The Bookhouse Opens

Sunday.

Today was the opening day of the Samsara Bookstore.

Ye Yan had expected few customers. After all, he hadn't done any publicity or invited anyone important; he'd only told a few acquaintances.

However, when he opened the doors and let the sunlight into the bookstore, filled with the scent of fresh ink, he froze.

Three carriages were lined up outside the shop, one after another, their drivers deftly lowering the steps. From the lead carriage, an elderly woman in a deep green silk dress slowly alighted with the help of her maid. Several elegantly dressed ladies followed, lifting their skirts as they stepped down.

Ye Yan recognized the elderly woman. She was Daphne's mother, Lady Tali.

"Mr. Easton, I've brought my friends along to support your new venture."

Lady Tali came closer with a kind smile.

"Also, I wonder if you might take on some additional work? My friends are not only very interested in your spiritual mediumship, but also have great faith in your tracking abilities."

As she spoke, several ladies behind her eagerly stepped forward and surrounded Ye Yan. One woman in a wide-brimmed violet hat even bluntly asked, "My husband has been saying he's spending the night at his club lately. Could you perhaps..."

Ye Yan broke out in a cold sweat.

If it were something like appraising antique books, he'd be more than happy to take on the extra work.

But for a job like this, more akin to catching unfaithful spouses as a private detective, he could already picture angry men chasing him with their canes.

Just as he was wondering how to respond, a clear voice came to his rescue.

"Sir!"

Ye Yan turned and saw Billy.

Billy stood in the doorway, holding his sister Irene's hand. The two children no longer looked gaunt and dirty as they had when he first met them. Instead, their cheeks were rosy and their clothes clean.

Irene even had her hair tied in a little braid, which bobbed like a butterfly as she ran.

Old Mr. Oliver followed behind them, leaning on an ebony cane. Noticing Ye Yan's gaze, he smiled and nodded.

"Ladies, I'm afraid I must excuse myself."

Ye Yan bowed as if reprieved.

"I'll consider your requests. For now, though, I'd like to focus on running the bookstore."

"Sorry, I really should have thought of that."

Lady Tali sighed softly and took a gold-embossed invitation from her velvet handbag. "I'm hosting a literary salon next week. Please do come."

Ye Yan accepted the invitation.

Of course he wouldn't refuse. He might even be able to find a few banned books at the literary salon.

"It would be my pleasure, madam. I'll be there on time."

Lady Tali smiled and nodded.

The other ladies entered the bookstore and each picked out a book, more as a gesture than anything else.

As the ladies were paying, one in a peacock-blue dress suddenly came close and took the opportunity to slip a warm business card into Ye Yan's palm.

"Actually, you wouldn't have to work at all..."

She drew out the final words, her gaze like a brush dipped in honey, carefully tracing the young man's exotic features. As she turned, her skirt fluttered like a feather, brushing Ye Yan's trouser leg and leaving behind the scent of gardenias.

The other ladies covered their pursed red lips with their fans, but couldn't hide the amusement gleaming in their eyes.

Ye Yan couldn't help feeling his ears grow hot.

It was the first time in his life someone had slipped him a card—and she'd done it right in front of all these people.

He was so flustered that he froze.

Fortunately, kind old Mr. Oliver came over to ease Ye Yan's discomfort, leaning on his cane with Billy and Irene behind him. "Billy heard your bookstore was opening today and insisted I bring him here."

Then he doffed his hat to Lady Tali with great courtesy. "Good morning, madam."

The two exchanged polite greetings.

Billy ran up to Ye Yan and bowed at once. "Sir, I found a job! Mr. Oliver introduced me to Mr. Victor's pharmacy, where I'm working as an apprentice!"

"Really?" Ye Yan crouched down to meet the boy's sparkling eyes. "That's wonderful."

Billy nodded hard, then took a brightly polished coin from his pocket and solemnly offered it to Ye Yan. "This is what I promised to pay you back, sir."

Ye Yan paused, then remembered the boy had promised to give him the first shilling he earned.

"Mr. Victor is a good man," Billy continued. "Last time, he found out I'd helped him avoid mixing up a batch of medicine, so he rewarded me with a shilling."

As he spoke, he proudly showed off the coin hanging around his neck. "Ever since you gave me this lucky coin, I've met nothing but good people! I'm going to keep wearing it!"

