Stock found it fascinating, too. Mr. Qi was forty years older than him, yet spending time with the old man felt like starting a business with someone his own age. Though he was a cultural icon known throughout the universe, he never made Stock feel constrained or intimidated. He was like a young warrior with endless energy, always ready to leap into battle.
Of course, that was only to be expected of Mr. Qi's spirit. At his core, he was still the elder who had crossed mountains and seas, and a sea of people:
"Tomorrow, I'll be dealing with local notables, so I'll have to say something practical. It's like the scripts I write. I used to love surrealist dreams spilling into reality, because the bigwigs and the middle class wanted to feel cultured. But now, when I'm really trying to express what I think and feel, I need something everyone can understand. That's how Cold Hill came about. Hahaha! I hope Miss Fina won't change it beyond recognition."
"With the captain keeping an eye on her, I doubt she'll stray too far," Seldy said quickly, trying to reassure him.
"That's exactly why I'm worried," Mr. Qi said sourly. "You've spent plenty of time with that kid, haven't you? Do you really not know that at heart, he's a lawless little monkey?"
Stock found it ridiculous and could hardly keep from laughing.
After all, the universe-renowned literary master Mr. Qi was a cultural icon across the universe—and just as famous for his caustic tongue. In the past, he'd been fiercely opposed to people tampering with his work. Even celebrated directors had often been so thoroughly chewed out by him that they could barely function.
But with Miss Fina Li and Yu Lian, he was astonishingly indulgent, almost doting. It was