Helplessness Amid Hunger and Cold

Le Wen, wonderful.

The September sky stood high; the last heat of summer had passed, autumn winds brought refreshing coolness, and the willows were turning yellow.

Since ancient times, the city had been renowned. Peddlers and laborers streamed endlessly through the gates, while shops stood row upon row and stalls crowded both sides of the streets. The sounds of haggling, shouting, and hawking never ceased. After the sweltering summer, Kaifeng had grown even livelier and noisier. When he had first arrived, the prosperity so unlike his hometown had truly dazzled Lu Changwen. But with the provincial examination drawing near, he had only taken it all in at a gallop.

Yet as Lu Changwen listened to the unceasing clamor now, his heart was in utter turmoil. Even the pairs of eyes around him seemed filled with endless mockery. He raised his head and stared blankly at the signboard of Fish Leap Inn. At this moment, the two words "Fish Leap" looked incomparably glaring. It had been like this three years ago, and three years later, it was still like this! His father's words still rang in his ears: all trades are lowly; only study stands high. Thinking of his father's careworn face and those hope-filled eyes, Lu Changwen suddenly staggered back two steps, his face turning deathly pale. Just then, the inn's waiter came out through the door and said, "Young Master Lu, about yesterday's food and lodging fees, you see..." Before he could finish, he saw Lu Changwen backing away with a drastic change of expression. He hurriedly grabbed him and dragged him into the inn, shouting at the top of his lungs toward the interior, "Shopkeeper! This guy wants to dine and dash! I caught him!" His voice was shrill and urgent, like a cat whose tail had been