Ye Yan couldn't help smiling.

He ruffled Billy's hair, then took two candies from his pocket and handed one to Billy and one to Irene.

Irene accepted the candy, but her eyes stayed fixed on the coin around her brother's neck. Envy was written all over her little face.

Ye Yan noticed her expression and smiled warmly. "Have you two started school?"

"Yes!" Billy eagerly answered. "Mr. Oliver helped us find a school!"

Ye Yan took out two honey candies wrapped in cellophane, but deliberately paused as he handed one to the girl. "I heard a certain young lady was praised by her teacher for her arithmetic?"

Irene immediately straightened up, her braid bobbing. "How did you know, sir?"

"Because good luck attracts more good luck."

As if by magic, Ye Yan produced a blue ribbon and tied it around the little girl's braid in a bow. "Now you both have lucky charms. Go pick out a book you like as a gift."

The children's eyes lit up. They cheered, took each other's hands, and ran into the bookstore.

Ye Yan watched them go, then turned to old Mr. Oliver. "You've taken good care of them."

Oliver waved a hand, a gentle smile in his eyes. "It was only my duty. But as for you, I never expected you to not only be a detective but also open a bookstore."

"To be honest, I'd never thought of becoming a detective. I'd always wanted to open a bookstore. But then..."

Ye Yan smiled bitterly.

"Actually, opening a bookstore was a fine decision."

Oliver gave him a meaningful look, then glanced elsewhere. "You've been in the limelight lately, and it's brought you plenty of trouble."

Ye Yan followed his gaze. The crowd at the bookstore entrance was growing, and among them were several well-dressed nobles wearing top hats and speaking in low voices.

He could feel many discreet glances turning his way. Those people hadn't come to browse books.

Ye Yan rubbed his temples and sighed helplessly. "You're right. It might be best for me to keep my head down and be a bookstore owner for a while."

Oliver laughed heartily and patted him on the shoulder. "Young man, sometimes what fate has in store for you is much more interesting than what you choose for yourself."

At Oliver's teasing, Ye Yan sighed.

He looked at Billy and Irene, excitedly flipping through books in the store, and felt a little comforted.

At least there were people who genuinely wanted to read.

Lady Tali looked up from the magazine she was casually browsing and glanced at the siblings. "Those two are from the slums, aren't they? You're very kind."

"But I've been a mother myself, so I can't bear to see children suffer."

She smiled at Oliver. "Mr. Twist, I've heard of your reputation for benevolence. I plan to order books from Mr. Easton's Bookhouse every year and donate them to the children in your care."

"Thank you very much, madam."

Oliver bowed slightly and kissed the back of Lady Tali's hand like a gentleman. "What I've done is far from enough compared to the children's homes founded by Mr. Barnardo."

He straightened, his voice gentle but firm.

"Still, I've always believed that showing kindness to children and the homeless is no bad thing. They aren't lazy by nature; they simply lack direction."

Ye Yan nodded slightly, and Lady Tali leaned forward a little, listening intently.

Seeing that neither of them looked impatient, Oliver felt a long-dormant urge to open his heart.

"I find them a way to earn a living and give them an education. Having never known the favor of fate, they cherish these hard-won opportunities more than most.

"In the end, they're no longer shadows huddled on street corners. They're people willing to reach a rope down into the abyss for those like themselves."

Lady Tali sighed and shook her head. Silver strands glimmered softly in the sunlight. "Your ideals are admirable, but the walls of the law are thick. They can't be shaken in a day."

"But our efforts haven't been in vain, have they?"

Oliver watched Billy and Irene beam in the sunlight, a faint smile appearing on his lips.

"Compared with the past, at least the authorities have now acknowledged the problems we face and passed the Elementary Education Act to reduce the number of street newsboys. Although the act still has many shortcomings, I firmly believe that one day, children will no longer have to starve even if they don't work."

"What a noble ideal."

Lady Tali was moved. "I wonder if I might have the honor of becoming one of your benefactors?"

"The honor would be mine."

The two stepped aside to discuss the funding.

Ye Yan hadn't expected to bring old Lady Tali and old Mr. Oliver together, but they were both kind people who cared deeply about children. It was only natural that they should become kindred spirits.

