like an ordinary person either.

Li Banfeng moved the bed into the Portable Abode. The Portable Abode itself wasn't large, only about six or seven square meters. With a 1.5-meter bed, the space felt a bit cramped.

Li Banfeng then moved the Phonograph in, wondering where to put it.

Put it opposite the bed, and listen to music while lying in bed?

Enjoying the beauty of the music while watching the steamspew would indeed be quite pleasant.

But after one song finished, he would have to get out of bed to change the record. If two cups of water boiled dry, he would have to get out of bed to add water.

If he had to get out of bed frequently while listening to music, it would lose some of its charm.

Li Banfeng placed the Phonograph by the bed. Lying in bed, he could change records, add water, extinguish the fire, and wind it up with just a reach of his hand, without having to get out of bed.

This was a good idea. It was settled.

After moving the Phonograph, he made the bed with bedding, used a Feather Duster to wipe away the dust, and neatly folded the clothes the boss gave him, placing them next to his backpack for now.

There were still many things to buy. He needed a wardrobe, a storage cabinet, and a set of tables and chairs...

Li Banfeng's eyelids felt heavy, and he was a bit tired.

After coming down the mountain, he and Xiaopang rested at an Inn for a day before returning to the Inner Valley the next day. It was just past dusk now, and the sky had just turned dark. Logically, Li Banfeng shouldn't be this tired.

Could it be that the residual poison in his body hadn't been cleared?

That shouldn't be! Didn't they say that Shut-in Cultivators recovered the fastest?

No matter how tired he was, he had to go see Xiaopang. Having been in this place for so long, if there was one person who could be considered Li Banfeng's friend, it really had to be Qin Xiaopang.

At the Steamed Bun Shop at the street corner, Qin Xiaopang was still eating heartily, with several stacks of steamer baskets piled up by the table.

"Why were you gone for so long?" Qin Xiaopang's mouth was full of steamed buns, and his speech was a bit muffled.

"I discussed the price with Steward Feng," Li Banfeng pulled up a chair and sat down, ordering the steward to bring two more baskets of steamed buns.

The Steamed Bun Shop wasn't large, but the steamed buns were exquisitely made. The beef filling, when bitten into, and gently slurped, filled the mouth with fresh soup. Paired with two cloves of mashed garlic, it was authentic delicious food, simple and pure.

Li Banfeng ordered a pot of wine. He didn't know which wine in this shop was good. He hadn't heard of any of the wine names here. He just asked the waiter to bring the best wine.

Qin Xiaopang felt a little heartache. His elixirs hadn't been sold yet, and even the wine in the Steamed Bun Shop was a bit of a luxury for him.

"Brother Qin, don't worry, this meal is on me." Li Banfeng poured a cup, took a sip, the wine was strong, and he savored it for a while before swallowing it.

Seeing Li Banfeng so generous, Qin Xiaopang lowered his voice and asked, "What price did you sell it for?"

Li Banfeng made a gesture: "Six thousand."

There was no need to hide this from Qin Xiaopang. If he wanted to sell to Steward Feng in the future, the price would likely be the same.

Qin Xiaopang shook his head upon hearing this: "Brother Li, it's not that I'm criticizing you, but you sold it for too little. This isn't an ordinary item. You really don't know the ins and outs here."

"What ins and outs?"

It was late, and there was no one else in the steamed bun shop. Qin Xiaopang lowered his voice: "I met an acquaintance in this steamed bun shop just now and asked about the market. I really did find out.

The wealthy families in Pro State buy hundreds or thousands of pills every year. At the end of the year, they specifically reward the meritorious disciples in their families.

A large family works themselves to the bone all year, all wanting to earn a few more pills to exchange for cultivation. But what if they don't have merit? They have to buy them on the market at a high price.

The price on the market is different from the medicine shops. If a medicine shop sells for ten thousand, the market price is at least twelve thousand. Some sell for fifteen thousand, eighteen thousand, or even twenty thousand. You selling for six thousand is really a loss."