The two elderly people's conversation about the Poor Law drifted faintly over, while several noblemen surrounded Ye Yan.

They pretended to browse the books casually, but every question was barbed. By the third time the conversation turned to the Shadow Maiden, Ye Yan's smile had grown stiff.

Just as he was growing weary of the nobles' pestering, a commotion suddenly arose at the shop entrance.

Jules came in with a whole troop of brawny men. They were all massively muscled and looked like a pack of thugs.

"Make way, make way!"

Jules and his men pushed through the nobles surrounding Ye Yan.

He had gone out of his way to wear a new brown suit today, but with his villainous, ruffian air, it looked rather out of place.

"These are all customers your uncle brought along."

Jules pointed to the burly men behind him, whom he'd specially brought along in case anyone caused trouble. "Don't worry. Your opening will go smoothly today. Nobody will dare make trouble."

The men bowed in unison, so neatly that it looked rehearsed.

"P-please, feel free to browse..." Ye Yan greeted them through gritted teeth, then leaned closer to Jules and lowered his voice. "Uncle Jules, are you sure you brought customers and not hired muscle?"

Jules grinned slyly, pulled a bulging money bag from his coat, and tossed it onto the counter. "What are you talking about? Of course they're here to buy books!"

He turned and shouted, "Did you hear me? Everyone buys at least three books! Hardcovers! Unlike certain people who look well-off but can't even bring themselves to buy a book, we've got money to spare!"

The nobles who'd been mocked wanted to fire back, but when they saw the troop of brawny men, they could only swallow their anger.

"What a bunch of barbarians. I can't stand being around people like that."

Red-faced with indignation, they muttered insults under their breath. Before leaving, apparently wanting to prove they weren't short on money, they had no choice but to hold their noses and buy a book before slinking away.

Once the last customer had left, the Samsara Bookstore finally grew quiet again.

Ye Yan let out a long breath and rubbed his stiff cheeks. Dealing with all those probing questions had been exhausting, but when he saw that only a few books remained on the shelves, he smiled.

At least now he had some start-up capital.

He could finally offer a lending service to poor people who couldn't afford books, without worrying about the cost.

Ye Yan was just about to close up and rest when he heard the familiar creak of the door at 221B.

Dr. Watson came in first, carrying a ribbon-wrapped gift box. Holmes followed behind him, holding a book bound in black leather.

"Business is business," Watson said with a helpless shrug. "And among the Sanctum and the Sanctuary, we're the ones who know you best."

As he spoke, he took a sealed letter from his inner pocket. "This is a personal letter of recommendation from the new Archbishop of Canterbury. With it, you can choose a book from the rare books room at St. Paul's Cathedral."

Holmes handed him a letter as well.

"It's an order form from the Sanctuary."

He paused, then continued, "After numerous experiments, we've finally confirmed that the key offering for summoning the Shadow Maiden, the Gift of the Deep Sea, has no substitute.

"The Research Institute urgently needs you to supply more Salt Trace samples in bulk, so we can further analyze how they work."

Watson gave a timely little cough, then deftly untied the ribbon on the gift box.

"Business hours are over." His blue eyes twinkled playfully. "Now, let me offer you my personal congratulations."

The box opened, revealing an exquisite copper globe. "This is a gift from me."

Ye Yan was about to thank him when Holmes suddenly slapped the black leather book in his hand down on the counter. The three words Insect Records gleamed enticingly on its cover.

"Mycroft's idea."

Holmes's voice was lower than usual. "It's from the Diogenes Club's collection. Show the silver bookmark on page seven, and you can go read at Mycroft's club."

"We should be off." Holmes raised a hand to straighten his deerstalker, then added, "There'll be a book club at the club next Friday. If you want to see the strangest books in London, come to my detective agency at exactly seven in the morning."

Watching the two hurry away, Ye Yan wanted to ask whether something had happened. But when he thought of the trouble he'd gotten himself into, he kept quiet.

Never mind.

He'd better keep his head down for a while.

Reading at the bookstore, attending a literary salon now and then, and occasionally hunting for treasures in the various libraries—that was the life.

Ye Yan looked at the black-covered book, excitement written all over his face.

What could Fabre in this world have written for his work to be banned just like Darwin's On the Origin of Species?

Curious, he slowly opened Insect Records.