Li Banfeng shook his head and said: "If these pills can be sold, they are money. If they can't be sold, what use are they to me? I don't lack those few days of cultivation, and I don't know any wealthy young masters."

Qin Xiaopang took a sip of wine: "How about this, after we rest for a couple of days, I'll take you around Medicine King Gully. We can't reach the extremely wealthy, but I know quite a few young masters from moderately wealthy families."

Li Banfeng ate a steamed bun and smiled: "Thank you for your kind intentions. I'm returning to Yue Province tomorrow."

"Yue Province?" Qin Xiaopang hadn't heard of this place name.

"Yue Province is a place in Outer State. That's where I came from."

"You're going back? So soon?" The little fatty was a bit disappointed. After eating two steamed buns, he felt a bit relieved.

"That's right, you're from Outer State and have seen the world. You definitely wouldn't think much of a place like Pro State.

One day, I also want to go to Outer State to see. If I don't go to such a good place, I'll have lived this life in vain."

Such a good place?

Was Yue Province a good place?

Li Banfeng felt that Yue Province was indeed a good place, but if he had to say what was good about it, he couldn't.

They ate until the steamed bun shop closed, and then they parted ways.

Qin Xiaopang said: "You know where my home is. When you come to Pro State again, be sure to find me."

The effects of the alcohol gradually set in, coupled with his exhaustion. Li Banfeng lay on the bed, about to fall asleep.

Just sleeping like this, he always felt like something was missing.

Hadn't he walked twenty li today?

He had walked enough.

Then what else was there to do?

Li Banfeng sat up halfway, took out the crank, inserted it into the phonograph, and wound it up.

So that was what was missing, so that was the lack of music before sleep.

He specifically chose a record. The record was wrapped in stiff paper, and the stiff paper had a colorful cover.

On the cover was a patch of red and yellow flowers, and in the center of the flowers was a long-skirted woman dancing gracefully.

Li Banfeng pulled out the record and placed it on the phonograph's platter. He flipped the switch, and amidst the background noise, the phonograph began to play a beautiful song:

That south wind blows cool!

That nightingale sings softly!

The flowers under the moon have all fallen asleep, only that tuberose, releasing its fragrance!

"Tuberose"!

He had heard this song before, but never liked it as much as tonight.

Before the song was even finished, Li Banfeng had already fallen asleep.

He was using a spring mechanism. The reason he didn't use a steam engine was because he was worried he might fall asleep at any moment.

With a spring, there was no need to worry about putting out a fire, so Li Banfeng could enter dreamland with peace of mind.

"I sing for you, I think of you, tuberose~~"

The song finished.

The needle reached the end.

The spring was completely unwound, and the phonograph stopped.

In the dark Portable Abode, only Li Banfeng's steady and deep breathing could be heard.

Splash~

A sound of water came from the phonograph, as if someone was adding water into the phonograph's horn.

Hiss~

A match was struck, lighting the wick in the oil tank.

Hiss~ Hiss~ Hiss~

Puffs of water mist sprayed out from the small horn on the right, and the phonograph's platter began to slowly rotate.

The needle was moved back to the starting position, and amidst the background noise, the phonograph once again played a song:

"To the ends of the earth, oh, the sea~ corner,

Seeking, oh, seeking~ a kindred~ spirit,

Little sister sings, young man plays the zither,

Young man, oh, we two are of one heart!"

The beautiful singing continued to echo in the Portable Abode.

Hiss hiss hiss~

The petals of the Copper Lotus slowly unfolded, and within the lotus heart, a whirlwind stirred.

The whirlwind blew over the phonograph, causing the song to go slightly off-key.

After about ten seconds, the singing slowly returned to normal.

The petals of the Copper Lotus trembled a few times before closing back up.

The phonograph continued to play a sweet tune:

Oh life~ who doesn't~ cherish youth

Little sister is like thread, her beloved like a needle

Beloved, threaded together, never to part!

Amidst the singing, Li Banfeng slept soundly, a happy smile constantly on his face.

PS: Everyone keeps asking if this book has a female lead. Salad tells you, yes, she's here! She's arrived, spitting steam.